I've received a ton of PM's, so let me synthesize it here:

[T714]

I've received a ton of private messages about various things, and I appreciate them and hopefully I've responded to all of them, keep them coming!!!!...

Let me try and synthesize some things here, and this is nothing more than my opinion from years of experience:

Guitar woods: there is a plethora of top woods and side woods out there, and to each their own. when trying to buy a new guitar, its good to research the woods and try to determine, in a general sense, what your playing style is....for the top, engelmann, sitka, adirondack (all spruce) are thin woods that project well for strumming and flat picking...cedar, the lightest of all top woods, has the warmest sound, and responds well to medium strumming and excellent for finger style...walnut and koa are hardwoods that do not vibrate as easily, but a great woods for small bodied guitars and some larger bodies, such as 12 strings...

Electronics: Fishman is always a safe bet, use a Matrix I in a small bodied guitar (parlor, grand concert, grand auditorium, OM, etc.) and a Matrix II in a large bodied guitar (dread, 12-stringer, etc.) Other companies such as K&K, L.R. Baggs, B-band, Highlander have great products and you should contact these companies for literature regarding the benefits of their product. The best prices are from Shoreline Music...

Amps: SWR California Blonde, Ultrasound, and Trace Elliot...

Saddles and Pins: Bone saddles, FWI (Fossilized Walrus Ivory) and EI (Elephant Ivory) are the top choices for clarity, sustain, and harmonic nuances and overtones that make your guitar sound better! Note: these items aren't going to make a $500 guitar sound like a $2500 guitar, but do a great job in making a great guitar sound greater! Bridge pins contribute to the transfer of sound, and a good set of FWI or EI will increase sound and aesthetic values...

Custom built: Mayes guitars, Ryan guitars, Hamblin guitars, Goodall guitars, Olson guitars are the best out there, but will set you back a minimum of $4k to start...type in their names in Google and read all about them....

Humidity: For those who live in colder regions, you need a humidifier in your guitar or music room. guitars are living and breathing specimens, and wood expands and contracts due to climatic affects. In snowy cold winter areas, use a Kyser or Dampit humidifier to keep your guitar between 40%-50% RH. Taylor has some great tech sheets online at http://www.taylorguitars.com

Did I get ripped off?: For those of you buying your Martins or Taylors from Musicians friend or Music 123, Zzounds, etc....you need to understand that both Taylor and Martin have changed their advertising strategies the last 6 months...the prices you see being offered on these guitars (magazine, online) is what is called the M.A.P. (Minimum Advertised Price). To determine what a guitar is really worth new, you need to multiply the list price by 40%, and that gives you what a good dealer will sell the guitar to you for. The MAP that is on-line now is just a minimum ADVERTISED price, not the minimum SELLING price...keep in mind, however, you'll never talk down a company like those above unless you have a competitor's website or receipt for a lesser price. So, when you see the coveted 914c being sold at MF or Music123 for $3600, keep in mind that I sell these guitars for $2700, close to a $1000 difference...

My DM3MD: is not for sale

Sorry for the long post, but I hope this is a good resource for others and maybe could become a "sticky" at the top....and keep those PM's coming!

[filmdude100cms]

I've received a ton of private messages about various things, and I appreciate them and hopefully I've responded to all of them, keep them coming!!!!...

Let me try and synthesize some things here, and this is nothing more than my opinion from years of experience:

Guitar woods: there is a plethora of top woods and side woods out there, and to each their own. when trying to buy a new guitar, its good to research the woods and try to determine, in a general sense, what your playing style is....for the top, engelmann, sitka, adirondack (all spruce) are thin woods that project well for strumming and flat picking...cedar, the lightest of all top woods, has the warmest sound, and responds well to medium strumming and excellent for finger style...walnut and koa are hardwoods that do not vibrate as easily, but a great woods for small bodied guitars and some larger bodies, such as 12 strings...

Electronics: Fishman is always a safe bet, use a Matrix I in a small bodied guitar (parlor, grand concert, grand auditorium, OM, etc.) and a Matrix II in a large bodied guitar (dread, 12-stringer, etc.) Other companies such as K&K, L.R. Baggs, B-band, Highlander have great products and you should contact these companies for literature regarding the benefits of their product. The best prices are from Shoreline Music...

Amps: SWR California Blonde, Ultrasound, and Trace Elliot...

