Cutaway vs Noncutaway.

[keyshore]

Hi,

 

As an acoustic guitar lover i have always favoured non-cutaways, i feel that a cutaway although may be good to access the higher frets, the cutaway takes away the looks of the guitar. I am sure there are people who are on the other side of the fence.

 

Recently I have purchased Takamine EF400SC 12 string guitar, It's good in every way except that it's a cutaway. Takamine used to offer this guitar in both versions earlier but now only have the cutaway version. Other guitar companies offer the AE guitars only as cutaway. i wish companies would offer them in both versions so everyone can be happy.

 

I am now in the market for a dread by Taylor, i will probably go for the 710 or the 810 and fit LR baggs LB6 pick up instead of going for their AE cutaways.

 

Regards,

 

Keyshore

[fingertwister]

I always prefer a cutaway, but I play a lot of slide, & that extra access is a real bonus - I don't believe that tone is compromised much, if at all, & if it were it'd still be a worthwhile trade IMO..

[Cripes]

Nothing wrong with your opinion about what does or doesn't look good, or right. I have both but, quite honestly, a non-cutaway severely cramps my style. I will agree a symmetrical shape is more pleasing to the eye.

 

I have a 12 fret 000 and rarely play it for lack of a cut. It is a very nice looking guitar but for me not the most practical to have. I'm currently working up some motivation to let it go for something more conducive to the way I play.

 

There is a popular argument for staying in the so-called "cash register" defeating the notion of a cutaway. But, when a piece of music needs to be quickly walked up the register a cutaway speaks for itself. I don't subordinate playing to aesthetics.

[JDandCoke]

i think on an OM styled guitar a cutaway looks fine... taylor x14 shape...

 

on a dreadnaught they are fugly!!!

 

haha

[Terry Allan Hall]

The only cutaway acoustic I currently own is a 40's-era Harmony jazzbox that I inherited from my ex-father-in-law...I keep meaning to get a cutaway flat top, but I've been playing up the neck (even beyond the 14th fret! ) for a bunch of years w/o one...it's just whatever you get used to, I suppose.

 

As for aesthetic preferences, I like rounded cutaways...sharp ones don't look as nice, IMABO.

[Kap'n]

I think the sharp (Florentine?) cutaway looks bad on acoustics in general, but the smaller the guitar, the worse it looks.

 

A more rounder (Venetian?) cutaway looks much better, with the Selmer/Shoenberg/Bourgeois looking the best of all, if you must have one.

[nylon rock]

There is a symmetry to OM sized cutaways with a teardrop pickguard.

 

The symmetry is derived from the missing cutout surface being compensated very nicely by the pickguard complexity, which in itself is somewhat curved in a natural way: a teardrop.

[Whalebot]

The only cutaway I want is on a Strat!

[Cripes]

 

Originally posted by Whalebot The only cutaway I want is on a Strat!

 

 

That's not a cut. That's a protrusion to match the other protrusion. The Tele has the cut.

[Whalebot]

Can I put a protrusion on my OM?

[derivicus]

I'm the supperting acoustic in our acoustic act. I do all solos, etc. along with primary strumming parts. I really need the cutaway to reach where I need to go. I do, however, use my Guild D-55 frequently and it's not a cutaway.

[JohnnyX]

I'll take a cutaway anyday and the deeper the better... but then i also like thin acoustics.. like playing an electric with true acoustic sound ... if i need a heftier sound i use an eq to balance out whats lost when using slinky 10's....

 

 

The washburn so far is the best acoustic i ever owned, it didnt have a sound hole either but it was pure acoustic... but like a dummy i used it in a trade and cant remember the model or have never seen another like it... looked like a tele.

 

as in anything, its all in your application, feel, what u like in sound, so go figure huh?

[Burningleaves]

 

Originally posted by keyshore Hi, As an acoustic guitar lover i have always favoured non-cutaways, i feel that a cutaway although may be good to access the higher frets, the cutaway takes away the looks of the guitar. I am sure there are people who are on the other side of the fence. Recently I have purchased Takamine EF400SC 12 string guitar, It's good in every way except that it's a cutaway. Takamine used to offer this guitar in both versions earlier but now only have the cutaway version. Other guitar companies offer the AE guitars only as cutaway. i wish companies would offer them in both versions so everyone can be happy. I am now in the market for a dread by Taylor, i will probably go for the 710 or the 810 and fit LR baggs LB6 pick up instead of going for their AE cutaways. Regards, Keyshore

 

 

 

 

I like having the wood there instead of the cutaway. If you dont need the access then dont get one thats cut.

[min7b5]

No cut for me, I can't stand the way it looks. I play up high quite a bit, I've just gotten used to it. I practice scales on the top three strings on the highest four frets with just fingers one and two... no prob.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by Kap'n I think the sharp (Florentine?) cutaway looks bad on acoustics in general, but the smaller the guitar, the worse it looks. A more rounder (Venetian?) cutaway looks much better, with the Selmer/Shoenberg/Bourgeois looking the best of all, if you must have one.

 

Absolutely!

[Roy Brooks]

No cutaways on all my acoustics- Art & Lutherie AMI, 1929 Stromberg-Voisinet-made Oahu parlor, 1935 Supertone archtop made by Harmony, Takamine F307S, 1934 National Style O.

[guitarist21]

Originally posted by min7b5 No cut for me, I can't stand the way it looks. I play up high quite a bit, I've just gotten used to it. I practice scales on the top three strings on the highest four frets with just fingers one and two... no prob.

 

When I bought my Epi Masterbilt EF-500r, I was really concerned this was going to be a huge problem, but you learn to work around it. I like the guitar too much to ditch it just for the cutaway.

 

Ellen

[learn'r]

here there's 2 w and 2 w/o well a Strat also. Cheap stuff mostly - Alvarez at the top - a Cort and downward.

 

I've only been back into acoustics this yr. and the first four in house were cuts and electric. I sold one and gave one away. However even when working up the neck, the heel moves into play and actually 4 1/2" of the Jumbo's upper bout. Yeah, I can get the 21 frets but it certainly isn't the Fender.

 

However the most recent purchases are two that are free of cutaway and electronics. Maybe there is a purist coming out .... I am now in the quest for a classical. And should I need to amp up the Shure 57 does good enough and I still sound natural.

[Cripes]

Originally posted by learn'r And should I need to amp up the Shure 57 does good enough and I still sound natural.

 

 

The Breedlove I have came with the Baggs dual element system that realy sounds natural. But, it is NOT better than the mic.

[recordingtrack1]

I like the looks of a rounded cutaway. Didn't know it had a name. I also like the looks of a non-cutaway. Guitars are just beautiful to me, as sappy as that sounds. I guess I have no preference. I don't think they sound that much different based on the cutaway (or no). In theory I would suppose the non-cut is supposed to sound better.

 

RT1;)

[keyshore]

burningleaves,

that's the point really, whenever I like a particular model of guitar it is not always offered in both cutaway and noncutaway versions, I find this quite annoying from Guitar makers, there are a sizable number of people who do not like cutaways, so both versions should be offered.

Keyshore

[Roy Brooks]

A couple of my archtops have Florentine cutaways.

[PFB]

I totally agree, I'd go non-cutaway always. I used to play a lot of lead on acoustic. I could reach the 15th fret easily, as it was one fret into the body. How often do you go above that???