I'll try working on them more often! Thank you , Andy. Bruce Armstrong Scottsbluff Nebraska

This video was a godsend when I strung-up a newly-acquired Martin with a slotted headstock. Would have been well stuck without the demo. Many, many thanks.

I played a Taylor 800 series 12 fret guitar today and it played like driving a truck. Nope.

I had a guitar built a year or so ago from woods (Sitka spruce and Flamed Oregon Myrtle) that I had purchased 20 years prior. The wood was in my garage here in the desert Southwest suffering through heat and cold, humid and mostly dry conditions. It is a model of a Martin "Size 1" and it is absolutely the best sounding guitar of all that I own, to include Martin, Bourgeois, Breedlove and Taylor. I believe that the aging of the woods plus excellent construction have yielded a one-of-a-kind instrument!

@SillyMoustache Check out the KZbin video, "The Martin D28’s Golden Era | History & Comparison Ft. Bertolf" by The Fellowship of Acoustics. In it you will see (and hear) a 1939 Martin that has obviously been, "played hard and put away wet." It sounds significantly better than the other vintage D28s. Bertolf even remarks on its amazing sound. I think it supports the theory that years of vibrations set up the wood and make for a better sounding instrument.

Collings are articulate which many find problematic. For a guy like silly with big strong hands it is a different experience than a lot of other people. They have great sound but are not that enjoyable or enticing to the muse.

Great video: informative , educational and entertaining ! I was particularly taken with the Dobro. I hadn't realised that the tuning is the same (only different...) to a 5 string banjo. I may have to tune one of my guitars like that this afternoon and see what I can do to Old Joe Clark. Thankyou for the inspiration.

Very interesting, unlike this comment…which is improving, only slightly but increasingly. What is lacking is PHYSICS, the really real explanation that leaves the wishful ear behind its mystical frontage.

Hello again Andy, Sorry to hear of your health issues. I will turn 79 later this year, so I know about the little trials we face from time to time ( Had the old gall bladder removed about 6 months ago). The way I look at it, is we are on bonus time and I use that to play tunes on my guitars. I can't believe I'm still learning about this wonderful instrument. Take care my friend and I look forward to your guitar wisdom on your videos.

Hi Andy, Just dropprd in today to see what type of drill you used for your tuning machines. I think you have at least 2 videos on changing the strings on the ole slotted head stocks. I enjoy your video and guitar wisdom. Hope you have a very good 2025.

Very nice with the dobro Andy. You' ve got me wanting one doing that lovely slide thing. Just sorry I took so long to find your videos. THEIR GREAT. Many thanks 😊

I greatly appreciate and enjoy your reviews! My question is about the laquered fretboard? Who laquers ebony? I'm not really opposed to it from a visual standpoint but am curious as to your opinion on a feel and playing perspective. Do you notice a difference, do you like it? Thank you and please keep making videos!

Sorry about your hearing, Andy I'll be praying to the Lord for you. You bring alot of pleasure to many. Lots love from us all Andy ❤

Very nice song Andy. Well expressed 😊

Andy - great video

The sound of the 1930's with the L4. Bit harsh and nasal. Ultimately a pleasing g sound

Lovely old guitars thse Harmony. Looking at them they seem to have something special about them, although a supposedly 'cheap' guitar?

Do you anchor your right picking hand to the guitar with you pinky or do you have a free floating right hand? Classical players seem to have a free floating right hand as they use all the fingers of their picking hand. I find this very difficult and I find that I need to anchor my right hand to the guitar's body at some point with my pinky and sometimes my third finger as well. I find this gives me more stability. But should I try to practice more to get a free floating right hand like the classical players? Thanks in advance.

Excuse me while I pick myself up from the floor! This an excellent video!

Finger picking with the thumb and the first finger, the Merle Travis way. Very good and informative.

Thanks

Happy new year Andy 👍🏼

Interesting video. I wasn't aware of some of those early clip-on models. As for the clip-on Polytune, I like to use it when gigging as I can quickly strum all strings with the volume off between songs and instantly see if any strings are out of tune. Before that, I'd have to strum each string audibly between songs or just play a G chord and try to guess which string was out, which annoyed my bandmates. I don't tune all strings at once with the Polytune. I just like the instant visual feedback with no sound. I agree, though, at home, it's not necessary. And it's the same price as the Unitune on Amazon (at least in the US), which is nice -- especially for a tuner with a strobe function.

Morning, looking forward to plenty more videos this year ! Roll on spring!

Good video

Thank you, Andy. I enjoyed that very much, and I hope to see those guitars (especially the lovely Weissenborn) in more of your videos.

Great video love the different tones you get. George in Montana

Great video, very interesting. Happy New Year

Thank you Andy. Happy New Year!

Gibson catalogs in the 1910s for archtop models such as the L4 list that buyers are to specify whether they want gut or steel strings. Have you played one made during this transitional period and how do you think it compared to later archtops made specifically for steel?

Hello, Hope you're well. All excellent advice here, so thank you for taking the time to make this Vid. You're not in Seaford (East Sussex) are you? Anyway, just subscribed!

