Members HeyDay Posted February 17, 2005 Members Posted February 17, 2005 i know it may seem like im on the wrong side of the fence here but i am primarily an acoustic player. finger pickin and pic at times, good deal of percusion in both. i am trying to find an electric guitar that feels like and acoustic, neck and string wise, and versatile enough to get some great sounds out of like an acoustic. the only one i have thought of yet is a rick turner Model-1 but cannot find one used anywhere. so i wanted to know what some of you all use when you plug in.
Members EvilTwin Posted February 17, 2005 Members Posted February 17, 2005 Well, just about any electric can feel more acoustic-like if you throw on some heavier strings. Put some .11's or .12's on any electric, and you'll feel more at home. As for diversity, it depends on how you approach the instrument. Danny Gatton could get all the sounds he needed to out of a Telecaster. Some people like a three-voice (piezo, electric, synth) system for a load of options. If you're a straight acoustic player, I'd get a simple electric. Your personal touch still makes the biggest difference. I have a Godin LG that only has two P-90 pickups, a selector switch, and a volume and tone. Plenty of variety for me. I think a Tele is a good place to start, but that's just me. Find an electric that you like the neck feel of and stick with that. Just put on some heavier strings so you have an easier transitional period. I used to play .09's on electrics, but since I started playing acoustics with .12's, I have to have at least .10's on my electrics.
Members Singin' Dave Posted February 17, 2005 Members Posted February 17, 2005 I've found the neck on my SG classic to be almost exactly the same profile as my Martin 000C-16rgte....pretty wide for an electric. The advice to put .11s or .12s is spot on too
Members telenate Posted February 17, 2005 Members Posted February 17, 2005 A good basic Telecaster works for me and complements my acoustic. My basic 50's-style Japan-made Telecaster has the same width at nut (it's close) as my acoustic (Gibson WM-45); it sustains big-time for a more acoustic feel IMO. I'd try out a bunch of types and brands before deciding, if possible; but a good Telecaster, especially one that sounds great unplugged, I recommend fully.
Members JasmineTea Posted February 17, 2005 Members Posted February 17, 2005 I play a lot of both. Acoustic 12-54, electric 9 1/2-46. To me they are two completely different worlds, even though when playing electric I use a tele and a tube-amp, no effects. So I approach each accordingly.
Members JasmineTea Posted February 17, 2005 Members Posted February 17, 2005 Mark Knofler is finger-style, he plays a strat.
Members lkbong Posted February 17, 2005 Members Posted February 17, 2005 I like a tele or strat. A little different feel than acoustic, but you get used to the difference easily in time.
Members rh2d Posted February 18, 2005 Members Posted February 18, 2005 I play both too and though I'd rather be on an acoustic I do enjoy my Telecaster. Electrics are just like acoustics; a lot of your choice is just going to depend on your taste. The Teles and Strats no matter which model you buy will give you a lot for your money.
Members Preacher Will Posted February 18, 2005 Members Posted February 18, 2005 If you want an electric that feels and plays like an acoustic I would recommend a big jazz box. My preference is for a Guild 6120. Great guitar, wonderful feel, awesome sounds, tremendously versatile and out of my price range. A 6120 is my current guitar goal. Something a little more approachable, price wise, would be a one of the Ibanez Art Cores or an Epiphone Sheraton--something like the Joe Pass. They don't have the build quality of the Gretsch but with a little judicious swapping of the tuners and PUPs and bridge you could come up with a pretty good imitation.
Members JasmineTea Posted February 18, 2005 Members Posted February 18, 2005 Originally posted by HeyDay hate to bump How about another shot of that git?
Members kwakatak Posted February 18, 2005 Members Posted February 18, 2005 I second a Strat with a rosewood fretboard and 12-53 guage strings all the way!
Members Scodiddly Posted February 18, 2005 Members Posted February 18, 2005 I play a Strat and a Taylor, and somehow both have evolved a common style for me. But I haven't quite figured out how to hook my right-hand fingers under the Taylor's bridge to get tremolo yet. I myself wouldn't recommend a "big jazz box". It's still mostly acoustic, and I've never really liked the sort of dead tone I hear from archtops. That sound right there forces a much different chord style onto most people. A single-coil pickup guitar like a Strat or a Tele tends to have the same overall tonal balance as an acoustic, especially when using the neck pickup. For a long time I rarely played acoustic, since I got a nice full sound from my electric (originally a Teisco strat copy!) but also longer sustain and other things. Somehow in the last couple years I really started liking acoustic, though (I've got one on my lap as I type this!).
Members Preacher Will Posted February 18, 2005 Members Posted February 18, 2005 Originally posted by Scodiddly I myself wouldn't recommend a "big jazz box". It's still mostly acoustic, and I've never really liked the sort of dead tone I hear from archtops.Scodiddly,Sorry, man, but I just don't agree. What archtops have you been playing that sound dead? I can't imagine the adjective "dead" being applied to a Gretsch 6120 or any of the Gibson ES series. A single-coil pickup guitar like a Strat or a Tele tends to have the same overall tonal balance as an acoustic, especially when using the neck pickup.Again, a Tele that's "tonally balanced?" Currently, my main electric is a Tele since I unloaded my archtop a couple of years ago to come up with the scratch for a Taylor. I like the sounds that you can get out of it, but I would never compare the "tonal balance" of single coils with that of an acoustic--even played on the neck pickup. Single coils are far brighter, far more cutting, and way less warm than any acoustic I've played. The very lack of balance in single coils leads most players to heavily tailor the sound with an eq to compensate. Now, I've played some nicely balanced humbuckers and when mounted on a quality archtop they do have the balance and the warmth of an acoustic.
