Is there really a difference between acoustic guitars? Listen!

mjbphotos

mjbphotos

Moderator
Well, of course there is! With the recent discussion of using 2 different SDCs for recording guitar, I thought I would try out my usual 2-mic method (Rode NT1 at 12th fret, angled toward soundhole. MXL LDC at lower bout) with different guitars to hear the difference in them that isn't always as noticeable when playing.

See if you can figure out which is which! I play 3 things on each guitar, only the first's 2nd thing is a little different than the others.

Guitars used (not in this order), all with Martin Lifespan strings - but some have older, some newer strings, and all have different gauges):
2020 Taylor 324ce Builders Edition mahogany top/urban ash body grand auditorium cutaway
2012 Taylor 310ce spruce top/sapele body dreadnaught cutaway
2011 Fender CD140sce spruce top/laminated rosewood dreadnaught cutaway
1973 (?) Epiphone 6830 spruce top/laminated rosewood dreadnaught

 
Don't know the Fender or Epi, so this is a guess.

310ce
Fender
Epiphone
324

I thought the last track had the weight of the Grand auditorium, but still had that Taylor sparkle on the top. The first sounded somewhat like my 310ce, although I use Elixer lights. The second sound more like my Dean Key Largo... it's a constricted sound compared to my 310ce. I would guess that was similar to a Fender. The third one just had a really mellow sound to it. I've heard a few Epis, and they had a nice body to them.
 
I will let others guess before giving the order. The Epi is almost 50 years old (I've had it since 74), so even laminated wood mellows in that time!
 
I couldn't venture a guess on your fiddles but I have strong opinions on acoustic guitars. Not on which is best, just that they all sound different. My D-41 sounds similar to my D-35 but not the same. I have a Breedlove Dreadnought that sounds NOTHING like either of the Martins. Not worse, different.
 
I usually love participating in these and would like to try, but I won’t be able to critically listen for a day or two. I’ll give it a good ol’ bump, though.
 
I wouldn't know the specific sound of a specific guitar if you broke it over my head. With my acoustics, I get quite different sounds out of them, depending on how I play, what I want, where I place the mic and which mic.
But it always sounds like an acoustic !
 
1 for 4... boy that sucks. However, in my defense, having different gauge strings was never mentioned, and that will really change the tone of a guitar. 😡
 
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