My acoustic-choosing journey

ArchtopDave

Have you considered making your own Acoustic? Obviously you'll need to decide on Body size and woods etc. I did a Thread here  on my OM(ish) Build with Mark Bailey earlier in the year. You never quite know the final result 'till it's strung up, but I'm really pleased with the guitar I made.

OM Acoustic Build (Mark Bailey Course)  The finished guitar photos are on Page 6.

ToneControl

octatonic said:

ToneControl said:

Personally I usually prefer ...  a cedar top nowadays - warmer than spruce

You are right to a degree but build choices such as bracing thickness and pattern can override wood species.

If you build a spruce topped guitar with light, thin braces it will have a fuller, bigger tone than an overbuilt cedar topped guitar, if all other factors are equal.

Have a read of this: http://www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/cedar-vs-spruce-tops-classical-guitar/

I agree, I'm really talking about when spruce and cedar are options on the same model from the same maker

TimmyO

OK, yesterday afternoon I went in to Westside (Martins) and Macaris (in to the little 'please ask before trying room' where they have their nice stuff)

In Westside I initially compared a D-18 with a D-28 - at first I like both similarly, but differently. Then I also tried a D-35. Then a HD-28V. Then a M-something. (M-36 maybe? Apparently the M- size is sort of a 0000 i.e. a bit bigger again than a 000)  For quite a while I wasn't hearing terribly much to make one of the different Dreads "better than" (rather than different to) the others - but at some point they started to seem more distinctive and my preference became the D-18, followed by the HD-28V and M-36 each equally for different reasons.

But the quick response and lighter construction of the D-18 I ended up really liking.

The problem was though it was really hard to pick up much detail - the metal-tastic guitar wailing from the other floor was really loud, and the street noise of trucks and buses going by was just as bad. I didn't realise just how bad this was until I went in to Macaris little quiet room and everything sounded a gajillion times better, just because I could hear it properly. 

In Macari's I tried:
a Furch D-20 cutaway - sounded nice.
A J-45 (sounded bloody lovely - but by this point I was realising that I really hadn't been hearing the Martins anywhere nearly as clearly, so the comparison was nigh on impossible)
A couple of older/used things that I need to look at my phone pics of to remember.

Also, as was said above Wunjo's acoustic store reeks of mold. If it was a house viewing I'd turn around and leave. Anything that's been in there long is going to stink when you get it home surely :-/ 

I look forward to trying more. 

AliGorie

Timmy, I was in u’r shoes a few years back, only difference was I’d  been an ‘acoustic’ player for 20 yrs and had stopped playing for about 15 yrs - so coming back to it - Mmm - what to buy.
I won’t get into this vs that, guitars are a very personal thing.
Did a lot of looking and trying out makes / styles / woods / and found myself being being ‘channel’ towards the Eastman range and finally (for what I do - solo fingerpicking instrumental tunes) getting a little Mahogany OM which they call it - actually it’s more an 000  (25 inch scale).
I got it ex shop demo for just over 500.
This guitar impresses most who hear it, with the right choice of strings folks have said “theres not 2 - 3 k difference between the sound of it and Martins, Collings, or Bourgeois.
I’d not compare it that way, it is a 500 quid guitar but it does everything I want it to including playing live into mics - need to get a pickup installed.
Prices can vary and have gone up since I bought (2013) and shops like guitar guitar jumping on the bandwagon fairly recently but charging top buck !!.
Other brands that get good reports as well are Blueridge.-
heres the forums for both -
http://theunofficialblueridgeguitarforum18213.yuku.com/directory#.V--tbdwsF3k

heres some examples of whats on offer
good luck

http://www.sheehans.com/product/eastman-e20ss-acoustic-guitar/e20ss?TRE00003

http://www.sheehans.com/product/eastman-e20d-acoustic-guitar/e20d?TRE00003

http://www.sheehans.com/product/eastman-e10om-acoustic-guitar/e10om?TRE00003

http://www.ivormairants.co.uk/guitar-and-bass/brands/eastman/eastman-e10-ss-slope-shoulder-adirondack-top.html?___SID=U

http://www.ivormairants.co.uk/guitar-and-bass/brands/eastman/eastman-ac-gace1-grand-auditorium-electro-acoustic.html?___SID=U

olafgarten

Try out some high end Sigma Guitars, the OMRC-28E is really good. 

crunchman

@TimmyO if you can find one of the higher series (32,33,34) Furch they might be a bit better than the D20.

