I have a very unexpected "problem", and I need help.

[peterkovach]

Hi Everyone,

I’m new to the forum, and I thank you all in advance for any guidance or advice you may have on my (very) unique situation. And let me apologize now for the length of this post.

Basically, I am having a very good “problem”. Let me (not-so) briefly explain how I got here.

Several years ago I was dating a girl. To make a long story short, while I was with her, my beloved guitar was stolen. A 1971 Gibson J-45. I absolutely adored it, and was heartbroken. I’ve always been pretty strapped for cash, and I have not owned an acoustic since then.

The girl and I have been broken up for several years now, and she has gone on to do very well for herself. I knew that she had always blamed herself for the guitar getting stolen (99% likely it was her addict ex boyfriend). I forgave her for it, told her it was not her fault, etc. I since moved away. We haven’t spoken in a year. I got an e-mail from her last week saying that I’d be receiving a package in the mail. I figure it is some kind of catch-up letter, or some kind of gift that reminded her of me. Something like that.

I get home on Saturday to my apartment to find a brand new Martin D-18 at my door. She bought it on Amazon for $2,459.

I called her, basically in shock. Can’t deny there were some tears. She explained that she couldn’t stand the thought of me not playing guitar (we used to sing songs together as a part of our relationship. Very beautiful memories).

My first reaction was to reject it. She insists that I keep it. Apparently she is doing very well for herself, and this is a way for her to right a wrong from several years ago. She got me the D-18, thinking that it was the same guitar I had stolen from me. I told her this wasn’t the case (it was a vintage Gibson J-45) and she told me that I could return it or exchange for basically any guitar I want similar in value.

So, literally out of nowhere, I get to choose any acoustic I want.
I know to many of you, I sound like a spoiled brat right now, and that I should accept the D-18 and love it as such. And there's a great chance I will. But this is the guitar I will never sell and will own for the rest of my life, and I want to make the right decision.

I’ve been planning/saving for my big high-end acoustic purchase for years now, so I have done my fair share of research. I know that I am not a Taylor guy, as I find them too bright for my taste. I loved my Gibson (even though it was apparently made in a very bad era for Gibson). The sound was great, but what made it perfect was the action. I don’t know how or why, but it made me a far better acoustic player. The neck was great.


Here is my question for you guys. What do you do if you have 3k to spend on a guitar within the next week?

I’ve narrowed it down the best I can. It's 100% Martin or Gibson. Stupid as it is, I'm old fashioned and really love the iconic brands that have made such a huge impact on the music I love. I know there are great boutique brands out there, but for my one life-long high end acoustic, it's gotta be a Martin or Gibson.

Here are my final options:

- Martin D-18 (the one I currently have with the tag still on it).
- Martin D-28
- Gibson J-45
- Gibson Hummingbird.

And that’s it.

My first reaction to the D-18 was positive. My ex knows literally nothing about guitars, so she actually bought it on Amazon. I was concerned about this, but it seems to be fine. I don’t know if it has been set up or anything.

The sound is beautiful, but a bit brighter than I prefer. Also, I’m a big guy (6’5’’ with big ol hands) and the guitar is on the smaller side. I’m thinking the D-28 might be more suitable? Or Gibsons?

I’ve always thought it was crazy to pay for a brand new guitar. I had planned on getting one used, and I’m a big fan of old guitars. But maybe its best to play it safe and stick with brand new? It's a weird feeling, because I'm literally playing with someone else's money.

What would you guys do if you were me? Are brand new Martins as good as the vintage ones? Should I scour eBay for an old J-45 (like the one I loved so much)? Get a badass bright orange Hummingbird?

Musically, I’m very into folk, blues, rock ,etc etc. My ideal guitar sound is something similar to early Neil Young, Stones, Dylan, etc. Would definitely say I prefer a more deep, full sound, rather than a modern bright Taylor-esque sound. I dabble in bluegrass and country, but I'd say I'm definitely blues/folk based.

I realize that this^ is all sprawling and I’m probably not even asking a specific question, but, still, I would love to hear some advice from some wiser folks than myself. I’m sure that most of you would kill to be in this position. I still kind of can’t believe that it’s happening to me. I’m sure I could stick with the D-18 and be happy, but I’d always wonder if I made the wrong choice.

