Help with price on a Martin D 28 150th Anniversary ed?

[Larsongs]

On 11/10/2023 at 5:11 PM, PrairieDog said:

It just wasn’t comfortable when I sat down to really play with it.  On Saturday, it was busy and distracting in the store and I just kinda noodled around on it briefly to hear the tone.  I didn’t really try to put it through any serious paces.  Yesterday, quieter, I sat down to really work with it.  It was a bit heartbreaking, I thought I had found my unicorn. But honestly it was more sensible to give it up and let someone else win this little lottery.  I’m hoping karma will be kind to me….   

It sounds like you tend more toward Spruce top with Mahogany back & sides sound.. And some J-45’s sound fantastic.. There’s no shortage of one to try! And they’re not crazy money..

Maybe try a Martin D-18.. 

[PrairieDog]

1 hour ago, Larsongs said:

It sounds like you tend more toward Spruce top with Mahogany back & sides sound.. And some J-45’s sound fantastic.. There’s no shortage of one to try! And they’re not crazy money..

Maybe try a Martin D-18.. 

Thanks, but I was just looking for fair price info.  I wasn’t actually looking for just any new guitar, much less a Martin. I really don’t deal well with the Martin tone in general.  That was the miracle of *this* particular one.  Apparently I can relate to the sound of 40 year old BRW.  

The only issue when I went back to get it was the neck hurt my hand after seriously trying to play it for a while.  It’s a beautiful rare, guitar and somebody who really loves Martins deserves it.  

Anyway, yes, a J 45 has been on the list, I just know there are plenty of those and can find one anytime I decide to pull the trigger, so there is no urgency. 

In the meantime my consolation prize was that mint 2019 Taylor 714ce LTD Sinker/Rosewood I tried around the same time.  Sounded amazingly resonant and lively in the specially designed wood-lined acoustic room at GC (I refer to it as the “sound hole”).

Back home in the real world of carpets and drywall, not quite so much, so it might be going back, or just tucked away to trade some day.  

Edited November 14, 2023 by PrairieDog

[Larsongs]

I was looking on youtube for the Taylor 714ce LTD Sinker/Rosewood Guitars you mention. I can’t find any.. I see 714 Sinker Redwwod..But, no Rosewood..

[PrairieDog]

7 hours ago, Larsongs said:

I was looking on youtube for the Taylor 714ce LTD Sinker/Rosewood Guitars you mention. I can’t find any.. I see 714 Sinker Redwwod..But, no Rosewood..

Yeah, if it’s the video I’m thinking of he keeps saying sinker rosewood, but it is right in the title.  It has a sinker Redwood top and IRW back.  If you look up NAMM 2019 summer edition, that’s the one.  

We got a pretty good deal on it because GC goofed and read the date like a Gibson and dated it 2017. (August 7 was the day it was made) Since they couldn’t find any comps for that, it seems they priced it off a regular 714ce.  We thought the price was so low because the tag didn’t mention a case, and were going to pass. But on a whim we asked as we were walking out. So not only it did have a case, but it had a couple hundred more of stuff including a high-end leather strap, tuner/metronome, capo, humidifier, tons of picks in a nice case and some other misc. stuff.  It feels like a sad story. If someone were going to keep playing you’d think they would have kept all that.  It made it through the 30 day hold period, so I’m hoping it wasn’t just stolen. 

There’s a ton of the usual NAMM show promos/vids for it.  It is definitely a finger picking guitar, which is okay for me, but for strumming maybe not so much.  

 

[Larsongs]

Interesting Guitar.. I haven’t played many Guitars with Redwood Tops. I mentioned a Martin D-18 because it has Mahogany Back & Sides which I’m sure you know.. That said, they are really great sounding Guitars & not your everyday J-45.. I played many J-45’s & liked them but ultimately settled a Bozeman Masterbilt Solid Top J-160E. IMO, it is the best sounding Slope Shoulder Jumbo Gibson makes.. Plus, it is a traditional non-active Electric Guitar..

I played tons of other Guitars before settling on my J-160E. Which coincidentally has a John & George connection.. But, ultimately, that wasn’t the reason I bought it. It was how it played, sounded & traditional Electric setup..

That is a strange video.. It looks like a lipsync.. Although it sounds good through the Studio Recording Mix..

I’ve been looking for another Acoustic. Different than my J-160E & my 1975 D-35.. I’ll try some Redwood! 

[PrairieDog]

51 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

That is a strange video.. It looks like a lipsync.. Although it sounds good through the Studio Recording Mix..

I’ve been looking for another Acoustic. Different than my J-160E & my 1975 D-35.. I’ll try some Redwood! 

