Big guitar sound...small guitar package?

[invguy921]

I guess I'm just like anyone else, I'd love a guitar with a 15" lower bout that sounds like a 16" lower bout guitar, and if it by chance counds like a dreg...good golly miss Molly. However, I just don't think that "animal" exists... I've tried bevels and manzer wedges and yes those make a larger guitar feel smaller, but at the end of the day, most of those still feel a bit big when you're sitting/playing on the couch. Most 15" bout guitars sound great for fingerstyle, but leave a certain clunky sound when strummed.

Just curious if anyone has found a builder who can deliver this holy grail guitar. Not concerned about price, although that's always a consideration. Thanks for any and all input!!

[Dru Edwards]

If you're looking for a custom build check out a Manzer wedge. Easier on the shoulder for sure.

[Lillis]

Try to get your hands on a Larrivee SD series. 15” lower bout 10.5 waist. Just shy of 5” depth. Love mine. It’s as big as my shoulders can handle.

[Racerbob]

Expensive but check out a Froggy H12

[MHC]

I recently played a great Huss & Dalton CM model. This is smaller than a dread in its lower bout width (15.4"), but it has a deep body like a dread (4 5/8").

While it doesn't have the volume of many dreads, it did approximate the tonal depth of a dread -- at least closer to any smaller guitar I've played.

here is a link to the specs from H&D website:

https://hussanddalton.com/acoustics/cm-nc/

[J Patrick]

...forget about it unless you’re plugging in...all else being equal a bigger guitar sounds bigger and a smaller guitar sounds smaller....I have owned a couple of smaller guitars that sounded bigger than other guitars of similar size....(actually a Huss&Dalton CM was one of them)....but not as big as similar quality larger guitars...

....a couple of decades ago I was a regular at a local bluegrass jam and decided one night to leave my Dreadnought at home and showed up with a newly acquired Martin OM-28 V....it sounded so great at home...full and warm....and plenty big sounding...or so I thought....when I joined the jam I was flabbergasted at how little I could hear of my new guitar....it was simply over powered by the group.....lesson learned....right tool for the right job...

....I have found that some smaller guitars can cut through a mix and find their space amongst larger guitars...but it’s not because they sound bigger...it has more to do with mid range punch and projection....

...fwiw the largest sounding “smaller” guitars I have owned are the aforementioned H&D..a Santa Cruz OM/PW...a Santa Cruz H-13....and a Santa Cruz 000....

[Bax Burgess]

Depth of the body matters as much as top width. 15" paired with what depth?

[TwangGang]

I recently bought a Collings 002H 14 Fret. The lower bout is 14.5 inches across, it has a rosewood body and Sitka top, the body is only 3 1/4 in. deep. It has a pretty big and loud sound for a smaller guitar. Doesn't pump out the volume like a dread, but it is very clear, and resonate. Sort of hard to find, but if you can try one you might find it comes about as close as anything to what you're looking for.

[eljay]

A Yamaha LS might be worth a look. "Smallish" without small guitar tone in my experience. Good luck with your quest!

[catndahats]

on a similar note; the elusive "big guitar" sound in a small body has not happened in my experience either. Some small bodies that I own and play (OM's--000's---GC) get close enough and the trade off in size/full size sound versus comfort keep leading me back to smaller body styles---but keep a full size dred nearby.

Also, had a real "aha" moment this past week. Pick choice makes a huge difference in the fullness of sound you hear. Wife and I were picking around this week comparing guitars and kept pulling various picks out of the bowl to compare tone/volume, and even my om and 000 sound thin with a light pick...should not be a surprise, but it was an eye opener. I haven't gotten into bluechip type picks, and usually play a Dunlop 1.4.

[Realbluesman]

My parlor-sized Blue Ridge BR-371 has a huge punch.

[Dogma]

Check out Ben Wilborn's Arum (14") and Nautilus (15") models. He has numerous videos on YouTube featuring these instruments in many different wood combinations with lots of explanation about these unusual guitars. I think they sound very big.

[gmel555]

You don't mention price range, so a little hard to zero in, but on the upper end take a look at Bourgeois L-DBO and the 00-Coupe 14 fret (or 12-fret w-cutaway). With an Adi or Euro top they can take pretty hard strumming with impressive tone and volume, IMO.

[invguy921]

Thanks to all of you! Those are great responses in every case. I'm going to look into a few of the models mentioned here and see if I can find a happy place in one of those.

I appreciate it!

[brencat]

Originally Posted by invguy921

I guess I'm just like anyone else, I'd love a guitar with a 15" lower bout that sounds like a 16" lower bout guitar, and if it by chance counds like a dreg...good golly miss Molly. However, I just don't think that "animal" exists... I've tried bevels and manzer wedges and yes those make a larger guitar feel smaller, but at the end of the day, most of those still feel a bit big when you're sitting/playing on the couch. Most 15" bout guitars sound great for fingerstyle, but leave a certain clunky sound when strummed.

Just curious if anyone has found a builder who can deliver this holy grail guitar. Not concerned about price, although that's always a consideration. Thanks for any and all input!!

Mike, it is very difficult. I've owned a lot of OMs and most don't stay over the long term. However, last year I bought a Merrill OM-18 from 2005 and it sounds huge. I did a comparo vs my C-28 and it came out pretty favorably. I don't know how Jim Merrill does it but he's very particular about his wood selection and manages to get a deep dark sound in the bass which I really like:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=606931