Poppy, Sound IS the thing

[Neal]

But it better have good playability as well, so I've attached a video

for your listening pleasure. I am assured that the playability of this guitar

is excellent, and the sound is as well, at least inmo. Please feel free to discuss

the sound or the look of this wonderful example of an acoustic guitar.

[video=youtube_share;qknpKbq0ELI]

[poppytater]

Mighty fine! Sounds like the 30s,looks like both player and git been around a while.

[Freeman Keller]

Neal, that actually is an interesting statement. I do agree that sound IS the thing, but what sound? Is it Paul Geremia playing that big old Stella, or Django playing his Selmer? Is it a Lester Flatt G run on a prewar D-18 or Eric Skye playing a diminished jazz chord on his Santa Cruz? Jerry Douglas's dobro or Ben Harper's Weissenborn?

 

To my old ears they all sound wonderful, but very different. So, what is THE sound?

[Neal]

Hey Keller, it IS an interesting statement thankyouverymuch. One I attempted to answer in Poppy's original:

"I like a sexy guitar as well. Some like 'em fat, some like 'em slim, some like 'em old, young, some like scars. Some like a high voice, low voice, scratchy voice. They all sexy to someone.

 

And we can all agree they better feel good in your arms"

 

In other words, and I know you'll agree, there is no universal "the" sound. Only sound.

 

One may argue an old ladder brace birch guitar is best for old blues, or the Stella/Schmidt 12 string has "the" sound, but anyone who thinks they know the universal truth, doesn't.

[Neal]

And they have!

[poppytater]

Lemme break it down without gettin' too scientific,, SOUND is the wave thingy that enters the soundholes on the side of yer head, goes into yer thinkin' cabbage and makes you FEEL...... sad or happy or sappy or makes you wanna get the FUNK UP AND DANCE!

[Neal]

Here, lemme help you with that "em-bed", and yeah, pretty much.

[video=youtube_share;3hdz8z5deQU]

[jamesp]

So' date=' what is THE sound? [/quote']

 

Good question! In the first thread I was thinking that for most musical styles intonation would trump tone-quality. But as Neal's example shows, not all styles need to be perfectly in tune.

 

For any guitar I'd be interested in though, intonation would be more key than tone or action.

 

[garthman]

James! Great to see you back. How are you?

[Phil O'Keefe]

Neal, that actually is an interesting statement. I do agree that sound IS the thing, but what sound? Is it Paul Geremia playing that big old Stella, or Django playing his Selmer? Is it a Lester Flatt G run on a prewar D-18 or Eric Skye playing a diminished jazz chord on his Santa Cruz? Jerry Douglas's dobro or Ben Harper's Weissenborn?

 

To my old ears they all sound wonderful, but very different. So, what is THE sound?

 

There is no one, single "Sound" - there are many cool, useful and musically viable sounds. At least IMHO.

[bigald18]

Great sounding guitar is whatever sounds great

to YOU!

[jamesp]

I'm doing well, thanks Gareth. We're having an unusually snowy year and I"m loving it. Still need to play more! I'm eyeing an interesting Sobell OM at the local gear shoppe. Played it a good hour last week. It's a lovely, big-sounding handful of an instrument that's clouding my better judgment.