Two fantastic guitars with the same basic sound

[GeneralDreedle]

THat's my bind. I have a Gibson J45 Custom Rosewood and an HD 28 VTS-- both are fantastic sounding guitars, some minor differences, the Gibson sounds a little more articulate and the Martin is a little more "back of the throat" sound (don't know how else to describe it). My problem is I'm yearning for a different sound like mahogany or maple but can't bear to part with either guitar, and I don't really need 3 guitars.
Has anyone else had this issue? Feel free to laugh or mock, when I played each guitar before I bought them I fell in love with them, not thinking that they were pretty similar.

[Quebec Picker]

You say you don't really need 3 guitars.

Here's another way to look at it: do you need to sell one of them? If so, fair enough. But I sometimes want to sell one of my 4 acoustics because I certainly don't need 4. But then, again, I like them all, even if some get played less. I don't really need the cash, so am not fussed with selling any for the moment.

GSS (guitar selling syndrome) can be almost as powerful as GAS.

Of course, if you need the cash, you need the cash.

[TBman]

The solution is to put Martin Retros on the Gibson and find a Taylor 600 series you like.

[Mycroft]

Sounds like you actually do need 3 guitars.

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

Sounds like you actually do need 3 guitars.

Or swap the J-45 Rosewood for a traditional Mahogany backed J-45.

[GeneralDreedle]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

Sounds like you actually do need 3 guitars.

This is my favorite response, and I do have Martin retro on the Gibson, sounds fantastic, and as for money. It all depends, there's a hummingbird on sale that I could get without selling one, maybe I'll "give" it to my wife, she won't see through that will she?.

[L20A]

How about parting with the Martin and replacing it with a Martin D-18 Authentic?
Now you have a great balance in guitars.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by GeneralDreedle

..Has anyone else had this issue?

Sure, most of us have. Obviously the simplest solution is to swap one of the guitars for something else, but if you're attached to both, and still want more variety, than I suggest adding a third guitar to your stable, and stop worrying about need.

[Bax Burgess]

Try different saddle materials.

Micarta- warmth across the strings
Bone- clarity
Tusq- angel's breath
Corian- turbocharged clarity

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by GeneralDreedle

This is my favorite response, and I do have Martin retro on the Gibson, sounds fantastic, and as for money. It all depends, there's a hummingbird on sale that I could get without selling one, maybe I'll "give" it to my wife, she won't see through that will she?.

It really wasn't a factious answer, but I had not had enough coffee yet to give a better. One nice thing about having several guitars of the same woods and similar design is that you come to appreciate the subtle differences between them. I have 5 guitars of similar size (00 to 000-size), all with spruce over mahogany. NONE have the same tone and feel to the others, and two are by the same builder.

If you can swing the third guitar without selling one of the others (and it sounds like you can), wouldn't you be better off getting it and having it as a comparison in the mix? What if you decide that you are not really taken by mahogany-backed guitars? Obviously you do like both of the two that you know have. No need to rush.

As to your wife, I can't help with that. Won't is more like it... <G>

TW

[Shades of Blue]

I feel your pain, but I am learning that I actually WANT that problem. I have a D-18 and a Taylor 814ce, and they sound completely different. I keep the D-18 in standard, and keep the 814ce in DADGAD because I like have different guage strings for different tuning.

I'd like to now get another dread to keep in DADGAD because while I like the sound I get from my Taylor, I HATE the sound of the Taylor with a capo and much prefer my D-18 in DADGAD with a capo.

Anyways...first world problems.

[Dondoh]

I'm sorry but I am really confused by this.

You say you don't need three guitars. But what do you play when you aren't playing the two you have?

[GeneralDreedle]

I really appreciate the enabling going on in this thread. Thank you.

[drplayer]

Originally Posted by Mick's Goat Whiskey Picks

Or swap the J-45 Rosewood for a traditional Mahogany backed J-45.

I was thinking this same thing...

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by GeneralDreedle

I really appreciate the enabling going on in this thread. Thank you.

You ain't seen enabling yet...

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