Advice, Please: Choosing 1 of 2 Guitars.

[Tico]

Originally Posted by guitar george

I also would go with the Guild, but, not knowing the age of your son and being of a younger generation, he would probably much prefer a new Martin. If you let him try both guitars he would tell you which one he prefers.

Make sure the kid wears a blindfold.

[jayhawk]

Yeah, let him chose.

Years ago I took my son (in middle school at the time) out. He was already an outstanding player. In what we looked at I would have gotten him a Guild D-25. He did not care for it at all. He ended up choosing a Martin D-35. Which was also a good choice in my mind.

Jack

[dkleiner]

I’m the OP. My son is turning 21. He took guitar lessons years ago and did very well. He then switched to drums and played through high school. He sold the drums prior to starting college, as he was entering an honors engineering program and felt he would not have time to devote to a musical hobby.

As he begins his senior year he wants to take up guitar again. I think he got the bug from his childhood friend who goes to Berkley and is a singer songwriter.

My son goes to school in Orlando. He’s not going to find these guitars locally. Believe me, I know what it’s like to try a number of guitars until you find the one that speaks to you. I’ve been playing for over 50 years and I have owned more than 200 high end guitars over the years. Most of them I had never heard or touched before they arrived at my door. I do my research and try to make an educated decision. In all my years, only once was I disappointed: not long after McPherson came on the market, I had one custom made for me. It’s appearance gave me chills, it was so beautiful. Until I played it. Ugh.

Anyway, I thought I’d post this thread to see what people’s experiences have been with the Martin and Guild.

[DCCougar]

I've gone Guild. You should too!

[619TF]

Originally Posted by dkleiner

My son goes to school in Orlando. He’s not going to find these guitars locally.

Wait, Orlando as in Florida? That's not exactly a small town. A quick yelp search of guitar stores and Orlando came up with quite a few. https://bit.ly/2HvLfBP Aside from GC & Sam Ash I can see a bunch of mom and pop types and several with these kinds of guitars. I second the recommendations that he pick it himself.

[ChrisE]

Originally Posted by Tico

Haven't played a Martin D-13, but owned a D-40 I bought new in 1974.

It was fantastic!!!

I only sold it 3 years later so I could buy my D-55.



Back and sides of the Guild are solid mahogany.

Martin's website doesn't even say solid or laminated, or even what in the world they are made of, it only says "Rosewood Color"

It's probably that HPL which IIRC isn't even wood.

Guild's fingerboard is real solid rosewood, Martin is a synthetic product.



If everything checks out, get the Guild!

Are you sure? I found this on Martin’s website:

“With a gorgeous glossed Sitka spruce top and siris back and sides, this solid wood Dreadnought model is a great sounding guitar at an affordable price.”

[Tico]

Originally Posted by ChrisE

Are you sure? I found this on Martin’s website:

“With a gorgeous glossed Sitka spruce top and siris back and sides, this solid wood Dreadnought model is a great sounding guitar at an affordable price.”

Good catch.
Thank you Chris.
I stand corrected.

Your quote is from the text description at the top of Martin's page on the D-13.
https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/road-series/d-13e/

Top.jpg

Foolishly instead of reading that I immediately scrolled down to the detailed specs, thinking it would have the most detail about the woods used.

Specs.jpg

[jazzguy]

Originally Posted by Pickcity

^^This is the best advice. My Dad took it upon himself to buy me a new Taylor a few years ago, and though I like it, it is not the one I would have chosen. I have always wished he would have taken me along and allowed me to choose. I will always appreciate what he did, but a guitar is personal, for what it's worth. Also, for what it's worth, I think you absolutely rock as a Dad.

Definitely what both posts have said above. Use it as a bonding experience with your son. Perhaps give him a card then go shopping! The guitar he likes will be the guitar he plays. On a personal note, my first all solid guitar was a beat up Guild D40 westerly - it sounded fantastic.

[mercy]

A lot of folks like Guild but tone is such a personal thing. We can talk about the objective facts like size, shape, bracing of a guitar but thats not what makes a guitar the right choice.

[rz1]

Originally Posted by 619TF

Wait, Orlando as in Florida? That's not exactly a small town. A quick yelp search of guitar stores and Orlando came up with quite a few. https://bit.ly/2HvLfBP Aside from GC & Sam Ash I can see a bunch of mom and pop types and several with these kinds of guitars. I second the recommendations that he pick it himself.

I've actually lived in Orlando for 25 years, so you can believe me when I say that there are NO "mom and pop" guitar stores in the area. Maybe over near Tampa, but not in or near Orlando. There are 2 GC's, 2 Sam Ash's, a George's Music (used to be 2, but one closed a few years ago). There's also a place north of town called "R&R Guitars". Fantastic Taylor selection there. Don't recall seeing any Martins or Guilds though. The GC in Winter Park is your best bet as far as selection of used guitars.

Oh, I forgot, there's a guitar store in the tourist area on International Drive. Went there once. As far as I can tell, everything they sell there is at full retail. They cater to tourists from out of the country with a lot of money.

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by dkleiner

Hello, all:

Recently, I posted a thread about choosing a guitar for my son in the $800 range. A lot of helpful advice was given.

Since then, I have upped my budget to the $1K range. I have narrowed the choices to a new Martin D13 or a used Guild D40. They are not a perfect apple to apple comparison, but they are close enough.

Has anyone had to opportunity to try both?

Thank you.

Have you played these two models? I have only tried a few Guilds, and perhaps those were special, but each one had a big fat "baseball bat" neck, which I hate. The Martin on the other hand has a slim neck that I love.

Those things are more important than subtleties of sound in my opinion, especially at that price range.

[619TF]

Originally Posted by rz1

I've actually lived in Orlando for 25 years, so you can believe me when I say that there are NO "mom and pop" guitar stores in the area. Maybe over near Tampa, but not in or near Orlando. There are 2 GC's, 2 Sam Ash's, a George's Music (used to be 2, but one closed a few years ago). There's also a place north of town called "R&R Guitars". Fantastic Taylor selection there. Don't recall seeing any Martins or Guilds though. The GC in Winter Park is your best bet as far as selection of used guitars.

Oh, I forgot, there's a guitar store in the tourist area on International Drive. Went there once. As far as I can tell, everything they sell there is at full retail. They cater to tourists from out of the country with a lot of money.

I suppose since you live there you'd know. I just ran a yelp search and provided the results here.