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Gotta add Joe DeNisco to that list for sure. Those youtube videos are evidence of that! Thank you JD for all the sharing you do.
Originally Posted by Max405
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09-17-2017 09:51 PM
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When I need to be heard in an acoustic setting I reach for my full size dread in spruce, maple and walnut. I can get some good electric tones as well by blending the piezo pickup with a built in internal microphone. To get big sound sometimes you need a big guitar.
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I have a couple of great acoustic archtops, but I am troubled by one thing: It seems like no one has ever really figured out a great way to amplify acoustic archtops. There have been several posts on this forum and it seems the best result comes from a suspended magnetic pickup, but when you put nickel strings on the guitar so the magnetic pickup can detect the sound, it's not so acoustic anymore. I want to use bronze strings and not have to camp in front of a microphone. Originally Posted by rlrhett
There are many pickup/mic solutions for flattops. I like K&K Pure Mini, myself.
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Chazmo,
You are correct, IMO. Life is a tradeoff--for the guitar player--between accurate acoustic sound and adequate volume. The best acoustic sound, hands down, is from an unamplified/unmic-ed guitar. If you need more volume, the next best solution is to stand in front of a good microphone. The old bluegrass scene of a group sharing a single, expensive microphone is about the best approach, still.
If you really need accuracy of reproduction and don't want to "circle the mic," I found the system in the Martin Dave Matthews guitar to be about the closest you can get to ideal. I played a Martin one serial number over from Dave Matthews' Martin. The internal condenser mic/piezo bridge pickup combination was a charm. I don't recall what make Martin used. I can say that when you leaned more on the mic the guitar sounded great.
For an archtop, however, I still like pointing a good condenser mic at the fingerboard extension.
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I play jazz on my Martin Concept Gold II, spruce top, maple back and rims, (all solid) maple neck w/ ebony fingerboard:
This was a limited run by Martin. Previously, had a Martin D28.
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Currently I use a mahogany b/s spruce top Gibson J-100 for chord melodies. I also play chord melodies on a Martin with Rosewood b/s and spruce top GPCPA model with cutaway. I am still researching to decide what type of acoustic guitar is best for chord melodies. I must say I am leaning towards tone woods of mahogany b/s and I also like the Jumbo body style. To my ear a darker, warmer mid range tone sounds best for chord melodies. I am open to what other acoustic chord melody players prefer.
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When it comes to amplifying an acoustic archtop without changing the "acoustic" character, I've had amazing success using a DPA4099 clipped to the tailpiece. Originally Posted by Chazmo
The big thing is monitor placement to avoid shooting the monitor sound at the top for it to bounce off the top right into the mic.
With the mic pointed directly at the top, I have the monitor on my left, pointing right down the line of the neck, so it's completely off axis to the mic.
Rather than give you an example of when I'm the bandleader, here's me being a sideman with my friend Michael Gamble's band.
It's just some camera footage, so you can hear the room noise, but about 1:30 in there's a guitar solo, and I'm able to get out in front of the band with no issues.
My other trick is, when I can, to ask for two channels - and use an XLR A/B box. I tell the sound guy to set one side for rhythm and one side slightly louder for any leads, and I just switch between the two rather than rely on the sound guy to catch the solos in realtime.
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For chord melody jazz playing, I think you'll find the flattops that handle that the best are things like OOO or OM sized guitars, or stuff like the Waterloo line from Collings. I've got a Waterloo WL-14L (modeled after a 30's Kalamazoo KG-14, which was more-or-less a ladder braced version of the X-braced Gibson L-00), and it sounds great playing chord melody stuff.
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I've gotta ask. Anybody know what's happening with the tuning here? Originally Posted by bil
Especially strange when he pulls off to an open string. He doesn't seem to be in an alternate tuning of any kind, but doesn't seem to be 440 either.
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Teleboli.
Upon further investigation it looks like it might be a step down.
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Though I wish it weren't so, I came to the conclusion that the Martin dreadnaughts I have just aren't the right tool for chord melody playing. The tone is too bright, twangy, and ringing, though I've tried monel strings. I don't mind that so much for practice or casual purposes, but the bigger problem is it's too physically difficult to play for any length of time.
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My big Jumbo Guild GF55 works very well for this, love that guitar
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I enjoy using my Taylor 312CE 12 fret for solo jazz playing.
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Since Tony Rice died I have been playing my flattop, a 1978 Takamine F-340S which is a dreadnought, and was my first guitar (and only guitar until 1986). With a little adjustment in touch, it sounds fine for jazz. It's different than my arch top, sure, but it has its own unique character and charm. Solid spruce top, lam mahogany back and sides, hog neck and rosewood board. The top end is rounder than my archtops with more bass and mids; nice and warm, actually.
Tony's worth a listen always:
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