Yes! Acoustic is its own thing! I’ve always felt that an acoustic is more like a piano. You learn & play entire songs on an acoustic. That’s generally how we play them. We play songs that people recognize and want to hear. On an electric, we tend to play a lot of riffs & licks or “parts” of songs. I’m fairly certain I played nothing but “parts of songs” on my Strat for years and never learned an entire song. Bought a new high end acoustic and immediately learned a complete song?!?!? Plus I’m older now!Lol
I gotta agree with ya John, was totally the same for me. Watching this as I haven't touched my electric in years. I bought a sailboat years back for escape and suddenly my ancient super cheap acoustic was front and center, no power, no problem. Was so hard at 1st, but once the fingers got stronger, whole songs suddenly. The way I look at it now, the juice goes out, for however long, I've still got music, and that ain't a bad thing to have!
Very true. For some reason they make you slow down, learn some chords and play songs. I love picking up an acoustic in a shop and playing some dreamy chords.
Getting into guitar I got carried away and got hollow body electric (Gretch) then telecaster, then decent Fender acoustic, have bounced around to all. Each is unique and developed different skill sets. Found a nice StarCaster bass and added it all have unique features. But acoustic are to learn chords and songs. Even better was adding thinner strings to an acoustic for bends and all the fun of distortion. We all have the chance to learn in our own way but don’t know in the beginning how we will learn. Covid beginner, might start using that name for posting. Boomers love things! Now to sound like Nile Rogers and Neil Young, with a side of Jimmy Page.
@@flouisbailey I used thinner strings in the beginning too, it was crucial. Then I started wanting the thicker for the sound, and you can still bend with stronger fingers. Gluck out there rona beginner!
@@TheBlackSheepDiaries We are definitely on same page. Too bad some people give up because of string size. Watching a documentary on Slash his first guitar only had one string. He said he practiced a lot before he got a set of strings. He also said he got a late start with guitar, he was 14 or 15 years old. Some would say he did OK. I haven’t seen the end yet but he made a buck or two. It’s on Tubi.
I started on electric and got my acoustic four years later. I've learned so much more by playing the acoustic. It's how I learned to play whole songs, how songs were structured and composed, etc. It took a while to go from metal head to classic country fan, but that's what happened. Now Jimmy Rodgers (from the late 1920s) is one of my favorite musicans of all time. Yodeling also taught me how to sing much better. The ability to slide easily between full tone and falsetto is key in rock music as well as country.
Electric and acoustic are two completely different instruments. I've seen dedicated acoustic players who cannot play electric, and electric players who were clueless about acoustic. I play both. When I pick up an electric, I make a mental shift, an adapt to the sustain, dynamic control. To me, the acoustic is all about the voicings, the physicality of it all. Your touch makes the sound. All I can say is that it is imperitive to have a good quality acoustic. Spend as much as you can afford, and make sure it is properly set up. I play 11's on acoustic, 9's on electric.... my plug-in acoustic has 10's. Electric or acoustic, it's all about your touch... that's where all your tone is, and nobody will have a tone like you. Your touch is unique to you alone.
correct,it is a shift in thought,there are bands that base their whole catalog of music around acoustic projection,then there are bands that have the whole show around lead guitar,SABBATH,PINK FLOYD,,YES,KANSAS,both instruments in the hands of a genius,glorious sounds,listen to stevie ray play accoustic,be amazed
That is one way of making good music, by composing a good melody, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take the “ambience” approach with lots of effects to create amazing music too
Interesting take on guitars. I did it the opposite way: When I was 12 or so, my 6th grade music teacher bought (out of her own money, I found out later) junior-size acoustic guitars for all 24 kids in her class at the beginning of the school year. If we (students) were still playing them at the end of the year, we got to keep the guitar. My father had been a part-time Country and Western singer/guitarist, and used nothing but acoustic guitars. So, with those influences, I started to play. I realized after a year or so (this was in the mid-'60s) that there was a whole new world of guitar sounds out there that I couldn't make with an acoustic guitar. I therefore asked Santa for an electric guitar, and received it the following Christmas, in the form of a Sears Silvertone, as well as a Silvertone amplifier. Basically, my first 18 months or so of guitar playing was on an inexpensive acoustic, mostly learning how to play Country songs. I then shifted to electric primarily, but never completely lost touch with acoustic. I've been a semi-professional musician ever since, and still play either my acoustic(Yamaha FSX 830 acoustic/electric) or electric (Fender Stratocaster, MIM 2012) guitar virtually every day.
I learned on acoustic, playing songs by The Cure and U2 and Rush, etc. I found myself trying to take on the role of the whole band with a single instrument. I learned dynamics and nuance and chord relationships and harmonies. I’ve since transitioned more to electric, but I love the purity of my old acoustic.
I used to think the same way about acoustics and then I came across Americana music. It was like acoustic guitars were a canvas and electric guitars were brushes used to accent and color the songs. It all clicked and now the most expensive guitar I own (and my favorite guitar) is a Martin D-16e
I use to play both, but as I get older I just love playing acoustic guitars. Because of the awesome tone the wood gives. I’ve really also been enjoying more 12 string acoustic guitars because it’s part of the southwest USA culture.
It takes me 10 minutes to tune a 6-string acoustic that I haven't played in a while. It takes me 30 minutes or more to tune up a 12-string from storage pitch. It's worth it.
After playing acoustic and electric for over 42 years I am glad I started on acoustic. Starting there and moving to electric helped my ear to appreciate nuances in tone.
I couldn't agree more! Electric guitars can easily hide mistakes where as acoustic will amplify them and once you get a song sounding perfect on it moving over to the electric you get blown away at how much better you'll sound both technically & audibly.
I started playing acoustic in my teens; Nancy Wilson was my idol. In my late 50’s decided to learn the electric. It is a different animal but both are awesome. Thanks for the video.
I started playing when I was 26, I'm 69 now and Jimi was a huge influence on me though I play acoustic mostly. The guitar will change you, never fight it. Keep on playing. Great video!
Wow. Found you in my feed for the first time tonight. You seem like such a likable guy. Loved how you talked about your dad and his acoustic. I’m one of these MUCH older guys just learning to play. I’ve collected nice guitars over the years but never really played. Now is my time!
First of all....how dare you?! 😂 Acoustics are literally the purest way of communicating energy from your body into a physical thing and expressing it into the world in music. You should own a dozen acoustics because every single one is different. You could easily have two or three electrics and be covered. Love you man, this is perfect! I remember you asking me about this one before pulling the trigger.
Nah, one great acoustic is all ya need, today demands more in general, if you want a wide audience. It's why country can't forgo either or today, it doesn't sound as good as playing both. Plus, while acoustics play differently and sound differently each one, very few of the most excellent woods can be had anymore. My Martin is a special edition, Indian Rosewood from reserve after the Lacey Act, and it's clear how much better that now non usable wood is, vs Brazilian Rosewood for the same exact purpose. Having such a rare beast, means that my sound is immediately appreciated and often favored by purists of the art.
I play acoustic and electric both daily. Some of the tonal nuance that i learned from playing acoustic as far as touch is concerned certainly translated to how I play electric too. And vice versa, just as long as I have a guitar in my hands i'm good.
Thanks for sharing your experience with great comments....yes acoustic guitars are so great to play.... Like you I started with an electric guitar and in my later years (now 79 yrs old) I just love playing (and singing) songs. I love folk music so the acoustic really is so good... cheers from Australia 😊
Yeah, it’s like comparing a piano to an organ. The similarities are there, but they are played completely different. I also find that a style played on the acoustic can easily be translated over to an electric guitar, but very rarely the other way around.
@@xamislimelight8965 happy now? I am well educated, post grad etc. However, due to circumstances, I go without sleep for up to 5 days, then I am lucky if I get 2 hours sleep. It’s not always a case of illiteracy, rather brain dead exhaustion in my case. Have a good one.
