Does enybody know what kinda guitars Arlo is playing . I think there's a Gibson but are there others to ?

Martin M38, from around '78 or '79
Gibson J 200 Vine
Composite Acoustics 12 string prototype (Big Blue)

He's playing his Big Blue CA 12-string onstage now...for years he played a Martin J12-40. The CA 12 string isn't affected by humidity and stays in tune in heat or cold. It lets him spend more time singing and less time tuning while people are watching. .

Thank you Sue . I have seen that bleu guitar on a picture somewhere . As far as i can remember its a flashy bleu guitar with small soundholes .

I wonder where Arlo learned to play the guitar . Was it in music school , by himself are dus he learned it from his father ? In modern times whe have all kind of books , internet , etc. but in the past ( 50's , 60's ) it was more difficult i think to get lessons or information to learn playing guitar . I guess Arlo learned it from Woody , but am i right ?

Dunno. Wasn't there. But I'll bet you're right, GM.

From my seat, it looks like he just has the Jones. Tends to run in families.

That explains everything Len , my father was a barkeeper

I know carbon-fiber instruments are supposed to hold their tuning, but apparently the Baton Rouge humidity got to Arlo's Big Blue; he had to tune it a little.

Mine was a moonshiner. Sometimes you have to find a gulley and roll away from the tree so the water will take you some place new.

Yeah, he tuned it some in Tampa too...but he's not tuning it as often as the Martin 12-string needed.

No matter how stout the neck and body, humidity makes the strings go out of tune and sweat doesn't help. New strings in humid air can be particularly tough because there is nothing in the windings and they haven't settled in. Two course (two strings for every one string) instruments have been around a long time and favored by soloists from the days Henry played Greensleeves then sent my great great great great cousin Ann out for neckbones, but the paucity of really olds ones is a testament their fragility.

A 12 is an engineering compromise. A neck built to properly handle that much pull from nut to bridge would be about a foot wide. Some players tune them down to Eb or even D and capo (Lightfoot). Others go with lighter strings but it's always a compromise. The two strings are different thickness and they tend to go out of tune a little differently. Since being out of tune starts wars, a 12 is risky but then so is Jack Daniels and we aren't about to shut down Lynchburg.

The Ovations were real popular when Glen Campbell used them, they were made very stout, and the body didn't feed back as much when plugged in (mics are a better solution for acoustics, in my opinion, but dicey with a lot of high gain foldback speakers so a problem for rock). They are also a fast neck. The problem of the Ovation unlike any guitar made out of wood is it sounds mostly the same twenty years after you take it out of the case the first time. An aging Martin is "sweeter than honey and wolverton mountain protects her there". A wooden guitar played well and often is instantly soulful when a player picks it the first time. I have my Dad's Jimmy Rogers Gibson six put back for my much older age. It put me through college but I don't take it out live.

I don't know anything about the Blue. I'll ask Rick Turner and Dave Neely if they do. They're master luthiers.

Just bought me a new guitar , i have 4 now . The new one has a good low action and its much more easy to play than my other acoustic guitar . I think the nek is also smaller .

Who is the maker of your new guitar....man???

Congrats GM. A new lover! Enjoy!

I looked up the Blue at Composite Acoustics:



It has pro LR Baggs electronics which are quite good. I'd like to find one of these and play it to feel the response. Sometimes composites with emphasis on durability are stiff under the hand sort of like driving a 69 Corvette: fast but dangerous.

Without disparagement, it's a next-gen Ovation-like thought meaning a very good road axe. The Baggs are good in the studio direct-in although as I said, personally I prefer condenser mic'd setups in a warm-sounding room to give it aural space. With a voice, that sounds more natural to my ear.

What Arlo told me awhile back when I asked him about the CA guitar, is that for stage playing indoors, outdoors, the bottom of a swimming pool, wherever, the CA guitar is a good choice because it isn't as sensitive to humidity, but for studio recording the choice is a wood acoustic guitar.

Composite guitars advertice in the magazine ' acoustic guitar ' wich i buy every month . ( its an American magazine ) They sell it in the local store here .



Kevin , i dont by me expensive guitars for the reason that i have other interests also ( i have an oldtimer car also ) Big boys have big toys you know . I play the guitar only for my own pleasure and not for living . My first guitar was a verry cheap one ( an acoustic Richwood ) The next was a second hand Cort 100 F ( acoustic dreadnought with Fishman electronics ) The new electro acoustic is a Yamaha APX 500 . Its a small body with cuteway and equalizer build in . I have also a hollowbody guitar with two humbuckers ( an Oscar Schmidt Delta King by Washburn ) That last one is my beauty , am in love with that shape and sound . But , enough of me . What kinda guitar (s) do you guys have ?