Replacing nut and bridge on acoustic for more Bass.?

KevS

I have a Yamaha ll6 acoustic, it has always been very bass light compared to my other acoustic guitars, or any I have owned prior..

Great guitar but not much bass end resonance..I am using gauge 12 strings..The soundboard is A.R.E treated, so I don't really want to go up to using gauge 13s,plus I don't want it to be a chore to play compared to my other guitars...

The Nut and Bridge are Plastic..I am not bothered about more string separation,I just want more low end resonance going on..

Would replacing the bridge and nut with bone ones help this...?

Apparently Tusq is better for separation and makes things more piano like, not really what I am after..

As the soundboard of the guitar is artificially aged and the sides are laminate..Could the lack of bass be due to the soundboard not exciting the rest of the guitar..?  I know heavier strings would help there,but I don't want to distort the artificially aged soundboard..

I think Yamaha recommend gauge 12 strings for this guitar.. 

ICBM

It probably won't make any difference, that's what those guitars sound like.

Funkfingers

What strings are on the guitar now?

Have you considered changing to strings with a different outer wrap material? 

ICBM said:

that's what those guitars sound like.

I vaguely remember trying an LL6 and another "mid-price" Yamaha electro-acoustic in a short-lived local music shop. I found them pleasant but, somehow, lacking. Deep down, I knew that I was only going to get the quality that I expected by paying the sort of sum that a top notch acoustic guitar costs. 

KevS

I haven't thought of a different wrap..

Coated D'Addario Phosphor Bronze is what is on there...

I also have a Guild D50 that sounds amazing..

I couldn't ask for better..

The LL has a different feel etc..

I find that inspiring for writing new music..

I bought it to replace a FG series..

That actually sounded really good..

I didn't realise my house had a humidity problem at that point and ran out of truss rod eventually..

I now use a dehumidifier..

Funkfingers

At the risk of stating the obvious, one of your acoustic guitars retails for considerably more money than the other. This should translate into either better materials or greater care in the detailed construction and fettling. Hence, direct comparison between the two is a little unfair.

Additionally, unless you have modified it, your Guild is fully acoustic whereas the Yamaha has transducer electronics as standard. If that is an undersaddle transducer strip, its position between the soundboard and the saddle could detract from unamplified sound of that guitar.

Instruments such as the Guild D-50 and Martin D-28 have a reputation for needing a fair old beating with a pick to give of their best. I do not know whether the bracing in the Yamaha is able to withstand similar treatment. (If I get heavy-handed with my Stonebridge, it creaks and rattles.)

KevS

My Guild is sacred, no modifying allowed, if anything,I don't play it enough as I treasure it so much..

It has had plenty of use though and it records beautifully..

I still feel really lucky to have this guitar..

I have owned and own other cheaper electro acoustics.

This includes an Electro Yamaha FG cheaper than the LL that has much more bass end..

The LL6 just must be bass light as a design compared to the FG.

The LL6 does come alive with fingerpicking easier though..

I should downsize my guitars,but ones like the LL6 feel different and that makes it inspiring,

anything that sparks creativity for me is valuable in it's own way..

ICBM

The Guild will be a great guitar, they almost always are - and with a thick, chunky bottom-end that seems to be their characteristic - they're under-rated compared to similar Martins and Gibsons.

If you need to downsize, get rid of the FG - the LL is a better fingerpicker and just a better guitar, and the lack of bottom-end will actually probably be an advantage if you want to amplify it since it will reduce feedback, and you can always EQ it to compensate.

Andyjr1515

I agree with @ICBM above.

This looks a fairly honest review
https://sixstringacoustic.com/yamaha-ll6-review-acoustics-under-1000-review-series

It emphasises that the model is pitched more towards high and mids and is good in the mix in a live band with a bass guitar among the instruments.  I think that comment says a lot. 

 It also links with @ICBM 's comments about bassy acoustics being a real feedback problem area with plugged in acoustics.  So maybe this for live band work and the Guild for noodling in the bedroom or solo gigs?

KevS

Thanks.. 

KevS

The reviews I read  before didn't point the bass light part out..It points out the plastic nut and bridge too..I haven't made a nut from scratch before..I may change the plastic nut and bridge as an experiment anyway..

I only have Gauge 10 nut files, so maybe a pre slotted nut I have to sand down is a better option..I imagine the bridge may be easier to find so I guess my new project is finding these parts..   

In the shop in the end I was torn between the FG model and the LL6,,I heard more bass end from the FG,the salesman seemed strangely to be pushing that the LL6 bass wasn't light and said he thought there was more bass than the FG..The fact the LL6 also had a pickup and was made of what seems to be made of higher quality materials swayed me to pick the LL6..The LL6 was reduced in price so around the same as the FG.In the end I bought from what I thought was logic rather than trusting my own ears..The guitar is what it is though..I may at some point still treat myself to another fully acoustic FG.Space is at a premium and my guitar collection is probably too big already though..lol    

Funkfingers

This afternoon, I had a quick go on a pre-owned Yamaha FG433S. Sounded and felt nice, very well looked after. (One genuinely careful lady owner, apparently.) Well worth the three hundred quid price tag ... until, that is, I listened to a Furch Blue Series OM. 

Despite being a smaller instrument and not remotely played in, the Furch had more of EVERYTHING.