Matons are fine instrument, especially a custom shop - I wondered why the Lowden would go - now I understand!
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Actually the Maton was more of an impulse. The reason the Lowden went was because I picked up an African blackwood / Sinker redwood Lowden second-hand a couple of years ago in Stockholm.
BTW my old Lowden is now in Hawaii!
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That is as pretty a Lowden as I’ve ever seen…
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Lovely line-up! 
I will say this though, even though they are beautiful to behold on the wall, I had a nasty experience when the bridge on my Lowden parted company with the body. I had had it displayed on a guitar stand for years. It would have lasted longer in the case.
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Thanks buddy 
!
Yeah, they should probably all be in their cases with a humidifier, but to me, guitars are pieces of art meant to be admired and kept easily accessible.
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Can‘t argue with that. Years ago a good friend advised me to keep the guitars in their cases. Now he hangs his on the walls 
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If you hang guitars for show ,best to de tune all strings a tad, takes the stress off the bridge and neck . Tune up if you fancy a noodle.
If they’re in the cases, I’m less inclined to grab one to play. No doubt in the case is the safest place for them.
I have a whole room humidifier and dehumidifier.
Beautiful guitars. I do fancy a t5z when I can justify it. Do you play them primarily as amplified acoustics or using the electric pickups?
I keep mine here in my office as a “Swiss Army Knife” guitar because they sit between the electric and acoustic realm, and that can be further fine-tuned by which strings you use. I keep my T5 strung with 11 - 52 with a wound 3rd, leaning slightly more acoustic. But you can use it as the “learner” guitar for songs, then move in either direction (acoustic or electric guitar) once you have the tune down.
I mainly play acoustic because my wife is here…and when I plug in I use it in the 2 more acoustic settings - if I need an electric I have plenty of those. But for a gig, it would be useful to have only one axe covering both - another advantage to these instruments. I also have some wrist problems, and these are easier to play than regular acoustics.
The T5z leans more electric; smaller body, usually (but not necessarily) strung with unwound G string, and a smaller fret board radius (12" vs I think 15" on the T5.) Now they have moved the controls to the T5z on the lower bout and I have no experience with those models. I found the T5 (I’ve owned 3; the 2 above and another back in 2006) to suit me better.
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For me the appeal is the sound of an acoustic with the easy playability of an electric as you say. The new model koa top with the single f hole is breathtaking, both in looks and price!
In the meantime I’m awaiting delivery of the polar opposite - a black strandberg metal for when I’m feeling naughty!
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Nice. Are those reissues? I have a 1986 MIJ Strat in that colour but it has a different trem.
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Toon will correct me if Im wrong but I think the strat is a Mexican Standard.
Brilliant quality guitars for the money. The first models after Fender really pulled their socks up with the MIM range.
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The Les Paul is a 2008 R9 in VOS finish. Sunrise Teaburst. I changed the pickups to Seymour Duncan Skinnerbursts and they are awesome.
The Strat is a Mexican standard in Candy Apple red and maple fingerboard- I loved the colour combination. It’s my backup really as I’m a Les Paul guy tbh
These are the pups in the R9
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You are 100% correct Neil. I picked it up for a song (£350) and I love it. It’s a good backup to the Les Paul which is my go to.
I play them both through this bad boy amp
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It’s nothing special but it’s a big improvement on one I owned 15yrs ago and never properly learned how to play. Got my head down now though and currently have 15 chords by heart after 2 weeks.
Below is the one I have owned for a long time but never really made an effort with. New strings and it’s now back in action.
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Celebrating the Belgian national day.
Collings I-30 LC
Gibson Les Paul Special 1957
Gibson ES-330 1964
Gibson ES-335 1961
Gibson Les Paul R9 with Historic Makeover
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How does the Collings compare with the similar style Gibsons?