Top end fingerstyle guitars

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by TDW

Really helpful advice everyone, thanks. Half of the issue is that the myriad of choices in guitars is overwhelming and can often be the showstopper when it comes to looking at something new, simply because it becomes confusing when you don't know the terminology or differences between the price points.

I'm not too ofay with guitars, but I've played them about 20yrs on and off. I will end up picking with my ear, but I want to approach shops with a handful of makers/models in mind to help them understand what I'm after. I suppose what I'm saying is I don't just want names of manufacturers to consider, but the models to go with them ie well regarded fingerstyle models that I can research and add to the shortlist.

To answer a couple of questions above - I first learned fingerstyle using Dan Holloway, but I now prefer the likes of Gabriella Quevedo, James Bartholomew, Ernil Ernebro and Joe Robinson.

I'm a big guy at 6ft 5in so I think small parlor guitars are slightly too small. I've held them in hand before and felt they were slightly too small.

- I'll defo add the Martin M36 to the shortlist.
- Avalon has come up during research - any particular model?
- I'll also have a quick look into Barritones, but I think I specifically want a guitar made for fingerstyle.
- Definitely added the Bedell Angelica (that looks the type of thing I'm after).

On e again, I'm really grateful for the advice so far.

While this information is helpful to eliminate smaller guitars, it will leaves hundreds of guitars that fit what you are looking for (good fingerstyle guitars for $4k—it sounds like a Jeopardy category). I agree (mostly) with K20C:

Originally Posted by K20C

I would concentrate on the specs…12 frets, short scale, 00/000/OM, 1 3/4” nut (or slightly larger). There are many fine guitar brands/makers matching these specs that are in your budget.

I would add tone—you need to figure out what specs and tone you prefer. I wouldn’t automatically assume that a 12-fret guitar is better, but you should try both 12-fret and 14-fret guitars to see which you prefer. Note that many 12-fret guitars shift the neck inward (call it the Gibson approach) while others extend the upper bout and leave the neck in the same place (call that the Martin approach). For someone 6’5”, guitars that follow the Gibson approach may feel cramped. Generally speaking, though, 12-fret guitars are designed for fingerstyle with wider necks, etc., but of the two approaches, given your height, you may prefer guitars that take the Martin approach. The only way for you to figure that out is to play them yourself.

Same with scale length, nut width, neck shape, etc. And then there’s tone. Do you prefer a traditional tone or a more modern one?

Until you have developed a sense for these preferences, I would recommend that you hold off on spending $4k on a guitar. You could just go into a guitar store, try all the guitars in the $3 - 4k range and pick the one you like the best, but then I would recommend having a moderator close your AGF account and for you to not revisit the site, because you will be constantly second-guessing yourself and be tempted by other guitars.

You may be better off using your $4k budget to buy 2 or possibly even 3 guitars (preferably used to minimize your loss when you sell them to get that $4k guitar of your dreams) with different specs and tones to spend quality time with and hone your preferences. Not the answer to the question you were asking, but food for thought.

[Joe Beamish]

Originally Posted by Teherie

Be warned. It may make you want to give up guitar and find another hobby to pursue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=j0kJdrfzjAg

Nope. That definitely didn’t happen for me.

[rmp]

You'd want to at least look at a Taylor 814CE

[musicman1951]

The 000-28 is a lovely and well respected guitar, but you can play fingerstyle on any guitar that feels comfortable to you and has the tone you like.

I would spend some time trying out as many guitars as you can get your hands on. I love my Lowden, but a new one is not in your price range. Maybe a used Lowden? I always prefer buying used if I can find what I want.

If there is no local store with a good selection I would seriously consider a little trip to the nearest big city. A night in a hotel, a nice meal, a new guitar - it's a party.

[Joe Beamish]

Originally Posted by musicman1951

The 000-28 is a lovely and well respected guitar, but you can play fingerstyle on any guitar that feels comfortable to you and has the tone you like.

I would spend some time trying out as many guitars as you can get your hands on. I love my Lowden, but a new one is not in your price range. Maybe a used Lowden? I always prefer buying used if I can find what I want.

If there is no local store with a good selection I would seriously consider a little trip to the nearest big city. A night in a hotel, a nice meal, a new guitar - it's a party.

Exactly. There’s no substitute for playing guitars. Lots of them. We can talk all day about brands and models and tone woods. But the fact is, one 000-28 is different from another. It’s what happens in your hands that matters.

[donlyn]

Top end fingerstyle guitars

Make mine Jumboes. Well-balanced by nature and strung with Elixir PB HD Light gauge.
{.013, .017, .025, .032, .042, .053}

My nails are literally my fingerpicks. And I also use 'em fingerpicking on 12 string Jumboes too.
And 3 fingernail strum on a twelve string can be aurally awesome, as well as shocking in a quieter song.

