True confession: I do not like dreadnoughts. Anyone with me?

[mr. beaumont]

I like almost all guitars, including dreds, but a dreadnaught would not be my first, second, or probably even 5th choice as a main guitar.

But what they do, they do so well.

[DukeX]

I've owned five dreads but no more. Now they are too big for comfort and too loud for my tinnitus.

[HHP]

Originally Posted by s2y

I'm 5'5" on a good day and ~125lbs. Most of my guitars make me look like a dwarf.

You're in the money if they remake "The Wizard of Oz"

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Originally Posted by rmgjsps

I prefer smaller bodies for three reasons:

1. I play in my livingroom. Just don't need the projection of a dread.

2. While I'm six feet tall, I have somewhat shorter arms than the average six-footer and that shortage is almost all in the humerus making a dread a bit uncomfortable.

3. I play sitting down. See #2. makes a dread even more uncomfortable.

That said, If the right one came my way, I'd suffer through the experience. (I am GASsing for a 12-string)

Thats pretty funny because we are somewhat similar in that I play in my living room, I'm 6'2 but have average-size hands, and I'm obviously sitting down when I'm in my living room, and I prefer dreads!

I like them over smaller guitars when I'm on the couch because it's just a bigger, fuller, more lush and inspiring sound. I'll fingerpick and do a lot of light cross picking, light strumming and love the deeper lows and increased dynamic range.

Just guest show that we all have different preferences and neither is right or wrong.

[zmf]

Originally Posted by Montesdad

I believe the point of your OP was that you had little love for the dread and that you just don't ever 'get on' with them.
Can't see where you really solicited others pros and cons for them.

That's ok with me and probably fine with many here - glad you found a safe place to express your feelings.

Don't think there's a need to pounce on the OP. I suspect many here, myself included, started off with dreads, and spent some time questioning about whether to move to smaller guitars. Personally, I spent a few years searching for the right "smaller guitar", but never did end up selling off the dreads.

The OP title does sound a bit antagonistic, but the issue is an existential one is the world of guitars -- if there any that indeed rise to that level.

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird

really nice bursts on those Gibsons

You should give a 000 or an OM made by a good hand builder. normally they will smoke Martin or Gibson Dreads.

I've owned several Maritn 000's and wasn't impressed. Recently tried out a new Standard 000-18 and it was incredibly underwhelming. That small body and short scale combo just seems to suck all the life out of a guitar. I've also found I just prefer a long-scale neck, and would take a 000-15M over a 000-18 any day (crazy, I know!) I even go back and forth about my J45 because the shorter scale neck feels harder to play than long scale necks.

SO as far as a 000 "smoking" a full-size dread, I'd have to respectfully disagree. As far as a 000 being different than dread, and working better for some people who prefer them, I'll agree with that 100%.

Believe me, I'm not knocking 000's/smaller body guitars at all. They sound amazing in the right hands, just not mine!

Many associate dreads with sort of a boomy, muddy, unwieldy sound, but I think they just take a different approach from the player. Dreads can sound very intimate and sweet, and just aren't for Bluegrass or heavy strumming. I think it's more about the players attack, approach and style, and in the right hands a dread can be very precise and focused sounding without getting out of control. They work for me, but when I play a smaller body guitar I feel like I'm working harder to pull what I want out of the guitar, but with a dread it takes less effort on my part. Again, just a matter of opinion!

[12barBill]

Originally Posted by Vinnie Boombatz

I've owned several Maritn 000's and wasn't impressed. Recently tried out a new Standard 000-18 and it was incredibly underwhelming. That small body and short scale combo just seems to suck all the life out of a guitar. I've also found I just prefer a long-scale neck, and would take a 000-15M over a 000-18 any day (crazy, I know!) I even go back and forth about my J45 because the shorter scale neck feels harder to play than long scale necks.

SO as far as a 000 "smoking" a full-size dread, I'd have to respectfully disagree. As far as a 000 being different than dread, and working better for some people who prefer them, I'll agree with that 100%.

Believe me, I'm not knocking 000's/smaller body guitars at all. They sound amazing in the right hands, just not mine!

Many associate dreads with sort of a boomy, muddy, unwieldy sound, but I think they just take a different approach from the player. Dreads can sound very intimate and sweet, and just aren't for Bluegrass or heavy strumming. I think it's more about the players attack, approach and style, and in the right hands a dread can be very precise and focused sounding without getting out of control. They work for me, but when I play a smaller body guitar I feel like I'm working harder to pull what I want out of the guitar, but with a dread it takes less effort on my part. Again, just a matter of opinion!

I will tell you honestly and sincerely, my Halcyon OM (lutz top, Indian laurel back and sides) with a 25" scale smokes my D28 and my 416ce in volume and projection when digging in with a pick any where up and down the neck. No contest.

[Johan Madsen]

Originally Posted by Vinnie Boombatz

Dreads don't cause shoulder injuries! That's ridiculous. But I can absolutely understand why someone with a pre-existing injury would avoid them because they can aggravate their already injured shoulder because of the position a bigger bodied guitar puts you in, but actually cause an injury, nope.

That's what I was meaning people with injured shoulder always complain about dreads, but still maybe those are not that ergonomic for shoulders

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Originally Posted by Bill Sims

I will tell you honestly and sincerely, my Halcyon OM (lutz top, Indian laurel back and sides) with a 25" scale smokes my D28 and my 416ce in volume and projection when digging in with a pick any where up and down the neck. No contest.

I'm happy that you're happy.

[Nyghthawk]

For my voice, such as it is, and for what I play an OM just works best. Dreads are too loud and too bass. The slope-D's are better but still not as good as the OM size. YMMV

[hamburg325]

I prefer something more curvaceous. Dreds can be a little dull. Although I once owned a D42 that was plenty sexy!

[TDavis]

I love the way dreadnoughts sound...but I would never have one as my "lifetime" guitar. I love the smaller bodies, like my 00-18. Of course, most of my playing is on the couch/living-room stuff and the smaller ones are much more comfy.


That said...I am going to buy my birthday (1958) Martin D-18 before get too old to enjoy it.

[cu4life7]

While I certainly won't disparage dreads, I am also drawn to 000 and 00 size bodies. I think they look better, feel better, and are more focused and balanced. I have often argued that the need for large bodied guitars went away as the technologies of amplification progressed through the years. I don't need a dread to compete with other instruments.

All that being said, there is something special about the rumble of a D18, HD-28 or J-45 against your body.

[MHC]

I love a good dread -- but just not in my hands.

After playing OMs and 00s, a dread feels a bit like playing a bathtub.

However, I must say, that it's a GREAT relief to NOT be attracted to a very popular guitar style. I have enough trouble with OM and 00 GAS, that if I also GASSED for Dreads, I'd be totally sunk! So, I'm relieved to say, no sir, not for me whenever an AGF member posts a beautiful photo of some, sun-bursted, madagascar-backed, Adi-topped, MOP-inlayed, slopped shouldered... uh oh...

[Montesdad]

just as a note of disclaimer, I have one of these reimagined units on order - - -
Should I need, I'll schedule and undergo shoulder surgery just to play it