Originally Posted by podunklander (Post 148007)

Good question, John (what Gordons 1st few guitars were).

I'm glad I have the Goya these days because I don't think I can play the Ibanez right now (I haven't tried though). I put light gauge, brass wound strings on a couple of weeks ago and didn't like the sound ...and the brass-wound did a number on my fingertips :(. I don't even think I'll ever play the Ibanez again and just going to wait until I can get another guitar.

Originally Posted by podunklander (Post 148047)

I'll take a photo of the Goya to post here -maybe even video a demo of me playing it..once I finish some 'must-complete before the end of the weekend', tasks at hand. It needs to be re-strung though and I've never strung this type of guitar before. I did manage the high E though, however I did it, seems to have worked. I think I still have the rest of the strings from that set.

Martin acquired the Goya from Levin in the mid-late 70's. I don't know when they actually started manufacturing them (in Korea) but they stopped in 1995. The # on my G 125 is: 9204000055 and I have yet to find the date of manufacture for that serial#. But I think it's from the tail end based on serial#'s I've come across on other Martin Goyas from the 90's.

I bought the guitar to re-sell...never intended to keep/play it. As I've noted (ok, complained :rolleyes:) in posts here -I have small hands, short fingers and struggle with wide necks. Anyway, it was sitting in my friend's antique store down at the shore ($160) and was taking a beating from people trying it out...which I can't tolerate seeing happen with any guitar so I took it home.

After about a month, I decided to try to play it one day and within minutes...I had 'written' an instrumental. I have no experience playing a classical guitar (though I've been meaning to sit down and learn some Rachmaninoff) and I really don't have anything to compare it to. It doesn't have the crisp yet still warm tone as would be favored by Liona Boyd -but I'm not about to compare a Goya to a Rubio.

I have decent callouses but switched from silk&steel to brasswound on the Ibanez and OUCH. I wanted to try the brass ot see if it would make a difference. Anyway, some discussions on this board awhile back helped me to locate the buzzing problem (B-string, I found the groove on the nut is too deep...and also, discovered poor-fitting pegs when I recently re-strung).

The silk & steel strings (I use Martin, only) have spoiled me. They are much smoother to run fingertips across/over and have a more crisp and obviously less-brassy sound than brasswound strings (even light gauge).

oh lol anyway...the Goya is what is is -best I can respond to what you have asked. It's cheap, but playable/passable?

What do you play when you pick up the Martinez? ok I best get back to my Turbo-taxing :eek:

Originally Posted by JohninCt. (Post 148091)

If the Goya is playable and passable then it must be good. I had a Suzuki nylon a couple years ago that had such a wide neck that I could barely play it, I don't have big hands either. Needless to say, I sold it. I play along with some songs, but just chording nowadays. Like I say not much interest or time for it anymore. I used to use Silk and Steel strings sometimes. I liked them on most of the guitars I've had. The last few times I had strung any, I used light Martin Marquis, mainly because that is what I had in my draw at the time. Well, keep plucking, sounds like you are doing ok and really into it, that's when progress is made.
I guess I'll do my taxes this coming week. Good luck on yours, hope you get enough back to buy a Martin.

Originally Posted by podunklander (Post 148136)

Did a quick vid but thumbs were a'hurtin' :(. So ya know - this ain't perfect. On the Goya I picked a few from my own songs and then a little of Wayfaring Stranger..which I was just learning before the thumb surgery. Then I switched to the Ibanez so I could try a few bars of CRT and that was a disaster! Sorry! If you could see my face - I was mouthing some swear words and quite angry because of the buzzing...which can be heard. I think I can do a little adjustment to make that better but I just need a guitar I can actually play!!!

This is on the open mic youtube channel so I don't want to keep it on there for too long.

YouTube - Pam picking/strumming samples

Originally Posted by JohninCt. (Post 148137)

Well that is pretty good. I understand about the thumb problem, but you seem to be doing fine. The Goya sounds decent and you don't seem to have any problem with the neck, so I would pick away at it too. You are making good and fast chord changes so no problem there either. On the buzzing of the Ibanez on the bass strings, if you raise up the nut on the neck, you might stop some of the buzz, but it might make playing it a little harder. It might be worth a try if you just stick a thin piece of wood under part of the nut, just under the E to D strings, to raise it only about 1/16" and it might help. Most nuts now are plastic or some other man made material, and they will bend just enough to keep the thin strings in the same place while raising the thick strings. The other thing is if the strings are new, they will tend to buzz more than on older set. Once they stretch out they may slack off buzzing a little. Also next time you try some new strings, try a different brand. Some times other brands work better than the most famous names. Nothing can slow a player down more than being dissatisified with their guitar. The Ibanez sounds like a typical Ibanez and their models with the cutaway usually don't have a strong bottom end. If you could find a reasonable priced and decent Yamaha/Ovation Applause or most anything with a non cutaway body, I think you will get better sound. I don't know if they have Pawn shops in your area, but keep a watch on them if so. The traditional full body usually sounds better in even the cheaper guitars. How long before your thumb is back to normal?

Originally Posted by fezo (Post 148138)

Hey, Pam! I can't believe your thumbs are up to that already! That was terrific.

the Goya sounds nice. The Ibanez indeed sounds like an Ibanez. That's not a bad thing - just a matter of what sound you want.

I'm all for trying brands and gauges of strings and seeing what yo like. I settled on D'addario phosphur bronze myself. almost always light gauge but sometimes medium.

Originally Posted by fezo (Post 148209)

"So instead of a guitar I decided to get a new muffler/exhaust"

Tough choice...