What’s your favorite guitar for finger picking and why?

[Methos1979]

I play fingerstyle approximately 50% of the time since 50% of my material calls for it while the rest calls for strumming with a pick. As such, I play whatever guitar is in my hands both strumming and fingerstyle. I only have three which breakdown as follows:

The Cole Clark Angel 2 is my primary gigging guitar which these days doesn't get much use since the only gigging we do is live streaming on the AGF Open Mic and the occasional acoustic duo Facebook show which is done acoustically via an ETL Edwina mic. But for amplified playing the Angel can't be beat due to it's onboard EQ and gain plus three-way pickup system blend control at your fingertips. With a few quick tweaks I can go from an excellent strumming sound to an excellent fingerstyle sound.

The Martin D-1 all-mahogany custom is probably my favorite guitar. I love the huge tone of the 12-fret dread body but it does sound better played with a pick than fingerstyle since I play with no nails due to the over-the-top warm, dry and woody tone of an all-mahogany guitar. Amplified it sounds pretty good with its K&K Double Helix Solo pickup system which has a tone switch that allows for really good sound picked or fingerstyle with flip of the switch. But not nearly as good as the Cole Clark guitars.

Last but not least is probably my Froggy Bottom H12 Deluxe. On paper this would be the best guitar sound wise for fingerstyle due to it's super light and resonant build plus the lush overtones of the rosewood back and sides. I say on paper only because it's not even a week old and I've only just begun to play it. But I bought it primarily for fingerstyle so I'm sure it will likely become my favorite once I acclimate to the slightly smaller 2 3/16" bridge string spacing which I do notice. If it was the 2 5/16" I was told it was then it would be much better.

[Cincy2]

Jang OM in Spruce / Cocobolo. It has a very quick attack with a loud and clear fundamentals on all six strings, even with short nails. Each note is well supported by overtones but not to the point they obscure the fundamental. Sustain is very long which means you have to pay more attention to muting. This is a small price to pay for such a resonant presentation.

Cincy

[Silly Moustache]

Never really thought of myself as a finger picker except on Dobro (with thumb & finger picks), and National and Weissenborn (fingernails), but as my dreads have hardly seen daylight since March, I have turned to my smaller guitars -initially my Collings 0002h and my Waterloo WL12, but I fear they have both been rather overtaken by, initially , my Eastman E20-P and now my Eastman E40-00

0002h

WL12

E20-P

E40-00

[llew]

I fingerpick all of them but the Kopp K-35, Kinnaird Sitka/Maple OM, and Martin D-28 Herringbone 12 fret are probably my favorite for fingerpicking.

[jrb715]

My Collings OM2 short scale with a German top. It is both vibrant and sweet, plays effortlessly. Can get great attack as well as lyrical moments.

My Collings OM1A is a close second. Not quite as sweet or round, but with an equally addictive, though different, tone--and the ability to turn with little effort from jumping out at you to whispering.

What separates them from all the other excellent guitars I've played finger style is their immediate responsiveness and vibrancy.

[Social Exodus]

Martin 000-28, hands down.

[Rosewood99]

All of mine, depending on what I’m playing.

[Villamarzia]

Lowden O size. Generally, I started fingerpicking on small body guitars realizing only much later that bigger sizes are more appropriate for my fingerpicking style.

[aeisen93]

I have to say, I think my favorite guitar for fingerpicking is my G-45 Studio! The Taylor 814ce is a better guitar overall, but there is something about the G-45's clarity and volume when fingerpicking that is just so amazing to me. I don't really enjoy the G-45 for strumming though!

[TiffanyGuitar]

All of mine, depending on what I am playing to some degree, but I generally grab the Harmony Sovereign conversion first. Love that thing!

[_zedagive]

As a 95% fingerstyle player, I've never played anything close to my CM. It amazes me every time I pick it up and know for certainty this one will never be found in the forum's classifieds.

[Jodythebaker]

Originally Posted by Pdubs76

Title says it all.

65’ Stella with trapeze tailpiece and a spokeshaved defatted neck. Strung with D’addario custom lights (11’s).

Love that thing.

[pegleghowell]

I especially like my Oahu"Nick Lucas" and OM28V but the most comfortable is my 000 28EC.

[ObiWanSymbian]

All I do is playing with fingers (classical/finger style).
Currently with only a high-end classical, I do everything with it.
It is so well balanced across the strings.
Has powerful bases that can be played with bare flesh as well.
Sustains for ages.
Has this wide range tones in trebles. So silky and touch my heart.

Only thing it does not have and will never have is the possibility of creating vibrations/reverb by rocking the instrument back and forth (for lack of better wording).

Width of nut is great as well, BTW. So much easier than the 1 3/4 standard on most acoustics.

[PajamasMusic]

Since I'm mostly on dreads now days I'd say my Kopp K-35. Great balance and separation of tone. It just occurred to me though that I'm actually doing a minimal amount of finger style these days. Huh.