McPherson Sable on the way.... - Page 2

steelvibe · #16 05-21-2021, 10:18 PM

Great guitars and great functionality. The back and sides never bothered me. After having an Ovation at one time the composite back and sides remind me a lot of that Ovation but only better. It doesn’t slip around, impervious to the elements, and way better tone.

fenderball · #17 05-21-2021, 10:27 PM

GREAT CHOICE!! I REALLY LIKE MINE!!!! I AM SURE YOU'LL LOVE IT!! ENJOY!

Tøf · #18 05-22-2021, 12:44 AM

For the B string issue I would check that the string sits correctly in the slot. I had a similar issue on my first Sable when I changed the 0.017 for a 0.016, I just removed a tiny roughness on the nut slot and it solved the problem.

The Sable being already quite warm I like to use thinner picks, usually a Jazz III Flex 0.88. I tried many different strings but came back to the Elixir 80/20 in Medium Light instead of Medium. Easier to bend but the bass remains the same!

Frettingflyer · #19 05-22-2021, 05:37 AM

I have only tried Elixir so far, but did switch to PB from the 80/20 and went back to that. Also, the lights didn’t do it so back to medium 80/20’s now. Interested if anyone finds something that works better, always fun to experiment.

boneuphtoner · #20 05-22-2021, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frettingflyer

I have only tried Elixir so far, but did switch to PB from the 80/20 and went back to that. Also, the lights didn’t do it so back to medium 80/20’s now. Interested if anyone finds something that works better, always fun to experiment.

Very interesting to me that McPherson strings these from the factory with medium gauge strings - Martin and many others string their dreads and other large guitars with mediums, but they string their OMs and smaller with lights. The only OMs I have played that come from the factory with mediums are the Gruhn Martin customs. I’m having great luck thus far with D’Addario medium lights 12-56 phosphor bronze - though the factory 80/20s sounded great.

mikealpine · #21 05-22-2021, 11:34 AM

I had a similar issue with my Emerald X30. My tech filed down the B and high E nut slots. We shifted to 80/20 PB lights and it is much better. Maybe the nut slot is a good starting point.

DebbieE · #22 06-04-2021, 05:16 PM

I'm still enjoying my McPherson Sable which is why I'm cutting loose one of my wood guitars. That guitar is so comfortable to play and just one of the best necks. I'm getting used to the heft of the guitar too. I think I'm starting to like the Elixir strings they put on it.

boneuphtoner · #23 06-05-2021, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DebbieE

I'm still enjoying my McPherson Sable which is why I'm cutting loose one of my wood guitars. That guitar is so comfortable to play and just one of the best necks. I'm getting used to the heft of the guitar too. I think I'm starting to like the Elixir strings they put on it.

100% agree on the comfort factor - until I picked up the Sable, I spent very little time with anything smaller than a 0000 sized guitar because for my crude fingerstyle, OMs and smaller didn’t have the richness and depth of tone that I could get from larger instruments - the Sable is the first OM sized guitar that gave me that larger guitar tone in a smaller package - but the super grippy back and sides coupled with the OM body size for me takes this to the next level from a comfort perspective. Most of the time, I tend to play in the traditional steel string/cowboy style with the guitar seated on my right thigh straight across and not angled. But some more demanding pieces I adopt a pseudo-classical position on my right leg with the neck pointed up, although not to the level of true classical position on the left leg. And all you have to do is put the Sable in position and it locks in- no moving or sliding around. The Emerald X30, while very comfortable in traditional position, did not work for me in this pseudo-classical position.

douglasfan1 · #24 06-08-2021, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneuphtoner

100% agree on the comfort factor - until I picked up the Sable, I spent very little time with anything smaller than a 0000 sized guitar because for my crude fingerstyle, OMs and smaller didn’t have the richness and depth of tone that I could get from larger instruments - the Sable is the first OM sized guitar that gave me that larger guitar tone in a smaller package - but the super grippy back and sides coupled with the OM body size for me takes this to the next level from a comfort perspective. Most of the time, I tend to play in the traditional steel string/cowboy style with the guitar seated on my right thigh straight across and not angled. But some more demanding pieces I adopt a pseudo-classical position on my right leg with the neck pointed up, although not to the level of true classical position on the left leg. And all you have to do is put the Sable in position and it locks in- no moving or sliding around. The Emerald X30, while very comfortable in traditional position, did not work for me in this pseudo-classical position.

