Acoustic that plays like Electric?

Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

SlyFoxx said:
Not trying to be mean here but ....cowboy up! It's a different animal. You'll have to put in the extra effort. Just get used to that idea and you will be rewarded in the long run.
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I totally understand- look- I usually take unplayable guitars with warped necks and set them up to my own taste with low to medium action- on my electrics.

As I said, over the years Ive had bad experience, buying one cheap Applause/ Ovation acoustic that I couldn't get to play correctly, and a low end Washburn that had frets so low it really needed a refret- which would have been more than the guitar was worth. I doubt anyone could man up with these.

I've also become spoiled with how well my PRS and other electric guitars play
 
Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

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Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

Also, playing my 25.5" scale acoustic setup with 12-53, standard tuning and 6/64" at the 12 fret has really strengthened my left hand, it makes electric that much easier.
 
Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

I would just focus on finding one that plays well for an acoustic. Im a fender guy who plays 9's as well and theres just nothing like the right dreadnaught with 13's. While challenging, its fun to embrace the limitations of an acoustic guitar. The S6 is an amazing deal, and I would also recommend the lower end Taylor's like the 114 or 214. They always play and sound consistently awesome. If you don't mind the larger body, go with the 110 or 210.
 
Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

I'm not sure if a Gibson or Epiphone Chet Atkins Model is exactly what you're looking for or not, but I figured I would throw it out there. They're really more of an electric guitar made to plug in and sound like an acoustic.

http://compare.ebay.com/like/270997670223?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2003-Gibson...26?pt=Guitar&hash=item58a1c89efe#ht_503wt_917

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-SST-...0?pt=Guitar&hash=item58a26f9690#ht_1443wt_917
 
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Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

Well after all these months I bit the bullet and bought the Taylor 214ce Deluxe Grand Auditorium.

Taylor Guitars held an event at The Music Zoo in Roslyn NY recently where I was able to test drive each of their models, and the Taylor rep was extremely helpful in helping me pick out which one best suited my needs based on tone, budget, etc... Except for the thicker strings, the action was similar to my PRS, the neck is nice and slim and the guitar is very responsive.

The body and sides are a 3 ply laminate of rosewood/poplar/rosewood, whereas the 100 series is a sapele/poplar/sapele laminate. I tried both side by side, and the rosewood 200 series had a deeper bass than the sapele 100 series, which was very bright.

And I got sunburst.

Pictures to follow
 
Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

jmh151 said:
Well after all these months I bit the bullet and bought the Taylor 214ce Deluxe Grand Auditorium.

Taylor Guitars held an event at The Music Zoo in Roslyn NY recently where I was able to test drive each of their models, and the Taylor rep was extremely helpful in helping me pick out which one best suited my needs based on tone, budget, etc... Except for the thicker strings, the action was similar to my PRS, the neck is nice and slim and the guitar is very responsive.

The body and sides are a 3 ply laminate of rosewood/poplar/rosewood, whereas the 100 series is a sapele/poplar/sapele laminate. I tried both side by side, and the rosewood 200 series had a deeper bass than the sapele 100 series, which was very bright.

And I got sunburst.

Pictures to follow
Click to expand...

Sweet! Taylor has great playing acoustics with the tone to match! Congrats and enjoy!
 
Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

beaubrummels said:
My Seagull S6+ Spruce top plays like an electric. It's obviously not going to be exactly like a Strat with jumbo frets, but the action is low enough and the neck is thin enough to play with comfort. I don't feel I'm changing my style when I pick it up. The spruce tops on Seagulls are good sounding also. When the strings are new, it sounds like a Martin. When the strings are dirty, it sounds like a Gibson, which works for me. My understanding is Seagull used to provide wood for Taylor and even taught them how to do a neck join with minimal glue to get better vibration/tone transfer.

Unfortunately the only acoustic I've played that truly played like an electric was a Gibson J-200, which is not in the desired price range.
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Taylors are great guitars and have great playability, a close to an electric as you get, they actually use zero glue in the neck join, Taylor utilises bolt on necks
 
Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

Congrats!! Taylors are great guitars!! And give great support.. I went to a road show and they put new strings on mine and checked it all out for me. Even the low model ones which have laminates (usually frowned on) sound great and they have great necks! Seagulls are very nice too.

Those Kramer Ferringtons, tho they dont sound big accoustically, Id still love to have one since Im a hair metal nut.. Plus the one pictured above with the claw neck is a top dawg.
 
Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

For fast necks, check out Pre-Fender Guilds. Many of them played faster and easier than some electrics. They also happen to be very well made instruments that go for peanuts on the used market.

The major thing that will help you achieve your aim will be using a plain G instead of a wound one. But that means piecing together custom sets, which isn't easy with acoustic strings. So maybe you go to electric strings...and then your guitar sounds like ****. Kind of a tough situation. Maybe you can find a company that sells acoustic strings individually. I don't know of one offhand.

Also, remember that it's a big tradeoff; setting up an acoustic guitar to play like an electric will kill many of the qualities that make an acoustic guitar sound like an acoustic guitar. Its tone quality and volume will decrease significantly. Any acoustic guitar with 10's (and a plain G) simply isn't gonna sound that great (in the traditional sense) or be that loud.
 
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Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

BloodRose said:
Congrats!! Taylors are great guitars!! And give great support.. I went to a road show and they put new strings on mine and checked it all out for me. Even the low model ones which have laminates (usually frowned on) sound great .
Click to expand...

Mine has laminate back and sides- it's a poplar core sandwiched between 2 layers of Rosewood. One of my strats and Jackson soloist have poplar bodies so I had no qualms about it, and to my ears it was hard for me to tell the difference between the solid wood counterparts
 
Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

I love how many people haven't read the recent post that brought this back...
 
Re: Acoustic that plays like Electric?

jmh151 said:
Well after all these months I bit the bullet and bought the Taylor 214ce Deluxe Grand Auditorium.
Click to expand...
Congratulations!! I have a 314ce that I just absolutely love. I've always been a fan of their "14" series of guitars. They are the sound that I personally love.
 
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