Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by Slowy »

olegmcnoleg wrote:I can start us off with a horror story, and it is about a dreadnought. A few years ago I was on sabbatical in California. I saw a lovely dreadnought cutaway on EBay, the most beautiful woods and all handmade by a luthier in Colorado. I struck up a conversation with him and we agreed a price. I drove from Santa Barbara to Denver to pick it up (!) Tried it out, it was lovely, paid in cash, drove away.

That is, of course, when the trouble started. The guitar would not intonate, action was terrible, the awesome tone had completely vanished. Sent the guitar back, he made some adjustments--said he could not really see a problem, but it was no better when I got it back. After a LONG, protracted exchange as to how this could happen, it turned out that he had built the guitar in his shop with the humidity controlled at 20% (which is higher than the normal humidity where he lives, which is 10%!). All his previous clients lived in the area and so I was the first one he even had a problem with. Even at 50% humidity in CA, the guitar was a mess. Back in Auckland...no chance at all.

Which might explain why I am am anal about controlling humidity as a way of getting the best out of my guitars. But setting the humidity at 20% is completely impractical as it would damage my others. In the end, I just sent the guitar back, did not get a refund, there was no point in trying to keep it, all swelled up like a ballon, it clearly needed very dry air to survive. Chalk it down to experience :eh:
So you next purchase was the Rainsong?
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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by codedog »

Hey guys, do we want to move the horror stories into a separate thread? It's not because I don't want my puny thread polluted. It will just make it easier for people to find through search and glance at the thread title. There're some good stories already!

What say you?

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by vintage52 »

Wellington

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by codedog »

vintage52 wrote:https://www.trademe.co.nz/a.aspx?id=153 ... D096C6A505

What about something like this:
Yeah, I saw that. Interesting about the preamp... http://www.musiciansfriend.com/resource ... mp/m711715 especially the bit about the signal taking a minute to come through, due to the valve having to warm up! Does that mean, in humid/cold climates, I can fire it up to keep the guitar warmer/drier? :lolno:

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by telefiend »

olegmcnoleg wrote:I can start us off with a horror story, and it is about a dreadnought. A few years ago I was on sabbatical in California. I saw a lovely dreadnought cutaway on EBay, the most beautiful woods and all handmade by a luthier in Colorado. I struck up a conversation with him and we agreed a price. I drove from Santa Barbara to Denver to pick it up (!) Tried it out, it was lovely, paid in cash, drove away.

That is, of course, when the trouble started. The guitar would not intonate, action was terrible, the awesome tone had completely vanished. Sent the guitar back, he made some adjustments--said he could not really see a problem, but it was no better when I got it back. After a LONG, protracted exchange as to how this could happen, it turned out that he had built the guitar in his shop with the humidity controlled at 20% (which is higher than the normal humidity where he lives, which is 10%!). All his previous clients lived in the area and so I was the first one he even had a problem with. Even at 50% humidity in CA, the guitar was a mess. Back in Auckland...no chance at all.

Which might explain why I am am anal about controlling humidity as a way of getting the best out of my guitars. But setting the humidity at 20% is completely impractical as it would damage my others. In the end, I just sent the guitar back, did not get a refund, there was no point in trying to keep it, all swelled up like a ballon, it clearly needed very dry air to survive. Chalk it down to experience :eh:
Very interesting (and disappointing for you).

It was like an alien guitar from Mars haha. Couldn't survive in the Auckland atmosphere.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by olegmcnoleg »

Slowy wrote:
olegmcnoleg wrote:I can start us off with a horror story, and it is about a dreadnought. A few years ago I was on sabbatical in California. I saw a lovely dreadnought cutaway on EBay, the most beautiful woods and all handmade by a luthier in Colorado. I struck up a conversation with him and we agreed a price. I drove from Santa Barbara to Denver to pick it up (!) Tried it out, it was lovely, paid in cash, drove away.

That is, of course, when the trouble started. The guitar would not intonate, action was terrible, the awesome tone had completely vanished. Sent the guitar back, he made some adjustments--said he could not really see a problem, but it was no better when I got it back. After a LONG, protracted exchange as to how this could happen, it turned out that he had built the guitar in his shop with the humidity controlled at 20% (which is higher than the normal humidity where he lives, which is 10%!). All his previous clients lived in the area and so I was the first one he even had a problem with. Even at 50% humidity in CA, the guitar was a mess. Back in Auckland...no chance at all.

Which might explain why I am am anal about controlling humidity as a way of getting the best out of my guitars. But setting the humidity at 20% is completely impractical as it would damage my others. In the end, I just sent the guitar back, did not get a refund, there was no point in trying to keep it, all swelled up like a ballon, it clearly needed very dry air to survive. Chalk it down to experience :eh:
So you next purchase was the Rainsong?
LOL! Close, I bought the Emerald guitar that Conway now has (for sale). Carbon Fibre throughout, you could surf on it.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by Miza »

+1 for Maton. Great guitars, totally under-priced being Aussie-made. :thumbup:

I have a ’78 FG100/6, which I think was the predecessor to the WC80 series. Has that classic, big resonant dreadnaught sound. Neck is really easy to play. Like this: http://matonmuseum.com.au/data/pdfs/FG1 ... uitars.pdf

Dreadnaughts just have “that sound”, great for strumming, totally balanced.

