Recommend me an acoustic guitar.

G

guitup too

Well-known member
I may have an opportunity to do an acoustic duo with a female singer. She doesn't play and I don't really sing so figuring out arrangements, how to get the fullest sound out of the arrangement will have to be overcome. Any way, I've been playing Wolfgangs for years so I'm used to a smaller neck and nut width already. What acoustic(s) would you recommend?
 
guitup too said:
I may have an opportunity to do an acoustic duo with a female singer. She doesn't play and I don't really sing so figuring out arrangements, how to get the fullest sound out of the arrangement will have to be overcome. Any way, I've been playing Wolfgangs for years so I'm used to a smaller neck and nut width already. What acoustic(s) would you recommend?
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I would go to guitar center with a friend that plays guitar. You could also hit pawn shops. You play the guitar, then have the friend play and stand in front of him/her. The sound that comes from playing and audience is different. But Either way, you will know when you play the right one.

Sight unseen, I bought a Martin d18 because I always wanted one and had played several at GC years before. But there have been several great acoustics. The discontinued Taylor 314 was one of my favorites also.

When I was starting out playing, I loved the ovation because it is smaller feeling, so check those out as well.
 
With the d18, you are going to have a balanced tone. Hd 28 is going to be bassier, Taylors generally brighter (in a good way). Ovations have their own sound that is good and very bright, but can get a little fatiguing to me, at least. But they are great guitars.
 
On the smaller neck and nut end of things, along with something that sounds huge when plugged in, you will not go wrong with a Taylor Mini GS / Koa. Fabulous smaller guitars that wont break the bank. That said they shine when amplified and are easy AF to play, almost a little too easy due to the short scale. I gigged one extensively in the a similar format you're proposing. In the end I ended up selling it and bought a Taylor 324CE because I wanted the full sized sound when not plugged in and wanted to go back to a full scale length. If all I was using it for was plugged in with a duo setup the Taylor Mini GS would be my only choice for lots of reasons. For context I own a 34' Martin 0-17 that is the voice of angels but the Taylor mini is a far more practical and easier to play guitar.

Now we move onto part two, amplifying it. I tried all sorts of things and in the end the best results I got / get are from a good preamp pedal into a basic powered speaker (I use a MESA Rosette preamp pedal into a Yamaha DBR10 powered speaker) the reason I suggest this setup is because there are so many acoustic preamp and effect options that will work with the powered speaker setup. Easy to transport, easy to use, you can run a vocal mic into them at the same time, and you can run a DI line out of the preamp pedal direct to FOH board if needed. The LR Baggs Venue preamp pedal is awesome as well, other guitar player uses that into a Yamaha DBR12 and it sounds phenom.
 
I love my American made Ovations. I used to see them at cheap plastic guitars until I placed one that came from Connecticut. They project well, sound great and have always had some of the best electronics from the beginning.

For live playing, I would look at preamp pedals with impulse responses. What the IR does is give you difference in your direct signal and your guitar through good mics and preamps. In the same way speaker IRs let you play direct with the sound of mic'd up cab, acoustic IRs let you sound like you're sitting in front of expensive condensers while you just run direct. That's the secret sauce to whatever acoustic you end up jiving with.
 
Smashedguitaris⸸ said:
The discontinued Taylor 314 was one of my favorites also.
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The thing about the Taylors across the board is that they're ultra consistent, from the 200 level to the 600 level and really what changes is just the quality of the wood and fancy appointments. Above the 300 series you're really starting to pay for fancy stuff and gloss finishes but they don't sound or play any better.
 
guitup too said:
I may have an opportunity to do an acoustic duo with a female singer. She doesn't play and I don't really sing so figuring out arrangements, how to get the fullest sound out of the arrangement will have to be overcome. Any way, I've been playing Wolfgangs for years so I'm used to a smaller neck and nut width already. What acoustic(s) would you recommend?
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I have a buddy who plays constantly out solo…he uses a line 6 acoustic. Loves it. Sounds great. Is this a no electricity gig?
 