TheBigDipper

I've got a Furch 12 string (actually branded as Stonebridge - their attempt to 'Anglicise' the brand name for the US market). It's great sounding for the money (£1,350 in 2013), hand built, plays well and stays in tune. I'll make sure to try a Furch when/if I decide to upgrade my 6 string acoustic. The only thing I don't like about it is it's a bit glossy and fancy for my personal tastes. Get 'em now whilst they still enter the country without tariffs...  :-) 

TimmyO

Cheers.

There's a Youtube channel 'Stageshop' that has a load of demos of these - some lovely sounding stuff 

Lewy

TimmyO said:

Cheers.

There's a Youtube channel 'Stageshop' that has a load of demos of these - some lovely sounding stuff 

If you haven't already discovered "The Acoustic Letter" on Youtube then it's an excellent source of demos for Martins, Gibsons and a few other US makers too. Even if it just helps tune your ear into different body styles/sounds.

TimmyO

Lewy said:

TimmyO said:

Cheers.

There's a Youtube channel 'Stageshop' that has a load of demos of these - some lovely sounding stuff 

If you haven't already discovered "The Acoustic Letter" on Youtube then it's an excellent source of demos for Martins, Gibsons and a few other US makers too. Even if it just helps tune your ear into different body styles/sounds.

yep, subscribed over the weekend :-) ta 

AliGorie

Lewy said:

TimmyO said:

Cheers.

There's a Youtube channel 'Stageshop' that has a load of demos of these - some lovely sounding stuff 

If you haven't already discovered "The Acoustic Letter" on Youtube then it's an excellent source of demos for Martins, Gibsons and a few other US makers too. Even if it just helps tune your ear into different body styles/sounds.

Aaaaagh - Noooooooo not The Letter, it's a satirical comedy channel on guitars - like this -




Stageshop at least just plays the guitars so u can hear 'em - without the cringe sales pitch.

Lewy

AliGorie said:

Lewy said:

TimmyO said:

Cheers.

There's a Youtube channel 'Stageshop' that has a load of demos of these - some lovely sounding stuff 

If you haven't already discovered "The Acoustic Letter" on Youtube then it's an excellent source of demos for Martins, Gibsons and a few other US makers too. Even if it just helps tune your ear into different body styles/sounds.

Aaaaagh - Noooooooo not The Letter, it's a satirical comedy channel on guitars - like this -




Stageshop at least just plays the guitars so u can hear 'em - without the cringe sales pitch.

The vast majority of their videos are just Tony Polecastro stating the spec of a guitar and then playing it in a useful variety of ways. Although he's moved on from there now so not sure who does the demos currently.

erky32

Blimey, you've had a massive response here! Just thought i'd throw in my twopence worth. Mostly played electrics over last half century, quite a few acoustics, which i set up to behave a bit like elecs, at present i have a Larrivee L05 (i think) ...got it 2nd hand for £700 a few yrs ago, Its brilliant, comfy, bright tone, strung with 10s Elixir, action like a lead guitar, wide shallow neck.... Its a dream to play and good sound. Before that i had a Taylor 114, entry level, but great guitar, nice action/neck but with 10s it had no projection. I would have another Taylor no probs, probably the 414CE ....thats a good spec....they all seem to have nice necks to me,  I'm not familiar with many others, except Yamahas in the past, which i dont like too much,....hope my thoughts help a little!!

TimmyO

erky32 said:

Blimey, you've had a massive response here! 

Yes indeed! I'm very grateful and it has fuelled plenty of nosing around the net - exactly what I was hoping for - thanks guys. 

