Modern Acoustic Guitar Sound Confusion

[Mr. Jelly]

What is a modern acoustic guitar sound? Then what would be the former acoustic guitar sound?

[ChalkLitIScream]

Classic example is a typical Martin vs a typical Taylor for old vs new guitar tone. Could say warm, dry, woody midrange heavy for vintage, and bright, chimey and overtone full sound for your modern acoustics.

Words dont say much about sound though

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

What is a modern acoustic guitar sound? Then what would be the former acoustic guitar sound?

To my ears the modern acoustic guitar tone is balanced and bright with long sustain. It's the chase for piano like tone and a good fit for some styles of play. Traditional tone depends on make and model but in general less emphasis on balance. Long sustain and glistening overtones and undertones that create that signature clang that makes a guitar a guitar. You have booming lows on models like the Martin HD28V and tight mid-range with short sustain in traditional models like the Gibson J-45.

Modern guitar builders like Andy Powers are on a quest to improve on what they see as limitations imperfections in what has come before. They want to change the guitar and "make it better". Traditional builders look to historic models for inspiration with aim to build more consistent versions of the best of what has come before.


Modern acoustic guitar tone examples










Traditional acoustic guitar tone examples

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

What is a modern acoustic guitar sound? Then what would be the former acoustic guitar sound?

Acoustic steel string guitars are quite similar to each other, in terms of timbre, sonics and behavior, regardless of luthier, woods, design and age when compared to other musical instruments, such as the violin, clarinet or piano, among many others.

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

What is a modern acoustic guitar sound? Then what would be the former acoustic guitar sound?

More "Forum Speak"........It appears under many headings.

[Rev Roy]

Originally Posted by Rmz76

To my ears the modern acoustic guitar tone is balanced and bright with long sustain. It's the chase for piano like tone and a good fit for some styles of play. Traditional tone depends on make and model but in general less emphasis on balance. Long sustain and glistening overtones and undertones that create that signature clang that makes a guitar a guitar. You have booming lows on models like the Martin HD28V and tight mid-range with short sustain in traditional models like the Gibson J-45.

Modern guitar builders like Andy Powers are on a quest to improve on what they see as limitations imperfections in what has come before. They want to change the guitar and "make it better". Traditional builders look to historic models for inspiration with aim to build more consistent versions of the best of what has come before.

Yup...what Wayne said. ^^

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

What is a modern acoustic guitar sound? Then what would be the former acoustic guitar sound?

Originally Posted by Rmz76

To my ears the modern acoustic guitar tone is balanced and bright with long sustain.

Very well put!

What makes the brightness in the modern sound are the resultant harmonics that add that shimmer which are there, but don't overpower the balance. This type of "bright" is worlds different than brightness that comes from higher overtones creating less of the balance of fundamentals.

To contrast it with a "non-modern" sound, there could be a myriad of factors involved in the non-modern or vintage sound. One of the things that another member pointed out is that the guitar body sometimes produces its own set of overtones which may or may not be in tonal alignment with the harmonics coming off the strings. Andy Powers (of Taylor) refers to this as "chaos"and contends that changing the bracing can in fact bring some of those tonal characteristics of the body better into alignment with the other harmonics. There must be something to it because now Martin is also producing several of its long standing models with "forward shifted bracing"... And Taylor is now developing V-Class bracing which I believe is an attempt to take the concept further. Rmz76 gave some excellent examples of modern sounding guitars.

While some people will prefer vintage sounding guitars for lots of valid reasons, there seems to be a growing demand for the newer guitar designs and the sounds they make.

[tippy5]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlWvcPhvCj8

Responsive with undeniable depth.
Not for everyone. Not for every song.
Not often seen on the smallest or the biggest stages.
Rarely heard on pop songs. Seldom found in million dollar studios.

Yet . . . . Modern guitars are exciting.

That Ray Kraut guitar and player left me with my jaw on the floor. I just loved that sound.

[Guitars+gems]

It's interesting...I guess you like what you like, because all of those traditional guitars sounded better to me than any of those in the modern sound category, except for maybe the Lowden. I hear richness in the traditionals that I just don't hear in the others. Maybe my ears can't pick up the nuances of shimmer in the modern tone. I'm entirely serious about that.

It's just an impression I have, and I could be completely incorrect, but I feel like the majority of Taylors are owned by younger people (modern) while older people (traditional) tend to be Martin owners. Say, under 40/over 40. Thinking about a thread from the other day which referenced the hearing loss that comes with age, I wonder if older ears are better attuned to booming lows and glistening overtones. Just a thought.

[mercy]

I feel just the opposite and Im 70. I could buy a Martin, I did some years ago, but they just dont have the sound Im looking for. Taylor nor Gibson either. The best of the modern sound I love for what I do. Im a fingerstylist and modern works for me.

[Twinpeaksbirds]

That 1935 D-18. Wow!!

I think what someone prefers mostly has to do with one's musical tastes, and what inspires you. I'm all about traditional/vintage tone.

[steelvibe]

a

Originally Posted by Frozen Rat

That Ray Kraut guitar and player left me with my jaw on the floor. I just loved that sound.

Agreed! At times it sounds like it has more strings then it does- but I has a lot to do with the player. Who is that anyway? he's super good.

That Traugott Petteway is playing in the video is also a stunning looking and sounding guitar!

[steelvibe]

no

Originally Posted by Guitars+gems

It's interesting...

It's just an impression I have, and I could be completely incorrect, but I feel like the majority of Taylors are owned by younger people (modern) while older people (traditional) tend to be Martin owners. Say, under 40/over 40. Thinking about a thread from the other day which referenced the hearing loss that comes with age, I wonder if older ears are better attuned to booming lows and glistening overtones. Just a thought.

I think you're onto something here G+G. In my mid-40s and I like the sound of both?

[jrb715]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

What is a modern acoustic guitar sound?

Not a clue.