Acoustic vs. Electric

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
Maybe because I'm getting "less young," as my doctor puts it, but my electric guitars just aren't doing it for me any more. I'm much more satisfied with just an acoustic, with maybe a small amp and vocal harmonizer at most, but usually just acoustic out on the deck with the dogs and a cold brew. Of course, it's hard to beat the sweet tones coming from an acoustic Guild.
 
Last edited:

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,594
Reaction score
17,815
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
I'll be 55 next month and there's still nothing like a good electric into a loud driven amp. I do have to wear earplugs at concerts, though, but I've been doing that since my 20s since I was such an idiot in my 20s. :smug:

I go through stages where it's all about the acoustic or all about the 12-string, but "home" for me will forever be an S300A-D with some grunt.
 

Stuball48

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
4,736
Reaction score
2,534
Location
Dickson, TN
There is probably an electric out there that will make my eyeballs sweat but right now I lean all acoustic. I could "backslide" at anytime should that guitar appear. I, do, have pickups on my two Bozungs but my third - a CB Super will be only acoustic. Maybe I am backsliding already.
Forgive me Dred!
I am hesitant about any acoustic guitar with external knobs--that is just me.
 

beecee

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
3,569
Reaction score
2,413
Maybe because I'm getting "less young,"........ but usually just acoustic out on the deck with the dogs and a cold brew. Of course, it's hard to beat the sweet tones coming from an acoustic Guild.


Ha! The only thing that could beat that would be your son joining you on that deck with that burst DV-52...and a cooler full of cold ones!!!!!!
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
[/B]

Ha! The only thing that could beat that would be your son joining you on that deck with that burst DV-52...and a cooler full of cold ones!!!!!!

Yeah, and with any luck he'll let me play it! LOL Already having a tough time prying it out of his hands.

I just played my DA Starfire for about an hour today, LOUDLY, through a multi-effects pedal and 125 watt amp in my music room. Fun, but it leaves me wanting.
 

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,594
Reaction score
17,815
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
Yeah, and with any luck he'll let me play it! LOL Already having a tough time prying it out of his hands.

I just played my DA Starfire for about an hour today, LOUDLY, through a multi-effects pedal and 125 watt amp in my music room. Fun, but it leaves me wanting.

You need more power!

8e6e7e132617fb2b3347caaf0e59b7a0--cool-memes-fender-guitars.jpg
 

davismanLV

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
19,201
Reaction score
11,829
Location
U.S.A. : Nevada : Las Vegas
Guild Total
2
The thing is.... if there's something out there that floats your boat, then who cares which or what?? I go through moods and changes over time. Always. As long as something makes you happy, then rejoice!! It's when NOTHING makes me happy, that I know I have to check out...... :encouragement:
 

JF-30

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
421
Reaction score
2
Location
VA
After the Mark Agnesi video (which I think he was forced to do) I was at that point down to one electric guitar. I traded my Gibson BB King for a Martin 000-28 and never looked back. I love not plugging in. Tuner, capo, pick, guitar and case are all I need. And stings.
 

dapmdave

Enlightened Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
7,612
Reaction score
24
Same here. I do still have an electric rig, but I hardly play it. When it's time to make music I pick up an acoustic, although it's plugged into an amp/PA when playing with the "band".

But lately, I've been playing as much bass as anything. Our little group lost the bass player we had and since I've had some experience with bass I jumped into the gap. It's fun.
 

Antney

Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2017
Messages
510
Reaction score
176
Haha...I play almost exclusively acoustic these days because I love the tone of my d50. I gave my old les Paul and strat to my son, but still keep my 68 Rick. When the wife goes out I go down to the music room and crank it WAY up. It’s just no fun playing an electric at lower volume.
 

Grassdog

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
550
Reaction score
118
Location
Cincinnati, OH
When I stopped playing in a band about 5 years ago, I pretty much gave up playing electric and went exclusively acoustic. Almost all the gigs I play now are solo acoustic and there's the occasional acoustic duo with musician friends. I've kept my Tele but I rarely play it anymore. It's almost a foreign animal to me now and I find that I've become sloppy with the lighter gauge strings and faster necks. I'm a much more aggressive player now (percussive) playing acoustic all the time. Maybe if the right group of guys comes along I'll get back into an electric band, but to be honest I really don't miss it. I agree that age may have something to do with it plus I just enjoy coming up with acoustic arrangements/versions of classic rock songs. Even if the recorded version is heavy electric, if it's a great song I think you can arrange it to sound good on an acoustic. Pete Townshend can certainly do that.
 

