What do you think of Italian Alpine Spruce /Madagascar Back and sides for a custom D?

[D28A1941]

I was thinking of forward shifted bracing. Do you think it'll be good for flatpicking and strumming. I actually have a CSOM13, but it is too lightly built for that type of playing.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

[Von Beerhofen]

I'm using mine for anything really, the CS-OM-13 doesn't strike me as too lightly build, in fact it has thicker bracing then a standard OM + rosewood bridgeplate and it should be able to handle .013 with ease.
It's currently not a guitar I'm digging in to, but that's just because I don't want to scratch it. I'm using .73 and .88 Dunlop nylon picks, so not particularly heavy but then again I'm no longer gigging and only recording.

I can't really say what forward shifted bracing does on a dread as I don't have one and I can't go out to play one, it's just too far for me at my age.
Most raves I read are about the GE bracing and the custom shop builds like the CS-21-11 and the Authentics but who plays what and why is hard to figure, it seems to me most are fingerpickers.

It all depends on what sound you're after and you can only find out by trying many different guitars and understanding their differences. Personally I think that many guitars from the standard line are perfect for what you play, 5/16th standard X scalloped bracing allows digging in even with heavier picks. Anything else is probably much more sensitive and more suited for finger stylists or hybrid play.

I love Madagascar because all my guitars with it are perfectly ballanced, no frequencies really stand out untill you're starting to use the available headroom. The CS-OM-13 is pretty sensitive, I agree, but it can handle pretty forcefull play, you just don't want to play it to make yourself heard against other louder guitars (larger bodied).

If you feel you really need to dig in I think you best stick with the standard line and perhaps go with the slightly more expensive ones like the HD28MP which may give you a bit more volume at the cost of being a bit more sensitive and expressive. Or go for a customshop version of it.

All the lighter builds are not really for strumming, GE bracing, thinner top, forward or rearward shifted, they'll enhance certain frequencies or allow the top to vibrate more, often dissipating the energy quicker. I find these guitars can be strummed only with a soft touch or they'll start compressing.
Also their pitch changes when forcefully played because of the amplitude of the strings.

This is just my general experience and may not be the same for others, guitars have too many variables to pinpoint cause and effect, at least it does for me. Play as many as possible to find out what you need if you can't decide and talk to anyone who you think has sufficient expertise is my advice, the choice is yours, not anyone else's.

Ludwig

[rmyAddison]

Originally Posted by Von Beerhofen

I'm using mine for anything really, the CS-OM-13 doesn't strike me as too lightly build, in fact it has thicker bracing then a standard OM + rosewood bridgeplate and it should be able to handle .013 with ease.
It's currently not a guitar I'm digging in to, but that's just because I don't want to scratch it. I'm using .73 and .88 Dunlop nylon picks, so not particularly heavy but then again I'm no longer gigging and only recording.

I can't really say what forward shifted bracing does on a dread as I don't have one and I can't go out to play one, it's just too far for me at my age.
Most raves I read are about the GE bracing and the custom shop builds like the CS-21-11 and the Authentics but who plays what and why is hard to figure, it seems to me most are fingerpickers.

It all depends on what sound you're after and you can only find out by trying many different guitars and understanding their differences. Personally I think that many guitars from the standard line are perfect for what you play, 5/16th standard X scalloped bracing allows digging in even with heavier picks. Anything else is probably much more sensitive and more suited for finger stylists or hybrid play.

I love Madagascar because all my guitars with it are perfectly ballanced, no frequencies really stand out untill you're starting to use the available headroom. The CS-OM-13 is pretty sensitive, I agree, but it can handle pretty forcefull play, you just don't want to play it to make yourself heard against other louder guitars (larger bodied).

If you feel you really need to dig in I think you best stick with the standard line and perhaps go with the slightly more expensive ones like the HD28MP which may give you a bit more volume at the cost of being a bit more sensitive and expressive. Or go for a customshop version of it.

All the lighter builds are not really for strumming, GE bracing, thinner top, forward or rearward shifted, they'll enhance certain frequencies or allow the top to vibrate more, often dissipating the energy quicker. I find these guitars can be strummed only with a soft touch or they'll start compressing.
Also their pitch changes when forcefully played because of the amplitude of the strings.

This is just my general experience and may not be the same for others, guitars have too many variables to pinpoint cause and effect, at least it does for me. Play as many as possible to find out what you need if you can't decide and talk to anyone who you think has sufficient expertise is my advice, the choice is yours, not anyone else's.

Ludwig

Got to disagree my friend, GE/Authentics have no problem with "strumming", and they are flatpicking dreams. I've owned a number of Martin's lighter builds and never had a problem with compression, and I'm not a fingerstyle player and use a heavy Blue Chip pick.

I think my playing buddies who all have GE/Authentics/Custom Shops would disagree too, those guitars have plenty of headroom. But as you said we all have different experiences, the three Madagascar Martins I have owned were all wonderful (000-42MEC, America's Guitar, CS OM-28) and had no problem when you dig in, as you said and I always mention the OP needs to follow his ears not ours.....

[Von Beerhofen]

Rich, I think it's a very subjective theme. I'm not saying that one can't strum these instruments, simmilarly as someone else is saying he can't strum the CS-OM-13, whereas I can. I'm also not saying that every lighter build will compress, that depends on a lot of factors, I just think chances are higher if control isn't fully there.

It maybe experience in controlling the sound or whatever one calls it. I'm pretty certain I have enough experience to strum ANY guitar, even wider spaced ones or Spanish, but coming from a hardrock background I needed to learn that first. Now I can do almost anything.

However, if someone identifies a CS-OM-13 as being too lightly build for strumming then I can only deduct that he needs a heavier build guitar and give him the options I've adviced. These can handle some extra abuse and are more forgiving if the control isn't entirely there yet.

Another option would be to learn to control the CS-OM-13 the way I do, it's not that hard.

Ludwig

[rmyAddison]

Originally Posted by Von Beerhofen

Rich, I think it's a very subjective theme. I'm not saying that one can't strum these instruments, simmilarly as someone else is saying he can't strum the CS-OM-13, whereas I can. I'm also not saying that every lighter build will compress, that depends on a lot of factors, I just think chances are higher if control isn't fully there.

It maybe experience in controlling the sound or whatever one calls it. I'm pretty certain I have enough experience to strum ANY guitar, even wider spaced ones or Spanish, but coming from a hardrock background I needed to learn that first. Now I can do almost anything.

However, if someone identifies a CS-OM-13 as being too lightly build for strumming then I can only deduct that he needs a heavier build guitar and give him the options I've adviced. These can handle some extra abuse and are more forgiving if the control isn't entirely there yet.

Another option would be to learn to control the CS-OM-13 the way I do, it's not that hard.

Ludwig

We're on the same page, it basically comes down to the player, their style(s) and their skill level.

My core 3 are very different OMs, different woods and different bracing. It's almost subconscious but I adjust the way I play them automatically to the feedback I get from the guitar, which I'm sure you and any experienced player do, kind of like driving different cars, we auto-adjust (pun intended).

Hey, we are both lucky enough to own Martin Madagascar's, it's all good....

[D28A1941]

Thanks for the responses. From my perspective as compared to my OM28JM and OMPW, the CSOM13 doesn't handle strumming as well for how I play/ strings I use...

[Brucebubs]

2012 Martin D-42 Custom shop Italian Alpine Spruce top Madagascar back and sides, hide glue;
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2012-Mart...item3cffeb577d
Not cheap but that's a beautiful guitar!
Ignore the postage, the link is ebay Australia, guitar is in Salt Lake City USA.