Are you using “lip sync” colloquially?  Like the playing was off with the sound?  There were no vocals in the vid.  If so, could you let me know what you are picking up on?   I thought it looked good with no production delay.  He does seem to have a “very” relaxed right hand style.  I usually can pick out “faked” overdubs pretty well, but if I missed something I’d like to know what you picked up on, to help hone my radar.  Now you have me double thinking.  There are other videos from the actual show.  

The mellow sound being so different from my Walnut J45 and Maple DIF is the reason it got a ride home.  Grin.  

Edited November 15, 2023 by PrairieDog

[Dave F]

2 hours ago, Larsongs said:

Interesting Guitar.. I haven’t played many Guitars with Redwood Tops. ...

I have a Nylon string Taylor with a Cedar top.

[PrairieDog]

8 minutes ago, Dave F said:

I have a Nylon string Taylor with a Cedar top.

Just mentioning, cedar is not the same sp. as redwood, similar but a bit different.  And sinker RW is even another animal (in my research I found the terms are unfortunately sometimes used interchangeably, just to confuse us).  The sinker is supposed to be old California sp. Sequoia (not a cedar) that were lost or fell into the rivers during the heyday of logging.  The logs can only be recovered when they finally float back up, which takes many years.  The soaking and minerals are supposed to affect the tone in unique ways.    

Wherein lies the rub: a good one can sound remarkable, but the random conditions can also make for inconsistent tone depending on what plank is used.  This one sounds pretty nice, even if not as colorful and resonant as it sounded in the special room at GC.  But out on the web you will hear some folks dogging it as flat and thin. (Not my experience with this one at all.)

So, as if it hasn’t been drilled into us enough yet,  another flogging for the: “only way to tell is to play it,” chuckle.  

[Larsongs]

5 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

Are you using “lip sync” colloquially?  Like the playing was off with the sound?  There were no vocals in the vid.  If so, could you let me know what you are picking up on?   I thought it looked good with no production delay.  He does seem to have a “very” relaxed right hand style.  I usually can pick out “faked” overdubs pretty well, but if I missed something I’d like to know what you picked up on, to help hone my radar.  Now you have me double thinking.  There are other videos from the actual show.  

The mellow sound being so different from my Walnut J45 and Maple DIF is the reason it got a ride home.  Grin.  

Yes… It sounds like a Studio Recording that has been EQ’d, Compressed, Mixed & was dubbed to the Video.. Out of sync..

Everybody does it.. But, usually in sync.. Even Acoustic Electric Guitars aren’t usually played plugged in to an Amp a lot of the time.. They Mic or double Mic & run them through Protools or Logic to give them a polished Studio Sound..

I try to watch the Videos with no Mics in a natural setting.. If it’s Electric how it sounds plugged into an Amp.

You Tubes aren’t the best way to evaluateGuitars, but it saves time & often helps narrow down what you’re not interested in..

[PrairieDog]

1 hour ago, Larsongs said:

Yes… It sounds like a Studio Recording that has been EQ’d, Compressed, Mixed & was dubbed to the Video.. Out of sync..

Everybody does it.. But, usually in sync.. Even Acoustic Electric Guitars aren’t usually played plugged in to an Amp a lot of the time.. They Mic or double Mic & run them through Protools or Logic to give them a polished Studio Sound..

I try to watch the Videos with no Mics in a natural setting.. If it’s Electric how it sounds plugged into an Amp.

You Tubes aren’t the best way to evaluateGuitars, but it saves time & often helps narrow down what you’re not interested in..

Nod, I understand about Youtube.  Gosh, I'm not seeing/hearing it being out of sync. I was just reading it as he has a very classical style, with barely moving his fingers, but the notes are sounding where I expect them to be.  There are one or two bits where he does a back of finger strum, with his fingers curled way under, flamenco style, so his hand moves down a fraction of a beat before his fingers hit the strings, but knowing that stroke, I bought it. Hmmm, I'm going to study it carefully.  I don't like being "snookered."  

It sounded pretty close to how mine sounded at GC.  That was why I thought it was a good one to share.  I thought he was just playing into the mike in front of him with some reverb dialed in (as far as processing, I’m not plugging in, yet, so acoustic magic at the board is beyond me at the moment.)

Sorry I pulled up a turkey.  There are others from the actual show that are for sure "dry,"  If you are still curious. (Well there were, now I can’t find the ones I saw, and the ones I did find are all strummers, not much picking.) Anyway, thanks for the thoughts and insights.  

Edited November 15, 2023 by PrairieDog

[Larsongs]

11 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

Are you using “lip sync” colloquially?  Like the playing was off with the sound?  There were no vocals in the vid.  If so, could you let me know what you are picking up on?   I thought it looked good with no production delay.  He does seem to have a “very” relaxed right hand style.  I usually can pick out “faked” overdubs pretty well, but if I missed something I’d like to know what you picked up on, to help hone my radar.  Now you have me double thinking.  There are other videos from the actual show.  

