Why aren't all guitars cut-aways?

[Beakybird]

I like to play the cowboy chords too - at the nut and at the 13th fret.

[Pitar]

Originally Posted by Beakybird

Blissing out on the music box sound of chords by the 12th fret of my dreadnought. Frustrated at times that I can't fret the A and low E because the guitar's body blocks my reach. I assumed that there is a sound advantage to having a larger and rounded sound cavity of a standard guitar shape. If this isn't the case, why aren't all acoustics cut-aways? Who wouldn't want to get those beautiful high notes?

I'm not against the aesthetics of symmetry but when form fouls function I go with the latter.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by Beakybird

Blissing out on the music box sound of chords by the 12th fret of my dreadnought. Frustrated at times that I can't fret the A and low E because the guitar's body blocks my reach. I assumed that there is a sound advantage to having a larger and rounded sound cavity of a standard guitar shape. If this isn't the case, why aren't all acoustics cut-aways? Who wouldn't want to get those beautiful high notes?

Because not everyone wants, likes or needs one.

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

I don't care either way about the looks of cutaways; I've owned a couple of guitars that had them. For me it's really simple why I don't require one: I don't care much for the tone of an acoustic guitar up past the octave. I do play some pieces where I go up past the 14th fret, but not many, because I really prefer the timbre of the strings elsewhere on the guitar neck. The notes that I do use above the octave are reachable even with a full 14th fret body join. I don't go up as far as the soundhole.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

Wade, this is just a wrong opinion. I’m invalidating it.

[Sonics]

With a cut-away you are effectively, volume-wise, playing a smaller guitar.
Granted the effect isn't as apparent as the difference between a Dreadnought and an OM, but it's noticeable.

[Prof_Stack]

Agreed: Dread cutaways look wrong. I doubt that Martin will ever try to market a D-18 Authentic cutaway model.

I was given a Taylor 341ce and quickly loved the freedom of getting up the neck with ease. Later, I played a Taylor 12-fret cutaway and loved the sound and feel.

Every guitarsenal should have at least one cutaway model.

[DukeX]

Originally Posted by bluesfreek

Yikes! Double cut + mega electronics on an acoustic, my two favorites!

[Beakybird]

As I've stated on my intro to the forum, up to a month ago, I hadn't touched a guitar in 10 years, and I played very little during the 10 years preceding.

But before that, I played for 23 years including a year of 6 hours daily and many other years of 2-3 hours of daily.

However, I just played the darn thing. I knew the two guitars I owned were solid top, but I never was curious about what the sides were made of, what the nut width was, what the neck radius was. For me, there were only two kinds of strings - old and new.

Now I'm back to playing 2 1/2 hours a day and getting my acoustic chops back, and it's fun to come to this forum to find out about guitars.

I never owned a cutaway, and I always assumed that the sound would be affected by the indentation. But I love the sweet sound of the mingling of high notes and open strings!

[The Bard Rocks]

I used to be convinced that cutaways couldn't sound as good as normal guitars, due to the loss of volume and vibrating top space. Then I questioned my assumption and found no evidence to support it. Which is a shame because there goes my big reason for not liking them. All I have to fall back upon now is that I don't like their unbalanced looks.

If I felt I needed the extra space, I might feel like i should explore getting one, but I rarely use capos and 12-14 frets is plenty enough for me. I will occasionally end a song with a higher note, but have found that unless amplified, those extra high notes vibrate and fade so quickly that they are less pleasing to my own ears.

Were I playing other kinds of music I might be more open to them but for now - no way, not for me. They're for others to have. I do get a kick out of folks with them who never venture past 3 frets.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

I used to be convinced that cutaways couldn't sound as good as normal guitars, due to the loss of volume and vibrating top space. Then I questioned my assumption and found no evidence to support it.

Some guitars with cutaways sound great, some do not. It doesn't seem to be a determining factor either way.

I will say this: I've played FEWER really great-sounding acoustic guitars that had cutaways when compared to really great-sounding guitars that didn't. It's apparently easier to achieve sonic greatness with non-cutaway acoustic guitar bodies.

But either way, that's irrelevant to me, frankly. I have owned a couple of cutaway guitars that sounded wonderful. I bought them for their sound, not because of their cutaways.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Beakybird]

I think the Charis guitars are the most breathtaking I've ever seen. If they sound as good as they look, I want one.
But not only have I never owned a cutaway, I'm embarrassed to say that I don't think I've ever played one. Not once at the guitar store have I taken one off the rack.
But I've played a lot of electric, so I know my way around those tiny frets.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Beakybird

.... not only have I never owned a cutaway, I'm embarrassed to say that I don't think I've ever played one. Not once at the guitar store have I taken one off the rack.

It sounds as though it's time for you to take a few off the rack and run them through their paces. Get a feel for the territory, so to speak.


whm

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by Beakybird

Blissing out on the music box sound of chords by the 12th fret of my dreadnought. Frustrated at times that I can't fret the A and low E because the guitar's body blocks my reach. I assumed that there is a sound advantage to having a larger and rounded sound cavity of a standard guitar shape. If this isn't the case, why aren't all acoustics cut-aways? Who wouldn't want to get those beautiful high notes?

The thing is, that question kind of translates as "why are any acoustics not cutaways?"

Which in turn kind of devolves into "You people who reject cutaways: what's wrong with you?"

That's just how the internet works.

[Tico]

Originally Posted by Sonics

With a cut-away you are effectively, volume-wise, playing a smaller guitar.
Granted the effect isn't as apparent as the difference between a Dreadnought and an OM, but it's noticeable.

Thanks for posting.
The Gibson with no cutaway sounds richer, warmer, fuller and the sustain sounds longer.

Not only does the cutaway make the guitar smaller, it also makes it no longer symmetrical.
But perhaps easier access to those upper frets matters more to some players.

To each their own.
Buy whatever makes you happy.

None of my 9 acoustics have a cutaway, but both of my electrics do.

[stringjunky]

I think probably most guitars sound a bit plinky-plonky after the 14th. Mine rings to the last but one fret then its dead but I've never gone over the 14th in anything I know how to play normally. I like some cutaways visually but i don't need one.