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Guitars

 

Quick Review

New Guitar Models

Martin D-28CW.... a great balanced instrument.  A little on the high end, wonderful for flatpicking, wouldn't be my first choice for rhythm.  Oversized soundhole provides excellent volume.

Martin D-42.... huge warm tone, a little bassy, can be a little muddy for flatpicking.  Volume will overpower a jam.

Martin HD-28.... practically the standard.  Near perfect mix of high and low tone.

Martin D28 Marquis.... excellent mixture of high and low tone.  I think the prewar bracing and Adirondack top provides a noticeable difference in sound.  The wide, V shaped neck makes the neck a joy to play for folks with large hands.  Truthfully if you have large hands (I do, I'm 6'5) its definitely worth getting the wide neck as it helps with runs, though it can shorten your fret span.

Blueridge BR160.... all the features of a Martin or comparable dreadnought for much lower cost.  Fit and finish is almost there.  Sound is comparable to standard all solid American dreadnoughts.  Headstock inlay may be a bit "loud" for some.
Washburn D64SW "The Bluegrass"
(made in the bluegrass tradition with a sculpted bridge, solid Spruce top, solid Rosewood back and sides, not sure if its USA made or not but its a lot of guitar for the $900 or so price tag)

Blueridge BR 341
(Interesting parlour size guitar new from blueridge, with X bracing and solid mahogany back and sides, solid Sitka spruce top)

Takamine 'T' Series
Takamine "T" Series Guitars - solid top, back and sides, mahogany and rosewood acoustic flattops.  These are some pretty hot looking and playing new models from Takamine.  I'm going to have to check one out, looks like a lot of guitar for around $1700.



Brands
Martin, Collings, Larivee, Santa Cruz,
Blueridge, Huss & Dalton, Bourgeois, Taylor,
Gibson, Guild, Takamine
 

Guitar Showcase

(To be in the showcase, instruments must be all solid dreadnoughts and be made by established, reputable makers, displaying quality fit and finish.
Martin D28 Collings D3 Larivee D60 Santa Cruz D Takamine "T Series" Huss & Dalton DM Bourgeois Vintage D


 

Gear

Quick Review

Hercules Guitar Stands "ole Herc" will hold your instruments with no worries.  This guitar stand is extremely stout, is very intuitive in its design and its easily collapsible.  You can easily take this with you if you want to have something to hang your instruments on.  Hercules makes a variety of stands that will hold up to 3 instruments.

D'addario Phosphor Bronze Strings right now I'm using the medium version of these strings on my dreadnought.  I believe they have the right combination of tone, life and cost.  I've tried a variety of strings from Elixir to GHS, to Martin to DR and I keep coming back to these.

Intelli IMT 500 Tuner this is a little gem of tuner that you can pick up for around $12.  It senses the vibration of your instrument and will tune without a mic.  It has a backlight display so you can tune in low light conditions.  It also has a swivel head so you can always see the display no matter if you are standing, sitting or dancing on stage.  Make sure its clamped firmly on the headstock... sometimes it won't sense the vibration unless its seated properly.  For the price its unbeatable!

Levy's Leather Straps without going to a custom strap, Levy's simply offers the highest quality, sturdy and fashionable straps on the market.  If you are going to play a high-end instrument, hang it from your shoulder with pride.

Dunlop Tortex Picks I've been using Dunlop Tortex picks for 12 years, ever since I began using them while playing metal.  The tortex material is designed to stay in sweaty fingers that so often accompanying greasy rockers on stage when the pyrotechnics are blasting full-force.  I've found the mid-summer jam session can get nearly as hot and sweaty.  Dunlop tortex picks are a match made in heaven for the guitar picker who is on his last legs trying to keep up with one more break.  The fingers might be sweating and the wrist might be tired, but the pick ain't goin nowhere!

String Swing Wall Mount Instrument Hangers simply the standard in wall hangers.  This thing is simple but sturdy as can be.  For the instruments I don't hang on "Herc" I hang on these.

Jack Tuttle's Bluegrass Songbooks some of the best bluegrass songbooks I've come across.  "The Really Good Book of Bluegrass Songs" and the "Equally Good Book of Bluegrass Songs".  Go to Jack's website to order them.

Gear We Recommend

Hercules Guitar Stands D'addario Phosphor Bronze Strings
Intelli IMT 500 Tuner
Levy's Leathers Straps
Dunlop Tortex Picks

     
The String Swing "The Really Good Book of Bluegrass Songs" and the "Equally Good Book of Bluegrass Songs"      

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