Members braif Posted February 18, 2005 Members Posted February 18, 2005 I've never tried a Wendler, but I sure would love to! The prices are very reasonable considering they are hand crafted!
Members JasmineTea Posted February 18, 2005 Members Posted February 18, 2005 Here's my take on the single-coil thing; With a live band, a tele or strat through a relatively clean amp, with the guitar's vol backed doun to about 1/2, will do the job (usualy better)of an acoustic in the mix.
Members Scodiddly Posted February 18, 2005 Members Posted February 18, 2005 I dunno what it is about archtops for me... but sort of like Les Paul type guitars, they've always been muddy and you can't do much with interesting chords. But then I'm a Taylor fan, so maybe that's why I like Strats and Teles. Certainly I can remember a time when I started using heavier picks because they brought more bass out of a guitar, and as a bass player I wanted a good solid bottom in my tone.
Members JasmineTea Posted February 19, 2005 Members Posted February 19, 2005 Originally posted by HeyDay i know it may seem like im on the wrong side of the fence here but i am primarily an acoustic player. finger pickin and pic at times, good deal of percusion in both. i am trying to find an electric guitar that feels like and acoustic, neck and string wise, and versatile enough to get some great sounds out of like an acoustic. the only one i have thought of yet is a rick turner Model-1 but cannot find one used anywhere. so i wanted to know what some of you all use when you plug in. Buy an acouctic mic/pup and a sound-hole cover. Feels, sounds (a lot) like an acoustic.
Members JasmineTea Posted February 19, 2005 Members Posted February 19, 2005 Heyday, could you post another pic of that guitar?
Members Stringman Posted February 20, 2005 Members Posted February 20, 2005 If you primarily play finger style, why not get an electric that's SPECIFICALLY made for playing that style. The Gretsch Country Gentleman (now called the Country Classic) was designed by Chet Atkins and Duke Kramer as a guitar suitable for finger picking. Recently Gretch came out with a newer version with real F holes, and the neck heel at the 18th fret instead of the 14thm and I'd get one of those. If money is a problem, there is a Korean knock off called Peerless. I don't know how good they are, but given the overall quality of the new Korean guitars, they're probably OK.
Members HeyDay Posted February 21, 2005 Author Members Posted February 21, 2005 sorry, havent been back in a while, it is a rick turner model one. amazing guitar check out his site http://www.renaissanceguitars.com/
Members dave251 Posted February 21, 2005 Members Posted February 21, 2005 Just for fun, here's a (very) rough recording on a "three" pup electroCoustic. Starting with some "acoustic" tone, then a bit of crunch, then a bit more. First setting is the "electroCoustic", ie, the bridge piezo + neck humbucker...about 50/50 piezo vs. mag. Second is both electric pups in parallel, third is lead pup by itself. All three were recorded thru a Fender Pro Jr(passively, direct into the amp then LD condenser mic) , then straight to my DAW. The volume/tone controls on the amp were unchanged; in fact the only changes from track to track were the levels on the mixer....efx and eq were unchanged; no compression was used. Anyway it is what it is....thanks for listening."3" pickup electroCoustic
Members Preacher Will Posted February 21, 2005 Members Posted February 21, 2005 Originally posted by Stringman If you primarily play finger style, why not get an electric that's SPECIFICALLY made for playing that style. The Gretsch Country Gentleman (now called the Country Classic) was designed by Chet Atkins and Duke Kramer as a guitar suitable for finger picking. Recently Gretch came out with a newer version with real F holes, and the neck heel at the 18th fret instead of the 14thm and I'd get one of those.If money is a problem, there is a Korean knock off called Peerless. I don't know how good they are, but given the overall quality of the new Korean guitars, they're probably OK. I'll give you "+1" on the Country Gent!! However, the Gent has what I see as two downsides: 1) The price. I was looking at a new Gent last week at GC which was sitting, if I remember correctly, at almost $3k. That's a little steep for me. 2) The other thing that I don't like in a Gent is the complexity of the wiring layout. There are five pots and three 3-way switches on the thing.. There are almost too many ways to tweak the sound. I spent more time looking for settings than I did playing! I have been looking around for an acceptable lower-cost alternative to a Gent or a 6120. I've never heard of Peerless but will be on the lookout for one to see if it meets my bill. Thanks for the tip.
Members Stringman Posted February 21, 2005 Members Posted February 21, 2005 Originally posted by Preacher Will I have been looking around for an acceptable lower-cost alternative to a Gent or a 6120. I've never heard of Peerless but will be on the lookout for one to see if it meets my bill. Thanks for the tip. www.peerlessguitar.com
Members tamolina Posted February 22, 2005 Members Posted February 22, 2005 I am not sure why you would want an electric to emulate an acoustic, or vice versa. They are different animals with different sounds. I currently have .12's on my acoustic, .09's on my electric (a Fender Stratocaster) and don't experience much difficulty going from one to the other. Admittedly, that may be because I suck with both of them. The neck and the action are different on each, but I think after a little while your mindset and muscle memory just kick in when you pick up either guitar. And I would get that Gretsch in a heartbeat if I had the bucks...very nice guitar!
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