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?
Comments
My feedback thread is here.
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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.
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
I'm stumped as to more modern playing variants that aren't handbuilt, maybe someone else could.
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.
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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.
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!
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
My feedback thread is here.
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.
Not easy to find, not everyone's cup of tea, more electro than acoustic, etc etc...
http://i.imgur.com/5eVexqo.jpg
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...
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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.