Parlor guitar?
- Thread starter BloodRose
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Red_Label
New member
Re: Parlor guitar?
Correct. I used to hate them. I only had the big dreadnaught acoustic guitars cause I liked a really big, loud acoustic sound. But in reality, unless you are in a bluegrass band, trying to compete with such loud instruments as fiddle, mandolin, and banjo... the parlor guitar would suit most players around the house MUCH more because they're very comfortable and handy. Which makes you want to play them more. I rarely pull my dreadnaughts out of the case anymore. I can't even begin to imagine pulling a jumbo out very often.
And yes, the parlor guitars do have a small sound. But for finger-picking they're just fine.
Correct. I used to hate them. I only had the big dreadnaught acoustic guitars cause I liked a really big, loud acoustic sound. But in reality, unless you are in a bluegrass band, trying to compete with such loud instruments as fiddle, mandolin, and banjo... the parlor guitar would suit most players around the house MUCH more because they're very comfortable and handy. Which makes you want to play them more. I rarely pull my dreadnaughts out of the case anymore. I can't even begin to imagine pulling a jumbo out very often.
And yes, the parlor guitars do have a small sound. But for finger-picking they're just fine.
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: Parlor guitar?
I have a different point of view. I find many decent quality parlour and triple-0 guitars to be some of the loudest i've heard, but they emphasise a different set of frequencies.
Dreadnought guitars seem to suit strumming and flatpicking better, with a big booming mid-range emphasis, whereas small-bodies guitars like parlours and 000 seem to have a bigger bass and treble emphasis and are eminently suitable for fingerpicking .... in fact all the ones i've ever heard don't sound real great for strumming, they don't have the cohesive 'smoothness' of the bigger bodies.... but they are perfect for fingerpicking.
These have been my experiences and how i percieved things. No doubt i am wrong though.
I have a different point of view. I find many decent quality parlour and triple-0 guitars to be some of the loudest i've heard, but they emphasise a different set of frequencies.
Dreadnought guitars seem to suit strumming and flatpicking better, with a big booming mid-range emphasis, whereas small-bodies guitars like parlours and 000 seem to have a bigger bass and treble emphasis and are eminently suitable for fingerpicking .... in fact all the ones i've ever heard don't sound real great for strumming, they don't have the cohesive 'smoothness' of the bigger bodies.... but they are perfect for fingerpicking.
These have been my experiences and how i percieved things. No doubt i am wrong though.
Re: Parlor guitar?
thats what I was thinking! Thanks for the input. My daughter (s) have been harping at me to get an accoustic for them to play. I snagged one of the Arias that MF had as a stupid deal and its a parlor.. Just wanted to make sure I had the correct expectation. Hopefully it'll be decent.
I cant even play accoustic round the house cuz I normally play when everyone is asleep so a normal accoustic wakes up mrs grumpy..
thats what I was thinking! Thanks for the input. My daughter (s) have been harping at me to get an accoustic for them to play. I snagged one of the Arias that MF had as a stupid deal and its a parlor.. Just wanted to make sure I had the correct expectation. Hopefully it'll be decent.
I cant even play accoustic round the house cuz I normally play when everyone is asleep so a normal accoustic wakes up mrs grumpy..
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: Parlor guitar?
I did find a way to get a slightly better strumming sound from my 000 guitars, and i'm sure it would work for parlour sizes too .... strum with a much thinner pick. The only problem there is that it seemed there was more scratchy pick noise and less volume from the strings, but it's possible to find a compromise point with the pick hand and get a smoother strumming sound.
I did find a way to get a slightly better strumming sound from my 000 guitars, and i'm sure it would work for parlour sizes too .... strum with a much thinner pick. The only problem there is that it seemed there was more scratchy pick noise and less volume from the strings, but it's possible to find a compromise point with the pick hand and get a smoother strumming sound.
Red_Label
New member
Re: Parlor guitar?
I was about the pull the trigger on that stupid deal myself the other day and then I remembered that I'm working on an amp deal and also probably a 7-string. A man's got to know his limitations!
I was about the pull the trigger on that stupid deal myself the other day and then I remembered that I'm working on an amp deal and also probably a 7-string. A man's got to know his limitations!
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Parlor guitar?
huh? maybe in a parlor. I had a old parlor style 60's mahogany 000-15 Martin that sounded glorious, but it wasn't very loud. I was in a pinch for cash( arent we all), so i off'd it.
Maybe you need to hear an all maple archback 17" body J200 sometime to get some perspective of volume.
huh? maybe in a parlor. I had a old parlor style 60's mahogany 000-15 Martin that sounded glorious, but it wasn't very loud. I was in a pinch for cash( arent we all), so i off'd it.
Maybe you need to hear an all maple archback 17" body J200 sometime to get some perspective of volume.
