P240 Transitioning! Hey, I Tried to Like It...

[jedzep]

After string changes, saddle upgrades, and general playability tweaking, I have come to the judgement that this stiff little Asian built Guild just can't compare in a roomful of Martins and Gibsons. Even as a picnic table guitar it's tone is pretty unfulfilling, admitting it's unfair to compare it to higher end acoustics.

There IS a silver lining! Having gotten rid of my Royall Resonator, I realized I still needed a guitar to play lap slide, so I slapped a Grover nut extension on and tuned to open G. Don't know if it's the different string tension, but it suddenly awoke like there was a ToneRite attached for months, both in volume, resonance, and sustain, and that's before the slide is put down.

Never heard a better roundneck slide guitar, especially with a sound hole PU played into an old Fender amp. If you're ever feeling those MIC Guild blues, I recommend giving the conversion a shot.

 

[chazmo]

Well, that's an interesting transition! I'm glad you're getting some use out of it as a lap steel, jezdep. I've certainly never heard of anyone else doing that, but I guess it's a Chinese-made guitar that wants to be Hawaiian!

 

[chazmo]

My guess, by the way, is that with the soundhole facing you rather than facing out, you're just hearing it differently. But that's great!

 

[Boneman]

Fun, that’s not a bad option. All you really did was add the nut extension to raise the action some? No other modifications ? I just started messing around in open G recently, but haven’t delved into slide yet. I might dabble soon, thanks for the

 

[jedzep]

Right, Bone. No mods. I have to be cautious with the medium strings, but I always start out with D-D tuning a whole step down anyway, so it's tricky using YT tutorials as the keys don't match up. Sometimes tuning down to accommodate the smaller guitar, but it's a well built little fireplug of a guitar. No help with capos, of course, in the 'raised' position.

 

[GGJaguar]

At least it's good for something and in a relatively conventional way. Excellent!! With 0-size and smaller guitars, I've found you get what you pay for. My 12 year old Eastman E-20P has a huuuuge sound. It cost double (at that time) than most of the Asian 0-size guitars with lam bodies and solid Sitka tops, but it was worth every penny.

 

[jedzep]

At intervals throughout and down the road, I'll move it back into the Spanish mode to see if it can, indeed, 'open up'. You make a good observation, Chaz, regarding directional hearing, and probably a factor, but I have strummed it facing away and noticed a different overtone element. This is likely due to the fact that I broke a Dunlop 80/20 string changing it over, and put a used set of Pearse Nickels on temporarily, which have a different ring altogether.

Please let the conversation go on a little longer before you decide to burst any more of my bubbles with your admirable logic. I love not to know.

I'm very happy with this move, especially since I bought this to use as a Nashville tuned, which was a miserable tonal bust. I always appreciate everyone's input.

 

[chazmo]

At intervals throughout and down the road, I'll move it back into the Spanish mode to see if it can, indeed, 'open up'. You make a good observation, Chaz, regarding directional hearing, and probably a factor, but I have strummed it facing away and noticed a different overtone element. This is likely due to the fact that I broke a Dunlop 80/20 string changing it over, and put a used set of Pearse Nickels on temporarily, which have a different ring altogether.

Please let the conversation go on a little longer before you decide to burst any more of my bubbles with your admirable logic. I love not to know.

I'm very happy with this move, especially since I bought this to use as a Nashville tuned, which was a miserable tonal bust. I always appreciate everyone's input.

Hehehehe... I wasn't trying to burst your bubble big guy... Just trying to figure it out. The string change could also be a big factor, jedzep. I didn't realize you'd done that.

In all seriousness, when I compare my rosewood Guilds to my arched-back maples, what I find is that I hear "more" of the sound from the rosewood than I do with the maples. I often bang an E chord out and take the guitar off my knee and turn the soundhole toward me. With the rosewoods it's just louder (which is pretty F'ing loud, by the way). With the maples, it's louder and different. Viscerally speaking, I like playing the rosewoods more on the couch because I feel more. With the maples, the sound is just projecting. This was even true with my laminated arched F-50R back in the day, but that had a non-factory soundboard so I never judged it on that.

 

[walrus]

I tried a P240 at my local store a few years ago. "Unfulfilling" is an excellent description for my experience, too.

Cool "tranisition" to slide, though!

walrus

 

[D30Man]

My guess, by the way, is that with the soundhole facing you rather than facing out, you're just hearing it differently. But that's great!

Yeah I would say that has to have a little bit to do with it. I have picked up a few of the P-240 memoirs in various locations. I think they're not bad for what they are. An MIC parlor guitar. I like the transition though. That wide nut and small body really makes it a great candidate for this time of transition.

 

[D30Man]

In all honesty I haven't picked up a single 240 series Guild that has blown my t!ts off.. Not a one.

 

[jedzep]

Early on, if disappointing, I was contemplating sanding down the top to a super light thickness. It seems like a good inexpensive candidate for playing with that aspect, something I've always wanted to try. This slide voice has cancelled that plan.

 

[GAD]

My guess, by the way, is that with the soundhole facing you rather than facing out, you're just hearing it differently. But that's great!

It's amazing how different your guitar sounds when someone sits in front of you playing it.

 

[jedzep]

Very true. I have stood in a tub, closed the curtain, and played facing the tile to get a truer fix on tone.

 

[chazmo]

I used to practice in the (cinder block) staircase in my dorm room at college... Same principle.

I like jedzep's approach better. Particularly with the right company.

 

[jedzep]

What's the correct forum for that veer? Miscellaneous?

 

[walrus]

Paul McCartney is quoted as saying he played in his bathroom as a teenager for the sound. I agree the "echo" of an enclosed room is cool!

To GAD's point, I let a very good guitarist/singer borrow my (at the time) D64 at an Open Mic. I said to myself, "Oh, THAT's how it's supposed to sound!"

walrus

 

[GAD]

To GAD's point, I let a very good guitarist/singer borrow my (at the time) D64 at an Open Mic. I said to myself, "Oh, THAT's how it's supposed to sound!"

walrus

That might be something else.

Seriously, though - it's crazy. My buddy from high school was in town (the guy with the Starfire 7) and I invited him over and let him play all my guitars. I'm sure my wife was delighted to hear different songs.

 

[Rayk]

If one really wants to know what their guitar sounds like put it in front of a mic .
These guys make it sound ok . Sounds compressed/tight but not unexpected until the top opens up .
These type of guitars always have that tight boxy’ish sound to them . I’ve heard ( not played ) more of them having me say Meh , then the ones I liked .
I heard a double an old L-OO gib sound wonderful . I’d like to get one someday probably the Blueridge but RK has one also being all solid woods of course there other manufacturers.
Kind of stinks that Guild does not make Parlor , Triple O and OM models in the US line.

 

[jedzep]

Agree all around. One demo review spurred me on to try, and a good used deal pushed me over. It turned out good, though, as my single cone reso had a generic tone unplugged. Small bod x-braced is the way to go if looking for a good lap slide sound. BTW, the Pearse pure nickel sounded harsh on this guitar played Spanish style, but they make for terrific lap slide tone.

I feel Guild USA could do this build lighter/better.