Harmonics101 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I'm blessed I have lots of variety in my fold, from Martins to Gibsons with the following woods. Rosewood (only Martins), mahogany (both Martins and Gibsons), maple (only Gibsons), sitka (both), red spruce (Martins) I grew up on maple tone until just recently (4 or so years ago) when my guitar collection went pretty much berserk. I'm finding my maple Gibsons are getting a bit neglected (J150 : J200 : L4A) I find myself gravitating to my Sheryl and SJ. When I tire of the Gibson sound, I switch over to my Martins for a while and then back to Sheryl and SJ when the Gibson yearning kicks in. I really have to consciously get out my maple J200 or my J150 to play. Once I do though, I really really enjoy the tone and do play 'em until the strings go dead. However, then its in their cases for more than 6 months at a time. I know, what a terrible dilemma I have Do any of you have any suggestions for me to get the maple Gibsons out to play more ? And no, the suggestion to send all my other guitars is not an option Thanks guys and gals for any suggestions and while your not giving friendly advice on the forum, long may you pick. Harmonics101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Well, that is one heluva dilemma to have. However I sort of had that dilemma also, with my Songwriter. I solved it in that I keep all my guitars in my music room, except that one I keep for a week at a time in my living room. The one which I feel gets a bit neglected stayed in my living room, normally its the SWD. This worked a treat as the proximity of the guitar allowed me to pick it up more often, and as a result I grew to understand the gutiar and the rosewood tone much more. It now gets regular attention. Maybe you could try somethign like this, basically ensure one maple guitar is within the closest proximity to where you spend most time in the house ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneS Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Being smitten a-new with my maple jumbo these days (and it's my daily bread as it is), may I suggest that you select one of your suspects, put on some new strings (unless you don't like 'em fresh), and strum hard for a while (to settle the strings, yes, but to shake out the 6-months' of disuse). Then, once the strings settle in, throw a capo on the 5th or 6th fret and see what magic might ensue.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I'm kind of like EuroAussie. I keep a few guitars on stands ready to go all the time. The rest are in their cases. Each week, I take a new one of these out to use as the week's main guitar. That way, even though each guitar doesn't get played a great deal, the rotation allows each an opportunity to wake up and get played in for several consecutive days a few times per year. It also allows me to rediscover what's cool and unique about each, and enjoy the pleasure of being reintroduced to an old friend. Every week has a HNGD, without the expense! Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishguitar Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I have four maple gits, 2 run of the mill, one pretty close to a favorite and a Martin Special Edition. I just got the Martin out to take pics to sell it, and ended up going "Oh my gosh, that is a sweet little git". I'm starting up my business and there are expenses /fees / licenses, etc. I am going to miss it but I have enjoyed the heck out of it. Kinda like a kid leaving home. Enjoy yours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Pretty nice problem to have! I'd suggest you put ALL your non-maples in their cases in the closet and keep all the maples out so you have variety - albeit within the species, and aren't tempted to raid the closet. Then look for songs that you know sound best on maple and have a love fest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dchristo Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I keep all my guitars out all the time, that way its easier to give them equal playing time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherofpearl Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Guitar of the week sounds like a great idea! Doesn't sound like you have a music room if you keep them in cases! I'm working on mine as we speak can't wait maybe I'll try that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Maybe you neeed to look at the box size and shape as opposed to what the back and sides are made of for your answer. Problem is the only way you will know is to play two guitars with the same exact specifications other than body wood. I have never played a small body maple guitar that I have liked. But I own two big box guitars made with maple (in both cases laminate) - a 1960 Gibson J200 and a mid-1950s Epi FT-79 (16" lower bout). A whole other ballgame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guth Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Our tastes can change with time. I've been playing for over thirty years and was never all hat attracted to the maple guitars I had tried. Just recently however, I acquired a maple AJ and have been enjoying it tremendously. Kind of strange, but life is full of surprises. I traded a rosewood Collings for it. I had owned the Collings for over 16 years. It was a beautiful guitar and it held a lot of sentimental value to me. Unfortunately, over the years it had been spending increasingly longer periods of time stashed away in its case, unplayed. I was a little sad to see it go, but guitars that do nothing but sit in their cases aren't doing me any good. In retrospect, I have no regrets over the trade. There's nothing wrong with trying to reconnect with a guitar. But if all attempts fail, and you go another six months without playing the maples, then listen to your inner self and consider selling or trading at least one away to begin with. If you're going to spend time playing guitars. It should be with examples that you're actually wanting to play rather than those that you must force yourself to play. Having multiple guitars is truly a nice luxery. Just the same, I'd say that it's far better to have just one guitar that