I love my guitar, but it's not a Martin, and I wish it was. - Page 6

nifnof70 · #76 07-28-2021, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cc132

Posting here hoping that someone can talk some sense into me.

I have owned many guitars in my life, but I'm generally a one-at-a-time kind of guy. I primarily play old blues and rags, and I've been obsessed the last few years with learning every John Fahey song I can.

My current guitar is a Waterloo Scissortail that I've had about a year. This is my second Waterloo, and it's truly special. You know how some guitars are just special? This one is. It just has it. It's easy to play, sounds gorgeous, looks cool as hell, and overall does exactly what I want it to do. The only other guitar I've ever owned that I'd say was truly special was a Greven L-00v which I sold about a decade ago.

Yet it's not a Martin.

I don't know if it's because I'm helplessly attracted to Americana, or because I just love the classics like Levi's blue jeans and Chevrolet pickups, but there's a part of my brain that wants the guitar I keep forever to be a Martin. The standard series is the platonic ideal of acoustic guitars as far as I'm concerned, and I can't help but feel the desire despite having a guitar that is truly special.

Am I crazy? Has anyone else been in this situation before? Is this rational whatsoever? Should I just get over it?

On a totally unrelated side-note, are there are factory Martins floating around with a 1 3/4 nut and 2 3/8 bridge spacing? I've really fallen in love with those specs, and the only Martin I've come across with them is the CEO-7, which doesn't particularly scratch my itch for a classic.

It sounds like you have a nice guitar you're happy with.

However...the "Martin bug" has you. Back in December, I finally gave in and got a Martin GPC 15. It's the Mahogany style with the worn finish. I bought it to play/gig and have done exactly that--I'm very satisfied with it, no regrets. I am by no means a high end guitar guy and have owned Conn, Yamaha, and a couple Seagulls--all good, solid players.

If you have the itch, scratch it so you'll know!

Br1ck · #77 07-28-2021, 01:48 PM

I do a lot of minor work myself, but since my binding issue was warranty covered, I took it in. Be very careful with glue. You can ruin your finish easily. I'd bite the bullit and have a pro do it. One thing on a $400 guitar, another on a + $1200 one.

Those bound Custom 15s are very nice. Love my 00 15 12 fret.

cc132 · #78 07-28-2021, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Br1ck

I do a lot of minor work myself, but since my binding issue was warranty covered, I took it in. Be very careful with glue. You can ruin your finish easily. I'd bite the bullit and have a pro do it. One thing on a $400 guitar, another on a + $1200 one.

Those bound Custom 15s are very nice. Love my 00 15 12 fret.

This isn't the advice I necessarily wanted to hear, but I know you're right. There are too few of these floating around for me to be doing DIY repairs on it.

I'm sure whoever ends up with this guitar 80 years from now will thank me for not botching it. It always breaks my heart a little to see vintage guitars that someone treated as a woodworking project.

aeisen93 · #79 07-28-2021, 04:26 PM

I totally understand this. I really wanted a Martin just because of their history and fame. I bought a new X1-DE for $460 and it sounds amazing!!! However, my quest for a more "real Martin" didn't end and I was set on a D-28. However the D-28s I've tried at music stores did not impress me. I played guitars costing hundreds less that sounded better...

I am happy with my cheap X1-DE, and no longer have a need or want another Martin.

JohnW63 · #80 07-28-2021, 08:32 PM

CC132,

Fixing the binding should be a darn low cost repair. If you didn't notice a problem with the nut and string height, don't bother to fix that. it can always be done later.

I do find it sort of funny you found one with the binding pulling loose!

The only Martin I've ever played that sort of caught my ear was an all mahogany one. It seemed to have a more balanced tone.

DBW · #81 07-29-2021, 06:32 AM

If you want a more affordable, American-made Martin with a spruce top and either rosewood or mahogany back and sides, I recommend the D-16. Mine was my second acoustic purchase. I play it often and really like it. I kept my Larrivee as it is very playable and has rosewood back and sides. I would put it up there with any of my Martins. Both are satin finish, which I like. The D-16 does have a gloss top. I also prefer the 1.75" nut and my acoustics have that. My fingers tend to get tangled up with 1 1/16". I went on to get a 000-15SM. It sounds very sweet. Then I got my HD-28 and it sounds wonderful as well. I always say that it makes me sound better than I really am. My guitars all have different characteristics (to include my electrics). I was able to acquire these over the course of two years because I was doing an experiment to see if I could live without my National Guard drill check during the last two years of my career (I bought guitars with that money instead of spending it on other things). It turns out I could live without it, so I retired from my part time job. I can't draw my retirement money for another 3 and a half years, so the instrument search is mostly over for now. I'm slowly saving for a high-end mandolin. If you have the patience, save for the D-18 or HD-28 (or 35). If you want one right now, go for a D-16 or something from the 15 series. Just don't get caught up in the Martin snobbery that your first guitar isn't good enough, because it is. For example, while at a show, I sat and listened to a fellow brag about the D-45 he inherited and how much better than anything else his D-45 was. I determined that he was in the crowd like me and not on stage somewhere playing it, so it must not be that great (or he didn't know how to play it). It will become a never-ending carousel if you let it. Even if you get a standard model someone is going to one-up you. It's human nature for some people. It is better to get lessons live from an outstanding instructor and stick with it. You will see a vast improvement in your playing skill and your "lesser" guitars will sound better as a result. *I didn't mention my Little Martin in that bunch- it was my travel guitar for when I got called up for hurricane duty or annual training. Not a main guitar for me but good for travel.*

Gdjjr · #82 07-29-2021, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBman

If I played blues and wanted a Martin ......

