17 years old DS wants a new guitar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The guitar he really wanted is the 1950 Martin D-28 guitar that his guitar instructor has and that one goes for 25K. His instructor recommended that he should get the 2019 or 2020 Martin D-28 for around 5K. His instructor let him use the 1950 Martin D-28 a few times and DS just couldn't put it down. He said that the sound on that 1950 Martin guitar is amazing.

He only has two hobbies, soccer and guitar. He can play soccer (3 years varsity soccer) and guitar all day long if I do not stop him. His plan is to keep both guitars. He'll practices with the Seagull for a majority of the times. He will play the Martin only when he masters a particular piece since he wants to keep the Martin in good condition.

Btw, he did say to me that a "high end quality" guitar means everything to a musician. The sound and "resonant" quality, according to him, on the Martin D-28 is about twenty times better than the Seagull.

Generally speaking, you actually keep an instrument in good condition by playing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The guitar he really wanted is the 1950 Martin D-28 guitar that his guitar instructor has and that one goes for 25K. His instructor recommended that he should get the 2019 or 2020 Martin D-28 for around 5K. His instructor let him use the 1950 Martin D-28 a few times and DS just couldn't put it down. He said that the sound on that 1950 Martin guitar is amazing.

He only has two hobbies, soccer and guitar. He can play soccer (3 years varsity soccer) and guitar all day long if I do not stop him. His plan is to keep both guitars. He'll practices with the Seagull for a majority of the times. He will play the Martin only when he masters a particular piece since he wants to keep the Martin in good condition.

Btw, he did say to me that a "high end quality" guitar means everything to a musician. The sound and "resonant" quality, according to him, on the Martin D-28 is about twenty times better than the Seagull.

Generally speaking, you actually keep an instrument in good condition by playing it.

Not if you practice on the same guitar 3 hours everyday x 365.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another guitar player here.

Does he NEED a 4K Martin? No. But it sounds like he's put a lot more serious, self-directed, self-driven hours into practice of his instrument than just about any teenager I know. If the 4K won't set you back unduly, and since he's likely going to spend much of the summer at home with not a lot to do, and possibly some/all of the school year if the virus forces new shutdowns in the fall, why not? Better to be putting that much time into perfecting his craft (which is an ability he'll have throughout his life) than spending every waking hour online, watching Netflix, videogames, etc.

(P.S. Martins really are solid, long-term instruments, especially in that price range)

This.

I’ve played for 50 years including professional gigs as a sideline at times. The Seagul if it’s an S6 or similar is an excellent basic guitar and should be totally serviceable.

That said, if he’s been at it for a while and is motivated, and you can afford it, a more expensive guitar can be justified, if not critical. They’re both guitars he can keep for years, taking the Seagull places the Martin May be more at risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The guitar he really wanted is the 1950 Martin D-28 guitar that his guitar instructor has and that one goes for 25K. His instructor recommended that he should get the 2019 or 2020 Martin D-28 for around 5K. His instructor let him use the 1950 Martin D-28 a few times and DS just couldn't put it down. He said that the sound on that 1950 Martin guitar is amazing.

He only has two hobbies, soccer and guitar. He can play soccer (3 years varsity soccer) and guitar all day long if I do not stop him. His plan is to keep both guitars. He'll practices with the Seagull for a majority of the times. He will play the Martin only when he masters a particular piece since he wants to keep the Martin in good condition.

Btw, he did say to me that a "high end quality" guitar means everything to a musician. The sound and "resonant" quality, according to him, on the Martin D-28 is about twenty times better than the Seagull.

Want and need are two different things. He is 17. He can get a job teaching and earn some money to help pay or get it as an adult. His instructor can recommend anything he wants but at some point that is not reasonable. Our instructor recommended getting ours a better instrument and I got better than he recommended but the instructor soundalike he's setting you up.

Watch Muscian's Friend and Guitar Center daily. They have special buys of the day and sometimes you can find it if you wait long enough. You can get daily emails on the special buy of the day.

[Anonymous]

OP you do not n

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP you do not n

Sorry you do not need to crowd source this. This is your decision. As a parent of a serious musician I would spring for the best instrument I could afford in a heartbeat because I have a good, hardworking, respectful kid who asks for little, and because I value artistic endeavors and see it’s a lifetime investment. Others have different values. It’s up to you based on your circumstances and values. But as a purely factual answer, the more expensive instrument will produce a better sound and allow him to develop as a musician. Whether you care to invest in that is up to you.

[Anonymous]

He sounds like a good candidate for a $4000 guitar. I would probably wait for some sort of "occasion" for my own kid (18th birthday, graduation, etc), but I also don't have $4000 lying around. I usually buy music gear for my son from Sweetwater on interest-free payments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP you do not n

Sorry you do not need to crowd source this. This is your decision. As a parent of a serious musician I would spring for the best instrument I could afford in a heartbeat because I have a good, hardworking, respectful kid who asks for little, and because I value artistic endeavors and see it’s a lifetime investment. Others have different values. It’s up to you based on your circumstances and values. But as a purely factual answer, the more expensive instrument will produce a better sound and allow him to develop as a musician. Whether you care to invest in that is up to you.

I agree. I'm ashamed to admit that in 1980 when I was 11 years old my parents took me to the Steinway store in Manhattan and paid $15000 for the medium grand I chose after 3 hours of playing different pianos. I was a serious student and attended music school. But I'm not a professional musician now. It was a risk / investment they were able to take at that time. (And the sound quality and key-action was second to none.)

[Anonymous]

I would get it for him.
He sounds dedicated and that’s amazing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The guitar he really wanted is the 1950 Martin D-28 guitar that his guitar instructor has and that one goes for 25K. His instructor recommended that he should get the 2019 or 2020 Martin D-28 for around 5K. His instructor let him use the 1950 Martin D-28 a few times and DS just couldn't put it down. He said that the sound on that 1950 Martin guitar is amazing.

He only has two hobbies, soccer and guitar. He can play soccer (3 years varsity soccer) and guitar all day long if I do not stop him. His plan is to keep both guitars. He'll practices with the Seagull for a majority of the times. He will play the Martin only when he masters a particular piece since he wants to keep the Martin in good condition.

Btw, he did say to me that a "high end quality" guitar means everything to a musician. The sound and "resonant" quality, according to him, on the Martin D-28 is about twenty times better than the Seagull.

Generally speaking, you actually keep an instrument in good condition by playing it.

Not if you practice on the same guitar 3 hours everyday x 365.

Not at all true. You know that most musicians lust after vintage instruments that have been played for hours upon hours upon hours? Instruments need to be broken in.

[Anonymous]

He needs to get a job and pay for it. He should have a job already to pay for college. Maybe he needs a second one to pay for the guitar (not as important as college).

[Anonymous]

He is probably right about the style issue.

There is a $2000 guitar that would suffice.

[Anonymous]

Update:

DS drove to guitar center yesterday after soccer lesson and tried the Martin D-28 again to be sure that the guitar that he wanted. While he was there, he also tried the Martin D-42 and he happened to prefer the D-42 over the D-28. The Martin D-42 costs about $6200. Unfortunately, guitar center does not have D-42 model in stock at the moment. I just order the Martin D-42 this morning from sweetwater without telling DS. I think he will be very happy when the Martin D-42 shows up at the front door in two days.

Thanks again everyone.

[Anonymous]

Awesome! Please let us know how he likes it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Awesome! Please let us know how he likes it.

Update: The Martin D-42 arrived over a week ago and DS absolutely loves it. He is playing the new guitar at least 4 hours everyday.