The Watering Hole

I bought one - I wanted a small, portable acoustic that sounded good, and I wanted a guitar that was slightly smaller so my daughter can learn to play.

This killed two birds with one stone - and I absolutely love it.

I was initially going to get a Baby Taylor, but that thing sounds like crap - no resonance at all, no bottom end to speak of. The Little Martin actually sounds like a smaller version of a big acoustic. It's awesome. It's even fun to play with my big paws.

Of course, I look ridiculous playing it, but I don't care, because it's SO MUCH FUN!
Tripper

Tripper — Feb 04, 2009 ...It's even fun to play with my big paws.

Of course, I look ridiculous playing it, but I don't care, because it's SO MUCH FUN!
Tripper

When my web host is back up I'll put the link to Jon G. singing about J-o-e-y again - he looks like he's playing a ukelele!  :D ;D

CraigBert — Feb 04, 2009[quote author=Tripper link=1233779824/0#0 date=1233779821] ...It's even fun to play with my big paws.

Of course, I look ridiculous playing it, but I don't care, because it's SO MUCH FUN!
Tripper

When my web host is back up I'll put the link to Jon G. singing about J-o-e-y again - he looks like he's playing a ukelele!  :D ;D

HA HA HA - that was some funny shit - and Jon looked like a giant!
Tripper

Awesome!! Just don't let her put little decals of butterflys, lady bugs or flowers and shit on it! (=

Funny thing, I also recently decided on a new Martin after trying many Taylors as well.

Tripper — Feb 05, 2009[quote author=CraigBert link=1233779824/0#1 date=1233786058][quote author=Tripper link=1233779824/0#0 date=1233779821] ...It's even fun to play with my big paws.

Of course, I look ridiculous playing it, but I don't care, because it's SO MUCH FUN!
Tripper

When my web host is back up I'll put the link to Jon G. singing about J-o-e-y again - he looks like he's playing a ukelele!  :D ;D

HA HA HA - that was some funny shit - and Jon looked like a giant!
Tripper

And, just for completeness (plus my hosting is back up), here it is!  :D

http://www.nwdreamer.com/download/MyNameIsJD.wmv

You did NOT just diss my Baby Taylor!   >:(  

;D

DreamTheaterRules — Feb 06, 2009You did NOT just diss my Baby Taylor!   >:(  

;D

Yeah, what of it!?!! ;)

Yours might be good, I don't know - I have yet to play one that even comes close to the Little Martins, though, in volume or bass response (two things that keep little guitars from sounding too much like toys).

Tripper

Pick bought both Trip. ;D

I agree with you. The Baby Taylor sounds like a cheap piece of crap to me. Baby Martin is much better.

Hookbender — May 07, 2009Pick bought both Trip. ;D

I agree with you. The Baby Taylor sounds like a cheap piece of crap to me. Baby Martin is much better.

Why the hell did he buy both of them?

And really, I think Taylor should be embarrassed to have their name on that thing. The more of them I play, the more I can't understand how anyone would want one, except that they play nice - they sound AWFUL.

Tripper

and here I thought mine only sounded bad because I was playing it.  

Tripper — May 08, 2009[quote author=Hookbender link=1233779824/0#7 date=1241735970]Pick bought both Trip. ;D

I agree with you. The Baby Taylor sounds like a cheap piece of crap to me. Baby Martin is much better.

Why the hell did he buy both of them?

And really, I think Taylor should be embarrassed to have their name on that thing. The more of them I play, the more I can't understand how anyone would want one, except that they play nice - they sound AWFUL.

Tripper

Probably because he got the Taylor first and it sounded like shit. ;D

you guys better stop busting on my "baby" or ELSE!   >:(

;D

DreamTheaterRules — May 09, 2009you guys better stop busting on my "baby" or ELSE!   >:( ;D

Yours might be the exception...and like I said, they play GREAT, the ones I've played (about 10 different ones) just sounded weak.

:D

mine is an M.  All mahogany.  It sounds warm, and small.  No bottom end, but it really doesn't sound bad.  

DreamTheaterRules — May 09, 2009mine is an M.  All mahogany.  It sounds warm, and small.

 
I like the Mahogany ones best, but they're still not all that impressive to me.

No bottom end, but it really doesn't sound bad.  

I think that's the big issue I have with them - just no bottom end to speak of.

There must be something about the HPL/Formica mine is made from that really adds low end - it's absurd when you get into the full-size Martins they make from HPL - the low end is just out of hand on some of them - really boomy. It works for the Little Martins, though - just adds fatness.

Tripper

formica??  no kidding???  

DreamTheaterRules — May 11, 2009formica??  no kidding???  

Well, the Corian one was just too heavy to play...

but it doubles as a cutting board  

DreamTheaterRules — May 11, 2009formica??  no kidding???  

No lie. It's high-pressure laminate. One great side benefit? It holds tune better than any acoustic I've ever played, and is TOUGH.

If I get another regular acoustic, I'm going to seriously consider the X-series Martins because they're made of HPL, at least partially. It'd be nice to have something that sounds decent and I don't worry about getting jacked up (I'm always worried about my Larrivee in that way).

This is completely off topic, but I really would like to find a Variax Acoustic 700 in decent shape...people look at me weird when I play acoustic songs on my regular Variax, and I think I'd eventually run in to trouble if I used that for solo acoustic gigs because it doesn't look "right". It sounds great, but they usually go, "huh?" It was like James Taylor with his Variax 600 at the Inauguration concert...

Tripper

On the Martins being real low end heavy....

If you take the Martin strings off right away and put elixir or D'addario.....you'll even out the sound much better. At least it's that way on my Martin. :)

I'm sure I didn't spell those correctly. ;D

You actually spelled them both right.

I use Elixirs on all my acoustics...the Little Martin's sound opened up when I swapped out the Martin strings (that died after a mere week of playing - what the fuck?)

I imagine the same thing would happen with the bigger ones...
Tripper

Martin strings usually die after 2 or 3 weeks maybe.....regardless how much you play. I hate to change strings that often. I really like the elixirs. My wife gets me 2 or 3 pair a year for christmas and I've started a a pile of new sets of strings. I can't say enough good things about them. That's on Martin guitars.....not sure what effect the strings would have on other brands. The Martin strings really are extremely bass heavy. For some reason, I don't like the sound of the little E string either. May be just me on that.

When I had my Ovation 1984 Collectors Series, (I should have NEVER sold that guitar... It's DTR Jrs fault!)  I played Martin Marquis.  They were jangly bright for about an hour.  Then got REALLY nice.  But the decay of their tone was RAPID.  They sounded fantastic for a couple weeks.  Good for another few.  Then playabilty-wise, they stayed good for another month or so, but the TONE was gone.  Gigging musicians would probably love them.  

Bob Taylor has said that he strings them with Elixers from the factory because they will sound pretty much the same for months.  I concur wholeheartedly.  Nothing but Elixers for me on the acoustics.