Matt Ragland of Texas pop/rock act, Nelo took some time to talk about his acoustic guitars (and their accoutrements) with Gearwire. In the first article we dealt heavily with his Taylor and why he didn't use it playing with a full band -- despite the sound being just what he wanted. The guitar he normally uses is no slough either but a Martin 000C-1E (similar in body style to the Martin 000C16RGTE AURA Auditorium Cutaway). We couldn't find an exact match for the guitar on the Martin site but we guess it is the discontinued 000CX1E -- a 000 14 fret cutaway (with a total of 20 frets) with mahogany back and sides and a Sitka spruce top.

"The Martin is light very comfortable to play. Our shows have high energy so it is nice to have something not so heavy," says Ragland. "It is durable and comfortable and puts out a great sound for a small instrument. It has a really big sound."

While Ragland praised his Taylor (a 314 CE) for its sparkle and high end he loves the Martin for its warmth.

"The thing I like about my martin is its size. It's fairly thin-bodied and small, which is nice for playing while standing up. One thing that I would like in a new guitar (which is not like my Martin) is for the wood to be darker / richer in color. I have two nice guitars (the Martin and Taylor)already that are made of Sitka spruce which has that nice lighter color that we're all used to," says Ragland. "I'd like to find a new guitar that is of the Martin's size specifications, Taylor's amazing sound/presence (crisp sounding and cutting through in concert setting), and of a darker / more unique color of wood. I don't think I'm talking about a painted guitar. I'm thinking of a wood that is naturally darker."

When he talks about presence, he is talking about all the components that go into a guitar's sound -- some of the harder topics to talk about as a musician unless you are also a luthier. Like many guitarists trying to describe the combination of the feel, tone, volume and versatility of a guitar Ragland seems a little uneasy boiling it down to one term.

"My very first guitar was an Alvarez, mot quite as high end a guitar as the Martin or the Taylor. I didn't have problems with it but I didn't feel the presence," he says. "Even between the Martin and the Taylor I can feel a difference in presence. It takes awhile to figure out what you want as far as presence goes."

Others might use a different term but anyone who plays will understand what he is saying.

In addition to Martins and Taylors he has been checking out Gibson guitars.

"A friend of mine has an old Hummingbird [60s] that sounds good," says Ragland. "But it has an antique sound that doesn't work for me."

When it comes to playing live he hasn't been using an amplifier.

"Lately, for practicality, I go direct," he says. I want to look into getting a nice acoustic amp. I hear Matchless have a nice custom acoustic."

He is open to suggestions for a good acoustic guitar amp. When going direct he goes through an LL Baggs Para Acoustic D.I. Box.

Nelo will be touring around the South, around texas and then expand out from there. Keep an eye open.