How it sounds is all that matters

[Silurian]

Aesthetics matter to me as well. If I don't like the look of it, then I don't like it. Maybe I'm just shallow.

[Mr. Paul]

Originally Posted by Silurian

Aesthetics matter to me as well. If I don't like the look of it, then I don't like it. Maybe I'm just shallow.

You have company in the wading pool

If the neck carve doesn't fit my hand, it won't get played enough for the tone to matter.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by DownUpDave

…If I can't play it and its not comfortable it's not coming home with me.

Hi DUD

So you discount the possibility the action can be set to play comfortably after you purchase it? I find factory set guitars to be very average in their action, and with an average weight of strings.

Or are you including different things than just action in your 'comfortable'?

[DownUpDave]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi DUD

So you discount the possibility the action can be set to play comfortably after you purchase it? I find factory set guitars to be very average in their action, and with an average weight of strings.

Or are you including different things than just action in your 'comfortable'?

Good questions Larry. The action can always be lowered and improved. I was refering to the neck profile and depth, can't get on with a V shape or something too chunky. Same with body size and shape.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by DownUpDave

Good questions Larry. The action can always be lowered and improved. I was refering to the neck profile and depth, can't get on with a V shape or something too chunky. Same with body size and shape.

Hi DUD

I thought you were probably not talking just action.

I've accompanied dozens of students/friends to decent guitar stores in the region to shop for better guitars, and the ability to manage the physical is important when upgrading to an instrument which may become a long-term addition to one's herd.

The advantage of having someone experienced along is they know what to look for (and look-out for) and both can play for each other so the potential buyer gets to hear the guitar not only from behind but sitting out front.

And hopefully the experienced friend will spot potential trouble areas and point them out to the buyer.

[Goodallboy]

My guitar is not the easiest to play but it’s the best sounding guitar I’ve ever ever played, so Ill be in the “sound is the most important factor” club.

[Tnfiddler]

Count me in the full circle club. If it sounds fantastic BUT is hard to play and doesn’t look good, I’ll pass and let someone else have it!! I want the complete package! Great sound, Great looks and Great playability. My Bourgeois dread and Taylor 810 meet all three of those requirements!!

[Flgatorgirl]

Do you remember the guitar that truly started it all for you? Was it your first? The next? Do you remember the feeling that got you into REALLY playing and loving the guitar? I sold my first, second and third guitar for various reasons. I had a long hiatus until I picked up guitar again. I have picked a few that I really thought would “be the one” and I enjoy all that I have.

But wouldn’t you know it, my latest acquisition (Martin Woodstock 50th Anniversary DX) just feels perfect! Like the guitar that started it all for me...I suppose the feeling I have been longing to find again. The One. The feeling that started the journey. It makes me happy to go home and play. I guess I have come full circle in a way. It’s not one specific thing, it is the whole. I am happy with my “not the best, greatest, most expensive, high end guitar” out there. Sound, tone, playability, looks...whole.

[Pitar]

The non-influenced buyer -

The first impression a guitar makes on an entry level buyer is always visual because he'll reach for something that aesthetically appeals to him. He won't play something that doesn't (not yet, anyway). He rationalizes the sound because as a new player he has not developed an aural sensitivity for the task. That will come but as a new player there's no pretending that he's an experienced listener. Next, his hands cannot convince him that any guitar is better than the next because, again, he doesn't have the motor skills that make guitar selection a snap. So, it goes back to the eyes and he makes a visual decision.

Now he begins to develop his ears and hands on this visual beauty only to find it isn't as satisfying to his ears as it is to his eyes. This is when he realizes that beauty really is only finish deep. Additionally, he may find the size and shape of the sound box, or neck, or both, to be a bit clumsy for him and it's affecting his progress. His motivation is affected so once again he decides to take another look at guitars to see if there's one that works better for him. This is not GAS. This is plain old tool shopping. GAS comes much later when skills get him feeling confident and incite an urge to match them with better tools.

This scenario progresses through the years but ultimately matures as the aural and motor skills reach a certain skill apogee and flatten out. At this point he learns a new guitar will not progress him beyond his skills set and he stops buying. He also knows that shop talk will no longer influence him to open his wallet.

The influenced buyer -

This speaks for itself. This player buys on recommendation and, like the early visual buyer, develops from there. He decides to trust others because he knows his skills are not up to the task of guitar shopping. What he experiences (learns) from listening to others laud what they like is that, as much as he might want to, he can't trust another person's opinion of a make/model guitar enough to invest in it. He might have gotten lucky but it only takes a couple bad guitars to rule out shopping by the opinions of others.

Forums are rife with glowing opinions of guitars of all stripes. If all of them are great then we all might as well just own a single respectable brand and call it a day.

The bad sounding guitar lament is a natural (if not essential) part of learning so I won't dismiss it as a bad thing. It's just part of the growing process as a player.

[Steadfastly]

Actually, how it sounds, is the second criteria. If it has a narrow neck, I can't play it cleanly, so it would be no good to me how it sounded. So the first criteria is how it plays. If it fits your hands, body, etc, then check out how it sounds.

[Steel and wood]

Call me shallow, but looks matter to me also.

[Triumph1050]

this applies to more than just guitars. why do I drive a nice car? because quality, dependability, comfort, AND looks... all factor in.

I like nice things...

I have no idea how my "aural sensitivity" factors in with a guitar but Im certainly not a new player. after 43 years I know what I like in a guitar and it's pretty much everything that's been mentioned by others. it's the whole package.

[Paddy1951]

Originally Posted by Steel and wood

Call me shallow, but looks matter to me also.

Everybody likes to have a good looking guitar. That can mean different things to different people.
I think the guitar's looks are the easiest thing to accomplish. I have seen hundreds of good looking guitars that were not worth anything sound wise.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

Another consideration when talking about "only Sound that matters"...is that we don't always know what is the right sound for our style of playing.

I bought a great sounding guitar 4 years ago. Truly lovely. Harmonics and sustain galore. But after a couple of years, I realized this was not the right great sound for myself. I needed a guitar that was more fundamental orientated.

Sometimes it takes Years to understand what sound is best for our style of playing.

This is where many of us have been and many more will go.
I had a similar guitar, actually a couple that fit this description.
I have found the guitar(s) that suit my playing. Sometimes, even when you know something isn't a fit, you hold on. In my case, it didn't take long. I did enjoy the trial and error period.
As most of us will attest, it's fun figuring it all out.