I have myself been playing the guitar now for close to 47 years and didn't realise that by holding my guitar tightly to my body made such a great change in the inability of the top to vibrate freely and thus killing the sound of the instrument, almost like gagging it. My man Randy Schartiger, guitar tech extraordinaire exhibits just how much this makes a difference. Cue the video to 8:30 for the example.

 

used to be much higher % on electrics but adding one of these to my living room really changed it up

 

Great Video and tips @superliquidsunshine \m/ Another tip is the tightness of the Saddle in the slot of the guitar bridge... The tighter the more sustain and response...not to tight but a good snug fit is best ;) Good friend of mine Tony Vines back in TN is a fine Guitar Builder he taught me alot about the ole acoustic and how to build them to get the sound you want...

http://tonyvinesguitars.com/

 

Try and avoid big variations of temperature and humidity, a decent hard case with a temp and humidity monitor helps......if you're flying wrap the case with a few layers of bubblewrap for insulation......unless you can afford to pay for another seat.

An' yeah, like @electriclash said above keep it handy, you'll play it more.

 

Jonathan Richman ( Modern Lovers ) did a lot of one man tours in the past.. riding around the country on a Greyhound bus..
he would buy an extra seat for his instrument.. I haven't had bad luck yet taking my guitar as "checked" baggage
but it was a bit nerve wracking..watching the baggage handlers on the tarmac

I suggest also packing some bubble wrap around the neck and head of the guitar in the case as well..
guitar whiplash can be fatal !

 

@Jaymz .. Those guitars of your friend are stunningly beautiful and each is unique and exquisitely voiced. When I win the lottery I am going to get The Colorado parlor for starters. I don't think I have ever heard so incredible a small bodied guitar. Amazing!

Besides just the bridge being properly fitted into the saddle, one needs keep it all tight. Screws and nuts loosen up over time so the machines need periodic scrutiny.

Same for the ends of your strings as if they are not properly seated under the pins, butt up against the bridge plate, they might be heard banging around during quiet passages. I am going to order a Plate Mate (http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Bridges/Plate_Mate.html#reviews) and install it in my D-15M. It is a great idea to keep from chewing up the wood under the bridge. If it doesn't change the sound in a bad way will get another for my Roy Noble as it is starting to get a little older (1992) now and every string change adds wear to the wood down there.

 

If they don't have room in a closet for my guitar (I always travel with one or call ahead and make arrangements for a rental) in the cabin the thing that I do is hand it off to a person at the hatch who walks it down and stows it right then and there. I then retrieve it in the gangway in front where they bring up baby carriages and wheelchairs and such. I've been lucky that way...except when I first got Maybell, the hog. She was brand new and was taken to fragile portage. I was a little freaked but it was all good in the end.

 

scotch brite the backside of the neck for faster playing, silicone spray the fretboard.

 

once i used my e-guitar and my classic guitar to smash my windows machine.
don't do anything like that if you want to maintain any of these

 

Considering the poll, I usually play electric guitar at the moment compared to my past acoustic jazz history. I am interested in acoustic guitars yet, but now my hands hurt when I play... IMO their design is old and non-ergonomic, and the necks are fat.
Does anyone know any slim neck acoustic guitar, which is ergonomic?

 

Last edited: May 30, 2018

I always have a guitar on a stand in the living room. It has been for this past year or so my jumbo 1980 Ibanez. I leave that one out to have one always at the ready, but this one in particular because of it's made of all northern hemisphere woods that, at least in my own mind, are better suited to the rigors of humidity swings of the climate where it resides. The maple body and neck attached to a spruce top is tougher than the rosewood pairings of cedar/rosewood or all mahogany of the other two guitars which find my attention on a daily basis, in my personal logic. I could leave the Yamaha beater out there without a worry but it wouldn't be as fun to play and I might not pick it up in passing. Also, as of late I have installed my little Vox AC4TV next to our ancient not nearly tuned piano in tbe living room, neatly paired with a couple pedals all in a row in my attempt to grind it out on electric more. The attempt has failed miserably besides the day I did so. I have a tendency to "spread out," and my wife, although not having said anything contrary to my encroaching into family space and territory, has definately put out a knitting of the brow kind of vibe. If I only could, I would take over the joint so she keeps knows to keep me in check. I might pack it up soon if I don't take advantage of the convenience and niceness of that little tube beauty.