Good point about translating from acoustic to electric. I'm considering learning guitar and would like to go electric but have been advised to go acoustic first to build up finger strength, etc. Thank you for you comment.
I've got more electrics than I have acoustics. But when I bought my second acoustic 20 years ago, I must have tried 30 of them to find the one I wanted as they all sound and play different. I ended up buying a mid-priced Takamine which to me played and sounded better than some of the more expensive ones. Personal taste more than anything. I bought a few different shaped and material Artist acoustics a while back and pretty impressed with how good they sound for a $300-400AU acoustic.
I started learning guitar later in my life(17 which is late from what I’ve heard anyway) I was fortunate enough to get a get good job out of high school and I bought I hd 28. Tbh I didn’t realize what I had till is was about 22ish. Still amazed by that guitar! Not to mention the 1000cad that the same guitar has increased in price since 2014 (2013 model but still new when purchased)
i prefer nylon string guitars to acoustics. way more versatile. fingerpicking for classical and flamenco, picking near the bridge for that steel string acoustic sound
Loved one gave me an acoustic too big .. so traded in for a "prettier one" worst mistake ... was told by gcenter the one I choose the " pretty" one was junk... I cried then moved to Bass guitar and elec ukulele. Now want a classic acoustic guitar... so I hear ya understand but Bass guitar is my first kov then the classical buy one and done is coming soon one day a baby Martin classic no tuner)) guitar
Funny, I've been playing only acoustic since I was seventeen. At 70 I'm starting out on electrics and it's really challenging. I didn't know a great amp tone from horrible and the unwound 3rd string always sounds out of tune. Muting is so much more vital on electric and my fretboard knowledge was so weak, i wasn't a cowboy chords only acoustic player either. It's a lot of fun. Still can't appreciate heavy distortion yet. A Tele, Fender style amps on clean tones with a hint of bite and 11 to 52 strings. It's hard to get good sounding chords, balanced highs, mids and bass ringing out on a lot of amps. I have an Orange amp with a tiny clean area on the gain pot, the whole sweep goes from mega distortion to insane but the cleans are bell like, balanced, every string rings and pings. Good video, nice acoustic playing. Good to see you've got a 'real' guitar. 😊
Yeah you're totally right, I started out on electric and slowly overtime evolved into strictly acoustic in the span of 30 years. And you're right, it's in a lot of ways a totally different instrument, the strings are more tense, so you need more pressure on your fret and picking hand. But I just love it, if you have a solid wood guitar like your HD28, it expresses notes in ways speakers can't. There's just so much more depth and resonance with the sound that I just never hear with speakers or even a decent stereo system. I still from time to time plug in for jams and recording but nothing makes me feel a song like an acoustic. You probably know the specs on your guitar by now but I love the Martin HD28 you have, rosewood back and sides with a spruce top and a ebony fingerboard, you just can't do any better. I myself chose a Segal Studio which has the same specs but with a 1.8" nut width which I prefer as I do a lot of finger style, unfortunately they don't make them anymore.
Like you, starting out on guitar, it was all about the riff. The heavy and fast were the only thing worth playing. One day, after playing for about ten years, only metal, I meet this old black dude jammin blues jazz percussive in a guitar store. We get to talking, and after a bit, he says, " Ask yourself, if the power goes out, are you still guitarist?" Immediately, it made sense. Acoustic and electric can sometimes be total world's apart, but when you're playing either one, it's still you coming through. Embrace it. Plus, acoustic doesn't lie. It makes you work harder, and the better you are on acoustic, the electric just becomes much easier. Doesn't seem to work the other way around. Good video, and God Bless all.
Got too many guitars for a fairly small apartment. Never play any electrics at home just play my seagull s6, got like 10 electrics here and a few more in storage. If I ever get out to play with people I use the electrics which is very rare. So its an odd deal here. Hoping to bring my PA over to a drummer friends place this weekend. Wish me luck!
The best thing about acoustic playing is I can just grab it and practice whatever lick or song I'm working on without any distraction or fiddling with gear and dialing in tone. I'm a slacker; if I have ten minutes to play a little each day the acoustic gets more done in a short time.
Whatever you played in the beginning was absolutely beautiful, reminded me of the rain song a little bit. If that’s an original, please release a full song so we can hear the rest of it!!
My first guitar was a Yamaha classical Spanish concert guitar I got when I was 12. At 14 I bought an Ibanez Mahogany 12 String (which still is with me). At 48 I commissioned a Custom Electro Acoustic Guitar while being on a Tour of duty in the U.S. And probably within the next month at almost 60 years pf age I will pick up a my first very own commissioned custom Electric guitar. I wholeheartedly sign your points that you‘ve made about the difference in approaches to either acoustic or electric guitar. Been there too. Right now I‘m trying to learn and develop some techniques for electric guitar with the help of my awesome guitar teacher. But the thing that always gets me teary eyed is the sound of an acoustic 12-string. Have you ever fallen under this spell or did you manage to successfully resist this ethereal siren like sound? 😊😊 Greetings from Bonn/Germany
Other way around for me. I’m 58. I began teaching myself acoustic guitar at nine years old. I’d watch Hee-Haw every Sunday night and that was my weekly lesson. Buck and Roy were my first music teachers. It all began with acoustic and it still is the best type of guitar to learn and play. I do play electric. At nineteen I bought a 1983 Les Paul studio and now play telecaster’s primarily. Anyway great video and I am glad the acoustic guitar finally rubbed off on you. They have a penchant for that.😊
I started out the other way. With acoustic guitars, and nothing but acoustic guitars. I have tried playing electrics occasionally, but I have no idea what to do with them, can't play them worth a damn, because they have a whole different feel, a whole different approach to playing, and I have never been able to figure it out. One does tend to play entire songs on an acoustic, while electric players seem to be fascinated by riffs (as someone else mentioned here). I'm not much interested in riffs, but I do want to play entire songs on a guitar and sing them at the same time. It's a whole other mindset. I really admire people who can play well on both electric and acoustic. I'd say my favorite electric player is Mark Knopfler, I just love how he plays that guitar, and he's a great songwriter too.
Im 43, been playing since I was 15. I have never owned an electric. Dozens of acoustics have come and gone. Now my 10 year old daughter plays electric and Im clueless. Literally your story in reverse.
I agree. Electric and Acoustic are different instruments like Organ and Piano. I have never been able to get a sound out of an electric that I liked. So I content myself with sitting around playing "camp fire" songs on my acoustic. I would love to play the pentatonic riffs I see many guitarists play, but I have learned to be satisfied with the guitar player I am. 🙂
I currently own a Strat, a Telly, an Ibanez gem Jr and a Epiphone Les Paul. I also own an acoustic Yamaha fg335 and a Takamine gn77kce . I play the Yamaha more than all the others now. Goes back to the early days of playing guitar back in the 70s. I played only acoustic for years.
When i went to go buy my"one and done" acoustic guitar, i went in and tried literally 30 different guitars (among them Taylors,Martins,Guilds,etc)and purposely refused to look at price tags. There was one clear winner head and shoulders above the rest in sound and playability. It was a used Washburn Cumberland. And Thankfully it was around $900. The only mod I had to do was put on Ernie Ball 10's..their "rock and blues" offering with a plain D string. I believe its a Grand Auditorium shape with the bottom cutaway, low action for insane blues leads,but killer sound projection with plenty of body..However the electronics stopped working years ago,but i dont really care.A hell of alot of guitar for the money.
My grandpa had a 1969 Gibson Dove acoustic which he showed me G, C, and D chord, when I was 18 years old. He said go from there. 7 years later he gave it to me. I sold it in 2018, to pay my rent, because I fell on hard times. I sold it the price for what he he bought it for back in 1972. I'm 45 now, and there isn't one day that goes by, that I wish above all things, to have that guitar back. But it's gone, I'll never get that guitar back. It had the original case and bill of sale from where he bought it from. All I got is the memories of him playing it and a picture I took of it. Just some advice to whomever reads this comment, don't get rid of your guitars that have a special meaning and place in your life, you'll regret it.
