Played the NICEST guitar the other day(Martin Fans rejoice!)

Want to ask about strings, maintenance, amps, mics, or comparisons of different guitars or any music equipment? This is for all threads related to music equipment.

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Played the NICEST guitar the other day(Martin Fans rejoice!)

Unread post by jkanter » Fri Jul 25, 2003 3:52 pm

I forgot to mention this to you all.

I went into a Sam Ash the other day becuase I was working in New York that day. I obviosuly went straight past the cheap guitar section right to the Taylor, Martin, and Gibson room.

So....knowing I love Martin's...naturally I head over to the Taylors to save the best for last :lol: I'm playing a bunch of guitars and they all sound amazing. I don't care what any of your all preference is....no one is going to deny the fact that Taylors and Martin's are both just amazing guitars. Comparing Taylor's and Martin's are like comparing BMW's and Mercedes.

BMW = Martin
Mercedes = Taylor

Both are high end amazing guitars....but we sit here and talk about them like they are "the norm"(as me and my best friend to BMW's and Mercedes). I actually just thought of that analogy off the top of my head and will be posting a new thread about it soon.

Now, I played those Taylor's and loved em(714CE w/ Expression was my favorite...amazing guitar.....when I get a taylor it will be that one). So I head over to the Martin's and I'm on Cloud 9. I'm playing D-42's.....D-45's....HD-35's....HD-28's.....D-18GE....AND THEN

THEN I GET TO A GUITAR WITH A NOTE ON IT...."Please do not take down without assistance from salesperson"(or something of the sort). Naturally I go get a salesperson and explain I'm looking to upgrade my D-16RGT(becuase I'm sure I would EVER get rid of it....riiiiight). I take it down and look at the tag........D-42K ......IT'S A D-42 KOA MODEL. You can find the pictures here http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/cho ... hp?m=D-42K and the specs here http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/cho ... =h&m=D-42K

Ok, now....if any of you remember, all the video's on the site(not including the Satellite DVD Clip) were recorded using my friends 314-KCE. It's the KOA model of the 314-CE. I absolutely LOVE that guitar. KOA is just such an amazing sounding wood.

So I sit down with this guitar and am just BLOWN AWAY. It is ridiculous. Just amazing. I swear the KOA wood takes that Martin Bass...keeps the same punch, smooths it a tad....and adds a shitload onto the high ends. I was with my friend and told him to play it.....I HAD TO RIP IT OUT OF HIS HANDS. The KOA wood has just such a smooth sound to it. It's fully different than the Rosewood D-42 whcih they had there. The best way analogy I can give to explain the difference is by saying....imagine a guitar with rosewood back and sides....then imagine a guitar with rosewood back and sides AND GLOSS applies to it. It just sounds that smooth. Of course that Martin tone is there in full force becuase it's, well, a Martin dreadnaught.

Well, I had to share that experience with you all becuase it was that memorable....I've found my next Martin!!!(after the DM3MD of course :) )
jkanter
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Unread post by Pickles » Fri Jul 25, 2003 4:02 pm

kanter ive heard some bad things about some D-41's and D-42's, but ive never heard of a D-42K. Koa is a great wood though. what was on the price tag? and why did a sam ash of such an expensive guitar? my sam ash doesnt have anything that high up in martins, and nothing past 800's in Taylors. i dont even remember seeing gibsons the last time i was there. not that i like gibson acoustics.
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Unread post by NoNotThat » Fri Jul 25, 2003 4:10 pm

I don't have a very vast knowledge of guitars other than how to play them...I'm sorry in advance, but what is Koa and why is it so good? :oops:
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Unread post by jkanter » Fri Jul 25, 2003 4:14 pm

NoNotThat wrote:I don't have a very vast knowledge of guitars other than how to play them...I'm sorry in advance, but what is Koa and why is it so good? :oops:
KOA wood is a type of wood that is only available from Hawaii. The tree that it comes from is limited and therefore Hawaii does not export loads and loads of the stuff. The grain of the wood is mesmorizing and the sound(in a guitar....sound of the wood itself is pretty dull :) ) is just amazing.