The mellow sound being so different from my Walnut J45 and Maple DIF is the reason it got a ride home.  Grin.  

Yes… It sounds like a Studio Recording that has been EQ’d, Compressed, Mixed & was dubbed to the Video.. Out of sync..

Everybody does it.. But, usually in sync.. Even Acoustic Electric Guitars aren’t usually played plugged in to an Amp a lot of the time.. They Mic or double Mic & run them through Protools or Logic to give them a polished Studio Sound..

I try to watch the Videos with no Mics in a natural setting.. If it’s Electric how it sounds plugged into an Amp.

You Tubes aren’t the best way to evaluate Guitars, but it saves time & often helps narrow down what you’re not interested in..

Maybe there’s something going on with my Internet? But, I’m not having issues with other YouTubes?? In any case it is a really sounding Guitar & that person plays beautifully! I wish I were that good. I’m a humble Rock n Roller! LOL.. 

Edited November 16, 2023 by Larsongs

[PrairieDog]

14 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

Maybe there’s something going on with my Internet? But, I’m not having issues with other YouTubes?? In any case it is a really sounding Guitar & that person plays beautifully! I wish I were that good. I’m a humble Rock n Roller! LOL.. 

Well, I was wondering if there was maybe some weirdness between me playing it still through the original cache that’s loaded on my device and you having to connect to it through the post?  Still, I’m more inclined to trust that your ears are more finely tuned to detecting this sort of thing than me.  I’m kinda like Rip Van Winkle waking up from a 50 year nap at this point, lol. The tech has all moved so far past what I ever used.  If anyone ever recorded anything I did, it would have been in silent 8mm, lol.  Have a great night! Thanks again.  

[Larsongs]

2 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

Well, I was wondering if there was maybe some weirdness between me playing it still through the original cache that’s loaded on my device and you having to connect to it through the post?  Still, I’m more inclined to trust that your ears are more finely tuned to detecting this sort of thing than me.  I’m kinda like Rip Van Winkle waking up from a 50 year nap at this point, lol. The tech has all moved so far past what I ever used.  If anyone ever recorded anything I did, it would have been in silent 8mm, lol.  Have a great night! Thanks again.  

I just listened to the video again & it’s in perfect sync.. Not sure what happened earlier? Weird.. The Guitar sounds great. The playing is is beautiful! I will have to try a Sinker Redwood Guitar like this one.. I love to finger pick but I’m not great.. I can’t keep long nails & & don’t like Picks that fit over my fingers.. I can’t get comfortable with them.. 

[PrairieDog]

6 hours ago, Larsongs said:

I just listened to the video again & it’s in perfect sync.. Not sure what happened earlier? Weird.. The Guitar sounds great. The playing is is beautiful! I will have to try a Sinker Redwood Guitar like this one.. I love to finger pick but I’m not great.. I can’t keep long nails & & don’t like Picks that fit over my fingers.. I can’t get comfortable with them.. 

 Glad it was just internet gremlins. Little buggers.  Fwiw, I have the same issues, so I just use my fingerpads.  I literally feel my way around the strings.  And I like the super mellow sound. I imagined everyone played with their fingers until somebody accidentally hit a string with a long nail and liked the volume, and that led to growing nails, then some smart aleck came up with finger picks.  Shudder.  Nothing worse than when they go flying off in all directions in the middle of your Freebird  solo, lol.  So yeah, the sound is softer, and you can lose the cutting through in a dry group, but with all the amplification now, it’s not such a big deal.  And not an issue for me at the moment.  I’m just playing along with the birds on my back deck.  

Edited November 16, 2023 by PrairieDog

[Larsongs]

9 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

 Glad it was just internet gremlins. Little buggers.  Fwiw, I have the same issues, so I just use my fingerpads.  I literally feel my way around the strings.  And I like the super mellow sound. I imagined everyone played with their fingers until somebody accidentally hit a string with a long nail and liked the volume, and that led to growing nails, then some smart aleck came up with finger picks.  Shudder.  Nothing worse than when they go flying off in all directions in the middle of your Freebird  solo, lol.  So yeah, the sound is softer, and you can lose the cutting through in a dry group, but with all the amplification now, it’s not such a big deal.  And not an issue for me at the moment.  I’m just playing along with the birds on my back deck.  

I never took lessons & just picked it up watching other people play.. I couldn’t figure out how to use a Pick so I just used my fingers. My Thumb, Index & middle finger.. After a while I switched to Electric Guitar & everyone used Flat Picks. I thought that must be how you’re supposed to do it so I learned how to play with one.. Now I do both.. Neither much better than after my first couple years of playing.. The excuse I use is, I’m the Singer.. LOL