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  #1  
Old 03-20-2023, 11:29 AM
MTguitars MTguitars is offline
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Default The guitar that changed me

I’ve been playing guitar for about 4 years now. The pandemic allowed me to put my practice into overdrive as I was single and living alone. For two years I was able to practice for a few hours every day. It was amazing to say the least.

I also began buying guitars at this time. Short scale, long scale, 00, 000, new, vintage. I was so curious about it all. Having money for the first time in my life I began buying and selling guitars. I must have bought and sold 15 guitars during this time period.

I learned a lot. But it wasn’t until my playing style began to develop that I was really able to start to understand what I wanted for a guitar.

Like many new players, I’m told, I was drawn to power early on. If you can’t play well at least you can hear and feel the instrument.

I was drawn to Martin dreads and got my hands on a couple from the early 50s. As my playing turned more and more to the use of fingers and a desire for nuance I started researching bespoke builders and of course watching everything I could from Dream and TNAG etc.

So when I happened to have the opportunity to buy a used Greenfield G2 I did so. I sold most of my collection to pay for it. But, I had never heard such power from a guitar that was also clear as a bell. And if you played it softly it was equally good or better. It blew my mind and began what is now an obsession with luthier built guitars of this level.

Have any of you had a similar experience with a guitar?
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  #2  
Old 03-20-2023, 12:13 PM
roscoe2311 roscoe2311 is offline
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That guitar for me is a Lowden F-23. Around 4 and half years ago I had just started getting back into guitar after a very long break. I stumbled upon a Snow Patrol live performance on YouTube and thought the guitar Gary was playing was quite beautiful sounding and looking. This caused me to look into Lowden guitars and I ended up very lucky, finding a brand new F-23 cedar/walnut for $3200. This was the first "nice" guitar I ever purchased. This guitar inspired me to play every day and practice more than ever before and my playing has excelled ever since.

Since then, I have fallen in love with the world of acoustic guitar and the build process. I have bought and sold several boutique guitars, doing whatever mental gymnastics I need to convince myself that I need a new guitar, but I always end up going back to my F-23. I hope I am able to keep it for the rest of my life.
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  #3  
Old 03-20-2023, 01:14 PM
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rick-slo rick-slo is offline
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Have a few nice guitars and each one has enough different tonal palette to keep each.
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Old 03-20-2023, 09:16 PM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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The first guitar that really changed my understanding of how good a guitar can be was a Kim Walker jumbo. For a long time it was the greatest guitar i had ever played. It had responsiveness like a smaller guitar but the most incredible bass I have ever heard from a guitar- profound, deep, authoritative, but with a slight rough edge so that it had bite at the same time.

The next guitar that really made its class clear to me was a ervin somogyi MD. Its bass was only slightly less stellar than tbe walker's which meant it was better than any other guitar, but the stars of the show was its extreme responsiveness and very apparent bloom. The notes that came from the guitar seemed to be bonded to one's fingertips on frets.

Another guitar that really sounded like a million bucks was the traugott model R that was the guitar embodiment of a light saber. Ultra clear with hifi definition and resolution tha made rvery note stand out. Fat fundamentals with not so much in the way of overtones but with lots of harmonics reverberating lole a cloud around the note.

The Claxton malabar that I have now stands in the same class as all of those guitars but in its own inimitable way. Warmth and organic tone, a singing quality in the fundamental that is always fat. Overtones and bloom that is as good as any guitar I have played despite that clarity of fundamental and despite the maple/spruce tonewood combo. It is somehow always approachable while remaining ethereal. Great clarity but never metallic and never cold and a tone that one's ears never get tired from. Perfect balance across rhe strngs and up and down the frets. It sounds just right all the time, even when a poor player like myself plays it. It is a guitar that doesn't took as spectacular as many of the guitar's I have had, but it is a guitar that is easy to love.

These guitars stand above anything else I have come across and continue to define the ideal guitar sound to me.
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Old 03-21-2023, 09:22 AM
MTguitars MTguitars is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roscoe2311 View Post
That guitar for me is a Lowden F-23. Around 4 and half years ago I had just started getting back into guitar after a very long break. I stumbled upon a Snow Patrol live performance on YouTube and thought the guitar Gary was playing was quite beautiful sounding and looking. This caused me to look into Lowden guitars and I ended up very lucky, finding a brand new F-23 cedar/walnut for $3200. This was the first "nice" guitar I ever purchased. This guitar inspired me to play every day and practice more than ever before and my playing has excelled ever since.

Since then, I have fallen in love with the world of acoustic guitar and the build process. I have bought and sold several boutique guitars, doing whatever mental gymnastics I need to convince myself that I need a new guitar, but I always end up going back to my F-23. I hope I am able to keep it for the rest of my life.
I agree Lowdens sure are pretty. I am so glad you found the guitar and have clearly bonded with it. I am going to go find that Snow Patrol video
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  #6  
Old 03-21-2023, 09:24 AM
MTguitars MTguitars is offline
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Originally Posted by rick-slo View Post
Have a few nice guitars and each one has enough different tonal palette to keep each.
That is awesome. I am glad you are able to have a few different voices at your disposal. I am sure you never cease to find inspiration with such a collection
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  #7  
Old 03-21-2023, 09:28 AM
MThomson MThomson is online now
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I had a similar experience when looking for my 40th birthday present (my wife gave me permission to buy a great guitar). I had assumed I would get a Martin or a Taylor, but also explored what was being built locally and came across Taran Guitars.

