What's a loud small body acoustic?

[Jaxon]

loud?...volume competitions?...find the sweet spot in volume

[Lillis]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Only two more years and folks will be chiming in on a topic from a decade ago!

This thread was started eleven years ago! But since I’m here I will say my Larrivee P03 has nice volume.

[BlueBowman]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

loud?...volume competitions?...find the sweet spot in volume

I agree. But I think with louder guitars it's just nice to know you have the option for more headroom if you wish (kinda like rolling the volume up on an electric guitar). And louder guitars don't have to be plucked as hard to get a pleasing level of sound. Nice volume in a laid back playing state but you know you can always punch it up if need be.

But not all loud guitars have good tone IMO. In fact, sometimes I think they can kinda sound like a banjo, which is not for me. In my search for the most responsive guitar I could find, I came across a few of these. Almost like too much wood was removed and the guitar functioned more like a banjo. Weird, I know, but that's what I heard. Too "metallic" sounding. Turns out you need enough wood in a guitar to get a "woody" sound

Conversely, sometimes relatively quieter guitars can have the sweetest tone. I agree with you: it's all about finding the sweet spot.

As for the OP: I have owned the GS mini (mahogany). It had great volume for a small guitar. I'd still have it if not for the super short scale! The other two guitars mentioned in this thread I currently own: a Halcyon and Northwood. The Northwood is a 000 (deep body). It is also loud for its size. The bass is dread-like, and I'm saying that with a straight face. It's also VERY musical, even when you push it hard. The other is a Halcyon slope D. I know it's not a small guitar, but for sheer volume...it's the loudest guitar I've ever played!

[BlueBowman]

Originally Posted by Lillis

This thread was started eleven years ago! But since I’m here I will say my Larrivee P03 has nice volume.

Oh, man. I got bitten by another zombie...thread.

[Pickcity]

Old thread, but still a relevant question.

It isn’t cheap, but the Santa Cruz Firefly is the best small bodied guitar I’ve ever heard or played. It’s an amazing instrument.

[Dave Hicks]

My wife's Baby Taylor is quite loud - she says it's gotten louder over the past 2 years she's owned it. (It didn't exist in 2013, though.)

D.H.

[Shortfinger]

My Yairi PYM70 is as loud as the D-18.

[koine2002]

My LS16 is quite loud. It’s a concert body with a full scale. Like my Simon & Patrick Folk, it has, generally speaking, the upper and lower bouts and waist dimensions of a concert body but the depth/thickness of a dreadnaught.

[NickTuneUp]

Larrivee Parlors have a huge voice for being so small.

[Dr356]

I had a Furch Blue with a cedar top that was really loud. Also, my Martin 000 is very loud. spruce/mahogany.

[Steve DeRosa]

My wife has a Westerly-era Guild F-20BLD (spruce/maple, midway between 0 and 00 size) that has no problem being heard in a roomful of dreads/jumbos; excellent acoustic lead instrument - think Gypsy guitar with more low-end fundamental and sustain - and the speedy 1-5/8" neck is just icing on the cake...

[mjw61]

alverez ap66. so nice. has become my favorite guitar.

[jaymarsch]

The loudest guitar that I have played was a Mike Baranik Retreux Parlor guitar. Loud, clear and balanced tone coming from a small box. Very responsive to a light touch. Volume without much effort.
Best,
Jayne

[L20A]

I find a lot of 00 and 000 guitars to be loud.
The problem is they have too much treble and little low end boom.

[Charley2004]

My Larrivee PV-03 MHE is very loud!