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| Moderated by: Richard Hefner | Page: 1 2 3   |
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| Advice/opinions - General Guitar - Guitar - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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ThirdRatePoet Approved 
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I've been playing and checking out some smaller-bodied acoustic guitars, and I wonder if anybody can offer advice about a couple of things. Firstly, any particular models (within a 'reasonable' price range!) that stand out - and, secondly, does the slotted headstock that of this type of guitar often has make any difference to sound and durability? I like the look (and, more importantly, sound) of this type of guitar - but if anyone is a player of suchlike, any thoughts, ideas etc? Those are fairly specific questions - but any other stuff I oughta know gratefully received!  cheers Dan
____________________ ezFolk My Website iTunes - 'The Folks Underground' |
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AmyDK Approved
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Hi Dan - How much smaller are you looking for? I play a Taylor 214, which is the grand auditorium size. Much more comfortable than a dreadnought for me. Mine does not have the slotted headstock, so I can't help you there, but I love the sound of mine, and while I might go up in quality if I ever win the lottery (would love to get a 714...), I'll never go back to a bigger size. I've heard a number of people really enjoy the baby Taylor as well, but I've never played one, so I can't give you first hand info. Good luck! Amy DK
____________________ Amy's ezFolk page Amy on MySpace My Website |
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1four5 Approved 
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I really can't comment on the slotted headstock...but I did go through a search for a smaller body acoustic guitar just before the reso bug hit me (so I never got a good small body acoustic). However, I played a lot of them at all our local music stores. If I were to buy a new one (with a sane price tag), it would be a baby Taylor hands down. On the really cheap side, keep your eyes open for a old Yamaha FG-75. I've owned 3 of them so far. The first two times I kicked myself for getting rid of them. When I found #3, I vowed to hang on to it forever. It's my only traditional guitar, made sometime in the 70's or so and probably plywood...I'd take over most of the parlor guitars I've played at the music stores. The most I payed for one was $41 from Goodwill.
____________________ These are the good times! |
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ThirdRatePoet Approved
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Hey folks! Some auditorium size guitars do have that same sweet upper mid sound that the parlour size is perfect for - I think it's just a case of looking till I find something that seems right. The Baby Taylor is a nice guitar, I agree. cheers Dan
____________________ ezFolk My Website iTunes - 'The Folks Underground' |
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banjo brad Super Moderator 
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I don't have much experience with the smaller guitars. I own and play a Goya G10 classical and had a Martin 00-18 in the late sixtys (kick me, kick me, kick me). I sold it shortly after I got married. I am on the lookout for the Martin 12-fret slothead, though. I have always liked the sound of the Martins, and the shorter neck scale of the 12-fret (must be my classical guitar experience). Now, all I need is money, honey! (And if you remember that song, you belong to the OAATDYAEET club!  I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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Will Approved 
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About 3 years ago, I bought a Seagull Grand, an 0-size parlor guitar with a solid cedar top. It's still one of my favorite guitars and it's the easiest to play. It has the standard tapered (but not slotted) Seagull style headstock, and is only about 38" long, but with a 24.9" scale and full-sized neck. It has a nice sound for fingerstyle, and still sounds sweet played with a pick. With a strong midrange, it cuts through at a jam in a room full of dreadnoughts. It lists for $419, but I got it on sale for about $275. http://www.seagullguitars.com/productgrand.htm
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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PJ Approved
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I doubt the slotted head stock makes a different tone. I think it's a matter of style and tradition. As for parlor guitars, the Koolau Guitar and Ukulele co. is coming out with a nylon string parlor-sized guitar with a slotted head stock. The brand is Pono. I've never played their guitars, but I have a Koolau electric tenor ukulele that is very high quality. Also, I've played a Pono uke that was very nice. Pono is their less expensive line of instruments. I've been thinking about getting the small guitar also. I'm very impressed with their ukuleles. PJ
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banjo brad Super Moderator
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The only reason I mentioned slotted heads is that I've never seen a 14-fret with a slotted head. Only the 12-fret guitars, be they Spanish (Nylon-strung) or Steel-string. I like the sound that the 12-frets have, I think they are a little fuller than the longer-neck ones - just my opinion. He who laughs last thinks slowest.
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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ThirdRatePoet Approved
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There are a few steel-strung guitars with the slotted head - Ozark make one, and I think Crafter do as well (at the price range I can reasonably consider!). That Seagull guitar looks nice - S&P make a similar model. I think I'm going to have to actually track a few more of these down and play them. The sound that cuts thru the Dreadnought sound is sort of what I'm looking for, I reckon! Dan
____________________ ezFolk My Website iTunes - 'The Folks Underground' |
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Will Approved
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Dan, The Seagull S6+ Folk has the same sized body as a classical, and is advertised as a fingerstyle guitar, for under $400. http://www.music123.com/Seagull-S6--Folk-i234250.music  Seagull also makes a new "mini-jumbo" MJM6 model with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides, also designed to have the mid-range cutting power that costs about $70 more. But this one is close to a dreadnought in size. http://www.music123.com/Seagull-MJM6-Mini-Jumbo-i234262.music  Description: While the overall size of the MJM6 is close to that of the standard Seagull S6 the look and sound are quite different. The MJ is larger across the upper bout and slightly wider at the lower bout. The biggest difference is in the waist where the MJM6 comes in a full inch narrower. Its sound is distinguished by a strong midrange response, making it suitable for performing and recording situations that call for a guitar that will cut through the mix. Last edited on Fri Feb 24th, 2006 03:29 am by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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ThirdRatePoet Approved
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I do like those 'folk' size guitars - they have a much sweeter sort of tone. The nicest ones play open sounding like a dreadnought does with a capo at the first or second. Although you lose the extra 'body' to the sound that a bigger guitar gives you. Seagull are pretty nice guitars generally - seem pretty robust as well. cheers Dan
____________________ ezFolk My Website iTunes - 'The Folks Underground' |
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reyvee61 Approved 
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I have a Baby Taylor and it's a pretty nice 3/4 scale guitar, it has never intoned well however, maybe mine needs some setup tweaks. I know Jeff Tweedy (Uncle Tupelo) has one and plays it live all the time (solo)! I'm generally happy with it though!
