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Most important consideration for me is response to light touch with good volume almost like a nylon string guitar. I reckon that rules out archtops, as much as I love them.
I guess such guitar would be very light weight, small body and short scale since that would mean less top mass to move and light tension allowing a more delicate top and bracing design. I can even go for a 12-fret guitar if that allows for more response.
I definitely prefer 1 3/4'' nut width and good string spacing (2 1/4'' I guess).
In terms of back and sides, I am not a rosewood guy typically. I don't like too much overtone content and sparkle. More fundamental heavy tone with good warmth, clarity, balance and some complexity. So mahogany most likely but I know it's not that simple and it depends on the design so I am open to rosewood as well. Even maple after having tried the new 600 series Taylors.
My price point is 3000-5000 dollars.
I know there are many fingerstyle guitars on the market but I am looking for something that's exceptionally responsive for a steel string string guitar even if it's to the detriment of the strumming performance.
Any suggestions?Last edited by Tal_175; 03-26-2018 at 02:47 PM.
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03-26-2018 01:22 PM
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OM-sized Taylor or Martin.
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Martin O18 would be worth looking at IMHO
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The Santa Cruz 00-Skye may fit the bill for you.
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I would look for a sweet old Martin 000-18 myself. (I've got a 00-21GE that I am very fond of, but it is Indian rosewood.)
Or maybe a Collings OM1 Julian Lage signature, which was based on Julian's 1939 000-18.
Collings OM1 JL | Julian Lage Signature OM1
Last edited by Flat; 03-28-2018 at 04:31 AM.
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Last summer my wife bought me a Martin CEO-7 and it is a wonderful guitar for finger picking. At just under 2000.00 I think it is a great deal. Adirondack top with scalloped bracing, mahogany back, sides and neck with ebony fretboard and bridge. Nice case too. As you state there are many choices out there but give one of these a try and you might be pleasantly surprised.
Thanks john
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Thanks for the good suggestions especially Martin CEO-7, Santa Cruz 00-Skye. These are models I hadn't heard of before. I suspect Santa Cruz is not going to be easy to find in Toronto stores but who knows.
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If I was in that market at that price range, I'd do this:
Charles A. Hoffman Hancrafted Guitars
Charlie makes wonderful guitars. He used to employ a guy named Olson who makes guitars for some plonker named James Taylor. I just heard Tim Sparks last weekend playing a Hoffman, beautiful sound.
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For an alternative I'd suggest an older Ovation Folklore/Josh White model.
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Acoustic guitar preferences are a very personal thing. You will need to audition some instruments. Aside from string spacing, you need to decide on a few other things.
Body size: An instrument can be as small as a Martin 00 size (14-1/4" lower bout), Gibson L00 size (14-3/4" lower bout) Martin 000/OM size (15" lower bout) or Martin 0000 or Gibson J-185 sized (16" lower bout) depending on your preference.
Top woods: In terms of top woods, I tend to favor European Spruces (Carpathian, German, Italian, Swiss etc.) or Red Spruce (Adirondack) due to their responsiveness and tonr for fingerstyle but their are some fantastic Engelmann and Sitka spruces and Western Red Cedar topped guitars as well.
Body wood: I suggest that given your preference for a more fundamental, mid rich, lower overtone content timbre that you consider not only Honduran Mahogany, but other lower damping hardwoods such as Bigleaf Maple, Black Walnut, Claro Walnut, Cuban Mahogany, Koa or Sycamore Maple, Sycamore as body wood options. Since you are in Canada, this will address some of the complications of CITES when importing a rosewood (dalbergia) guitar.
Scale length: Do you want a shorter 24.9" or a longer 25.4" scale length. Each has their own benefits and deficiencies.
No Cutaway or Cutaway: Do you need easy upper fretboard access on this instrument or not?
In your price range you have different options both new and used. New, beyond CF Martin and Taylor try guitars made by some of the better distributed "small shop" manufacturers as well.
