Are Dreadnaughts outdated?

[Wayne27]

Are large body acoustic guitars like Dreadnaughts consider outdated since we now have acoustic amplifiers for small body guitars like concert hall?

 

[Mincer]

Well, I think they were designed like that for volume...so I'd say probably you are right. We can build something smaller that sounds great through an amp.

 

[PFDarkside]

Strum a D-28 and tell me if the tone is outdated.

if you need a smaller guitar with an amp for your application, I completely understand but I don’t think it’s outdated. Heck, try a J-200 or a Taylor Grand Orchestra. That huge tone is still relevant for me.

 

[Securb]

My acoustic is 2 1/2 inches deep and that is the thicker of the two

 

[Gtrjunior]

Strum a D-28 and tell me if the tone is outdated.

if you need a smaller guitar with an amp for your application, I completely understand but I don’t think it’s outdated. Heck, try a J-200 or a Taylor Grand Orchestra. That huge tone is still relevant for me.

Yep….I have a Taylor Grand Auditorium and it’s phenomenal.

 

[ehdwuld]

As much as i love my Martin 000
my Epiphone Hummingbird gets most play
Its the projection on the poarch that makes the difference

 

[esandes]

Are large body acoustic guitars like Dreadnaughts consider outdated since we now have acoustic amplifiers for small body guitars like concert hall?

No. I used to play a dreadnought acoustic and it made other acoustics sound....not as good. Smaller.

No dreadnought, no care.

 

[Synapsys]

We have eletric violins now.

Are acoustic violins then outdated? Of course not.

 

[beaubrummels]

Guitar sizes aren't about time in history. They have to do with sound. An amp with a small body will never sound like a large body does naturally.

 

[NegativeEase]

For me, it's less about the volume of dreadnaught, it's the booming bass of a Dreadnaught that I don't need -it get's cut out of a recording, it gets cut out of a band mix, it gets cut out of a solo performance. It's just too much bass warbling unless you are playing and projecting acoustically only.

Love the Taylor GA BTW

 

[Chris Pile]

I do not understand the whole notion about a musical instrument being outdated. It still works as it was designed. If somebody wants to use it, it is fair game. A musical instrument is a work of art, built for making art.

^^^^ THIS!!! ^^^^

 

[chadd]

Tastes and preferences are certainly shifting towards smaller body and brighter tones with newer acoustic music, but I much prefer the feel and tone profiles of my D18 and J45.

 

[devastone]

They all have their place, depends on the application. Nothing beats a big body acoustic for a lot of things for sound and unamplified projection.

 

[JOLLY]

Maybe it's just me, but I've never considered a dreadnought to be a large body acoustic.

 

[NegativeEase]

Maybe it's just me, but I've never considered a dreadnought to be a large body acoustic.

Its a good point -I consider them the regular and a Jumbo the large.

 

[JOLLY]

I consider them the regular and a Jumbo the large.

That is my logic as well.

 

[beaubrummels]

I always thought dreadnought was just the standard/normal size, but then my 'Advanced Jumbo' is the same size as a J-45, just a deeper back, and my SJ-200 is a 'Super Jumbo' ...so tomayto, tomahto I guess

 

[Bogner]

It al depends on application.

 

[GuitarStv]

The dreadnought is sort of the quintessential acoustic guitar sound. I love them for what they are - powerful guitars that like being hit with a powerful right hand and compliment a singer pretty well.

 

[AlexR]

Why on earth is the premise of this post based on plugging in an acoustic guitar. As in thats the only way an acoustic guitar can be relevant or used.

Or maybe its the way to conjure an premise in order to make it controversial.