My acoustic sits in its case, never play it except when I need it for a gig, and gigs calling for acoustic is the only reason I own one. I had to learn the basics on a 3/4 parlor acoustic with insanely high action, so when I was a kid I regarded the steel-string acoustic as a torture device, designed to destroy dreams of kids like me. I couldn't get an electric fast enough. Still hardly ever play one, they're just not much fun to me.
i have a cheap, 10 yr old fender acoustic. it's no $3400 martin, but it does acoustic-y things when i need it to, and that's enough for me. over the years, i've had others, some good, others that were real stinkers.
I started playing electric guitar 20+years ago and maybe 10 years ago I finally got an AE Washburn and it only lasted me 2 years before it cracked and warped. Then I got a fender acoustic that I still have as a backup, 2 years ago I was at a guitar store and found a martin AE The body had a crack so the guy said I'll take 200$ for it, he was asking 450$ I said BET!! I repaired the crack and got a sound hole humidifier and it hasn't failed me yet. Someday I'm gonna splurge and get a more expensive martin with a cutaway. Or a Taylor😊 great video dude
Such a good point! I am the same, wanting only one great acoustic. I got a D 28 my hero Paul. I try to play AC/DC and do bends, and stuff and wonder why it doesn’t work as well. I need to remember it is a different instrument than an electric guitar. I should embrace the 1 3/4 inch nut rather than wanting it to have a thinner nut like an electric.
I like you much better now Rob; we both love the acoustic and you own the one I hope to purchase one day. To top it off - my favorite picking tune is Led Zep's song "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" it is such an epic song for the acoustic, and we have the same first name. However, the electric was never my thing. (maybe someday) One of my favorite players is a local guy named Corey Heuvel. Not only can he play but he can also sing and write some good music. He's giving it up to follow other ventures but has done some amazing acoustic stuff. Hendrix, SRV, Mayer, and even Pantera the list goes on. I'm sure you will appreciate his dedication to the acoustic guitar if you check him out. (you can watch & listen to his last original work called - Starbird - The Acoustic Session) I didn't post the link cuz I didn't want YT to remove this comment. Just go to his channel. I hope you do more acoustic videos btw.
Great video. Out of curiosity why did you decide to settle on a dreadnought? I feel like most advice I see for having only one is a 000. I'm not very experienced FYI
Seems if you only had one, you would want the one you want. Play many 'til you find the one! I've known plenty of guitarists (amateur and pro) with only one and it's a dreadnought. Also know a few ukulele players, they seem happy.
I grew up and still do listen to Page/Zeppelin and acoustic guitars are so prevalent on most of the albums which got me to start exploring different tunings such as G and DADGAD and others. Now I primarily play acoustic and write lots of little pieces and I love it. So many great acoustic players out there to check out like Ed Gerhard and Bill Mize and others. Now I do fire up the Marshall and LP but I’ve found my creativity comes through on the acoustic. Nothing like a nice woody sound with new strings and really hearing the beautiful tones of all the different woods
The only acoustics I've liked until recently are the smaller body ones. My only acoustic for 15 years has been a Fender Malibu, which is Dreadnaught shaped yet Parlor sized, and sounds very close to the latter. It has this very focused sound with tons of broken in mojo. Full sized Dreadnaughts (especially the typical Martin style) were never comfortable to me, and they generally sounded boomy to my ears. The J45 on the other hand has a slightly more controlled tighter sound which I love. My favorite acoustic shape has recently been the Grand Auditorium (like the Taylor 14 shape). It sounds big like a dreadnaught but has this nice top end to it which makes it work for many more things, and also it's much more comfortable to me as someone who plays 335s :)
I've always had difficulty in getting into the acoustic (steel not nylon). Maybe it's because of the dreadnaught? You think I should try out some smaller types of acoustic steel string guitars? I've heard that they have another sound too, is that true?
@@michaelkarlsson5966 try as many shapes as you find! When it comes to comfort I recommend the Parlor and the Grand Auditorium, they're relatively easy to switch to compared to Dreadnaughts. And yeah the different shapes have a different sound too. General rule of thumb, the smaller the body shape the more focused and mid present the sound. Parlors are very mid focused, OM is very balanced, Dreadnaughts are very bassy (with Gibson style slope shoulder being more compressed and controlled than Martin style square shoulder), Grand Auditorium has both big lows and lots of highs, Jumbo is like Auditorium on steroids
In the beginning electric is easier to play because the strings are lighter and you have effects to cover up sloppy playing. Once you become an intermediate player the acoustic really builds finger strength and forces you to fix sloppy fingering. The other advantage of an acoustic is you can just take it with you without extra equipment so I wind up playing it more even though I would much rather play electric.
I started playing when I was about 14 or 15, and I always played a little of both. But I didn't play for a long time, and when I got back into it, an acoustic just felt like a giant cardboard box. It was so awkward, I couldn't even figure out how to hold it. So, I played exclusively electric for about 5 years. But I finally started slowly picking up the acoustic, finally bought a strap, and now I go back and forth. Not only is it a completely different experience, but it makes you a better electric guitar player. In a rut? Wanna get better at electric? Pick up an acoustic and keep playing until you get it. It will change your life.
Most people can't play acoustic guitar properly, and end up strumming Hey Joe or ACDC. Seeing others abuse the instrument, and far too many renditions of Wonderwall have put me off acoustic guitar. I sold mine 5 years ago and haven't regretted it. I do enjoy old school blues like Robert Johnson but could never hope to play it.
I'm like you, when I finally got my guitar a few years ago, it had to be a Strat and I didn't want an acoustic. Now I wish I had an acoustic sometimes, but I'd kill for a Fender Acoustasonic Strat. Have you checked those out? To be able to go from electric to acoustic on the same guitar would be man near pnerfect for me. I have a tuner similar to yours. When D'Addario came out with their Nexus 360 tuners I managed to win one, and that baby stays on my Strat all the time so I never have to look for it.
I've just recently learned for my acoustic guitar, Harvest from Opeth and Take Me Home, Country Roads from John Denver; and I just came to the same realization than you, that an acoustic guitar is an amazing instrument in itself... I started playing guitar on an acoustic for school but never really appreciated because I wanted an electric, then I got myself an electric guitar because I wanted to experience with a more Metal sound which is like my favorite kind of music... Last year I purchased a new acoustic guitar and I'm enjoying it!
It also works the other way 'round, you can't play an electric guitar like an acoustic. I learned this the hard way when I was first starting out and couldn't figure out why fast strumming open chords on my Les Paul sounded like crap, lol. I really love playing both types, especially fingerstyle on the acoustic.
I was the exact way about acoustic, buddy of mine had one and I asked to borrow it and that was it, it’s different it’s chill and you are 100% about how you play it different than an electric.
Is the bracing forward shifted on the Martin HD28 ? Its sounds not. In think your dads guitar is a forward shifted J40? Cant see too well if its a martin or not
Major beginner here but I’ve got a Gretsch Jim Dandy it’s a parlor size and under 200$ but it’s awesome to have on the couch and it’s not a big deal when my kid gets ahold of it would recommend one just to make some noise on the couch if you’re into that kind of thing
I prefer electric, but have and play a classical & an acoustic 12 I would like a 6 string acoustic Maybe one day, but not a Dread or Jumbo, as they’re big on me, and i prefer the sound of a concert size for what I do. But hey glad there’s variety
I play both. Always wanted an electric. I promised myself if I play a Fender 125 that fell in my lap for one year and learn, I'd buy an electric. I did but I got a slightly better acoustic, also, and switch back and forth whenever. What can I say? Unplugged and plugged, I like guitar.
I was the same way till I was about 19. I played my late Uncle Mike's 1969 Martin D-28 for the first time and it simply blew me away absolute cannon of a guitar. I play my Martin more then any of my other guitars, but on the other hand it's made me a better electric player.
