Dreadnoughts and fingerpicking

[Shades of Blue]

Best fingerpicking guitar I've ever owned is my 814ce. Don't care much for the strummed sound, but my goodness it is just sparkly and present when fingerpicked. I also am liking my D18 fingerpicked, although the mediums are killing my fingers. I'm gonna have to go back to lights.

[Wolfram]

I started with dreads (my first acoustic was a Martin DX1R and I've also owned an HD-28 and a D-16GT) and at that time played exclusively fingerstyle. I now have OM and 16" small jumbo sizes and still play >95% fingerstyle.

And my next guitar will be a dreadnought!

I play with relatively short (but very carefully shaped and finished!) nails, and love the enveloping bass and response of a good dreadnought. I found my HD-28 felt best with medium gauge strings (D'Addario PBs) while my D-16GT could go medium or light. I also don't like too low a setup on any guitar - I like to be able to dig in without any fret buzz.

Worth mentioning that when I do flatpick, it's almost invariably on my smallest guitar - so play how you like on whatever you like!

Cheers,
David

[Earl49]

I learned to fingerpick on a D-28 (first a clone then the real thing) with a 1-11/16" nut width. But I eventually grew to prefer 1-3/4" nut widths and the 000 / OM / GA body size for finger style. Lately I have developed a preference for shorter scales too, with 24-3/4" being a sweet spot between easy playing reach and maintaining string tension.

These kinds of preferences are an individual thing, so YMMV.

[MrErikJ]

Originally Posted by Earl49

I learned to fingerpick on a D-28 (first a clone then the real thing) with a 1-11/16" nut width. But I eventually grew to prefer 1-3/4" nut widths and the 000 / OM / GA body size for finger style. Lately I have developed a preference for shorter scales too, with 24-3/4" being a sweet spot between easy playing reach and maintaining string tension.

These kinds of preferences are an individual thing, so YMMV.

I think the dread is where most of us start and I think it is still the most versatile model for the singer-songwriter. I also grew up w/1 11/16" nut width dreads but now prefer a 1 3/4" nut and probably prefer cedar to spruce. I've also rather liked shorter scales as they seem to respond a little more easily than 25.5" but a good long-scale can sound so rich. I think my next guitar will be a Furch GA in cedar/rosewood but it might be a short-scale OM in spruce/rosewood. We'll see.

[la palma C]

Back when my only guitar was a dread, fingerpicking was my main style of play (as it is now). Now that I have the luxury of having a couple smaller guitars around too, I prefer to play on those, though I'm right at home on any of my guitars.

I've personally never experienced the supposed benefits of a wider nut / string spacing when it comes to my fingerstyle play, but my fingertips are not especially wide, nor are my hands particularly large.

[MrErikJ]

Originally Posted by la palma C

Back when my only guitar was a dread, fingerpicking was my main style of play (as it is now). Now that I have the luxury of having a couple smaller guitars around too, I prefer to play on those, though I'm right at home on any of my guitars.

I've personally never experienced the supposed benefits of a wider nut / string spacing when it comes to my fingerstyle play, but my fingertips are not especially wide, nor are my hands particularly large.

I don't have particularly large hands either but I find a little room at the nut allows me more dexterity in left-hand licks when playing certain chords. Like, James Taylor licks on an A-major chord are easier on a nut that's even just slightly wider.

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by Tico

I've been playing all styles on my dread for 50+ years.
I don't understand when I read other body sizes are better for fingerpicking.
I can understand personal preference for a different size for physical reasons, but soundwise? Hmmmm.

The laws of physics hold, all other things being equal a larger body will have more volume, projection and bass.
I want those qualities available to me regardless of what style of music I'm playing.

Too much bass you say? Not so, in the hands of a skilled player.
If the bass did sound overpowering I'd just change where I pluck/strum the bass strings and how hard.

Ferraris can go 15 MPH too.

Well put Tico!

Frankly, until very recent years I didn't even realize there were different guitar shapes and builds for different acoustic styles. I played everything on my dread, in total ignorant bliss. Now I'm aware, but it's not so important to me.

As far as nut width goes... I'm just as happy with a 1 11/16ths nut on my Martin with soft V neck as I am on my Taylors with the 1 3/4" necks; maybe happier as I don't have to stretch as much some times. Everybody is different, I guess.

[Everton FC]

I've always wanted to "succeed" using thumb and fingerpicks. Alas...

I carry on with flesh. My nails are no helps, as they break easily. Wish I could feel more comfortable w/thumb & finger picks...

[Wasper]

My dread is all-solid spruce/mahogany. Strings are Newtone Heritage 11's. Bare flesh of finger tips. Makes me smile

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by Everton FC

I've always wanted to "succeed" using thumb and fingerpicks. Alas...

I carry on with flesh. My nails are no helps, as they break easily. Wish I could feel more comfortable w/thumb & finger picks...

You are not alone. A thumbpick feels like a shovel taped to my hand. And I tried butterfly picks on my fingers, no good there, either.

[noledog]

I enjoy a flesh approach finger style on my D18 very much...I use good ol' Martin M540 phosphor bronze 12-54, they work nicely with M80 too.
Here's an original f/s on ye ol D18:

[oldgeezer]

I've seriously tried to fingerpick with thumb and finger picks. Especially since I started playing my 12 string more, and the strings (courses of strings) are closer together, and it was difficult at first to "pick them out" individually. I even tried to grow out my nails, and go artificial.
But alas, old habits die hard. I have finger picked with the flesh of my thumb and fingers for 25-30 years, and cannot break free of it, So I persevered and learned where my fingers go on the 12 as well.

[Steel and wood]

Martin Dreadnought being the only acoustic I own. (I use a Metal Dunlop thumb pick plus metal fingerpicks on my index and middle finger).

[Deadduck]

I'm not an expert finger picker by any means, but I do finger pick as an accompaniment for singing on certain songs. I play bare finger. Live I play either a J-45 with light strings or a D-28 with mediums, always plugged in. Actions are medium low. In other words, I use the same guitar in any given set whether strumming or finger style. My soundman will turn the guitar up a tad when I'm playing finger style, since it's not as loud as hard strumming.

[DukeX]

I finger pick all my guitars, even the electrics.

Dreads are fine, just different...even among themselves. Sometimes, depending on the style I am playing, I prefer them to smaller bodies. Sometimes I don't.