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#1
12-10-2014, 07:08 PM
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New D-18 vs. used SCGC Tony Rice
I've played the new Martin D-18 and love it. I've also got my eye on a used Santa Cruz Tony Rice, but I've never played one and can't play the one I'm considering (not an easy guitar to find where I live).
Would anyone who has played both of these guitars be willing to share your thoughts? I'd be playing primarily bluegrass/appalachian-style stuff on whichever I choose. Thanks for the help. 
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#3
12-10-2014, 07:11 PM
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Very different models. I don't think its an easy choice. Funny enough I compared these guitars last weekend. They both sound equally great. I PREFFERED the d18 but I love mahogany so..
Hard to compare these two guitars though, very different
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#4
12-10-2014, 07:13 PM
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Quote:
__________________
An old Gibson and a couple of old Martins; a couple of homebrew Tele's
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#5
12-10-2014, 07:19 PM
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Ha! Leave it to me to forget to mention the wood difference!
I really do like both woods, and it's probably worth mentioning that I already have a mahogany dread. The style I play on my dread is heavy on crosspicking through chords, with less emphasis on single-note runs. I'm thinking rosewood would offer a nice color to that kind of playing, but man I'm just not sure.
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#6
12-10-2014, 07:26 PM
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My thought is that it sounds like you'd like the Tony Rice. The D-18 excels at just the sort of thing you have less emphasis on. If you want to have 2 mahogany dreads go for the D-18, but if you want to expand the palette, go the other way.
The new D-18s are not hard to get hold of, and I suspect that the used market will be plentiful over time -- not because they're not great, because they are -- just because a lot of people are buying them and their GAS will cause them to sell them as the value should hold up well.
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JP JP McDermott & Western Bop ------- My guitars include Gibsons, Martins, Fenders, and others
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#8
12-10-2014, 08:01 PM
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The only D-18 I might chose over a Tony Rice SC would maybe be an Authentic or a real vintage one from the 30s or early 40s. Tony Rice Santa Cruz guitars are quite awesome!! I've owned two of them.
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Crazy guitar nut in search of the best sounding guitars built today and yesterday. High End Guitar Review Videos. www.youtube.com/user/rockinb23
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#9
12-10-2014, 09:20 PM
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just curious, what makes the SCGC tony rice so special? It's Sitka over EIR with scalloped bracing. Is it much different compared to the HD-28?
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Adam Martin om28v Taylor 114e Carvin CT6m
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#10
12-10-2014, 09:24 PM
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Quote:
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#12
12-10-2014, 09:43 PM
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Quote:
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‘00 Martin HD28LSV ‘04 Martin D18GE ‘22 Burkett JB45
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#13
12-10-2014, 10:02 PM
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I have played a couple used TR's, and the D-18. The SCGC's are wonderful, but the TR was built to record well, balanced. I chose the D-18 as it made a bigger impact played live. And, yes they are apples and oranges because of the woods. Now, the SCGC Vintage Artist, a hog/spruce, like the D-18; that haunts me still after playing one. I do wish the D-18 still had the 1 11/16 neck though.
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#14
12-10-2014, 10:07 PM
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I think Santa Cruz has a much more consistent build quality than Martin because of the way they tune all the tops, etc. Richard Hoover admits that factories occasionally make great guitars, but spending the extra time and effort on them yields more consistently excellent results.
The tony rice is also an atypical dreadnought because the bracing is carved to give a more even EQ than a typical boomy, bassy sound. Still a dread sound, but more sophisticated. Disclaimer: I'm highly biased, as I own two SCGC guitars, narrowly missed out on a third recently that I would have liked to buy or trade for. I also have a used Tony Rice in the classifieds if you're interested.
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