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my guitar sounds too new!

Hi there, I have just taken possession of a fantastic hand made guitar by one of the worlds best (lucky me) but, I can't get over the feeling that it sounds a little new. Of course, it is new but made from great aged woods etc. It could simply be phycological, comparing it to my older guitar but maybe, just maybe there is a set up tweek I can make or adjustment. The sound I'm getting is very clear but a little 'tinny' with almost no bass. My other guitar has a richer fuller sound. I realise that every guitar is different and there a million individual factors involved but the groups expert advise would be most welcome. Maybe I just have to wait 20 years !!
BTW has anyone else had this dilemma?

Thanks

Comments

  • fraterfrater Prodigy
    Posts: 763
    Probably you just have to get accustomed to the real thing: these Maccaferri beasts are not supposed to have a rich full sound in a traditional way. They bite! :D
  • StevearenoSteveareno ✭✭✭
    Posts: 349
    Perception of sound is partly psychological and visual. One would expect a new shiny guitar to sound tight and to take a while to "break in".
    After switching gears and playing my Gibson flat top for a while, my GJ guitar is taking some getting used to (but I love it). As bright as these guitars tend to be, I prefer a fuller, mellow tone, without the plinkity highs you sometimes encounter. I would experiment with heavier strings (going to 11's if you use 10's), or perhaps different brands (I think Stochelo uses silk & steel), using a rounded edge pick (I use Grisman Dawgs...cheap and mellow...designed to reduce metallic sound). Maybe raise the action (it helped mine a lot)...allows you to dig in on the notes without buzzing. I would also experiment with my vibrato to add sustain (instead of just hitting the note without putting your mark (or funk) on it. Picking closer to the neck softens the tone and is considered the sweet spot by a lot of archtop players. Finally I would just play the heck out of it, experiment and have fun. Trust your own ears and intuition. All my guitars have opened up a lot, particularly in the first year. I always keep one out and play it several hours a day whether praticing, or just noodling while I watch TV.
    Mi dos centavos.
    Swang on,
  • pickitjohnpickitjohn South Texas Corpus, San Antonio, AustinVirtuoso Patenotte 260
    Posts: 936
    Hey Shaun,

    I can only imagine you spent I'm gonna guess from your description $3000.00 plus for your guitar.
    You've probably passed the return limit, so what to do?
    Steveareno's post about picks, sweet stops, and playing a couple of hours a day should help.
    Do you have that kind of time? Maybe , maybe not. Anyway to the point I'd suggest I picked up a ToneRite Guitar 3G



    It's kinda like a guitar vibrator, this will probably stir up some, Ah it's just woo woo folks. More to the point you can get one with a 30 day return policy if you're not happy. I have nothing to do with the seller other then I've been using one for a little over a month and since I didn't return it it's worked for me. You can google it and see the mixed reviews many of who haven't actually tried one. However there are some testimonies from builders and artist to attest to their findings. Anyway for a $150.00 you could notice an improvement in days , and weeks rather then 20 years. If it don't work send it back.

    Google it yourself, if anyone else has used one chime in, if there'e an easier, cheaper way lets hear it.

    pick on

    pickitjohn
  • asd123321asd123321 ✭✭✭✭
    Posts: 121
    A softer plastic like Acetal in the pick can help. With the sharp corners on mine, I have a small towel on the top corners which makes it more mellow to me.
  • Michael BauerMichael Bauer Chicago, ILProdigy Selmers, Busatos and more…oh my!
    Posts: 1,002
    Some guitars are simply more sensitive to new strings. I have a few that sound like absolute shit (to me) with new strings on, but give the strings a chance to go dead, and the guitars just come alive. There are guitars that love new strings, but I find that when I put new strings on a good guitar, all I hear is the strings. Once they start to lost their brightness, I start hearing the guitar itself. An example: listen to Paulus Schaefer playing Selmer 862 at Django in June last year. The strings on the Selmer were exactly one year old in that video! That's not a solid year of playing, mind, but probably more like a month for most. One Busato, The Beast, actually loses volume with new strings, and starts getting louder as they go dead. I can't figure that out, but it's absolutely the case.

    So try letting your strings get old, and see what it does for the sound. Maybe that's not the answer for your guitar, but it's the cheapest and easiest thing to try. But you will have to wait 20+ years to really get that old guitar sound. There's just no escaping that, unless you get one of the fortunate few that sound old out of the box.
    I've never been a guitar player, but I've played one on stage.
  • pickitjohnpickitjohn South Texas Corpus, San Antonio, AustinVirtuoso Patenotte 260
    Posts: 936
    Hey Shawn,

    Here's a little guitar inspection you can do.
    How is the adjustment of your bridge feet to the top of the guitar, Can you see any space in where the two meet? It should be a perfect fit. If not,You may need to put a sand paper on the guitar top and shape the bridge feet to adjust to the curve of the guitar top. If you think about it that's where the vibration of the strings get to the soundbox.

    Josh Hegg, Michael's luthier has a very helpful post. "Fitting your Bridge"
    here is the link if that may be the problem.

    viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1200

    Good Luck

    pick on

    pickitjohn
  • Jeff MooreJeff Moore Minneapolis✭✭✭✭ Lebreton 2
    Posts: 476
    Took me years to get used to and be able to evaluate and choose these guitars.
    Don't know how long you've been at this, but transition from any other type of guitar is a big step. I thought of it as a foreign - European sound. Though now, the Martin - Taylor etc..... sound sounds odd
    So why do we tend to be drawn to the sound of Djangos guitar instantly? Don't know that either.

    I love them, but a really good one is a bit hard to find.
    I love new strings and the brightness they give.

    Are you new to playing a gj guitar?
    "We need a radical redistribution of wealth and power" MLK
  • StevearenoSteveareno ✭✭✭
    Posts: 349
    Been playing my flattop Gibsons for a while. They're fun for that almost dull mid range chord thumping, but nothing sounds like GJ guitars! I think of it as a romantic quality.. Before I was hip to SelMacs, I used to hear THAT tone on records and wondered? Even thought it was a Del Vechio Brazilian resonator guitar, liked Chet Atkins played occasionally. When I finally figured it out and played a GJ guitar at the Hollywood GC (I know, not the best place) about ten years ago, I was hooked. It's sometmes hard to tame the treble and wetness, but they are capable of tones like no other (Jimmy R's "Candy" is a good example of the romantic quality I referred to IMHO). Plus, I love the big fat, long scale necks, extended cutaway, open head stock, light lively strings and elegant body style. Definitely keeping my Dell Arte Hommage in the quiver.I even like 'em for a variety of styles (fingerpickin', western swing, MOR elevator music classics, etc)...but you guys know all this already. Just having an early morning, west coast rave. :?
    Swang on,
  • shaunshaun
    Posts: 19
    Thanks to all you you GJ experts out there for your stellar advise. I'v changes a few things, adjusted the bridge for intonation (great YouTube vid from Bob Holo) and hired a 'Tonerite' gizmo to help open up the guitar. Its buzzing away in my back room as we speak, annoying the neighbours. So, I'll let everyone know how things work out. I'm sure it will still need a few years heavy playing but so far so good.

    Thanks again to everyone.
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