Remedies for a "quiet" guitar - THE RESULTS ARE IN!

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by Quickstep192

I’ll recommend DR Rare and DR Sunbeam strings.

I haven't read all the replies. But agree with Quickstep. Try Sunbeams and Rares. I suspect the Sunbeams will be louder but I could be wrong. The Rares are stiffer feeling.

But in addition to that I'd recommend ordering a set of Blackhorn Buffalo Bridge pins. https://www.lmii.com/144-bridge-pins-and-end-pins
They cost $13-$15 depending on which version you buy. I believe shipping is free now. [Note: They may require some fitting and I recommend you bevel the end as they tend to be long]. The Buffalo pins will add a bit of volume and sustain. You may find that you only need to use one pin on the low E as it helps excite the other strings and suggest that you start with just that low E before installing the other 5, just to get a feel for what they do and how they contribute to the character of your guitar. If they fail, then try a set of those Martin liquid metal pins.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

I haven't read all the replies. But agree with Quickstep. Try Sunbeams and Rares. I suspect the Sunbeams will be louder but I could be wrong. The Rares are stiffer feeling.

But in addition to that I'd recommend ordering a set of Blackhorn Buffalo Bridge pins. https://www.lmii.com/144-bridge-pins-and-end-pins
They cost $13-$15 depending on which version you buy. I believe shipping is free now. [Note: They may require some fitting and I recommend you bevel the end as they tend to be long]. The Buffalo pins will add a bit of volume and sustain. You may find that you only need to use one pin on the low E as it helps excite the other strings and suggest that you start with just that low E before installing the other 5, just to get a feel for what they do and how they contribute to the character of your guitar. If they fail, then try a set of those Martin liquid metal pins.

What are they made of?

[jimmy bookout]

Originally Posted by J-Doug

I think you may be facing the realities of a hardwood top. It's going take a lot more energy to drive it enough to satisfy your ears when fingerpicking, especially if you are used to spruce topped guitars.

100% correct. Hardwood tops LOOK great, but there is a reason that the vast majority of acoustic guitars have soft wood (various spruces, cedar, redwood) tops.
At best, hardwood tops take a LONG time to open up, at worst, they are what they are and won't ever reach the same tone/volume level that a soft wood top would on the same body.

[Ralph124C41]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

I haven't read all the replies. But agree with Quickstep. Try Sunbeams and Rares. I suspect the Sunbeams will be louder but I could be wrong. The Rares are stiffer feeling.

You recommend Sunbeams but others recommend the EB Aluminum Bronze. Which is louder for you folks who have tried both of them? I understand the Sunbeams have a lower tension ... and a lower price.

[golfreggie]

Originally Posted by jimmy bookout

100% correct. Hardwood tops LOOK great, but there is a reason that the vast majority of acoustic guitars have soft wood (various spruces, cedar, redwood) tops.
At best, hardwood tops take a LONG time to open up, at worst, they are what they are and won't ever reach the same tone/volume level that a soft wood top would on the same body.

I have a 2016 Taylor K26ce, all Koa b/s and top. And you are correct. My experience with it is that it sounds really sweet, but lacks volume and projection compared to the 818e and the Collings D1t. Even when plugged in it takes more of a turn on the volume knob to get it to a level close to the other two with lots less bump on the volume control. The Koa is stunning! The sound is sweet! But it lacks the volume of the other two. The other two are spruce tops. Good luck on getting what you desire. It'll work out for you.

PS I just put on the Aluminum Bronze on all 3 and they sound great! I am a John Pearse devotee primarily but tried these after reading about them on various sites. The sound very good, and play well.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by lowrider

You can get these Ti alloy pins pretty inexpensively;

https://audio-depot.com/jellifish-ti...pins-in-black/

They fit Martin guitars and they had a nice effect on my Martin mutenye GP.

I aslo tried them in another guitar and they were awful, so you never know.

