Best for Recording - Clash d-18 vs Hummingbird

[bob202]

Hi Guys,



First of all I'm new to this forum, and have been since a little year become a more and more guitar fanatic. I'm a music producer who plays guitar till a degree that it's good enough for recording in music. But also people come in my studio who play really wel. I'm looking for an all around guitar. Mostly I'll be making pop music. Not into bluegrass, hard rock etc. I'll won't be playing live with guitars, just studio recording work and writing camps .

I've come to 2 guitars --> D-18 vs Hummingbird.

What would you guys recommend? I've looked at douzen videos, but still can't make my mind up. Hope you guys have some good advice .
Recording through oktava mk12 -> Neve 1073 spx -> Tube-tech cl1b.



Thanks!

[kizz]

Both will do well on recordings, but thers is so many factors, that it´s hard to say, but you can´t go wrong with the D18 with that chain i will say..

[FrankHudson]

Neither of what you say you're looking at is a bad choice. The studio acoustic where I used to work was a D-18 for one data point (radio network, so lots of indie/Americana folks doing guest sets would be the intended users).

I have a couple of dreadnaughts, and my guitars are used often for recording for my project, so they do get put next to a mic, but that said if recording was the most specific use I strongly consider a OOO or OM size. You're not going to need the bass projection power and you'll be EQ'ing or mic positioning to minimize it more than you'll be missing that. If you have various players using it, smaller bodies "fit" more body types. I think something like a OOO-18 handles most kinds of playing with aplomb, including strumming to gentle arpeggiated picking.

Lots of great recordings made with dreads, don't get me wrong, but you asked for opinions and that mine. For myself I might go even down to OO size, but I strum less and have a dreads for when I want that sound.

You don't seem to be going for the rosewood b&s sound from your 2 choices, and I think that's valid for a general recording guitar.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by bob202

Hi Guys,



First of all I'm new to this forum, and have been since a little year become a more and more guitar fanatic. I'm a music producer who plays guitar till a degree that it's good enough for recording in music. But also people come in my studio who play really wel. I'm looking for an all around guitar. Mostly I'll be making pop music. Not into bluegrass, hard rock etc. I'll won't be playing live with guitars, just studio recording work and writing camps .

I've come to 2 guitars --> D-18 vs Hummingbird.

What would you guys recommend? I've looked at douzen videos, but still can't make my mind up. Hope you guys have some good advice .
Recording through oktava mk12 -> Neve 1073 spx -> Tube-tech cl1b.



Thanks!

Thomas,
Is this for solo acoustic fingerstyle, strumming with vocals, as a track with other instruments, etc, etc??

Context is almost everything.

Regards,
Howard Emerson

[bob202]

Thanks guys for you fast reply!
It would be sometimes for fingerpicking with a vocal over it.
Or also strumming for filling up the spectrum. But 10/10 it will be with vocals over it . So modern pop/radio music is a good use of the guitar.
I have a blueridge 143a which is a smaller body. But when I strum, it just sounds so thin and weak. Finger picking it sounds pretty good!

[turfguy]

How about a J45?

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by bob202

Thanks guys for you fast reply!
It would be sometimes for fingerpicking with a vocal over it.
Or also strumming for filling up the spectrum. But 10/10 it will be with vocals over it . So modern pop/radio music is a good use of the guitar.
I have a blueridge 143a which is a smaller body. But when I strum, it just sounds so thin and weak. Finger picking it sounds pretty good!

Does it sound thin and weak strummed when recorded or does it sound "weaker" than a dread sounds to your own ears just playing in a room? As an owner of dreads and smaller guitars I find what I experience just sitting around playing playing is different from what I hear in the headphones when recording in my studio space.

Of course if you have your mind set on a dread, don't let me stop you. A lot of nice stuff has been recorded with dreadnaughts.

[Misifus]

Do I understand that you are looking to have a guitar to keep on hand in your studio so that recording musicians would have it available as needed?

[Shredmaster007]

I think on average a hummingbird will have tighter bass - a lot of D18 recordings seem to pick up the woof and bloom. But a Martin might have more mellow highs - gibsons seem to have a bit more cut / bite.

[rumble]

Originally Posted by turfguy

How about a J45?

Second the gibsonj45. All around gem. And easier fingerpicking scale length.

[SalFromChatham]

First I think it’s good that you are looking to pick among mahogany-backed guitars. Rosewood Martins are tough to record well in a studio with a singer. I tried.

Nothing strums like a Bird, Nothing flat picks like a long scale Martin. And a J45 splits them. I’d go Bird or J45. Can’t go wrong with either. And actually if you personally like the D18, that is still better for the studio than a Rosewood Martin.

[Graylocks]

Originally Posted by Misifus

Do I understand that you are looking to have a guitar to keep on hand in your studio so that recording musicians would have it available as needed?

That seems rather odd. Any musician I've hired brings their own instrument to play. Some bring more than one to a session so the engineer and/or producer can have a tone range to choose from.

[SalFromChatham]

Studios routinely have basic instruments “in stock”.. it saves time recording, as settings for a specific instrument are already pre arranged.

[bob202]

Originally Posted by Graylocks

That seems rather odd. Any musician I've hired brings their own instrument to play. Some bring more than one to a session so the engineer and/or producer can have a tone range to choose from.

Seemed odd to me too. But the last couple off times songwriters/guitarist just like to leave all their gear at home and only bring a backpack instead of 3 cases of guitar


BTW - I've added a Guild D-55 to test too. Would this overshadow the other 2 ?

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by bob202

Hi Guys,



First of all I'm new to this forum, and have been since a little year become a more and more guitar fanatic. I'm a music producer who plays guitar till a degree that it's good enough for recording in music. But also people come in my studio who play really wel. I'm looking for an all around guitar. Mostly I'll be making pop music. Not into bluegrass, hard rock etc. I'll won't be playing live with guitars, just studio recording work and writing camps .

I've come to 2 guitars --> D-18 vs Hummingbird.

What would you guys recommend? I've looked at douzen videos, but still can't make my mind up. Hope you guys have some good advice .
Recording through oktava mk12 -> Neve 1073 spx -> Tube-tech cl1b.



Thanks!

Ask the guitarist.