I spent one day visiting all the shops I could in Scotland and trying as many guitars as possible, Martin (a lovely OM42), Taylors (my favourite on the day was a 614ce), Lowdens, Atkins, Brooks etc.

Then I went to visit Taran Guitars and tried his DS4 that was just about to go to The North American Guitar. It knocked my socks off. The dynamic range was mind blowing, with great resonance when played quietly as well as plenty (I mean plenty) of volume at the upper end. And the trebles were just to die for.

I now own a Taran Tirga Mhor in Swiss Spruce and East Indian Rosewood and it is PERFECT for me. I honestly can't imagine a better guitar.
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Last edited by MThomson; 03-22-2023 at 07:12 AM. Reason: Typo in model number
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  #8  
Old 03-21-2023, 01:00 PM
roscoe2311 roscoe2311 is offline
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Originally Posted by MTguitars View Post
I agree Lowdens sure are pretty. I am so glad you found the guitar and have clearly bonded with it. I am going to go find that Snow Patrol video


This is the video I believe, he plays a Lowden F-35 in sinker redwood and cocobolo!
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  #9  
Old 03-22-2023, 06:35 AM
Doctor7 Doctor7 is offline
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For me, it was my Michael Thames classical (Torres replica of the FE09, Llobet model).

I am now addicted to classical guitar and my playing has improved dramatically after I got it. Before that, I had an Alhambra 5P, which served me well in my teens, but I needed something better to continue improving.
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  #10  
Old 03-22-2023, 08:39 AM
MTguitars MTguitars is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gitarro View Post
The first guitar that really changed my understanding of how good a guitar can be was a Kim Walker jumbo. For a long time it was the greatest guitar i had ever played. It had responsiveness like a smaller guitar but the most incredible bass I have ever heard from a guitar- profound, deep, authoritative, but with a slight rough edge so that it had bite at the same time.

The next guitar that really made its class clear to me was a ervin somogyi MD. Its bass was only slightly less stellar than tbe walker's which meant it was better than any other guitar, but the stars of the show was its extreme responsiveness and very apparent bloom. The notes that came from the guitar seemed to be bonded to one's fingertips on frets.

Another guitar that really sounded like a million bucks was the traugott model R that was the guitar embodiment of a light saber. Ultra clear with hifi definition and resolution tha made rvery note stand out. Fat fundamentals with not so much in the way of overtones but with lots of harmonics reverberating lole a cloud around the note.

The Claxton malabar that I have now stands in the same class as all of those guitars but in its own inimitable way. Warmth and organic tone, a singing quality in the fundamental that is always fat. Overtones and bloom that is as good as any guitar I have played despite that clarity of fundamental and despite the maple/spruce tonewood combo. It is somehow always approachable while remaining ethereal. Great clarity but never metallic and never cold and a tone that one's ears never get tired from. Perfect balance across rhe strngs and up and down the frets. It sounds just right all the time, even when a poor player like myself plays it. It is a guitar that doesn't took as spectacular as many of the guitar's I have had, but it is a guitar that is easy to love.

These guitars stand above anything else I have come across and continue to define the ideal guitar sound to me.
Wow! Walker, Somogyi Traugott and Claxton! You have a wonderful collection. And you describe them and how they play/sound beautifully. Thank you for sharing.
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  #11  
Old 03-22-2023, 08:40 AM
MTguitars MTguitars is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MThomson View Post
I had a similar experience when looking for my 40th birthday present (my wife gave me permission to buy a great guitar). I had assumed I would get a Martin or a Taylor, but also explored what was being built locally and came across Taran Guitars.

I spent one day visiting all the shops I could in Scotland and trying as many guitars as possible, Martin (a lovely OM42), Taylors (my favourite on the day was a 614ce), Lowdens, Atkins, Brooks etc.

Then I went to visit Taran Guitars and tried his DS4 that was just about to go to The North American Guitar. It knocked my socks off. The dynamic range was mind blowing, with great resonance when played quietly as well as plenty (I mean plenty) of volume at the upper end. And the trebles were just to die for.

I now own a Taran Tirga Mhor in Swiss Spruce and East Indian Rosewood and it is PERFECT for me. I honestly can't imagine a better guitar.
Ahhhh, thats right you have a wonderful Taran! I am so happy for you that it fits you like a glove. How wonderful. Rory, is a hell of a good guy form what I can tell.
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  #12  
Old 03-22-2023, 08:41 AM
MTguitars MTguitars is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roscoe2311 View Post


This is the video I believe, he plays a Lowden F-35 in sinker redwood and cocobolo!
AWESOME thanks for sharing!
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  #13  
Old 03-22-2023, 08:42 AM
MTguitars MTguitars is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doctor7 View Post
For me, it was my Michael Thames classical (Torres replica of the FE09, Llobet model).

I am now addicted to classical guitar and my playing has improved dramatically after I got it. Before that, I had an Alhambra 5P, which served me well in my teens, but I needed something better to continue improving.
It sure is easier to play when you love the guitar you have! I am so glad you found that guitar.
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  #14  
Old 03-22-2023, 09:50 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MTguitars View Post
Wow! Walker, Somogyi Traugott and Claxton! You have a wonderful collection. And you describe them and how they play/sound beautifully. Thank you for sharing.
Lol I wish I still had them ! No, they are all long gone except for the Claxton...
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  #15  
Old 03-22-2023, 09:53 AM
MTguitars MTguitars is offline
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Lol I wish I still had them ! No, they are all long gone except for the Claxton...
Ha! Well, at least you had them at one time! Amazing.
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