black guitars question

[harmonicchaos]

hey guys i just played a dove at a guitar store yesterday and i have to say that it is the most perfect sounding and feeling guitar i've EVER played. what is your guy's experience with it? dove

 

i'm having a hard time deciding between the black dove listed above and the songwriter special songwriter i like the cutaway and the price of the songwriter but i like the sound, and overall look (i'm probably forgetting something too ) of the dove. if the dove came with a cutaway this would be a no-brainer but i'm just a little worried that i would regret not getting the cutaway because i occasionally regret not getting a double cutaway electric guitar instead of a single cutaway. also the songwriter is probably special edition and new but the dove new is WAAAY out of budget for me so this is somewhat of a once in a lifetime deal.

 

thanks for your help in advance. i know in the end i (and my mom) will have to make the decision (i'm not even sure if i'll be able to get either though) but i like getting feedback from people who have been playing a little longer than me and might know some tips.

[guitarstrummer]

I played a newer model Dove last year in Bozemana and liked it a lot. I also think the Dove is harder to come by. If everything else is equal, go with what catches your eye.

[TheLiveSoundGuy]

The Dove does come in a cutaway model, it's called the Dove Artist.

I don't know if it comes in black though.

[harmonicchaos]

wow i didn't know about the dove artist. i looked them up and they're expensive and very hard to come by (none in the states either.)

 

i know this question is as old as the guitars themselves but do you guys find the cutaway helps that much for upper fret access? i've played both but only in stores so i haven't gotten to really put both of them through the paces.

 

i guess if guitarists handled non-cutaway guitars for many decades i'd be able to.

 

i'm still not sure which one#-o!

 

i don't think i'd go wrong with either though they are gibsons after all. :)

[TheLiveSoundGuy]

Being a mostly rhythm player, I don't have much use for a cutaway.

But I guess if you do a lot lead type of picking or playing it would be useful.

[guitarstrummer]

I think it's just like anything else. You can alter your style to make it work, if you want to.

[Space Pup]

I have a cutaway on my 12-string (although it's a Fender) but on a 12-string I think the cutaway is more for show than serves any usefulness. Since I don't play my acoustic like an electric I've never really found myself needing a cutaway on an acoustic. I would say if I was haveing to make a choice I'd go with what I wanted most in a guitar and let the pretties wait untill nex time. It's highly unlikely Gibosn will stop making guitars anytime soon so there is no real rush.

 

IMHO if you want to play a sweet cutaway try Gibson's CJ-165EC in Maple.

[Jinder]

Dove.

 

Dove, Dove, Dove, Dove, Dove.

 

End of.

[Always_Black]

Chaos,

 

Dude, you still have not bought your "dream" Gibson, the Songwriter Special, after sooooo many months of pining for the thing. I see only one reason: money.

 

Now, you are blinded by a Dove you got a shot at and you are all over the place ! Special, Dove, Cut-away, no cut-away, black, black dove, black dove cut-away, special.

 

Goodness man, get hold of yourself. GAS can be a very serious condition if you don't recognize the symptoms.

 

The Dove is going to be around for a very long time. It is not the most commonly seen Gibson out there most likely due to price. So, get yourself re-focused, and buy the Special. It's limited, and I assure you, it is everything you want...we've discussed this before...remember.

 

Get the Dove later when you've got the cash to support the GAS.

 

If you keep bouncing around like this and losing focus, you'll just keep dreamin' and never get to playin' !

[sfden1]

Went to see Russ Baranberg recently, imo one of the finest pickers alive today. He was playing a Banner J45. Notice, no cutaway. Yes indeed Chaos, it's possible to make a ton of great music without a cutaway. It's not only not necessary, but an expense that hardly anyone really needs. Jmo.

[Gibson CS]

personally i dont like when acoustics have cutaways

i was BLOWN AWAY by the mahongany j-45,

seriously, wait until you have the money to get the guitar you really want

[harmonicchaos]

okay guys this is the final post i will have on this topic (at least regarding the black guitars).

