What Guitar Is This?

pjpjpaul

Can anyone identify exactly what brand/model guitar this is? Thanks! 

benjs

pjpjpaul said:

Can anyone identify exactly what brand/model guitar this is? Thanks! 

Pretty sure it's a Martin Custom Shop. To establish that it's a Martin, you can see the curved branding in the soundhole (it likely reads CF Martin & Co - Made in Nazareth, PA). Because the inlays/signature/binding are not typical Martin designs, makes me suspect Custom Shop, unless it's a signature Artist model that's been discontinued. Unfortunately, if it is indeed a Custom Shop, it would be quite difficult to tell the specs of the guitar since you can customize pretty much anything with Martin (for a cost). Out of curiosity, is this a guitar you have an opportunity to buy?

mcgruff10

@benjs is a Martin historian! Love it.  Thanks for the info bud as I was also wondering about that guitar.  

benjs

mcgruff10 said:

@benjs is a Martin historian! Love it.  Thanks for the info bud as I was also wondering about that guitar.  

Bluegrass makes guitarists into Martin nerds very quickly. To my ear, a good Martin is the perfect acoustic guitar sound. 

mcgruff10

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

@benjs is a Martin historian! Love it.  Thanks for the info bud as I was also wondering about that guitar.  

Bluegrass makes guitarists into Martin nerds very quickly. To my ear, a good Martin is the perfect acoustic guitar sound. 

Agreed.  I m still deciding on my next Martin.  Thinking a cutaway d16.   

benjs

mcgruff10 said:

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

@benjs is a Martin historian! Love it.  Thanks for the info bud as I was also wondering about that guitar.  

Bluegrass makes guitarists into Martin nerds very quickly. To my ear, a good Martin is the perfect acoustic guitar sound. 

Agreed.  I m still deciding on my next Martin.  Thinking a cutaway d16.   

Strongly recommend paying the extra to go up to at least a D18 (28 if you prefer rosewood tone). The D16 is a shallower body than a standard dreadnought (closer to a OOO size) which limits bass response significantly. More importantly, while the simple dovetail joint on the 16 is a easier to adjust technically (it’s a simple joint and a bolt that can be tightened rather than removing the neck in case of an issue), you just don’t get the clarity of sound that Martin is associated with until you move to a proper dovetail as seen on the 18+. 

mcgruff10

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

@benjs is a Martin historian! Love it.  Thanks for the info bud as I was also wondering about that guitar.  

Bluegrass makes guitarists into Martin nerds very quickly. To my ear, a good Martin is the perfect acoustic guitar sound. 

Agreed.  I m still deciding on my next Martin.  Thinking a cutaway d16.   

Strongly recommend paying the extra to go up to at least a D18 (28 if you prefer rosewood tone). The D16 is a shallower body than a standard dreadnought (closer to a OOO size) which limits bass response significantly. More importantly, while the simple dovetail joint on the 16 is a easier to adjust technically (it’s a simple joint and a bolt that can be tightened rather than removing the neck in case of an issue), you just don’t get the clarity of sound that Martin is associated with until you move to a proper dovetail as seen on the 18+. 

Great info benjs!  Do they make a cutaway d18?

benjs

mcgruff10 said:

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

@benjs is a Martin historian! Love it.  Thanks for the info bud as I was also wondering about that guitar.  

Bluegrass makes guitarists into Martin nerds very quickly. To my ear, a good Martin is the perfect acoustic guitar sound. 

Agreed.  I m still deciding on my next Martin.  Thinking a cutaway d16.   

Strongly recommend paying the extra to go up to at least a D18 (28 if you prefer rosewood tone). The D16 is a shallower body than a standard dreadnought (closer to a OOO size) which limits bass response significantly. More importantly, while the simple dovetail joint on the 16 is a easier to adjust technically (it’s a simple joint and a bolt that can be tightened rather than removing the neck in case of an issue), you just don’t get the clarity of sound that Martin is associated with until you move to a proper dovetail as seen on the 18+. 

Great info benjs!  Do they make a cutaway d18?

Unfortunately not - but looking at the Martin models, looks like they don't make cutaways for dovetail models other than the SC-28E (which is $4,000 USD, and has a questionable dovetail implementation - yikes)

As a 5'7" guy using dreadnoughts/jumbos without a cutaway, I personally don't think cutaways help very much. The cutaway will move your shoulder towards the headstock, which moves your pivot point forward and your hand will naturally want to strum in the range between the edge of the fretboard and the beginning of the sound hole, whereas your best tone comes when you strum near the bottom edge of your sound hole. The further up you go, the more bass takes over, but treble gets muddy and undefined. 

It takes a bit of getting used to, and you'll want to use a leg wedge or cross your leg when playing, but it's really worth it if you want to optimize how you sound with it.

mcgruff10

You are able to get to the 14-18th frets while playing a dread/jumbo?

benjs

mcgruff10 said:

You are able to get to the 14-18th frets while playing a dread/jumbo?