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...whiskey-sunset

mine should be here today, it left Hutchins at 0338 this morning!

Csteyer · #83 07-29-2021, 09:33 AM

I was quite the opposite- when I was looking for a OM guitar, I had my heart set on a boutique- Santa Cruz etc. When Ted at LA guitar put the OM 42 in my hand and said it’s his favorite, I was thinking how pedestrian / everyone plays a Martin 😌 but the tone was there and I bought it on the spot. A good guitar is a good guitar regardless of what’s on the headstock.

cu4life7 · #84 07-29-2021, 10:44 AM

Like others have mentioned, I would add a Martin to your herd if you are wanting to buy into the americana of the Martin brand. I know that I have always been drawn to them as well for similar reasons and I knew I would buy a new Martin at some point to support their company and contribute to their continued business.

I think a D-18 would compliment your Waterloo very well, or if you don't like D size than a 000-18. They can't be beat and they are a hell of a value.

Br1ck · #85 07-29-2021, 02:15 PM

Don't rush, keep playing them, and a Martin will find you.

RoyBoy · #86 07-29-2021, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cc132

This isn't the advice I necessarily wanted to hear, but I know you're right. There are too few of these floating around for me to be doing DIY repairs on it.

I'm sure whoever ends up with this guitar 80 years from now will thank me for not botching it. It always breaks my heart a little to see vintage guitars that someone treated as a woodworking project.

I'd definitely leave it to a pro. I've built quite a few guitars and mandolins with plastic binding. That particular repair involves either heating up the binding to the point it's malleable (which would give me the heebee geebees on a guitar with finish on it) or cutting the binding, regluing it to the channel, and filling in the space. In either case, you're regluing plastic to wood (wouldn't be hard if there was no finish involved). Any adhesive that binds plastic to wood is going to dissolve nitro lacquer instantly and it's pretty much impossible to pull it off without some finish damage and retouching,etc.

Edit: in this price range, I don't know whether the finish is nitro or synthetic. Martin only specs "satin". If it's a synthetic satin, then regluing the binding without finish damage will be much less complicated.

smic28 · #87 07-29-2021, 04:04 PM

A particular brand does not guarantee satisfaction. There are some excellent Martins and many ho-hum Martins.

If you have to have a "Martin" then go buy one. Beware you might find yourself in a rabbit hole of finding a "better" Martin. I went through that, and ended up buying and selling at least three Martins. I even considered buying an OM-42 Custom for about $7500. Glad I didn't.

I would definitely keep your Waterloo since it seems to hit the sweet spot for you.

FWIW, I ended up keeping an older Martin OM-28V, a couple Santa Cruzes, and a Collings OM-1 Traditional.

TDavis · #88 07-29-2021, 04:11 PM

I own two Martin guitars. Not because I "drank the kool aid", not because I'm dimwitted, and got sucked into the Martin hype or fell for their marketing strategy. I don't own them because I'm old fashioned (well, maybe a little...).

I own them because I like them. I really like the scooped mid-range, accentuated bass & crystal-clear trebles of the "Martin Sound". It's the sound that's in my head as what a guitar is supposed to sound like. Everybody has their own personal version of "that sound". I've played several other brands...and although a couple of boutique brands get my attention, they tend to be more expensive than my budget allows...so I come back to what has been pretty reliable for me...and that's generally a Martin guitar. I've played some that were "meh"...and I have two now that are really very good to my ears.

Buy what is "really very good" to your ears. If a Martin is that for you...buy one. You'll pay for it...but you'll be happy. If it's not a Martin...don't pay that just to have a Martin...pay for what sounds "really very good" to your ears.

Period.

schwa · #89 07-31-2021, 08:50 PM

All I ever wanted was a good d28...

I wouldn't argue that Martin guitars are the only good ones, but in my guitar journey, I had a sound in mind. I tried a couple as I was shopping, but the one I settled on has been with me now for many years. Some companies seem to bake in their sound - and when I got my D28 I heard the sound I had always looked for.

YMMV

DCCougar · #90 07-31-2021, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnW63

I think some of you are missing one point. Just because the OP has a mental thing about wanting a Martin brand guitar, there is no guarantee that a Martin with actually check all of their boxes. Just telling him to go buy a Martin ( fill in your favorite model without knowing what the poster likes in a guitar. ) assumes that because they want the brand they will like the guitar. He very well may not feel that way when the fingers hit the strings.

I agree. That's pretty much what I said.