[tcliff]

In your opinion, what makes the best combination of materials (top, back & sides), and guitar type (folk, orchestra, etc.) for fingerstyle playing on an acoustic steel string and/or classical guitar?

Please give details on how you came to this conclusion in your post.

[justpickin]

Well I just picked up an acoustic specifically to use for fingerstyle, it's an Epiphone Masterbuilt, it's a dreadnaught in body style (size), the sides, back and neck are mahogany, the top is solid sitka spruce......the important thing is the nut width is 1.75 inches, the guitar is just plain made for fingerpicking.....and it looks sweet to boot!

[tcliff]

Thanks for the input justpickin. There are so many choices out there today in relatively low priced instruments, I was wondering what other people thought was important in selecting a guitar for mainly fingerstyle.
This thread started out with my wondering if a cedar or spruce top produced the best results with fingerstyle...such as clearity of tone, etc, when using the softer touch of this style of playing (verses a pick). Then I decided, with so many different designs of guitars to choose from, I would include the design of the guitar as well as the choice of the side and back material in the poll.

Thanks again for responding,

Tom C

[allthumbs]

I just got this. Too much feedback at loud volume for giging. For that you need to move up to an E18. The plywood top cuts down on the feedback problrm at volume.
http://www.washburn.com/products/acoustics/folk/

[tcliff]

Another question......do you think the cutaway found on most acoustic/electrics detracts from it's sound, tone, or volume when unplugged? Or is it's affect negligible?

Thanks in advance,

Tom C

[gogunks]

Originally Posted by tcliff

Another question......do you think the cutaway found on most acoustic/electrics detracts from it's sound, tone, or volume when unplugged? Or is it's affect negligible?

Thanks in advance,

Tom C

Tom,

I have the Larrivee, LV03E. http://www.larrivee.com/data/product...03E/LV-03e.htm I love the sound. The mahogany is bright, yet warm and deep. The cutaway doesn't seem to affect the depth of sound in any way. To me, it feels right at home picking or fingerstyle. (I'm use a pick a lot more though) I wish I would have went with the outboard pre-amp setup.

I've played, (upside down because I'm lefty) the Taylor 514c. The cedar top is beatiful in sound and appearance. The expression system is awsome. It really does create the sound from the wood through the amp, not just the string.

Check out Takamine's cool tube pre-amp played by JOHN JORGENSON, listed as "Part 4Demo" http://www.takamine.com/?fa=cooldemo

Perry

[6string]

the best back and side wood is apparently brazilian rosewood




http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/...ood/index.html



http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars...WoodTypes.aspx

up until 1969 all Martins were made of Brazilian rosewood