That's a gorgeous sounding guitar! I started out acoustic, later added electric, now I play both regularly. They both have their place. But IMO, electrics are very forgiving. You can hide a lot of sloppy playing with distortion. With an acoustic, especially solo, there's no where to hide. You have to strum and pick cleanly or else. I think it makes you a better player.
Electric can be easier on the fingers, though for new players, or people who only play infrequently. Acoustic will build strength and calluses for sure, but it’s also important to learn about the lighter touch required to play electric. Beginners need to build strength, but they also need to learn finesse. I think the ideal path for a beginner is to start on electric for a month or two, then start mixing in acoustic in small doses, working up to longer playing sessions.
I don't agree that you have to approach acoustic and electric differently. Pete Townshend puts heavier strings on his electrics, so his rhythm playing doesn't have to be altered.
I can’t upvote this video enough! I just got my first real acoustic, a Larrivee C-19, a few weeks ago after being an electric player only (I’ve had a couple parlours, but mainly would just play it like an electric when camping) but it’s totally changed my approach to guitar and I’ve been really enjoying the process with it. I’ve actually found some riffs I’ve always struggled to get right sounded perfect on my first go with an acoustic. Thanks for this video Robert! It’s cool to see you seemingly making the same discovery as I have recently
If you wanted to do more stuff about acoustic guitar, like a video going into more detail about your thoughts on the differences in playing acoustic vs electric, I would certainly not be disgruntled. ;)
I have the early 80's Tackamine "The lawsuit" F-360 - looks just like your D-28 (of course, because it was made with Martin design specifications and drawings). It's the same as yours, except name on the headstock, and a few thousand dollars less.
Love the HD28. It's my only acoustic too. I dropped to 12s and got a great set up at McCabes in Santa Monica, and it just plays so well. But I am primarily an electric player too.
I recently got an HD-28 myself and I agree with you on the string gauge. It sounds boomy and massive with 13s but 12s have a better string separation sound to me and I’ve come to find all the classic acoustic sounds I love are dreads with lighter strings.
3 years ago I started learning guitar at 61 yo on a Fender Strat, six months later I moved to acoustic and that’s all I play. Unlike yourself, I now have 5 acoustic guitars but like you I have an HD-28; just love ‘em
If you like technical, challenging electric guitar (I.e., shred), then fingerpicking is the way to go on acoustic. There are all kinds of difficult fingerpicked guitar parts to learn and hone. Solsbury Hill, Never Going Back Again, any Simon & Garfunkel song......
Most acoustics suck. Just not Martins. Years ago I treated myself and bought a D-28. Beautiful guitar. Very inspiring guitar. A short time later I was forced to sell it for financial reasons. Could never afford another. Having to play a $500 acoustic vs a Martin is a world apart and I don’t play it much. The Martin sounded so gorgeous I wanted to play. Cheap ones lack the magic.
I had started on Electric for about 6 months. As I discovered Led Zeppelin thanks to a friend, I was just stunned by their acoustic tunes and I knew I had to go buy an acoustic guitar. I still have both and use them interchangeably according to my mood
You should put together a weekly alternate tuning on acoustic segment. Stones, zeppelin, Neil young, Crosby ,stills , Nash. It would be so nice! Just a thought🤔
I came to the same conclusion so, i got myself a good accoustic too. And what to say beside my 7 electric guitar, this Cort MR500E has a special to all others. it sounds even at blackout, we had recently due to falling tree..At least one good Instrument should be at every guitar players home. It is so direct in tone but natural at the same time. Another world in Guitaruniverse.
I'm currently trying to fund a replacement for my acoustic. it's in need of serious work but the price estimate is too much for me. so i'm just gonna buy a cheap fender acoustic.
Thanks, Robert. Some do the reverse, getting into electric for a change with lighter strings, and as weight goes... I hefted a Guild 12-string earlier this week, and it's heavier than some electrics! Not quite as hard to tune as a set of bagpipes, though... as a bagpiper explained the reason why they like to play with a large group rather than solo.
For me it has always been acoustic my whole life. I am not a very good player but enjoying playing and singing. Acoustic you can play all by yourselve. Electric is different, you need more. I love also you can take your acoustic everywhere and you just can play. Chords sound amazing on a good acoustic guitar. I tried to play electric as well, but i am not good at it. And playing and strumming on a acoustic gives me way more satisfaction. Ofc solo's sound great on electric as i love metal as well. But for playing acoustic all the way. I have a Martin D1gt that is fine, and just played on a d28 from 75 and that just sounds like a powerhouse and i probably will but that guitar.
The design of acoustic guitars is definitely at a bit of a stand-still. I'd like more innovations, especially in the comfort department. Companies like Washburn and Ibanez have definitely done some interesting stuff in that department in more recent years, as did the archtop/jazz guitars in the 20s (although those evolved into the P-90 electric guitars in the 40s). In-between these, there was really just ovation with their roundback acoustics that were daring to be different. Intonation is another area where acoustics could evolve further. Gibson did a few models with ABR-1 bridges in the 60's, but that's the only well-known "real" attempt at improving Intonation in acoustics.
65 years old and playing acoustic sense of teenager the biggest mistake I made was having cheap-ass guitar for 20 years before picking up a Martin and hearing sweetness and ability of playing sohay don't make the same mistakes start with a great guitar have a professional pick one out for you
I bought a new acoustic guitar. I hate it. They use cheap soft nickle on the frets. I only had it a few months. I had only put on 2 sets of strings. They say it normal wear. What BS. I NEED A GUITAR WITH STEEL FRETS. THE OLDER GUITARS NEVER HAD THIS FRET PROBLEM. SO I will try to sell it now, or I will be putting money into frets every year I seems. This has turned me off guitar. My first brand new guitar turned into a nightmare
I started as acoustic and still am i want to get an electric one day so i can do all those cool effects but i was given a guitar i started and here i am now the one thing i wish i had was a cutout acoustic
I missed this video when it came out.I love acoustics. I was perusing some Finnish and Swedish metal bands today came across some videos of Jonathan Hulten. He is a special talent.
![Kodak Black - Versatile 4 [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VcP_1Ua__vY/mqdefault.jpg)
Yes! Acoustic is its own thing!
I’ve always felt that an acoustic is more like a piano. You learn & play entire songs on an acoustic. That’s generally how we play them. We play songs that people recognize and want to hear.
On an electric, we tend to play a lot of riffs & licks or “parts” of songs. I’m fairly certain I played nothing but “parts of songs” on my Strat for years and never learned an entire song. Bought a new high end acoustic and immediately learned a complete song?!?!?
Plus I’m older now!Lol
I gotta agree with ya John, was totally the same for me. Watching this as I haven't touched my electric in years. I bought a sailboat years back for escape and suddenly my ancient super cheap acoustic was front and center, no power, no problem. Was so hard at 1st, but once the fingers got stronger, whole songs suddenly. The way I look at it now, the juice goes out, for however long, I've still got music, and that ain't a bad thing to have!
Very true. For some reason they make you slow down, learn some chords and play songs. I love picking up an acoustic in a shop and playing some dreamy chords.
Getting into guitar I got carried away and got hollow body electric (Gretch) then telecaster, then decent Fender acoustic, have bounced around to all. Each is unique and developed different skill sets. Found a nice StarCaster bass and added it all have unique features. But acoustic are to learn chords and songs. Even better was adding thinner strings to an acoustic for bends and all the fun of distortion. We all have the chance to learn in our own way but don’t know in the beginning how we will learn. Covid beginner, might start using that name for posting. Boomers love things! Now to sound like Nile Rogers and Neil Young, with a side of Jimmy Page.
@@flouisbailey I used thinner strings in the beginning too, it was crucial. Then I started wanting the thicker for the sound, and you can still bend with stronger fingers. Gluck out there rona beginner!
