Learning curve - General Discussion

RE: Learning curve

Eric Reinhardt — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 00:54:06 +0000

@jerseychicadee i spent a lot of time in guitar centers special room

RE: Learning curve

k2kwiat — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 03:18:26 +0000

Ha, good for you Sue!

I really would like to support the smaller guitar shops around town. We have a couple of good ones. But, I’m finding they can’t possibly carry the inventory to compare, for example, a D-18 to a D-28 to a HD-28 to a D-35 to a HD-35, etc. it seems as though only the few very large Martin dealers offer that reality.
Heck, the little acoustic music shop in my immediate town can barely get Martin, Taylor, Gibson to even talk to them at NAMM. I think the min dealer buy from Gibson is like $50K/year and they decide what guitars the shop receives. Really awful situation for the Mom&Pop music store. All we’re going to be left with is a constantly on the verge of bankruptcy GC and the superstores in Nashville and a few other cities.
And, I admit that’s soured me on Gibson. I originally had a soft spot for the brand due to their Kalamazoo roots but screw that. Are Martin or Taylor any better to small shops? I doubt it.

RE: Learning curve

Susan Wagner — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 00:19:30 +0000

Ha, ha, ha. I play the most expensive guitars I can find at Guitar Center. We've even had them take out a guitar or two from the locked cabinets. I've bought enough from them that I feel entitled. 😏

RE: Learning curve

jerseychicadee — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 13:04:17 +0000

I was too timid to touch the Taylors and Martins ( except the Little Martin). They had them in the ‘special’ room

RE: Learning curve

k2kwiat — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 04:32:49 +0000

@jerseychicadee

What an interesting backstory behind that guitar! It is as though it was meant to find its way to you.
Curious - have you tried another sample of that model while at GC? Is it the intended voice of AP’s deign or is there something unusual about the one you have?

Since Taylor ships all with Elixirs, I would think you’ve got the right strings? I’ve seen the video where AP talks about Elixirs being a good compromise string in their experience but also encourages Taylor owners to experiment. Elixirs sound good on my Fender and the Nano coating definitely gives me a maybe 2x the life before they start sounding dead to me (and/or the coating starts looking totally grungy usually at position 2!). But, I’m hearing a woodier tone (like Devin’s Martin and Collings sounds) with the SantaCruz.

And, for the record, I trust your ears since those are the ones that matter. Road trip to El Cajon?

RE: Learning curve

jerseychicadee — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 14:35:01 +0000

The Academy 12e is a grand concert shape. The waist is a little narrower and the bowl is a little smaller but longer than my Fender Malibu. I don’t play well enough to be a very good judge of the sound but I’m just not liking the voice. I think it sounds buzzy. I took it to GC, where the original owner had purchased it. The tech played it. I was right there. He said no buzz. It’s not a fret buzz I hear but the overall voice is buzzy to me. I figure that it’s just her voice and I’ll get used to it eventually. I bought it from a little old lady who posted it on Craig’s List. It was only a month or two old (manufactured innJan 2020). Her husband bought it in February and he died 2 weeks later after only 2 lessons. So it was only played at those 2 lessons! You would think I’d be happy as all get out to have scored a new Taylor for a discount price! I wanted a Taylor soooo bad and I found one I could afford. I hear other Taylor’s and don’t hear the same voice this one has. I go on these chats and talk to all these people. Even spoke with Andy Powers, the owner of Taylor Guitars, but complaining about my guitar wasn’t appropriate at that moment. I need to email them and make arrangements to send it in to them I guess.

RE: Learning curve

k2kwiat — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 12:16:51 +0000

I’m sure keeping it on a stand vs in the case with a humidifier thingie makes a difference. I do the same - always want quick access to my primary guitar and Dobro as I pick it up many times throughout the day. Once I get a Martin, I think I’ll be more apt to keep it in the case? We’ll see as I need to make quite a bit more money before that happens.
Your experience with the Taylor surprises me. What body size is your Academy?
The 814s that I’ve played were stunning but realize that’s a huge price jump. Distinctive Taylor sound for sure.

