Could Really Use Some Advice
 

I'm getting new hearing aids on May 2nd. I will be bringing an acoustic with me for the audiologist to tweak the Music setting for me. I still remember what a Martin sounds like in my hands. I want to bring a wooden Martin with me to the appointment. Problem, I don’t have a Martin with me in the RV.

I do have several options.

Buy one from Guitar Center and return it after the appointment.

Buy one and keep it (like this one best) darn the RV humidity control issues. I would just keep it in the case with humidipaks and play it like I owned it.

Just bring my McPherson Sable.

To buy and keep, I’m just an over the hill singer/songwriter and that appreciates the Martin feel and sound. Torn between the D and 000 in an 18 or 28. Still trying to decide if a modern deluxe is the way to go.

Any performing would be at open mikes or busking.

Any thoughts or comments will be appreciated.

i find it unethical to deliberately buy a guitar intending to use it then return it.

Sounds like you're jonesing for a new guitar. You don't need our permission.

I also find the idea of buying one to use it but intending to return it distasteful.

Buying and immediately returning is something that kind of grates on me UNLESS the folks at GC understand your intentions and are OK with it. Another possible alternative would be to rent one for the day. Or talk with the audiologist beforehand and see what they think about just using the McPherson; would it do as well?

From the tenor of your note, it sounds as if what you really want is to buy one to keep. That's very different. The issues of humidifying, affording and storing it are ones only you can answer. To me, I'd be concerned that if I bought it beforehand, then my aids were adjusted, would I like the sound as well? I suppose, assuming you buy from GC or some place with a similar return policy, if that happened you could trade it back for another that you like the sound of better once your new aids were adjusted.

I’ve worn hearing aids for years and I’ve not heard of an audiologist being able to tune my hearing aids to an acoustic guitar let alone make them sound like a particular brand. The many wonders of science. I agree with Fazool on the buying of guitars with the sole intent of returning them. Not cool,

I'm wondering if the audiologist would tune things differently for different guitars - or even if you'd want them to. I don't know, but I suspect that the tuning is a big more general than that. In any case, buy a new Martin! The advantage us older guys have: we are more aware we're going to die someday and are better at buying new toys.

As several mentioned, my take as a 15 year frustrated Garageband bedroom sound engineer is you're expecting far far too much from your audiologist to tune in the specific tone of a Martin versus any other acoustic guitar.

But then, I've never had it done and don't know what their capabilities are. But if you have a sound editor app on your computer pull up an instrumental track done by a Martin and see what frequencies are the ones that make you think "Martin" and suggest that to your guy. Best of luck with the hearing aids, I've been borderline overdue for years . . .

Let me add that the audiologist will tune to the sound I bring and will adjust to best match "what I hear" compared to my hearing loss. I just prefer to hear the "Martin sound" for this process.

I appreciate all of the comments.

If you take the Sable, and he tunes to that sound, if it's accurate for that it would seem the Martin would be accurate as well.

I would just take the Sable and if you need to adjust the hearing aids later for the Martin it shouldn't be a big deal.

As far as a new guitar goes, as I age, I find my 000-18 is becoming my favorite. Buying one you like, and keeping it, would also be a good option.

Stotes

High frequencies are high frequencies - hearing aids can’t tell the difference between brands. Learn what your other guitars sound like and have them tweak it to that.

I took a guitar (actually a uke) in when I had my aids adjusted. Not to adjust to make the guitar sound right, but to adjust the aid's settings so the sound was not distorted. If they boost the treble too much (for conversation enhancement) you'll get "quack" with louder music. It was easier to tell if the aids' sounded natural with an instrument than by just talking.

I imagine the OP feels he can recollect in his mind the sound of a Martin beat, better than he knows the sound of the McPherson or other guitars.

By bringing in something that should sound close the what his mind recalls, the audiologist can fiddle with the settings until what he hears is closest to what he thinks he should hear.

I think this makes perfect sense. Use what you are most familiar with so it can match a best it can. I won’t be perfect, but it may be better than using the McPherson, if the internal memory of its sound is less robust.

It also sounds like a great excuse to buy a new Martin.

I agree with this—if your audiologist can make the McPherson sound like a Martin, even better. ;)

You say you remember what a Martin sounds like, but which Martin? If you really want a Martin guitar, I think it would be easier to shop for one once your hearing aids are adjusted, even if they aren’t 100% tweaked to a specific guitar.

Brand new hearing aid user here at 59 (but have needed them likely for more than a decade). My experience: your hearing aids can't be tuned to discern one guitar brand over another. They will be generally tuned toward frequencies with which you may struggle. Maybe your expectations a bit lofty? I wish my hearing aids were THAT good, but alas, they are not. I can hear my guitar better. But it doesn't sound more like any type of guitar (or even really a natural guitar).

I voted "punt" but really I'd give a different answer from the offered 4.

I would not adjust my hearing to optimize for guitar sound. Optimize for ineligibility of speech instead. That's way more important than my sense of the "correctness" of how a guitar sounds.

I can get used to how a guitar sounds. Saying "huh?" and "say again" etc. and all the guessing/faking/bluffing is really tiresome.