Recommended acoustic guitar for recording session.

starlightwalker · Post by **starlightwalker** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 1:03 pm

Anyone recommend a go to acustic for recording rhythm guitar?

I have a TAK with electronics that sounds too dark and a Seagull which is a bit damaged but that I always found too bright...

A friend has taylor 415.

dsw · Post by **dsw** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:22 pm

Friend, this question has no answer. This question has a million answers.

I have to go to Berkely, which car should I use?

I have to take a portrait of Willie Nelson, what camera lens should I use?

The two most important tools in your studio are stuck to the sides of your head.

The very most important tool in your studio is in-between the other two.

I hope this doesn't sound fliip or insensitive I don't mean to insult you at all.

I could say Martin D-18 and I'd be right. And so would the guy who says Santa Cruz Tony Rice model. So would the guy who says (insert your favorite acoustic guitar here)....

jgimbel · Post by **jgimbel** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:24 pm

Martin's the only good brand of acoustic guitar.

Eh maybe that wasn't as funny as I thought it'd be..

woodhenge · Post by **woodhenge** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 5:14 pm

Yeah, talk about a loaded question....

I've had great luck with Taylor, Martin, Gibson, Breedlove, Seagull, and Guild guitars. I've also had guys who brought in complete POS Samick guitars that sounded great when they played them. It tends to be a marriage of player and guitar, either way.

Wait... a better answer is this:

Any guitar as long as it sounds good and has a new set of strings? That's my final answer, Alex... I'll wager a whole $0.02.

jspartz · Post by **jspartz** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:18 pm

While I don't agree with blanket statements like this... "Martin's the only good brand of acoustic guitar." I did just pick up a Martin D-16GT (for well under a grand) and it has been sounding very nice on a few recordings.

Jason

jgimbel · Post by **jgimbel** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:42 pm

just wanted to reclarify that my blanket statement was intended to be funny because of the ridiculous nature of a blanket statement like that.

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:57 am

seriously? a guitar with rosewood back and sides is a good place to start. Or possibly a mahogany body guitar. Something full sounding you know?
It reminds me of recording this one band, they werent very much acoustic guitar guys but had this one part of a song with an acoustic break. They kept getting this annoying string noise in the middle of the riff. They tried string ease, we tried micing it different ways. Finally it was just a matter of inverting the chord and moving it closer so it wasnt a 10 fret jump from one position to the next!
But damn it would have been nice to have a less bright guitar as well.

dsw · Post by **dsw** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 5:25 pm

just wanted to reclarify that my blanket statement was intended to be funny because of the ridiculous nature of a blanket statement like that.

??

it was funny.

Me my own-self am a sarcastic son of a bitch and proud of it.

AstroDan · Post by **AstroDan** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 5:36 pm

Don't give up on the Seagull. Maybe some heavier strings?

joninc · Post by **joninc** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:22 pm

woodhenge wrote:
Any guitar as long as it sounds good and has a new set of strings?

NO - any guitar - as long as it has OLD strings

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:43 pm

true that, new strings are overrated.

woodhenge · Post by **woodhenge** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 5:50 am

Personally, I agree with the old string thing on my guitars, but I've had some clients that have come in with strings so dead that their guitar sounded like it had rubber bands on it! Of course, these are the same clients who complain about how bad their guitar sounds when they hear it back...

I know it's too late for final Jeopardy, but I'll change my answer to "fairly new".

kayagum · Post by **kayagum** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:23 am

Two things to try:

(a) Medium instead of light gauge strings. HUGE difference in tone.
(b) Use a dynamic instead of a condenser. Maybe a ribbon.

Phiz · Post by **Phiz** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:21 pm

I think Kayagum and a few others here are moving this towards a more useful question: what are different ways of changing the the sound of the guitars you have to be more useful?

Lots of factors can play into the tone: strings, picks, microphone, microphone placement, the room, the floor covering. Have you tried playing around with any of these variables?

chovie d · Post by **chovie d** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:27 pm

jspartz wrote:While I don't agree with blanket statements like this... "Martin's the only good brand of acoustic guitar." I did just pick up a Martin D-16GT (for well under a grand) and it has been sounding very nice on a few recordings.

Jason

not to say these dont sound good , they do...but the fretboard is made of plastic despite the guitar being sold as "all wood". apparently "all wood" means it can be made of plastic in the place where your fingers touch it the most. They call this plastic Micarta instead of plastic. It feels weird to me and not in a good way.

also beware of guitars that are "rosewood" or "mahogany"...appparently that can mean they are not rosewood or mahogany but are actually rosewood laminate over shitboard. IN the bizarre and in my eyes unethical sales language of acoustic guitars you need to look for the word "solid" before mahogany or rosewood or wahtever.

sorry fo the rant, but i think it blows they get away with that.

I own a martin a guild and a seagull all sound great, but different.

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Recommended acoustic guitar for recording session.

Recommended acoustic guitar for recording session.

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