Saddles and Pins: Bone saddles, FWI (Fossilized Walrus Ivory) and EI (Elephant Ivory) are the top choices for clarity, sustain, and harmonic nuances and overtones that make your guitar sound better! Note: these items aren't going to make a $500 guitar sound like a $2500 guitar, but do a great job in making a great guitar sound greater! Bridge pins contribute to the transfer of sound, and a good set of FWI or EI will increase sound and aesthetic values...

Custom built: Mayes guitars, Ryan guitars, Hamblin guitars, Goodall guitars, Olson guitars are the best out there, but will set you back a minimum of $4k to start...type in their names in Google and read all about them....

Humidity: For those who live in colder regions, you need a humidifier in your guitar or music room. guitars are living and breathing specimens, and wood expands and contracts due to climatic affects. In snowy cold winter areas, use a Kyser or Dampit humidifier to keep your guitar between 40%-50% RH. Taylor has some great tech sheets online at http://www.taylorguitars.com

Did I get ripped off?: For those of you buying your Martins or Taylors from Musicians friend or Music 123, Zzounds, etc....you need to understand that both Taylor and Martin have changed their advertising strategies the last 6 months...the prices you see being offered on these guitars (magazine, online) is what is called the M.A.P. (Minimum Advertised Price). To determine what a guitar is really worth new, you need to multiply the list price by 40%, and that gives you what a good dealer will sell the guitar to you for. The MAP that is on-line now is just a minimum ADVERTISED price, not the minimum SELLING price...keep in mind, however, you'll never talk down a company like those above unless you have a competitor's website or receipt for a lesser price. So, when you see the coveted 914c being sold at MF or Music123 for $3600, keep in mind that I sell these guitars for $2700, close to a $1000 difference...

My DM3MD: is not for saleSorry for the long post, but I hope this is a good resource for others and maybe could become a "sticky" at the top....and keep those PM's coming!

i was about to say that i liked you, but you ripped out my heart and danced on it... burn in hell [/b]

[T714]

why did i do that?

edit:
*ah, the DM3MD*

[filmdude100cms]

not sellin that DM3MD... just not cool man

[Tranman66]

i feel a stickiness on this thread... STICKY!

[T714]

not sellin that DM3MD... just not cool man

sorry, that last one on ebay went for a decent price though.

[T714]

i feel a stickiness on this thread... STICKY!

thanks, hopefully it is resourceful!!!!

[taylordb]

not sellin that DM3MD... just not cool man

sorry, that last one on ebay went for a decent price though.

Yes it did.......hopefully it is a trend.

[mangold]

nice work man. i shoulda thought of t6his earlier

[filmdude100cms]

how much would a cedar top cost me over a spruce, im making plans for my first hand build guitar.

[T714]

how much would a cedar top cost me over a spruce, im making plans for my first hand build guitar.

should be no charge......but if a luthier decided to, I wouldn't expect to pay more than $125....

[filmdude100cms]

no i mean im bu8ilding my own, and funds are limited, and spruce i can afford, and its decent, but id love a cedar top. how much would it run?

[T714]

no i mean im bu8ilding my own, and funds are limited, and spruce i can afford, and its decent, but id love a cedar top. how much would it run?

if you are building your own, you might want to visit http://www.stew-mac.com, and consider purchasing a guitar kit...or from http://www.cfmartin.com or from LMI...you need to understand though that guitar building is quite expensive, and honestly, you're probably going to spend thousands of dollars on tools, glues, parts, accessories and man-hours...if you have good wood-working skills and a shed full of tools and clamps, you might be ok...

when ordering a kit, you can select all the woods you'd like, including top woods and side woods and inlays...body styles, appointments, everything...

[mangold]

http://www.lmii.com
thats where im gettin my supplies

[filmdude100cms]

no i mean im bu8ilding my own, and funds are limited, and spruce i can afford, and its decent, but id love a cedar top. how much would it run?

if you are building your own, you might want to visit http://www.stew-mac.com, and consider purchasing a guitar kit...or from http://www.cfmartin.com or from LMI...you need to understand though that guitar building is quite expensive, and honestly, you're probably going to spend thousands of dollars on tools, glues, parts, accessories and man-hours...if you have good wood-working skills and a shed full of tools and clamps, you might be ok...

when ordering a kit, you can select all the woods you'd like, including top woods and side woods and inlays...body styles, appointments, everything...

i was planning on getting the martin mahogony back and sides, jumbo or dreanaught kit already... but im not sure if martin will let me change top woods.