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

[Kenneth Lundgren]

1975 Mossman Flinthills Custom
1995 Martin Custom 15

[Stefan Jadefjord]

My Gallagher Doc Watson signature is my main axe these days but yesterday when I went to see my (dobroplaying) friend and jam together, I brought my Martin HD-28. I like them both. Like vanilla and chocolate.

[Brent Sterling]

I have a 2002 Martin D-18V which I absolutley love. I lot of pickers have said it's exceptional. It just fits me.
I also have a 2008 D-18 Custom.
Not opposed to adding a Bourgeois D-150, Country Boy Deluxe, or a Collings D1A though.
Might end up with a Martin HD-28V someday.
Brent

[Rick Smith]

Try the D-18 DAn Timynski. It is a beast.

[Tom Faux]

I think the D18V was one of Martin's best designs ever.  Lightly built, great old-school looks, mahogany with scalloped braces, at a price within reason.  Just too sensible to last. 

Tom

[David G. Hamilton]

My first love for flatpicking is my Martin HD-28. It just sounds better every day I play it.

[Gabriel MacDonnell]

I've been through a lot of guitars. My first good guitar was an old Guild, and later I went on to a late-70's Martin HD-28. But recently I found the Takamine Flatpicker series, and I haven't looked back. Brad Davis turned me onto them with his incredible playing and tone, and I have to say, they blew my Martin's, (and many other fine guitars I was considering at twice the price,) out of the water. They just are true cannons, with clear trebles, a fat bass, and a nice thick neck. I love the rosewood model, but the mahogany one is tough to beat for lead playing. I like the models with the Cool-Tube preamp for playing live, but the EF models are perfect for guys who mainly play unplugged.

But these days, there are so many fantastic guitars out there, it's tough to choose! I also love Gallaghers, Bourgeois and Merrils. And I was really impressed by the McPhearsons I played at Acoustic Music in CT.

[Rusty Wilcher]

I agree, the Takamine T360 is the best ive played, I do like the American makers, but dont knock one untill you pick one. There awsome. Half the price of the American models that play as well.

[Vinny Baker]

Hi Everyone, I play a George Lowden 032, Cedar Top/Rosewood back & sides. Absolutely great sounding guitar, though not a Dreadnaught, (its a Jumbo model ) its a great guitar for flatpicking. I play Bluegrass and it sounds great. For those of you who are not familial with Lowden Guitars, they are hand made in Northern Ireland by George Lowden and his team and are played by many of the greatest players in the world, check them out. Someone else said earlier in the discussion that they feel its not What we play, but how we play it that makes the sound good or bad.
I also have a very old Yamaha FG300 (Nippon Ghaki ) model, its an old Dreadnaught and was expensive enough when I bought it, (£70 Irish in 1968 ) not being made anymore and it sounds great, very Martin-ey now, only in the last few years though.
I intend buying a Bourgeoise Country Boy next year, just trying to scrape the dosh together (s-l-o-w-l-y) but will be worth it when I do eventually get it.

[Jared Arney]

I play a Bourgeois D-150 (it is killer) and a Martin 1985 D-35 (couldn't part with the first guitar I bought myself).

[William Halaburda]

I play A new Gallagher, G-55 Honduran Mahogany back and sides dreadnought, Adirondack top with Adirondack voiced bracing, ebony fingerboard and bridge with waverlys, It's was only born about a month ago in Wartrace Tenn. but has the volume to cut through anything. This typical Gallagher seems a lot lighter then the Doc Models and it growls, Has the woody warmth and bass of a Martin d-18GE but the mids and highs seem to be up there with the collings and gibson advanced jumbos, I love it, can't wait for it to break in, Billy

[Josh Hulbert]

I have a 1994 Martin HD-35. My first and only guitar thus far. It can be tempermental tonewise at times, but it's a great guitar.