- Bourgeois
- Collings
- Huss & Dalton
- Santa Cruz
You will see many similar models among these small shops in the Nazareth paradigm. They all have slightly different timbres and you need to try them to see what you prefer. I would not recommend either Goodall or Lowden given your preference towards a more fundamental timbre. I also have no experience with either Breedlove or Larivee which are also large manufacturers.
Used, there are many other options such as small shops such as Froggy Bottom and solo luthier guitars.
You honestly need to audition a few to see what you prefer.
Good luck
Originally Posted by Tal_175
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Have you checked out Waterloo Guitars? That was the first thing that came to mind when you said "lightly built". Extraordinarily responsive guitars that are feather light, but unlike the original inspirations (30's "catalog guitars") they are built to Collings standards.
I'm not a fingerstyle player, but I've started playing around with it ever since I got a WL-14 LTR. The sound literally jumps from these guitars, even fingerstyle.
Plus, the come in a pretty decent variety of options: 12 and 14 models, some X braced, some ladder.
Here's a video of me demoing a WL-K based on a 30's Kel Kroydon guitar made by Gibson (because of its light construction, they only recommend going up to .011's)
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Great demo. I'll definitely check them out. Originally Posted by campusfive
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What stores have you visited in Toronto and the surrounding area? Places like the Twelfth Fret in Toronto and Folkway in Waterloo might be helpful given their deep expertise with flattop acoustic steel string guitars. Originally Posted by Tal_175
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Yes, I am way too familiar with guitar stores in and around TO Originally Posted by Hammertone
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I side with Jonathan on the waterloos. They are wonderful and extremely responsive. For fingerstyle, I'd recommend their WL-S or WL-S Deluxe models.
Another one I really like is the Martin 000 17 SM. It has mahogany back/sides with a spruce top. 12 fret construction and slotted head stock. Martin discontinued this one, and you can get a good deal on them used. They sound surprisingly full for something of their size.
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Martin Om-21 is hard to beat but with that kind of money you can go boutique. I played a Collings OM that haunted me for weeks, very nice!
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One of the newer 000-18 Martins (mine's a 2014) with ebony fb & bridge. Fabulous instrument!!
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I love my Eastman OM.
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For fingerstyle, I'd probably look for a small-bodied 12-fret guitar. Something like a 00 or Orchestra style. Solid woods obviously. They always seem more balanced with a pleasant bottom end. I tend to prefer rosewood back and sides, but that's not a hard and fast.
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For this price I can recommend Maton or Cole Clark
Acoustic Guitars | Gear4music
Acoustic Guitars - Guitar and Bass - musicsquare.co.uk
Acoustic Guitars | Sweetwater
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A Charlie Hoffman guitar was a great suggestion. It was the first thing I thought of when I saw the question.
His used guitars are world class and very reasonably priced.
Mark
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I go into Hoffman Guitar often. It's always fun and interesting, like walking into a friend's home. Charlie and Gabriel are great people and easy to work with. I love going in there and chatting with Charlie to see what he's working on and test driving a couple guitars. His guitars are phenomenal.
Thanks John
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Thanks for the suggestions. I am not sure if I can find and try some of these more boutique makers in Toronto. I see if I can find them at 12 fret (it's a store with the best selection of high end guitars in Toronto).
I tried a Martin OOO yesterday based on suggestions here. To my surprise, I liked it very much (for some reason I'd always pegged Martins as too country-ish for my taste). I also just found out that Martin accepts custom orders. You can built your own custom guitar by using a tool on their website and see how the features you choose affect the price instantly. I am considering ordering an OOO with Engelmann spruce top, 1 3/4'' nut width and wide string spacing at the bridge. I can even choose a more Taylor-esque neck shape. I can order a very stripped down guitar (no binding, inlays and all) with features that I care about (scalloped bracing etc, vintage toning, cutaway etc.) for under 4 grands. I haven't decided yet whether I would want rosewood or mahogany back and sides for this model. But Martin OOO's are abound, I'll try some first.Last edited by Tal_175; 04-01-2018 at 09:57 AM.
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I believe that Sergei’s base price is $7,500 these days.
Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
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