The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 01-21-2021, 11:03 AM
Erithon's Avatar
Erithon Erithon is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,207
Default

I do this from time to time and my conclusion is that they are all excellent. No one is better than another, just different. I do have a favorite guitar, but that isn't because it's a better instrument; it's because I happen to like its tonal qualities the most. Purely a subjective thing.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 01-21-2021, 11:10 AM
Rev Roy's Avatar
Rev Roy Rev Roy is offline
Resident Guitar Hack
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Northwest Oklahoma
Posts: 7,167
Default

Compare? I do it everyday. I only have two guitars (see sig). Both get tuned up and played during the hour or two I play every morning. I routinely go back and forth between them...often playing the same song back to back on both. It’s only natural to compare them...which is different than pitting one against the other.

Both guitars are spruce/Honduran though the Collings has an Adi top and the Bourgeois is baked Sitka. Their voices are wonderfully different. The Collings is crisp with clear note separation and plenty of volume and solid but not overwhelmingly bass. The Bourgeois has slightly less volume and a more compressed warm tone. Comparing them always brings a smile to my face because they compliment each other so well. My perfect acoustic duo.
__________________
2021 Edmonds OM-28RS - Sunburst (Adi/Old Growth Honduran)
2014 Walker Clark Fork (Adi/Honduran Rosewood)…incoming

FOR SALE: 2023 Martin 000-15SM 12 fret w/ K&K mini

Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 01-21-2021, 11:17 AM
Tnfiddler Tnfiddler is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Middle Tn
Posts: 3,718
Default

I did this little comparison last night to see which one I wanted to play at this upcoming gig and see if one stood out more than the other. I know Brencat said he thinks these two would sound nothing alike, but in my room, at the time, it’s subtle differences between the two. I’ll give the Bourgeois the edge because of the complexity of its tone and because I know it projects better in a band setting. I WANT to sit in front of these two and hear them from the spectator point of view and I have a friend who is a fantastic guitar player, who just happens to own a Bourgeois Vintage D and several Martin dreads himself, who would gladly help me out with that. I will say that when I was practicing some George Strait songs the other night, I really preferred the D41 for it because the tone just feels "right" for his music. I will also say that our banjo player has told me, a couple of times lately, that this particular Bourgeois fills up the sound of band better than the D41 or my previous Bourgeois Slope D Banjo Killer does, so I think it's going to be the more complete guitar for the bluegrass setting. I'm just blessed to own 2 fantastic guitars like this and last night made me appreciate their capabilities even more.
__________________
Education is important! Guitar is importanter!!



2019 Bourgeois “Banjo Killer” Aged Tone Vintage Deluxe D
2018 Martin D41 Ambertone (2018 Reimagined)
2016 Taylor GS Mini Koa ES2

Last edited by Tnfiddler; 01-21-2021 at 11:40 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 01-21-2021, 12:07 PM
blindboyjimi's Avatar
blindboyjimi blindboyjimi is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 2,375
Default

For me, that’s the purpose of having a collection. I practice separate from playing. When I’m playing I love to pretend I’m in a nice guitar shop so I’ll play a song or two and switch guitars. My guitars are all different sounding but set up very similar. All of my guitars hang in my music room 24/7/365 so I can grab one at will. It’s quite fun to go back n forth for me.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 01-21-2021, 01:39 PM
JimT JimT is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 77
Default

I do this frequently, start off playing one and then switch to another because it doesn’t sound quite right on a particular song. On any given day one of my three sounds better than the others and that’s the one I end up playing that day. The next day might be a different one. Seems odd to me, but it keeps them all in the rotation.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 01-21-2021, 02:34 PM
Dryfly Dryfly is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Albuquerque NM
Posts: 648
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mawmow View Post
Every time I get a new guitar, I play it daily for a while, change strings and may even make some string trials.
Then I would often time take two guitars side by side and play "pieces of the day" alternating the guitars.
It helps me refine my ear and appreciate sound characteristics of each guitar.
Ultimately, it helps deciding whether I keep or let go a guitar.
Precisely what I'm doing now with my new Kopp. It's very different from the D-12 which was supposed to be the whole point.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 01-21-2021, 02:35 PM
Cameleye Cameleye is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,276
Default

I do this all the time. It's fun. I enjoy hearing subtile (and sometimes not so subtile) variations in tone, not to mention playability. I have two sets of the same guitars and they get played back to back on occasion. Amazing to hear the differences in two supposedly "identical" guitars.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 01-21-2021, 02:49 PM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 43,429
Default

I compare new guitars back to back to back to back ... When I learn a new song I usually try it out on a few guitars to see how it sounds.

A couple nights ago I compared a few guitars with the capo on the 7th fret with a new fingerpicking tune I have.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 01-21-2021, 03:29 PM
Br1ck Br1ck is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: San Jose, Ca
Posts: 6,947
Default

The thing for me is not to have two similar guitars. I'd never own two rosewood dreads. I do have a Guild D 35 and my 65 Texan, both mahogany/spruce, but they are very different. I tend to play a guitar for a week or so, them move on to another, and constantly marvel at how different they all are.

