Should every guitar player own an acoustic?

Sassafras

It's possible to have light strings and low action on acoustics and it needn't cost a fortune. There are some very good ones being made now. I've got a cheap Ibanez that sounds reasonable and is easy to play especially with a capo at the 2nd fret.

thomasross20

I used to play electric lines on an acoustic.... my old Little Martin (which has now sold) - it was short scale, light gauge strings and very easy to play. But on the more traditional sized acoustics I don't try to do much flash playing - what's the point? Instead I'm finally coming round to alternate tunings, using the cap... and generally using it in order to play fingerstyle and as accompaniment for singing along. So it performs a completely different tasks then my electrics. 

thomasross20

I see guitarguitar have a few (expensive!!!!!!!) Lowdens. Might try one at some point, just because I never have. Would also love to try a Patrick James Eggle, and a Collings, and this Gibson ICBM mentioned. No way I'm going to spend the amount of money required to buy one of these, but I want to see how these top-grade acoustics compare to the Larrivee!

richardhomer

^ Will you allow me to make a suggestion?

Stop trying to find out if a better guitar exists out there. I'll let you into a secret - it will - and if you stumble across it, you will feel dissatisfied if you don't buy it.

I've owned the same acoustic for well over 20 years (to be fair it's a very good one - a Martin D28) and every bit of wear on the fingerboard comes from me playing it. It's tone is much better than when it was new, with all the years of playing. I have a 'relationship' with that guitar that I don't have with guitars which I haven't owned as long.

Learn to enjoy what you have and how to get the most out of it as a player.

Sorry if this sounds pompous and a bit preachy - but constantly chasing 'the best' is the road to poverty and/or frustration.

thomasross20

No, you're right!! I know... What am I thinking!!

xmrchi

@richardhomer  That is comment of the year for me , Uber wisdom and something that has taken me 20 years to realise.

Philly_Q

richardhomer said:

Learn to enjoy what you have and how to get the most out of it as a player.

Party pooper.

richardhomer

mrchi;532357" said:

@richardhomer  That is comment of the year for me , Uber wisdom and something that has taken me 20 years to realise.

Possibly the nicest compliment I've ever recorved!

Have a 'Wow'!

thomasross20

Yeah, he's right! 

I tried a whole bunch of acoustics last weekend. Realised there is a tiny bit of fight in the Larrivee, especially for any sort of legato work. I was surprised at some Taylors I tried - nice sounding... cutaway and electrics for live playing. Saying that, they cost a lot more compared to my all-wood Larrivee. The Larrivee has a punch in the bass/mids which I'd say dies out a little quicker than other guitars. I might be talking crap there lol... In any case, I had fun playing it tonight. 

close2u

I love my acoustic. I played nothing but for years and years. Only came back to learning to properly play electric in the last 5+ years or so. My one and only is a battered up Yamaha FG that I bought 30 or more years ago from Guitarzan / BongoBill. Anyone North Easterners remember that music shop? I reckon you can tell if a song is a good song if it can be played satisfactorily on an acoustic.

Dalefty

I'm going to say yes for this one, mainly for the fact that it is one of the easiest, and fastest ways a guitarist can improve his finger strength, dexterity, attack, technique, and accuracy, they're great to practice on, if you can play Master Of Puppets on an acoustic, there is no way in hell you can't play in on an electric.

DaLefty

thomasross20

Played some great nylon string acoustics recently. Much easier than steel string!

Restrung my Larrivee with 11s and easier to play but actually thinking about *maybe* selling. Will be tough as sounds & feels great but I rarely play acoustic and it's very loud for the flat I live in. I play electric 99% of the time... gotta make my mind up!

thomasross20

Hmmmmmm, not that I don't like my acoustic but I now have 3 electrics, bass and acoustic. Acoustic is played the least and never gigged. Thinking about selling it on, sticking to electrics and using an acoustic simulator pedal if ever needed

thomasross20

Argh! Ignore that bollox!!!
Playing it again and sounds great.
Just wish I could sell some to free up cash and make some room.

Never buy too many nice guitars!!!!

usedtobe

I much prefer acoustic, these days..

Sassafras

No messing about with leads, plugs, amp settings, effects, dodgy power supplies, broken cables. No worrying about starting a war with the neighbours.

I do most of my "songwriting" on acoustic.

I think I've always had an acoustic but I haven't always had an electric.

ICBM

thomasross20 said:

Thinking about selling it on, sticking to electrics and using an acoustic simulator pedal if ever needed

Do not do this .

An acoustic simulator pedal is an aceptable solution, at best, for playing electric guitar in a band context when you want a sort-of acoustic-ish sound that won't be the main focus of the mix… that's all. I quite like them because they are less hassle than carrying an extra guitar or fitting a piezo bridge to an electric guitar - but I don't like the actual sound of them. (Although I'm not sure they sound any worse than a piezo on a solidbody, just differently bad!)

thomasross20 said:

Argh! Ignore that bollox!!!
Playing it again and sounds great.
Just wish I could sell some to free up cash and make some room.

If you're really honest with yourself you only need two electrics...

dindude

Sell one of your PRSes. I bet you spend a portion of your playing time flipping between the two of them deciding which is best but making a case for keeping both because they both have their own thing. It's so easy to fall into the trap of having same but different guitars, of course each will have its own thing, but you will spend more time bonding with one if you only own one of that type. And you won't miss the other because ultimately it's another PRS with a similar sound.

It's my philosophy anyhoo. Some people want as many guitars as possible, I can kinda understand that too.......

thomasross20

@ICBM - I'd probably sell the purple PRS if I could get decent dosh for it but we both know I'm going to take a bit hit on that! 

Same thing to @dindude. ;

New it was £3.3k but I got a discount. I think if I sold I'd be looking at £2kish - eek!

Sassafras

thomasross20 said:

@ICBM - I'd probably sell the purple PRS if I could get decent dosh for it but we both know I'm going to take a bit hit on that! 

Same thing to @dindude. ;

New it was £3.3k but I got a discount. I think if I sold I'd be looking at £2kish - eek!

2k will get you an excellent acoustic.