Solved Rich low end

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danny.guitar

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My budget just decreased 10 fold because I had to get my car fixed. I still have some left over and plan on saving a little more for a new acoustic.

So I need some recommendations for a guitar that has a really rich low end. Of all the guitars I've played in the shop, none of them had it. Not one. :(

What kind of guitar should I be looking at as far as size/body type (concert, dreadnought, etc.) and maybe even wood types although within my budget I doubt I have much of a choice in that department.

Here's a couple clips with the sound (I'd kill for) I'm looking for. I doubt I'll get something as good as those within my $500 budget but maybe I can get close.

Martin OM35 - Acoustic Prelude

I know I've had several threads in the past about finding a guitar, but this will be my last I promise. :o
 
As you know, mic techniques are your best eq. My guess is that the sound you hear on that clip, aside from the fact that it is most likely an outstanding guit, is the choice of mics and micing technique, not body style or wood.

There are generalities you can apply to all guit body types and woods, but they don't always hold true. Personally I wouldn't get too caught up in all that. I would just get the best guit I could for the money--and I would play all contenders. The two guits I play both chose me.

If you can save just a little bit more you can get yourself into a Larrivee 03 series guit for about $700 - $750. You might want to consider that.
 
For a fuller low-end, I'd be looking at bigger, deeper bodies (dreadnoughts and jumbos) and avoid cutaways and electric-acoustics (keep in mind, guitars with more low-end can be harder to record, especially in acoustically difficult rooms). In the pricerange you're looking at, The Epiphone Jumbo (EJ-200/300) would be worth a look. If you can find a used Martin DM in your budget, I'd check that out, too.
 
Yep, as mentioned, getting the source sound you want should be priority. Take a look at the jumbos.

But, if that won't fit your budget, then micing techniques can be your fallback.
 
no specific recommendations for a guitar but what ever you pick, get it fully setup. new bone nut and saddle, and fret leveling/dressing if needed. factory setups almost always suck to some extent and it will have a big effect on clarity, sustain, buzzing, etc. factor the cost of setup in your budget (seriously). i have played a few low budget guitars with decent setups from the factory. seagull comes to mind. as far as the guitar, i think you're looking for something with a tight low end and not overly pronounced. a smaller body will give you that. the bigger the guitar, the bigger the bottom which can translate to boomy. also, last i looked most of the budget priced acoustic guitars looked like they were dipped in poly and of course the ones that were sounded like shit. avoid those thick finish guitars. seagull, washburn, and yamaha make some decent low budget guitars. i'm sure there are others. don't rule out used guitars either but you should know what to look out for. the mic(s) is going to play a big role in the recorded sound too.
 
Closest think I can think of is a couple hundred more, that would be the Martin D-15. But the sound is still gonna be hit or miss I would think you could find a used one on ebay in the $500 dollar range. My favorite Martin is my 00016GTR but it does not have that big bass boom of a drednaught more of a general purpose and slighthly delicate sound. And I don't think you will find a better smelling guitar than a rosewood Martin they are worth the price for the smell alone.


Here you go. Hey can I get a finders fee :D

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mint-Martin-D-1...ryZ33028QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
Lower end rich guitars are usually harder to record and can tend to sound a little "boomy". However, for regular playing around the house/campfire I love a good low end. I dont know about the price range, but look for somethingn with Cedar and dreadnough style (I never liked the jumbos, but thats a matter of taste).


Mike
 
scrubs said:
For a fuller low-end, I'd be looking at bigger, deeper bodies (dreadnoughts and jumbos) and avoid cutaways and electric-acoustics (keep in mind, guitars with more low-end can be harder to record, especially in acoustically difficult rooms).
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David Katauskas said:
Yep, as mentioned, getting the source sound you want should be priority. Take a look at the jumbos.

But, if that won't fit your budget, then micing techniques can be your fallback.
Click to expand...

IMO recommending jumbos and dreadnaughts for recording just because somebody wants a nice sounding bass tone in their guit recordings is somewhat of a knee-jerk reaction.

For the record, for the sound he would "kill for", the "source" guit for the first recording is an OM.

We don't know what guitar is on the other clip.

Jumbos and dreadnaughts are made to be loud. They produce a strong fundamental and the bass projects like hell. That doesn't necessarily equivocate to recording bass well for solo acoustic work, where the guitar is out there by itself and needs tonal balance, and as scrubs mentioned, they can be difficult to record period.

I'm not saying that jumbos and dreadnaughts should be avoided, just be careful what you wish for.
 
I got the Seagull S6 for it's wonderful rich low end and playability (not to mention price). But I didn't pick it up with recording in mind--Let me tell you, you won't be able to record a full-bottom toned guitar without having to jump hoops; I've had to use the low-cut filter, contour low-mid eq, and then spend more time than I'd like to admit "tweaking" on mixdown in order to get a good blend...Mind you, I love the guitar, and can record getting good results with it, but I wouldn't mind having one of those flat-across-the-board Taylors or Martins for recording...


Eric
 
My friend has a bigger body guitar and it sounds good, it has a lot of bass but it's not what I'm trying to get.

It's not so much how much bottom end it has, but it's how it sounds. The guitars in those clips (especially the OM35) have a nice low end but it's controlled and not muddy and the tone is balanced.

I tried about 13 different Taylor guitars. They didn't even sound any better than the one I have now. I also tried a few Alvarez and a Seagull but that was a 12 string which sounded really good.
 
I think it's a mistake to compare the live sound of a gtr to a recording when gtr shopping. Too many variables at both ends. For instance, the second of the two clips has a large amount of compression below about 400 Hz, and a high quality verb added.
 
tdukex said:
IMO recommending jumbos and dreadnaughts for recording just because somebody wants a nice sounding bass tone in their guit recordings is somewhat of a knee-jerk reaction.
Click to expand...

That's a good point....

Timothy Lawler said:
I think it's a mistake to compare the live sound of a gtr to a recording when gtr shopping.
Click to expand...

....that too.

My dreadnaught has a bottom and top that I like for playing but the bottom gives me fits when recording. An omni mic seems to help but I think a small body guitar would work out much better for recording. My guitar sounds very different live in my room than it does recorded.
 
Yea that's true, wish I still had all the money I saved up. What is it about a guitar that gives it that tone on the low end? I've played several $2,000+ guitars at the shop that just didn't have it and didn't even sound that good to me.

By the way, the signal chain is all top-of-the-line stuff in that recording.

Signal path is as follows: Microphone (AT4060) output to Great River MP-2NV preamp to Pro Tools HD. iZ RADAR 24 used for A-to-D conversion.
 
If that's the sound I really want, do you think I'd be best off just to save again and get that guitar, that mic, and that preamp?

I'm real picky when it comes to acoustic guitar sounds especially since that's the main thing in all my music.

I'm going to try a different shop next time and try some more lower end guitars and maybe even a few pawn shops, maybe I'll get lucky. But if not then I might just save for a year or so until I can hopefully afford all of that.
 
I have heard that the mahogony bodied acoustics were better on the low end than rosewood bodies.

I don't know from experience though.
 
My takamine G-series has great low end amplified and acoustic too, kind of like a bassy punch.


Mike
 
Somebody already said this, but I have to back it up... Don't rule out the dreadnaughts.

As far as recording goes, I have two acoustics that I play regularly, both far low end. A boomy Fender dread and a thin sounding Takamine (unless it's finger picked, then she sings...). Out of those two, I tend to get a better recorded sound out of the Fender. Mic placement is indeed your friend... ;)
 
Danny, play some cedar topped OMs if you can. They are sweet.
 
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