EDIT: It's amazingly light also...there ya go shane, I got more info :lol: :wink:
Last edited by jkanter on Fri Jul 25, 2003 4:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
jkanter
"Celebrate we will, Cause life is short but sweet for certain" - Two Step
"Ain't Nothing Wrong, ain't nothing right and still I sit and lie awake all night" - DJ's(Sublime)
bbatsell wrote:I used to write a blog until I realized how wholly uninteresting my life is and how it would be an exercise in depression.
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Unread post by Pickles » Fri Jul 25, 2003 4:14 pm

Koa is a wood only grown in hawaii. it offers a strong midrange and great highs. it has a very complex sound. cosmetically it is one of the most beautiful woods with its intricate grain patterns. its getting near endangerment, and the price/demand is rising higher and higher.

edit kanter got there first but mines more descriptive ;) :lol:
Last edited by Pickles on Fri Jul 25, 2003 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sort Of A Protest Song wrote:I don't know if this is shameful or not, but after waking up in a girls bed that was really high up off the ground (almost top-bunkbed type high) I told her that if I fell off I'd "come back to life as a white wizard". I was still a bit tipsy. She did not laugh.
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Unread post by jkanter » Fri Jul 25, 2003 4:15 pm

shane wrote:kanter ive heard some bad things about some D-41's and D-42's, but ive never heard of a D-42K. Koa is a great wood though. what was on the price tag? and why did a sam ash of such an expensive guitar? my sam ash doesnt have anything that high up in martins, and nothing past 800's in Taylors. i dont even remember seeing gibsons the last time i was there. not that i like gibson acoustics.
Sam Ash in Midtown New York...right in Times Square will have anything......and they will charge you out the ass for it PLUS 8.75% tax. Didn't have a price on it but elderly has it for $3348.00 and list is $5579.00. Sam Ash was probably around $4,000 or $4,200
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Unread post by jkanter » Fri Jul 25, 2003 4:16 pm

shane wrote:edit kanter got there first but mines more descriptive ;) :lol:
but I can delete yours anytime I want so mine is BETTER..hahaha
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"Ain't Nothing Wrong, ain't nothing right and still I sit and lie awake all night" - DJ's(Sublime)
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Unread post by Pickles » Fri Jul 25, 2003 4:17 pm

jkanter wrote:
shane wrote:edit kanter got there first but mines more descriptive ;) :lol:
but I can delete yours anytime I want so mine is BETTER..hahaha
lol thats not nice :lol:
Sort Of A Protest Song wrote:I don't know if this is shameful or not, but after waking up in a girls bed that was really high up off the ground (almost top-bunkbed type high) I told her that if I fell off I'd "come back to life as a white wizard". I was still a bit tipsy. She did not laugh.
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Unread post by Trippin Hillbilly » Fri Jul 25, 2003 5:49 pm

drooool... :o
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Unread post by Lying In My Grave » Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:06 pm

well, you've peaked my interest. i have to get some strings this weekend, i'll check some KOA made guitars out while i'm at it.
i don't know anything about guitars, other than i really enjoy playing mine. so when i hear that a guitar is a couple thousand, i find that crazy. my brothers yamaha compass was a grand, and my jaw dropped at hearing that.
so i guess KOA is for the serious, serious guitar player? ...maybe when i get a record deal :P
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Unread post by Pickles » Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:17 pm

any wood can be for serious guitar players. I would have to say Taylor does Koa the best... i mean, they just use the most gorgeous wood ever, and i love Taylors tone.

i myself am trying to get a beautiful cocobolo/sitka Taylor....

Martins main problem is consistency. with them its hit or miss. ive never found one thats amazed me, although i have played some ones that i thought were nice.
Sort Of A Protest Song wrote:I don't know if this is shameful or not, but after waking up in a girls bed that was really high up off the ground (almost top-bunkbed type high) I told her that if I fell off I'd "come back to life as a white wizard". I was still a bit tipsy. She did not laugh.
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Unread post by ElGuitarrista » Sun Jul 27, 2003 5:56 pm

Speaking of trying out guitars at Sam Ash...

I was working in King of Prussia, PA (home of the super-sized mall... about 20 miles from Philly). There was a Sam Ash near my hotel so I checked it out.

That place is awesome. It was my first time at a Sam Ash. All the acoustics were in a separate room and they had a nice selection of Taylor's and Martins.

The 714ces is always impressive to play. I was also really surprised at the nice sound from the Martin DX1. This guitar is only like $450. It seems to be built similar to a Big Baby/110... solid top, laminate sides and back... good sound and playability.

Also, for those interested in Koa guitars, check out the Taylor Summer Limited 300-series. They have ES electronics and are priced in the $1200-$1400 range. These are beautiful instruments. Here is one on eBay:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=33031

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Unread post by Pickles » Sun Jul 27, 2003 5:58 pm

thats a bad example, ive seen much prettier 300kces models
Sort Of A Protest Song wrote:I don't know if this is shameful or not, but after waking up in a girls bed that was really high up off the ground (almost top-bunkbed type high) I told her that if I fell off I'd "come back to life as a white wizard". I was still a bit tipsy. She did not laugh.
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Unread post by ElGuitarrista » Sun Jul 27, 2003 6:56 pm

Yeah, that particular one doesn't come across as stunning, but, I did see one of these in person and it looked pretty slick.

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Unread post by ElGuitarrista » Sun Jul 27, 2003 6:57 pm

Check this one out... much better pictures:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=33031
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