V bracing on Taylor acoustics guitars and strumming

[beaubrummels]

What happens with a small bodied guitar and heavy strumming? I don't own any....

Size of the instrument just changes the tone. The loudest, punchiest guitar I've ever played was a 1929 Washburn parlor guitar. It was all dried out and very light, like a violin. Speaking of, I had to do a duet with a violinist once and her violin was ear piercingly loud and punchy compared to my jumbo acoustic.

IME, to over generalize, Taylors are best for being the only accompaniment, Martins are best for being the lead accompaniment in a band or combo mix (though Taylor and Martin do work both ways, either solo or in a mix, but they need to be up front; they disappear unevenly back in the mix a bit), Gibsons are mid-heavy and punchy and best at mixing with electric guitars and a full band.

 

[GuitarStv]

What happens with a small bodied guitar and heavy strumming? I don't own any....

Most of the smaller bodied acoustics seem like they hit a point with medium strumming where the top just doesn't have any more sound to give. On the bigger bodied guitars it usually takes a bit more oomph to get the top humming, but there's also a little bit wider dynamic range - you hit it harder and it keeps getting louder. That's not always a good thing. For fingerstyle stuff, that kind of natural compression of smaller bodied guitars can be a lot nicer.

This is a generalization, and not true in all cases . . . but seems to happen more often than not for me.

 

[Mincer]

Taylors always had amazing string-to-string clarity vs the 'wall of sound' coming off of a Martin.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

For a big box strummer I have to admit that I like my Gibson SJ-200 the most.

One of my favorite instruments ever is my dad’s old 60’s SJ. It’s the only guitar I own that makes my wife comment on how nice it sounds.

 

[treyhaislip]

Just got my Taylor 714CE (V Bracing and Grand Auditorium body) with a Western Cedar Top and after playing multiple older 714CE's (that had Cedar tops) that the V Bracing makes a significant impact on sustain.

To the OP, my 714 is definitely stronger on the fingerstyle end of playing than strumming–might be the Cedar Top but if you are wanting a strummer I would look to something like a Martin D18/D28 or a Gibson J45/Hummingbird...putting a Guild D50 as a good option as well.

 

[GuitarStv]

Just got my Taylor 714CE (V Bracing and Grand Auditorium body) with a Western Cedar Top and after playing multiple older 714CE's (that had Cedar tops) that the V Bracing makes a significant impact on sustain.

To the OP, my 714 is definitely stronger on the fingerstyle end of playing than strumming–might be the Cedar Top but if you are wanting a strummer I would look to something like a Martin D18/D28 or a Gibson J45/Hummingbird...putting a Guild D50 as a good option as well.

Pretty!

The cedar topped guitars that I've played tend to work better for fingerstyle. Might be the top.