What's the best guitar to own and play?

I get asked this question more than one would think.

What's the best guitar to own and play?

My answer is . . . "how would I know?"

Just kidding . . . that's not my usual answer.

My usual answer is really a lot longer than that . . .

So . . . from my perspective and belief . . . the best guitar to own and play is . . .

1)  is the one that feels great when YOU hold it;

2)  is the one that sounds great when YOU play it;

3)  is the one that YOU can't put down, and if YOU do put it down, it grieves YOU to do so;

4)  is the one that YOU miss when YOU are not playing it;

5)  is the one that YOU know tunes up great and stays in tune;

6)  is the one that is set up the best for YOUR style of playing, and it doesn't leave YOU tired or with cramped hands after YOU finish playing it and put it back into the case.

7)  is the guitar that YOU, and YOU alone, think is the right guitar for YOU.

Unfortunately . . . many people disagree with me . . . and claim that certain brands are better than others.  Every person has a right to there opinion. In fact, I used to be one of those people . . . but not anymore.

I've never hid the fact that I like (love) Martin Guitars.  Always have and always will.  They have that acoustic tone that my ear loves to hear.  A tone that I identify with.

Taylor Guitars and Guild Guitars . . . are my other favorites, in that respective order at this time. 

And, I reserve the right to change my mind.

But . . . let me say . . . that brand, as well as the style and shape of a guitar does not matter.  The best guitar to own and play (for the reasons above) might be a Takamine, Washburn, Larivee, Gibson, Epiphone, or some other brand. 

In the end, it's the guitar that YOU like . . . not the guitar that someone else approves for YOU.  No one has that right to that decision except YOU.

It was suggested to me over the years, by several people I admire and whose opinions I respect, that I should be playing jumbo's because of how big I am physically (6'6").

So, I aquired jumbo's . . . 4 in fact.  A Martin J-40, a Taylor GS custom (one-of-a-kind), a Guild F-512 (12 string) and a Guild F-50.

The truth is . . . my favorite guitar to play right now . . . is my Martin D-18 dreadnaught.   But that is mostly because I've had a very sore right shoulder the past 3 months.  My D-18 is lighter than my J-40.   Once my shoulder is better, maybe the J-40 will be the "one".   Who knows.  In the end, all that matters is what I think, believe, feel and hear!

The best guitar to own and play . . . is YOUR decision, based on what you need to base the decision in the first place.   Finding YOUR guitar is a special journey.  In some way we all connect to particular musical instruments.  It's just natural to do so. 

God's grace still amazes me . . . ><>