@@TheBlackSheepDiaries
We are definitely on same page. Too bad some people give up because of string size. Watching a documentary on Slash his first guitar only had one string. He said he practiced a lot before he got a set of strings. He also said he got a late start with guitar, he was 14 or 15 years old. Some would say he did OK. I haven’t seen the end yet but he made a buck or two. It’s on Tubi.
I started on electric and got my acoustic four years later. I've learned so much more by playing the acoustic. It's how I learned to play whole songs, how songs were structured and composed, etc. It took a while to go from metal head to classic country fan, but that's what happened. Now Jimmy Rodgers (from the late 1920s) is one of my favorite musicans of all time. Yodeling also taught me how to sing much better. The ability to slide easily between full tone and falsetto is key in rock music as well as country.
Interesting journey but guitar is a journey.
Electric and acoustic are two completely different instruments.
I've seen dedicated acoustic players who cannot play electric, and electric players who were clueless about acoustic.
I play both. When I pick up an electric, I make a mental shift, an adapt to the sustain, dynamic control. To me, the acoustic is all about the voicings, the physicality of it all. Your touch makes the sound.
All I can say is that it is imperitive to have a good quality acoustic. Spend as much as you can afford, and make sure it is properly set up.
I play 11's on acoustic, 9's on electric.... my plug-in acoustic has 10's.
Electric or acoustic, it's all about your touch... that's where all your tone is, and nobody will have a tone like you. Your touch is unique to you alone.
💯 I play acoustic and electric. I enjoy the differences and it keeps me interested in playing music in general.
correct,it is a shift in thought,there are bands that base their whole catalog of music around acoustic projection,then there are bands that have the whole show around lead guitar,SABBATH,PINK FLOYD,,YES,KANSAS,both instruments in the hands of a genius,glorious sounds,listen to stevie ray play accoustic,be amazed
If a song sounds great when played on an acoustic guitar then it must be a great song. There's no hiding behind effects and other distractions.
Yes it was the first has it's own voice it's just you and the guitar love em.
Yea you actually have to have some kind of composition to your music.
That is one way of making good music, by composing a good melody, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take the “ambience” approach with lots of effects to create amazing music too
@@DoctorSilence95 true
Sometimes effects such as distortion, just help you get the emotion out, and help with proving a point.
Interesting take on guitars. I did it the opposite way: When I was 12 or so, my 6th grade music teacher bought (out of her own money, I found out later) junior-size acoustic guitars for all 24 kids in her class at the beginning of the school year. If we (students) were still playing them at the end of the year, we got to keep the guitar. My father had been a part-time Country and Western singer/guitarist, and used nothing but acoustic guitars. So, with those influences, I started to play. I realized after a year or so (this was in the mid-'60s) that there was a whole new world of guitar sounds out there that I couldn't make with an acoustic guitar. I therefore asked Santa for an electric guitar, and received it the following Christmas, in the form of a Sears Silvertone, as well as a Silvertone amplifier. Basically, my first 18 months or so of guitar playing was on an inexpensive acoustic, mostly learning how to play Country songs. I then shifted to electric primarily, but never completely lost touch with acoustic. I've been a semi-professional musician ever since, and still play either my acoustic(Yamaha FSX 830 acoustic/electric) or electric (Fender Stratocaster, MIM 2012) guitar virtually every day.
Do you still have the Silvertone? That was one of my first guitars also. I wish I still had it.
@@jethro-just-enjoy-reality yes. I had it restored a couple of years ago. Plays great.
I learned on acoustic, playing songs by The Cure and U2 and Rush, etc. I found myself trying to take on the role of the whole band with a single instrument. I learned dynamics and nuance and chord relationships and harmonies.
I’ve since transitioned more to electric, but I love the purity of my old acoustic.
You can play an acoustic guitar in the dark, without power and it's just as good. Welcome to the realisation.
And you dont disturb your neighbours and other members of your household as much.
I used to think the same way about acoustics and then I came across Americana music. It was like acoustic guitars were a canvas and electric guitars were brushes used to accent and color the songs. It all clicked and now the most expensive guitar I own (and my favorite guitar) is a Martin D-16e
I use to play both, but as I get older I just love playing acoustic guitars. Because of the awesome tone the wood gives. I’ve really also been enjoying more 12 string acoustic guitars because it’s part of the southwest USA culture.
and 12 string SOUNDS AWESOME
It takes me 10 minutes to tune a 6-string acoustic that I haven't played in a while. It takes me 30 minutes or more to tune up a 12-string from storage pitch. It's worth it.
After playing acoustic and electric for over 42 years I am glad I started on acoustic. Starting there and moving to electric helped my ear to appreciate nuances in tone.
I couldn't agree more! Electric guitars can easily hide mistakes where as acoustic will amplify them and once you get a song sounding perfect on it moving over to the electric you get blown away at how much better you'll sound both technically & audibly.
I started playing acoustic in my teens; Nancy Wilson was my idol. In my late 50’s decided to learn the electric. It is a different animal but both are awesome. Thanks for the video.
I started playing when I was 26, I'm 69 now and Jimi was a huge influence on me though I play acoustic mostly. The guitar will change you, never fight it. Keep on playing. Great video!
Wow. Found you in my feed for the first time tonight. You seem like such a likable guy. Loved how you talked about your dad and his acoustic. I’m one of these MUCH older guys just learning to play. I’ve collected nice guitars over the years but never really played. Now is my time!
First of all....how dare you?! 😂
Acoustics are literally the purest way of communicating energy from your body into a physical thing and expressing it into the world in music.
You should own a dozen acoustics because every single one is different. You could easily have two or three electrics and be covered.
Love you man, this is perfect! I remember you asking me about this one before pulling the trigger.
When I made the thumbnail I was like Jeremy will love this one!
Nah, one great acoustic is all ya need, today demands more in general, if you want a wide audience. It's why country can't forgo either or today, it doesn't sound as good as playing both. Plus, while acoustics play differently and sound differently each one, very few of the most excellent woods can be had anymore. My Martin is a special edition, Indian Rosewood from reserve after the Lacey Act, and it's clear how much better that now non usable wood is, vs Brazilian Rosewood for the same exact purpose. Having such a rare beast, means that my sound is immediately appreciated and often favored by purists of the art.
I play acoustic and electric both daily. Some of the tonal nuance that i learned from playing acoustic as far as touch is concerned certainly translated to how I play electric too. And vice versa, just as long as I have a guitar in my hands i'm good.
Folk artists sometimes tune acoustics down a whole step and use a capo for standard keys
Yep, I’m a Martin gal. I have a 000-28EC 1996 bought it from a friend. My forever one and done.
Thanks for sharing your experience with great comments....yes acoustic guitars are so great to play.... Like you I started with an electric guitar and in my later years (now 79 yrs old) I just love playing (and singing) songs. I love folk music so the acoustic really is so good... cheers from Australia 😊
Yeah, it’s like comparing a piano to an organ. The similarities are there, but they are played completely different.
I also find that a style played on the acoustic can easily be translated over to an electric guitar, but very rarely the other way around.
You have got to check this out though! Might change your mind? ruclips.net/video/tiIzgzwOawoT/видео.htmlhis might be the rare instance
True. I play AC/DC on an acoustic, and that translates to stronger fingers, better and cleaner technique when playing electric.
There* the differences are *there* geez, its not that hard.. literacy is dying really fast..
@@xamislimelight8965 happy now? I am well educated, post grad etc. However, due to circumstances, I go without sleep for up to 5 days, then I am lucky if I get 2 hours sleep. It’s not always a case of illiteracy, rather brain dead exhaustion in my case. Have a good one.
Good point about translating from acoustic to electric. I'm considering learning guitar and would like to go electric but have been advised to go acoustic first to build up finger strength, etc. Thank you for you comment.
I've got more electrics than I have acoustics. But when I bought my second acoustic 20 years ago, I must have tried 30 of them to find the one I wanted as they all sound and play different. I ended up buying a mid-priced Takamine which to me played and sounded better than some of the more expensive ones. Personal taste more than anything. I bought a few different shaped and material Artist acoustics a while back and pretty impressed with how good they sound for a $300-400AU acoustic.
