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Posted

My guesstimate is that the vast majority of all guitars out there are Dreds.

Slightly smaller bodied guitars (OM, Grand Auditorium, various others in the 15" lower bout category) are also increasingly popular (and look nicer, IMO), but Dreds rule the sales channels. A lot of folks are warming to the joys of OMs (smaller, more comfortable guitar, more versatile - you can flatpick or fingerpick with ease), and more 'famous players' are playing guitars that size, including the vast majority of fingerstyle players.

That said, there's a huge market for custom dreds, although mostly among bluegrass players who'd really want a Martin. Really. So the custom Dred builders tend to build Martin clones, down to the trim and headstock and 'vintage correct' scalloped and/or forward shifted X-bracing, adirondack spruce tops, etc. The builders I find more interesting are those building their own kind of instrument, which tends to be more of a fingerstyle thing, because the flatpick crowd is a touch more conservative, and knows what they want: A D-18 or D-28, if at all possible.

Posted
My guesstimate is that the vast majority of all guitars out there are Dreds.

That said, there's a huge market for custom dreds, although mostly among bluegrass players who'd really want a Martin. Really. So the custom Dred builders tend to build Martin clones, down to the trim and headstock and 'vintage correct' scalloped and/or forward shifted X-bracing, adirondack spruce tops, etc. The builders I find more interesting are those building their own kind of instrument, which tends to be more of a fingerstyle thing, because the flatpick crowd is a touch more conservative, and knows what they want: A D-18 or D-28, if at all possible.

Lol, thats funny, Im a dread guy, and I'm a 'bit more conservative', so to speak'. Im not a flatpicker though, fingerstyle with chords or visa versa. But those hippies freak out man.... :D

I got that SM plan from the OLF forum which is a nicely designed 'in betweener', it looks like. :D

I couldnt glue up my guitar these past weeks - humidity was off the charts. If it sounds like crap I will take it all apart and fit it to that SM design. I have to redo the finger braces on the trebel side. B)

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