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Re: Parlor guitar?
man's gotta know when his wife is about to star in the next burning bed move...:eyecrazy:
Thanks to all for the input.. This has a Cedar top, so Im guessing it may be more mellow.. I just hope its good enough to inspire them to stick with it..
I was about the pull the trigger on that stupid deal myself the other day and then I remembered that I'm working on an amp deal and also probably a 7-string. A man's got to know his limitations!
man's gotta know when his wife is about to star in the next burning bed move...:eyecrazy:
Thanks to all for the input.. This has a Cedar top, so Im guessing it may be more mellow.. I just hope its good enough to inspire them to stick with it..
Evan Skopp
SDUGF Founder
Re: Parlor guitar?
I don't know if I would consider a OOO (or OM) to be a parlor guitar. Maybe a OO. But generally I think of an O size to be a parlor.
I don't know if I would consider a OOO (or OM) to be a parlor guitar. Maybe a OO. But generally I think of an O size to be a parlor.
Bludave
New member
Re: Parlor guitar?
Parlor guitars were originally designed back in the late 1800's by Martin & were designed to play in small groups with a small gathering of people to listen. because of this they have a reputation of not being very loud, but they are. they are not as loud as a Dreadnaught but they are surprisingly loud depending on the woods & the Builders. The early Martin's are very loud and very articulate. Generally they have a shorter scale and are usually 12 fret bodies. the bodies are narrow but long due to joining the neck at the 12th fret. They are exceptional instruments for fingerpicking, but tend to choke if you play them too hard. They are also recommended that you string them with light strings. Too heavy a string will pull the bridge off & do sever damage to the top. Evan is right Martin designed the "O" system. Parlor's are "O's" then you have "OO", then Triple O, then OM(Orchestra model), Then D & Jumbos. There is also varying numbers defining wood types. 18 for Mahogany, 28's for Rosewood etc.
Parlor guitars were originally designed back in the late 1800's by Martin & were designed to play in small groups with a small gathering of people to listen. because of this they have a reputation of not being very loud, but they are. they are not as loud as a Dreadnaught but they are surprisingly loud depending on the woods & the Builders. The early Martin's are very loud and very articulate. Generally they have a shorter scale and are usually 12 fret bodies. the bodies are narrow but long due to joining the neck at the 12th fret. They are exceptional instruments for fingerpicking, but tend to choke if you play them too hard. They are also recommended that you string them with light strings. Too heavy a string will pull the bridge off & do sever damage to the top. Evan is right Martin designed the "O" system. Parlor's are "O's" then you have "OO", then Triple O, then OM(Orchestra model), Then D & Jumbos. There is also varying numbers defining wood types. 18 for Mahogany, 28's for Rosewood etc.
Ashurbanipal
Well-known member
Re: Parlor guitar?
I think the 'loudness' factor is due to 'projection' which is different, more to do with the frequencies which are flattering to the human ear, which is why they might seem reasonably loud. One of the reasons why, when people play an old Torres - a number of which have a smaller body than a modern classical - they are surprised by the perceived volume.
The cedar top is going to be warmer sounding, and won't need that 'breaking in' period like spruce
The Blueridge parlour model is another good sub $1000 guitar of that type. I played the spruce/mahogany model recently and liked it a lot. Very well put together and the neck is quite wide, not quite like a classical but close. The neck profile, however, is a somewhat hard V which isn't my cup of tea (V with flattened apex would've been better) but a nice guitar all up.
I think the 'loudness' factor is due to 'projection' which is different, more to do with the frequencies which are flattering to the human ear, which is why they might seem reasonably loud. One of the reasons why, when people play an old Torres - a number of which have a smaller body than a modern classical - they are surprised by the perceived volume.
The cedar top is going to be warmer sounding, and won't need that 'breaking in' period like spruce
The Blueridge parlour model is another good sub $1000 guitar of that type. I played the spruce/mahogany model recently and liked it a lot. Very well put together and the neck is quite wide, not quite like a classical but close. The neck profile, however, is a somewhat hard V which isn't my cup of tea (V with flattened apex would've been better) but a nice guitar all up.
Lucid_Lunatic
Rebelyellologist
Re: Parlor guitar?
It's the kind of guitar you find in the fanciest of whorehouses.
It's the kind of guitar you find in the fanciest of whorehouses.
Red_Label
New member
Re: Parlor guitar?
Yup, cedar top is definitely more mellow. I actually prefer the louder, brighter sound of englemann spruce (as well as the light vanilla look -- especially when paired with very dark brown rosewood sides and back). But cedar is nice for its own thing and no doubt works better on parlor guitars.
Yup, cedar top is definitely more mellow. I actually prefer the louder, brighter sound of englemann spruce (as well as the light vanilla look -- especially when paired with very dark brown rosewood sides and back). But cedar is nice for its own thing and no doubt works better on parlor guitars.
