Guitars "opening up"

Was thinkin/wonderin this mornin, as I had coffee on me patio, if I had gotten the Guild instead of the Epiphone when I got it, would I have have as many guitars as I have now- if I had known as much about strings as I do now- when I got the Epipnone a guitar tech at GC advised me to get Martin Monel strings for it, based on what I told him I was listenin for...
I do like the Martin Monel strings... on my 00015M, Lag T118, and Orangewood Ava- 3 different sound board woods. Mahogany, Spruce and Cedar. All about the same size but different construction and different woods. But, the Luna Folk Body has a spruce top and I like it with the La Bella silk and steel- no pleasin some people I guess
The A&L Tennessee Red has the La Bella strings too... it's spruce and wild cherry wood.

The treble strings on the Guild are coming into their own... they have a definite ring to them if you listen for it. Hope I can capture that in a video.... I hate that they, (La Bella silk and steel strings)have gone up so in price... happy that Sweetwater sent me some free ones- perusin the internet there doesn't appear to be an equivalent string-

Oh, well-

Are y'all hibernatin?

Derick, well, I guess you're not hibernatin- entirely

TonyKgull, I have only owned 7 acoustic guitars and still have 4 of them. I agree that build quality is what I hear in sound and sustain. It has taken me years to hear the difference, but I also hear a difference between my mahogany sitka tops vs my one all mahogany. My best sounding guitar, that also broke my guitar bank account, is a Boucher SG-41. It's sound is balanced and "sweeter" and the sustain is noticeably longer than the others. Not really sure at my ability if it was worth the extra $. I will never part with it though.

Saving now for a 12th fret dreadnaught. Any suggestions on that search?

TonyKgull , I'm not sure what constitutes weird when it comes to what one wants to hear in a guitar... thankfully the sounds produced are infinite. Skill has a lot to do with produced sound, or should I say, sound produced. I've been thru 20 guitars in the last 2 years and have 12 currently and each one sounds different. 12 if you count the Gretsch 5420, that I rarely play... since it is a fairly deep bodied electric I 'spose there is a sound difference than a solid, or shallow body electric.

I did say construction makes a difference... but, so does what one wants to hear.
Personally, I'm not a fan of Taylor's. The ones I've messed with at GC were just too bright for my taste. I prefer mellow, or some people call dark which has a capability of soundin a bit trashy when the truth comes to call...you'd think, or at least I do, that a Taylor would give me that sound, trashy... but the ones I've messed with haven't.

The ones I've gotten rid of were lacking somethin- can't pin point it, just lacking.
The ones I have, with the exception of the 00017 Martin, give me a satisfaction of hearin what I like... with my limited skills. My expectations with the 00017 weren't met. I love the sound of the 00015M though. The biggest difference in them is the sound board wood. I expected the 00017 to sound just as good, but with a slightly different flavor... it didn't.
To me, it has no flavor. Just, meh, no matter what strings I try on it.

The Lag T118 is a small body, that is only 3 1/4 in deep, with an arched back with no back bracing- similar to the Guild. I really like the sound of it with Martin Monel strings.
I guess, me point here is, strings make a difference, often.

The A&L is a spruce top and I like the silk and steel strings on it just as I do on the Guild, also a spruce top... but not on the 00017 which is also a spruce top... and I like Monels on the Orangewood which is a spruce top... so, it comes down to bracing since the quality of the 00017 is pretty undeniable, unless it's just a lemon...


But, back to me original thought... would I have not gone thru so many guitars if I had known more about strings when I started... can't say for sure, and I have enjoyed the journey... but, when I first got back into this gig, I didn't even know string gauge existed, never mind the different winding mat'l.... each making wood sound different and produce different tones, more or less over tones, and to some degree, resonance... now, opening up... the original thought .... if bangin on a guitar, hard, accelerates the opening up time... yee-haw!


Derick , 12 fretters are cool... I may get one some day... but not a Taylor if past experience is a guide... and, they are expensive! which is a turn off.... I've grown very fond of the well under a grand guitars...

Garland,

Absolutely nothing wrong with guitars with a price tag of well under a grand.

I've had quite a few 12 fret guitars and liked all of them, got two 12 fret guitars now. The Nylon string Sigma and Faith all solid wood Parlour guitar.
If I could pick one new guitar it would be an O.M size, 12 fret with 1,75" nut width, not to fussed on the make. Just what looks and sounds good on the day.

ancient1,

 I'm pleased to hear you have come down a gauge from 13s to 12s. Your guitar and fingers will definitely thank you.
 Can't get the Elixir polywebs any more, it must be four years or more since I've seen them for sale.
 No right answer, it's just a matter of personal choice,  the action on my guitars at the 12 fret is .093" for the fat E string, and on me Nylon string guitar the action is .138" that's classed as low for a  Nylon strung guitar, it's just surprising what you can get used to.
 The only thing that matters is that you play it and enjoy playing it.