Are we allowed to play acoustic guitar on this forum?

H

HamishR

Well-known member
I haven't owned an acoustic guitar for at least ten years. The last time I had one it was to help the singer in my band learn my songs, and for that it was extremely useful. Since that band folded I haven't owned one. The last one was actually quite a decent guitar, and I don't think I quite realised how nice a Gibson J185 with factory Baggs pickup is. Given the current prices of, well, everything, I wish I hadn't sold it!

So I've been playing a few acoustics recently in case one appeals. My "holy grail" acoustic, the Santa Cruz model O, is waaay out of my price range. But I played a Martin O-18 this morning and was quite impressed. I seem to prefer shorter scale acoustics and smaller bodies because of the better tonal balance and "chunk" to the sounds. I don't get on with 25 1/2" scale Martins at all. Too jingle-jangle. The O-18 had a really good low end which wasn't over-powering and had a nice chunk to the sound when hit hard.

I tried a Larivee in a similar style - and similar price - and not only did it feel kinda cheap in comparison, it sounded brash in comparison. The O-18 sounded pretty good for a Martin(!).

Does anyone else here play acoustic? I'm not a strummer, more a hybrid picker. Any suggestions?
 
I have cycled through quite a few acoustics in my time but the one I always kept was a 90 dollar yamaha classical I've had for 20 years, it's my main songwriting vehicle. If I need to record I'll rent something but it's just so broken in now I'll never get rid of it. I've changed the strings twice maybe.
 
I’ve got a Korean-made Gretsch acoustic — went to a big warehouse clearance sale: I wanted a Bo Diddley rectangle, but the lone one Tom Lee had played and sounded like crap (bear in mind, I’m just a bass player). Despondent, I picked up the only other Gretsch there, an acoustic, and it sounded and played amazingly well with crusty dead strings. Snapped it up, it was an even better deal than the Bo Diddley, to boot.

Best thing I ever did with it was put flatwounds on it.



I firmly believe no matter what you want, stuff will find you even though it may not be what you were looking for. Similar story with my SG — I wasn’t looking for one…


So my suggestion is open yourself up to the universe — I hope the right guitar finds you.
 
The store I worked at while I was going to school was a Martin dealer, and I could take anything home for cost+10%, plus the owner would let me pay it over time by "giving back" hours each paycheck. It was a dangerous deal, and I ended up with a lot of gear and sometimes not much money.

Anyway, the only two guitars that ever really spoke to me were a $9k Martin custom shop (koa top/back/sides) and a D-17m (sitka spruce top, mahogany back/sides). The D-17m was a much easier sell to the wife, and at 10 years it's the longest I've ever kept a piece of gear. It obviously sounds fabulous on its own, but I have been known to run it through delay, chorus, and reverb when playing live with it, so pedals can still be a thing when playing acoustic.

If I didn't own a Martin, I would probably play Guild. I've never played a Taylor I disliked, but I've never played one that really spoke to me. Same with Gibson acoustics.
 
My only standard acoustic is a 1980s Yamaha dreadnaught that my mom got when she was in college. Nothing fancy, but it sounds great— I keep it in C# standard, and I play it all the time. Only thing that sucks is the poly finish is super clouded on the sides and back now— it was absolutely beautiful my entire childhood, and then like 8 years ago my sister was using it to learn to play, and her boyfriend at the time restrung it for her and cleaned it with something that reacted with the poly. I’d love to refinish it at some point, but that’s not such an easy task on an acoustic, and it’s too sentimental to risk effing it up.

I’d love to have some nicer acoustics to play, but it hasn’t really been a huge priority. My dream guitars are a nice Guild F-512 and a baritone-scale D-35
 
I have a Jasmine that I’ve had for a long time. I removed one of the tuners and have it as a 5-stringer tuned in 5ths. It has a piezo and 3-band EQ.

I have a Höfner-Anno classical that was purchased in Germany about 50 years ago. My mother didn’t use it much. It was passed to me after I declared guitar as my principal instrument for my B.M. It’s crazy loud. I could drown out the other players in our guitar quartet if I dug in.

I also have a funky fretless acoustic bass. It’s a ok compromise between size and tone. Ideally I’d have one of those stick shaped electric uprights.

If I need a standard steel 6-stringer, I can use this funky harp guitar

J

Thread 'NGD: Harp Guitar'

I’ve wanted one of these for a long time… but I could never justify the expense.

Then I saw one made by Mr. Wishnevsky. His instruments get some polarizing reactions. Some say they are pure shit, some say they are great instruments that are just not finished all the way. I think I’m somewhere in-between. I see his creations as genuine American folk art.

I’ve only tuned/tested it, but it has a nice, full tone. I’ll mess around with it more after work. I’ll have fun getting used to the bass strings.


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HamishR said:
Does anyone else here play acoustic? I'm not a strummer, more a hybrid picker. Any suggestions?
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I just bought my first one ever earlier this year. Made a full day in the city of it and tried about a dozen in total. At my sub-$1K budget I liked this myrtlewood Breedlove Concert import the most:

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It's 25 1/2" scale though, which matches my Heritage electric. And I do use pedals with it pretty much any time it leaves my house, unless I happen to be playing unplugged. ;)
 
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