Which guitar builder/manufacturer changed your religion

[_zedagive]

It happened the first time I picked up a Breedlove and realized my Martin D-28 wasn't all that. Yes, there are better guitars out there that have already been mentioned, but they cost more than I am willing to pay.

[negriljerry]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

That's easy and it was radical.

Emerald Guitars, carbon fiber, X30.

Won't be owning another wooden guitar.

One of our jam pals recently got his Emerald, shipped from Ireland. Beautiful instrument. Sounds excellent but I wasn't thrilled with the neck profile - a little too fat on the sides/back for my taste. Cost him $3K.

Which is why I'll probably get rid of my Larivee D-03R, nice guitar but not my neck style.

[fretfile100]

James Goodall’s Pacific series was a religious experience for me. Cedar over maple should not sound that way, but the lush ringing just defined the modern sound for me.

[David Eastwood]

Another carbon fibre convert here.

Until I got my first Emerald two years ago, nothing, but nothing, could compare with my beloved 1963 Martin 0-16NY, which I’ve owned for 37 years.

Now, the Martin rests, safely and quietly, in its humidified case. I divide my playing time between my two Emeralds, and am currently actively plotting a third. They’re that good.

[elkabong]

Collings. Hands down.

[photoyoda]

Originally Posted by boombox

Another mention for Collings.

I grew up only knowing about Martin and Gibson and to a lesser extent, Guild, and via folk club circles, Lowden. There were also the Far Eastern makes like Yamaha and Takamine. When I played my first Collings (a 002H), I was floored - this is what a quality instrument was meant to sound like and the standard of workmanship by which I've judged all other guitars since. Didn't buy that 002H, but got an OM2H. I now own a C10 Custom and can never see myself ever being without a Collings again.

More recently, I discovered Faith guitars - proof that you don't need to spend a lot to get a well-made, great sounding and easy playing solid wood guitar. I currently own three!

Similar story with me. It was always Martin and Gibson, and then I took a chance on a Collings custom 001 Traditional that was made with the exact same specs as the Julian Lage OM model. And man is that guitar magic! I now own 5 Collings guitars (all Traditional models except one) and a couple of their ukuleles. They're all amazing in their unique sound and style. I do also own a Kopp K35 and a Martin 0000 Gruhn custom which I love as well, but there is something magical to me about the Collings Traditional. The tone, playability, and build quality are second to none.

[DukeX]

I just like guitars. Larrivee was the first higher end guitar I owned, but now I own four different brands.

[fitness1]

In '04 or so I took a chance on an instrument from a builder I'd not heard much about previously, David Webber. It was an engelmann and EIR OM with a 1 13/16 nut. I had been playing a custom Larrivee OM-05 Jean and Matthew built for me with an ab top and 1 7/8 nut. The Webber was just another step up from that one!

Had over 2 dozen of his instruments over the years. I'd still have a couple if it weren't for the two guitars in my signature (1 gift from forum members and 1 won in a contest)

[snoopster]

Mark Whitebook

[Mark Stone]

I played Gibson acoustics for decades (1971 [B-25] to 2017 [Hummingbird Pro]). It included J-45s, a J-50, a couple of J-200s.

A 2015 model Taylor 110e (MIM) became my go-to gigger late 2017, and an 814ce DLX V-Class, purchased March 2020, sealed the deal. Taylor stole me from Gibson. Both the entry level 110 and the flagship 814 are well beyond Gibson's capabilities for my purposes.

[Skip Ellis]

Brook guitars from Devon, England. I've always been a Martin guy (50 yrs+) but tried a Brook Torridge a couple years back and fell in love. I'm in the process of doing a custom build, English walnut, 12 fret cutaway that should be done in Nov. I still have a 000-18 and will probably keep it but it doesn't get much playing time.

[lppier]

Goodall... I’ve still yet to find one to pry me away from my Goodall rcjc I got like 10 years ago.

[TDavis]

Collings. Pure and simple.

I have commented on this before around here...but I was doing just fine up until I pulled an OM1 Baked model off of the wall of a Missouri guitar shop...and was completely smitten. I have thought about the tone of that guitar...the way the neck fit my hand...AND the price tag that keeps me away on almost a daily basis since. To my limited ears...it was a "Religion Changer".

I love the Martin I have right now...but I'd still really love to have that Collings.

[Photojeep]

Gibson.

For the first 40 years of playing guitar, I only played "no-name" imports because that was all I could afford. I simply didn't know some guitars were laminated and some were solid wood.

Then I discovered "The Acoustic Guitar Forum" ...

As time went on and my financial situation improved, I started trading for and buying solid top dreadnoughts and instantly noticed the difference in tone.

Adding to this new awakening of the differences between lam and solid guitars was the first time I played an honest-to-goodness Gibson acoustic (my DREAM GUITAR). I finally understood the reason so many here were clamoring for all solid wood guitars.

However, at the time of said awakening, I simply could not justify spending that much money on what is little more than a hobby. I was happy playing my Alvarez and Ibanez solid tops while secretly wishing to one day owning an all solid wood Gibson.

When my father passed, I came into some extra money and decided it was time to get into solid wood guitars and bought my J15. Even my wife heard the difference in the tone of that guitar compared to my Alvarez or Ibanez solid/lam guitars.

I've since gone from 6 solid/lam guitars to 3 all solid wood guitars. I'm retiring in 29 days, downsizing, and moving so it makes sense to me to have fewer better guitars as I enjoy my retirement living in a smaller house.

Best,
PJ

[RalphH]

Taylor.

Picking up my first good quality acoustic completely transformed my guitar journey from an electric player who kinda had an acoustic kicking around just for the sake of it to someone who only owns one cheap electric 'just in case', and hasn't picked it up in over a year.