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  #46  
Old 08-23-2016, 07:33 PM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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I have to say Kathy Wingert since I experience her guitars to be stellar in every way and she is great to work with. Her process and her approach really embodies what she says on her website: One at a time, one of a kind.

If I wanted a flavor that I didn't think I could get from Kathy, I would probably go with Richard Hoover, especially if it was an all-mahogany instrument as he seems to have some magic with the ones that I have played.

So many good guitar makers to choose from but for me Kathy gets the nod for tone, craftsmanship, playability, integrity, customer service, heart and soul. She listens to her customers and then translates that into a great instrument. She is also a wonderful guitar player and has a deep sense of what is musical.

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Jayne
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  #47  
Old 08-23-2016, 07:38 PM
rgregg48 rgregg48 is offline
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I will say Larrivee, for a factory build!
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  #48  
Old 08-23-2016, 08:01 PM
dcmey dcmey is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rmz76 View Post
It's true Epiphone is owned by Gibson. However, buying an Indonesian built all solid wood Epiphone Masterbuilt is entirely different from an all solid wood Mexican built C.F. Martin Road Series. Here's why:

1.) C.F. Martin's factory in Mexico is not a subsidiary of C.F. Martin, it is under control of C.F. Martin. Epiphone is it's own company that happens to be owned by Gibson. Epiphone has it's own chain of command and executives. I can see how this could be seen in favor of Martin depending on perspective. It would if the quality in the Mexican built Martin guitars was there, but it's really hit and miss. The Dread Jr. is a great innovative guitar. Designed in the USA, built in Mexico. It's the only guitar Martin builds in Mexico that I've liked. Taylor builds in Mexico too, but Taylor value has never come from their historical brand, because their brand doesn't have history like Martin's does. So to put the Taylor brand name on a guitar built in Mexico is also different for me than to put the C.F. Martin name on a guitar made in Mexico. Bob Taylor also strategically built his factory in Mexico to be near his USA factory in California. They run a very tight ship between the two facilities. But not even Taylor is taking all solid wood models formerly built in the USA and resurrecting them in Mexico. Only C.F. Martin is doing that.

2.) Epiphone has it's own bottom line/budget, Epiphone has it's own luthiers. Epiphone has it's own patents and designs. Being owned by Gibson gives it the advantage of having exclusive license to certain trademark designs and names but there's always a significant differences between the Epiphone brand version of a Gibson guitar.

3.) Distinguished designs: go visit a local Guitar Center and play an Epiphone AJ45ME then play a Gibson J-45 Standard. Play am Epiphone Hummingbird Pro then play an American built Hummingbird. The body depth is different, the headstock slightly different, the nut width is different, the finish, tuners, etc... They are licensed copies. Some very good licensed copies, also some very good all solid wood original designs.

4.) Putting a high-end brand on a value product. Italian motor company Fiat owns Dodge/Chrysler, they also own Maserati and Ferrari. What Martin is doing with the X series made in Mexico would be a bit like Fiat taking the $30,000 Dodge Charger and re-branding it the Ferrari Charger. Since the Ferarri brand would be accessible at an entry price of $30,000 (with sacrificed material/quality of course) the Ferrari brand would be devalued if they did this (Ferrari would be furious, and Dodge probably very happy since they would sell millions of Chargers on brand association alone). How would that scenario make Ferrari owners feel? Most old school Ferrari owners would likely care less. A newer generation would likely see it as devalued.

If you look at the guitars Martin produces in Mexico you see Martin is actually bringing some older models back to life that were once built in the USA. For example, the Martin 000RS1 is a solid Sapele version of the 000-15m. In fact Martin produced this exact guitar in Nazareth, PA. In the early 2000's there was no 000-15m, it was just called the 000-15. Made in the USA and retailed for about $100 more than what the 000RS1 goes for now. In the Martin catalog it listed it as "solid Sapele or Mahogany" they didn't distinguish between the two... The point is Martin has taken a few models that were once produced in the US, give then new names and transitioned production to Mexico. That is very different than what Epiphone is doing.

Guitars coming from Martin's factory in Mexico devalue the brand. I'm not saying that as derogatory statement (although I can't see anything positive coming from it from an integrity stand point), just a matter of fact as the entry price for owning a Martin has been devalued thanks to NAFTA and Martin's decision to use their high-end brand on bargain product. To you personally it may not have devalued the brand, but in the market place it certainly has been devalued. Martin knew using their high-end brand would move more guitars, they had budget copies in the market for decades under the Sigma brand. They decided to devalue the high-end brand name for profits. It makes good business sense, but it lacks integrity. How many long time lovers really care? I doubt very many do... I've owned a D28 (90s model forget which year), early 2000's 000-15 and current own a 1976 D76. I played a 2016 HD28V several months ago that I still have dreams about owning. I love Martin guitars, but when it comes to being an iconic company in one of the last industries where Made in the USA means something, there is integrity sacrificed when you build a product in a foreign country and put your American made brand name on it. If Company A is selling out their brand name like this and Company B isn't, I think Company B deserves some recondition.
The Mexico was originally bought to produce strings, the fact they started using it to build guitars also just makes good business sense. To me a company that has stayed in business family owned since 1833 is doing something right. I was a gibson fan, I own LP studio. I defended that at first during the raids at their factories but I lost respect for them the more I learned about them. I don't like sound of Gibson acoustic but I would have a hard time buying a Gibson now.
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  #49  
Old 08-23-2016, 08:13 PM
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Zissou Intern Zissou Intern is offline
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Big Company - Gibson
Small Company - Collings
Individual Luthier - Kevin Kopp

