j45nick Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Some of the Martins look like they have put a bit of office paper in the middle and sprayed around the edge - (and ruined a sensational guitar): BluesKing777. Gaggg!!! The 'burst on that 000-28 EC just looks WRONG! I have a 000-28 EC with the standard "vintage toner" top, and that's what a Martin SHOULD look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Yep! That REALLY sucks.... Better to have left that one 'blonde'.... +1 That burst is a real shame. I can't believe they did that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I know that a sunburst finish loses a lot in photographs. I've had some recent Martins that had bursts that I liked as much as Gibsons I've had. A D28 Marquis and a 00018GE that both had nicely done shaded tops. Had a 2002 D18 GE that had a burst that left a lot to be desired. My favorite guitar is a 11 year old Santa Cruz VJ, it has in my opinion a terrible burst, it does look better in person. SC's early burst efforts weren't as nice as they are now. I mean it's so bad I won't post a picture of it. Wish it had a burst like the one a few posts up from mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 i agree. it also seems like the exception that a Martin burst is equal around the edge of the guitar. They always seem to be a little off. That one in your pic (bluesking) shows it real well, on the left it's close to the bridge, on the right it's further off. it's like the contrast level of the Norlin bursts almost, like a crooked Norlin Kind of like the 70's-80's Gibson "clown-burst" but dark.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I do love the Gibson burst but just for show the SCGC Custom Dread Nice looking Santa Cruz,Lord Nikon! What part of Carolina do you live? My wife is a member of CNPA and a Canon user. We are on the Outer Banks. Great birding this time of year.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponty Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Which do you prefer, Nikon or Canon?...oops wrong forum! Yes Gibson is the best. I have seen too many asymmetrical Martin bursts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock and Reel Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I'm truly surprised to hear all this animosity toward Martin instruments. I know this is a Gibson board but it makes me wonder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchabalk Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 it's not really about the instruments, just the bursts. it's all about the bursts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchabalk Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 collings has some real nice ones too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I'm truly surprised to hear all this animosity toward Martin instruments. I know this is a Gibson board but it makes me wonder. There is absolutely no animosity here towards Martins. A lot of us here own Martins. It's just that the Martin 'burst--other than some of the vintage ones in Tom's photo, just are not as aesthetically pleasing to anyone who is used to a Gibson 'burst. I've got a couple of Martins myself (one of which I love), but none with a 'burst finish. For most of us here, Gibson = 'burst; Martin= natural. It's just the natural order of the universe around here. Your mileage may vary. But then, of course, there are those lovely DIF's....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock and Reel Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 not as aesthetically pleasing to anyone who is used to a Gibson 'burst. If I misunderstood, I apologize. Both Martin and Gibson have storied reputations and both have made historically significant contributions to all varieties of music. I suppose what I mean is that while I prefer Martin's shade tops, I would never suggest that Gibson's bursts suck.If I may amend your statement, I could agree that...Martin's are not as subjectively pleasing to anyone who is used to a Gibson 'burst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_nikon Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Nice looking Santa Cruz,Lord Nikon! What part of Carolina do you live? My wife is a member of CNPA and a Canon user. We are on the Outer Banks. Great birding this time of year.... Thanks. I live in Davidson, just north of Charlotte. I've been out there many times and love the winters out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Once in a while, I see a great looking Martin burst. When its good, its really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I'm truly surprised to hear all this animosity toward Martin instruments. I know this is a Gibson board but it makes me wonder. Lawd! Lawd! Please don,t mistake ANY of this "verbal tripe" for animosity toward anything.... :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I do love the Gibson burst but just for show the SCGC Custom Dread Now that's a nice burst. Lovely indeed. There's little doubt the big three (and many others too) can make lovely guitars. To balance out things I can freely admit Martin make some lovely guitars, for all the clones out there a really good Martin sounds truly terrific. But as we're talking bursts here I do believe Gibson's burst style is the definitive burst, it's sort of 'what they do'. However the one quoted above is very striking visually. Like everything in this hobby/profession, every aspect is a matter of taste and there's nothing that will appeal to all, as it's a Gibson board it stands to reason that most people here will favour a Gibson style burst. I wouldn;t read anything in to it. For my own personal taste, as much as I know Taylor make nice, good playing, well constructed guitars, I just can't deal with them, I've never played one I would own, but that ain't Taylors fault, it's me who doesn't