Category: Jam Session
Hi all, I'm looking into buying an acoustic guitar. Problem is, I don't know whether to go for a regular acoustic or an electro acoustic. I'm really concerned about tonal quality here. Any suggestions?
Well it's been years since I did music, and I was mostly keyboards and occasionally bass but my suggestion would be why not get your favorite accoustic, then get it mounted with active (crystal) pickups; that's what we called them 15 years ago, maybe there's something newer / better.
Well, I don't know how much of an expert I am, but I have been messing around with guitars and recordings and shows for years as a hobby.
The only rason you would want to get electric acoustic is if you expect to be playing a lot of live shows. I prefer using a mic in any studio setting to the guitar's pick ups (granted with my Tayloer 314 CE I feel slightly different, but I still use the pick ups and the mic, and it is a thousand dollar guitar).
Obviously the sound itself will not be affected by the pick ups, since the only reason to use them would be concert situations and studio, for both placing a mic about 5 to 15 inches away from the guitar will do pretty much just as well.
So don't pay extra for it.
My recommendation for cheaper guitars that still have a great sound are the basic Fender acoustics, some of them are brilliant and Takamine, a brand that never lets me down, I love my $199 takamine guitar and have played it and recorded with it for 5 years now, I use my more expensive Taylor from time to time and am hoping to get an exact replica of the Martin OM-28 guitar, the best sounding acoustic I have ever tried, but it costs around $2000 easy.
I, personally, do not like Yamaha at all, not a big fan of Washburn acoutics either, neither am I a fan of Ovation, though I kow some people who are, but soehow I just don't dig them.
Go to a guitar store, go to the acoustic room and spend an hour trying out different guitars, they generally don't rush you and that way you get a feel for it.
I am also a drummer and I went in after buying my new set (Yama Stage Custom) and tried every single cymbal in the entire cymbal room at Guitar Center. I picked out two splashes, ride, two crashes and a china boy as well as a hi hat, turned out, without knowing it, I picked cymbals from same manufacturer and line, the Saybian B8 and B8-pro lines, which are not even their most expensive, but the sound just spoke to me. So you have to find your match, just like dating.
Ok.. Go with regular that's what i have, and it works great
yeah try before you can buy if you can. I do however reccomend go with your favorite accoustic that you like then add a pick up after . There is a +k mini something thats supposed to be really good, under $100 and doesn't really require any pernament modification to your guitar.
Ahhh The takamine tan 16c has a cool tube pickup in it, and boy, does it sounds great plugged in! Unplugged is just as beautiful! I've played lots and lots of guitars and this is by far my favorite.
thanks guys. But how do I add a pickup to the guitar?