What's your favorite guitar that you've ever owned and why?

[TBman]

I have my 4 main guitars, Avalon, Furch, McIlroy and Pellerin sitting in their cases on a String Swing and anyone of them, when I take it out to play, makes me forget I have the others. I'm lucky that I have what I have.

[Zissou Intern]

Like a lot of you, I have owned numerous guitars over the decades. There was a Santa Cruz D'03 (Carpathian/mahogany) that I had to sell to pay hospital bills for our younger son who is now almost 20 years old. It was pretty special. I had two Martins, a Custom Shop D18VS-Ad and a HD28LSV-Ad that I'd like to have back or at least play again. And the J35 Fuller's that I bought from "Magic Twanger" was the best modern Gibson I ever played. I naively sold that to fund a Collings CJ35G.

My all time favorite guitar is the '04 D18GE that I bought almost exactly a year ago. It went to Judge Wolfe late last fall for a bone setup, popsicle brace removal, and back braces shave. It sounds fantastic, plays easier, and has the best neck of any guitar I have ever had in my hands. I was at a BBQ last weekend with a handful of other pickers. One of them made me a great offer for this GE, like getting into D18A ‘37 price territory. Nope, never, but thanks.

[Tycobb73]

Depends on the hour because something that sounded good when I practiced earlier in the day now sounds like garbage.

[EZYPIKINS]

For me, my favorite acoustic would have to be my J-185ec.

Tone is incredible. Same scale as my Les Paul's.

Electronics, the first Fishman Aura I ever heard. Had me spoiled really quick.

Used as a stage guitar for many years. Getting pretty worn. Making it play even better.

I've never been one who liked refrets. I just use them less and less. Incorporating new guitars.

Not doing much stage work anymore.

#1 electric guitar throughout 80's G&L F-100, 90's G&L S-500, 2005 to present Les Paul Standard. settling in on an early 2006 model for stage work.

[Bridgepin]

I wouldn't say I have one guitar that would be my favorite, I do have three that are always in the rotation so I guess these would be mine, a 89 Martin D-41, 95 Collings D3H and a 2017 Martin D-28 Marquis.

I do prefer the tone of Rosewood.

[s2y]

Perhaps my style is a little too scattered for me to pick just one. The best I could do is my Bob Thompson OM for an all around traditional sound and Aboudib OM for modern and various tunings.

[Skip Ellis]

2004(?) D18V. Traded a pedal steel for it - it was the road guitar for a guy from a bluegrass group in VA called "Jackass Flats". Wonderful guitar but decided I really didn't need a dreadnaught for the stuff I was playing. I sold it and bought a very nice 2014 000-18 which I (almost) like as much. Guy also had a Martin Clarence White but I couldn't talk him out of it.

[Mycroft]

Either the McAlister C or the Froggy bottom A. Flip a coin.

[TennesseeWalker]

Any of the guitars in my signature below and dependant on my mood, acoustics, humidity, strings I have on them, pic selection etc.

I have parted ways with quite a few 'favorites' over the year and have never regretted getting them to a new owner/player.
Taylors, Collings, Goodalls etc.


I did play a Santa Cruz recently that I put on my radar as a new favorite.

[Rick Jones]

My Avalon L32 by a mile. 13 years in with it now, loads of gigs, loads of special times both alone and with others. The sound is how I always imagined a 'nice' guitar would sound, and I can play it blindfolded and not feel like I don't know where I am on it.

It's likely that if I'd been through all that with another good guitar, I'd feel that way about it, too. I've had my big MIJ Yamaha Jumbo even longer and it's been equally present in my life, but if I had to save one in a disaster it'd be my L32.

[Br1ck]

I made the mistake of unknowingly playing a 39 J 35. Of course I could not afford it, but I got the old dry Gibson bug. I played a J 45 vintage that impressed me, but it was over $4,000. That was ten years ago, so I upped my budget which put me in the 60s Gibson market, a minefield if ever there was one. I played a lot of bad J 45s. One day the store had four sixties J 45s on the wall. Three were very so so, one was pretty good. Over on the "lessor" guitar wall was a 65 Epiphone Texan. I picked it up and two and a half hours flew by.

It just clicked, skinny neck, adjustable bridge and all. It had 80% of the dryness I craved and fit my singing style, and my self image. Battle scared and finish checked in the most pleasing way. At the time I thought the burst was hideous. I've gotten over it.

It does the Rolling Stones acoustic tone better than anything I've played. I'll say flatpicking is a challenge. Glad I've got a Martin. I'd venture I'm one of the five out of a hundred that would like this guitar better than an average D 28. That does not bother me at all. Call it a 55 International pickup truck in a 55 Ford truck world. But my, the thump is glorious.

[Bob Womack]

Favorite guitar... favorite guitar.

I am absolutely worthless at superlatives.

About all I can offer is that it has to be one of the guitars my wife bought me or one she's got second generation involvement in.

Bob

[4-string]

Nothing comes close to my Martin OM-28V, it really is special. At least to me.

[Charmed Life Picks]

This is an easy one for me. My beloved 1971 D-28 was stolen out of our home on New Years Day 1988. It was the first great guitar I ever owned, and I learned to play on it for more than ten years. Imagine how much that thing would be opening up by now.

scott memmer

[jdinco]

An SCGC D-12, I played one 10 years ago that I could not afford, it took years to find a used one I could afford. When I play it I wonder why I have any other guitars? Then I play the other guitars and think "Oh yeah,that's why" The feel and tone are perfect for me.