My starter guitar was a Washburn parlor Koa. It’s a pretty little thing. I have to admit I’ve never gotten a very good tone out of it and the intonation sucks. I’m trying SantaCruz light tension strings and I think it’s better but I still play it for 5 mins and then reach for the Fender - night and day difference. The Washburn was more than 2x the price of my CL Fender.

RE: Learning curve

jerseychicadee — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 05:44:13 +0000

When I first got my Fender I never had to tune it. I kept it in its case whenever I wasn’t playing. Then I got a stand as a gift, so now it sits in the stand right by the sliding door. I’m lazy, play a lot during the day, I leave it out. Now I have to tune it just a bitty little bit but more than before. So, I complain, but not enough to get myself to put it away. Lol. When I bought it I did a little set up to lower the action, filed the nut slots a tad here and there. I thought (and still do) the strings sit up just a little more than I like. Nothing drastic. She retails for $299. I got her off eBay from Butler Music. I’ve bought a couple Ukes from them in the past. They priced it down to $217 with free shipping. I actually much prefer the voice on the Fender over the Taylor Academy 12e (that I picked up from Craig’s List for over double that ticket). I just put a set of Martin Strings and the bone pins on the Taylor. This is her first string change. I’ll play it a little more and see if the voice is any different/better. I wasn’t the least bit impressed with how cheap the parts on the Taylor are in comparison to the Fender. There’s a lot to be said fir the extra attention given the assembly of the Fender. The Academy 12e is a low end Taylor product at $575-650. I just hope I start liking it the Taylor a little more. I really want to like it. Call me “bougie “. I’ll never be able to afford a Martin or Santa Cruz or any high end custom ‘touched’ guitar. I’ve lusted over them all but have come to the conclusion that I’m an aged out hippie lady sitting in the dark and will never play for anyone but the cat. If I can get some pretty finger picking folky tunes down I’ll be happy. I was (trying) to play some Blaze Foley last night. I hear him picking but I hear more pentatonic runs interspersed (which I like). I’m spending most of my play time on pentatonic and finger dexterity exercises. I’m better than I was and not as as good as I want so hi ho hi ho it’s off to practice I go.

RE: Learning curve

k2kwiat — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 00:30:50 +0000

@jerseychicadee

JChick - I’ve mentioned before that you and I are very similar with trying to squeeze blood out of our Fender acoustics. I have to say, I’m currently pretty happy with where mine is sound wise. I have the 140SC natural cutaway - Solid spruce top with rosewood laminate body. On the Fender product line it’s probably the next step from your Malibu - like $400 street price new. Mine was $210 via CL- only pick scratches on the cheap looking pickguard.
Of course any of the Chinese made models I expect more variability from guitar to guitar compared to say Taylor or Martin or Gibson. In part what I think you get from our large volume American made guitars is consistency from guitar to guitar. More experienced individual attention. Sure, SantaCruz or Collings or FroggyBottom etc and you’re getting full handmade attention.

So I’ve never adjusted my truss rod as it was exactly how I prefer it (see response to Sue).
But, I did the Bob Colosi bone saddle and pins. Yes, the saddle improved tone and sustain. Pins? Not sure since I changed everything at once.
And, went to SantaCruz medium tension strings from Elixirs. With both types, my intonation as I move up the neck tends to go sharp.
But, I was also struggling with having to retune more than I should anytime I put a Kyser capo on. My teacher puts the same capo on his D28 - perfectly in tune.
so I also sprang for a G7th capo. It’s better but not perfect.

RE: Learning curve

k2kwiat — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 00:11:54 +0000

@shysue

Hey Sue - Hmm, definitely sounds like a nut or bridge issue if all you changed were the strings? Maybe just loosen the strings enough to where you can reset the nut and saddle

FWIW: I use a straight edge from a carpentry “square” to check my neck/truss. With strings at normal tension, I’m looking for the neck to be pretty straight holding the square again the face of the body.
I tread carefully with truss rod adjustments too like the others. I like a slight convex bend unstrung that measures straight under normal tension.