What design aspect stops you from considering an Acoustic Guitar? puts

[rodmbds]

I like tjis thread very much.

But pardon my ignorance, what do yo guys mean by "barn door electronics"?

I'm trying to figure out why the term...

Thanks!

Btw, I'm a lefty so there's not much choice

Though I've always been put down by cutaways, satin finishes and electronics, that's exactly how my main guitar is like (a classical Walden N550 Natura - Left handed). Its playability and tone got a hold on me.

A deal breaker is colored (especially goofy) tops. Sunburst ok, but nothing blue, green, pink and so on.

[TokyoNeko]

Originally Posted by rodmbds

what do yo guys mean by "barn door electronics"?

It refers to a set of electronics on the side of the guitar to control volume, tone, etc. Wood is cut away on the side to slide the electronics in.

[rodmbds]

Originally Posted by TokyoNeko

It refers to a set of electronics on the side of the guitar to control volume, tone, etc. Wood is cut away on the side to slide the electronics in.

Thanks for the quick reply! Now I got it, didn't know they were referred to as "barn door"

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Trinity13

^^^^ curious, what's a heel stack

It's when the neck section that's attached to the body is separate from the rest of the neck. Usually it's done with an approximately 4" piece of wood.

[Gordon Currie]

1. Short scale
2. 12 fret join
3. Skinny fretboards
4. Lack of cutaway
5. Dreadnought body style
6. Mahogany used anywhere but the neck

[rodmbds]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

6. Mahogany used anywhere but the neck

Could you mention the pros and cons of a mahogany neck? Thanks

[mercy]

An even worse stacked heel is when they glue a bunch of pieces, usually 3/4", together for the heel. I wouldnt mind but its always so obvious. The 4" kind is ok with me but a one piece neck is quality.

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by rodmbds

Could you mention the pros and cons of a mahogany neck? Thanks

I'm not sure what any pros or cons are, but mahogany is possibly the most popular wood for guitar necks. Since it doesn't seem to me to affect the sound, I'm OK with a mahogany neck. I am not OK with mahogany top or back and sides, as I DO hear the effect and I do not like what it does to the tone in my experience.

[rodmbds]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

I'm not sure what any pros or cons are, but mahogany is possibly the most popular wood for guitar necks. Since it doesn't seem to me to affect the sound, I'm OK with a mahogany neck. I am not OK with mahogany top or back and sides, as I DO hear the effect and I do not like what it does to the tone in my experience.

Got it, thanks!

[brencat]

Immediate turn-offs / deal-breakers regardless of tone:

1. Excessive runout or VTS racing stripe down the middle of the top
2. Unusually shaped headstocks or bridges (Breedlove, Brondel, etc)
3. 1 11/16 nut
4. Martin Low Profile or other shallow necks (Gibson AJ)
5. Barn door electronics
6. Heavily built instruments (dreads > 4.5 lbs, OMs > 4.25 lbs)

[fitness1]

Rope style purflings
Herringbone purflings
Any kind of pickguard (except clear) on an older guitar where I know there will be a tan line.
Ivoroid - Tortois or plastic body/fingerboard/headstock bindings
Sunbursts leaning toward the orange-ish side of the spectrum
Nuts more narrow than 1 13/16
Saddles less than 2 1/4
Anything larger than an SJ or smaller than a GC typically
JLD bridge truss or similar
Not a fan of zero fret
Anything deeper than about 4 3/8
Anything but Ebony fingerboard and bridge (I can take a rosewood bridge on a classical!)
Most cedar tops don't work, and very few rosewood family back and sides - paired together is a big no-no

[L20A]

A list of my likes will be smaller.

Great Sound
Dred Shape or OM
Natural Lacquer Finish
Tasteful Inlays
Tortuous Pick Guards
Wood Binding

A big turnoff is runout!

[jrb715]

Reading through these posts I realize there are almost no design or visual elements that would chase me away from a great guitar.

And some of the things I had thought would be deal breakers I'm realizing I'd find a lot of fun if the guitar sounded great.

Stuff I once rejected and now am attracted to:

1. Colored guitars (well, at least a color I don't think is ugly): I'd love a black or white guitar
2. Bling on rosette, neck and headstock: I'd really like just one totally blinged out Collings with Tree of Life inlays up the neck and on the headstock
3. Weird bursts: love now the dusk and tropical bursts Mark Dalton does
4. Cutaways: again, I'd now like one.
5. Gibson fancy painted pick guards: I need a great Hummingbird or Dove

Stuff I'd tolerate:

1. barn door electronics
2. Sound port
3. Weird headstock and bridge shapes (including the "mustache" bridge that still looks really dumb to me)

And my sole rejection:

1. Excessive run out: I'll always think that whoever chose the top was either lazy or conning me with an inferior top wood--and I can't believe an equally good top wasn't available without a ton of run out.

[DanR]

I don't like cutaways. It's an aesthetic thing but also psychological, meaning that while I doubt if I could hear the difference between a relatively identical cutaway or non cutaway guitar, in my mind it has to make a difference. Also, my playing style doesn't require the upper access a cutaway provides so why have it if I'm not using it?

I would definitely not consider a guitar with the barn door electronics.

I'm not too fussy about pickguards although I don't care for black pickguards and I'm happy that Martin went to faux tortoise on my newer 000-18.

Color-wise, I don't like what I consider un-natural colors like blue or green. That said, I always wanted a transparent cherry red acoustic guitar after I saw Johnny Cash's black D-35. About 2 years ago, I picked up a Heritage Cherry Red J-45 with a white '68 inspired pickguard with an embossed Gibson logo. I'm sure that's not for everyone but I like it. I do like sunbursts but I don't like them if they are too dark of have way too much black like some of the Martin vintage inspired sunbursts.

Seeing that I'm listing many things I don't like, I might as well go on record as saying I don't like raw tomatoes or potato salad

[Conomor]

Showstoppers:
- Body size larger than a 000
- Abalone anywhere on the guitar body
- Large, multi-ring rosettes
- Cutaways
- Barn-door electronics
- Gold tuners
- Ugly bridges (Alvarez)
- Decalcomania, cowboy stencils etc on old parlours

Tolerable but not ideal:
- Bound fretboards
- Bound headstocks
- Dalmation pickguards
- Garish case lining
- Polished chrome finishes on resonators/coverplates
- Pyramid bridges (they don't make you younger)

I like plain, unadorned guitars e.g. most Waterloos, Martin 15s etc. Keep it simple.