Adding to the stable

[punkin]

I recently recorded a number of demo tunes for a guy who writes and arranges with an acoustic guitar. He spends quite a bit of time at my place. I've had enough of the local folk musicians in and out of here lately that I'm considering adding an acoustic/electric guitar to my collection.

I'm not familiar with acousitics but I do have a respectable electric collection and a couple outfitted with piezo pups. Still they don't have the natural acoustic sound.

I've got my eye on a couple reasonably priced Ovations. They seem to play nicely but thought I would do well to get a couple opinions before I jump into this. I've also looked at a couple Takmini's (spelling)?

Didn't want to spend a fortune but I do like the idea of electric acoustic...seems a little more flexible.

What do you think?

 

[Light]

If it is only for recording, skip the pickup and spend more on the guitars. Pickups do not sound like an acoustic guitar. Look for a guitar with at least a solid wood top, preferably all solid wood. If you are looking in the sub $1000 range, the best value out there (IMHO) is the Martin 15 series guitars.

And Ovations just plain suck. If you want it to sound good, you need wood.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[juststartingout]

A taylor or a martin are really the only choices. There is a reason they are used in studios - they sound great. They come the closest to an accoustic sound through the pickups.

One other choice is to get a couple of good mics and build a quiet room with the money. With new strings on an accoustic, you will get good sounds for recording.

Currently I have an Ovation 12 string, a Taylor 814, a Yamaha FG 6 string and a Takamine classical. I can mic any of them and they sound good recorded, but the Taylor is the only one I will use through the electronics and that sounds awsome, especially if I mic it as well and record 4 channels (3 mics, 1 cord).

 

[Track Rat]

How much cash can you come up with? I very much agree that if you want true acoustic tone, Ovations are just plain horrible. I have quite a few acoustics and for recording I lean towards the Taylors and Martins.

 

[stonepiano]

I do like the idea of electric acoustic...seems a little more flexible.

What do you think?

Yeah, but that flexibility is only useful to live musicians. Like everyone has already said, recording an acoustic, you want it to be solid top and not plastic backed.

I would recommend a small 000 style martin if it is indeed only for recording. Easier to play than bigger axes (but don't look quite as cool IMHO) and a little mellower seeing as you can't rock out too hard on them.

 

[pennylink]

Other than Taylor and Martin, I would take a serious look at Larrivée guitars. They're quality all-wood instruments made in Canada, and now also in California. They also happen to be much better value than the other two if you're concerned about cost.

 

[freshmattyp]

I would also look for a smaller bodied guitar, like an 000, OM or Concert size. IMO, they record better. There aren't many dreadnoughts out there, especialy in the lower price ranges that don't sound "boomy". I especially like the Larrivee L series. They record beautifully, are all solid wood, and play like a dream. I think they are where Taylor was 15 years ago before they got huge.

 

[faderbug]

And Ovations just plain suck. If you want it to sound good, you need wood.

PHILIP ANSELMO / PANTERA & DOWN
JOAN ARMATRADING
DJ ASHBA
CHARLIE BENANTE / ANTHRAX
CHAD BENEKOS /HUMANLAB
REX BROWN / PANTERA & DOWN
BEN BURNLEY & AARON FINK / BREAKING BENJAMIN
RICHIE CIPRIANO / REACH 454
KEVIN CRONIN / REO SPEEDWAGON
AL DiMEOLA
SULLY ERNA & TONY ROMBOLA / GODSMACK
MELISSA ETHERIDGE
NICK HEXUM / 311
KAREN HUNTER
MATTHIAS JABS / THE SCORPIONS
DAVEY JOHNSTONE
PATRICK KENNISON
KAKI KING
KITTIE
CYNDI LAUPER
ADRIAN LEGG
STEVE LUKATHER
YNGWIE MALMSTEEN
ZIGGY MARLEY
BIBI MCGILL /PINK & PAULINA RUBIO
STE McNALLY / BBMAK
JUSTIN MILLAR / tHrOnE
DAVE MUSTAINE
PRESTON REED
MARC ROBERGE
RUBEN RUIZ
SHAKIRA
STARZ
AARON TIPPIN
DEREK TRAFTON / tHrOnE
SHANIA TWAIN
STEVEN TYLER & RICK NIELSEN
ARTY WHITE / ALICIA KEYS
BERNIE WILLIAMS
PAUL WONG

ovation seems to be good enough for these guys (and gals).

it's just what you like.

 

[freshmattyp]

Ovations are fine for the stage, unless you have a big gut. I had to sell mine because it kept flipping up until it was almost parallel to the ground.

I would venture a guess that 99% of those artists you listed don't actually record with Ovations.

 

[meriphew]

For recording purposes you're going to get your best sound using a mic or two - not through a pickup. The Ovations are prolly good for live stuff, but for recording I'd look at Taylor, Gibson, and Martin.

________________
Post indie electronic
Meriphew
www.meriphew.com

 

[punkin]

You're right....I got out this week and tried a few first hand. The Ovations sound like crap unless they're processed and amplified.

Tried a few martins...very sweet sound...even the cheaper cheap cheap off brands sounded better than the ovations.

I appreaciate the feedback...don't know much about the acoustics yet but I'm getting there. I've given up on the pick-up included guitars...going to spend a few more bucks on a nicer solid top.

