Dreadnought VS Grand auditorium

guitarman1984

Common topic, but it never really gets old right?
Here I am playing two acoustics of mine, do you hear any tonal difference?

guitarjack66

I consider both almost identical in size and I moved on my last GA because it was too close in size to a dread. I havent watched or listened just yet so will come back to your real question later.

TheMadMick

I was quite surprised how similar they sound. The problem with a dread is keeping it on my thigh. But then I like a high shine on my instruments.

bertie

many specs show GA (cutaway aside)  is pretty much the same size as a dread,   

Jez6345789

It’s in the same ball park but the GA seems more mid focussed running over into sweeter trebles. Although they are similar woods the torrified Engleman certainly is heading towards that dryer old dread sound. Again laminated v solid rosewood will make a difference in terms of rigidity and weight of the sides which will again move the tonal centre. Not sure if they are running the same bracing schedule or did something different for the anniversary so again there may be a sonic impact from that, construction difference aside yeah same ball park but personally by the 2nd listen the dred is the sound I prefer.

nice demo and nice consistent playing.

do you have a personal fave?

guitarjack66

I would say that your first example has a more powerful tone than the second example. Neither is bad,in my view,it's just taste. I think the first would have more chance of standing out among other instruments while the second one might not do as much.

Tannin

Dreadnoughts are normally considerably larger than grand auditorium models, albeit that "dreadnought" is a bit of a moveable feast and "grand auditorium" a particularly vague term. Nevertheless, if you meet a so-called "grand auditorium" which is really and truly the same size as a dreadnought, then you should give the designer a clip over the ear and tell him that he's actually made a mini-jumbo and needs to get his terms straight.

A GA typically has around about the same lower bout width as a dred, and may or may not have the same depth, but it is shorter, more rounded, and more elegantly curved.

(PS I haven't tried to listen to the video as I'm travelling.)

Tannin

Now that I'm somewhere I can listen to the video:

* 1: nice playing!
* 2: they do indeed sound different, and very much in the expected way - the dread has that classic boomy dreadnought bass, the GA has clearer, more seperate sounds for each string. 
* 3: These are, of course, two different guitars from different builders, so that doesn't prove anything in itself, but similar differences can usually be observed between other examples. 

Good one!

sev112

I’m a little guy. I’ve got a Dread, I’ve got a GA and I used to have a Jumbo

i don’t / didn’t find them any different to play, and to be honest never really thought they sounded any different either

bertie

taken from another forum

=================================================

Taylor GC...................................Martin OM

Body Length.....19 1/2 "................19 3/8"
Body Width......15".......................15 "
Body Depth......4 3/8"...................4 1/8"

Taylor Dreadnought....................Taylor GA............Martin Dreadnought

Body Length.....20".....................20 "....................20"
Body Width......16".....................16 "....................15 5/8"
Body Depth......4 5/8"................ 4 5/8"................. 4 7/8"

Taylor GS..................................Taylor Jumbo.......Martin Jumbo

Body Length.....20".....................21"............ .........20 1/8"
Body Width......16 ¼".................17"......................16"
Body Depth......4 5/8 "................4 5/8"..................4 7/8"

Tannin

^ Taylor do all sorts of weird stuff with sizes and names because they are on a mission to be different (especially when they aren't) . When I get home next week, I'll measure my Cole Clark grand auditorium. I don't have the figures in my head but it's pretty much the same size as an 808 - i.e., way smaller than a dread.

Come to think of it, my Furch is also a GA and I've got that with me. It's bigger than the CC A but smaller than a dread. On measuring, sure enough it's shorter by 10mm, wider by 5mm, and shallower by 5mm. Quite a different animal.

Basher

Lovely playing and both are great sounding guitars..

This highlights a couple of things for me:

1. We make far too much fuss about the differences between models, brands etc. but generally the listeners do not give a flying **** about such things

2. I do hear a difference but I don't even know which I prefer. Dreads usually sound more "produced" to me, with everything being quite balanced and smaller guitars often have more string separation and a slightly more raw/edgy sound. In this case I thought the GA had a more pronounced bass than the Dread.

What does make all the difference in the world is playing and choice of music. I could listen to your picking all day long and I'd sooner hear you on a biscuit tin and elastic band guitar than me on a Santa Cruz or suchlike.

....but if I could choose I'd get you to bring the Dread along!

guitarman1984

Jez6345789 said:

It’s in the same ball park but the GA seems more mid focussed running over into sweeter trebles. Although they are similar woods the torrified Engleman certainly is heading towards that dryer old dread sound. Again laminated v solid rosewood will make a difference in terms of rigidity and weight of the sides which will again move the tonal centre. Not sure if they are running the same bracing schedule or did something different for the anniversary so again there may be a sonic impact from that, construction difference aside yeah same ball park but personally by the 2nd listen the dred is the sound I prefer.

nice demo and nice consistent playing.

do you have a personal fave?

