"Singer/Songwriter Guitars" - What Say You?

[Kh1967]

Originally Posted by stephenT

I think of a songwriters guitar as a small body, so you can lean over and write a few lines without the guitar digging into your chest. Think Woody Guthrie.

My vote would be a Martin 00, say a 00-15.

A good 00 is hard to beat. I am glad to see a small guitar in the mix next to the larger bodies.

[rmyAddison]

My thoughts on this have changed over the years..............

Has anybody really heard an accomplished singer and went "wow that guitar doesn't work with their voice"? I have never had the feeling.

I have heard many guitars that I didn't like the sound; too much string noise, pickup quack, metallic non-acoustic sound, etc., but that has no direct relationship to the singer. They could play an instrumental piece, no singing, and my comments about that particular guitar sound would still stand.

This is one thing I just mostly disagree with. Outside of some dreads being really hard to sing over (amplification/microphone dependent), in over 50 years of playing (and performing), and almost 40 guitars, I honestly have never had a guitar that I felt just wouldn't work with my voice, my thoughts.

The guitars in my signature are VERY different in voicing, that's why I have them, I don't have a preference "strictly voice related", but that's me...

[Mbroady]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I think the notion that some guitars are "singer/songwriter" guitars and some are not, is a silly one unless someone can show me the guitars that impede singing and songwriting. I know of none.

I agree. What ever guitar moves you or inspires you would be a good singer/songwriter guitar.

I find that the guitars I have are a delight when writing a song. They play and intonate perfectly and they sound great, with a huge dynamic range.

So try them all and go with what moves u

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by L20A

...After seeing all of these different artists and their wide variety in guitars, I have come to the conclusion that the right guitar for a singer/songwriter is the one that they like and use...

Some well-known singer/songwriters and a few of the guitars with which they are most often associated:

• Willie Nelson - Martin N-20
• James Taylor - Gibson J-45/J-50, Olson SJ
• Bob Dylan - Gibson Nick Lucas, Gibson J-200
• Cat Stevens - Gibson J-200, Ovation Folklore, Ovation 1619 custom
• John Denver - Guild F-612, Guild "Artist Award" F-50R, Yamaha L-53, Taylor K-15, Taylor 855
• Jim Croce - Martin D-21, Gibson B25-12, Ovation Legend
• Neil Diamond - Gibson Everly Brothers, Ovation Balladeer, Ovation Adamas
• Stephen Stills - Martin D-28, Martin D-45
• Gordon Lightfoot - Martin D-18, Gibson B45-12
• Paul Simon - Guild F-30R, Guild F-212, Martin D-35S, Ovation Custom Legend, Martin OM-42
• Neil Young - Martin D-45

No general consensus other than most (but not all) tend to be larger-bodied instruments, supporting the troubador/"one-man band"/self-contained act idea - and I prefer my Rainsong JM1000/JM3000 for solo gigs for the same reason...

[ocarolan]

Particular singer-songwriters may wekl come to be associated with a particular guitars when performing. But the chances are that they use (several) others when actually writing/noodling around at home/in hotel rooms etc.

Keith

[jazzguy]

I think of a guitar that is both inspiring and comfortable. It should inspire music but not be distracting because it is too big. It should allow you to sit at a chair and write comfortably while holding the guitar. For me, the Martin 00-18 is the perfect size. But then again, I'm partial because I own one.

[MHC]

As someone who plays purely for myself, or occasionally among friends and family in a living room, I myself prefer a rosewood 00. I love my Martin CS-00-21 and I also like the Huss & Dalton T-0014 (I'm currently on the hunt for a used EIR version).

I like the 00 not just for the "intimate performance" aspect, but for the fact that I often work out my songs at a desk or dining table and the 00 body is nice and compact to be near furniture like that. I also play a lot on my sofa, and it's comfortable for that as well. I can take it anywhere.

I've never recorded anything ever (and thank goodness for that) so I can't speak to my 00's ability in that area.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I think the notion that some guitars are "singer/songwriter" guitars and some are not, is a silly one unless someone can show me the guitars that impede singing and songwriting. I know of none.

My sentiments exactly. Any guitar that fits the performer’s singing and original songs is what fits that particular artist. From what I’ve seen in the “singer songwriter” pop artists like Ed Sheeran, they tend to prefer little Martins or OOO/OM style guitars for performing. No idea what they use in the studio though.

[crikey]

I remember reading in the guitar and songwriting mags pre-internet, many moons ago, and the term would crop up periodically. As I remember, these articles seemed to be geared to hype artists who played mostly Gibsons and Martins. D-18, D-35, D-28, J-45...etc. Then, for example, say they were talking about an artist whose "singer/songwriter guitar" was a D-18 in one particular article, lo and behold there was a full page glossy D-18 ad in the inside back cover.

Although I kind of subscribed to the notion at the time, I don't really think about it as much any more. I think you get a good guitar, you play some good singer/songwriter stuff, DONE. Anything else is over-thinking it at my age.

That said, I'm partial to my little acoustic collection and I still prefer the sounds of Martins and Gibsons accompanying good lyrical poetry.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Hi, I am a singer-guitarist and occasionally write my own songs, but tend to "cover" songs from fine singer-songwriters that I admire.

I go in the other direction. The last time I played a cover song for an audience was in the 1980s. When I perform these days, it's all my own material. I've written songs on all the guitars in my signature, on bouzoukis, and on keyboards. I've never noticed that any particular guitar I own is better for songwriting than another.

[gwlee7]

Guitars that I have used while writing songs:

Yahama FG 75 from the 70s
1980ish Ibanez Artwood Dread
Ibanez PF 100 (post lawsuit Les Paul type)
Ibanez Roadster (strat type guitar)
A beat up Gibson Firebird
Several Gibson Les Pauls
A 1990 Gibson “Star” Acoustic electric
1993 Fender Strat
1996 Taylor 555 12 string
2016 Martin HD 28
2018 G&L ASAT Classic

All of these guitars have inspired me in different ways both musically and lyrically.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Kh1967

And, a very nice collection, indeed!

Thank you!

[takamineGD93]

You can play with anything (as people do)...but j200 players have the best arguments by far: they say it has a lot of bottom and a lot of top but lacks some in the middle register where there voice are.

I'm not a j200 player but that is the best logical arguments I've ever heard. Then you can pick any guitar because you like "that" sound

[SongwriterFan]

I don't know why, but I always think of the J-45 as the "iconic" singer/songwriter guitar. Even though few of the singer/songwriters I know personally use them.

Here's a friend of mine who writes/performs on her Eric Clapton signature model Martin guitar:

[Kh1967]

Originally Posted by SongwriterFan

I don't know why, but I always think of the J-45 as the "iconic" singer/songwriter guitar. Even though few of the singer/songwriters I know personally use them.

Here's a friend of mine who writes/performs on her Eric Clapton signature model Martin guitar:

SongwriterFan - I enjoyed everything about that. Thank you for sharing!