The BEST SOUNDING Guitar you've EVER Played is...

[laughingskunk]

A used Martin D-18GE which I played up a couple years back at a local store near Detroit. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about Martin dreads. Amazing tone-strong but not overpowering bass. It just seemed to have a cllearness almost crystal tone-that seemed to work for everything I could ever want to play. Patrick

[Plaid Coyote]

Originally Posted by MattM

A MacPherson in Brazillian/spruce at Gruhn Guitars, Nashville. I hadn't imagined it was possible for a guitar to sound that good!

Wow, would have loved to tinker around with that.

[James Willer]

Taylor, 2001 910CE LTD. Brazilian rosewood and engleman spruce top. Wish I still owned it

[zombywoof]

First, let me say hello to ya'll.

Hands down the best sounding and playing geetar I have ever held in my hand in over 40 years is this one - 1960 Gibson J200. Shows all the miles put on her but heck, we just call that Mojo.

[Plaid Coyote]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

First, let me say hello to ya'll.

Hands down the best sounding and playing geetar I have ever held in my hand in over 40 years is this one - 1960 Gibson J200. Shows all the miles put on her but heck, we just call that Mojo.

Lol, now that's what I'm talking about Zombywoof. When you put a production guitar up there, it better have some serious miles on it.

I had a great J200 years ago. Lost it to my first wife.

Great looking guitar ya got there. Welcome to the AGF!

[stratokatsu]

Knowing this group, I'm surprised that you can answer this question. With the knowledge and subjectivity that usually goes into the answers, mostly due to the qualifications made to say one guitar is suited for a purpose, but not as well suited for another purpose, it's kind of enlightening to hear one chosen. Maybe our souls resonate to the tone of the one and our collections are only tools beyond the one we chose.


I'm sitting here among my guitars and staring at one after the other to see whether any of them will jump off the wall to suggest themselves... nope... I like them all for different reasons.

Gun to my head, forced to choose... probably my 410ce...

[AndrewG]

My 2002 Gibson Advanced Jumbo. Gibson got it absolutely right in 1935 and many collectors and players consider the AJ to be the best sounding dread ever designed.

Mine is sitka over EIR and it's the design of the bracing which gives the guitar its tone, balance and power.

[Acousticman]

Originally Posted by MattM

A MacPherson in Brazillian/spruce at Gruhn Guitars, Nashville. I hadn't imagined it was possible for a guitar to sound that good!

Yea post some pic. Would like to see this!!!!

[martinedwards]

My mate Paddy's McIlroy

Koa & spruce. it took DAYS for the hairs on the back of my neck to lie down again!!!

[desaljs]

My Santa Cruz Custom D. The most balanced dread I have ever heard or played. The reason for the balance is that they hand tune the tops and grade the thickness based on the quality and properties of the wood in hand, and do not use a formula for the top thickness.

Very lightly built, resonant, and responsive to a light touch. If I sneeze around this guitar, it almost starts to play itself!

[tholmes]

I've thought about this question ever since this thread was first posted, and it's a tough question to answer. I'm not sure I can pick just one.

The stand-out 6 string was a 1935 D-28 herringbone owned by a friend of mine. It's been 30 years since I played that guitar, but the experience still brings a smile. Everything I want a guitar to sound like was in that old Martin. Clear, strong bass, well-defined mids and ringing trebles. Sustain for days. When I strummed it, music just seemed to bubble up out of the soundhole. I would attribute it's sound to superior tonewoods, design, and 40years of graceful aging and hard playing.

The best 12-string I ever played (and high on the list of best guitars ever) was a Breedlove Classic XII. Macassar Ebony b/s and Spruce top. Just the right balance of jangle and growl. Power and presence, but still responding to a light touch with a delicate clarity that I haven't heard since. That guitar was priced just north of $3K, sort of out of my financial reach, but in retrospect, I should have bought it anyway.

Tom

[Danno]

You dog......

Originally Posted by Stuart

My Huss and Dalton custom 000-SP. Mahongany back and side. Adirondack top. Why? Really well balanced tone. Just enough bass, but with a little bit of sparkle. Nice, rich tone. Absolutely the most responsive top I've ever heard.

She's real purdy, too.

[Marccd]

Of the many magnificent guitars, pre-war to new solo builders, that I've had the pleasure of playing, my favorite instrument, as determined by its complete captivation of my attention for hours, was a Blanchard Redwood/Walnut Pinyon (00).

Here's an example of the model:



In its clarity, projection, balance, color, focused bass, trumpet mids, bell trebles, to its organic elegance in wood selections and construction to its comfortable size, it won me over completely and has been ringing in my ears for years.

Someday....!

[ramsa]

It was a new Martin D-35 at Guitar Center in Akron.
It sounded so good it made me sick, and I had to leave the store.
My guitars sound great, but this Martin was fantastic.

[jalbert]

R. Taylor S/N 120, Engelmann/Claro Walnut. I tip my hat to whoever ended up with it. It had the sweetest tone I've ever heard in a guitar. I attribute that to the master-grade top and the back/side wood.