Thanks, well I personally prefer the GA, but that's maybe an overall preference of mine. I also own a Dowina GA cutaway and it's just speaking to me. I like the dread too but I feel the GA is more comfortable as a body shape and does deliver tone in spades anyway.

guitarman1984

Tannin said:

Now that I'm somewhere I can listen to the video:

* 1: nice playing!
* 2: they do indeed sound different, and very much in the expected way - the dread has that classic boomy dreadnought bass, the GA has clearer, more seperate sounds for each string. 
* 3: These are, of course, two different guitars from different builders, so that doesn't prove anything in itself, but similar differences can usually be observed between other examples. 

Good one!

Thanks! Actually these two are both manufactured by Crafter Guitars. The GA is solid wood on top and back, the Dread is full solid wood. Woods are similar, Spruce for top and Indian Rosewood for back and sides. The Dread also has a 3 pieces back in a D35 fashion. So, the basis of the guitar is similar, I expect even the bracing and construction.

guitarman1984

sev112 said:

I’m a little guy. I’ve got a Dread, I’ve got a GA and I used to have a Jumbo

i don’t / didn’t find them any different to play, and to be honest never really thought they sounded any different either

One of the reasons I record these videos is to prove myself the differences between the guitars I own. And to move along with those I like the least. In this case we are talking about a distinct but subtle difference, which is quite surprising to me as I thought the Dread would have been more prominent on basses overall. 

bertie

Basher said:

 

1. We make far too much fuss about the differences between models, brands etc. but generally the listeners do not give a flying **** about such things

 
 

but we dont  ALL play to listeners,  and we care more about what other guitar players think of us 

 - at the end of the day, what is more important -   its what "you" feel better with what you feel comfortable with.   You feel good,  your playing will "respond"    I absolutely love the sound of my Furch over others, but I cant, now physically cope with it 

The answer is,  of course, have one of everything 

Basher

bertie said:

Basher said:

 

1. We make far too much fuss about the differences between models, brands etc. but generally the listeners do not give a flying **** about such things

 
 

but we dont  ALL play to listeners,  and we care more about what other guitar players think of us 

 - at the end of the day, what is more important -   its what "you" feel better with what you feel comfortable with.   You feel good,  your playing will "respond"    I absolutely love the sound of my Furch over others, but I cant, now physically cope with it 

The answer is,  of course, have one of everything 

A good point, well made.

I too have a Furch, of sorts. It's a Furch-made Stanford OM5-Vintage model. Not sure if it's up to the standards of the "proper" Furch branded instruments but it's a very nice guitar.
IIRC, it's slightly slimmer depth than most OMs, rosewood back/sides and, unfortunately, a slotted headstock. I like the look of these but hate restringing them. The tuners are, I think, Gotohs but I really don't like the feel. The G always feels like it's ready to snap and cause the whole guitar to implode!

I guess I have a troubled relationship with it. I like the sound and look but would love a regular headstock, shorter scale length and possibly mahogany over rosewood. So that'd be a 000 then!

Sorry to hear about your own Furch frustrations. What's the problem with yours?

bertie

Basher said:

Sorry to hear about your own Furch frustrations. What's the problem with yours?

early dupuytren's and the V neck makes it uncomfortable  for me

guitarjack66

Basher said:

bertie said:

Basher said:

 

1. We make far too much fuss about the differences between models, brands etc. but generally the listeners do not give a flying **** about such things

 
 

but we dont  ALL play to listeners,  and we care more about what other guitar players think of us 

 - at the end of the day, what is more important -   its what "you" feel better with what you feel comfortable with.   You feel good,  your playing will "respond"    I absolutely love the sound of my Furch over others, but I cant, now physically cope with it 

The answer is,  of course, have one of everything 

A good point, well made.

I too have a Furch, of sorts. It's a Furch-made Stanford OM5-Vintage model. Not sure if it's up to the standards of the "proper" Furch branded instruments but it's a very nice guitar.
IIRC, it's slightly slimmer depth than most OMs, rosewood back/sides and, unfortunately, a slotted headstock. I like the look of these but hate restringing them. The tuners are, I think, Gotohs but I really don't like the feel. The G always feels like it's ready to snap and cause the whole guitar to implode!

I guess I have a troubled relationship with it. I like the sound and look but would love a regular headstock, shorter scale length and possibly mahogany over rosewood. So that'd be a 000 then!

Sorry to hear about your own Furch frustrations. What's the problem with yours?

I thought a GA and 000 were the same?

bertie

as far as Taylors interpretation (and having owned a 612, 612) GC is closer to an 000/OM   GA is bigger, certainly on the upper bout 

Basher

bertie said:

Basher said:

Sorry to hear about your own Furch frustrations. What's the problem with yours?

early dupuytren's and the V neck makes it uncomfortable  for me

Co-incidentally, I think I've got that - maybe it's Furch guitars!

I'm lucky in that mine is very mild and on my right hand so it doesn't seem to inhibit my amateurish skronkings.

I've read that you're not supposed to bother a doctor with it if you can put your hand flat on a table. I can just about do that but the tendons on my ring finger feel very tight and uncomfortable.