Guitar preferences for fingerpicking/ fingerstyle - Page 2

TBman · #16 09-02-2015, 12:57 PM

Boom Chuck has me thinking a mahogany / spruce dread, like my Martin D16GT, but it doesn't have a 1 3/4" nut that I think you need. I have a Larrivee OM-05 and I don't think it's what you're looking for. Its hog/spruce too, but voiced a lot different. You're going to have to shop around and see.

bmorrow · #17 09-02-2015, 01:05 PM

So after the advice I received on this thread, I was itching to play a nice guitar. So I went to guitar center and played a Taylor 812ce. Nice little guitar. Not worth 3500$ in my opinion but its retail. It's a spruce top and Indian rosewood sides. I liked it but I feel like it was lacking something. Played a 412ce. It was ok as well. Am I crazy? Or are my expectations too high?

Glennwillow · #18 09-02-2015, 01:13 PM

Hi Bmorrow,

First, welcome to the forum. And congratulations on being newly married.

On to your question -- I play with a Fred Kelly Slick Pick for a thumb pick and short fingernails for 3 fingers. I play a fair number of Tommy Emmanuel songs so I think I understand where you are coming from. And I understand your budget of $1600.

By "ddsm" I think you mean a Taylor Doyle Dykes Signature Model. You would need a used one to get in under $1600.

I have a 2002 Taylor 514CE (cedar top, mahogany back and sides) that my wife gave me, and frankly, that guitar sounds an awful lot like TE's sound. Also, my Collings OM1A does, but that guitar is much more expensive. I have seen used Taylor 514CE guitars going for about $1400 in the AGF Classifieds section.

I agree with the suggestion of your taking the 2-hour road trip to Nashville where you can experience a whole lot of good guitars. Take your wife with you so she can give you her opinion, because another set of ears from someone familiar with your style really helps, I think. Some of those shops, such as Artisan as just one example, will have used guitars for sale at fair prices.

There are a ton of options for you with $1600. You could buy any number of OM guitars as well as the various wood combinations of Taylor GA models. Any of these ought to work for you. I think if you make that trip to Nashville, you will have all kinds of options; your problem will be what to choose, I think. Most of us have found that we go out looking for one thing, but we come home with something else. It's always an adventure, this guitar search.

Best of luck!
- Glenn

bmorrow · #19 09-02-2015, 01:18 PM

Thanks for all the advice. Yes I meant Doyle Dykes Signature Model, taylor. I may decided to bite the bullet and put about 2000$ instead of 1600$. Just might set me back some but also will give me time to think on it.

zmf · #20 09-02-2015, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmorrow

So after the advice I received on this thread, I was itching to play a nice guitar. So I went to guitar center and played a Taylor 812ce.

Am I crazy? Or are my expectations too high?

Stop focusing on Taylors. Shop around.

bmorrow · #21 09-02-2015, 01:31 PM

Thats all they had that was worth playing lol.

Glennwillow · #22 09-02-2015, 01:43 PM

IMO, there's nothing wrong with Taylor guitars if you find the right one. But if TE picked up and played a Martin OM-21 or a 000-18GE or a Taylor 814CE or 614CE or 514CE, they would all sound like TE.

The reason the Nashville road trip makes sense to my way of thinking is because I think you need a whole lot of exposure to a whole lot of different guitars. It might make you decide to save more money, but you might also find something for $700 -- for example, a Guild Westerly or Guild GAD -- that might be all you need for right now. Or, you might decide to save up for a Santa Cruz FS.

- Glenn

zmf · #23 09-02-2015, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

IMO, there's nothing wrong with Taylor guitars if you find the right one.

Right. I should have said "Stop focusing ONLY on Taylors".

sfden1 · #24 09-02-2015, 02:35 PM

If your thinking about a road trip, I highly recommend you check out Artisan Guitars in Franklin Tn. Very knowledgeable folks, wide range of guitars available, both new and used, and some of the nicest folks you will ever meet.

https://artisanguitars.com/

Carruth · #25 09-02-2015, 02:53 PM

Try a Larrivee. My Larrivee 000 is wonderful for fingerpicking. Tommy Emmanual may play Matons on stage, but he loves his Larrivee guitar.

Johan Madsen · #26 09-02-2015, 02:58 PM

As said before, fingertstyle players usually love balanced guitars, 00, 000 or OM. The choice of the wood is also important, some prefer sitka top, other cedar etc... The back and sides is an important part of the sound, mahogany will give you a dry, woody sound, maple can be a good choice if you play without thumbpick, as it will give you much clarity, others will prefer rosewood, though I wouldn't choose it for alternate bass kind of fingerstyle, as the mids will tend to be more or less scooped. The melody part has to "sing" and need some presence in the mids and high frequencies. Other tonewood as walnut or myrt may be cool, haven't much eperience with the other tonewoods as cocobolo, koa, blackwood and so on.

View From Afar · #27 09-02-2015, 08:45 PM

I like to play a similar style by the sound of it. Size wise, something around a small Jumbo would be good. Main thing for me is having a wider string separation at the nut and bridge. Also, do not get a short-scale length guitar as the strings will have a lot less tension if you tune down (a la Andy McKee).

I've not tried them yet but a number of people have recommended Seagull as an awesome sounding guitar for their affordable price. They have wider string spacing too. I'd be interested to hear what you think if you try one out.

TBman · #28 09-02-2015, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmorrow

So after the advice I received on this thread, I was itching to play a nice guitar. So I went to guitar center and played a Taylor 812ce. Nice little guitar. Not worth 3500$ in my opinion but its retail. It's a spruce top and Indian rosewood sides. I liked it but I feel like it was lacking something. Played a 412ce. It was ok as well. Am I crazy? Or are my expectations too high?

Try an all hog guitar then - Martin 000-15m

Glennwillow · #29 09-04-2015, 01:07 PM

I noticed that there is a Taylor DDSM in the AGF Classifieds: here

- Glenn

BillyHank · #30 09-04-2015, 02:30 PM

Bmorrow,

I have been nothing but a finger picker over 45 years, but mostly nylon until last several years. After many visits to this forum, I decided on a new 2014 Martin D-18. Beautiful guitar, great sounding and easy finger picker, but it is just too large for me and I am uncomfortable with holding it. So I got a new Taylor 812 12-fret and I am well pleased with this guitar in all respects. The Taylor for me sounds every bit as good as the D-18 and is just more comfortable to hold. I plan to part with the D-18.