Modern Guitar Tone - Which Guitar?

[strumming]

I'm looking for my next fingerstyle guitar for my studio. An example of the general tone I'm trying to achieve is Don Alder's tone. This song is a good example of the recorded tone I'm looking for:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVpwdaQuJgs

I'm not trying to be our sound like Don Alder, I'm only using this recording as a benchmark example. This appears to be a modern fingerstyle guitar tone but there are so many great builders today. I found an Eichelbaum Concert guitar that I'm considering. Anyone familiar with this guitar and whether it would provide this kind of tone?

[virob]

Don uses Yamaha guitars on stage, but also plays a Greenfield among others.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by strumming

…Clearly this is a modern fingerstyle guitar tone but there are so many great builders today.

Hi strumming
To my ear this is a modern pickup/effects sound. The guitar acoustics are mostly buried, and this could be reproduced with either single effects pedals or an effects unit.

The fairly large fanned fret offset adds to the bass for sure, which is one of his characteristic sounds.

Reminds me of the early amplied David Wilcox (acoustic player) concerts where he had a sensor installed on the bass end of the bridge running through an 'undisclosed' black box which sat on stage (and he wouldn't tell people what piece of equipment was in it).

The hyped bass and delay/reverb are front and center in the piece you posted, and others of his YouTube pieces.

[mcduffnw]

Well...one issue here with this recording is that there is a certain amount of "massaging" of the tone via some form or forms of effects, maybe at least a bit of reverb on it, plus whatever mic or mic's they used and whatever they may have set the EQ on the board. So it isn't an absolutely pure signal as far as straight clean recorded guitar tone.

Then there is the factor that only Don Alder sounds like Don Alder, no matter what guitar he uses. You may or may not be able to get close to that, depending on the "tone" that you naturally create when you play, no matter the guitar.

An Eichelbaum guitar could certainly get you in the ballpark tone wise...IF...that particular guitar is voiced towards that type of tonal and dynamic voice. It just depends on what David was going for tonally with that particular guitar you are interested in. You would have to play it...or be able to hear really good quality sound clips to get an ideal of what it can do.


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[ship of fools]

He really is a great guy and here in BC Canada we truly love his playing. But may I suggest that you not try to be like him and just be and sound like you.
There are many guitars out there that are great for fingerstyle playing. We already have a Don Alder so maybe time for Strummer to come out and be himself.

[ljguitar]

I've only seen videos of him, but playing a variety of guitars.

I'm thinking he'd still sound pretty much like Don Adler on any guitar he plays.

[strumming]

Originally Posted by ship of fools

He really is a great guy and here in BC Canada we truly love his playing. But may I suggest that you not try to be like him and just be and sound like you.
There are many guitars out there that are great for fingerstyle playing. We already have a Don Alder so maybe time for Strummer to come out and be himself.

Thanks for the response. My apologies. I don't think my post was very clear. I'm not trying to be or sound like Don Alder. I agree we all should strive to sound like ourselves which is always my goal. I only used that clip as an example of the modern guitar tone I'm trying to find in a guitar and whether the Eichelbaum would be a good match for this tone. Yes, there are many great fingerstyle guitars which makes the search that much harder. I'll update the OP to be more clear. Thanks again

[TBman]

I think its in the "mix", not the guitar. (hi-pass, with reverb)

for example:

Stephen Wake - Larrivee OM-03:



Daria S. - Taylor 314 (I think lol, could be her Lakewood):

[chasingchet]

i agree...not modern to my ears at all...that is no dry tone.

[SRL]

Skipping discussion of effects, etc. the most modern-sounding acoustic I've played are the new Taylor's with V-class bracing, especially through the ES2 pickup system.

[Doug Young]

Don's sound is pretty heavily processed here. Some kind of modulation going on (could be in the reverb). Could be using a pickup? Not something I'd use as a guide to buying a guitar, more something you'd want to explore as to what effects he's using. Don's friendly and accessible, write to him and ask if he can tell you more about that recording.

As far as David Eichelbaum, I haven't heard much about him in a long time, but a decade or so ago, he was at the various guitar shows. He seemed to be friends (and maybe learning from) Kevin Ryan. I seem to recall he made a bity of a splash with an 8 string guitar (before Taylor came out with their 8 string) I've played some of his guitars, and just recall they were nice, but it's been too long to have a clear memory.

There are tons of "modern" guitars out there, so I'd say it's more about budget, playability, and finding one who's acoustic tone you like. Getting Don's sound is more an exercise in recording, effects, and possibly electronics.

[Glennwillow]

I think those who have already responded have got it right that a whole lot of the sound you are hearing from Don Alder is from various forms of processing or various processors (reverb, chorus, delay, etc.)

But some of what I hear in the sound is a lot of deep bass. That could be from EQ but I suspect that his guitar has a lot of that deep bass as part of its sound.

Michael Watts plays a Jason Kostal modified dreadnought based on development work that Ervin Somogyi has done. I have played one of Jason Kostal's modified dreadnoughts and it does sound huge, with deep, grand piano bass. Here is a video from Michael Watts-- who by the way frequents this forum -- on Jason Kostal and Ervin Somogyi's guitars. Also, you might consider checking out Michael's YouTube channel, for that matter.

By the way, these are expensive guitars, though Jason Kostal's guitars are less expensive than Ervin Somogyi's.

Dream Guitars probably has demo videos on both Somogyi and Kostal guitars. You might look for examples there, also. For example, check out Al Petteway playing a Kostal modified dreadnought HERE.

- Glenn

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

But some of what I hear in the sound is a lot of deep bass. That could be from EQ but I suspect that his guitar has a lot of that deep bass as part of its sound.

Don at least used to use a MagMic - magnetic pickup (as part of a 3 or 4 source system), which could be the source of that bottom end as well.

[musicman1951]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Michael Watts plays a Jason Kostal modified dreadnought based on development work that Ervin Somogyi has done. I have played one of Jason Kostal's modified dreadnoughts and it does sound huge, with deep, grand piano bass. Here is a video from Michael Watts-- who by the way frequents this forum -- on Jason Kostal and Ervin Somogyi's guitars. Also, you might consider checking out Michael's YouTube channel, for that matter.

By the way, these are expensive guitars, though Jason Kostal's guitars are less expensive than Ervin Somogyi's.

- Glenn

I agree with Glenn that a Kostal would be a fine choice for this music. I lust after a Michael Watts model, but of course it still wouldn't be as spectacular as when Michael plays it.

But Glenn wasn't kidding when he said they were expensive. Like new car expensive.

[mercy]

Greenfeld, the Canadian, is the top of the heap acoustically. Goodall and the Lowden.