Westerly Wood

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
13,330
Reaction score
6,504
Guild Total
2
...but usually just acoustic out on the deck with the dogs and a cold brew. Of course, it's hard to beat the sweet tones coming from an acoustic Guild...

maybe best writing ever on the LTG.
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,791
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
plus I just enjoy coming up with acoustic arrangements/versions of classic rock songs. Even if the recorded version is heavy electric, if it's a great song I think you can arrange it to sound good on an acoustic. Pete Townshend can certainly do that.
I came at it from the other direction, studying the charts for my favorite old rock bands and applying 'em to a flat-top.
When I started going through the Hendrix book is when the same thing dawned on me:
A great tune is a great tune and translates well to any medium.
When I was a kid I absolutely wanted to be able to make all kinds of wonderful distorted sounds just like my heroes but it occurred to that learning to play clean first was the way to go so I focused on acoustic, figuring eventually it'd translate over to electric easily enough.
Then I realized that with an acoustic you can play anywhere anytime it's not too cold for your fingers, and let the electric dream fade.
But once in a while still I dream of getting those lead tones like "Bluebird" and "Mr. Soul", and "I Can See For Miles".....
There are some things that just can't be done on an acoustic...but there're also some acoustic tones that just can't be rendered on an electric, even a hollow-body.
 

shihan

Senior Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
1,540
Reaction score
796
Location
Ventura CA
I’m a minority here (maybe of one). Love acoustic music, love acoustic guitars when someone else plays them, but have no desire to play one. Im an electric guitar guy. My X-500 is as acoustic as I’m going to get. I’m 64; guess I’m stuck in my ways.
 

walrus

Reverential Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
23,957
Reaction score
8,020
Location
Massachusetts
I love them both. I'm more likely to play my PRS Hollowbody Spruce unplugged (keeps my family happy), but love to plug in and rock when I want to and when I can. The guitar is really versatile when plugged in, and sounds good unplugged, too.

I played mostly acoustic for many years, and I definitely know more acoustic songs than "rockers" - although I might do "Communication Breakdown" on acoustic if I feel like it! :smug:

But the F-30, and my D64 before that, well, that's a sound that I love. I definitely am more likely to play acoustic than electric. That's always been the case, and probably always will be.

walrus
 

Guildedagain

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2016
Messages
9,002
Reaction score
7,167
Location
The Evergreen State
I just built two Teles from scratch this year and now I'm hardly even interested because I realized I need to work on my playing, my chords/transitions. To me, blasting away to some psycho drummer who needs an outlet for his pent up aggression, I've never been able to write music very well in that moment but I could solo to anything for hours.

If I get a minute to play, it's one of the Guilds. I've got let's see, chronologically, 1960 Supro 2 p'up 3/4 scale, '63 Dano Coppertone two p'up "Page model", two vintage Strats, three Teles, a 55-77 LP Special w Lollar P90's, weathered SG standard, a vintage 335 with some of the first SD Seth Lovers ever made, coil switches on the neck p'up for Strat tones, others and I don't feel the need to plug in anymore. Also have three drawers full of pedals. A Traynor Bass Mate 6V6 head sitting on a vintage 2x12 cab with 70's Celestions, plus a '76 Marshall 2x12 combo with Creamback G12-30's and a home brewed EL84 chassis, and a '66 Ampeg Gemini 1x12 with unreal Reverb/Tremolo, and more...

To me, they're all cash cows now, hopefully selling a couple electric guitars will put some $$$ back in the bank that I plundered to buy Guild acoustic guitars, which are good investments, but more importantly provide some escape, and bring happiness.

This has always been the best way to afford gear. Buy some, play it, and use it to fund other gear as your musical style changes, usually for the mellower.
 
Last edited:

D30Man

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Messages
2,949
Reaction score
998
Location
Rockwall, TX
Guild Total
5
It's all about mood for me.. I go back and forth quite a bit but I would say I am primarily an acoustic player..
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
Hey Dennis, I'm 64 too! I still like to rock at volume setting # 11 sometimes too...

I can vouch for grassdog's playing...we picked up a storm with my dogs out on the deck!

Here are the guitars we used. My dreads are the bookends, Roger's is in the middle.

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]
7W7olti.jpg
[/FONT]
 

D30Man

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Messages
2,949
Reaction score
998
Location
Rockwall, TX
Guild Total
5
Dread - those are all gorgeous Guilds sir..

GD - Is that your GF-30 in the middle?
 
Top