Acoustic Guitars Acoustic for an electric player ?

MarkDyson

Blues Hound Wannabe

I have the USA Stratocaster version (I got it as a "blem" from Sweetwater), and I love it. They also have the "player" series which is the same thing just made the Mexico factory and has a few less sounds. 99% of the time I play it unplugged.
Mine was my primary acoustic for open mics until I got the PRS Hollowbody II with piezo. It's a great guitar, both in sound and feel!
 

PeterSchroeder

Munich, Germany
@dan5150 - tempting but financially out of reach I guess. Being a Tele lover I‘d go for a Player Tele Acoustasonic but that’s about 1100€…

Spent the afternoon reading reviews, checking all my BGU courses (ABGU, How to jam the blues alone, Strumming and rhythm mastery…) and also thinking about financial issues. I would love to learn finger picking and thumb base style, from what I‘ve read a wider neck would make this easier. A lot of reviews mentioned the narrowness of the GS Mini fretboard. Parlors seem to have a wider neck. I am really looking forward to my next guitar store visit…

While browsing I found this wee beauty : https://www.thomann.de/de/harley_benton_custom_line_clp_15me_vs.htm . Ridiculously low price and good reviews. I am almost tempted to order it as Thomann offers a full 30 day money back guarantee.…
 

Elwood

Blues
While browsing I found this wee beauty : https://www.thomann.de/de/harley_benton_custom_line_clp_15me_vs.htm . Ridiculously low price and good reviews. I am almost tempted to order it as Thomann offers a full 30 day money back guarantee.…
and it is a 12 fret slothead! I would be real curious about it too. Mahogany (my German language skills are non-existent). At that price I am with you Peter, I would either want to play one or one prepared to return it. That would be a stretch for me, I have never returned a guitar. From the looks and what I can "read" it looks real interesting!
 

Elwood

Blues
and so I was wrong about the mahogany, however the U of Google gives us this...

What is Okoume wood similar to?


Okoume wood is less dense than other mahogany substitutes like Sapele and Khaya. Thus, it makes lightweight electric guitars without chambering . Its grain is very similar to the more expensive Genuine Mahogany. Luthiers often say okoume's tap tone is similar to traditional mahogany.


Still interesting. At that price I would be more suspicious if they said it was Honduran Mahogany. I do like that they did not spend part of the low price bill of materials on any glitz. Let us know if you go any further with this please. This would require that you master the art of changing strings on a slothead. A labor of love! (if you end up with one post up or drop me a PM, they don't have the strings wound the best way, according to me :) If you read much about 12 fretters you will soon see that they have some pretty loyal fans of the 12 fret approach to building a guitar. I am biased, I absolutely love 'em! The 12 fret build should help to put some full bass into that little guitar, help anyway. I don't have any 12 fretters that are not cut away models. Your upper register access may be a little limited, you would have to see how much that bugs you. My guess is that since you have your electrics, and a 14 fret dred, you would just play stuff on the little guy that is fun to play on it - problem solved!

edit// and then if you google Harley Benton guitars you get a pretty good variety of "good deal" to "rip off artist" type reviews. Hmmmm....
 
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RobertYoung186

Blues Student/enthusiast
If you just want to dip your toe in the parlor guitar category, the Fender CP 60 is a good instrument for about $200 on the used market. I got one years ago and it’s the one people want to pick up when they come over, bypassing the Martin and Taylor that sit beside it.
 

PeterSchroeder

Munich, Germany
Next round, been to a local guitar store to check sizes and sound. Primary goal was to find out whether there is a „one for all“ size with good sound to replace my dread, or I got to go for a second guitar, sacrificing allround capabilities for playability. Started with parlors and worked my way up to grand auditorium, grabbing a dread every now and then for comparison. Several insights I got, quite interesting.

Parlor, while being really comfy and well suited for blues stuff, lack the depth of bigger bodied guitars to suit my taste for strumming, so it could only be a second guitar.

1/16“ nut width make a BIG difference. Tried a parlor with 1 3/4“ width and it really felt weird after playing one with 1 11/16“ nut width, which is kind of what I am used to from my dread and my electrics. Those two findings directly rule out the Harley Benton CLP slothead as it sports the wieder neck.

Tried a couple of 000‘s, and immediately felt at home with the size. The first one with a sitka top didn’t impress me, neither sound wise nor from the looks. Same model with mahogan, quite nice looking, and what a sound ! I guess that’s it. The one for all I‘ve been looking for. This is the one : https://www.sigma-guitars.com/acoustic-guitars/15-series/000m-15/ . There is also one with cutaway and preamp/pickup. I know that I could get a Harley Benton much cheaper, but with the risk of having to do a setup on my own in case the action is to high or send it back if it doesn‘t fit.

Action for this weekend : check ABGU, SRM and HTJTBA to find out whether access to higher frets is mandatory. From the looks I would prefer the classic look, but don‘t want to restrict myself. And think about pickup or mic for recording.
 

PeterSchroeder

Munich, Germany
New Guitar Day ! After a final comparison between mahogany and sitka spruce top 000 size Sigmas I went for the spruce top one. This is it : https://www.sigma-guitars.com/acoustic-guitars/1-series/000m-1/ . Sounds nice and feels marvelous. Nice neck, good size for playing in any position. This also means good bye Ibanez Dread. Today I will give it a nice playing session, then I will decide which of my courses I will start with.
 

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