Friday Song of the Day (day late but no tomorrow)

[Slosh]

Hey Swish,

I'm about to pull the trigger on a Martin DX1 for my daughter. She's been playing since she was ten (she'll be 15 in a couple of weeks). She's still using the cheapo Chinese made whatever-it-is that her Mom bought her and I think it's about time she had something decent. Anything else in the $400-ish range we should consider? Probably a moot point since she's really comfortable with the Martin but doesn't hurt to ask more experienced players I suppose.

[Swish]

Hey Swish,

I'm about to pull the trigger on a Martin DX1 for my daughter. She's been playing since she was ten (she'll be 15 in a couple of weeks). She's still using the cheapo Chinese made whatever-it-is that her Mom bought her and I think it's about time she had something decent. Anything else in the $400-ish range we should consider? Probably a moot point since she's really comfortable with the Martin but doesn't hurt to ask more experienced players I suppose.

minutes posting a lengthy reply to you, and when I hit submit, the friggin' thing asked me to log in! I did, but lost the entire post of course. What the hell is that all about? I use my Mozilla brower on this site all the time and never have to log in.

Anyway, you're a good dad Slosh. Playing a cheap guitar is no picnic, and a Martin is a dang nice guitar, even toward the lower end of their prices, which we know can get really expensive. I've never played a DX1 so I can't tell you anything about them. I have played a number of Martins though, and can attest to their quality, like they need my endorsement.

Anyway, I thought this model was closer to $500? I guess if you go to the factory up the road from your town you can get cheaper prices, or so I'm told. I went on e-bay and found only one listed by a guy in England and he was asking around $750 US for it. What a joke. I did find another Martin mode that I think would be an outstanding buy, and I would bid myself if I didn't already have 3 acoustics. It's a D15 that has just one bid at $500, and this sucker lists for about $1100 and retails for about $800. This is slightly used, but looks excellent. It's all mahogany too, and they play very nicely. It would be a step up from the DX1 for sure. It ends in about 5 hours, so I'm not sure if you'll see this. Here's the link
http://cgi.ebay.com/2002-MARTIN-D-15...QQcmdZViewItem

Anyway, I would also consider a Guild True American (I have one) for about $500, and Epiphone makes a nice Hummingbird, like the much more expensive Gibson model, for only about $350. She'd have to play it first, of course. Takamine also makes several in the $500 range and they make good quality instruments.

Also, my wife loves that comp of yours, so I guess I oughta burn her a copy, eh Slosh?

Good luck,
Swish

[Swish]

Hey Swish,

I'm about to pull the trigger on a Martin DX1 for my daughter. She's been playing since she was ten (she'll be 15 in a couple of weeks). She's still using the cheapo Chinese made whatever-it-is that her Mom bought her and I think it's about time she had something decent. Anything else in the $400-ish range we should consider? Probably a moot point since she's really comfortable with the Martin but doesn't hurt to ask more experienced players I suppose.

if she's comfortable with the DR1, then go ahead and buy it, because it's doubtful you'll find much better for the money. I did put that in my first reply. You know, the one that got dumped when I was reguired to log in?

Swish - NP: Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise

[Slosh]

Thanks Swish.

I don't know if there's any special discount because they're local but the Sam Ash near me is selling it for $401. Not sure if that's on sale or they're clearing out old inventory or what. Nice thing though is I can take it directly to Martin if it ever needs any service. She did try some $400-ish Takamines and some Yamahas plus some less expensive Fenders and Ibanezes, but the Martin just plain old sounded better and was easier to play too. Sure, it doesn't have a fancy finish or ivory inlays on the fretboard, etc. but none of that stuff makes it play any better or sound better so who cares? Hell, even I sounded good on it and I've never even owned a guitar (but my brothers play and so do a lot of my friends so I've picked up a thing or two). But I've been told by a lot of people that once you get up into the price range I'm shooting for it's pretty hard to buy anything bad anyways. Also a friend of mine has a nice cheap Epi that he got ten+ years ago that sounds great and seems well made but he says they've let their quality slip with the entry-level stuff in recent years and would avoid them now, but I know that's just one opinion.

BTW, I'm not surprised your wife enjoys that comp. I originally did make it for a woman after all

edit: Actually it was at a place called Dave Phillip's Music and Sound, which I believe only has stores in the Lehigh Valley. Not sure if they have some kind of relationship with Martin but I see on the Sam Ash site the same model is listed at $499. Gonna pick it up today