Selmer vs Favino body sizes

pdaigle

I would like to know your opinions on the Selmer vs Favino body sizes.

What are the main differences in sound and projection? What about playability and comfort?

I see a lot of artists (Robin Nolan, Andreas Oberg, Jimmy Rosenberg...) who seem to prefer the Favino body size...does it really make a difference?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,
-p

nwilkins

huge generalization, but:

Favino style instruments usually have more bass and better balanced sound overall. Selmer style instruments are more trebly.

Charlie Ayers

The Favino body is wider, deeper, and longer, and there are fewer braces, as I understand it. I think the result is more bass and midrange.
The wider lower bout may be less comfortable for some players,

Charlie

djadam

Having played a dreadnaught for years, I was never particularly impressed with the tone of any Selmer style instrument until I played a Favino-style guitar. Definitely a more full and round tone - has more of the low-mids that the selmacs typically lack. Still doesn't touch a dread in tone, but dreads just don't project like selmacs.

Jack

djadam wrote:

Having played a dreadnaught for years, I was never particularly impressed with the tone of any Selmer style instrument until I played a Favino-style guitar. Definitely a more full and round tone - has more of the low-mids that the selmacs typically lack. Still doesn't touch a dread in tone, but dreads just don't project like selmacs.

That said, I'm of the camp that thinks the 'Selmac' tone is a big plus in the style, especially for beginners. There's something about getting your first one: hearing that particular sound from your guitar really makes a difference in learning. But even once you're past that stage, the tone really does make a difference-it's not a matter of absolute better or worse, but just what's best for that particular music, to my ears.

Best,
Jack.

djadam

I think it comes down to 2 things:

1. Personal preference. I guess I'll always think selmacs sound thin, but again, I'm coming from playing a Martin HD-35, which has the roundest bottom of any dreadnaught I've ever played, so I'm spoiled with luscious lows and low-mids.

2. How you play it. A great guitarist will get more tone out of a cheap selmac clone than a lesser guitarist will get out of a lush dreadnaught. There's such a story Kenny Werner told about a big birthday bash for Bill Evans. The guest list was a who's who of jazz pianists and there was a piano there which was said to have a tinny quality to the sound. Story goes, everbody sat down and played something and the piano sounded tinny, until Bill Evans played and suddenly it sounded as lush as the best concert grand you ever heard!

SoulShade

I gotta agree with Jack, gear does matter. I've even found it much easier to figure something out, if playing with a similar tone(by using similar gear). -s

nwilkins

yeah tone is pretty subjective - for instance, although I have played a lot of really nice flat tops, I still think that sound of a Favino blows them out of the water, not because of projection. It is so much warmer and has more character to my ear, whereas flat tops (except for the huge bottom end) sound more tinny - less full and warm in the mids and highs.

pallopenna

Is there out there who owns both a standard Selmac and a Favino size guitar that would be willing to post some mp3s of the same phrases played on both? It would be a very interesting comparison for me!

-Paul

ViejoVato

Paul ....
micahel Collins is building me a Favino style guitar for DFSW in May ...
I will try and post a tune or two using that guitar and my Saga 250 ...

I have to say in response to several other posts, after setting the bridge correctly (with a Collins replacement bridge), a little fret filing and the right strings that Saga just sings. It has more 'punch' than many a Dell A'rte I've played....
Go here to see some pics of one michael built recently...
www.dfsw.net

And c'mon on down to Tucson in May for the fest and a chance to see and play 2 different Collins Favino's ...

ciao..
miller
aka viejoVato ...