Collings is all out amazing. Everything Bill and Steve and their crew touches turns to gold...acoustics (Collings and Waterloo), arch tops, electrics, mandolins, ukes, and cases. Are banjos next?
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  #50  
Old 08-23-2016, 08:51 PM
Jeff Scott Jeff Scott is offline
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Default Who is your favorite builder?

Rickenbacker for production electric guitars & basses.
Martin Keith for custom basses.
Yamamoto for custom acoustic guitars.
Martin for production/custom guitars.
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  #51  
Old 08-23-2016, 09:28 PM
bobernet bobernet is offline
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Brian Applegate

Flat tops - check
Arch tops - check
Classical / Crossover - check
Innovative interchangeable arch top pickups - check

Tone - Think Olson, but with more focus. In medium/small bodies, the best tone I've ever heard.
Aesthetics - Modern, but traditionally-inspired. Always attractive and pleasing. One of the, if not THE, best looking peg heads around.
Craftsmanship - Absolutely impeccable fit and finish, attention to detail, and overall execution.
A super nice guy to work with, and still reasonably priced.

And in total contrast (in tone), runner up would be Martin. Their history, longevity, and consistent old school tone is really something else.
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  #52  
Old 08-23-2016, 09:38 PM
FormerFoodie FormerFoodie is offline
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You might as well ask me who my favorite kid is.

I have a short list, but it's impossible to say who is my favorite. There are so many great builders out there!
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  #53  
Old 08-23-2016, 09:47 PM
jay7347 jay7347 is offline
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Single luthier:
Michael Bashkin
Linda Manzer


Oh to dream...
-jay
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  #54  
Old 08-23-2016, 10:43 PM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Acoustics made by solo luthiers
For the Wyndam Hill type "American" contemporary guitar sound - Ervin Somogyi
For the more traditional oriented American guitar sound - Kim Walker
For non-American luthiers - Ralph Bown

For factory acoustics - I don't particularly like any true factory guitars to the extent that I would want to own any, but I liked the original Martin/Schoenberg Soloist made by TJ Thompson which was not a truly factory made guitar but was assembled by Martin
For small shop acoustics - Very little experience of small shop makes but I have only had the chance to try Avalons and Lowdens, and preferred slightly the Lowdens
For OEM makes - I didn't get to play them but from purely a design perspective, the Avian guitars that are designed by Fleishmann and Bashkin offer a lot of bang for buck

Electrics
For factory electrics - PRS
For boutique makers - Johan Gustavsson

Basses
For factory makes - Warwick
For boutique makers - F Bass
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  #55  
Old 08-23-2016, 11:13 PM
hello people hello people is offline
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Matthew Wan

Based in Hong Kong

World class classical guitars
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  #56  
Old 08-23-2016, 11:17 PM
51 Relic 51 Relic is offline
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Acoustic -.Gibson would be by first followed closely by Yamaha
Electric - Looking at my Signature it has to be Burns of London

These builders suit my playing and I love the quality of Gibson and especially Yamaha
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  #57  
Old 08-24-2016, 02:39 AM
Kerbie Kerbie is offline
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That's a pretty easy question for me. While there are many very fine builders to choose from, I'll take Collings first and Huss & Dalton second. Both make top-notch guitars with superb craftsmanship.
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  #58  
Old 08-24-2016, 07:01 AM
baimo baimo is offline
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I am pretty sure the OP likes Gibsons just a little more than other guitars.
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  #59  
Old 08-24-2016, 07:33 AM
redir redir is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rmz76 View Post
Haha, fair enough.... Yeah I would have rather Huckabee not be in that video, but he was staying on topic and conducted a good interview. As for one man shops, do you have a handful of favorites?
Why, my self of course!

I wish I had a collection of small shop hand made guitars to know which one I liked the best but alas I don't

As for the big guys I've always been partial to Martins.
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  #60  
Old 08-24-2016, 07:57 AM
slimey slimey is offline
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Totally different guitars, concepts and appearance, Huss and Dalton and Lowden.
Both are doing what they do very well, great high quality guitars with their individual tone.

Recently tried an Applegate that made quite an impression.
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