Going from dreads to smaller guitars?

[CASD57]

I just prefer the OM, The sound for me is more personal and with a cedar top you something extra special when you dig in.
For me, they fit the music I do(pop to rock) and my voice better than a Dread
Now if I could find a 0000 in a decent price point, I'd give that a shot..

[llew]

I'm a dread guy too but have a couple of OM's in the mix. Playing a lot at church the last 10+ years I jokingly call my smaller guitars (OM or smaller) my wedding and memorial service guitars where it's usually just me and one or two others singing. But they all have their place in the line up. I find the deep body variety of the OM get's you a little closer to the dread sound but not quite all the way there?

[varmonter]

I think it depends solely on the guitar.
I've played some really dead dreads.
And some very responsive parlors.
I'm older. But dreads dont bother me.
I have a couple that sound great.
I recently bought a rainsong
Shorty which is an om.
Sitting on the couch it sounds great.
In a bluegrass jam aside from
The "plastic guitar" comments
From the tradgrass crowd. I dont
Think the shorty would hold its
Own up against all the d18 and d28s.
If you buy an om I would look
At one with an adi top.
Red spruce has a volume all its own.
Which is nice. Taylor makes
A nice gc 712ce 12fret. Which is om ( ish.)
With a lutz top. Similar to adi.

[rokdog49]

I’ve had 00’s and OM’s. I loved my 00 in particular, but I always ended with my Dreads as my guitar of choice to play.
It’s probably has just as much to do with the music I gravitate toward as the fullness of a Dreadnought.
I could play Neil Young songs on another guitar body, but that just wouldn’t get it for me.

[llew]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

I’ve had 00’s and OM’s. I loved my 00 in particular, but I always ended with my Dreads as my guitar of choice to play.
It’s probably has just as much to do with the music I gravitate toward as the fullness of a Dreadnought.
I could play Neil Young songs on another guitar body, but that just wouldn’t get it for me.

Being a Neil Young fan since before CSN&Y days I totally get that! "Don't Let It Bring You Down" just wouldn't sound right on anything else?

[Rev Roy]

I’ll be turning seventy this summer. I went through a small guitar kick for awhile figuring sooner or later playing my dreads would be uncomfortable. Cycled through some real beauties - Martin Custom Shop OM-18, CEO-7, Taylor 812ce. All of them were wonderful in their on way. And if I was a fingerpicker I would have stuck with them. But none of them had the full-body tone I love from my dreads. And they wilted under my sometimes heavy handed strumming. Thankfully dreads are still plenty comfortable for me to play. So I’m all-in dreads again in my old age. And loving it.

[llew]

They rule the roost here too Roy!

[Jim in TC]

As I approached 70 a few years back my D-18 seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. No particular arm or shoulder problems, but it just felt BIG. Sold off quicker than expected, I jumped at a GS Mini for travel and a 000-15M for tone, only to find that the Mini was so fun to play and comfortable that the 000 sat mostly in the case. As I learned that there was more to life than dread, and that there were actually differences in nut width and scale length (hey, I hadn't looked at guitars in a while) I moved "up" to a CA Cargo from the mini, and to an Emerald X7 from the Cargo.

Do these wee guitars sound like my vintage D-18? Nope, but they are great little instruments, and I wouldn't trade back.

Gaining age? Becoming more discerning? You be the judge.

[Mbroady]

Was a one guitar person for years and though they have come and gone they have been dreads...until I found the Forum. Now, if it has strings I want it

[mawmow]

As I resolutely turned to fingerstyle,
I left the less comfortable dreadnough
to smaller bodies, OM, OOO and OO.

[Goodallboy]

I’m old, just not old enough to like a small guitar.

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by warfrat73

Pretty sure it's a sign of getting old.

I'm going through it too. 15 years ago I wouldn't look twice at an OM, now it's usually the first thing I reach for.

More a sign that you are a young 'un. When I started off dreads were the more expensive guitars while those designated as "student" or "beginner" instruments generally were in the 0 to 00 size range often purchased from a mail order catalog or with green stamps. I had been playing years before I got my first dread.

[llew]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

I’m old, just not old enough to like a small guitar.

Love it!

[rllink]

I'm not a small guy, six one, two-o-five. I started out on an old dred that belonged to my wife and had been on a shelf in the storeroom for forty years. It was awkward. I felt like I could hide behind it. I was banging it into the walls and the furniture. I felt like I should join a Mariachi band. So I bought a smaller guitar and it feels so much better. I feel less clumsy playing it. Second thing, I don't know what people are doing with all this volume. When I was playing the dred it was loud. I was always shouting to sing over it. Again, very awkward to strum it soft enough.. My smaller guitar is too loud sometimes and I have to lighten up, the dred was worse.

[TBman]

I've found that wearing a strap while seated allows me to play my larger guitars as easily as my OM and smaller guitars.