BeZo said:
For live playing, I would look at preamp pedals with impulse responses. What the IR does is give you difference in your direct signal and your guitar through good mics and preamps. In the same way speaker IRs let you play direct with the sound of mic'd up cab, acoustic IRs let you sound like you're sitting in front of expensive condensers while you just run direct. That's the secret sauce to whatever acoustic you end up jiving with.
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I would agree with this, good way to go into a powered speaker or a board. If its small rooms or coffee house stuff usually there's no real FOH to deal with. That said the simplicity of a good preamp ala Baggs or even the MESA into a quality powered speaker cant be beat. I tried some of the units that had effects built in but ended up ditching them in favor of a good pre and couplie of good ambient pedals
 
BeZo said:
I love my American made Ovations. I used to see them at cheap plastic guitars until I placed one that came from Connecticut. They project well, sound great and have always had some of the best electronics from the beginning.

For live playing, I would look at preamp pedals with impulse responses. What the IR does is give you difference in your direct signal and your guitar through good mics and preamps. In the same way speaker IRs let you play direct with the sound of mic'd up cab, acoustic IRs let you sound like you're sitting in front of expensive condensers while you just run direct. That's the secret sauce to whatever acoustic you end up jiving with.
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I have never played an american ovation, but they do project very well. That is true.

I am really anti amplification of an acoustic. It never sounds the same to me. I don't mind micing the thing as much, but I am all natural with acoustics. If you are trying to go cheap, I can say that yamaha makes amazing guitars, and some 80s and 90s alvarez guitars can be had for cheap and sound fantastic. All you ever need.

I finally got to the point where I could buy the D18 instead of just wishing, but if not, I would still be rocking the Taylor or an Alvarez
 
For strumming kum ba ya around the campfire it's tough to beat a Gibson Hummingbird IMO.

My ol' lady likes Martin D-15M and D-18 for all around gigging acoustics. She has had many pickups but I think the Fishman's have been the best .

A D-28 Martin is a real cannon but it seems like a bluegrass shredders guitar. The Guild D-50 Bluegrass is also a cannon with a shred guitar thickness neck. Some of the 70's Guild acoustics are great guitars for reasonable. Some of them are pretty thick poly but they are great gigging instruments wiht a lot of tone for th emoney.

For blues picking I still regret letting a '63 LG-1 Gibson go. The LG-0 and LG-2 are also pretty good for that. My wife has a nice Washburn parlor that makes a killer fingerpicking blues instrument

We both also have a couple really nice Hohner branded guitars that are 70's Japanese Yairi-Alvarez builds and very affordable used. Basically Martin and other knock offs using high quality laminate and excellent luthiery all around.

Some of the Blueridge gutiars are also definitely worth a good look if you are on a budget and need a Dreadnought or 000/00 guitar. They also have really nice mid higher end models that probably rival anything else. I have been blown away by the tone of some of the budget guitars and owned a Gospel model for a while as well.

If money was no object I'd get a Bourgeois OMS.

I had the chance to sample a wide variety of high end Collings because I lived near Hill country guitars for a while and was very disappointed.

Sorry for the long post. If you are getting the vibe that we have had a lot of acoustics go through this house then you are correct. I can't remember them all. My wife has had issues restraining her acoustic guitar purchases. I finally got her to cut it down because she loves that D-18 so much but she still has about 3x as many acoustics as I do electrics and I am constantly telling her "no" and to get her damn guitar case off the couch.
 
VonBonfire said:
For strumming kum ba ya around the campfire it's tough to beat a Gibson Hummingbird IMO.

My ol' lady likes Martin D-15M and D-18 for all around gigging acoustics. She has had many pickups but I think the Fishman's have been the best .

A D-28 Martin is a real cannon but it seems like a bluegrass shredders guitar. The Guild D-50 Bluegrass is also a cannon with a shred guitar thickness neck. Some of the 70's Guild acoustics are great guitars for reasonable. Some of them are pretty thick poly but they are great gigging instruments wiht a lot of tone for th emoney.

