Any thoughts on a Bourgeois Vintage D? Looking for a bassy dread

[pandaroo]

I am looking for a more bass dominant sounding Dread than my Collings D2H. I have never played a Bourgeois but do you think this fits the bill, I won't be able to try it first as its too far from me.

[Long Jon]

Got something against "The Real Thing" ?

Martin Authentic.

[pandaroo]

Originally Posted by Long Jon

Got something against "The Real Thing" ?

Martin Authentic.

I can't reach that far as far as $$$ is concerned. Nevertheless i heard the authentics are a more balanced guitar as oppose to a bass dominant like say the HD28V

[Long Jon]

Ah, my mistake, I thought the Bourgeois, Collings and such cost more than the Martin.

OK, then HD28V s are good n bassy , shame you're in the back o beyond ,
I happen to have a stonkin' thumper of a HD28V that I want to sell.
(Only cuz I've also got another terrific Martin D which has a wider nut and Adi/Madrose )

[dankayaker]

Martin HD28V

[stringjunky]

A Martin D35

[darfaz]

I own an HD-28v. A Bourgeois Vintage D is the best sounding guitar I've ever played. Just my 2 centavos.

[llew]

HD-28V or D-28 Marquis. Both can be had new from Jon @ MFG...the HD-28V in a custom with wider string spacing and Adirondack top!

[robey]

Originally Posted by pandaroo

I am looking for a more bass dominant sounding Dread than my Collings D2H. I have never played a Bourgeois but do you think this fits the bill, I won't be able to try it first as its too far from me.

Never played a Collins, but had a Bourgeois Vintage D for a few years as a back up guitar on stage to my D35. It's bottom was punchier and more focused then the D35 for sure and, I thought, everything that I wanted in my true (but unaffordable) desire - a 60's D28. I sold it when I stopped touring. Would have loved to have kept it, but my D35 has been beat to hell and there's just no resale value in it and I had no need for both anymore. Plus every scar on that ol' D35 is a memory of something tragic, epic or, in at least one case, insane.

[tomiv9]

I've played a few bourgeois Ds. They have plenty of bass, and a great dread sound, but i wouldnt really say its bass dominant. More balanced tone. Bourgeois only scallops one side of the braces on his dreads, so they have a more balanced OM like tone, as Dana describes it. For a real bass heavy dread you may want to try some martins, as mentioned, or maybe a santa cruz PW

[aw meyer]

I have owned a Bourgeois Vintage D for several years. It is by far the best dread that I've ever played. The bass is strong and articulate, not boomy.

[zmf]

Originally Posted by tomiv9

I've played a few bourgeois Ds. They have plenty of bass, and a great dread sound, but i wouldnt really say its bass dominant. More balanced tone.

+1. I'd say my Signature D is powerful across the strings. Plenty of bass, but not bass dominant. It's a dread that lacks, or has a reduced, mid-range scoop.

The suggestion to try some Santa Cruz dreads for a great bass is a good one. Otherwise, one of the more lightly braced Martins, as already suggested.

[posternutbag]

OK, I guess I should weigh in, I have owned four Martin dreads and traded an HD28 for my Bourgeois Aged Tone Vintage D. The Vintage D is a flatpicking machine. It has plenty of bass, but I wouldn't call it bass heavy. In fact, I would say the exact opposite. To me, the problem with the HD28 was the scooped tone, lots of bass, nice shimmering trebles, but not much in the middle. I have had 2 D18s, neither had the bsss response of the HD28, but they had more midrange punch. The Bourgeois is the answer to my dilemma. More than enough bass for bluegrass rhythm, but tons of midrange punch for breaks.

If you just want the bassiest dread you can find, an HD28v is probably the correct answer. But there is a point where bassy becomes boomy, and to me, most 12 fret Spruce/rosewood dreads step over that line.

[drbluegrass]

D-35. It gets the grand prize for bass.

[lt20dbl]

Now discontinued, D-28S.