The Two nicest ACOUSTIC GUITARS I played at NAMM:

[Lewguitar]

I like smaller bodied OM style guitars and have a really nice Martin 000-HD28 that I love!

I played more acoustic guitars at NAMM than I did electrics.

IMO, the two best were those I played by Collings and Goodall.

Those from Santa Cruz were also very nice, but not quite the equal of the Collings or the Goodall.

I also tried some Takamines because I was looking for a nice inexpensive guitar line to carry. They all sounded like cardboard after playing the Collings and the Goodall guitars. I passed on the Takamines...Garth Brooks and Bruce Springsteen can have them all! :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

Actually, the Tak's do sound terrific plugged in. But any acoustic guitar with a pickup can now sound like a $5000 pre WW11 Martin D-28 (or a National Tricone too!) with the Mama Bear pedal from Rick Turner and Seymour Duncan.

Heck...even a Strat wannabe with Fishman piezo bridge saddles could be made to sound like a D28 with the Mama Bear. That was my favorite effects device of the whole NAMM show!

 

[firebirdVII]

Re: The Two nicest ACOUSTIC GUITARS I played at NAMM:

I know what you mean, I live near a guitar shop that carries many top notch guitars as regular stock. I strummed a few and was surprised that they all sounded good. Not a bad sounding guitar found when I realized that they were Collings, Martin Golden Era, probably a good Taylor or two. Makes me want to cry... Not much can beat a Collings, can't speak for Goodall though.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: The Two nicest ACOUSTIC GUITARS I played at NAMM:

I think my favorite acoustic guitars I've ever played were Collings, Goodall, and the Gordon Lightfoot model Martin.

You're right, once you spend some time on a Martin, Taylor, Collings, Goodall, Santa Cruz etc, you just can't pick up a cheap acoustic and enjoy it anymore.
It amazes me that acoustic guitars look so similar yet are SO different.

 

[Curly]

Re: The Two nicest ACOUSTIC GUITARS I played at NAMM:

well, I love acoustics .. there are so many good ones nowadays, but Collings and Goodall are right up at the top

James Goodall was a heck of a nice guy

the best quote of the show: Lew was talking to the guy at Collings about being a dealer, and he said, "Collings miles are longer than other miles"
I love the simple, clean aesthetic of their guitars, and I think they were responsible for reviving some of the older small body models that weren't being made anymore.

 

[jdm61]

Re: The Two nicest ACOUSTIC GUITARS I played at NAMM:

Collings are VERY nice. Still, my favorite of all time is the little cheapo (ha! only cheap compared to the D45 and D'Angelico that were on either side of it) Martin OM21 that i played about 9 years ago at Charleys in Dallas....wow!!!!! Liked it better than my buddy's VERY nice D45. Just seemed to fit me perfectly......unfortunately, that was back in my poorer days:laugh2:

 

[MDS]

Re: The Two nicest ACOUSTIC GUITARS I played at NAMM:

Collings are great guitars. We tracked a singer in the studio the other day and she brought her high end Taylor jumbo. The producer's Collings just buried the Taylor. It made it sound like an Ovation. I've always been in the anti-Taylor camp (no offense, just not my thing) but this contrast blew my mind...

 

[firebirdVII]

Re: The Two nicest ACOUSTIC GUITARS I played at NAMM:

Yeah, Taylors are a bit lighter built. I like to play slide, which leaves me out of any affordable guitar price range that would hold heavy strings. I also like the tone of heavier built guitars more when played regularly, although I hear that they have to mature via playing over years to get to sound right. Oh well...

 

[Jeroen]

Re: The Two nicest ACOUSTIC GUITARS I played at NAMM:

At the moment, my favorite would be Furch. It's a small Czech company that builds outstandig guitars at very fair price rates. I'm saving for one right now actually, a G24SR (Grand Auditorium model, solid spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides, ebony board). A very plain guitar, just the way I like them. No frills, but fantastic workmanship and build quality.

I also really want to try one of those newer Taylors with the optional 25" scale!

 

[darkshadow54321]

Re: The Two nicest ACOUSTIC GUITARS I played at NAMM:

Damn those acoustics are expensive!!! They're 2-3k USED!

How am I ever going to afford one of those???!!!!

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: The Two nicest ACOUSTIC GUITARS I played at NAMM:

I have several Martins, an Ibanez Artwood, and a Taylor--but...

One of the best guitars I have EVER played was a rosewood Collings 12-fret dread with the slotted head (like the old Martin D-28S), that I saw at Gruhn's back in 1995. Didn't have more than $10 in my pocket at the time, but I still dream about that guitar. Somebody got a good one!

Bill