Music Store Acoustic Room's Acoustic Reverb

[ThePanda]

Maybe this is a non-issue, but dang this 000-28 sounded amazing in a music store Acoustic room. The bass response was thumping.

Even the PRS P20E was great, and the $3k Taylor sound heavenly.

The $600 Breedlove sound hollow and flat tho...

How many people have there own acoustic room or play acoustic in a smaller room?

How does it compare to a bigger room?

[koolimy]

I don't have any special rooms but I noticed that the room and its size has a noticeable effect on the sound of a guitar. I was once playing my guitar walking through the door from my room to the larger living room. The sound changed as soon as I walked through the door! It went from being very present and lively to a bit dull and less responsive sounding. The change was not subtle either. So I can see that having a "playing room" optimized for best acoustics can be a great investment for any acoustic guitar aficionado who has the resources.

Of course, I will never have the resources to do something like that, LOL. I'll just do with playing in my bedroom if I want better sound.

[TwangGang]

My music room is about 15' x 20' with a 9 foot ceiling and an area rug that covers about 3/4 of the floor. My acoustics sound normal to me in there. But when I go out into the great room which is much bigger and has about a 20 foot ceiling and no carpet things ring out more. Just more room for sound waves to bounce around I guess.

[phydaux]

When he was a kid Paul McCartney used to practice his guitar in the bathroom because it sounded better in there.

[ThePanda]

Originally Posted by phydaux

When he was a kid Paul McCartney used to practice his guitar in the bathroom because it sounded better in there.

That's hilarious!

Good idea though

[SuperB23]

There used to be an acoustic guitar store in Monterey CA and they had a small hallway where they’d encourage people to sit and try out acoustic guitars. The hall way had a brick wall on both sides and a hardwood floor with a few drum throne style stools in there and I remember playing one of my first McPherson guitars I’d ever tried probably back in about 2006 or so and it was unbelievable the effect that brick hall way had on the guitars you’d try!

Hard reflective surfaces and hard wood floors and lower ceilings make a big difference!

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by phydaux

When he was a kid Paul McCartney used to practice his guitar in the bathroom because it sounded better in there.

Keith Richards would sit at the top of the stairs for the same reason.

[KevinH]

Paul Davids made an interesting video about the effect of room size, walls etc:

[ghostnote]

Of course some rooms are better than others acoustically, but my guitars sound better when I feel good. There are some days when I could be playing the best guitar on the planet in the best location and it would still sound meh. On other days I could be playing a cheap guitar in the median of a highway and it would sound great.

[b1j]

It seems to me that if you have walls covered with hanging guitars, those strings are going to resonate with what you're playing on the one in your lap.

[Wade Hampton]

It’s no accident that many music stores have wood paneling on the walls of their high end acoustic guitar rooms. The walls and the sympathetic vibrations of the other guitars in the room make each guitar you pick up sound richer and fuller.


whm

[Mr. Jelly]

This is one of the first things I notice when I perform. The sound of the guitar is different all the time. My playing feeds off what I hear and when the guitar sounds different, I have to mentally come to terms with what I'm hearing before I can play decently.

[dneal]

What Wade said - and this is why I bring a guitar of my own that I'm familiar with if I'm seriously considering a new guitar. Yeah, that's not always possible, but...

With my own guitar, I can see how the room is affecting the sound; and take that into account with the one I'm looking at.

[Bob Womack]

Duane Allman in the Holiday Inn.


When I was in college, I used to practice in an open well stairwell by my dorm room because it sounded great.



Bob

[Misifus]

I have learned to be wary of making judgements of guitar sounds in unfamiliar rooms. Once I stopped by a fine shop and tried a guitar that sounded splendid. To be sure, I waited until I could bring my own favorite in to the shop to compare them side-by-side. In that room my own old favorite was clearly the superior instrument.

In my opinion, side-by-side comparison is the only way I’ll judge guitars.