Interesting reading about the issues with Taylors. My other acoustic is a Taylor Big Baby: 15/16 size guitar with laminate body and sort-of bolt-on neck. It sounds totally different to the Maton; kinda honky in the midrange and lacking any bass. Played it a lot of the years though and needs a partial re-fret, so the action is currently super high.
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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by telefiend »

Miza wrote:+1 for Maton. Great guitars, totally under-priced being Aussie-made. :thumbup:

I have a ’78 FG100/6, which I think was the predecessor to the WC80 series. Has that classic, big resonant dreadnaught sound. Neck is really easy to play. Like this: http://matonmuseum.com.au/data/pdfs/FG1 ... uitars.pdf

Dreadnaughts just have “that sound”, great for strumming, totally balanced.

Interesting reading about the issues with Taylors. My other acoustic is a Taylor Big Baby: 15/16 size guitar with laminate body and sort-of bolt-on neck. It sounds totally different to the Maton; kinda honky in the midrange and lacking any bass. Played it a lot of the years though and needs a partial re-fret, so the action is currently super high.
Maton definitely under-priced. I used to find their necks incredibly uncomfortable, but it seems like they've addressed this recently, as the newer ones feel much nicer.

I'm a recent new owner of Big Baby. Can't put it down. I find the bass response surprisingly good though. It's almost un-Taylor actually. I must have got a weird one :lol:

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by snitchez »

the newer matons all have the same sound.... they are built well. but im not sure if they are built to last. My 2 year old srs808 has almost the same wear on the top as my larrivee d03 which ive had for 8 years or so....

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by Miza »

telefiend wrote:
Miza wrote:+1 for Maton. Great guitars, totally under-priced being Aussie-made. :thumbup:

I have a ’78 FG100/6, which I think was the predecessor to the WC80 series. Has that classic, big resonant dreadnaught sound. Neck is really easy to play. Like this: http://matonmuseum.com.au/data/pdfs/FG1 ... uitars.pdf

Dreadnaughts just have “that sound”, great for strumming, totally balanced.

Interesting reading about the issues with Taylors. My other acoustic is a Taylor Big Baby: 15/16 size guitar with laminate body and sort-of bolt-on neck. It sounds totally different to the Maton; kinda honky in the midrange and lacking any bass. Played it a lot of the years though and needs a partial re-fret, so the action is currently super high.
Maton definitely under-priced. I used to find their necks incredibly uncomfortable, but it seems like they've addressed this recently, as the newer ones feel much nicer.

I'm a recent new owner of Big Baby. Can't put it down. I find the bass response surprisingly good though. It's almost un-Taylor actually. I must have got a weird one :lol:
Yeah some people find the neck on my Maton too thin, but it suits my little hands just nicely. :oops:

The Big Baby sounds good through a PA (with a bit of EQ), but unplugged it just doesn't have the same low-lows as a full size guitar. Which is to be expected. Damn bright though! Mine is a 2001 which I've has since new. I've played it a lot and its showing its age, but is structurally sound.
Nothing to see here.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by telefiend »

Miza wrote:
telefiend wrote:
Miza wrote:+1 for Maton. Great guitars, totally under-priced being Aussie-made. :thumbup:

I have a ’78 FG100/6, which I think was the predecessor to the WC80 series. Has that classic, big resonant dreadnaught sound. Neck is really easy to play. Like this: http://matonmuseum.com.au/data/pdfs/FG1 ... uitars.pdf

Dreadnaughts just have “that sound”, great for strumming, totally balanced.

Interesting reading about the issues with Taylors. My other acoustic is a Taylor Big Baby: 15/16 size guitar with laminate body and sort-of bolt-on neck. It sounds totally different to the Maton; kinda honky in the midrange and lacking any bass. Played it a lot of the years though and needs a partial re-fret, so the action is currently super high.
Maton definitely under-priced. I used to find their necks incredibly uncomfortable, but it seems like they've addressed this recently, as the newer ones feel much nicer.

I'm a recent new owner of Big Baby. Can't put it down. I find the bass response surprisingly good though. It's almost un-Taylor actually. I must have got a weird one :lol:
Yeah some people find the neck on my Maton too thin, but it suits my little hands just nicely. :oops:

The Big Baby sounds good through a PA (with a bit of EQ), but unplugged it just doesn't have the same low-lows as a full size guitar. Which is to be expected. Damn bright though! Mine is a 2001 which I've has since new. I've played it a lot and its showing its age, but is structurally sound.
Oh yeah, definitely lacking lows compared to a full size, but enough for me really. My finger playing style tends to mute highs as well.

I think the Matons I had trouble with were the 2000s models, rather than the vintage ones. The necks felt wide and awkwardly profiled and unpleasant in my memory.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by Miza »

Frey wrote:I just scored this 1976 Tama:
https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listin ... 1525776465

will report on how it plays and sounds when I get it although good luck finding another one! lol!
Nice score.
Funnily enough that looks identical to my ;78 Maton. They all seemed to be copying the look of a Martin D18 back in the 70s?
Nothing to see here.

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Re: Dreadnoughts... your thoughts?

Post by telefiend »

Frey wrote:Apparently it's a d35 copy. I don't really know. Pretty generic looking acoustic guitar apart from all the rosewood!
Bound board and three-piece back - yep, looks like a D35!

Nice score, dig these 70s Japanese copies.

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