Looking for a fingerpicking blues guitar

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by TBman

Take a look at this one by Fairbanks. It has that touch of "boxy" the blues needs...

I'm wondering if the label 'boxy' as a supposed asset for a blues guitar didn't come about by accident, rather like the desirability of natural overdrive did with tube amps. I once heard that the original makers of tube amps would have been alarmed to hear that their amps distorted at higher volumes, yet once this was spotted and subsequently evaluated, it eventually became a plus rather than a minus. I have a feeling that early blues players may not have been actively seeking out 'boxy-sounding' guitars and would have been similarly alarmed had anyone characterized their sound as such. It could well be that modern ears have identified 'boxiness' in the sound of these early-recorded blues instruments and decreed this sound as a prerequisite for a good blues guitar, in some cases.

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by ewalling

It could well be that modern ears have identified 'boxiness' in the sound of these early-recorded blues instruments and decreed this sound as a prerequisite for a good blues guitar, in some cases.

If you're referring to the way old records sound, then yes. If you're referring to the way the guitars they'd have been able to afford probably sounded, the argument becomes more complex. It's hard to imagine they would not have sought to make use of the limitations of a particular kind of sound. Rather than hide it, turn it into an asset.

Heh. I had a crappy old archtop for a while, with a warped and somewhat loose neck and a single brace under the saddle that had come unglued at the base end causing the top to sink. It sounded cute, and listening to myself playing it I had this feeling of hearing one of those early recordings

[joelhunn]

I watched a YouTube video where David said that he didn’t know or care what kind of spruce his guitar had. He also mentioned that before he got the Martin, he played an old Yamaha dred. I tend to get lost in the weeds on guitar specs,so his take was kind of refreshing

[BluesKing777]

Here is a thread I posted in Show and Tell of some country blues on my Waterloo WL-14L ladder braced if you want to hear:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=650881


BluesKing777.

[Gas]

L00 Gibson

[anton]

A Fraulini or Hauver would probably be sweet, but I would need to play that kind of guitar first. Especially with something as different as ladder bracing. Though difficult, I'm really trying to limit this search to something I can play first, or at the very least a demo period and return policy.

Like today I played another Martin CEO-7 and I thought it sounded great. Nice and open and responsive. It was brand new from Martin. Whereas the used I played locally a month or so ago did not speak to me at all.

I've seen that video of David's, where he talks about not paying attention to the type of wood on his guitar. That is kind of a refreshing approach, as someone who gets into the weeds on this stuff as well.

For me in the end if it sounds and feels good it is good. But I also try to pay attention to what sounds and woods I have preferred over the years. I generally know that I like a certain range of neck profile, and wider nut/bridge spacing.

[BluesKing777]

Originally Posted by anton

A Fraulini or Hauver would probably be sweet, but I would need to play that kind of guitar first. Especially with something as different as ladder bracing. Though difficult, I'm really trying to limit this search to something I can play first, or at the very least a demo period and return policy.

Like today I played another Martin CEO-7 and I thought it sounded great. Nice and open and responsive. It was brand new from Martin. Whereas the used I played locally a month or so ago did not speak to me at all.

I've seen that video of David's, where he talks about not paying attention to the type of wood on his guitar. That is kind of a refreshing approach, as someone who gets into the weeds on this stuff as well.

For me in the end if it sounds and feels good it is good. But I also try to pay attention to what sounds and woods I have preferred over the years. I generally know that I like a certain range of neck profile, and wider nut/bridge spacing.

So would you buy that CEO7?

Mine is a very interesting guitar.....Mod V neck I love, 1 3/4” nut, 2 5/16” bridge space......geometry all about right for my blues fingerpicking PLUS.

And it is Gibson L-00 shape but a Martin! Sounds mainly Martin but the slope shoulder gives it something else, compared to a 00-18.

Apart from all that, it is a bit ‘middle of the road’ compared to my Waterloo hard core blues fingerpickers, a bit ‘prettier’ perhaps.

Still a very good place to start from, especially if one is close by.

(P.S. I just got my 2015 approx model back from having the binding problem fixed on all waist areas - a bit disappointing but a fairly cheap fix and only problem I have had with it.)



BluesKing777.

[anton]

Maybe, its certainly on my list. Sounded great, love the neck and string spacing, perfect body size.

But at $2800 new that puts me close to used small shop territory. Like a Huss and Dalton 00-SP, or a Northwood, or any number of other options.

But I'm certainly keeping it in mind.

[BluesKing777]

I posted another thread in Show and Tell playing a slower blues on my Waterloo WL-14l ladder braced....

I think I would save up more cash and find one of these. Perfect for blues fingerpicking!


https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=651113



BluesKing777.

[anton]

For folks that might be interested in what I ended up with, I recently picked up this Northwood L-00 from Mighty Fine Guitars. Its luthier John McQuarrie's take on a L-00 with a torrified Adirondack top, mahogany back and sides, short scale, and deeper body. Its a super light instrument and just a joy to play. Lots of fundamental, very different from my more modern sounding spruce/rosewood instruments.



I played a handful of other instruments since starting this thread, an all hog Waterloo WL-12, a Bourgeois, a few Collings, and some Iris's up at Dusty Strings music. All very nice, I almost took a Collings 001 12 fret home with me. Such an amazingly responsive fun guitar. But at $4K it was a bit more than I wanted to spend. Plus I really wanted to try this Northwood since Mighty Fine Guitars has an evaluation period, folks speak well of them, and it was more in my price range. I'm glad I did, its a great guitar. I'll try to post a video sometime soon

[MBee]

Congratulations! That is a fine looking guitar! That top is spectacular! I’d love to hear it.

[jontewright]

Well that Northwood is certainly a looker!
I'm glad you eventually found something that you're happy with!

[RP]

Originally Posted by cyclistbrian

Etta Baker played a Takamini dread. Bert Jansch played Yamahas. The Reverend Gary Davis played a SJ200. Happy Traum played Taylor's before getting his signature Santa Cruz. Many an unknown blues player used whatever they could get their hands on. There is no such thing as a blues guitar. Get a guitar YOU like and play some blues.

Add Robert Johnson's name to the list of those who played anything they could get their hands on.

[sevenpalms]

That’s a great looking guitar! I agree with Cyclistbrian and RP…so much good blues music played on dreads and other larger bodied guitars. I recently picked up a Bourgeois DS269 that’s handled Etta Baker tuned with ease….

[A.Wilder1]

Thanks for the update Anton, glad to hear you finally found something that fit.

In your experience, how did the Waterloo and Iris’s stack up against the Northwood?

Cheers!