Boxy. What is "boxy"?

Tannin

We probably all know what we mean when we say an instrument sounds "boxy". 

(1) Do we all mean more-or-less the same thing by that?

(2) What do we actually mean by it? When we say "trebly" we mean something that shows up clearly on a frequency analyser. When we say "zingy" we probably mean "has a lot of upper mids  or highs and a sharp attack with (perhaps) a touch of natural reverb". But what, in technical terms, does "boxy" mean?

I'm thinking that a starting point might be that we are hitting the limits of the instrument's dynamic range. Start doing big strums on  a small, responsive guitar and it sounds boxy straight away. You are putting more energy into the strings but the instrument can't reproduce that properly. (Hell, J-45s can and do sound boxy sometimes, it's one of the things I don't like about them.)

But there is more to "boxy" than clipping at the upper limit of the instrument's dynamic range. There is something going on with the frequency response (I think) but I can't put my finger on it.

ICBM

Mostly midrange and no deep bass.

Mellish

Never described an acous as being "boxy". Wouldn't pretend to understand what people mean when they say it, I'm afraid  

TheBigDipper

My Martin 0-16NY is definitely boxy. It's strung with silk'n'steel strings these days. At low volume finger picking, it's quite well balanced with a bass that is present  (but nothing like as rounded as a bigger-bodied guitar). Start to pick harder or strum and the bass notes vanish. The trebles remain. 

Unlike my Brook Taw, which is similar but different. Balanced, and rings out like a piano when played delicately, but if you overdrive the top it isn't boxy, but flubs on all strings and sounds like a plywood guitar. The trebles sound as poor as the bass. 

Roland

https://www.prosoundweb.com/the-seven-bad-system-dwarfs/

richman6100

ICBM said:

Mostly midrange and no deep bass.

This is pretty much how I'd describe it and what initially put me off parlour guitars. I looked at several models before getting my Auden Marlow because its body is deeper than other parlours I tried and it has more bass as a result.

BigPaulie

A very focused tone with neither resonance nor sparkle.

Lewy

ICBM said:

Mostly midrange and no deep bass.

Another vote for this description. 

Dave_Mc

What's brown and boxy?

Sorry 

BillDL

What's brown and sticky?
A twig.

bertie

imagine if a blues junior was an acoustic guitar.

thats it 

Dave_Mc

BillDL said:

What's brown and sticky?
A twig.

  

bluecat

Maybe,boxy,sounds a bit dead .A different make string or a lighter guage may solve this.I am only guessing but really old strings may make a guitar sound boxy.

Tannin

So many interesting responses.

And so many different ones!

I now know less than I did before I asked the question - which is probably progress, of a sort.

guitarjack66

Boxy=like the sound comes from,or is trapped in, a box?

bertie

guitarjack66 said:

Boxy=like the sound comes from,or is trapped in, a box?

Tannin

^ Is that you Bertie? 

Gomers

BillDL said:

What's brown and sticky?
A twig.

I always thought that was a stick 

Boxy to me is that dead sound you get on certain notes at certain points over the neck, those notes that don't sustain and just sound a bit, well, 'thuddy'.

Hootsmon

Tae me it's honky and focused

what's honky? 

nasal mids

Mellish

Tannin said "Is that you Bertie?" 

I see he's still being dressed by Hardy Amies  

bertie

Mellish said:

Tannin said "Is that you Bertie?" 

I see he's still being dressed by Hardy Amies  

more like Harley Benton........................... aaah not f*ck I said it..........................