Acoustics and more

[Tone2TheBone]

Robert asked me to start an acoustic thread and so.....here it is.

Do you play an acoustic? Umm......do you have an acoustic? Uhhh...what kind of acoustic do you play and have if indeed you do have one? Does yours have a Fishman or similar active pickup system? Do you prefer miking your acoustic instead?

I have both types. A Fishman and a standard acoustic sans pickup system. I've recorded with the pickup system and it came out..."ok"...but I still have yet to record with a miked acoustic. I'm thinking the miked guitar may have a bit more airy sound that I prefer. What do you guys think?

[tremoloman***]

My favorite acoustic is my current Ovation 6751 12-String Balladeer. It plays as easily as an electric, has a built-in EQ, and is crystal clear! Always stays in tune and is a dream to play!

[Justaguyin_nc]

I really like my old Martin Sigma DM-5 with and without a Dean Markley Pickup. All I have ever done to this guitar is replace the nut with bone and tune it when needed. Strong, reliable and sounds as good as any Martin I have heard IMHO. Good for strumming and finger picking to the best of my limited ability. Usually tuned down and played for old blues rag..

[Hophead]

I have a Takamine right now that sounds wonderfull and is great to play. The best acoustic I've played though I would say a Martin D-18. It almost played itself. Pretty subjective though.

[marnold***]

I've toyed with the idea of getting a Stratacoustic. I really like the want they feel. The acoustic sound isn't much to write home about but plugged in, it's awesome.

[Tim]

I own a Seagull. It the cheaper line. I believe it is a C6. I prefer playing my electrics. But I want to learn to finger pick and play acoustic blues. I guess I need to spend more time with it. Even my wife is pushing me to learn finger picking. I guess that is a good thing.


Tim

[Tim]

Actually it is a Seagull S6 acoustic guitar. It is about 4 years old.

I am making "some" progression on my finger picking. I am using a book written by Ken Pealman. He is known for his bluegrass and banjo pickin'.

[Katastrophe]

I've got an acoustic... a Johnson. It plays so bad I didn't mention it in my sig. Pure firewood. Within a month of ownership, the strings have cut through the plastic nut and have dug gouges in the plastic bridge. The tuners are bad. When I can get it to hold a tune, the tone is very full, and sounds good. It's my beater lay around the apartment guitar for now. Our singer has a Johnson and a Stagg, and I've played them both. The Stagg, in particular, plays very well. My other guitar player has an Applause (Ovation's economy line), and I like it, too.

I LOVE playing acoustic, especially when played under an electric lead!

Marnold, I've been intrigued by those Stratocoustics as well... they look cool. How do they play???

[marnold***]

It's been a couple of years since I played one, but I distinctly remember not wanting to put it down. It played like a Strat. I also happened to notice that Musician's Friend has them on big sale . . . US$180

[r_a_smith3530]

Well, I might as well weigh in here too!

Justaguy, Seagull is NOT Godin's cheap line of acoustics, and the S6 is one of the best deals that can be found in an acoustic guitar. Some time back ago, my best friend talked me into getting one, and were it not that it was a dreadnaught, I'd still own it today. Mine was a Spruce top with a satin finish, and I believe it had mahogany sides and back.

A couple of weeks ago, I played both Samick and Stagg acoustic bass guitars. For the price, both were impressive. I think I liked the Stagg best of the two.

Katastrophe, if your Johnson sounds good when in tune, why not spend a couple of bucks for a decent nut and bridge saddle? You can get new saddles and nuts made from a number of quality materials, ranging from Tusq to bone, and even some forms of ivory. It might be cheaper to go that route than to buy a new guitar.

The Stratacoustic has never done it for me. The body shape does not lend itself well to acoustic guitar. If you want a strat, get a strat. A much better choice, if you can find one, is a Gibson Chet Atkins CE. They were discontinued about a year or so ago. Here's a link:

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Gibso...ns%20CE%5FCEC/

My best friend is a folk singer-songwriter, and owns four acoustic guitars. One is a custom, luthier-built instrument by Randy Allen. It is one of his early prototypes.

http://www.allenguitar.com/

Paul also owns another luthier-built instrument, this one by midwestern folk legend Jan Burda.

Both the Allen and the Burda are fantastic guitars that sound just wonderful, but until recently, neither of them had a pickup, so they both stayed at home in their cases when Paul would play out. His stage axe for a number of years was an early Ovation Custom Balladeer.

These are all $expensive$ guitars, without a doubt. About six months ago, on a whim, Paul bought a cedar Seagull S6, just for giggles. Two weeks ago, we found a Fishman Matrix pickup for sale at the local GC as a return. That night, we installed it, and that is the instrument he used (in addition to a Samick-built 335 clone) when we took to the stage in Woodstock last week. I've got to tell you, it sounded sweet!

As for me, I don't like dreadnaughts, finding them uncomfortable to play. Yes, they have volume, but that's why God invented piezo pickups and microphones anyway, so who needs the extra bulk? I surely don't, I have enough of my own! That's why my little Epiphone has been my acoustic partner for over ten years now. Many years back, I installed a Martin (Fishman) Thinline 332 pickup into it. I've given thought to purchasing a Seagull S Series Grand, but in order to keep peace at home, I would have to sell something off to buy it, and if I'm doing that, then I'm getting an acoustic bass of some sort!

http://www.seagullguitars.com/productgrand.htm

[Katastrophe]

Katastrophe, if your Johnson sounds good when in tune, why not spend a couple of bucks for a decent nut and bridge saddle? You can get new saddles and nuts made from a number of quality materials, ranging from Tusq to bone, and even some forms of ivory. It might be cheaper to go that route than to buy a new guitar.