Wild stab .. you are an Engineering personage?

That change to strings made of nails (metal) is the real push to design/materials. People need to get this stuff in their beans before they start playing and BUYING the bloody things.

🟣🎶 My pastor of my church and led praise and worship on a 12 string ovation that cost several thousand pounds 40 years ago and is still going strong now being played for a couple of hours every Sunday and both services it’s not letting down and produce a bigger wider sound when he needs to play on his own or with many musicians. But you can the rest assured it is a fantastic guitar strum I’ve done correctly, and funny enough he only needs to tune it at home and it holds together for both services normally every time we have same tune and it sounds great. Of course he tune it at home before then this Sunday morning. Perhaps it’s more goes out of tune when it changes temperature or when the strings are bent or picked? I think having such an expensive guitar so well made and looked after helps it to stay in tune perhaps? It’s certainly a unique sound and stands above other instruments and other guitars which is a huge bonus and benefit to a 12 string. Compared to 6 string or other instruments that play and of course lots of people singing +4 to 6 people on microphones singing.

You hit the nail on the head. I recently purchased a 00 size guitar because of arthritis in my shoulder. I can only play my dreadnought for about 20 minutes at a time now.

Tab is useful for more intricate riffs, but the key skill for guitarists is your ear!

Hi Silly, have you tried Santa Cruz Low Tension strings or the D'Adarrio nickel?

So….Andy…how many guitars does that make in total? Can you list them all out? Thanks

I enjoyed your video on the 12 fret guitars. I started playing guitars back in 1956 when I was 14 years old. My dad had a 1945 D-18 and it sort of spoiled me for the rest of my live and has always been the tone I’ve desired. My problem was as I grew my fingers grew and the Martin 1 11/16 neck was too narrow and the neck too thin. I thought that you cannot have everything your way until 4 years ago when I found a 1931 Martin D-1 authentic. Yes I was 78 and playing in the live café’s here in Daejeon South Korea. This guitar had everything that I was looking for. Just too bad that it came t me in the twilight of my life, but then better late…….. I love the 1 7/8 neck and the thicker neck that fits my hand perfectly. Now I did own a 12 fret 1968 D-35S that you mentioned. These are relatively rare as only about 365 were made. The problem I had with it was the neck was like a baseball bat. Now I never was so good at baseball and always the last picked for the team. It reminded me of this high school days, and that did not help my guitar skills. So now I play the D-1 as much as possible here in this fine country. I also wish to point out that as one grows your hands change. At 14 the neck of my dad’s D-18, that I have passed on to my nephew, was perfect, and the tone could not be beat. But the neck became difficult for me because my hands grew. My favorite guitars now are the Martin D-1 and my Larivée 12 string. They both have wide necks and each unique. The Larivée is my favorite for weddings halls here in Korea. And the D-1 is perfect for my finger picking style, with wide spaced strings, and the great ability to project in the intimate venue of a Live Café setting. I appreciate your discussion about 12 fret guitars. The D-1 soon morphed into the D-18 in 1932 and it kept the wider neck at 1 3/4” until around 1938 when the neck was narrowed to 1 11/16th. What I am saying is that if you play long enough, have owned many guitars, as I am sure you have, your hands change, your songs change, your playing style changes and the guitars you love change. At 82, having played since 1956, I have continued to play my guitars and they have added greatly of my quality of life. What more can one ask for on your last years on our beautiful earth!

The other day I bought the e20p at a shop here in the Netherlands which unfortunately is closing down. Luckily for me they had quite a few Eastmans on sale. Came to buy the E20oo model, but it didnt quite felt right. Then I turned my head towards the e20p and it immediately felt like home. It sounds really good and is surprisingly versatile as well. Its my most prized guitar now. Thanks for the video!

Happy New Year, Andy! I continue to be impressed by your ability to sing in an accent so different from your own.

Ahhhh what a find for the start of this year😊, I’m a bluegrass lover and a rather pathetic singer and guitar picker but I’m loving your videos, makes me want to pickup my guitar immediately and just play play play, thank you so much for sharing , Jo in Italy🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

The cat sounds better. Actually, I love Collings. But I love cats too.

I use them a lot in my music. I really like your term emotion to describe Hammer on's and pull offs . another great video.

Happy New Year 🎉, nice straight forward video, thank you!

Bonjour Andy, very well explained, I will keep in mind the way you use hammer ons & pull offs. I use them with bar chords and it’s not easy with old short fingers ! Thank you, merci à toi.

It’s often hard to go back and remember how difficult this stuff comes. The Guy Clark and Townes stuff are great learning hammer ons and pull offs. Jimmy Pages over the hills and far away is one that got me going

Happy New Year Andy! I hammered on earlier, I’m going to pull off now…

Hi, I'm considering getting either an Eastman EP20 TC or a Colllings C10 with the deep body and wondered which you thought was better as a parlour guitar? The nut widths are different, but it’s not a deal breaker on either. Thanks, and I really enjoy your shows.

You started sounding a little like Willie there for a minute Andy. Very nice work!