The Music Villa YouTube channel did a test with three Martin dreads, one being the player's personal instrument, and in the blindfold test, he could not pick it out.
__________________
2007 Martin D 35 Custom
1970 Guild D 35
1965 Epiphone Texan
2011 Santa Cruz D P/W
Pono OP 30 D parlor
Pono OP12-30
Pono MT uke
Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic
Fluke tenor ukulele
Boatload of home rolled telecasters

"Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 01-21-2021, 03:38 PM
Brucebubs Brucebubs is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Eden, Australia
Posts: 17,792
Default

I've played my new Gibson every single day now for nearly 3 months, we've bonded, I played up some of my other guitars just a few days ago, they sound terrible, I can't help it, I've grown jumbo ears.
__________________
Brucebubs

1972 - Takamine D-70
2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone
2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo
2012 - Dan Dubowski#61
2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo
2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200
2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 01-21-2021, 03:49 PM
jrb715 jrb715 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,209
Default

Never done that. Each guitar I have was picked up for its own particular strength. They don't sound at all alike to me, and while I'm apt to play a couple more often than others, the one I have in my hands that suits my tastes of the moment is the best guitar I have--that day. I've never worried about how good a guitar sounds in comparison to other guitars--not even sure I understand what that means anymore-- just if it thrills me when I play it.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 01-21-2021, 04:07 PM
Tnfiddler Tnfiddler is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Middle Tn
Posts: 3,718
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
The thing for me is not to have two similar guitars. I'd never own two rosewood dreads. I do have a Guild D 35 and my 65 Texan, both mahogany/spruce, but they are very different. I tend to play a guitar for a week or so, them move on to another, and constantly marvel at how different they all are.

The Music Villa YouTube channel did a test with three Martin dreads, one being the player's personal instrument, and in the blindfold test, he could not pick it out.
I thought I was a Mahogany fan when I had my Bourgeois Slope D Adi/hog Banjo Killer. Then I bought my D41 and after playing it and only it for a couple of weeks, the next time I got the hog slope D out, I couldn't stand the sound of it anymore. So I'm all in on rosewood. The D41 is my indoor gig/festival guitar and the Bourgeois is my outdoor, "it isn't gonna hurt this thing if it gets hot and sweaty" gig/festival guitar!
__________________
Education is important! Guitar is importanter!!



2019 Bourgeois “Banjo Killer” Aged Tone Vintage Deluxe D
2018 Martin D41 Ambertone (2018 Reimagined)
2016 Taylor GS Mini Koa ES2
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 01-21-2021, 04:46 PM
Rev Roy's Avatar
Rev Roy Rev Roy is offline
Resident Guitar Hack
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Northwest Oklahoma
Posts: 7,167
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucebubs View Post
I've played my new Gibson every single day now for nearly 3 months, we've bonded, I played up some of my other guitars just a few days ago, they sound terrible, I can't help it, I've grown jumbo ears.
Great point, Bruce. Folks who play one guitar (or one wood combo, or maker or string brand, etc...) can get so acclimated to one sound that they can’t appreciate something different. At least not without being patient enough to give it a long, fair try. I know I’ve been guilty of that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tnfiddler View Post
I thought I was a Mahogany fan when I had my Bourgeois Slope D Adi/hog Banjo Killer. Then I bought my D41 and after playing it and only it for a couple of weeks, the next time I got the hog slope D out, I couldn't stand the sound of it anymore. So I'm all in on rosewood. The D41 is my indoor gig/festival guitar and the Bourgeois is my outdoor, "it isn't gonna hurt this thing if it gets hot and sweaty" gig/festival guitar!
I’ve gone just the opposite direction. I was all-in rosewood for years...until all those lush overtones became too much for me. So I’ve been on a hog kick for the last few years, loving the clear fundamentals and natural warmth.
__________________
2021 Edmonds OM-28RS - Sunburst (Adi/Old Growth Honduran)
2014 Walker Clark Fork (Adi/Honduran Rosewood)…incoming

FOR SALE: 2023 Martin 000-15SM 12 fret w/ K&K mini

Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 01-21-2021, 06:20 PM
Bob Womack's Avatar
Bob Womack Bob Womack is offline
Guitar Gourmet
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Between Clever and Stupid
Posts: 26,993
Default

I got through the process of comparison often. As I am working up pieces for recording I often run them by the best candidates and choose the one that best suits.

Bob
__________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring

THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website)
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 01-21-2021, 06:30 PM
aeisen93 aeisen93 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: New York
Posts: 950
Default

I find that my guitars sound better when I don't compare them to each other. So I try not to compare them, and just enjoy them individually.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:06 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=