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  #1  
Old 09-11-2017, 06:33 PM
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Default Dreadnoughts for bluegrass jamming

hi,

I'm new to bluegrass but very committed to jam camps and local jams etc., at least if I can get to be decent. Having suddenly realized that there's a reason that bluegrassers all play dreads I now have a gorgeous used but immaculate Collings, which is great for pushing me to play more and better, but I would hate to do something stupid to it at jam camp.

There was thread on this forum a while back about what to take to a jam camp or festival. I totally get the "what you are saving if for" argument (yolo?), and thought that's what I would think. But I also know that it's nice not to have to worry TOO much about instruments.

So I wonder if there are suggestions for a good jam-camp dreadnought, especially if I can find one used. Based on that comparison video the Eastman D10 seems like a good bet, and I hear good things about the Blueridge. I started with a Seagull S6, and loved it, but that was a long time ago and before I ever tried a flatpick; would it work for bluegrass?

Thanks.

will
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Old 09-11-2017, 06:44 PM
ChrisE ChrisE is offline
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Get a Blueridge and put a sticker on it that says "My other Guitar is a Collings."
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Old 09-11-2017, 06:55 PM
posternutbag posternutbag is offline
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I had a Blueridge Br-140 for a while. The guitar sounded good, played well; it wasn't as nice as my Martins or my Bourgeois, but it was a fine guitar. My only real complaint was that it was very bass heavy. In small jams with no upright bass, that was a good thing, but in jams with an upright or several guitars, it had a tendency to get lost. But such is the life of a bluegrass guitarist. Any acoustic guitar will get lost if the jam circle gets too large.

And stuff happens. My Bourgeois is currently getting a very small heel crack glued after it took a tumble off of a guitar stand during a jam. My invariant rule for my entire musical life has been that my instrument is either in my hands or locked in a hard case. But I got lazy, and "boom crack".
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Old 09-11-2017, 06:57 PM
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Oh boy I gotta think ...I've been playing for about 50 years. I bought a 1968 D28 in 1970 I've taken it to many bluegrass festivals. To many to try and remember and many jams both in Virginia and South Carolina as well as Pennsylvania and even some in NY state. I think I've taken my D28 to about all of them except this summer when I was having a neck reset done I took my 2014 D18. The D28 did collect bumps and nicks but I can't even think of not taking "my guitar" it's what I play 95% of the time. That's what I bought it for. I know a lot of people think different today with the cost of a good acoustic in the thousands. The D18 wasn't cheap compared to what I paid for the D28 back in 1970 but still in 1970 it was a lot to me. I take the D18 most of the time also so far nothing has happened to it. It's totally up to you but you may play the Collings a lot better than you will a Blueridge or a Eastman. As far as which backup is better I've played both brands and the Blueridge was a better fit for me. I played a Blueridge BR 160A and liked the feel and neck also played the Eastman E10D and E20D.
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Old 09-11-2017, 07:09 PM
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the Recording King RD 316 is a super BG guitar if you like the 1 11/16 nut width
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Old 09-11-2017, 07:17 PM
Elisdad Elisdad is offline
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My Collings goes to all the bluegrass camps and festivals with me. They were built for pickin!
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Old 09-11-2017, 07:22 PM
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I think an MMV might be a good option.
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Old 09-11-2017, 07:35 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Martin D-15M, arguably the stealth bomber of the festival circuit; BTW, forget what you think you know about hog-top dreads - I've seen a few of these at BG jams in the NY/NJ/PA region and. when properly broken in (a summer's worth of play-it-like-you-stole-it parking-lot picking should get it done - and I'd only buy new for just that reason), they've got surprising volume as well as a mature, punchy, woody tone that works well for both rhythm and lead (not always the case with your more typical D-18's/28's, not to mention more "modern-voiced" instruments)...
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Old 09-11-2017, 07:36 PM
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I purchased my Eastman E10D specifically for a bluegrass Jam class I am taking this semester. It is working out perfect. I highly recommend it!
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Old 09-11-2017, 07:57 PM
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Martin D-16GT. If you can find a used one. You can't have mine,
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Old 09-11-2017, 08:05 PM
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The first and best solution is to take the Collings and make it "your" guitar, as already noted.

Secondly, I'd get something that I felt was capable of holding my attention. For me that means tone and feel. Blueridge and Eastman both do well in terms of tone, but most of the examples I've played have necks that are just too thin to suit me. My answer to the "beater" question is a well worn '72 D-18 appropriately reworked by Bryan Kimsey. I have guitars that I like better, but I can certainly make do with this one.

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Old 09-11-2017, 08:32 PM
Tnfiddler Tnfiddler is offline
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If I'm playing bluegrass, my 1995 810 is with me and it'll hang with the best of them!
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  #13  
Old 09-11-2017, 08:48 PM
blewgr@sser blewgr@sser is offline
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hi,
i'm new to hear but have been struggling with same thing myself...
after finally getting a used (1998) d-28 (which i love btw) i wanted something of a "beater" dread for festivals etc esp since my chops dont yet deserve said d-28...
after some looking and a lust for a sunburst dread, I just bought a recording king RD-26, basically a d-18 copy all solid wood. That model isnt available anymore but my other 1st choice personally was a RK rT-16 (torrefied) for a beater, tho it does have a laminate back and sides.
I'm a fan of Recording King stuff, Eastman too (i have a Potomac 000-28 copy that i LERVE) i've never had a blueridge but they have a great reputation around here and on many other forums and circles...

Once i'm where i wanna be i hope i'll take my d-28 there w me, and i hope you'll take your Collings w you too, but for now i totally get the reservation.

(side-note)
this is my 1st ever post here,...the sum of yall's guitars, those of ya who have that as a signature, where do ya add that?
i'm happy to be here, be reading for years, just officially joined this afternoon (rainy day)
cheers
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Old 09-11-2017, 08:58 PM
WindKnot WindKnot is offline
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What's the budget for this guitar?
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Old 09-11-2017, 09:08 PM
ChrisE ChrisE is offline
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Seriously though I'd say take the Collings. I'm sure you got it because you love it, and you would probably play better and play more often with a nice guitar like that than you would with some beater substitute guitar.
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