I started learning guitar later in my life(17 which is late from what I’ve heard anyway) I was fortunate enough to get a get good job out of high school and I bought I hd 28. Tbh I didn’t realize what I had till is was about 22ish. Still amazed by that guitar! Not to mention the 1000cad that the same guitar has increased in price since 2014 (2013 model but still new when purchased)
i prefer nylon string guitars to acoustics. way more versatile. fingerpicking for classical and flamenco, picking near the bridge for that steel string acoustic sound
Loved one gave me an acoustic too big .. so traded in for a "prettier one" worst mistake ... was told by gcenter the one I choose the " pretty" one was junk... I cried then moved to Bass guitar and elec ukulele. Now want a classic acoustic guitar... so I hear ya understand but Bass guitar is my first kov then the classical buy one and done is coming soon one day a baby Martin classic no tuner)) guitar
I hear you. I bought an all Mahogony Martin that isn't the prettiest, but she sure sounds nice.
Funny, I've been playing only acoustic since I was seventeen. At 70 I'm starting out on electrics and it's really challenging. I didn't know a great amp tone from horrible and the unwound 3rd string always sounds out of tune. Muting is so much more vital on electric and my fretboard knowledge was so weak, i wasn't a cowboy chords only acoustic player either. It's a lot of fun. Still can't appreciate heavy distortion yet. A Tele, Fender style amps on clean tones with a hint of bite and 11 to 52 strings. It's hard to get good sounding chords, balanced highs, mids and bass ringing out on a lot of amps. I have an Orange amp with a tiny clean area on the gain pot, the whole sweep goes from mega distortion to insane but the cleans are bell like, balanced, every string rings and pings. Good video, nice acoustic playing. Good to see you've got a 'real' guitar. 😊
Yeah you're totally right, I started out on electric and slowly overtime evolved into strictly acoustic in the span of 30 years. And you're right, it's in a lot of ways a totally different instrument, the strings are more tense, so you need more pressure on your fret and picking hand. But I just love it, if you have a solid wood guitar like your HD28, it expresses notes in ways speakers can't. There's just so much more depth and resonance with the sound that I just never hear with speakers or even a decent stereo system. I still from time to time plug in for jams and recording but nothing makes me feel a song like an acoustic. You probably know the specs on your guitar by now but I love the Martin HD28 you have, rosewood back and sides with a spruce top and a ebony fingerboard, you just can't do any better. I myself chose a Segal Studio which has the same specs but with a 1.8" nut width which I prefer as I do a lot of finger style, unfortunately they don't make them anymore.
Like you, starting out on guitar, it was all about the riff. The heavy and fast were the only thing worth playing. One day, after playing for about ten years, only metal, I meet this old black dude jammin blues jazz percussive in a guitar store. We get to talking, and after a bit, he says, " Ask yourself, if the power goes out, are you still guitarist?"
Immediately, it made sense. Acoustic and electric can sometimes be total world's apart, but when you're playing either one, it's still you coming through. Embrace it. Plus, acoustic doesn't lie. It makes you work harder, and the better you are on acoustic, the electric just becomes much easier. Doesn't seem to work the other way around. Good video, and God Bless all.
Got too many guitars for a fairly small apartment. Never play any electrics at home just play my seagull s6, got like 10 electrics here and a few more in storage. If I ever get out to play with people I use the electrics which is very rare. So its an odd deal here. Hoping to bring my PA over to a drummer friends place this weekend. Wish me luck!
I bought a Gretche rancher falcon Electric/Acoustic with Fishman Electronics paid $725 for it in 2020..love it
The best thing about acoustic playing is I can just grab it and practice whatever lick or song I'm working on without any distraction or fiddling with gear and dialing in tone. I'm a slacker; if I have ten minutes to play a little each day the acoustic gets more done in a short time.
Whatever you played in the beginning was absolutely beautiful, reminded me of the rain song a little bit. If that’s an original, please release a full song so we can hear the rest of it!!
My first guitar was a Yamaha classical Spanish concert guitar I got when I was 12. At 14 I bought an Ibanez Mahogany 12 String (which still is with me). At 48 I commissioned a Custom Electro Acoustic Guitar while being on a Tour of duty in the U.S. And probably within the next month at almost 60 years pf age I will pick up a my first very own commissioned custom Electric guitar. I wholeheartedly sign your points that you‘ve made about the difference in approaches to either acoustic or electric guitar. Been there too. Right now I‘m trying to learn and develop some techniques for electric guitar with the help of my awesome guitar teacher.
But the thing that always gets me teary eyed is the sound of an acoustic 12-string. Have you ever fallen under this spell or did you manage to successfully resist this ethereal siren like sound? 😊😊
Greetings from Bonn/Germany
Other way around for me. I’m 58. I began teaching myself acoustic guitar at nine years old. I’d watch Hee-Haw every Sunday night and that was my weekly lesson. Buck and Roy were my first music teachers. It all began with acoustic and it still is the best type of guitar to learn and play. I do play electric. At nineteen I bought a 1983 Les Paul studio and now play telecaster’s primarily. Anyway great video and I am glad the acoustic guitar finally rubbed off on you. They have a penchant for that.😊
I started out the other way. With acoustic guitars, and nothing but acoustic guitars. I have tried playing electrics occasionally, but I have no idea what to do with them, can't play them worth a damn, because they have a whole different feel, a whole different approach to playing, and I have never been able to figure it out. One does tend to play entire songs on an acoustic, while electric players seem to be fascinated by riffs (as someone else mentioned here). I'm not much interested in riffs, but I do want to play entire songs on a guitar and sing them at the same time. It's a whole other mindset. I really admire people who can play well on both electric and acoustic. I'd say my favorite electric player is Mark Knopfler, I just love how he plays that guitar, and he's a great songwriter too.
Im 43, been playing since I was 15. I have never owned an electric. Dozens of acoustics have come and gone.
Now my 10 year old daughter plays electric and Im clueless. Literally your story in reverse.
I'll watch any acoustic you do. The layering in a track would be new to me. Thanks!
I agree. Electric and Acoustic are different instruments like Organ and Piano. I have never been able to get a sound out of an electric that I liked. So I content myself with sitting around playing "camp fire" songs on my acoustic. I would love to play the pentatonic riffs I see many guitarists play, but I have learned to be satisfied with the guitar player I am. 🙂
I currently own a Strat, a Telly, an Ibanez gem Jr and a Epiphone Les Paul. I also own an acoustic Yamaha fg335 and a
Takamine gn77kce .
I play the Yamaha more than all the others now. Goes back to the early days of playing guitar back in the 70s. I played only acoustic for years.
When i went to go buy my"one and done" acoustic guitar, i went in and tried literally 30 different guitars (among them Taylors,Martins,Guilds,etc)and purposely refused to look at price tags. There was one clear winner head and shoulders above the rest in sound and playability. It was a used Washburn Cumberland. And Thankfully it was around $900. The only mod I had to do was put on Ernie Ball 10's..their "rock and blues" offering with a plain D string. I believe its a Grand Auditorium shape with the bottom cutaway, low action for insane blues leads,but killer sound projection with plenty of body..However the electronics stopped working years ago,but i dont really care.A hell of alot of guitar for the money.
My grandpa had a 1969 Gibson Dove acoustic which he showed me G, C, and D chord, when I was 18 years old. He said go from there. 7 years later he gave it to me. I sold it in 2018, to pay my rent, because I fell on hard times. I sold it the price for what he he bought it for back in 1972. I'm 45 now, and there isn't one day that goes by, that I wish above all things, to have that guitar back. But it's gone, I'll never get that guitar back.
It had the original case and bill of sale from where he bought it from. All I got is the memories of him playing it and a picture I took of it. Just some advice to whomever reads this comment, don't get rid of your guitars that have a special meaning and place in your life, you'll regret it.
