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

[Tadpole]

I didn't drink the Kool aid. I've had many guitars; Guild, Gibson, Seagull, Furch and others and have decided that Martin is my preference. And not because of advertising (and I didn't love every Martin I have owned).

I now have a 00018, a D18 and a 00L17 and a couple of non-Martins. I don't believe that Martin is the only great guitar maker, but after spending considerable cash on other guitars it is always the Martins that leave me most satisfied. It is the sound of my Martins that keeps me satisfied. I got tired of experimenting with others, being unfulfilled, and then dealing with cost and hassle of selling and replacing them. I enjoy a good Martin, maybe you will too!

[K20C]

I get it. I have 2 Martins. They’re not the best sounding guitars I’ve owned but they play and sound wonderful and they are special.

[Mbroady]

You can join the “I name my guitars” club and ....wait for it.......name your guitar.......... Martin.
FYI: I am in the club. I call my D-35 Amber , yep, it has an ambertone finish.

But, if it is financially viable, then scratch the itch.

“I told my daughter that I don’t wear jeans with (designer) names on them. She said, yes i do.......Walmart”

[Fret-O'File]

It sounds like you have everything you want and need in a guitar with your Waterloo. Would that guitar bring you any more joy if it had Martin on the headstock? If you can honestly say yes, then there is your answer.

If you want a Martin buy a Martin but know it won't necessarily mean you are getting the best guitar for your money. Like many things, you are paying a premium for the name. If that's ok with you and the guitar you end up with brings you joy and makes you want to play, then it will be worth every penny.

[brencat]

Originally Posted by cc132

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.

The OM-28 Marquis (discontinued) and OM-18 Authentic have nice big necks with 1 3/4 nut and 2 3/8 string spacing. (The CEO-7 has 2 5/16 spacing fyi)

And yes, you should get over the idea that Martin is the be-all end-all of guitars. No doubt they are great, but once you start playing some boutiques, you'll quickly realize the limitations of a production guitar.

[KevWind]

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?

Crazy? No,, perhaps looking at it from the wrong perspective ? Maybe

First if it is "special" ,,, "and overall does exactly what I want it to do".
Then personally I would not sell it
If simply shopping to add another special guitar a Martin in this case is out of the question (the simple solution )
Then perhaps it's your perspective that needs to change, rather than your guitar,, Just a thought.................................

[Mr. Paul]

Those Scissortails are very cool guitars, very much liked the one I played. I've not played a Martin that sounded like that one ... I'll echo the sentiment expressed here that suggests addition rather than replacement.

Understand your juice to get a Martin and am amused at some of the efforts to talk you out of it ... doesn't work that way LOL

[carmona_nostra]

Life is short, buy a Martin. I will always have at least one Martin guitar in my stable. They do have "that sound" and are marvelous guitars in their own rite.

BTW the binding coming off crap gets really old to hear. I have owned a number of Martin guitars and never had this issue. Not saying it hasn't happened (or to any other high-end guitar for that matter), but I get the sense that half-the-time it is senseless repetition by players that don't even own, or have ever owned a Martin guitar. Haters gonna hate.

As others have said, just get out there and play some! If one hits home go for it!

[Goat Mick]

Keep the Waterloo and buy a Martin to go with it. The up side is if the Martin doesn't live up to the luster, you probably won't lose much money on it.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by Goat Mick

Keep the Waterloo and buy a Martin to go with it. The up side is if the Martin doesn't live up to the luster, you probably won't lose much money on it.

This is what I'm saying. Keep your main axe and dabble with possible additions.

[Tom_B]

I am repeating a similar message here.

Life is short so buy a Martin. If you like the Martin, sell the Waterloo. If you don’t like Martin, sell the Martin.

If your budget is tight, the options are:

1. Find a store to try out the Martin.
2. Find a friend or a forum member that owns a Martin and ask him/her the loan it to you for a few days.
3. Sell the Waterloo and use the fund to buy a Martin.

[Silly Moustache]

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.

Hi, I tend to agree with you that for me at least, if it doesn't look like a Martin or a Gibson, (or a National), then it doesn't look right.

Your Waterloo seems to have the same woods and specs as my WL-12, which, whilst it isn't the prettiest guitar - was, when I bought it and still is my preferred "Gibson" style flat top. (I went out to buy a Gibson and came back with it instead).

I also understand the "need" for a Martin, but sadly they seem to have abandoned their original designs and so my Martin style flat tops are all by Collings or Eastman.


It seems that Martin has discontinued the "Whiskey sunset" series but you might find a used 0017s which, of course is theirr version of the Gibson design.

If you wanted to find an original Martin design, then it would be a vintage 0028 or a 0028VS - both, sadly discontinued.

Of course both Collings and Eastman make good versions of the original Martin 00 size.

[Rudy4]

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.

From your inclusion of musical preference and love of Americana I'm surprised that the Waterloo doesn't satisfy you. Bill Collings had exactly those things in mind when he developed the Waterloo brand, copying those early designs associated with blues / rag players of the 20's and 30's while at the same time refining the instruments with better materials, craftsmanship, and playability.

The majority of those iconic blues and rag players were doing their thing on early Gibsons or "department store" brands, and not sporting Martins. The Martin name has always been associated with players that had more expendable income than many of the iconic blues players.

Nothing wrong if you simply long for the Martin name, but your Waterloo has more street cred as a blues / rag box.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Street Glider

Buy a D-18 and be done with it...

I was a one-guitar guy for 36 years, playing a Guild D-25 that I completely wore out. When it was finally clear that it would cost more to fix the D-25 than it was worth, I bit the bullet and bought my first Martin.

Looking back, I wish I'd made the switch much sooner. It sucks to be playing one guitar while you're wishing you had another.

[cc132]

Y'all aren't going to believe my luck. I certainly can't.

Like most places, our local Craigslist has been bone-dry the last few months, and what is listed has been at outrageous prices. I randomly decided to check for Martins today, and lo and behold, someone had recently listed a LA Guitars Custom 15-series with full body-binding, 1 3/4" nut, and 2 1/4" bridge spacing at a completely reasonable price.

So I guess I'm now a two-guitar guy









Because the universe is funny and apparently wants me to have the full Martin experience, the binding is pulling away around the waist. I'm going to have it professionally repaired, but given that it's happening in every side of the waist, I'm assuming that the guitar is or has been a little dehydrated. I'm going to put a moist sponge in the case for a bit to hopefully bring it back to life.