 

There are a bunch that I have played but the specific names don't stick in my mind as they all felt to me strange and uncomfortable to play. A friend has an expensive Taylor with a narrow fretboard and cutaway that might have been perfectly intonated and built like a brick shithouse, but it was odd for me. The Martin mini guitars that I once checked out had a doable neck if I remember, short scaled and narrow spacing. No two sounded the same to me through. I had been thinking of getting a good guitar for my daughter to learn on but she still isn't into learning. I guess when I finally pass Herr Durr inherits my lot.

 

As SLS mentioned Taylors are probs the easiest out of the well known brands........but there's a guy in Glasgow called Jimmy Moon who does a fantasticly playable acoustic....real nice necks, electric in feel..

http://www.moonguitars.co.uk/

 

They look awesome. There are so many talented and masterful builders around pushing the envelope to create instruments of beauty that have incredible sound. If you have the cash you can have your dream guitar, and if not there are still many guitars that come in under $500 that are well made and sound good. Maybe I will start another thread with that as the focus, you're brilliant.

 

After cleaning my rosewood and ebony fretboards I use linseed oil from time to time when they seem to need it. The ebony board of my Noble I haven't needed to oil though since it was repaired a few years ago, but when the rosewood of the others becomes a little lighter I apply a little bit. I guess that it is about three times a year. I won't put mineral oil on them which includes what is commonly labeled Lemon Oil because I don't want a petroleum product, even in the small amout that might be, absorbed through my skin.

 

Glad you check out his work bro hes a really fine guitar builder from Fall Branch TN ... And a better guy is hard to find hes super nice...He started building guitars in the 90's in a small shed behind his house ...he takes great pride in his work and builds one guitar at a time... His reason for building guitars came from never being satisfied with any he owned or ever played.. said every guitar he ever owned he could find something about it he didnt like so he went on the quest for perfection he calls it ;) Like you with the Colorado I would Def like to own one of his Artisan models aswell ... Ive played a few of his Guitars at his home/shop Years ago and honestly ive never played a better guitar in my life... they are super high$ but they are flawless from top to bottom in build quality and sound . BTW you said about the Bridge plates mates from StewMac i have them on all my higher end guitars and they are well worth even puttin on a cheaper guitar if you dont ever wana have to have a Luthier put a new plate on your guitar... Also they seem to add sustain to all my guitars but in a good way ... on my Taylor it seemed to add a lil to much sustain so what i did was went with lighter bridge pins to equal out the extra sustain i was gettin \m/ Back to Tony Vines last time i talked to him hes got guys waiting 2 and 3 years to get one of his new builds lol... but they are well worth the wait this guy is Amazing with any instrument he touches... he started out doing instrument repair... He did a Refret on my vintage Les Paul even done the binding nibs on it and it looks better than Gibson done it originally lol normally i woudnt touch a vintage guitar but this is one of my most used and played Electric guitars i have and to me its more than a collector its a work horse on stage and studio i will always use it \m/

 

Last edited: May 30, 2018

just saw this...

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@metaller try to find a good used Alvarez to try out if you want a slimmer neck.. not made in China
it's up to you of course.. but Korea at least , the Japanese ones.. or Yairi's can be pricey, fine instruments for what they
are, but overpriced by now... they tend to be quite bright in tone as well

 

Last edited by a moderator: May 30, 2018

Guys im still working on some Cheaper guitars compared to High end guitar recordings i have in my studio... originally i was just gona do my $200 Yamaha and my martin $3000+ guitars but they are 2 different body styles... So im doing a more Fair comparison of an old Martin Concert Model a buddy has in his studio that is same style guitar as my $200 yamaha ... it is a $3000 new one... But also im doing comparisons of some Epiphone and Gibson models i have along with a few others that are Cheap but Close in Build woods and Style as My Taylor...should be interesting in the least lol \m/ It fits good in this thread i believe cause all the Cheaper models i upgraded the Nuts, Saddles, Machine heads, Bridge pins,and should make for a good comparison to hear the actual tones of the wood and quality of builds... will see an hear i guess haha ;)

 

Cool. Please let us know the signal path when you write up your comparison. All of my guitars sound so different than each other and no two are even close. You'd pick them out quickly.

 

Leaving acoustics out of their bags/cases more than 30 secs seem to really deteriorate phosphor bronze strings. Then again I buy the cheapest, lol