My acoustic sits in its case, never play it except when I need it for a gig, and gigs calling for acoustic is the only reason I own one. I had to learn the basics on a 3/4 parlor acoustic with insanely high action, so when I was a kid I regarded the steel-string acoustic as a torture device, designed to destroy dreams of kids like me. I couldn't get an electric fast enough. Still hardly ever play one, they're just not much fun to me.
i have a cheap, 10 yr old fender acoustic. it's no $3400 martin, but it does acoustic-y things when i need it to, and that's enough for me. over the years, i've had others, some good, others that were real stinkers.
I started playing electric guitar 20+years ago and maybe 10 years ago I finally got an AE Washburn and it only lasted me 2 years before it cracked and warped. Then I got a fender acoustic that I still have as a backup, 2 years ago I was at a guitar store and found a martin AE The body had a crack so the guy said I'll take 200$ for it, he was asking 450$ I said BET!! I repaired the crack and got a sound hole humidifier and it hasn't failed me yet. Someday I'm gonna splurge and get a more expensive martin with a cutaway. Or a Taylor😊 great video dude
Such a good point! I am the same, wanting only one great acoustic. I got a D 28 my hero Paul. I try to play AC/DC and do bends, and stuff and wonder why it doesn’t work as well. I need to remember it is a different instrument than an electric guitar. I should embrace the 1 3/4 inch nut rather than wanting it to have a thinner nut like an electric.
I like you much better now Rob; we both love the acoustic and you own the one I hope to purchase one day. To top it off - my favorite picking tune is Led Zep's song "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" it is such an epic song for the acoustic, and we have the same first name. However, the electric was never my thing. (maybe someday) One of my favorite players is a local guy named Corey Heuvel. Not only can he play but he can also sing and write some good music. He's giving it up to follow other ventures but has done some amazing acoustic stuff. Hendrix, SRV, Mayer, and even Pantera the list goes on. I'm sure you will appreciate his dedication to the acoustic guitar if you check him out. (you can watch & listen to his last original work called - Starbird - The Acoustic Session) I didn't post the link cuz I didn't want YT to remove this comment. Just go to his channel. I hope you do more acoustic videos btw.
Great video. Out of curiosity why did you decide to settle on a dreadnought? I feel like most advice I see for having only one is a 000. I'm not very experienced FYI
Seems if you only had one, you would want the one you want. Play many 'til you find the one! I've known plenty of guitarists (amateur and pro) with only one and it's a dreadnought. Also know a few ukulele players, they seem happy.
For only owning one acoustic guitar, you sure made a excellent choice!
Not to hate on the other brands, but they've been around since 1833 for a reason lol.
HD-28 is my one and only, it’s a reissue of the infamous pre-war D-28 😎
a very expensive choice at that
I grew up and still do listen to Page/Zeppelin and acoustic guitars are so prevalent on most of the albums which got me to start exploring different tunings such as G and DADGAD and others. Now I primarily play acoustic and write lots of little pieces and I love it. So many great acoustic players out there to check out like Ed Gerhard and Bill Mize and others. Now I do fire up the Marshall and LP but I’ve found my creativity comes through on the acoustic. Nothing like a nice woody sound with new strings and really hearing the beautiful tones of all the different woods
Cool vid! Do you use the jazz3 on the acoustic? Also for strumming?
The only acoustics I've liked until recently are the smaller body ones.
My only acoustic for 15 years has been a Fender Malibu, which is Dreadnaught shaped yet Parlor sized, and sounds very close to the latter. It has this very focused sound with tons of broken in mojo.
Full sized Dreadnaughts (especially the typical Martin style) were never comfortable to me, and they generally sounded boomy to my ears. The J45 on the other hand has a slightly more controlled tighter sound which I love.
My favorite acoustic shape has recently been the Grand Auditorium (like the Taylor 14 shape). It sounds big like a dreadnaught but has this nice top end to it which makes it work for many more things, and also it's much more comfortable to me as someone who plays 335s :)
I've always had difficulty in getting into the acoustic (steel not nylon). Maybe it's because of the dreadnaught? You think I should try out some smaller types of acoustic steel string guitars? I've heard that they have another sound too, is that true?
@@michaelkarlsson5966 try as many shapes as you find!
When it comes to comfort I recommend the Parlor and the Grand Auditorium, they're relatively easy to switch to compared to Dreadnaughts.
And yeah the different shapes have a different sound too.
General rule of thumb, the smaller the body shape the more focused and mid present the sound.
Parlors are very mid focused, OM is very balanced, Dreadnaughts are very bassy (with Gibson style slope shoulder being more compressed and controlled than Martin style square shoulder), Grand Auditorium has both big lows and lots of highs, Jumbo is like Auditorium on steroids
In the beginning electric is easier to play because the strings are lighter and you have effects to cover up sloppy playing. Once you become an intermediate player the acoustic really builds finger strength and forces you to fix sloppy fingering. The other advantage of an acoustic is you can just take it with you without extra equipment so I wind up playing it more even though I would much rather play electric.
I started playing when I was about 14 or 15, and I always played a little of both. But I didn't play for a long time, and when I got back into it, an acoustic just felt like a giant cardboard box. It was so awkward, I couldn't even figure out how to hold it. So, I played exclusively electric for about 5 years. But I finally started slowly picking up the acoustic, finally bought a strap, and now I go back and forth. Not only is it a completely different experience, but it makes you a better electric guitar player. In a rut? Wanna get better at electric? Pick up an acoustic and keep playing until you get it. It will change your life.
Most people can't play acoustic guitar properly, and end up strumming Hey Joe or ACDC. Seeing others abuse the instrument, and far too many renditions of Wonderwall have put me off acoustic guitar. I sold mine 5 years ago and haven't regretted it. I do enjoy old school blues like Robert Johnson but could never hope to play it.
I'm like you, when I finally got my guitar a few years ago, it had to be a Strat and I didn't want an acoustic. Now I wish I had an acoustic sometimes, but I'd kill for a Fender Acoustasonic Strat. Have you checked those out? To be able to go from electric to acoustic on the same guitar would be man near pnerfect for me.
I have a tuner similar to yours. When D'Addario came out with their Nexus 360 tuners I managed to win one, and that baby stays on my Strat all the time so I never have to look for it.
I have a guitarle, Dreadnought, OM-size for writing songs and a 12-string. Need them all.
I've just recently learned for my acoustic guitar, Harvest from Opeth and Take Me Home, Country Roads from John Denver; and I just came to the same realization than you, that an acoustic guitar is an amazing instrument in itself... I started playing guitar on an acoustic for school but never really appreciated because I wanted an electric, then I got myself an electric guitar because I wanted to experience with a more Metal sound which is like my favorite kind of music... Last year I purchased a new acoustic guitar and I'm enjoying it!
It also works the other way 'round, you can't play an electric guitar like an acoustic. I learned this the hard way when I was first starting out and couldn't figure out why fast strumming open chords on my Les Paul sounded like crap, lol. I really love playing both types, especially fingerstyle on the acoustic.
Get a taylor. They sound like a recorded and mixed acoustic right in the room. It's incredible
I was the exact way about acoustic, buddy of mine had one and I asked to borrow it and that was it, it’s different it’s chill and you are 100% about how you play it different than an electric.
I wish Martin guitars weren't so expensive 😔 I really want one or two
Is the bracing forward shifted on the Martin HD28 ? Its sounds not.
In think your dads guitar is a forward shifted J40? Cant see too well if its a martin or not
Major beginner here but I’ve got a Gretsch Jim Dandy it’s a parlor size and under 200$ but it’s awesome to have on the couch and it’s not a big deal when my kid gets ahold of it would recommend one just to make some noise on the couch if you’re into that kind of thing
I prefer electric, but have and play a classical & an acoustic 12
I would like a 6 string acoustic
Maybe one day, but not a Dread or Jumbo, as they’re big on me, and i prefer the sound of a concert size for what I do.
