Is Santa Coming to Town? Martin Custom 00 Please!

This is what happens when I can't go trout fishing. I've got more fly rods than I need. I bought some of them unwisely when I was younger and have paid more for them than they are now worth. They are three generations removed and beat to hell. The downside of fly rods (with the exception of bamboo) is their value decreases over time. Guitars on the other hand go up. Well, first they dip, then they increase. An ancient, pre-WWII Martin D-28 with obscenely decorative Brazillian rosewood sides and back will go for over $30,000--even the examples that are "players" or guitars that get played. Then there are the collectors' grade instruments that look immaculate but do not really get played--they demand even more money. This is a shame since these are what I consider to be living breathing things that must make music.

A Martin guitar is the American Stradivarius. The early examples have a certain mojo that can't be replicated.

So my dilemma is that I want another Martin. I have one already, a hugely bassy HD-35. A great strummer, decent flat-picker, and a mediocre finger-picker. I had been listening to the early live recordings of Townes Van Zandt when I bought the guitar; he played a huge sounding D-35 (mine has scalloped bracings under the spruce top to make it sound even bigger and has a herringbone trim for beauty's sake). So that was the sound I was after. For doing the solo, singer/songwriter thing it's tough to beat--as Townes did. Johnny Cash also played a big toned all-black D-35 too. I dug his sound too. There is not much mid-range in the guitar but it has a ton of ba-donk-a-dunk and wonderful, sparkly treble. The advantage is that it allows the naturally mid-heavy human voice to cut through the middle. However, I've been listening to the likes of Justin Townes Earle son of Steve Earle (protege of Van Zandt) and he does the Lightnin' Hopkins, Travis picking style. So, I picked that up too. I dig it because I can now get the baseline, percussion and melody on one instrument. The problem is it sounds like shit on my sledgehammer of a guitar.

A 15 or 17 style, all mahogany Martin in a 00 size range is what I am after--about $1200 bucks.

So here I am. It's dark outside. At 5:30pm. No fishing. I get to thinking, I get to wanting. I have no money. Santa? I can believe if necessary.