A responsive guitar?

Subject: Review: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST,Fyldeplayer
Date: 13 Oct 19 - 10:58 AM

I am considering reviewing my guitars.
My Martin MC 16GTE is functional but a bit bland. Budget of maybe £1 - 1.5k.
I like woods rather than bling. I would like a loud responsive guitar with some character.
Faith, Eastman, Furch ? Mostly finger style.
Has anyone had repair work on a Fylde with local luthier in S.E or Home Counties?

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 13 Oct 19 - 05:05 PM

Way less than your proposed budget but figured I'd mention it as it's a guitar I'm really enjoying playing for fingerstyle... Last guitar I bought (a few months ago, secondhand via an eBay auction), and which I had previously been eyeing up, wanting to try for a while, is this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Recording-King-RNJ-26-NA-Guitar/dp/B00713TVP4

It also comes in black:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Recording-King-RNJ-26-BK-Guitar/dp/B0133MO2BY

I'm a big fan of Recording Kings: they do pre-war style guitars exceptionally well.

It is certainly a responsive guitar (i find it very easy to do harmonics and false harmonics and it has plenty of overtones).

All solid woods and a fingerstyle-friendly nice 1 3/4 nut width. It has a very comfortable neck: I don't like super slim necks, find them quite annoying, and this one has a bit of chunkiness to it, but not overly so.


Interesting that you are finding that Martin bland but considering replacing with a Faith, Eastman or Furch. I've played many Faiths, Eastmans and Furches in shops and while I've never played a bad one, I've never played one that I've been blown away by.

I find Faiths generally a bit lacking in bass. I played a nice enough Faith Parlour once, one of its more deluxe models, though again, it didn't really grab me. I'd love to try the newish and rather atypical for Faith, Gibson-ish looking Mars Classic Burst:
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/faith-mars-frsb-acoustic-guitar-classic-burst?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gclid=CjwKCAjwlo

Eastmans and Furches have always struck me as very nice guitars, but just a bit polite and well-balanced sounding.

You know the London International Guitar Show is this weekend at Kempton Park in West London? Probably yr best opportunity to try out a shedload of guitars in one place?

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 13 Oct 19 - 05:29 PM

In terms of luthier made guitars (something I should add I'm no expert in, having never been able to afford one!) I have been impressed by guitars made by the following luthiers when I've played them at trade shows and/or in the Ivor Mairants shop:

https://www.elysianacoustics.com/guitar-models

http://www.acoustic-guitars.com/EN/steel-string-flat-top-guitars.php

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: leeneia
Date: 14 Oct 19 - 12:49 AM

Have you ever played using a thumbpick? It makes the bass strings nice and loud.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST,Mark Bluemel
Date: 14 Oct 19 - 04:37 AM

If you're looking for acoustic guitar repairs and are anywhere within striking distance of Southampton, I gather Vince Hockey (who used to be Martin's approved UK service person) is still working and I'd trust him with any acoustic.
I suspect Vince could also build you a guitar to your spec for the upper end of the budget you mention.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 15 Oct 19 - 07:57 AM

Come to think of it, I did enjoy playing a Waterloo guitar at the last guitar trade show I went to. I wouldn't say no to one of these:

https://www.waterlooguitars.com/wl-12-mh/

They're about 2 grand I think.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: gillymor
Date: 15 Oct 19 - 09:02 AM

I'll second Waterloos, Collings really nailed the vintage Gibson sound on the 2 I've played, a Jumbo and an 00. Don't know about the availability where you are but I see them used on Reverb for $1600 and up.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: Cool Beans
Date: 16 Oct 19 - 10:15 AM

I'm a fingerpicker--as opposed to fingerstyle, which I think of as alternate-tuning music--and I'm terribly fond of my 15-year-old Martin 000-28VS, which has a 1 7/8-inch nut width. It sells for about $2,500 in the US. However, I tried two different ones in the music store, same model, not too many years apart, and one sounded far better than the other. So it's all a matter of personal taste (and what you can afford). (I play without thumb- or fingerpicks.) Good luck!

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: Gurney
Date: 16 Oct 19 - 11:11 PM

My favourite is a Jack and Danny Brothers, but a friend trying my small collection recently very enthusiastic about my Taylor. Both are sensitive to the strings used, and they need different strings to my ear.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST,Guitarfumbler
Date: 18 Oct 19 - 07:59 AM

Try Auden guitars - fabulous quality for the money

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST,Gilly
Date: 18 Oct 19 - 08:51 AM

The Faith Neptune are great, have you tried L'Arrivee? They are very responsive indeed in my view. I have a Neptune Eclipse and am delighted with it, they have a chunky feel and Faith quality control seems to be very good.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Oct 19 - 10:42 AM

Here's the exhibitor list for the upcoming London International Guitar show on Sun 27 October.

http://www.guitarshows.co.uk/ARPages/Exhibitors-London.html

AJ Lucas and Elysian are exhibiting there. Plus many other brands mentioned in this thread.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 18 Oct 19 - 05:04 PM

not really sure what you mean by responsive.

never really had one put down the phone on me. I tend to think they all have something to say.

You're the suitor. You have to find the appropriate courtship, caress - or whatever.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 20 Oct 19 - 03:07 AM

I am singing the praises of the Tanglewood Crossroads. Try one and be amazed. The company is now a British owned outfit and they are building by computer to some very exacting standards. I love mine. See what you think. The word is slowly spreading on this model.
kind regards to you all.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST,Fyldeplayer
Date: 20 Oct 19 - 03:09 AM

Well Al, to my old ears some guitars even with new strings sound dull and compressed ( the revival blues guitars have a harsh honk that I find unappealing but certainly replicate the old recorded sounds ) while on others the notes just fly out. Recently saw guy play Martin D? And then swop to smaller Takamine, both great but the Takamine sounded as though it had reverb, both played acoustically.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 21 Oct 19 - 04:23 AM

I think of 'responsive' as meaning it gives as much if not more than you put in. I have 4 acoustic guitars, two of which are very responsive, in that they positively sing with overtones and harmonics and false harmonics. When you move from note to note you'll hear overtones. The other two I have by contrast are solid and dependable, they have a very chunky tone and are fun to play but it must be said, aren't nearly as inspiring.

Subject: RE: A responsive guitar?
From: Chris Amos
Date: 22 Oct 19 - 10:45 AM

At Sidmouth this year I picked a Lannin guitar. It is one of the easiest guitars to play I have ever come across and the sound and volume are exquisite.

Lannin Guitars

Chris