But hey glad there’s variety
I play both. Always wanted an electric. I promised myself if I play a Fender 125 that fell in my lap for one year and learn, I'd buy an electric. I did but I got a slightly better acoustic, also, and switch back and forth whenever. What can I say? Unplugged and plugged, I like guitar.
I was the same way till I was about 19. I played my late Uncle Mike's 1969 Martin D-28 for the first time and it simply blew me away absolute cannon of a guitar. I play my Martin more then any of my other guitars, but on the other hand it's made me a better electric player.
I learned on a 1944 Gibson LG-2 banner series.
That's a gorgeous sounding guitar! I started out acoustic, later added electric, now I play both regularly. They both have their place. But IMO, electrics are very forgiving. You can hide a lot of sloppy playing with distortion. With an acoustic, especially solo, there's no where to hide. You have to strum and pick cleanly or else. I think it makes you a better player.
I was taught to learn on acoustic first. I’m so glad that I did! Helps with the electric guitar. Builds strength in your fingers!
Electric can be easier on the fingers, though for new players, or people who only play infrequently. Acoustic will build strength and calluses for sure, but it’s also important to learn about the lighter touch required to play electric. Beginners need to build strength, but they also need to learn finesse. I think the ideal path for a beginner is to start on electric for a month or two, then start mixing in acoustic in small doses, working up to longer playing sessions.
I don't agree that you have to approach acoustic and electric differently. Pete Townshend puts heavier strings on his electrics, so his rhythm playing doesn't have to be altered.
I can’t upvote this video enough!
I just got my first real acoustic, a Larrivee C-19, a few weeks ago after being an electric player only (I’ve had a couple parlours, but mainly would just play it like an electric when camping) but it’s totally changed my approach to guitar and I’ve been really enjoying the process with it. I’ve actually found some riffs I’ve always struggled to get right sounded perfect on my first go with an acoustic.
Thanks for this video Robert! It’s cool to see you seemingly making the same discovery as I have recently
Upvote?
If you wanted to do more stuff about acoustic guitar, like a video going into more detail about your thoughts on the differences in playing acoustic vs electric, I would certainly not be disgruntled. ;)
I have the early 80's Tackamine "The lawsuit" F-360 - looks just like your D-28 (of course, because it was made with Martin design specifications and drawings). It's the same as yours, except name on the headstock, and a few thousand dollars less.
Just wait til you go to a bluegrass jam and play then you’ll never wanna pickup an electric ever again lol
The HD-28 is my favorite model from Martin-they have flashier models, but none that sound better
Love the HD28. It's my only acoustic too. I dropped to 12s and got a great set up at McCabes in Santa Monica, and it just plays so well. But I am primarily an electric player too.
I recently got an HD-28 myself and I agree with you on the string gauge. It sounds boomy and massive with 13s but 12s have a better string separation sound to me and I’ve come to find all the classic acoustic sounds I love are dreads with lighter strings.
Gotta have one for strummin and one for pickin. It’s like the difference in a humbucker and a single coil both are good for different music
3 years ago I started learning guitar at 61 yo on a Fender Strat, six months later I moved to acoustic and that’s all I play. Unlike yourself, I now have 5 acoustic guitars but like you I have an HD-28; just love ‘em
Just learned that piece you casually pulled out while still kneeling on the floor. Lovely piece of music.
If you like technical, challenging electric guitar (I.e., shred), then fingerpicking is the way to go on acoustic. There are all kinds of difficult fingerpicked guitar parts to learn and hone. Solsbury Hill, Never Going Back Again, any Simon & Garfunkel song......
Most acoustics suck. Just not Martins. Years ago I treated myself and bought a D-28. Beautiful guitar. Very inspiring guitar. A short time later I was forced to sell it for financial reasons. Could never afford another. Having to play a $500 acoustic vs a Martin is a world apart and I don’t play it much. The Martin sounded so gorgeous I wanted to play. Cheap ones lack the magic.
I had started on Electric for about 6 months. As I discovered Led Zeppelin thanks to a friend, I was just stunned by their acoustic tunes and I knew I had to go buy an acoustic guitar.
I still have both and use them interchangeably according to my mood
Any instrument has it's own hurdles.
Robert tell that to Justin Johnson that acoustic guitar suck. Justin is the Jeff Beck of acoustic 🎸
You should put together a weekly alternate tuning on acoustic segment. Stones, zeppelin, Neil young, Crosby ,stills , Nash. It would be so nice! Just a thought🤔
I came to the same conclusion so, i got myself a good accoustic too. And what to say beside my 7 electric guitar, this Cort MR500E has a special to all others. it sounds even at blackout, we had recently due to falling tree..At least one good Instrument should be at every guitar players home. It is so direct in tone but natural at the same time. Another world in Guitaruniverse.
I'm currently trying to fund a replacement for my acoustic. it's in need of serious work but the price estimate is too much for me. so i'm just gonna buy a cheap fender acoustic.
Shaving the soundhole out to the second rosette will help with the boominess of the low end. Or just get a D18 lol
Thanks, Robert. Some do the reverse, getting into electric for a change with lighter strings, and as weight goes... I hefted a Guild 12-string earlier this week, and it's heavier than some electrics! Not quite as hard to tune as a set of bagpipes, though... as a bagpiper explained the reason why they like to play with a large group rather than solo.
I remember my dads guitar player offering me an acoustic to learn, and I turned it down. Missed out on years of learning because of that
For me it has always been acoustic my whole life. I am not a very good player but enjoying playing and singing. Acoustic you can play all by yourselve. Electric is different, you need more. I love also you can take your acoustic everywhere and you just can play. Chords sound amazing on a good acoustic guitar.
I tried to play electric as well, but i am not good at it. And playing and strumming on a acoustic gives me way more satisfaction. Ofc solo's sound great on electric as i love metal as well.
But for playing acoustic all the way. I have a Martin D1gt that is fine, and just played on a d28 from 75 and that just sounds like a powerhouse and i probably will but that guitar.
The design of acoustic guitars is definitely at a bit of a stand-still. I'd like more innovations, especially in the comfort department.
Companies like Washburn and Ibanez have definitely done some interesting stuff in that department in more recent years, as did the archtop/jazz guitars in the 20s (although those evolved into the P-90 electric guitars in the 40s). In-between these, there was really just ovation with their roundback acoustics that were daring to be different.
Intonation is another area where acoustics could evolve further. Gibson did a few models with ABR-1 bridges in the 60's, but that's the only well-known "real" attempt at improving Intonation in acoustics.
I have a Guild. It's just a regular spruce and mahogany acoustic. It's perfect and I wouldn't want it any other way.
Beautiful, beautiful guitar, but Ugh, that fret buz at the end. Love playing acoustic guitar.
65 years old and playing acoustic sense of teenager the biggest mistake I made was having cheap-ass guitar for 20 years before picking up a Martin and hearing sweetness and ability of playing sohay don't make the same mistakes start with a great guitar have a professional pick one out for you
I bought a new acoustic guitar. I hate it. They use cheap soft nickle on the frets. I only had it a few months. I had only put on 2 sets of strings. They say it normal wear. What BS. I NEED A GUITAR WITH STEEL FRETS. THE OLDER GUITARS NEVER HAD THIS FRET PROBLEM. SO I will try to sell it now, or I will be putting money into frets every year I seems. This has turned me off guitar. My first brand new guitar turned into a nightmare
I think what's equally important is playing on a quality acoustic guitar vs a cheap one.
I started as acoustic and still am i want to get an electric one day so i can do all those cool effects but i was given a guitar i started and here i am now the one thing i wish i had was a cutout acoustic
Is that a Martin Authentic in the background?
What was the riff in the beginning of the vid?
I missed this video when it came out.I love acoustics. I was perusing some Finnish and Swedish metal bands today came across some videos of Jonathan Hulten. He is a special talent.
Sure! share with us how you explore the acustic
They say the one to get is the HD28. It sounds dope in your hands. I have a D18 to compliment my Fenders and Don Grosh. Happy for you!