149 - 7 CHOICE Guitars a Professional Reviewer Buys

After reviewing over 600 guitars in my career, these 7 dreadnoughts are some of the best guitars I've ever played. In this video, I'll go over each of these guitars and why they stood out after playing hundreds of other incredible guitars.

Since my guitarsenal, or guitar collection, is so large, I've narrowed down this list to just my dreadnought guitars. You'll be hearing about my dobros and small-body guitars later this year!

In addition to hearing about my guitarsenal, you'll get a chance to see a Heartbreaker of the Month: the guitar that Heartbreaker Guitars in Las Vegas has picked out for us to showcase! Also, you'll get some advice from Jeremy Sheppard , a guitar hunter who is here to help you find the guitar that works for you! Last but not least, I'll feature Dogwood Tales, an acoustic duo from Virginia.

Alright, without further ado, let's dive into my list of the 7 dreadnoughts I bought after reviewing hundreds of other awesome guitars!

#1: Santa Cruz Guitar Company Vintage Southerner

This is the most different of all the dreadnoughts in my collection because it's a shorter scale. For that very reason, I tend to favor the Santa Cruz Vintage Southerner for fingerpicking. Lightly built with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides, this guitar really is a great accompaniment instrument.

#2: Bourgeois Country Boy Dreadnought.

This particular Bourgeois Country Boy is an absolute bluegrass cannon. If you want a guitar that can stand out in the mix when your flatpicking through fill after fill, this is your guitar. But, this guitar isn't just a standard Bourgeois Country Boy. This guitar was originally owned by Courtney Hartman and used when she was in the band @Della Mae .

#3: Martin D-41 Special

Indian Rosewood back and sides...Sitka spruce top...I mean, this guitar is a classic combination of class and power that I can't get enough of. Additionally, the forward-shifted bracing helps this guitar really open up and resonate at another level. But here's the fun part: this guitar was owned by my dad after I sold it to him while I was working at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.

#4: Taylor 717 Grand Pacific Builders Edition

@Taylor Guitars has built some incredible guitars, and I've been lucky enough to have them send me this model for review. After I reviewed this guitar, I knew I needed to add it to my guitarsenal because of its remarkable laser-like projection. The V-class bracing and the torrefied Sitka spruce top definitely help give this guitar an unforgettable sound.

#5: Taylor 517 Grand Pacific Builders Edition

This Taylor was actually sent alongside the 717 I mentioned previously. As I kept this specific guitar around the studio for the review, I started playing it more and more. I was captivated by the mahogany back and sides that set this guitar apart from the 717 and any other guitar in my guitarsenal — and I liked the visual look of a sunburst guitar!

#6: Thompson DCMA

With an Adirondack spruce top, Cuban mahogany back and sides, this guitar really, truly, sings. After discussing Thompson Guitars with a few different friends of mine, I decided that I NEEDED to have one of these guitars. This guitar has tons of horsepower and clarity.

#7: Martin HD-35

The last dreadnought in my guitarsenal, this guitar feels like a trusty old companion. This was the first "real" guitar I ever purchased. This guitar has been with me since I had my first gig, and I truly love it for its warm, woody tone.

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