Old Cowboy

Absolutely outstanding! Living proof that there no such thing as 'enough' guitars!!

Even with all the effort by excellent people to codify Gibson's Kalamazoo production, there's always a head scratcher out there. I'd say you've pretty well nailed this one.

A whole lot better job than I could do, Buc, and a great song as well. Smooth the vocal a bit, and get out there and raise some folks' cultural awareness!

Yep. 1965. Reason I kept it is 'cause it's not 'mellow'! It has more of a maple-like bright response and is fairly loud.

It wouldn't be a difficult choice for me because the 'mellow' HB feature isn't my favorite response from a dread. You can always get all the mellow you can handle from any of the current 15 series Martins at a fraction of HB price. I'd stick with the rosewood as a nice companion for your D-18 with a good, albeit different, sound and response.

I was officially named Cowboy in USMC boot camp, after telling my DI that I'd rather be working with horses. Expected worse, coming from him (use the profane side of your imagination), but Cowboy has stuck with me all my life.

Outstanding!

Really can't respond coherently without knowing the Martin model in question. Different series and different models offer a pretty broad spectrum....

Semper Fi

Still a Gibson man after all these years. Was doing an early autumn maintenance last week - going from one to the next - and rediscovered the '51 sisters - SJ and J-185 - all over again. Have never owned or played a Martin that made me as happy as the older Gibsons. Keep looking for one, though....

That's not uncommon - those cases had arched backs. Would like to have it for my '51 Southern Jumbo.

My son's hankering for one lately, so I'll convey this to him.

Lovely lady w/a lovely voice and presence. Always was - always will be. Like Nick (although he's MUCH older than I 😂), I find her an ever attractive peer/easy to forgive - impossible to forget.

Sure. Owned a pair of 'em upon a time. Both were excellent, but the narrow fretboards weren't.

My '51s - a J-185 and a Southern Jumbo, both "rescue/restore" guitars which I had the opportunity to watch for years as "road warriors" before being able to (not quite literally) pry them out of their original owner's arthritic fingers. They can shout, whisper, sing, flatpick, fingerpick, and as my fingers grow more arthritic their empathy has seemed to increase (fancy way to say they respond more easily). Ever adopt or rescue a really good dog? It's like that.

Typically, there are a few considerations, and some of those will arrive with their own considerations in tow. If you want to preserve the instrument as a collector's piece, the less done to it the better. A mid '60s LG-1 isn't exactly uncommon, so most would, I believe it to be a better vintage player than collector's piece. Losing the plastic bridge and the adj hardware should ideally improve the tone unless you attach a really oversize rosewood replacement which could decrease volume and lend a 'mashed potato' tone that some like, but most don't. Make sure the bridge plate is intact and well-glued, and likewise the transverse brace in that area. All guitars should exhibit a little top belly - it's a flat-top in name only, and excliding such causes issues. A good luthier should be able to give you a good idea of needs and prices for work involved in about 5 minutes. All in all, you should come out with a nice little player.

Tusq sounds different to me and not in a good way. That means nothing, really, because many claim to hear no difference with pin changes, and those of us who distinguish a change are pretty subjective.

It's an LG-2 3/4. I own one of its 1954 litter mates.

Don't exactly have calluses, just extremely thick skin on my fingertips. Been like that for many years.

Bought my Guild D-35SB new in 1978 - still own it and it's still going strong. More Gibson than Martin sounding for sure.

They're excellent straps. Great leather and craftsmanship at a decent price. Also, good length w/plenty of adjustment.

Tom - I'm so sorry to hear this. Be strong, my friend.

New format - had to reregister. Bummer.

New format. I'm too old for this....