Cheers,

- Peter

[viccortes285]

Seems you want the J-45 still, get what you want it

[jpd]

Take a play on Huss and Dalton CrossRoads DS and see if that neck doesn't make you think you're back with that vintage Gibby

[aaronwinter]

I'd say keep the D-18. It's a fantastic guitar and I doubt you'd find a Gibson that sounds better than that. The D-28 and the D-18 are going to be the same in terms of size and overall feel. They will sound different. Just to give you a point of reference, and to show my opinion, the D-18 was my dream guitar. Now I have one and I wouldn't want anything different.

Aaron

[TBman]

First I'd see what you could do to "un-ex" that woman.

Then, if it was me, I'd try out some J-45s, but the other ones are excellent choices as well. I basically just play slow blues/rag on my J-45. For other styles of music I have other guitars. Go try some out, bring the D-18 to a/b against them.

Welcome to the forum too!

[littlewing1208]

The D-18 and D-28 are the same size as are the rest of the Martin dreads. They are longer scale than the J45 so they will sound a bit bigger and have higher string tension.

[Kerbie]

What a story... this is entirely personal preference, but from the 4 guitars you listed, I'd keep the D-18 in a heartbeat. You can't lose with any of them. Good luck!

[GGSanders]

Keep the D-18. Accept it as a gift from an old friend and enjoy it. Don't think of it as a replacement for your lost Gibson. Very likely you will grow to love it.

If you still yearn for a J-45, pinch your pennies until you have $1500-2000 saved, and buy a used one. That seems to be the going price on Reverb.

Certainly nothing wrong with having two nice guitars, is there?

[pjroberts]

Take some time to play the D18 and be super careful to keep in minty clean. See if you like it. While you’re doing that, tour around any shops you can and play their J45s and other guitars. It’s the only way you’ll make the right decision. It is your decision and your ears, and your taste.

[dgt178]

.....get a '71 Gibson J-45......and all will be right in your world............by the way....if I suspected her ex of stealing it, I'd have had my buddy Guido pay him a "visit".....

[Rosewood99]

Get the j45.

[D-utim]

Keep the D-18. A great ending to a very cool story.

[George6654]

Accept the gift from your Ex gracefully and play it like you stole it.

Invite the Ex to dinner

[Wade Hampton]

Peter, if I was you I would keep the guitar and experiment with different string brands and alloys, and perhaps different picks, as well. With electric guitars you can dial in the tone you want by turning knobs and adjusting your amp settings, but with an acoustic guitar the tone you get is mainly in your hands.

If you haven't owned an acoustic guitar for a while, it's going to take some time to get the right touch back.

Full disclosure: I own a number of great, high dollar guitars, including some custom-made instruments. But the Martin that I own and prefer is the Martin D-18. To me it is one of the finest guitars Martin makes, and has been ever since 2014 when the company went back to their pre-WWII design specs on it.

D-18's as they're currently being made are terrific guitars, so I would strongly recommend that you woodshed for at least a couple of months on this guitar while experimenting with different strings and picks. Try playing the strings closer to the bridge and farther from the bridge, to get that tonal variation, and try different right hand attacks, harder, softer, whatever. Another technique that sounds great on acoustic guitars is to lightly place your palm on the bass strings to give them a "thumpier" sound.

Palm-muting is such a versatile technique I'm surprised more players don't use it, frankly. I use it to play melodic lines as well as bass parts. Depending on how lightly or firmly you press your palm down, you can get all sorts of different textures doing that.

So whether you palm mute or not, you have a superb guitar and an excellent palette of tone colors and textures to play with.

Remember, at least 80% of the sound you get from an acoustic guitar comes from your hands. Perhaps more. At this point you're probably still using the exact same attack that you use on electric guitar, but you might start getting better results if you start consciously working on your right hand attack. Try some different picks, too, including heavier gauges than you might be used to.

It would be a shame to give up what might be a great guitar because you failed to perform your "due diligence" in experimenting with string alloys, pick materials and right hand attack.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[jwellsy]

That gift would come with too high of a price for me. Stand by for a long ration of jealous guilt trips if you ever tell that story to any future girlfriends or spouses.