Perfect acoustic guitar? (Similar to the playability of PRS and Suhr, with similar build quality)

Jonathanthomas83

Over the last few years, I've realised what I love in an electric guitar...Stainless Steel frets (if possible), compound radius, thin neck profile, 25" scale, easy access to upper frets. I have been in search for the perfect acoustic for a long time now and wonder if these things translate to acoustic and if there's the perfect guitar out there that would suit these needs.

My perfect electric would be a PRS with stainless steel frets and a pattern thin neck, for example. Taking the best bits of a Suhr and putting them on an already great PRS. I know you guys would disagree, but that's me. 

So I'm asking if you guys have any experience with acoustic guitars that may fit my profile or know of the features I love that builders are using. What I like about PRS and Suhr is that they're constantly innovating their classic design, making great guitars better (unlike gimmicky Gibson's efforts). I'd like to find a similar builder for acoustics, someone who is constantly innovating and making their guitars awesome...anyone have any suggestions?

fields5069

Sounds like you need an Ovation.

Jonathanthomas83

Haha, my dad had an old Tanglewood Ovation copy, was my first guitar. What makes you say that then?

Winny_Pooh

At first look I would say a cutaway Taylor. But acoustics are almost a different instrument entirely and need to be evaluated on their own terms. Is there a recorded acoustic tone that you like in particular?

Jonathanthomas83

@Winny_Pooh I agree. I can only comment on electrics because that's where my experience lies, so I know what I know with those.

I played a lot of Taylor's a few months back and they sound a little too bright for me, I had better luck with the Martin's I tried, particularly the 00018, which was great. But couldn't help but feel it was a bit old school for me, I'd prefer something more modern in terms of build and feel. 

I like something that will ring out for open chords and something that sounds full in that regard, but almost bell/piano like when it comes to single note definition.

Winny_Pooh

The 00018 is a great guitar, nice ring and balance.
I'm stumped as to more modern playing variants that aren't handbuilt, maybe someone else could.

Jonathanthomas83

@Winny_Pooh it sounded fantastic, to be fair. It was the only guitar I played that day that made me go 'wow', and I played at least 10, including Taylor's, Fenders, Martin's, Maton, Lowden, Avalon. (The Lowden was nice though, just not for me!).

Out of interest, what is the general consensus on Ovation guitars? I always thought people hated them! @fields5069 were you being serious? I only ask because I have fond memories of my dad's old guitar and it's not out of the question as I remember the chords sounding fantastic on that old thing.

crunchman

Not sure it will be easy to find 25" scale on an acoustic.  Most of the ones I've come across seem to be 25.4" or 24.75".

Brook will have a shallower neck if you want to go that way, but they have a really flat fingerboard radius that I really don't like.  That may or may not be off putting coming from a 10" PRS radius.

You are unlikely to ever get electric style playability on an acoustic though.  Thicker strings will mean more tension.  Also,  you often hit them harder which means that you normally need a higher action to avoid buzzing.

You might be better off looking at becoming more adaptable with what you are willing to play.  I've got different scale lengths and different neck profiles on different guitars and it doesn't really bother me - as long as the neck isn't really shallow, and the fingerboard has some radius.

Strangefan

For me it would l ways be a guild, the older the better, sublime necks 

Jonathanthomas83

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'll not give something a chance because it doesn't meet my specs...I have a Fender Tele, Gibson LP, PRS 24 and a Suhr Classic Pro Strat, so they're all different...I'm ok with that and the differences between them.

What the crux of my question really is, is anyone out there pushing the boundaries in the acoustic guitar realm, or is the old recipe still just reliable and stick with that? ie, Martin 00018!

fields5069

Jonathanthomas83 said:

@Winny_Pooh it sounded fantastic, to be fair. It was the only guitar I played that day that made me go 'wow', and I played at least 10, including Taylor's, Fenders, Martin's, Maton, Lowden, Avalon. (The Lowden was nice though, just not for me!).

Out of interest, what is the general consensus on Ovation guitars? I always thought people hated them! @fields5069 were you being serious? I only ask because I have fond memories of my dad's old guitar and it's not out of the question as I remember the chords sounding fantastic on that old thing.

It just popped into my head as something modernistic, forward thinking etc. I think they look hideous so it wasn't serious.

TimmyO

First thing I think of when you say electric style neck on acoustic is Brook 

BigLicks67

Sounds like you might be better off contacting a UK Luthier and getting an acoustic built to your own specs.

crunchman

Furch (Stonebridge) are well worth a look.  Not particularly groundbreaking but very good guitars.

That girl from Surrey who was at the Birmingham Guitar Show had some more unusual innovative stuff (if you can afford the price tag).  I'm sure there is a thread on it somewhere if you go back to sometime around February.

KKJale

Mmm. I think you could potentially tick the boxes for innovative thinking, a really thin neck, compound radius (I think...), good upper fret access and hard frets (though Gotoh 214, not stainless), with a secondhand Parker P8E. 

Not easy to find, not everyone's cup of tea, more electro than acoustic, etc etc...

http://i.imgur.com/5eVexqo.jpg

jellyroll

Collings might be said to be the PRS of the acoustic world, challenging the old order with exquisite production standards. Their guitars are different to Martin's but whether you like that difference is a personal choice. 

TimmyO

crunchman said:

That girl from Surrey who was at the Birmingham Guitar Show had some more unusual innovative stuff (if you can afford the price tag).  I'm sure there is a thread on it somewhere if you go back to sometime around February.

Turnstone? 

ICBM

Ovations do indeed play very well, usually - it's just the tone which isn't to everyone's taste! And the slippery bowl bodies which tend to 'capsize' while playing.

If you find Taylors you've tried in shops too bright, it might be the strings - they factory-fit them with Elixirs, which sound tinny to me. They *are* bright guitars, yes - but fuller and richer-sounding if you put normal phosphor-bronze strings on them.

One problem you may find is that acoustics always sound fuller if the action is higher than the bare minimum to avoid audible rattling, which then means they won't play like an electric.

Collings is a good suggestion if you want something high-quality and refined, although personally I find them characterless. But since that's a criticism often made of Suhr and PRS, maybe you'd like them...

mgaw

personally i would buy the acoustic that sounds the best, you can easily adapt to any other factors (within reason), i just dont think low action slim necked acoustics cut it on the whole. its  tone tone tone all the way

polotska

Martin’s short scale (which includes the 000-18) is a nominal 24.9".

Other than Dobros and similar, 25" exactly may be difficult to find in an acoustic—I think even PRS acoustics have a scale longer than that.

Sassafras

Sounds like you need a 12 string, but then again, who doesn't?