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

[EverythingMusic]

Model: GS
B&S: Braz Rosewood
Top: Adi

My GSBA is the best guitar I've ever had the honor of playing. It has wonderful tone, crisp highs, solid mids, and great lows. It plays easily and is just a joy to have.

[woodruff]

a 2006 Martin HD-28
sitka top
indian rosewood b/s
the responsiveness, wamth and punch
i felt like a king

the scalloped bracing did the trick

problem was, too expensive, and when i found another at a different shop a couple days later, it sounded horrible. but that one i played at a local GC was a true gem.

[fitness1]

thankfully for me the one that's on my lap right now, my Webber OM.

I feel like I'm pretty spoiled....I've had the opportunity over the last few years to "audition" MANY guitars. This particular instrument exceeds them all, especially for the style of music I play. I believe partly due to the Engelmann and Sapele combination, partly the body size, and partly to the workmanship of the builder. It's incredibly loud and lightweight as well.

This guitar has more sustain than any instrument I've owned (by a longshot)
The string separation and balance ALL THE WAY UP THE NECK is incredible.
I play up the neck a lot and use capos (sometimes multiple) and there are no "hot spots" or dead spots anywhere....very important when you are miking the instrument.

I am very doubtful this will ever leave my possession.....

[KyCabnetMkr]

About a year and a half ago I was in Nashville trying out some phenomenal guitars and played this Langejans EIRW/WR Cedar w/venetian cutaway that sounded something like it had it's own reverb, and when you fretted the note it also sounded like a very subtle pinched harmonic....angelic. Unfortunately the neck was too wide and thought the action to be suitable for bluegrass. otherwise it would've come home!

[fnesnor]

The two in my signature line.

[tadmania]

A Ryan Cathedral. Blackwood and sitka, I believe.

Loud and strong and sweet and responsive and subtle and........



How? Magic, I think. But, holy saddle bones, that thing sounded great!

[ericcsong]

Originally Posted by tadmania

A Ryan Cathedral. Blackwood and sitka, I believe.

Loud and strong and sweet and responsive and subtle and........



How? Magic, I think. But, holy saddle bones, that thing sounded great!

it was a bosnian top.

I think thats the best sounding guitar I've played too.

second best would have to be this Braz/Italian Bourgouis Soloist OMC. amazing tone

[Yoder]

My Gibson Advanced Jumbo. I gave up several guitars once this one entered the fold, including a Taylor 2002 710 Ltd. The AJ just has mojo.

It is a very loud guitar, yet lends itself to being played softly. In the five years that I have owned it, I have had no issues. This is the only dread naught I own now, and will be the last one.

[Plaid Coyote]

Well, since I have played so many different guitars, this will be a problem. But an honest assessment will rule out any production made guitar, i will exclude some vintage guitars here, including my beloved Bob Taylor hand built 1984 815.

So, this leaves custom builts. The best for me is impossible to name since so many have different characteristics.

In no particular order, the finest sounding guitars I have ever played.....

Greven FX Alaskan Cedar/Maple
Collings SJ-42 Brazilian Adi
McPherson Redwood Madagascar Rosewood
R. Taylor Adi/Madagascar Rosewood (I have now played about 20 R. Taylors. None of them are in the same league as this guitar)
McCollum Redwood/Walnut
Cornerstone SJ Sinker Redwood/Camatillo Rosewood (The only small guitar I have ever fell for. I love the huge sound and great tonal quality. Have never heard anything like it.)

I have owned over 30 small builder or custom guitars, and another 60 or so Taylor, Martin, Guilds, Gibson, etc.

There is no guitar from production builders that has come close to sounding as good as even the least of the small builder or custom guitars I have played. But the above six, well, they are special and stood out far beyond any thing I have played before.

[taylorphile]

A Kathy Wingert OM that I got to try about 3 years ago.
Brazillian and Engleman. Great sounding overall. A thing of beauty
to behold.

Hopefully I can afford one of her guitars someday.

TK

[NHCC]

Breedlove J25 12 String

Sitka/Rosewood

Had the most incredible sound of any guitar I've played. I'm not a 12 string fan, but this thing sounded like a symphony.

Fit and finish was amazing

[mishmannah]

Best guitars I have played....

I would say Lowden's guitars, but I have NEVER held one...

So, it would be the three Brook guitars I played, one belonging to a friend and the other two had shop assistants hanging off the end of them because they were so expensive...

REALLY nice guitars. Nice shop assistants too.

But I want to play a Lowden one day.

[aaronmarkson]

Bruce Petros D - Adi / Ebony -

It was the most rich, balanced, crisp sounding guitar I have played. It worked for light finger style stuff and aggressive strumming and everything in between.

All of Bruce's guitars are amazing and the most playable guitars I have ever come across. I happened to be lucky enough to get one (Sitka/Rosewood) before the prices got way out of my range. It is a delight to play every time I pick it up.

Aaron

[TaylorKoaFan]

I would say that the best sounding one I've played would have been a Goodall with Koa/Cedar. It had a sweet warm sound but the Cedar wasn't easily overdriven.

Second would probably be a tie between my XXX-BE and another Goodall.

I've never played an Olson or Ryan, but my guess is they could strongly compete for the top couple of spots on my list.

[gurianguy]

My Gurian S3R. Spruce top, rosewood back and sides. Huge sound, with rich harmonics. Superbly crafted guitar.
Honorable mention: Gilliangirl's Gibson Southern Jumbo (Magic)