Acoustic guitar tone

[Ahpook]

Is there any way of altering an acoustic guitar tone?

I've played a DBZ Verona acoustic for a few years and I just never really got on with the sound from this guitar. My problem with it is it has no warmth that I usually associate with an acoustic. I have tried various strings types and of course different gauge strings, but nothing really gets me there. I really like the feel of the guitar, but not the tone.

Any ideas? I would like to keep it, but it might be time to sell if this isn't sorted.

Thanks everyone

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

Yes, and it's very simple: sell it, and buy one you like.

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

Try a D-TAR Mama Bear with it.

 

[phil_104]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

Try a D-TAR Mama Bear with it.

Great suggestion if you are wanting to alter the amplified tone. There ain't much the Mama Bear won't do. It's a great, great product.

With that said, if you are looking to change the tone itself for un-amplified use, RD pretty much covered your options.

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

If the core tone isn't there, there isn't much you can do. You could change nut and saddle material easy enough, but that is more of an extreme fine tuning than tone overhaul. Take it from many of us who have wasted money trying to one guitar into another. Better off getting the one you want first.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

What is it about the guitar that you don't like? I am unfamiar with the model.... Is it a big guitar or a small guitar ? Is if made of maple of rosewood? Do you play with a pick or do you play with your fingers? How much did you pay for this guitar?

 

[G0lden]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

Get a Mahogany top acoustic.

I love mine.

 

[BRHGM]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

Get a cedar top acoustic like a Seagull.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

Seagull makes wonderful acoustics at sweet prices... Pretty much agree with everyone here, sell it and get a new one. A new saddle (TusQ) made a big difference on my acoustic, but I think that was mostly due to the old saddle being chipped and cracked. Anything you 'upgrade' on it will only give you marginal results.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

If the core tone isn't there, there isn't much you can do.

I have found this to be true.


You can change your nut and bridge material in hopes of change, but the best move is to get a guitar that makes you say "holy ****" on the first strum.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

I have found this to be true.


You can change your nut and bridge material in hopes of change, but the best move is to get a guitar that makes you say "holy ****" on the first strum.

I believe this is true with all gear, but especially acoustic guitars.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

I believe this is true with all gear, but especially acoustic guitars.

I agree.

My primary goal now is to be able to distinguish "holy ****" from "HOLY ****" from "HO-LEE SHIEATT!"

I ended up with too many good guitars and not enough great guitars.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

I agree.

My primary goal now is to be able to distinguish "holy ****" from "HOLY ****" from "HO-LEE SHIEATT!"

I ended up with too many good guitars and not enough great guitars.

Same. I'm in the process of remedying that.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

#FWP

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

If the core tone isn't there, there isn't much you can do.

Actually that's not true, at least insofar as the amplified tone is concerned. When we started the R&D on Mama Bear I was able to locate the worst sounding acoustic guitar I ever laid my hands on. It was a Charvette that belonged to my son's then-baby sitter. One of the design criteria for Mama Bear was that it needed to make a crappy guitar sound good. And we made that Charvette sound pretty darn good.

Click here to check out what John Jorgenson does with Mama Bear and a run of the mill Takamine and my wife's old (crappy sounding) '70s Ovation Balladeer.

 

[chadd]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

The mama bear looks interesting. I'd like to see/hear an electric w/piezo using one.

 

[Ahpook]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

Thank you for the responses Very kind

Normally there would be no trouble selling a guitar, but this one has an attachment that means quite a bit.

It has a treble spike that doesn't work for me. I have an older Yamaha that actually went the other way in that it was bass heavy. I cured that problem with certain strings. Funny how I can't go the other way on this guitar

Thanks everyone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYna-UAt75c

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

Try some Elixir acoustic guitar strings.

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Acoustic guitar tone

I agree with you on the amplified tone. Unplugged its a fair bit harder to manipulate.

Actually that's not true, at least insofar as the amplified tone is concerned. When we started the R&D on Mama Bear I was able to locate the worst sounding acoustic guitar I ever laid my hands on. It was a Charvette that belonged to my son's then-baby sitter. One of the design criteria for Mama Bear was that it needed to make a crappy guitar sound good. And we made that Charvette sound pretty darn good.

Click here to check out what John Jorgenson does with Mama Bear and a run of the mill Takamine and my wife's old (crappy sounding) '70s Ovation Balladeer.