BYO: What Makes a Guitar "Good"?

Buco

For me, the guitars that I wanted to take home in an instant, the biggest reason was because of the way how they felt; action and playability, overall geometry etc (I liked variety of necks, don't feel I have a preference there)... I feel this aspect takes a little bit of a backseat to the tone of the instrument. To me it's at least as important. Micro adjustments can make a big difference in feel , even sound and sometimes I feel builders don't obsess over the setup as much as tone and sound and volume and such. Maybe it's the thinking that it's a personal preference and the owner will take it to the shop and have it done the way they prefer.

ChrisMartin

Not having any relevant experience in building guitars I may be missing some fundamental points but I would echo Buco's comments above regarding feel and setup. If a guitar works for the player, ie feels right in the hands, I suspect it would enable the player to bring out the best in the guitar; a lot of what is talked about on here as the traditional GJ sound depends as much on picking technique and attack as the actual instrument.

There was a Youtube jam around a while ago where Angelo Debarre was playing a $200 LAG flat-top and he still sounded like Angelo, if there was 5% of his sound missing it was the guitar, meaning 95% was in the hands.

I have posted this thought before and I am not underestimating the luthier's skill and contribution, but I do think whether a player can get the best out of a given instrument will affect how that particular guitar appeals.

I know in the past I have played guitars that others rave about but I can't get going, then there have been others that immediately feel 'right' and make me play, and sound better. And that is the undefinable difference.

I am deliberately only talking about playability and sound here, of course how a guitar looks also helps, but that criteria is probably even more subjective than how it sounds and one persons favourite top of the range Hahl is another's 'Kardashian bling'. Then there is the recent trend for new guitars with so-called 'vintage' finish, the SelMac equivalent of a 'relic'd' Fender, but again any contribution to the overall sound and playability is debatable.

So we have two choices; ideally, a player and a luthier work together to get the best out of each other, or it is a matter of trial and error. Finding the right guitar depends on what is available in the local store, what friends have that you can try, even peer pressure and label snobbery can make or break a luthier's name but one day the player will know when he finds the right one. The luthier can only do his best and hope enough people like his work.

Jangle_Jamie

It's all about tone for me. Playability and feel can always be tinkered with, but great tone is either there or not. For me to fall in love with a guitar, it must sing from the word go.

bbwood_98

@ChrisMartin - Right on the money! I have a video of Wrembel in his then flat with a bunch of players - he's playing a 200 seagull classical & just as fluid and loud and great!

ChrisMartin

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/113428#Comment_113428

Well we have all seen examples of that but I do not mean to take anything away from the luthier's art. a good guitar is still a good guitar in the right hands, but speaking as a relative beginner (still!) in the GJ style, the best guitar will not make much difference to someone who does not know how to get the best out of it.

guitarmike

The player

ChrisMartin

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/113435#Comment_113435

Exactly, without the player a guitar is silent. It is just a piece of furniture (or art?).

adrian

My take on "what makes a guitar good" in this style —

• A great tone. Beautiful sound; nice and round; open yet not too wet; not overly nasal or banjo-y; precise and crisp.
• Consistent tone across the instrument's range. Somebody once called this "like playing on one long string" — i.e., each string sounds the same, or at least the gradiation is subtle instead of obvious.
• Eminently playable. Feels "smooth" when moving along the fretboard. Low action without being so low that it causes buzz.
• Diggability. I'm able to really dig into the strings — picking hard — and the guitar responds without hitting some upper limit.
• Responsiveness and wide dynamic range. If I pick softly, the sound is soft. If I pick hard, the sound is loud. The volume corresponds to the picking. Some guitars are always loud, others are always soft. The best ones don't have a preference and let the musician make the decision.
• Clarity. Everything that I play — mistakes and all — is duly communicated to the listener. Some guitars "hide" sloppy playing, others are brutally transparent. I prefer the latter, though this is certainly a personal decision!

Adrian

Jangle_Jamie

Very well put Adrian, I understand all these points. The closest I have is a refinished Gitane 270 which for a factory-made guitar is remarkable. There is nowhere to hide as it is very loud and clear across all strings, whereas it can be played sweet and gentle with care. It is perhaps a bit too loud and open for good rhythm playing though, but it's only a minor quibble.

Jangle_Jamie

...which leads me to ask Adrian, of all the guitars you've played over the years (and I'm sure it's countless!) which are the very best ones that have ticked all of those boxes? I'm also interested to know what your current guitar or guitars are?

Although I'm amazed by my Gitane 270, I will add that I'm most definitely an intermediate player and unfortunately have never played a guitar by one of the established luthiers, so I really don't have a lot to go on!