Best guitar for fingerstyle?

cruz610 · #1 02-14-2006, 08:29 PM

What maker and series would you recommend for fingerstyle players? I am moving more and more into this department and my Taylor action is a little high for my taste.

JedimasterPaul · #2 02-14-2006, 08:33 PM

I sincerely hope that the guitar I'm getting built is the best for fingerstyle (for me)

To answer your question, I have owned 3 Taylors, all the x14 bodystyle. I thought they were all good for fingerstyle. The action on the ones I had was great right out of the box, and I never had it adjusted.

If you like your Taylor otherwise, you may want to take it in and let a guitar tech adjust the action a tad lower for you.

BLenmark · #3 02-14-2006, 08:41 PM

My 414 CE has been great for fingerstyle. I haven't fooled around with the neck, but did shave the saddle down a couple thousandths. I prefer the action as low as it will go without buzzing on a medium strum (I expect it to buzz on a bluegrass rhythm strum). I use a Gibson Jumbo for a hard strum, and a Martin Dread for everything in between. Were I to only have one guitar for the rest of my life, it wold probably be a Martin Dreadnought (perhaps a D-28)...a great workhorse.

my $0.02

Bret

djeffcoat · #4 02-14-2006, 08:52 PM

I would say that the OM body size or 000s size guitars are ideal for fingerstyle. The OMs usually have a longer scale than the 000. Most of these have a 1 3/4" nut width. I am partial to Collings OMs, in particular an OM3G, but Martin, Santa Cruz, Larrivee, Taylor and lots of independent luthiers make these size guitars. I believe they are better balanced than dreadnoughts.

DJ

woodenkings · #5 02-14-2006, 09:01 PM

cruz610 - how's it goin' - to me a classical guitar does not have a pickguard but thats my thinkin'. i placed my list for classical guitars below - you may want to check out these comany sites. although they may not be available in your area the sites will give you some ideas of what your looking for. to tell you or give you my opinion of what is a good classical guitar - i could not.
alot of people play fingerstyle with a regular guitar with a pickguard which suites them just find. you have to get out their with your budget in mind and see what you like [pickguard or not]. company's from the country of Spain etc. have alot of great classic guitars. good luck.....

hillguitar.com
klepperguitars.com
galloupguitars.com
gimmusic.com
tboneguitar.com
alhambra.com
charisacoustic.com
goodallguitars.com
anaholastringedinstruments.com
copleyinstruments.com
tacomaguitars.com
desmondguitars.com
sagamusic.com
hussanddalton.com
petrosguitars.com
pantheonguitars.com
doolinguitars.com
parkerguitars.com [artist model PBE]
babiczguitars.com
-end----------------------

astrummer · #6 02-14-2006, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodenkings

' - to me a classical guitar does not have a pickguard but thats my thinkin'.

For the most part probably no pickguard, but the flamenco subset of classical guitars will have a golpeadores (tap plate ) which is the equivalent of a pickguard.

Nelson · #7 02-14-2006, 10:33 PM

I use my 414rce and 514ce for fingerstyle. Both are excellent but the 514ce is the real fingerstyle champ for me. Action, playability and intonation are fanatastic. I'm fixin' to put in an order for a FWI saddle and an West African Hard Ivory nut from Bob Colossi. Bob recxommends these for the 514ce's. He told me that those and a set of Elephant Ivory bridge pins turn the 514 into a fingerstyle monster. So here I go, as the money is there, I'm going to go with his recommendation.

jhchang · #8 02-15-2006, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruz610

What maker and series would you recommend for fingerstyle players? I am moving more and more into this department and my Taylor action is a little high for my taste.

If you think the action is high then just change it. Do you sell your house because carpet is dirty?

ljguitar · #9 02-15-2006, 01:40 AM

Hi Cruz610...
My take on fingerstyle is highly colored from owning a great Olson Dreadnaught Rosewood/Cedar guitar for the past 13 years. It is the best fingerstyle guitar I've played.

I also own a great Bashkin OM - fanned fret Myrtlewood/Italian Spruce a little over a year old which is catching up quickly to the Olson. Actually, it serves me best because of the fanned fret with low pitched open tunings.

I think a great fingerstyle guitar must:
1 - Have low action
2 - Be highly resonant
3 - Sustain forever
4 - Give good feedback to the player
5 - Have great balance tonally

This is not dependent on size or wood makeup.

Bm7b5 · #10 02-15-2006, 02:27 AM

Ditto the 514.

Love mine and it is a fingerstyle dream for a steel string. Mahogany/Cedar is soo lush.

That being said, I recently bought an NS32ce and haven't played my 514 in quite some time. For fingerstyle, this is an absolute joy to play. Although I would go 34 were I to do it again, as I am big and the 32 is small.

But the nylon strings on the Taylor neck at 1 7/8 has opened me up to all kinds of new ideas and sounds.

Would highly recommend for someone gravitating towards more finger style playing.

LOTF · #11 02-15-2006, 02:30 AM

I don't play much fingerstyle but my 712ce is the only guitar I've ever sounded half-good trying to play it on. From what I've seen and heard, the Taylor x12s or their equivalents, OOs, are about the best fingerstyle instruments. Go for an Engelmann or cedar top.

Joost Assink · #12 02-15-2006, 05:34 AM

That's easy for me: this is Ryan territory. Kevin Ryan has specialized in fingerstyle guitars and it's the reason I started looking at his guitars in the first place. I think they are the best out there for fingerstyle players.

Just watch and listen to these quick and dirty recordings I did of my Ryan Cathedral. They're videos and they're about 19 Mbs each:

www.familieassink.com/documents/saltwater.wmv
www.familieassink.com/documents/test3.wmv

Here are some wavs. They're big!
Stay Close to Me.wav
michelle.wav

Here's a list of fingerstyle players who play Ryan guitars. That says something:
Laurence Juber
Al Petteway
Muriel Anderson
Pierre Bensusan
Jackson Browne
Michael Chapdelaine
Pat Donohue
Peter Finger
Janis Ian
Amy White
etc...

RedRoom · #13 02-15-2006, 09:11 AM

I really like my Taylor 410 for finger picking. Very balanced and pretty sounding. When I say balanced, I mean that there is no one string that booms over the rest anywhere up the board. It is a slightly understated sound...not that bell like "Taylor" ring. I would guess that the 414s are even better sounding...I just don't personally care for the size.

sdelsolray · #14 02-15-2006, 09:43 AM

I've spent years looking for fingerstyle guitars that I like the most. The ones I have now I guess are keepers, although who knows, that could change. One thing for sure - what I consider "best" for me will likely be different than what is "best" for you.

waynep · #15 02-15-2006, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedRoom

I really like my Taylor 410 for finger picking. Very balanced and pretty sounding. When I say balanced, I mean that there is no one string that booms over the rest anywhere up the board. It is a slightly understated sound...not that bell like "Taylor" ring. I would guess that the 414s are even better sounding...I just don't personally care for the size.

I also use my 410 for fingerstyle. Mine is the 410R version. I had the action lowered a touch and went to light-med strings. Sounds great! . . . when someone else plays it

wayne