you really dig than to have a roomful that you are indifferent about. Let those guitarsogle to someone who is really excited to play them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul E Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I've done a while back what Red 333 suggests and played a specific guitar for on week. It's like being introduced to an old friend, and really found out what particular style that guitar sounds best being played in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 . I'm in with the "keep some out" thinking. When they're easy to grab, I find myself choosing playtime in a more balanced distribution among the guitars that are out. So I keep a few out at a time. Then after few days I'll rotate the stock. About ten years ago I pared down my collection with eye toward keeping just one example of a particular type/model. And now, when I'm looking to purchase another guitar, that's what I look for - something in a body type, model and wood combinations that I don't have. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 We are not particularly maple fans, but we do have four: 34 L-C (12 fret), '38 L-C (14 fret), '37 L-4 and '64 Dove. They are all nice guitars, but maple in general won't cut all that well in string band/jam situations where there are a lot of strings -- that limits the opportunities for us to use them and be happy. If I wanted to use them more, I would probably find more music opportunities where they work well. For our L-Cs, that would be solo or with just a bass doing ragtime and folk vocals. L-Cs also work well as a (single) rhythm instrument behind fiddles. The Dove is a cool folk guitar -- row that boat ashore. Let's pick, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Try recording with them, or playing at a coffee house. The brighter sound will let you cut through the noise of the coffee chaos, and for recording, you won't get all those over tones of Rosewood to muddy up the recording. Maple usually has great string separation and eveness across the strings for recording......Like a golfer, different clubs for different situations.....lol.....good luck on loving the Maple.....I also had some trouble with the sound, till I found the right venus for playing it...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PickitPaul Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Throw a set of DR Sunbeams 13's Round Cores & then you will want to play all the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passthej45 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Wow, guess I'm lucky. I have none of those problems. I only have 2 guitars: Taylor Big Baby and a J45 Standard. Take a guess which gets played mofe......... B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Youre right ... there's no better vanilla milkshake than Sunbeam Maple ... my jumbo utterly loves em ! Throw a set of DR Sunbeams 13's Round Cores & then you will want to play all the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Such a problem to have. Dont hoard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 So, you have to ask yourself if you really like your maple Gibsons, Im talking about the way they feel and sound. If you do, whats the problem? Either you like and want to play them, or you dont. If you find yourself liking and playing your other guitars more, then its time to reevaluate the situation, and ask yourslef if the maple Gibsons are worth keeping, or if you want to keep them as collector pieces or whatever else. Its your guitars man. Peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I don't have any maple guitars at present. I'm still burning for a maple CJ165. Likely this summer. I always hear that maple is bright and I associate "bright" with Taylors, and I can't warm to the Taylor tone. Nicely-built instruments, but just not for me. I still think I'll go maple with a CJ165, but I've heard great tales about the rosewoods in the 165 and the 45s. I think we go through stages. We play certain guitars for a while, and others sit in their cases or hang on the wall. Eventually we go back to them. If we don't, then we might end-up getting-rid of them. Sometimes I think we kind of get a wrong vibe for a particular wood and we shy-away from it because we're mis-informed or just too lazy to really give it a chance. However, I think I'm going maple next time. Of couse, if someone tell's me it has that "Taylor" ring to it, I'll sell it...lol..........Please----not bashing Taylors. Their really nice guitars. Just not the tone, image, that fit me.........good topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I grew up on maple tone until just recently (4 or so years ago) when my guitar collection went pretty much berserk. Hahe hehe, , , it must have been a gas. And I know what you talk about. But are you sure it's not because you're a bit done with maple - for a phase anyway. . . What really tickles me about your Q. is the fact that this set of manners – your everyday choices, so to speak – have found a way of their own. It's a bit like a one of those climbing plants – they just know where to go and do it because it's right. I totally recognize this with guitars and can be surprised how things develop sometimes. Undeniable good guitars and obvious winners can glide behind for reasons very hard to X-ray. Is it the sub-conscious urge to support the underrated or is some primal vibe - a connection of deeper truth - showing its force. I think both things play in. Well, I realize your guitars are all high-end instruments. But isn't the case that your stronger sub-self knows what it wants – in other words : You are driven. Pretty hard to argue with that when it comes down to it – and in many ways a privilege. Sometimes I set intuition aside and reach for guitar not played for a longer period. Soon we begin to bond and it's important this happens. It's the evidence we made sense when we first met. If this doesn't take place after 3-4-5 rounds – maybe over 6 months – it's time to send the guitar further. By the way a thing I seldom do. This isn't a swing-door temple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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