opinions please

OK. Now I’ve been playing the 815ce for several days now and have "the bug".... I’m thinking of a designer guitar so stay with me. Picture this: 915c no e with tobacco sunburst. Option for the neck is 1 7/8 with a 2 3/8 span at the bridge (Chris Proctor specifications). Now here is the hard part.....the guitars I’ve been playing have been Sitka not Engelmann and I like those twinkling highs....I like the appearance of Engelmann but with a sunburst, it doesn't matter. I need some input here...i play mostly fingerstyle, Travis and the variations but do strum on occasion.

Opinions please




PS Forgot to add the Florentine cutaway.

[G-Cat]

Most of the "twinkling highs" that I have heard in my guitar hunt have come from guitars with sitka tops. The englemann is softer and therefore gives a "warmer" "darker" tone. It is very slight but it is there.

YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)
Patrick

[ScottyMac]

I personally like Sitka, but it's been mentioned in the literature that engleman responds better to a light touch...such as you might have with fingerstyle. Sitka really seems to stay together with it's tone at harder strum levels

My son has a 2000 model 815ce, and to be honest, I cannot hear any more bottom end or volume than I do with the standard dreads. Maybe it just hasn't opened up yet, but to me, it's a little on the dead side. He's grabbing his 314 more often.

[Aruthas]

I would like to echo TaylorMeister's comment. jclif1995, it seems to me that you are not a conformist, since most fingerpickers would look at a x14 or even x12 size guitar. All things being otherwise the same, you should get a brighter tone from a x14 than from a x10 or x15 due to the thinner soundboard and the more delicate bracing. If the jumbo format is what you like however, go ahead by all means, but I would definitely suggest not listening to general advices and to go try a lot of guitars to make up your mind.

[proy]

You can't beat Maple for brightness of tone. It's fingerpicken good!!

[muzz76]

Originally posted by jclif1995

.....the guitars I’ve been playing have been Sitka not Engelmann and I like those twinkling highs....I like the appearance of Engelmann but with a sunburst, it doesn't matter.

I think you have your answer right there. Both spruces are pretty versatile but each only slightly leans to the opposite spectrums; englemann is a little better IMO for fingerstyle but thats just my preference. If you like the sitka/rosewood combo in your 815, you'd like it in a 915. 900 vs. 800series rosewood would be all cosmetic and likely neglidgable tonally.


Derek

thank you for all of your feedback. very valuable help indeed. It points me in the proper direction.

[ScottyMac]

One other note...if you like brightness, you might also want to consider mahogany or koa for sides/backs instead of rosewood.