I'm not - unpopular opinion, but wailing up there on an acoustic doesn't sound all that great. I would say 14th fret is as far as I'd ever go, and that includes being very regularly capoed at 4th or even 5th fret.

mcgruff10

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

You are able to get to the 14-18th frets while playing a dread/jumbo?

I'm not - unpopular opinion, but wailing up there on an acoustic doesn't sound all that great. I would say 14th fret is as far as I'd ever go, and that includes being very regularly capoed at 4th or even 5th fret.

You know that's a good point.  I never thought of that.  Maybe I will go for that d18 next.  They are beautiful guitars.
I'm currently digging this one:  https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/standard-series/10D18SATIN.html?dwvar_10D18SATIN_color=satin

benjs

mcgruff10 said:

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

You are able to get to the 14-18th frets while playing a dread/jumbo?

I'm not - unpopular opinion, but wailing up there on an acoustic doesn't sound all that great. I would say 14th fret is as far as I'd ever go, and that includes being very regularly capoed at 4th or even 5th fret.

You know that's a good point.  I never thought of that.  Maybe I will go for that d18 next.  They are beautiful guitars.
I'm currently digging this one:  https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/standard-series/10D18SATIN.html?dwvar_10D18SATIN_color=satin

Ultimately, the right guitar is the one that speaks to you I love the look of a satin finish also. If you're bringing it on the road much, it'll look 'road worn' pretty quickly, but that's okay (may affect the resale value but that's about it). Theoretically, satin finishes use a thinner coating also, which allows for improved resonance, so there's potentially a benefit there.

mcgruff10

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

You are able to get to the 14-18th frets while playing a dread/jumbo?

I'm not - unpopular opinion, but wailing up there on an acoustic doesn't sound all that great. I would say 14th fret is as far as I'd ever go, and that includes being very regularly capoed at 4th or even 5th fret.

You know that's a good point.  I never thought of that.  Maybe I will go for that d18 next.  They are beautiful guitars.
I'm currently digging this one:  https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/standard-series/10D18SATIN.html?dwvar_10D18SATIN_color=satin

Ultimately, the right guitar is the one that speaks to you I love the look of a satin finish also. If you're bringing it on the road much, it'll look 'road worn' pretty quickly, but that's okay (may affect the resale value but that's about it). Theoretically, satin finishes use a thinner coating also, which allows for improved resonance, so there's potentially a benefit there.

Not a bad idea at all.  I have the road worn d15 and absolutely love it.  

mcgruff10

@benjs better guitar: martin d18 or gibson j45?

benjs

mcgruff10 said:

@benjs better guitar: martin d18 or gibson j45?

@mcgruff10 it depends what you want to play, and your voice! 

Unless you want the long answer (which I'm happy to give if you want details!), I'm in love with the Martin sound. I think their guitar workmanship is exceptional, their sound is timeless, notes have amazing clarity, overtones are present as well as fundamental notes, the D18 has a wonderful thump in the bass regions, and it's a powerful strummer and also for breaks (leads/solos). J45 is no slouch, but it can be a bit bright and sometimes even chirpy, and it doesn't have the complexity that a Martin D18/28 has.

mcgruff10

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

@benjs better guitar: martin d18 or gibson j45?

@mcgruff10 it depends what you want to play, and your voice! 

Unless you want the long answer (which I'm happy to give if you want details!), I'm in love with the Martin sound. I think their guitar workmanship is exceptional, their sound is timeless, notes have amazing clarity, overtones are present as well as fundamental notes, the D18 has a wonderful thump in the bass regions, and it's a powerful strummer and also for breaks (leads/solos). J45 is no slouch, but it can be a bit bright and sometimes even chirpy, and it doesn't have the complexity that a Martin D18/28 has.

Ok, I'm gonna officially start saving up for a D18!

benjs

mcgruff10 said:

benjs said:

mcgruff10 said:

@benjs better guitar: martin d18 or gibson j45?

@mcgruff10 it depends what you want to play, and your voice! 

Unless you want the long answer (which I'm happy to give if you want details!), I'm in love with the Martin sound. I think their guitar workmanship is exceptional, their sound is timeless, notes have amazing clarity, overtones are present as well as fundamental notes, the D18 has a wonderful thump in the bass regions, and it's a powerful strummer and also for breaks (leads/solos). J45 is no slouch, but it can be a bit bright and sometimes even chirpy, and it doesn't have the complexity that a Martin D18/28 has.

Ok, I'm gonna officially start saving up for a D18!

Give me a shout before you pull the trigger on anything! A few things to mention:

-it’s a buyer’s market for used guitars right now
-you can get a great deal on used custom Martins. Going custom typically means 20-25% of the resale value goes away instantly, and their top workmanship goes to custom guitars 

mcgruff10

Will do!  Thanks benjs!!!

benjs

My latest guitar. It’ll be an OM-18 with prewar scalloped bracing, faux tortoise shell binding, Honduran mahogany back and sides, Adirondack spruce top, and abalone inlays for the fret markers. 

mcgruff10

Oh baby!! You need to post photos of the finished product.  Good luck!
the Martin factory is two hours from my house, I think I need to go.