There are lots of fantastic demos around the net - I do keep thinking my thoughts are solidifying only to have them challenged again :-) 

Actually something that has been rolling around my head that you guys might be able to help me straighten out:

Even I (!) can feel and  hear the difference when you have in your hands 'a good strummer' and 'a good fingerpicker' - but then there seems to be a level of balanced-picker beyond that, the non-Americana inspired stuff (e.g. the Brooks and some of the Furchs as examples) - these things sound especially sweet in the hands of a picker, be they folky or modern, but these seems to be the ones that *really* don't like to be strummed.

Am I imagining this or is it a thing? 

Awkwardly I'm finding it hard to shake the conclusion that I do want something that does a good job of both.
I don't want it to sound like a strong stretched between 2 nails when it is fingered, and I don't want it to not respond if the low strings get a wallop with a plectrum.

I think I'm reconciled to a compromise. The quest seems to now be about the least worst compromise :-) 

Price range is hard to predict - it will depend how long it takes me to find a job, and whether it's a good job haha. I'd love to think I could afford a good used example of the kinds of things I was musing about some posts ago - which seems to be comfortably above a grand, but not in to the 2k+ that they are new. 

I'm hoping to get the car fixed this week so that I can sneak out in the day and try things (although not sure what the good places close to Swindon to try lots in one place might be. Any thoughts welcomed. 

Keep the opinions, experiences and thoughts coming - feel free to post any demos you particularly like too.

Cheers
T

TimmyO

I like the way this strums, and it sounds to do a passable picking : 

AliGorie

Tim, that's typically whats classed as an SJ (Small Jumbo) 16" lower bout but it has OM/000 depth = shallow.Contrary to what the 'sales guy' says "it'll have loads of bottom end" + "really solid responsiveness because we have a lot of surface area we're dealing with" - what - pish it's the body depth that causes 'bottom end' - think dreadnought 4 5/8"
"really solid responsiveness" - that doesn't make sense - well, ok  maybe too Americans.
I think what hes trying to say - it's an SJ so it's a bit louder - but that kinda uncool observation wouldn't go with the trending, then (2014) trending Yosemite Sam beard..
Martin's 'Ninja model'- oh enough of this stupidity -
Tim, you need a bigish Eastman - they're in u'r price range - even better S/H
here's what Yos Sam's doin now -
https://tonypolecastro.com/

TimmyO

Lewy said:

AliGorie said:

Lewy said:

TimmyO said:

Cheers.

There's a Youtube channel 'Stageshop' that has a load of demos of these - some lovely sounding stuff 

If you haven't already discovered "The Acoustic Letter" on Youtube then it's an excellent source of demos for Martins, Gibsons and a few other US makers too. Even if it just helps tune your ear into different body styles/sounds.

Aaaaagh - Noooooooo not The Letter, it's a satirical comedy channel on guitars - like this -




Stageshop at least just plays the guitars so u can hear 'em - without the cringe sales pitch.

The vast majority of their videos are just Tony Polecastro stating the spec of a guitar and then playing it in a useful variety of ways. Although he's moved on from there now so not sure who does the demos currently.

I like the channel - as you say @Lewy most of what I've seen has been straightforward demos and comparisons that are well recorded and (why don't others do this?) the same pieces played consistently - it works well.

A couple of days of demo-watching are taking their toll - I need to go play some stuff again. 

olafgarten

If you want a good compromise find a good Mahogany/Spruce OM, mine is a cheap one, but it sounds great. It doesn't stand up well to heavy strumming but as long as you keep it reasonable it sings. Picking is on another level though, it always sounds good, even with my terrible technique. 

xSkarloey

Takamines can sometimes be hard to track down, but if you get a chance why not try one of their 'Nex' shaped guitars. I've always found the 'G' series to be okay, but the Japanes guitars can be on a completely different level. Good all rounders.

BigLicks67

TimmyO said:

I like the way this strums, and it sounds to do a passable picking : 

For strumming try one of these :