My goal is to spend a little time playing an acoustic and to have a fairly nice in studio loaner and, more importantly a little something to workout recording techniques with and not being under the gun during a session with a player to try to find the right spot for mics and such.

Thanks all.

 

[philboyd studge]

Go to a guitar center and play guitars till you find a few you like, then buy used and let the original owner soak up the depreciation.

 

[Richard Monroe]

In spite of the impressive on-stage credits of Ovation, I have to agree. It is not a recording guitar, and no amount of processing will make it into one. I prefer Taylors to Martins, as a rule, for recording, and I prefer Martins for just sitting around and playing. The Taylors are a bit bright, which decreases boom in the studio. And there are a couple of good reasons to get an electric-acoustic for the studio. One is for that poor bastard who just can't play the damn song without singing. You can go direct and then mic the vocal as an overdub- no bleed. Secondly, the cutaway that usually goes with the electrics further reduces boom.
For electric-acoustics, I favor the Fishman Prefix Plus (not the regular prefix). It comes with an on board mic as well as an undersaddle pickup, which can be blended and output as separate stereo signals, and it really isn't too bad. Check out the link below- "Goody's Song" was recorded with a Taylor 710CE with a Prefix Plus jacked into the 2 channels of a Joemeek twinQcs. No outboard mics were used. No reverb, EQ (other than on the Prefix itself), and no compression has been applied. There's a reason why Taylor, Martin, and Gibson all use the Prefix Plus.

www.nowhereradio.com/artists/?aid=3239/album680

Enjoy- Richie

 

[meriphew]

If you have a friend that plays guitar, take them with you when you're shopping acoustics - that way you can let him play while you stand back and really hear what it sounds like.

________________
Post indie electronic
Meriphew
www.meriphew.com

 

[tdukex]

I like Larrivee, Taylor, and Martin in that order. And the smaller bodies are better for recording. The Larrivee all solid wood 03 series runs about $700.

 

[tdukex]

Wait, here's something new. Very interesting.

http://www.breedloveguitars.com/index/index6b.html

 

[Mr. Moon]

I recently purchased a new Alverez AF60s (without the optional electronics) at a local shop for $250.00 + tax. I purchased it primarily for recording, to complement my 6-string Seagull dreadnaught, which has a very warm tone. I wanted something a bit 'crisper' without having to spend too much money.

I am happy to report that I love this thing! I have been playing for 20+ years (on and off), and for the money, this guitar plays great and sounds fantastic 'on tape'. The smaller body size really helps it project a brighter tone for recording just as I was hoping it would. The guitar is especially good for finger picking, both tone-wise and action-wise. I can't compare it with the Martins or Taylors, as I've never recorded using either of them, but this guitar records very well and complements my Seagull perfectly! ...And it didn't break the bank, so to speak.

Here are the specs on the guitar:

AF60S

Body Style: Auditorium
Back/Sides: Mahogany
Top: Solid Spruce
Finish: Natural Gloss
Soundhole: Rosette White Pearl
Body Binding: White/Black Multi-layer
Fingerboard: Indian Rosewood
Tuning Machines: Nickel Die Cast
Bridge: Rosewood
Electronics: Optional System 600 T

To take a look at it, visit the Alvarez web site and search for the AF60s here:
http://www.alvarezgtr.com/

Hope this helps.

-Mr. Moon

 

[Axe4Yahweh]

A Taylor Big Baby. Ya can't go wrong with it.

 

[tdukex]

A Taylor Big Baby. Ya can't go wrong with it.

Good suggestion. I really like the Larrivee Parlors as well

 

[bdbdbuck]

PHILIP ANSELMO / PANTERA & DOWN
JOAN ARMATRADING
DJ ASHBA
CHARLIE BENANTE / ANTHRAX
CHAD BENEKOS /HUMANLAB
REX BROWN / PANTERA & DOWN
BEN BURNLEY & AARON FINK / BREAKING BENJAMIN
RICHIE CIPRIANO / REACH 454
KEVIN CRONIN / REO SPEEDWAGON
AL DiMEOLA
SULLY ERNA & TONY ROMBOLA / GODSMACK
MELISSA ETHERIDGE
NICK HEXUM / 311
KAREN HUNTER
MATTHIAS JABS / THE SCORPIONS
DAVEY JOHNSTONE
PATRICK KENNISON
KAKI KING
KITTIE
CYNDI LAUPER
ADRIAN LEGG
STEVE LUKATHER
YNGWIE MALMSTEEN
ZIGGY MARLEY
BIBI MCGILL /PINK & PAULINA RUBIO
STE McNALLY / BBMAK
JUSTIN MILLAR / tHrOnE
DAVE MUSTAINE
PRESTON REED
MARC ROBERGE
RUBEN RUIZ
SHAKIRA
STARZ
AARON TIPPIN
DEREK TRAFTON / tHrOnE
SHANIA TWAIN
STEVEN TYLER & RICK NIELSEN
ARTY WHITE / ALICIA KEYS
BERNIE WILLIAMS
PAUL WONG

ovation seems to be good enough for these guys (and gals).

it's just what you like.

I must agree... Ovations are supposed to sound like Ovations, period. Even though I now have a very nice Taylor, I'm not ready to get rid of my Ovations, there are places where only an Ovation will work for the sound you're looking for. BTW, thanks for adding Kaki to the list.


bd

PS: Come on now, does Shania Twain even PLAY guitar?.. PUHLEEZ!