____________________ Acousticviews radio stream here. All of music is here. Indieviews |
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beeconk Approved
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I've heard a lot of good things from owners of Washburn 306 parlor guitars. They're supposedly repros of Washburns from the 1860's - On the less expensive side but very likeable from what I understand. I just sold a solid rosewood/cedar R305S Washburn with a slotted headstock and 14 ftb to a guy in Sweden who bought it because he thought he'd like it as much as his Washburn 306 - he doesn't and now it's on its way back to me  here's a pic of it Attachment: Untitled-1.jpg (Downloaded 180 times)
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ThirdRatePoet Approved
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Had a chance yesterday (that's Saturday - just in case the time difference thing makes that confusing) to try out a few acoustics. The parlour size guitars I tried (Seagull and Tanglewood) were just a bit too much on the wrong side of 'small', if that makes any sense! Although the Seagull model was very cute to look at, I must say! I think something more 'folk' sized is what I'm looking for - tried a Crafter GA7 (which is 'grand auditorium' size - which confuses me - you'd think 'grand auditorium' would be, well, huge!) and it was pretty sweet. Have to look out for those Seagull/SP folk and mini-jumbo sort of guitars that Will suggested above, see what they sound and feel like. I quite like the Baby Taylor, but the smaller scale seems weird to me. Sounds nice though. cheers folks! Dan
____________________ ezFolk My Website iTunes - 'The Folks Underground' |
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Will Approved
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ThirdRatePoet wrote: Had a chance yesterday (that's Saturday - just in case the time difference thing makes that confusing) to try out a few acoustics. The parlour size guitars I tried (Seagull and Tanglewood) were just a bit too much on the wrong side of 'small', if that makes any sense! Although the Seagull model was very cute to look at, I must say! I think something more 'folk' sized is what I'm looking for - tried a Crafter GA7 (which is 'grand auditorium' size - which confuses me - you'd think 'grand auditorium' would be, well, huge!) and it was pretty sweet. Have to look out for those Seagull/SP folk and mini-jumbo sort of guitars that Will suggested above, see what they sound and feel like. Here's the Frets.com article which summarizes the different sizes of popular acoustic guitars by Martin, Taylor, and Gibson: http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Guitar/FlatTopSizes/sizes.html I was also trying out guitars yesterday, at the Old Town School of Folk Music's "Different Strummer" music shop in Chicago. They had a huge selection of acoustic guitars, banjos, and ukuleles. While the pricier guitars hung up on the walls, the floor displays had a diverse collection of the more affordable (well under $1,000) guitar models by Alvarez, Godin (Seagull/Simon & Patrick), and Martin and I got a chance to play some of the smaller body guitars, including the Martin 000X-1, Simon & Patrick Folk, and several Alvarez models. The Alvarez dreadnought 12-string was exceptional, and less than $350. I did finally see the new Seagull mini-jumbo ($489), which I tried out, and it does indeed have a nice tone that stood out amongst the other guitars that I played. But it's almost the size of a dreadnought. What I was looking for was the Blueridge BR-73, a fancy 000-sized guitar, but the store didn't have it in stock at that time, so I tried out the dreadnought equivalent, the BR-60. Based upon what I observed, and in the store's opinion, the Blueridge guitars seemed to have the biggest bang for the buck. I'll revisit the store again after they re-stock. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Acoustic?sku=515092 
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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banjo brad Super Moderator
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What bothers me is the apparent lack of interest in the 12 fret steel strung models. I read an article a few years back in Acoustic Guitar that they were becoming popular again, but I still see or hear of very few. I have played a Martin (way back in late 50's early 60's) and love the sound. Plus, with my arms, the scale is perfect. These would be more, I think, referred to as the 'folk guitar,' than the parlor guitars. But, then, I'm a banjo player, so what do I know? Maybe the fiddle is affecting my brain, too.
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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Will Approved
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Just my opinion, but I can think of several factors regarding the relative obscurity/lack of popularity of 12-fret neck guitars in recent years: 1. In recent years, just about every guitar maker, including Martin, has jumped on the cutaway body design bandwagon, offering more frets than 14 on the neck, rather than fewer frets. 2. With a very small market for 12-frets-to-the-neck guitars, those models that are offered are often more expensive than the regular 14-fret neck models. 3. Electric guitars still greatly outsell acoustic guitars, and cutaway designs are one way to win over electric players.
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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ThirdRatePoet Approved
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Brad - this sort of thing? I haven't come across 'Blueridge' guitars - I wonder is it a 'flag of convenience' brand - might be called something else over here? Dan
____________________ ezFolk My Website iTunes - 'The Folks Underground' |
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ThirdRatePoet Approved
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Will wrote:Just my opinion, but I can think of several factors regarding the relative obscurity/lack of popularity of 12-fret neck guitars in recent years: Cutaways really annoy me too! They just spoil the guitar in every way - and who wants to play an acoustic at the 20th fret? Dan
____________________ ezFolk My Website iTunes - 'The Folks Underground' |
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Will Approved
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ThirdRatePoet wrote: Will wrote: | |||||||||||||
