The 9 Guitars I Bought After Reviewing 500 Acoustics

I've been lucky enough to review over 500 acoustic guitars for the Acoustic Letter and today I want to show you the nine guitars I cherry picked out of those 500. I get asked all the time if I have a gear list, well, here it is! Enjoy!

[tyecook]

Shoulda just called the video "my Martin collection that you can't afford."

[Jed_Phoenix]

and i married a guy named Martin... then we adopted a kid named Martin...

[robertlester]

"9 Guitars I Bought After Reviewing 500 and Winning the Lottery"

[johnlynch]

Good for you, Tony. I admire your taste and collection. Glad your with us. Thanks.

[pdef]

As a fingerstyle player I can say this: until Taylor started making slimmer, faster necks in the mid to late 70s. there was not a Martin made that didn't need extensive setup to play properly for fingerstyle. Taylor changed the game for acoustic guitars...Martin started to take notice but Gibson and Guild never got the message until too late. The one Martin I played that was a great fingerstyle guitar was an OM-45 Deluxe I saw at a guitar a $15000 price tag. A really good Taylor at that time was 1/10 that price.

Now without a doubt a Martin D-28 rules bluegrass, but that is where the superiority ends. Besides Taylor, there are many smaller "boutique" makers who build guitars that will make any Martin made after 1969 cry. Goodall, Olsen, Bourgeois, Lowden to name a few (I can't think of them all). The Martin mystique may still be prevalent, but it is far less justified that it used to be.

That being said, I am NOT dissing Martin guitars....Martin still builds high quality instruments. But to call them "the best"simply isn't accurate in the least.

[CornwallguitarlessonsCoUk]

I’ve watched this a bunch, I would love to see some more vids on these guitars. In lock my inner guitar geek is growing stronger

[jonlensd]

I love this channel. Probably the best marriage of information and entertainment when it comes to guitars. Doing a top job. ❤️

[davisyoung]

What year is that hd 35? I’m looking for a new guitar and I’ve heard you can find them used for around 2k

[kaiserthegreat]

Size 2
0
000
OM x 2
Dreadnaught x 2
Dreadnaught (slope shouldered)
Baritone

Not a bad mix, especially if you factor in he likes the bluegrass fingerpicking, so multiple dreads make sense. I've often wondered what the ideal acoustic collection would be, but then you get not just into body shapes but woods and it becomes seemingly never ending.

[westpenncyclist]

Nice video Tony. The D-35 is no surprise to those of us who watch your reviews regularly. It would also be nice if you did a video on current/recent production models we could actually buy.

[Idiopidity]

Gibson, Martin, and Taylor all great selections. Bit surprised you don't have a jumbo Guild or a deep bowl Ovation but those are my favorite.

[michael_caz_nyc]

Looking to replace my Ovation Legend. Thinking about a used 2016 / 2017 Taylor (non-V-Brace): 414ce, 514ce, 614ce - any other Guitars I should consider for about $2000. With a cutaway and onboard electronics??? Nice guitar collection.

[jrbarilla]

Which fishman soundhole pickup are you using in the two acoustics? Is that a new one?

[culturalvisions]

I'm pleased to see that my Martin 2-17 from 1926 is on your top 9 list. My version has a few more cracks in it, but it is a guitar I've had for over 50 years.

[daisukebleach]

Does anyone know if you can still purchase Martin's Marquis series? I really wanted an om-28 marquis and I can't find any.

[ovdwyrd]

Hi Tony. The shirt is awesome. The shippment cost is $12.50 for international shipping? No other charges or anything if it will be deliver h?

[b.j.surfdog]

Were these purchased over time, or did you have a list and a financial windfall? I have a pretty clear idea of the acoustics and electrics I'm going to purchase if I ever win the lottery-I think there maybe a Martin in there somewhere.

[getstack]

Hi Tony, awesome collection. Curious as to why the HD-35 instead of the D-35?

[colinmichael]

I'm looking to get a Taylor 326, but don't know whether to get a 6 or 8 string. Tony has a 6 string?? Why that over the 8?

[jordandasilva]

Hey Tony, how do you feel about 12 Fret Dreadnoughts? Because I noticed all of your dreadnoughts are 14 fret especially your "blue-grassy" acoustic. Do you purposely avoid them, or do you just prefer the sound of 14 fret acoustics generally? I'm genuinely curious.