Search options (Page 29 of 35)

With all my non-playing activities, I thought it would be prudent every now and then to mention when do play. Today has been a good day. Many hours (?) of uninterrupted playing and my fingers are sore. i love it. Been messing around with the software "Garage Band" and discovered despite Apple's claim of simplicity I think I need one of my teenage kids to show me how to use it. I may even be so bold as to post a video on YouTube, won't be the first time. Don't expect much, mainly just messing around. But so much fun!

pressure from the spouse. He sounded angry and irrational. This is suboptimal for life in general and guitars sales/purchases specifically.

Check this out: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/msg/2273163800.html
Larrivee OM-3RE for $550. Will not last.

Hello Rickeyforet and welcome to Chordie, guitar playing, and music. There are many friends here to help and encourage you on your journey. Just ask.
Good luck.

I called the folks at MUSICIAN'S HEAVEN and they said the ($209) price was wrong but they would honor it! Hat tip to Musician's Heaven.

Vacuum cleaner. I do it at the first string changing of ever used guitar I purchase.

p.s. Last night I checked eBay just to see if the guitar had sold or if there were any other bidders. The listing had been removed and relisted at a new higher price ($279). This is the normal retail price so I don’t know if the $209 price was a mistake but I suspect it was. I hope they honor this price. I did receive a verbal price confirmation and I enclosed a screen shot of the item (and $209) price along with specific instructions of what I wanted to buy and for how much.

Zurf, subtlety is your forte!

Buzzwagon,
This same guitar has been on and off my list for about a year now. Impeccable instrument but it remains out of my budget @ $1200 (new) and $800+ (used).

What I like:
Sound
Satin finish
All solid wood to include the one-piece neck
Real wood (maple) binding

Every time I consider a Martin I look over at the Larrivee and it's lack of "tortise" shell embellishments and I think wow. And for advocates of "Made in USA" instruments this one is euphemistically close: Made in North America.
dj

As the readers of this thread know, a few weeks ago I ordered a Martin DRS1 (mahogany body guitar) to replace my Art & Lutherie “Wild Cherry" all-laminate dreadnought guitar. As you also know I was (am) struggling with this purchase for many reasons. I summoned the courage this week to visit the store to see if the guitar was here. (They never called me to tell me it was in?) It was in and I will spare you the unique and exciting details of the out-of-the-box (and case) experience but I would like to continue my buyer’s saga.

Here are my notes from the experience:

The DRS1 was beautiful and smelled wonderful. It is a nice guitar but it was obvious EVERY conceivable corner was cut to reduce the cost of this guitar. The cost-cutting was well-executed but the guitar is still $700, still a Martin, and still NOT made in the U.S.A. Whether I purchase this guitar or not these facts will always have a bearing on my experiences with the guitar.

I was able to A/B this guitar for about an hour with a Martin D-15M, which retails for about $1100. (I know all the differences between the two and very possibly the philosophy why but I will spare you this discussion.) The D-15M was much lighter – largely due to the solid wood neck as opposed to the Stratabond (laminated) neck on the DRS1.

The D-15M was sonically indistinguishable from the DRS1. My opinion of course and I can say this here at Chordie (but probably not over at the UMGF). This reaffirms what does and does not affect the sound of a guitar. Once you get past appearance – a superficial but unavoidable (for me) characteristic – these guitars were sonically identical. Keep in mind I am a novice player and sound is in the ears of the beholder.

Mahogany versus sapele? The two guitar bodies looked nearly identical. No so-called tell-tale sapele striping on the DRS1. Finished with care I would wager that most could not tell the difference by sight or sound. (These opinions will in no way end the mahogany versus sapele debate.) But in my mind it is merely a preference of wood and a cost premium for the relative scarcity of the same.

The D-15M was slightly “easier"  to play due almost exclusively to the differences in the set-ups. The DRS1 could be set up in a similar fashion eliminating this difference.

The DRS1 is equipped with unobtrusive (elegant?) Sonitone electronic pick-up, e.g. soundhole controls. This is the ONLY way I would add electronics to an acoustic guitar. With the exception of the Seagull (and possibly the Taylor) pre-amp controls, I find all externally-visible controls to be both an eyesore and a crime against wood and craftsmanship. (My opinion.) But alas, electronics are not a requirement for me so this feature on the DRS1 may actually be a detractor for me.

My conclusion? I think there are better choices (new and used) for this amount of money. Looking beyond the excitement of owning a Martin I don’t think I would be satisfied with this guitar. I will probably re-visit the store and perform additional A/B testing against the D-15M (and my A&L) but at this point I think I need to keep looking. (Did I just say keep looking. I meant to say keep playing or maybe GET BACK TO PLAYING!) Right now I cannot hear $500-900 worth of difference between my all-laminate A&L and the solid wood body of either the D-15M or the DRS1. Again, I feel uncomfortable but safe saying this here but not the UMGF. This is more a testament to Godin (A&L’s parent company) than a slam against C.F. Martin.

Maybe one day my playing will improve so that I can hear a difference but that time is not now.

Jets60
I have to agree with you. Rare but worth every minute.
dj

Pete! I am excited for you. I know the feeling, I'm sure we all do. Please whet our appetites with at least the model number.

For the longet time I was sold on the "solid top" - and I am sure that is probably a "better" choice but I own three all-laminate guitars and they sound great to me. In the future I will not hesitate to consider a laminate guitar, top or otherwise.

When I'm not playing them I refer to them "Silence of the Lams".