What brand do you play?

[Todd McFarland]

Hey everyone, I would like to perform a simple survey of all that will reply to this. I am very curious what brand and model of guitar is the most popular among the flatpickers here.  There are thousands of members here so it will be great information for someone trying to decide on a "friend". So lets have it flatpickers, what do you play?

 

I will start;

I play a McPherson MG 4.5 with bearclaw sitka spruce top and indian rosewood b&s

[Doug Lindhout]

I'm on my second Blueridge. First one is a BR-60. My current actively played one is a BR-160. Great tone and volume. The 160 especially compares well with the name brands when played side by side.

[Dieter Stoll]

A 1970 vintage Gibson J-45 square shoulder (with adjustable bridge, no less!)
A 2007 Bourgeois Short Scale Slope D
A 2009 Deerbridge triple 0 (by German builder Martin Wieland)

Guess none of these is really standard fare. The 000 flatpicked? Hey, it can be done. It's by no means just a fingerstyle guitar.

[Dave Bendlin]

Well, I know this post will have no impact on your survey because of brand, but I play a Stanford PSD-21 and let me tell ya, it's one helluva guitar. Sitka over solid mahogany, ebony bridge and fingerboard. The guitar is loud and articulate as a well made mahogany guitar should be.

[William Gray]

The more guitars I play, the more I think it doesn't matter WHAT we're playing as much as HOW we're playing it. I've got buddies who can take my most humble guitar and make it sing better than I can with the best box I own. That's what keeps me working at it. Whatever you play, you just want to give it your best.

But of course, like most of us, I can't help getting jazzed about specific guitars. I know there are some great boutique and established makers who are creating fabulous guitars. But Martin is where I seem to feel most at home. I own several Martins including HD-28 Vintage Series 12-fret and 14-fret guitars. I've also got a Golden Era D-18 that is pretty special. But perhaps my favorite all around guitar is an old beat up D-35S which has a neck as wide as the Mississippi and a voice that's sweet, mellow, and oh so country.

[Wesman Todd Shaw]

Hey, I agree with you!

 

Got an uncle with a late 60's D 35S - man, the Brazilian on that things is so beautiful!  I can't hardly flat pick it though - neck's too wide for me.

[Huntley Slim]

Blueridge BR-160

Great guitar for the dough. I've had many people see us on stage and ask later if it was a Martin. Had a lot of sound guys compliment my tone, too FWIW.

[Guy Hill]

Gibson J-45 (2005) - My main daily player & favourite guitar. Short scale makes learning Bluegrass tunes so much easier & her sweet hog tone is ideal for playing country/rock etc. Really nice balanced sound but a touch light in the bass department in a group setting.
Martin HD-28 (2008) - I bought this primarily for Bluegrass but also perfect for those Neil Young moments. Big booming bass but a bit light in the treble department. Works very well in group jams but I find the longer scale harder to cope with at my early stage of playing lead/solos. I'm sure this will get more & more use as I progress.
Moon RD-3 Custom (2007) - My most beautiful (& expensive!) guitar. Ordered when I was primarily a Fingerstylist, so has a wider nut & saddle, which is causing me big problems now that I'm flatpicking. I am considering ordering a new neck but its a very pricy exercise, so I'm not sure what to do. Tone-wise its a perfect mix of the other 2, with loud, booming lows & clear mids/trebles, so could/should be my top guitar.

[Willie Hustad]

"I am considering ordering a new neck but its a very pricy exercise..."


You are much better off ordering another guitar or trying to get used to the extra space between strings. Keep in mind, it is not just the neck, but the entire bridge would have to be replaced as well.

[Guy Hill]

Willie, I fear you are right. its a beautiful beast but somewhat surplus to requirements now that I have the HD-28 as well as the J-45. I'm lusting after a Southern Jumbo True Vintage so maybe I'll trade in the Moon & J-45 for a nice one......if I can ever find a lefty version!

[Robert Foreman]

I've been playing a Martin DM ( built in 1998) for the last thirteen years. It plays rythem well, but needs the action shortened. I also play a Blue Ridge. It has no marking on the inside to tell what it is. I ve been told that Blue Ridge was sued by Martin over it's design. Not really sure. It plays easy, just don't have the tone needed to stand out.

[Huntley Slim]

The Blueridge you have is likely a laminated sides Blueridge, like the BR-40 or similar. I've never heard of an all-solid wood Blueridge that couldn't hold it's own, tonewise. Although I've only seen recent ones. I have heard that QC was a little spotty in the early years, but all the ones I've played (mostly 160s while I was shopping for mine) were huge sounding guitars with rich tones.

[David Combs]

I started out on a mid 80's Yahmaha FG-401...(great guitar though) but I finally bought my dream guitar. I now play a 2008 Martin HD-28