Playability vs. tone

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by RP

...These Sophie's Choice scenarios can get a little silly.

I agree. It’s like the threads that show up every other week or so that ask:

“If you could keep only ONE of the guitars that you own, which one would you keep?”

And the ridiculous total unlikelyhood of that ever occurring is never explained. I always want to know the proposed back story for this bizarre “one guitar only” scenario.

I mean, does that mean that there’ll be some totalitarian government take over that confiscates all but one of your guitars?!? Or maybe there’s some sort of Guitar Rapture, where suddenly all of your guitars but one start levitating up into the stratosphere and beyond?

I mean, what’s the mechanism at work there? And why would any government or supernatural higher power want most of my guitars ANYWAY?!?



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Sorry - I just had to get that off my chest...


Wade Hampton “Maybe I Think Too Much About This Stuff” Miller

[Joe Beamish]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

I agree. It’s like the threads that show up every other week or so that ask:

“If you could keep only ONE of the guitars that you own, which one would you keep?”

And the ridiculous total unlikelyhood of that ever occurring is never explained. I always want to know the proposed back story for this bizarre “one guitar only” scenario.

I mean, does that mean that there’ll be some totalitarian government take over that confiscates all but one of your guitars?!? Or maybe there’s some sort of Guitar Rapture, where suddenly all of your guitars but one start levitating up into the stratosphere and beyond?

I mean, what’s the mechanism at work there? And why would any government or supernatural higher power want most of my guitars ANYWAY?!?



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Sorry - I just had to get that off my chest...


Wade Hampton “Maybe I Think Too Much About This Stuff” Miller

I think these types of threads are no less interesting than the other threads that show up every week or two....which is pretty much all of them. They make me think, sort of.

For example, this thread made me realize that, part of the "playability" of my Backpacker is that I can take it along with me on business trips without looking like a self-absorbed douchebag in front of my clients, whom I travel with, and who don't notice its existence as we move through airports with our bags. In hotel rooms, I've written and learned a lot of music on that guitar, which has a pathetic, toy-like tone. But it's my friend. It's got its own version of playability.

Similarly, the "one guitar" question gets me thinking. Aside from my Backpacker, which I only play on business trips, I have only my OM, which is basically my one guitar. "One guitar" is a first for me, at least for a long time now. And I'm really digging it.

But I have nothing against the ever-recurring humidity threads either. I don't actually read them. (But I probably will, whenever I next relocate to a colder climate.)

[Dru Edwards]

If I went somewhere, whether a friend's house or a campfire, and of the two guitars available to play I would choose playability. That's a very realistic situation.

[Goodallboy]

I have one acoustic guitar. I don't want another one simply because it wouldn't sound as good as the one I have.

The one I have and will always have, isn't the easiest guitar to play that I've ever had, it's the best sounding one I've ever had, or ever played.

So it's tone for me. I can expend the slight extra effort that some don't seem able willing to exert to have the best sound I can have.

[Duck916]

Playability. That's why I bought a Zager.

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by D-utim

If both factors couldn’t be accomplished in one guitar, which one do you prefer?

I can work around playability issues to varying degrees of success, but trying to create good tone out of a guitar that just has overall poor tone quality...IMO...is much more difficult if not sometimes impossible to pull off. So I would always take a guitar that has good tone but playability issues, over a guitar with good playability...for me...but poor tone.


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[justonwo]

A bit hypothetical because you can have both, but I’d rather have a guitar with great tone but sub-optimal playability. I can adjust to guitars that are harder to play, but find guitars with lousy tone uninspiring. Of course, it’s within limits. Are we talking totally unplayable? Or a little off?

[AcousticDreams]

Originally Posted by gadgetfreak

I have 2016 Martin Hd28 I bought brand new. Tone is amazing and playability I'll give 6/10, I brought it to my luthier who is very good at what he does but tells me she's right where she should be and I just have a hard time playing anything other than straight barre chords and open chords.
My luthier tells me that the neck angle is perfect and the same with relief, he then tells me that's what makes certain guitars the one because they sound amazing and play 10/10 and that's why I should play as many guitars until I find that one.

While there is a great amount of truth in what your luthier told you, there is one area that often gets overlooked--Nut height.

I use to think the same thing...as my guitar sounded great but did not play very well. I should mention that I use a modified Medium gauge strings. Slightly heavier. You would be surprised at how many guitars have too high a nut height.

One easy way to tell, is if when you depress single notes and bar chords at at the 6 to 10th frets if they play easier. If they do, then it is a possibility that you Nut height to fretboard distance is set a bit too high. Just a few thousands can make a huge difference. It did for myself.

A simple Spark plug gauge set at the automotive store for under $5, and you can measure exactly the distances of the bottom of the string to the fretboard. Of course, it also depends on the height of your frets. And it will take some research on your part to see what peoples opinion is on Fret height.

All I can say is it made my guitar play so much easier. Saddle height is one factor, Neck relief is another...but Nut height also makes a big difference.

[Steel and wood]

I can pick up a guitar with a ton of tone but if it doesn't feel right (or even appeal to me visually) then I'm not taking it home.

[Jaden]

For me, playability always leads to good tone, as in pleasing music. I can always find the “sweet spot” of most well constructed and set-up instruments, whereas tone considered on its own is so much “pie in the sky” with connotations of the guitar producing the music for you on its own, without any effort - it’s a cop out, or at least, maybe only a virtue that can be rightfully claimed by the builder of the instrument.

[phavriluk]

This sounds to me like a solution looking for a problem. I think that playability and tone are two different and just-about-unrelated qualities. Tone is the noise the box makes, playability is the work product of the artist who adjusted the guitar (nut, relief, saddle) to the satisfaction of the owner. A guitar can sound angelic when the strings are plucked, but be a beast to play. The beast can be tamed. Angels are in short supply beyond those originally issued with the guitar and what they do doesn't much respond to supplication.

[Glennwillow]

Playability vs. tone?

I have to have both. My experience is that when I find a guitar that sounds really good, it can be made playable. And making a guitar more playable makes it sound better because it's easier to play well.

- Glenn

[s2y]

If I had to pick, playability. I like playing leads above the 5th fret. Fortunately, I have some great guitars with killer tone and playability.

[whvick]

I want to say it is both, but I am suspicious that my ear is not really discerning. Therefore I may lean a little more toward playability.
I am thinking about trading my D-15 for something with a neck that feels better. Maybe a 1.75 instead of the 1 11/16. Or I may even try a 1.8 Seagull or custom made.

[jaymarsch]

It is a guitar to guitar decision for me. But, if I cannot find a comfortable way to play cleanly then I will not get the tone that the guitar offers. I have one of the most beautiful sounding guitars on consignment right now because the scale length and neck specs are just beyond my capabilities. I bought the guitar for the tone. My solution was to sell the guitar and have the same maker build one for me that dialed in my preferred neck specs. I am fortunate to have three wonderful guitars that are outstanding in both tone and playability.

Best,
Jayne