My Grand Concerts are mini-Jumboes in shape, just not in size. But they have big hearts.
And a Taylor 814 (or any 'xy4') Grand Auditorium is about a medium size Jumbo shape at heart.

Edit => Noticed some mention of player size in relation to guitar size. My take is how does it feel when you pick it up and assume the position. Personally, I am 5'8"+ change. And shrinking through my 70s. Learned on 6 and 12 string dreads back in the 1960s. Gone, forgotten, and on to Jumboes. My Jumboes are 17" wide and 5" deep across the lower bout and cause me no problem seated, since with the small waist they sit low on your leg (either one) and all the strings are easily reachable. Nor do they cause me any problem using a strap (affixed at either heel or machine head) when played standing.


Be well and play well,

Don
.

[Boomstick]

If you like a mellow sound, a Gibson Hummingbird can be fantastic, although they tend to be hit or miss. Perhaps a custom shop model would be the way to go. Also don't overlook the SJ-200.

For Martins, the OOO's tend to be good choices for fingerstyle players who are looking for a mellower sound and don't play extremely hard, but I wouldn't say they blow everything else out of the water or are even the best. For Martin dreadnaughts, the HD-35 is the way to go if you play lighter, preferably a 20 year old used one The HD-28 might be better if you play harder, but is kind of the do everything well Martin. The D28 needs to be picked hard and would not be my first choice.

I really like my maple '76 Guild F50 for fingerstyle playing a lot as well. Then again that guitar sounds great no matter how I play it.

[TDW]

I'm in total agreement I need to go and play guitars to decide what's for me, but the extra info and flagging of models is really helpful. I haven't heard of most of the models mentioned so it gives me a great starting list to see what shops are stocking before deciding whether to visit them or not.

[mercy]

A lot of average sounding guitar suggested so far. The problem is that top end guitars top $4000. For example, I cant go that high but you cant do better than a Kostal.

[canuck57]

As you are in The UK I assume, maybe consider a Bown guitar. I have recently purchased a 000-12 fret with sitka and EIR, with a wide 1 3/4 or slightly larger not width. Mine was older with minimal issues. The tone and playability are amazing. In your budget you would have to be patient and search, but the wait is worth it. He is based out of York.

[mawmow]

Top end guitars for fingerstyle….

Yamaha LS-26
Taylor 814
Martin M-36 or OM-42
Huss & Dalton
Santa Cruz or Collings OO
Pellerin
Manzer

But I would try other string types on what I do have before going higher end…

[Br1ck]

You might find something at Mighty Fine Guitars in Lafayette,Ca.

[sdelsolray]

Fingerstyle guitar encompasses many musical genres and sub-genres. For solo guitar (i.e., non-vocal) such styles include Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, American Primitive, Blues, Jazz, Folk, New Age (among others), and, as accompaniment to vocals - pop, gospel, etc.

The "top end fingerstyle guitar" will depend on the genre involved (along with player technique, presentation, interpretation and venue). Some instruments will be better than others in a particular genre and some will be more multi-genre capable. Some will suck at a particular genre.

[Peter Z]

Originally Posted by CarolinaGetaway

The Martin M-36 is the premier finger-picking guitar. You don't see them often but you should really try one out. Extremely balanced and rich all across the string. I have a rather large collection of guitars, including a McIlroy, Martin HD-35 and M-36, Gibson J-200 Rosewood, and others, and I always find myself picking up the M-36 when I am in a finger-picking mood. Just listen to the guitars you try and go with the one that sings to you.

This is a good recommendation. If one likes a bit more, the J-40 is fantastic.
And my Furchs Grand Auditoriums are on the same level with a different sound.

BTW, welcome to the AGF, Carolina! I hope you will share your experience with your nice collection with us in future.

[A Scot in Otley]

As someone has already said, think about the guitar you might want rather than the name on the headstock. You are in the UK, so you may already know about Auden. Not a high end guitar, and well within your budget (a bit less than half), but you wouldn't know it if you had a posh one in your hands. I have an Auden Bowman Artist - an OM size guitar. Every time I play it at open mics (and just last night too) I get people coming up and telling me it sounds great. The pickup/eq (Brad Clark Supernatural) is excellent (I and others think so). Acoustically, it has a soft deep tone that is equally good fingerpicked and flat picked. That 'softness' (sorry, I'm not techie) also means it isn't the loudest acoustically, but I manage it in a large carpeted room with about 50 people in it (but need a thumb pick).

Anyway, point is that if I had £4k to splurge, I would enjoy myself tootling about the UK. You can even visit the Auden UK factory to try out their stuff. I've just bought one of their cheaper ones (chester model) which is an excellent fingerpicking thing (Cedar over Rosewood).

And it has been said, there are other UK builders around. Might be worth giving some of them a ring to suss out the lay of the land. If I had the dosh, I'd pay Jimmy Moon a visit - saw two of his guitars being played by Dougie Maclean in Batley Town Hall the other night. They looked and sounded just dandy.

Happy hunting!