By vintage I'm referring primarily to the pre-war "Golden Year" Martins, i.e. 30s D-18s and 28s; 00,000, 0M. Boutique meaning small shop guitars i.e. Borges, Franklin, Circa, Traugot, etc. After recently playing some amazing vintage models I find the GAS kicking in. However a collector friend tells me some of the new builders are coming up with guitars just as good and in some ways better than the old ones. There's some serious mojo in those old guitars though. Probably something to do with wood that has been played for 75 years or so. There's more to it than that though. The stories a guitar like that could tell. Something about the soul of those instruments that doesn't come with the new bubble wrapped ones. Guess I'll end up with one of the vintage ones someday. Sometimes the hunt is as much fun as the find.

I thought you already owned a boutique guitar? Like a Franklin maybe?

The Franklin is amazing. My collector friend says "be happy with what ya got, don't chase those ol' Martin Geetars, boy". They sure sound good though, and are a lot of fun to learn about. If that damn lottery ticket would come through.

Well that's certainly true - you can never have too many guitars.

I played a 30's Martin OM-28 at Eric Schoenberg's shop last year. A fantastic guitar. But we are talking serious dinero here. If I recall correctly, it was North of 30k. Out of my price range by a mile.

Yet my McAlister OM-28 Vintage series, at $5600 (still alot of money), is just a smokin guitar with superb vintage like tone (dry, woody, excellent bass, and loud, with great sustain) at a 1/5 of the price. Would have loved to be able to own the vintage Martin, but I'm plenty happy with the new McAlister.

The 00's are still lin range I think. Price wise.

Hopefully they stay in range.

I'm a few years a way from one of those. Will definitely play a McAlister along the way to compare.

Stuart

You read my mind about those 00s Stuart. I played a '31 00-21 BZ that would just about blow the boxers off any dred. They are in reach but as the song goes "how long, how long".

With the economics in the US the way they are, they could stay in reach for about 4 years. I'm saving for one, even though I have a Franklin coming and just received my Kim Walker. I'm a glutten for punishment.

I think that I need to replace the nut on my collings though. I had them lower the action just a tad and I think I like it higher. I don't know if I trust that done anywhere but at Collings, but I don't like the idea of shipping and that would only leave me with one guitar.

Ahhhhhhh


Maybe I'll wait for the franklin.

Then there is the issue of Brazilian or Mahogany for the Franklin. Back to the franklin thread.

Stuart