My first guitar, that I actually bought, was a 61 Martin 016-NY. $100 from a friend in 1966. Went to Germany in 1970 and got a used Framus 12 string, $35. Came back to the states and the Army overpaid me and I went down to a music store in Ft. Lauderdale and paid $400 for a Martin D-35.

I was set. I was complete. Gave the 12 string to a friend. Ended up selling the D-35 during lean times. Still have the 016-NY.

Decided I needed a 12 string again. I really do not know why. Went to Sam Ash and grabbed an 87 D28-12N. Spruce top and rosewood back and sides, By Washburn. Better price than Yamaha.

I was set. I was complete. Some years later, decided to find out what the Wash was worth, as I was not playing it. Discovered a forum full of fantastic folks and loads of information.

Discovered GAS and what it meant to me, personally.

In one year, I went from a 3 guitar guy, with no real problems, to a 9 guitar guy, glued to the forum pages, thinking I had found a long lost home, a special place, that I did not realize that I was searching for, or needed, but found out, later, that I really did.

I will put the Wash J28 up against all of the jumbos in the price range. I will do the same with the J6 Montgomery. For no reason at all, I just like having a hollow body, jazz, guitar. Could be like wearing a favorite shirt that no one else notices, but I feel better just having it on.

I am not truly pleased with my HB32-DM, from BSG. Just a normal HB-32 that it would seem that they slapped some SD pups into and did not change anything else. Like the pots. The volume knobs only work in the first couple of moves. 0 is off,,,,and 3 is full tilt. From what I have heard here, I should be looking at getting new pots. The frets are clumbsily dressed and catching the E string at the third and sometimes higher.

All in all, knowing that a handful of factories are producing very similar guitars, what is really in the name, anyway?

Steve