Recommend a Guild for fingerpicking

[Gruhn Loon]

I've had no experience with a GF maple and only a small amount of time playing dreads . That said, I really like my GF60's and I spend most of my time fingerpicking. The minijumbo is a style that has the potential to provide a very balanced sound and the indian rosewood of the body is also expected to provide a wide sonic range. Stands to reason that if you prefer a brighter sound with less emphasis in the bass that maple would be a good place to begin looking.

Perhaps the greatest limitation I can find with the GF's is that the neck is a bit thinner than say the F50. Not a problem for me with rather skinny fingers, but a Guild owning friend of mine finds it to be less comfortable for him to fret.

I just wanted to put in a good word for the GF's since they really can be great guitars for fingerpicking.

Gruhn Loon

 

[dayuhan]

I play an F50R almost exclusively with the fingers, and I love it. I can back off to the point where I'm barely brushing the strings and still be heard, or bear down and drive the strings without sounding mushy... it all works.

Of course I really shouldn't say until I've tried one of each, but that might take a while!

 

[Cypress Knee]

My favorite all around guitar is my 73 Guild F50R....for any style. But I do have several others that I could be happy with if stuck on a desert island and no other choice.

CK

 

[mrmanley]

I just got my new J-50 from the good folks at Elderly to go with my D55. Big D is a good strumming guitar, but it's a little too bassy for Travis picking (IMO), and I wanted a bit sweeter treble range for fingerpicking. The J50 I got has an absolutely lovely treble and midrange, and (due to the J shape body) is somewhat more comfortable to hold than a Dread. But really, I think that fingerstylists are all over the map in terms of what bodystyle and strings they use: everything from nylon-string classicals to 00-body Martins to big old dreads and Jumbos. It just depends on what sound you're going for.

For me, I tend to draw a distinction between "classical fingerstyle" and "Travis picking" fingerstyle. I'm an old-timey/country/blues guy, so I'm looking for that Merle Travis boom-a-chicka sound to go with the melody line. But Chet Atkins took fingerstyle into a much jazzier realm, which I think is why he drifted into using nylon-stringed instruments. Willie Nelson uses nylon string guitars as well, at least on many of his songs -- like "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain".

I like a punchier and more driving sound: thus the bigger body and steel strings of the J-50. I can play almost anything from Gordon Lightfoot to Merle Travis to hard-driving bluegrass on it. I might choose something else if I decide to go a jazzier route down the road. And don't forget that strings make a big difference, more than many players realize. I use standard D'Addario acoustic lights on both of my Guilds, but they're a little weak for bluegrass rhythm if you're not amplified. Also, they sound good fingerstyle but get a little plinky when played with a pick.

 

[mrmanley]

I meant a Guild F-50, of course, not J-50. Sigh. I haven't had enough coffee yet....

 

[Graham]

I meant a Guild F-50, of course, not J-50. Sigh. I haven't had enough coffee yet....

Do you know how many folks you sent to "The Google" searching J-50? :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Frosty]

... that Merle Travis boom-a-chicka sound to go with the melody line....

Picking like Travis... on a Guild jumbo...? What kind of person would attempt such a thing!

:wink:

 

[Graham]

... that Merle Travis boom-a-chicka sound to go with the melody line....

Picking like Travis... on a Guild jumbo...? What kind of person would attempt such a thing!

:wink:

So smooth Frosty!

 

[taabru45]

Really nice Frosty....those big bodied babys sure can put out the delicate tones.... Steffan

 

[Graham]

....those big bodied babys sure can put out the delicate tones.... Steffan

Are you taling about me Tab?

 

[markus]

Once again Frosty makes me think:
If I go on practicing I could get there too (if I get about 120 years old)!
Markus

 

[mrmanley]

... that Merle Travis boom-a-chicka sound to go with the melody line....

Picking like Travis... on a Guild jumbo...? What kind of person would attempt such a thing!

:wink:

I love that tune. It's one of the main reasons I'm trying to learn Travis picking (along with Loudermilk's "Windy and Warm").

 

[taabru45]

....those big bodied babys sure can put out the delicate tones.... Steffan

Are you taling about me Tab?

:lol: :lol:

 

[West R Lee]

... that Merle Travis boom-a-chicka sound to go with the melody line....

Picking like Travis... on a Guild jumbo...? What kind of person would attempt such a thing!

:wink:

:lol: Well I guess that settles it then, a dreadnaught is too big to comfortably fingerpick on......let alone something as big as a jumbo. Frosty really appears to be struggling there. :wink:

Great stuff there Frostman.

West

 

[Siwash]

Frosty, great pickin; you're my hero!

 

[cjd-player]

Nice article on this subject in the August 2009 Acoustic Guitar magazine.
They interviewed several top players and just like our discussion above, the results are all over the map.
A fun read though.

 

[joecool]

GAD 30 rosewood or mahogany = a lot of guitar for not a lot of money!

 

[Guildmark]

I think that it is whatever fits your ear. I have a d25 and a d212 both of which I fingerpick. Both sound great to me. I use mostly flesh with a little nail...

You and me, Fred! Let's hear it for the 12-string fingerpickers!
Thumbpick and "fleshy" nails.