always one thing at the expense of another

[d03nut]

I recently switched to a bone saddle (from tusq) on my acoustic and while so far it's been almost a complete shutout in favor of nature over man-made, still the whole experience has reminded me once again that life is all about compromises. You get one thing you lose another.

 

To give you an example, the overall sound of my guitar has definitely improved with the bone in that it's now even more clear, balanced and focused.....However, when I'm in the mood for a little more bass, due to said balance, it's now a little lacking in that department.

 

Now, whether or not you agree with my bone saddle "assessment" is not the issue. What I'm trying to communicate is that the same kind of scenario repeats itself in other areas as well, say in the studio while doing a mix. You raise snares, vocals suffer. You lower the kick and......

 

Or alternatively, I get an acoustic that's great for playing live but then it doesn't sound as good on record.

 

It's just so difficult to find that perfect balance, or that ultimate compromise, or the "sweet spot" if you will.

 

Be it in dealing with the intricacies of an an acoustic guitar, or otherwise.....

[riffmeister]

need different tools for different jobs. in the music department, that's why I have several guitars, amps, mics, etc. can't do that with wives, though.....

[JasmineTea]

Try a few of THESE.

 

or

 

THESE

 

Make sure you bring your Larri with so you can A-B them side by side. You may need a new moniker afterwards..............

[JasmineTea]

Originally posted by riffmeister need different tools for different jobs. in the music department, that's why I have several guitars, amps, mics, etc. can't do that with wives, though.....

Yep. Although it's possible to find an "all-purpose" guitar...Or at least it used to be.

[carguy]

I've always thought of dreadnaught guitars as being as close to all-purpose as you can get. They do most things pretty well. If you could only have one guitar......probably best to have a dread.

[kwakatak]

I'm going through that same thing right now with two of my three cars. Both need things done to keep running/pass inspection but I only need/can afford to invest in one. Finding which one is worth it has been the problem.

 

As for guitars, I stick to 1 acoustic (for playing around the house) and 1 electric (for performing in a praise band). The acoustic has been getting a more attention but I'd love to be able to give it a companion!

 

BTW - said lone acoustic is a rosewood dread and while I've done all that I can with it (fingerstyle, flatpicking, strumming, beating on it with my hands) I hardly consider it to be an "all in one guitar". IMO actually a decent rosewood OM or mahogany mini-jumbo better fit that description.

[learn'r]

since this thread started with replacement parts ...

I have a question.

I just bought a beater (Ibanez PF5) for outdoor..... campsite etc.

It's all laminate so I go that covered ... but it's got crap for tuners and I also would like to switch it out for bone bridge and nut.

anyone out there got a dealer they think is best?

I often hear of saddles being replaced, do I benifit from the nut placemnt that much?

[JasmineTea]

The saddle is the thing that makes the most difference. I'd have a nut made to my personal specs if the one on the guitar does'nt feel right, otherwise I'd leave it.

 

saddles.com is the place for saddles on the net.

 

tuners, try LMI or...what's the other place...

 

http://www.stewmac.com/

[studyscoot]

 

Originally posted by riffmeister need different tools for different jobs. in the music department, that's why I have several guitars, amps, mics, etc. can't do that with wives, though.....

 

 

Utah

[d03nut]

U2.

 

I don't know why I said that. It just goes with UTAH.

 

Anyway, Kwak, I did read about your car troubles in your thread. Sorry. But don't even get me started on cars bro.......

 

And someone is trying to induce some GAS in me. Hmmm, I wonder who that is.......

[riffmeister]

 

Originally posted by carguy I've always thought of dreadnaught guitars as being as close to all-purpose as you can get. They do most things pretty well. If you could only have one guitar......probably best to have a dread.

 

 

That would be my default steel string acoustic, too.

 

But it certainly is nice to have a smaller bodied guitar, too, and a 12-string, and a resonator, and nylon string, and a ........

[learn'r]

 

Originally posted by JasmineTea The saddle is the thing that makes the most difference. I'd have a nut made to my personal specs if the one on the guitar does'nt feel right, otherwise I'd leave it. saddles.com is the place for saddles on the net. tuners, try LMI or...what's the other place... http://www.stewmac.com/

 

 

thanks JTea

[kwakatak]

I've already gone and put new tuners on my all-laminate Tak and I think it helped out a lot. The old kind were nickel-plated and closed but not sealed so after 30 years they were junk. I went to Elderly and bought a set of chrome Gotoh selaed tuners for $45. They're much smoother and now the guitar actually stays in tune! The only problem with them was that I had to ream out the holes another 1/16" to fit the new tuners and I botched the job a little bit and some of the rosewood faceplate chipped off.

 

I also threw out the old white plastic pegs (they turned yellow after 30 years) and put in a set of ebony with MOP dots. Any improvement in tone they may have brought is lost on me but they sure do look a helluva lot nicer.

 

I'm also considering on doing more upgrades to my guitar like adding a bone saddle, a JLD bridge doctor and possibly a pickup but I'm in no rush. As for the nut, one of these days I may have a new one put on because my open strings don't seem to ring lke they should. Fretted and capoed strings seem to have much more life to them so I'm guessing that the nut is the cuplrit.