Since we have reactivated this thread (thanks for finding it) I have added SPLnFFT to my phone and bought an external microphone..... MicW i437L with lighting plug from Sweetwater. I can check this 1/4" mic for accuracy using my field calibrators that get lab certified each year. The SPL numbers that it gets agree pretty well with my pro-grade sound meters.
The short answer is that loudness -- like beauty -- is largely in the eye of the beholder -- much like good tone. I've never seen a meter that directly displays "loudness". No doubt there will be differing reports on the perceived loudness of various models based on the player's ears, playing style and technique, the room, the time of day (ear fatigue), and other factors.
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Originally Posted by casualmusic
BTW: The guitars at jam sessions I've attended play alternating bass and treble strums on backup, and play solos with melody/countermelody or chord melody. Would separate comparisons of bass strums and treble strums provide useful info?
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Yet another complicating factor. Pure tones are easier to hear ad identify than blended strums. Our brains are pretty sophisticated analyzers - way better than any meter or box that can be bought. If I were trying to document the "levels" from a guitar, I would have the player do whatever for a solid minute - boom/chuck playing in your example -- and take the *energy* average (Leq).