Another thing that will probably have more or an effect is to take out the UST from under the saddle and make a new saddle from the same material as you have now. Just slip it back through the hole in the bridge and tape it to the side of the guitar. Then if you want it later, you can just put it back with the original saddle and you are in business. I've removed the UST from two of my guitars with really positive results.

It's a beautiful guitar. Hope it works out for you.

Thanks! I saw those but was not sure if they would fit my guitar.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by EverettWilliams

You seem to have made your mind up on the instrument and don’t want contradicting feedback. I hope your solutions work and that you enjoy the guitar.

Actually I have only made up my mind that I want to try some relatively cheap solutions before I give up on an otherwise excellent guitar.

[phavriluk]

I hope OP has satisfied himself that his guitar is particularly quiet and that other instruments, played the same way as he plays the 'quiet' one, are indeed louder.

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Projection towards me is what I would be looking for. I'll have to find out how much a luthier would charge to see if it's worth it.

I had a custom made guitar that I knew would be quieter than what I wanted because I chose f holes rather than a traditional sound hole. I also had a sound port fitted.

The sound port made a huge difference in the projection towards me. When I get someone to cover the sound hole when I'm playing makes it real obvious the difference it makes.

My luthier has since retrofitted a sound port to one of his demo models and is now getting orders for more custom made guitars with sound ports.

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

If I love the guitar in every other way, why would I do that before I tried new strings or bridge pins first?

You have summarized, in one sentence, what I've been exploring and sharing for however many months now.

I remember when I had installed my first set of Sunbeams on my D35 and went to a gig a few days later, even before I plugged in the leader turned around and said "geez, that's loud!". If people are totally happy with their instruments as they are, that's awesome. But as you paulzoom so aptly noted, there are so many things that one can do to an instrument that is "almost there" before trading it for something different, perhaps to be in a similar but different position with a new instrument.

[Rosewood99]

UPDATE: I put on some Erinie Ball Aluminums and also some titanium bridge pins. Wow! There has been a noticeable increase in volume. Maybe not as loud as my other guitars but close enough that I will be happy to keep this gem.

I wish I knew how much was due to the pins vs the strings. Maybe the next string change I'll remove one from the equation.

One added bonus is the strings are a little brighter than the Martins I had on them. But that's a good things since the Ovangkol top is a bit dark sounding.

[BluesBelly]

A bit late to this thread but in my 55 years of playing I've discovered that acoustic guitars with rosewood bridges sound best with rosewood bridge pins. Likewise bridges made of Ebony sound best with ebony bridge pins. And finally a new set of D'Addario phosphor bronze strings perk up about any guitar. Additionally it is important for the sides of the saddle to fit snugly against the bridge plate and the saddle should be flat as can be on the bottom.

My .02

Blues

[lowrider]

Good for you! I'm glad to see this. I would have hated to see you give up on such a beautiful guitar.

I still think you should remove the UST. Even if you just shim the saddle with credit card shims, you should get a big improvement in sound.

[Dut4907]

I would have to agree with Lowrider, I think a lot of tone is lost on guitars when USTs are installed on them. I think a lot of vibrations are lost with a UST.

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

UPDATE:[/B] I put on some Erinie Ball Aluminums and also some titanium bridge pins. Wow! There has been a noticeable increase in volume. Maybe not as loud as my other guitars but close enough that I will be happy to keep this gem.

I wish I knew how much was due to the pins vs the strings. Maybe the next string change I'll remove one from the equation.

You know, I don't think it is a matter of how much is strings and how much is pins... because they work as a until and the evaluation separately, while it might give you information about what the strings or pins do based on your previous stuff, in some respect that information may not be helpful beyond telling you how the new strings respond to the old pins or the old strings respond to the new pins. As they say, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It's great that you have a combination that works.

I've been wanting to try the EBAB's for some time but haven't gotten around to it. Which strings were you using before and how would you describe the difference in tonal properties.

Are you using TITANIUM pins, of the Martin Liquid Metal pins? If Titanium, where did you get them?