Strumming hard a small acoustic guitar

[Wayne27]

I heard that strumming and playing small acoustic guitars with body shapes like concert hall or auditorium will result in a distorted sound. Can that distorted sound be picked up by pickup or mic and be amplify? I never played an acoustic guitar with a amp before

 

[Mincer]

I heard that strumming and playing small acoustic guitars with body shapes like concert hall or auditorium will result in a distorted sound. Can that distorted sound be picked up by pickup or mic and be amplify? I never played an acoustic guitar with a amp before

Not especially true unless you really beat on it. But that will happen to any acoustic guitar. Most acoustics have a 'sweet spot' where they sound the best.

 

[JamesPaul]

... Can that distorted sound be picked up by pickup or mic and be amplify? I never played an acoustic guitar with a amp before

For this situation, I like my SD Mag Mic .

 

[ehdwuld]

Low action and frets rattling on the fretboard is also a sound

But it may not be desirable

 

[GuitarStv]

Not really distorted . . . on some small guitars it feels like there just isn't any more to give though when you start to dig in with the pick. It's almost like smaller guitars kind of act like compressors - quiet, soft parts get the top humming and loud parts don't really get any louder. Bigger guitars take more energy to get the top humming but once they do they seem to have a little more dynamic range.

Of course this is in my experience in generalities (all different guitars play differently to a point).

 

[Mincer]

Not really distorted . . . on some small guitars it feels like there just isn't any more to give though when you start to dig in with the pick. It's almost like smaller guitars kind of act like compressors - quiet, soft parts get the top humming and loud parts don't really get any louder. Bigger guitars take more energy to get the top humming but once they do they seem to have a little more dynamic range.

Of course this is in my experience in generalities (all different guitars play differently to a point).

They don't have the dynamic range of bigger guitars, and the 'sweet spot' is generally a lot lower volume. Smaller acoustics (to me) are better 'do it all' instruments than larger ones for my style of playing, though.

 

[GuitarStv]

They don't have the dynamic range of bigger guitars, and the 'sweet spot' is generally a lot lower volume. Smaller acoustics (to me) are better 'do it all' instruments than larger ones for my style of playing, though.

I totally get you on that. They are physically bigger, which makes them harder to hold. They are loud as all get out which can be overpowering to other instruments and hard to sing with. I swear that fingerstyle stuff is harder to do on them as well because you have to dig in harder with your hands to get the top working right. Most acoustics have pickups too, so the loud thing isn't necessary for live playing any more.

All that said, I grew up playing dreads and every time that I try a small body guitar I end up feeling like there's something missing - so just put up and work around the annoying bits.

 

[Mincer]

With the way pickups and internal (and external) electronics are these days, the less of a pure acoustic sound you need when performing onstage. When you take the need for a large body to provide volume away, you have a little more freedom in playability design.

 

['59]

Street Fighting Man was recorded by overloading the input of a cheap cassette recorder with an acoustic guitar if that counts

 

[jeremy]

i think the bracing has a lot to do with how the guitar reacts. i have a taylor 814ce and it doesnt react well to aggressive playing, but i have a smaller body off brand guitar that gives everything you put into it. same with my old 60's guild and hofner. my d28 is good, but also hits a threshold of not giving anything more.

ive never heard an unmic'd acoustic sound distorted.

 

[ehdwuld]

Yeah inplayed a 70s guild
it was awesome

My Martin 000CE wont do that

my Hummingbird likes it

Let me check that Yamaha real quick brb

 

[ehdwuld]

 

[Mincer]

Small guitars don't distort, but they have some kind of natural compression that happens when you beat on it hard- it isn't a pretty sound. Acoustics generally have a particular range of dynamics in which they sound their best.

 

[ehdwuld]

The full sized Yamaha and Hummingbird liked it much better than the parlor shaped Martin