The Stratacoustic has never done it for me. The body shape does not lend itself well to acoustic guitar. If you want a strat, get a strat. A much better choice, if you can find one, is a Gibson Chet Atkins CE. They were discontinued about a year or so ago. Here's a link:

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Gibso...ns%20CE%5FCEC/

Well, to be honest, I've never actually thought of trying to fix the darn thing. It might be worth it if it's only a few bucks!

[r_a_smith3530]

Well, to be honest, I've never actually thought of trying to fix the darn thing. It might be worth it if it's only a few bucks!

Check out Stewart MacDonald's site. They've got bridge saddles and nut blanks. As a cheap alternative to a set of nut slot files, try using the clipped off ends from your old strings. It takes a little longer using this method, but it will work and you're recycling to boot!

http://www.stewmac.com

Everyone on this forum should have one of their free catalogs, whether or not you work on your own guitars. It's just one of those great references.

[Tim]

Justaguy, Seagull is NOT Godin's cheap line of acoustics, and the S6 is one of the best deals that can be found in an acoustic guitar.

r_a_,

What I was trying to say was the S6 that I own is the less expensive of the Seagull line of guitars. As far as I am concerned, all Seagull guitars are excellent. I would buy another if I need a new acoustic guitar.

[r_a_smith3530]

r_a_,

What I was trying to say was the S6 that I own is the less expensive of the Seagull line of guitars. As far as I am concerned, all Seagull guitars are excellent. I would buy another if I need a new acoustic guitar.

Oops, first, I don't know why I addressed my comment to Justaguy. Sorry Justaguy!

Tim, now I understand what you were trying to say. Godin makes several lines of acoustic guitars, Seagull being one of them.

http://www.lasido.com/

As wonderful as Seagull's "S" line guitars are, have you ever played an Artist Series box? The music shop by me only carries the "S" models.

http://www.seagullguitars.com/productlisting.htm

[Tim]

The cedar used in Seagull guitars makes a big difference in the sound. They produce a very warm and actually loud tone. Strings also make a big difference. The electronics are not too bad either.

The larger the string size the better. Right now I have .011s on my S6. I am thinking of moving up to .012s. Yes I have tried the “Artists Series” guitar and they sound better than the S6. I just can’t afford the higher priced guitars.

My S6 cost me about $300 around two years ago. It buzzed a lot no matter what I did to the relief. Action was tough since I do not have the skills to perform this kind of work. I had the nut and saddle set by a pro and boy did the S6 come a live. The Seagull guitar is a wonderful instrument. The only issue is Seagull does not reply to individuals. I sent 2 emails with no replies. The tech that work on my S6 had a reply within 2 days.

Next time you’r in a guitar store that carries Seagull guitars, pick one up and play it. You will be surprised.

[r_a_smith3530]

Tim, my friend Paul has the Cedar S6 like yourself, but mine was a Spruce top. As I mentioned previously, if it had been a smaller bodied instrument, I would still own it today. I really GAS for an S Series Grand, but I can't justify owning a second acoustic at present, at least not a six-string.

As for the electronics, neither of our guitars came with pickups. On my Spruce S6, I had installed a Martin Thinline 332, same as I have in my Epi. I just installed a Fishman Matrix in Paul's Cedar S6. Both of our Seagull's were bought from, and originally set up by the Guitar Works in Evanston. Terry's people do great work.

http://www.guitarworksltd.com/

I know Paul paid somewhere in the three hundred dollar range for his S6, but for the life of me, I can't remember what I paid for mine back in 1991 or so. Both came set up, so neither had any buzzing issues. I remember waiting a couple of days to pick mine up, and how great the action was once I got it.

I sure do wish that Godin produced acoustic bass guitars in the Seagull line. Unfortunately, the only way to get a bass from them is a solid-bodied instrument in the Godin line. If there was a Jumbo size acoustic bass in the Seagull line, I'd buy it in a heartbeat!

[Tim]

r_a_,

Sorry I can't help you in the Seagull bass guitar category. Here is the best I can do for you! Very interesting indeed.


http://surfcitymusic.zoovy.com/produ...C-SILO-BASS-BK

[r_a_smith3530]

I saw something like that at Guitar Center Tim. I want to say that it was made by Epiphone, but I cannot find it on their site at present. Unfortunately, it still requires electricity. My need, in the upcoming months, will be for something purely acoustic, or at least an acoustic/electric. The Crispy Noodle Band will probably be playing at least one acoustic folk festival (Willow), and I'll need an unplugged something or other for that.

[Tim]

Rob,

If you really need a Godin acoustic bass, look here. A deep wallet is required.
http://www.musiciansbuy.com/godin_ac...tar_gagod.html



I do not know how much you have researched for bass acoustic guitars but here is a place to review different makes and models:
http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_a...%255D=10:1559/