Here's what I'm up to musically; what guitar do you recommend?

[varmonter]

I would find a loud dread. Get one
with a red spruce (adi) top. back and sides out of rosewood. this will give you
a range of volume choices as the adi
will give you that. the risewood will
give you that clarity in the low end.
madagascar is nice if you cant find
or afford brazilian. but eir or coco are good as well.

[Mbroady]

Sounds like a road trip to the nearest music stores should be considered, depending on your location.

Try as many guitars as possible before you decide.

[Methos1979]

I second the suggestion of a 12-fret dread unless you need access up there for soloing. The large dread body with the extra size of the slope shoulder 12-fret gives incredible bass response while still having great tone across the middle and high strings.

The Collings are great if you prefer a more modern, brighter tone. The Martin D-1 Authentic is great if you prefer a more traditional tone. The D-1 Authentics will also have a wider fretboard than the collings unless you find a custom shop model like I did.

I'd go with mahogany over rosewood since you say someone is always singing. In a large body dread the overtone-rich rosewood would compete with the vocals. If the 12-fret slope shoulder dreads don't work for you than a D-18GE would be my next suggestion.

[lt20dbl]

Just use what I use. I use what I have and I like it. You should use what I have.

[zmf]

Originally Posted by Cobby

We want a nice full sound up there - no tinniness.
The guitar needs to be loud enough in these situations, but more importantly, it needs clarity and projection so it doesn't just contribute to a general murkiness.

A Bourgeois rosewood dread. Sweet and clear up the neck.

[prusaw]

I've never played anything like a McPherson. The bass response is stunning, clarity never muddies, perfect intonation up the neck. Most guitars have a weakness. Hard to find one with these guitars...

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by Cobby

Price: Boutique guitars, OK. Custom builders, probably not.
Body type: I'm open, but it seems likely it'll be a dreadnought.

Ok, any model by any boutique builder. They all work.

[gwlee7]

I thought of Martin J 40 like some others as well as M 36. I may have bought an M 36 if I had played one around the the time I got my HD 28. They are very balanced and sound like what the OP is looking for.

A good J45 should be considered as well.

Go play a bunch of guitars and one will let you it wants to come home with you.

[Michael Watts]

Originally Posted by Cobby

Someone is singing. Mostly I'm strumming. But sometimes I ditch the pick and I'm travis picking. When I'm strumming I'm usually working around a bass line with a strum or two filling in the gaps in the bass line. I tend to pluck bass notes more often than most other guitar players I know.
So that's number one: the bass. It should be prominent for sure, but not the slightest bit muddy.

I'm at a jam session. Mostly with other guitar players but sometimes other instruments. Sometimes just one or two other players, sometimes a houseful. So now I'm often playing up the neck to get out of the way of the other players. We want a nice sound up the neck. We want a nice full sound up there - no tinniness.
The guitar needs to be loud enough in these situations, but more importantly, it needs clarity and projection so it doesn't just contribute to a general murkiness.

So:
works well with singing
prominent bass, but not muddy or boomy
good projection
good clarity
nice and full and true up the neck

What guitar do you recommend?

Sounds like a job for a used Olson SJ if you can stretch that far.

[Cobby]

Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions. There were several ideas I'd hadn't considered. For instance, I never considered a used McPerson or Olson. Hm. And it's been awhile since I've explored the ins and outs of what Martin has to offer these days.

What I have right now is a Huss and Dalton DM. It actually might be the perfect guitar for me after all. It has exceptional balance and clarity and it just stands out there perfectly distinct when playing in a crowd. Such presence. But... but... I find myself thinking sometimes "I wish I had a little more bass" - hence my post.

For those that suggested the D-35 - I understand completely. The ones I've tried have had such a lovely warm bass. But it doesn't have that presence and clarity that I also crave. I like them, but I've never really been tempted to own one. I have ben tempted with the D18 though. Some of those I've played bring a smile to my face. It reminds me of sort of a boisterous and playful country cousin of my H&D DM. I guess I'm more of a Mahogany kind of guy.

With that in mind, I picked up a Santa Cruz Vintage Artist one time. I was lured by the bass (it has a really warm bass much like the D-35) and I thought that since it was Mahogany B&S, maybe it would cut through like the Huss & Dalton. I did enjoy that guitar but it just didn't have that clarity that I seem to crave.

Some people suggested Gibson J-45. Man oh man. One of the guitars that still haunts me was a sweet, sweet J-45 that I stumbled across. I wish I would have snapped that one up on the spot. I think for what I do musically that Martinesque guitars are more my style, but that Gibson was just soooo sweet.

Another one that still haunts me was a Martin HD-28. I've never found a D-28 that did much for me and I always seem to prefer the HD-28's, but never enough to get one until I came across this parcticualr one. I pulled myself away but couldn't stop thinking about it. When I finally went back to the store, naturally, it was gone.

So. What I'm thinking now is: maybe a Huss & Dalton TDM would do it for me. I've never played one, but the regular DM was designed for balance - perhaps the TDM would be similar to the DM but have a little more oomph in the lower register. The other idea I find intriguing is a Collings D1 or D1A. I had a D2H once that I didn't bond with, but I've been excited by the D1's I've had a chance to play. (I liked them better than the DS series)

It looks like a road trip to Acoustic Vibes is in order! Thanks again y'all...

[loco gringo]

A TDM custom with Adi top might be the ticket.

A guitar that really surprised me was a Bourgeois Banjo Killer. The Banjo Killer name made me think the guitar wasn't going to be a balanced, sweet sounding guitar. I mean, it is meant to KILL BANJOS!!

It was fantastic played loud when flat picking, but seriously surprising when played soft, even fingerstyle. It has serious range and was balanced with really great overtones. It is the only Banjo Killer I've ever played and it blew me away.