get along with their style. It's also true that not every Gibson is for me either, there's a couple of models that I wouldn't pay a quarter of the price to own. Like everything else it's what you do with it that counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 JT, that's another lovely one. Is that bridge original? How well does it intonate with that virtually straight saddle? Nick, Thanks!! That's the original bridge (and pins). You're right, there's very little compensation: It seems to work fine, especially, I suspect, because I've got the action set nice and low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 If I misunderstood, I apologize. Both Martin and Gibson have storied reputations and both have made historically significant contributions to all varieties of music. I suppose what I mean is that while I prefer Martin's shade tops, I would never suggest that Gibson's bursts suck.If I may amend your statement, I could agree that...Martin's are not as subjectively pleasing to anyone who is used to a Gibson 'burst. Fair enough. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock and Reel Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Martin or Gibson, they're all done freehand and each burst is different. I think the craftsman that shaded my 000-28EC was having a good day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Martin or Gibson, they're all done freehand and each burst is different. I think the craftsman that shaded my 000-28EC was having a good day! Nice D-45 in the background! I think the problems most Gibson fans have with the Martin 'burst are its sharp transitions--which remind us too much of some Norlin-era Gibsons-- and the fact that the area above the soundhole and around the fretboard carry the same 'burst detail as the rest of the top, rather than being near-black, with the light part of the 'burst concentrated in the lower bout and around the bridge. It's all about what you are used to. You can call it prejudice if you want. Some people like Corvettes; others like Porsches. I'll drive either one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I know R&R loves his 'burst 000-28 EC, but to me, the "vintage natural" finish on my 000-28 EC is what a Martin top should look like. Looks like a 40-year-old clear nitro finish, showing off the beautiful straight grain of the spruce. (The apparent flaws here are just reflections.) To each his own. And, by the way, this photo was just taken on a "cold" winter morning in south Florida! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock and Reel Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Nice D-45 in the background! I think the problems most Gibson fans have with the Martin 'burst are its sharp transitions--which remind us too much of some Norlin-era Gibsons-- and the fact that the area above the soundhole and around the fretboard carry the same 'burst detail as the rest of the top, rather than being near-black, with the light part of the 'burst concentrated in the lower bout and around the bridge. It's all about what you are used to. You can call it prejudice if you want. Some people like Corvettes; others like Porsches. I'll drive either one. I like that the two burst are different. I think I know what you mean about the Gibson burst. Here is a Martin CEO-4 or as I like to call it, Chris Martin's "Gibson". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I like that the two burst are different. I think I know what you mean about the Gibson burst. Here is a Martin CEO-4 or as I like to call it, Chris Martin's "Gibson". Tha is certainly a more "Gibsonesque" 'burst, not to mention the guitar itself. If you squint hard, ignore the headstock, ignore the pickguard, put an asterisk beside the belly-down bridge, add a fretboard marker at the third, and remove the one at the 17th, you might think you were looking at a J-45. At that point, you might as well just buy a Gibson and be done with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ataylor Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I tend to like Martin's lighter bursts -- ambertone? -- than their darker ones. That said, the darker ones still do look good on the right guitar -- like the Eric Clapton model a few posts up (which is really really nice). Like most in this thread -- and not surprisingly on this particular forum -- I typically associate a great sunburst with Gibson. I'm particularly fond of the darker, smaller bursts on the 30s style guitars (and subsequent reissues) like the AJ and J-35, etc. Other brands that do a nice sunburst -- in my opinion anyway -- are Santa Cruz, Collings, and Taylor. Santa Cruz's mahogany bursts in particular are spectacular, Collings does the lighter style sunburst as well as anyone, and Taylor has really started to do some nice sunbursts as well (like I said earlier in the thread, they've got a great dark burst coming out on their 700 series you'll need to look out for). Also, the sunbursts I've seen from boutique builders like Kopp, Fairbanks, Walker, Roberts, really nail that old Gibson style too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 How I like this photo. Both the guitar and the greenery behind. The tiny house speaks of hospitality - would be ideal for a Hummingbird. But as always there are hidden and mysterious clues here and there in Nick's footage. This time take a look at the camouflaged chimes (A) – and not least the indeterminate object placed in the gabs of the chair (B). Is it a can of holy water, some ritual bell or nothing but the weight taken off Annie back in 1968. All in all slightly psychedelic, if you ask me. . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Here are some 40s Gibsons: Some more Martins -- a couple you saw already: Here are some larger Martins from the mid 30s: Let's pick, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.