I'm cheating on my D-18

PiousDevil · #1 09-20-2017, 11:01 PM

I've had my D18 for about a year, and I've played it regularly and faithfully, with love and adoration. Wanting a slightly smaller bodied all mahogany guitar to complement it, I recently picked up a 000-15sm. What a great guitar it is. Really, really great. Too great.

I think I like the 000-15sm more than the d-18 now. It shouldn't be like this. The d-18 was close to a grand more. It's a spruce top dreadnought, and I loved it for all this time. But somehow the smaller bodied guitar seems louder, to ring out more clearly, despite having light gauge strings to the d18's mediums.

Could it just be in my head? The 000 can't be louder, can it? Is it just the angle I'm hearing it from? This all just seems so wrong.

Zissou Intern · #2 09-20-2017, 11:50 PM

I'm doing the same with my J15. And, yes, I do like it more than my D18. And, yes, I feel it is louder than the D18.

If you are becoming smitten with smaller bodied guitars with big sound and you don't want to cheat on your D18 with yet another guitar, stay way from the Eastman E10OO and E20OO 12 fretters...

Wade Hampton · #3 09-21-2017, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiousDevil

Could it just be in my head? The 000 can't be louder, can it? Is it just the angle I'm hearing it from? This all just seems so wrong.

Triple O's are much more projective than they're usually given credit for being. I find that my 000-42 cuts through where most dreadnoughts won't, even though conventional guitar forum wisdom would have it that the dreadnoughts are louder and Triple O's are meant for dainty fingerpicking with light gauge strings, soft and oh so gentle on our ears.

But Triple O's have an amazing punch if you ignore all that conventional wisdom and play them with fervor. The 12 fret Triple O body style you have is actually a rather large guitar body design.

Short version: don't believe everything you read online, especially if it's about what various guitar designs can do and (supposedly) can't do.

Wade Hampton Miller

ii Cybershot ii · #4 09-21-2017, 12:09 AM

Haha, all I know is this thread made me laugh.

Tico · #5 09-21-2017, 01:22 AM

I'm very promiscuous ... well, guitar-wise.

Ed-in-Ohio · #6 09-21-2017, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiousDevil

...snip...
I think I like the 000-15sm more than the d-18 now. It shouldn't be like this. The d-18 was close to a grand more. It's a spruce top dreadnought, and I loved it for all this time. But somehow the smaller bodied guitar seems louder, to ring out more clearly, despite having light gauge strings to the d18's mediums.
...snip...

You should try lights on the D-18. You might be surprised.

Mr. Jelly · #7 09-21-2017, 04:16 AM

All mahogany guitars have more mid-range and that gives an impression of loudness. OM guitars were designed to cut through a jazz band (horns are loud). Dreadnoughts were designed for more bass not necessarily more volume. They are different tools.

Bob from Brooklyn · #8 09-21-2017, 04:30 AM

I got a D18 in July and I'm still seeing my ex (a J200) on the side.

Pickcity · #9 09-21-2017, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zissou Intern

I'm doing the same with my J15. And, yes, I do like it more than my D18. And, yes, I feel it is louder than the D18.

If you are becoming smitten with smaller bodied guitars with big sound and you don't want to cheat on your D18 with yet another guitar, stay way from the Eastman E10OO and E20OO 12 fretters...

Yes my J-15 has become my favorite. I wanted a j-45 for a long time but after playing several of them I just liked the J-15 better. So that's what I bought and plan to keep until I croak.

In the past few weeks I have visited several guitar stores and played a couple other J-15's. Both of them sounded as good as mine, and one may be slightly better, if that's possible. Mine looks better, though, so there is that...That's a grand total of 3 J-15's I have played and all 3 were fantastic playing and sounding instruments. The guy at Sam Ash told me their J-15 is his favorite acoustic in the store...I didn't even play that one. I believed him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Short version: don't believe everything you read online, especially if it's about what various guitar designs can do and (supposedly) can't do.

Wade Hampton Miller

Very good advice. I see a ton of bad advice online.

OP, if the new Martin is better than the D-18, accept it and be grateful. It could be worse!
Congrats on finding a gem!
If cheating is the word, I have filed for divorce with some of my past favorites. The quest for perfection never ends.

BuckRogers · #10 09-21-2017, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiousDevil

I've had my D18 for about a year, and I've played it regularly and faithfully, with love and adoration. Wanting a slightly smaller bodied all mahogany guitar to complement it, I recently picked up a 000-15sm. What a great guitar it is. Really, really great. Too great.

I think I like the 000-15sm more than the d-18 now. It shouldn't be like this. The d-18 was close to a grand more. It's a spruce top dreadnought, and I loved it for all this time. But somehow the smaller bodied guitar seems louder, to ring out more clearly, despite having light gauge strings to the d18's mediums.

Could it just be in my head? The 000 can't be louder, can it? Is it just the angle I'm hearing it from? This all just seems so wrong.

So you're saying that you have a D-18 that you need to sell cheap, eh???

Jabberwocky · #11 09-21-2017, 05:13 AM

You're banging other guitars? The noirve....

Don't we all cast the longing eye at who or what hangs off other people's arms?

llew · #12 09-21-2017, 05:37 AM

Welcome to 12 fret-itus! Most of my guitars have 14 fret body joints but the few 12 fret guitars I have are alway special when I play them! Almost magical?

Shades of Blue · #13 09-21-2017, 05:48 AM

I can't imagine any guitar sounding better than my D-18 at this point. It just suits my playing perfectly. Now, I can see other guitars sounding better for certain styles, but the D18 just sounds perfect for what I bought it for, which is southern gospel/country playing.

I've been on the fence about my 814ce, but I really sat down and played it last night and it is just amazing. I needed to take a few days away from it to really appreciate it. Going to keep it for sure.

I just ordered an OM-28 from madhat on the forum. He gave me the most amazing deal, and I can't wait to try it out. I have a feeling it will probably once again challenge the 814ce for playing time, but nothing will beat out the D-18 haha.

PiousDevil · #14 09-21-2017, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llew

Welcome to 12 fret-itus! Most of my guitars have 14 fret body joints but the few 12 fret guitars I have are alway special when I play them! Almost magical?

I already had the 12 fret bug, as my first (and still sometimes favorite) good guitar was a Yairi DYMR70SB, a 12 fret dreadnought. Which is why I was so disappointed to miss out on a custom martin adirondack over walnut 12 fret drednought recently. It hurts. I'm a sick individual.

llew · #15 09-21-2017, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiousDevil

I already had the 12 fret bug, as my first (and still sometimes favorite) good guitar was a Yairi DYMR70SB, a 12 fret dreadnought. Which is why I was so disappointed to miss out on a custom martin adirondack over walnut 12 fret drednought recently. It hurts. I'm a sick individual.

Yeah...that sounds like a nice one you missed? Gruhn usually has some unusual Martin 12 fret dreads but I can't recall seeing one with walnut back & sides? Mostly the more exotic rosewoods with Adirondack tops. Sorry you missed that one?