For blues picking I still regret letting a '63 LG-1 Gibson go. The LG-0 and LG-2 are also pretty good for that. My wife has a nice Washburn parlor that makes a killer fingerpicking blues instrument

We both also have a couple really nice Hohner branded guitars that are 70's Japanese Yairi-Alvarez builds and very affordable used. Basically Martin and other knock offs using high quality laminate and excellent luthiery all around.

Some of the Blueridge gutiars are also definitely worth a good look if you are on a budget and need a Dreadnought or 000/00 guitar. They also have really nice mid higher end models that probably rival anything else. I have been blown away by the tone of some of the budget guitars and owned a Gospel model for a while as well.

If money was no object I'd get a Bourgeois OMS.

I had the chance to sample a wide variety of high end Collings because I lived near Hill country guitars for a while and was very disappointed.

Sorry for the long post. If you are getting the vibe that we have had a lot of acoustics go through this house then you are correct. I can't remember them all. My wife has had issues restraining her acoustic guitar purchases. I finally got her to cut it down because she loves that D-18 so much but she still has about 3x as many acoustics as I do electrics and I am constantly telling her "no" and to get her damn guitar case off the couch.
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My dad has a 70s alvarez yairi 12 string. He always had it stringed with 6. One of.the most balanced tones and sweetest actions i have played.to this day
 
I have a Martin GPC or whatever it is called (can't remember right now). Acoustics are going to be a bit tougher on the fingers than an electric but not too bad.
 
* velcro-fly * said:
The LR Baggs Venue preamp pedal is awesome as well, other guitar player uses that into a Yamaha DBR12 and it sounds phenom.
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I wish I would have got that. I got the brown LR Baggs with only phantom power or a battery thr other day and couldn't get it to work so sending it back. For thr life of me I don't know why it didn't work at all.
 
I have a Taylor 114 ce for sale. I’m not an acoustic guy so I’m not keeping it. Not a bad guitar. Came out of the estate that I’m helping sell.
 
Wow! This post may have the quickest and most replies of any post I've ever done, ever. Thanks for all the input. The Taylor 114, 314 and mini GS are on my radar now. How about a PRS Angelus SE? Anyone here have experience with them?
 
guitup too said:
Wow! This post may have the quickest and most replies of any post I've ever done, ever. Thanks for all the input. The Taylor 114, 314 and mini GS are on my radar now. How about a PRS Angelus SE? Anyone here have experience with them?
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No experience w/ any PRS acoustic stuff, but have had several Taylor’s including my current 324CE and my recent GS Mini. A used GS Mini will set you back $700 - $850 depending
 
romanianreaper said:
I wish I would have got that. I got the brown LR Baggs with only phantom power or a battery thr other day and couldn't get it to work so sending it back. For thr life of me I don't know why it didn't work at all.
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Yeah the Venue is a great little rig. The other small format unit I’m looking at is the Fire Eye “Red Eye”

https://www.fire-eye.com/red-eye-1

100% look into all these acoustic preamps on the used market. Seems to be all kinds of good deals lurking we’re not seeing in the electric market
 
guitup too said:
Wow! This post may have the quickest and most replies of any post I've ever done, ever. Thanks for all the input. The Taylor 114, 314 and mini GS are on my radar now. How about a PRS Angelus SE? Anyone here have experience with them?
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Never tried the PRS but I’ve seen this dude play them a lot in his videos:


The thing with acoustics is a lot of them are going to have wider nuts and flatter fretboards. Some guitar manufacturers make multiple versions of the same model with different nut widths, so you have to really look at all the specs.

Martins I think usually have the wider 1.75” nut and flat fretboards. A lot of Gibsons and Guilds have had more models with a more electric guitar friendly 1 11/16 nut and 12” radius fretboard, although they have models that go wider and flatter.

I currently have a Guild D-20 that has the narrower nut and 12” radius and it is super comfortable to play coming from an electric, although there are some instances where I do wish I had a little more space between the strings. I also have a Furch dreadnought that has the wider nut and I think a 14” radius, and I don’t really have any trouble going between them. Feel pretty different but both great.
 
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