Video review irritation

[DenverSteve]

You know, you can find fault with almost every on-line review. Don't like the steel finger picks, the tortoise pick, the capo, the strumming location, no strumming only fingerpicking, no picking only strumming........... Just listen, or don't. It's not worth getting going "crazy" or anything else.

[Ncbandit]

Originally Posted by DenverSteve

You know, you can find fault with almost every on-line review. Don't like the steel finger picks, the tortoise pick, the capo, the strumming location, no strumming only fingerpicking, no picking only strumming........... Just listen, or don't. It's not worth getting going "crazy" or anything else.

You would just think a professional review would give you some variety. John Doe in his living room you can't expect much.

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by Ncbandit

You would just think a professional review would give you some variety. John Doe in his living room you can't expect much.

You might think that but it's not what I've experienced so I don't think that. When I listen to most of the "professional" reviewer sites (regardless of whether they're guitar stores or individual "influencers") I hear the same song, on the same electronics, sounding pretty much the same.

[DukeX]

Originally Posted by Ncbandit

LOL!! the point is to demonstrate how the guitars sounds utilizing different playing styles which would include playing in different locations.

Yes, power strumming near the neck for 10 minutes would also get on my nerves,.

Great response, glad we can all have a sense of humor about these things.

[Joe Beamish]

Originally Posted by GHS

I have the Norman Blake Anthology ....he plays this vintage Martin like a champ and says that capo at the 3rd makes it ( maybe others too) hit what he says is the "sweet spot sound" on the guitar. He is as good ( was) they get, must know something.....

I totally agree. I love the way guitars sound with a capo. Third fret may well be the sweet spot.

[oldgeezer]

For me it would depend on how one plays. There are genres of music where the capo is extensively employed. If I were playing that kind of music I most definitely would want to hear it with a capo.
But if OP means he is seeing reviews where they never play the instrument without a capo, then I agree.
The problem with pro reviews as I see them is that they are trying to sell a product to a public that has a 5 second attention span. The review needs to be short and sweet because no one has any patience anymore. Hard to be thorough when you've got about a minute to showcase the instrument's potential. Add to that they are picking a very good player (if it is a pro review), and depending on that player, they will lean towards one particular style. I want to hear strumming, flatpicking, fingepicking, AND capo. Because I play several styles. That is harder to find consistently than you might think.

[JohnW63]

I don't like demo clips when they use a capo - I want to hear how the guitar sounds.

Yes, but the ones I don't like are the ones played in drop D and don't tell you. I can hear it quickly enough, but if a person doesn't know about that, they could be misled about the low end of the guitar.

Playing up by the bridge does the opposite. I don't think it shows the full range of the guitar.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Joe Beamish

I totally agree. I love the way guitars sound with a capo. Third fret may well be the sweet spot.

But if you walk into a music store how many guitars on display have a capo on their 3rd fret?
None.
So a good guitar demo should demonstrate how the guitar sounds more or less 'off the rack'.
By all means play it with a capo when you own it.

[guitar george]

Originally Posted by Ncbandit

Is it just me, but it drives me crazy to watch videos where the person doing the review doesn't touch the strings more than a few inches from the bridge. Am I the only one who actually plays over the sound hole. Edit: Just to clarify this is in reference to reviews doing a general web search and not directed to any AGF member reviews.

While searching for dreads it was tough to find a review where someone actually strummed the strings over the sound hole instead of hugging the bridge. I actually want to hear them strum close to the neck for maximum bass.

I guess everyone likes to sound like the Tin Man.

A lot of people must like a bright twangy sound by strumming closer to the bridge and playing with new strings all the time. I'm with you. I usually like a more soft, mellow sound with more bass by strumming over the sound hole.

[rokdog49]

First off, I don’t care what Norman Blake says or likes. I do enjoy his playing but
his “sweet spot” is his, not mine.
I almost always play and strum closer to the neck on the sound hole unless I’m going for an effect. I like more bass and the softer trebles I get doing that.
Demoing a guitar with a Capo...
The usual disclaimers.

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

I agree with this and thought perhaps others might not share that view.

Any capo alters the original sound of the guitar, much like strumming directly in front of the bridge, though not as dramatically.

Only recently have I found a cop that mitigated that effect almost entirely.

What did he do to you? I hope you are not in trouble for some reason.

(Couldn't resist, sometimes typos are just too funny. I make 'em too.)

[Goodallboy]

Good catch Bard!!! :-)

[Ncbandit]

Originally Posted by DukeX

Great response, glad we can all have a sense of humor about these things.

Why thank you!! It was the way you articulated your view of the inarticulate bass that brought on the chuckle.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

First off, I don’t care what Norman Blake says or likes. I do enjoy his playing but
his “sweet spot” is his, not mine.
I almost always play and strum closer to the neck on the sound hole unless I’m going for an effect. I like more bass and the softer trebles I get doing that.
Demoing a guitar with a Capo...
The usual disclaimers.

I have T-Rex arms and couldn't strum over the soundhole on a dreadnought without really altering the way I hold a guitar. I never noticed what the OP says but maybe I'm biased because I always play between the soundhole and the bridge.

[rpguitar]

I have a similar pet peeve about musical choices in demos. I acknowledge that t's a requirement to first strum an open G chord, C add 9, and a D. Add in some open position bluegrass licks, too, just for fun.

But then I'll be needing to hear a Bb13 and an Fm9 fairly soon after that. A few barre chords. And some scalar runs at position VII or similar.

My point is that a 10 minute demo that never goes above the third fret only shows the guitar's voice, playability, and intonation in a very limited way. I realize that many guitarists view this as their entire universe, but I sure don't, and I'm not alone.

Brian from the Musician's Friend demos is a really good player in this regard. He clearly has a jazz background in addition to his more traditional flat-top chops.