suggestions for gigging instrument

[sbmackie]

Hello forum,
Exploring concert/00/om/ooo sized hopefully deep bodied 14 fret short scale (25 or thereabouts) with a cutaway for doing open mics, etc. Current guitarsenal are a 000-15sm I sometimes use with a clip on mic, a Northwood 80R series 000 with a K and K I also use (most versatile instrument), and a McIlroy A Model that stays at home.
Played the -12 -22 series Taylors, they work fine but looking for other options. 3K max. I think I want spruce over hog, but would consider anything. Ideas?

Thanks
Scott

[mcduffnw]

Talk to forum member noledog.

He is a long time pro gigging local musician. He can give you really really sound and practical "professionally gigging/performance proven" advice about guitars and all other manner gigging gear.


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[DenverSteve]

My favorite performance guitar of all time is a Martin 000-18. I've had several different models and all have been wonderful gigging instruments.

[larren]

Originally Posted by sbmackie

Hello forum,
Exploring concert/00/om/ooo sized hopefully deep bodied 14 fret short scale (25 or thereabouts) with a cutaway for doing open mics, etc. Current guitarsenal are a 000-15sm I sometimes use with a clip on mic, a Northwood 80R series 000 with a K and K I also use (most versatile instrument), and a McIlroy A Model that stays at home.
Played the -12 -22 series Taylors, they work fine but looking for other options. 3K max. I think I want spruce over hog, but would consider anything. Ideas?

Thanks
Scott

Maton 808, Cole Clark, MIJ Takamine.......can't go wrong with any of these.

[MIGAS79]

Love my J-45 Cutaway with Baggs Anthem. I don’t gig but often think it would be perfect for it. I know some say a J-45 with a cutaway is blasphemous but I even think it looks good.

Forum member groberts also should be a wealth of knowledge here.

[Mbroady]

Originally Posted by Mich Novice

Love my J-45 Cutaway with Baggs Anthem.

I think any good sounding and playing guitar, such as the J-45 would sound amazing with an Anthem system.

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by larren

Maton 808, Cole Clark, MIJ Takamine.......can't go wrong with any of these.

This! I spent many a year trying to find a 'gig-ready' guitar that was a simple plug and play. I went the Cole Clark route with. The Angel 2 would suit your needs very well. It's technically a long scale GA but it plays like a short scale. The 3-way pickup system and simple but effective onboard controls are outstanding for open mics.

Now I can get great tone on the fly regardless of what the host system or the person running it abilities are! They use different tonewoods than the norm, more locally sourced Australian varietals like blackwood, bunya, and Queensland maple, but all have their similarities to other tonewoods.

I went with all-blackwood CC's which is like Koa. Prices are really good and about half what you're looking to spend. The new Angel 2's have a cutaway as well. I have full NGD reviews with video demos down in my my review link in the sig below.

[SalFromChatham]

The two gigging guitars i use most are my Takamine P3NC (NEX shape), and a Martin 15 series with a Baggs M1. Eric Noledog also uses that Tak I think by the way.

It's an easy solution.... and you need nothing with the Tak.

It is perfect for open mics, bars... you name it. And it has a sweet unplugged tone as well.

Another option I would advocate for... Get a Farida OT-22 from Elderly, and throw a Baggs M1 Passive in it... and use an EQ pedal to boost the signal. If you already have one.

This was my Farida:



This is my current Tak P3NC

[ChrisE]

Not that I'd ever try to talk someone out of buying another guitar (that would surely get me banned from AGF) but why not use one of the guitars you already have?

If you like them, use them. Put a pickup in the Martin; that would be awesome.

[Goat Mick]

A more expensive guitar doesn't always mean a better gigging guitar. Because gigs are in ever changing environments (outdoors in the heat or cold, inside under hot stage lights or right under the cold air from the AC vent, humid and sweaty, etc, etc, etc...) I find that my most reliable gigging guitars are guitars with laminated backs and sides like my Farida OT-22 and my Ibanez AVC6. I do have a Martin 000-17 that I gig with a lot because it has proven itself to be stable in different environments, but if I don't know what I'm getting into I'll take one of the laminates. I'm playing a songwriter showcase tonight in a venue I know to be a bit hot and humid so I have my OT-22 in it's case behind my desk right now waiting to go. I'm also a big fan of a Baggs M1 pickup which is what is in my Farida.

[sbmackie]

Originally Posted by ChrisE

Not that I'd ever try to talk someone out of buying another guitar (that would surely get me banned from AGF) but why not use one of the guitars you already have?

If you like them, use them. Put a pickup in the Martin; that would be awesome.

The Martin is very comfy. I usually use the Northwood because it is the most versatile and if you've played one you know they are fine, fine instruments.

Played a Cole Clark Angel, a 312CE V class, and an H and D cm. Of the three, for my purposes, I liked the Taylor the best for both sound and comfy-ness. The small body, and short scale make a difference. The V class does make a difference. Smooths out the ping/blang/whammy/shimmer off what some have come to call the standard Taylor "modern" sound. Whatever that is.

In my own psychotic brain I need to justify another guitar purchase.

[Oldguy64]

Find the Takamine Pro Series that has the combination of woods you prefer.
There are the “icons” such as EF341, and EF360....
But the Pro Series is about as “plug and play” as it gets.
And the CT4Bll is an easy to dial in poweful preamp.