I have an Alvarez with just a model number 5117 on the brown tag inside.  I serial number. Alvarez is inlaid in the head as well. Any help verifying if it is real. I can not find anything online with that model number.  ..read more

Hey friends,  I just scored a free guitar from a community cleanup and I can’t believe how it sounds after a new set of strings and some cleaning. Anyone know the history of this guitar? Labeled a dw-300 but looks like a Martin D-35 when I searched an image of the back. Any insights would be great. https://photos.app.goo.gl/nux9aq6RpnQSTWs96 thanks ..read more

I completed my first build back in 2013 and honestly, but it hasn't gotten much play time. This is mostly because while it looks like a guitar, I had a lot to learn about setting it up. I'm setting out to fix that this year. This guitar is based off of plans I bought from Stewart MacDonald in 2009 and was drawn up by a luthier named Michael David Payne who was active at the Official Luthier's Forum at the time. It's essentially his take on the Gibson J-185, which is 16" across at the lower bout and 4+7/8" deep at the tail block. I did my own take on it by taking inspiration from a Taylor GS5 ..read more

Hi, I have absolutely 0 experience with guitars and i'm looking to buy a second hand guitar What to look for once in front of the guitar ? General state of the guitar is a given, but what else should i look for ? Thanks ..read more

Does any one know what the recommended strings are for an Art & Luthier Roadhouse Bourbon Burst Parlor guitar?  ..read more

  Hi!   I tried a Martin GPC-X2E and liked it a lot for comfort, playability and size but I have to admit that the sound is good but it doen't blow me away but it is good!  I also tried a a Martin GPC-16E and it sounded much better though I liked the shape/neck/playability better on the GPC-X2E. (And it is much less expensive!) https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/x-series/11GPCX2ECOCO.html Knowing that the GPC-X2E has only a solid top, which other acoustic/electric guitar should I look below 1k, smaller than a dreadnought?           ..read more

I posted this NGD thread about 41/2 years ago following getting this guitar at £45 due to a broken tuner button. I fixed the button with epoxy resin and it worked fine. Another button broke a year or so later and I fixed that with epoxy too. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that a couple more buttons were cracking so I bought a new set of machine heads from Ebay (£8.50). One of the old buttons broke into several pieces today so I fitted the new machune heads - fitted perfectly and work great. So - the old tuners lasted pretty well, eh? My most-played guitar. The sun shines sometimes.   ..read more

If he didn't use it as his #1 guitar? Or if some plain Joe had a guitar like it,had friends to sign it,had a huge hole,and been bondoed together? Willie's "Trigger" is worth millions just because he plays it.Same as Paul McCartney's "Beatle" bass.I read an article where Willie bought his beloved guitar for $750. Now Martin is selling the same model classical for a mere $5500. They discontinued the model years ago,but because of Willie,they decided to resurect it.There sure is something special about guitar players and their instruments!   I don't we will ever know the answer,I ..read more

Recently, I have played almost every popular guitar available in North America for $1500 and less, many have been Yamaha's, AC3R, LL16, L6, etc...   While they are built well and good guitars, they didn't hold a candle to say the Martin DSR's, Blueridge, Eastman's etc...  While they appear durable, they sound like an over-produced CD, sterile with no body (tinny).  I suppose tone is subjective and while I still believe they are good value, they are overrated.  The end ..read more

Hello guys I'm new here. It's nice to meet everyone I need help with a problem I'm having. So whenever I pick up my guitar or if I barely touch it it starts giving me a buzzing noise-like feedback but whenever I touch my 1/4 or around it stops. If I touch my bridge or the bone of the bridge it stops also. I tried different cables and I even switched out my preamp, the palathetic pickup, and where the 1/4 goes in also but it still does it. So I left my guitar in my bed laid it down (Basically to figure out where it was coming from) I was touching the strings and it started doing it, I also touc ..read more