If comfort is the first priority, Emerald is the number one option in my point of view, all the bevel and the curves, functional and beatiful.

Instead, Mcpherson tried their best to recreate the sound of a wooden guitar with carbon fiber formula. I think sable has warmer sound.

boneuphtoner · #25 06-09-2021, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by douglasfan1

If comfort is the first priority, Emerald is the number one option in my point of view, all the bevel and the curves, functional and beatiful.

Instead, Mcpherson tried their best to recreate the sound of a wooden guitar with carbon fiber formula. I think sable has warmer sound.

Yes, I admit I'm perhaps the one lone voice who ended up ditching the Emerald for the ergonomics. But this isn't the first time that an ergonomic selling point for most individuals became a major detractor for my unique playing style - Taylor's beveled arm rest, coupled with the silent satin finish was even worse for me as it was sliding around and was a very slippery unstable playing surface. The Emerald wasn't too slippery (I was really worried about that before I ordered it), but adopting a pseudo-classical playing position on your right thigh put the back edge of the lower bout (near the sound hole) right in the middle of my ribs. I only slightly noticed it before I got the Sable, but then going back to an X30 coming from the Sable, the X30 was not nearly as comfortable.

And I agree with you on the tone - I rate Emerald and RainSong nearly equal (they are both excellent) when it comes to bare flesh fingerstyle tone, the Sable is warmer and woodier from top to bottom.

tbeltrans · #26 06-10-2021, 06:28 AM

Having both the Sable and Touring, what amazes me is that the Touring holds its own against the Sable very well. Both sound very good. Some may not get along with the Touring's short scale, but I find it very comfortable, especially for those chords that stretch across several frets. The Touring is also a very comfortable guitar to play.

I use a strap for both guitars, and the strap was provided with each guitar by McPherson. With the strap, the guitar is held in the same position whether sitting or standing with the neck up like a classical player or players such as Joe Pass when he was alive. It is very easy on the fretting hand wrist since it doesn't have to twist or bend in unnatural positions, instead being held quite naturally giving the fretting fingers that much more freedom.

Tony

buzzardwhiskey · #27 06-13-2021, 10:01 AM

Though I left the world of CF guitars a while back, I still watch and listen for updates. The Sable in particular interests me. I hope you bond with your new guitar. Post a video sometime.

David
www.buzzardwhiskey.com

steelvibe · #28 06-13-2021, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzardwhiskey

Though I left the world of CF guitars a while back, I still watch and listen for updates. The Sable in particular interests me. I hope you bond with your new guitar. Post a video sometime.

David
www.buzzardwhiskey.com

Have you played one? I don’t own one but have played one...they sound killer. Best sounding CF guitar I’ve ever played. They are also OM size with a great neck so super comfy too.

buzzardwhiskey · #29 06-13-2021, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelvibe

Have you played one? I don’t own one but have played one...they sound killer. Best sounding CF guitar I’ve ever played. They are also OM size with a great neck so super comfy too.

I wish I could. Utah's guitar shops are melting away. Hard to find anything beyond Martins and Taylors.

steelvibe · #30 06-13-2021, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzardwhiskey

I wish I could. Utah's guitar shops are melting away. Hard to find anything beyond Martins and Taylors.

Truly a bummer that Michael closed shop. I bought my first CF from him. It is a slow crawl to carbon fiber making it more mainstream but it is way different today than it was back in 2014 when I bought a RainSong.

Not sure where in Utah you are, but probably the closest guy who had some in stock for you to test drive would be Monkton Guitars in Broomfield Colorado. He had 3 and they are all sold. I'm sure he has more on order...