Your quietest guitar - Page 2

bufflehead · #16 10-20-2020, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilgoret78

Anyone use the Little Martin or something similar for late nights?.

I have a Little Martin that I use as a campfire guitar, especially for kayak camping. I wouldn't consider it a quiet guitar--considering its size and small scale it projects fairly well, both in terms of tone and volume. That said, it's no banjo killer.

Ed66 · #17 10-20-2020, 08:53 AM

Alvarez MDA-66CESHB (that's a mouthfull

). All mahogany and it has a great sound, just not that loud. My wife says its her favorite. . . .

Denny B · #18 10-20-2020, 10:17 AM

I have 6 different guitars, and I can sit on the front porch and play any one of them loud enough that the neighbors across the street can and will sing along...

I can also sit on the couch and play any one of them so quietly that my wife can barely hear it across the room...

It's not the guitar, it's how you play it...

zombywoof · #19 10-20-2020, 10:38 AM

I do not own any guitars I would ever describe as "loud." My 1920 Gibson L3, however, has the quietest voice. With only a 13.5" lower bout not a lot of projection. One of those guitars you do not want to hold against your body when you play.

Robin, Wales · #20 10-20-2020, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilgoret78

Hi everyone. A question for you. What is your quietest guitar? I mean what is the guitar you play at night while everyone else in the house is sleeping or while sitting around watching TV with family / friends / housemates?

I currently have a Martin 000-18 and Seagull S-6. My daughter has a Baby Taylor (spruce top). I was thinking about adding a Little Martin (all HPL) to the stable. I realize it is not going to be the fullest or best sounding guitar (that would be the 000-18 &#128521

. I really want something quiet but richer sounding than the Baby Taylor.

What are your thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!

I would suggest going for a 0/00 size hog topped guitar (the back and sides can be mahogany laminate). There are quite a few budget ones on the market. Go for a full scale length not a short scale option like the GS mini or Martin/Taylor baby size scale. Then you can fit light gauge (11s or 10s) to it as they won't be too slack and it will work as your night time guitar - but you can go back to a set of 12s for camping etc. Hog tops tend not to 'project' like spruce and will sound nice and full with a light touch. I have a dirt cheap Vintage Statesboro Parlour (about $130) that does the job very well - but I don't think you can get them in the US - and there are better made options for not much more.

drumstrummer · #21 10-20-2020, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed66

Alvarez MDA-66CESHB (that's a mouthfull

). All mahogany and it has a great sound, just not that loud. My wife says its her favorite. . . .

Not surprised it's quiet and also has a great sound. I have the parlor version: MPA66. I would describe it as intimate, like a lover's voice in your ear. Power isn't everything.

cliff_the_stiff · #22 10-20-2020, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilgoret78

Hi everyone. A question for you. What is your quietest guitar? I mean what is the guitar you play at night while everyone else in the house is sleeping or while sitting around watching TV with family / friends / housemates?

I currently have a Martin 000-18 and Seagull S-6. My daughter has a Baby Taylor (spruce top). I was thinking about adding a Little Martin (all HPL) to the stable. I realize it is not going to be the fullest or best sounding guitar (that would be the 000-18 &#128521

. I really want something quiet but richer sounding than the Baby Taylor.

What are your thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!

Funny you should ask- Mine is a Martin 000C with mahogany b&s englemann top- probably similar to your 000-18.
My rosewood backed guitars are a bit louder.
I have a 00 Collings that gets a lot of late night use, but my 000 Martin is kinda my go-to all-rounder

buddyhu · #23 10-20-2020, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

When I want to play very quietly I fold a microcloth and insert it under and over the strings between the sound hole and bridge. Works great and makes it very quiet. Not so good for playing music though, but excellent for practicing techniques, such as scales, slurs and arpeggios and for working on difficult passages in songs.

I once took my travel guitar (Voyage Air) when I spent a week in a monastery doing a silent retreat. I took a piece of packing foam and tucked it under the strings. Made it quiet enough so that I didn’t worry about disturbing others. But it did make things rather percussive and much less melodic.

When I want to play quietly at home, I just concentrate on playing quietly...as if there is a baby in he next room that I’d not want to awaken. It is a good discipline, and does a lot to develop touch (and therefore, tone).

Steve DeRosa · #24 10-20-2020, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilgoret78

...what is the guitar you play at night while everyone else in the house is sleeping or while sitting around watching TV with family/friends/housemates?...

One of my solidbody electrics, usually a P-90 goldtop LP...

Rosette · #25 10-20-2020, 07:02 PM

I too used an unplugged electric for quiet playing, until I got my Furch a few months ago.
One of the qualities I really like about the Furch is how good it sounds quiet when fingerpicked very softly

archerscreek · #26 10-21-2020, 06:36 AM

I just sold my house and moved into a two floor apartment. I only own two dreadnoughts with Adirondack tops. But I’ve found that I can play either one quiet enough with a super light touch.

Mbroady · #27 10-21-2020, 06:47 AM

They are all equally as quiet if there not being played

Fortunately, I have a man cave that is well isolated from the main living area.

icuker · #28 10-21-2020, 12:55 PM

I'm up at night for hours. In order to be quiet on guitar I'll use my thumb and fingers instead of a flatpick. Works well for me.

tonyo · #29 10-22-2020, 09:24 AM

I also have the steel string version of the Yamaha silent guitar. You mentioned you still want some sound, a friend uses his Yamaha silent guitar with a battery power speaker run off the headphone jack and it gets him plenty of sound adjustable to whatever volume suits the situation.

While I really like the silent guitar, I do miss the vibrations I get through the body of my full size acoustic guitar. A minor thing for some.

Parlorman · #30 10-23-2020, 05:32 AM

I use my wipe down cloth, (a cotton diaper), to dampen my guitars if I want to play quietly. Depending on how tightly you Out it in you can go from gently muted to only hearing the finger pick strikes.

I’ve also used my solid body electrics but they don’t have the same feel as the acoustics.