 

i went to sweetwater and guitar center (man i really like sweetwater better. it's a piece of heaven

 

i had guitar center order in the songwriter so i could try it. at first they wanted me to buy it before they ordered it in but i finally talked them into it. i tried it and the modern classic dove at sweetwater and i have to say sound wise, playability and even looks the dove blew the songwriter out of the water. i tried playing the dove up higher and the cutaway is kinda nice on the songwriter, but unnecessary. one of the main reasons i was so set on the ss was i liked the price and i wouldn't look at anything over 2,000. i was stupid (or maybe not) and i played the dove. it has to be the most perfect acoustic or maybe even guitar i've ever played and i have now played virtually every gibson under 5G's. the black is neat and kinda edgy looking but overall it just doesn't compare to the dove.

 

now here is where i become a very lucky person. my dad was the one who took me to the store since it was his weekend (my parents are going through a rather nasty pre-divorce/ divorce. it's harder when it hasn't happened and everything is up in the air and confusing than if it was decided and over with.) and i played all the gibsons in both stores (and the martins and taylors) and my dad agreed with me in saying that the dove was the nicest sounding and looking. then out of the blue he asked me if i wanted it. i was shocked but of course i said yes. he said he'd think about it over the rest of the weekend and the guy at sweetwater put it on hold until monday. when i checked early this morning they said they were out of doves when just last night they said that they had one left so i'm pretty sure he got it. i'm gonna ask him when he calls tonight because i couldn't get a hold of him last night. i will have to pay for it he said but he will let me pay it off as soon as i can with no interest.

 

i'm gonna have to work my *** off but it will be more than worth it. i really hope he was the one who got it. i know it will really help me get through this rough period of time for me (my health has been very bad these past 3 or four years and is just starting to become normal. and like i said this divorce has been harder than most are.) thanks for keeping your patience with me these last few weeks - i am really hesitant before i but anything this large so i speculate a lot.

 

wow this is a long post! i think it's the longest i've ever written. thanks for all of your support and time. i hope that if i do get the dove i will one day be worthy of it!

[harmonicchaos]

btw i did forget to say: 1) the songwriter special (then the sj-200 sb in 3rd) is my 2nd favorite acoustic and really like it also but the dove is just utterly magical. 2)don't worry - if i do get it i will give details and pics (if i can figure out our camera phone) and maybe do a youtube video. i probably still forgot some things but i can always post them later. thanks again

[Always_Black]

Hey ! Looks like Chaos might get a Gibson after all ! ! !

 

Nice, bro. Hope your pop picked up that Dove. While it doesn't make the issues of the divorce go away, it'll give you an escape when you need it. Just remember to face the difficulties head on though.

 

Good Luck !

[LPDEN]

Whatever you end up buying, don't second guess yourself afterwards. Just spend as much time as you can with hands on playing and then go with your gut feeling. Best of luck on whatever it is you purchase. And once you do, bring back some pics here.

[degle28]

I felt the same way about getting a cuttaway on my first acoustic. I thought I needed one to play up the neck, but that is not totally true. The cuttaway makes it easier to reach the upper spectrum of the fretboard, but one without isn't impossible to get to. My first nice acoustic was a cuttaway and the next two I have bought are both dreads without the cuttaway option and I like both of the latter ones much better than the cuttaway hands down...The bottom line is you need to get what you can afford and live with. To me a cuttaway is not a must have option on a guitar, in fact, I have heard from some who say it takes away a little from the "voice of the box. Good luck on your decision and purchase!

[acousticworship]

A cutaway on an acoustic is about as useful to me as **** on a boar hog, as I rarely get above the 12th fret on an acoustic. Others like them, I know. Seems to me it's usually more about the look than anything. I don't even like the look of cutaway acoustic guitars, but thats just me.

[RXXX20]

I tried out a lot of guitars w/ the cutaway. For me, I know I prefer an acoustic without the cutaway, mainly for the appearance. I do play in that area of the fretboard from time to time, and agree that the cutaway is not really a functional necessity. I am sure there are people out there who swear by it, though.

[TheLiveSoundGuy]

If you really, really like, and have a thing, for black guitars, then give this a listen.

Dave Grohl playing a black Gibson Elvis Presley Dove...It's a cannon!

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6LCttYOO9Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne2KxFwISEQ&NR=1

[harmonicchaos]

first of all i want to say MY DAD GOT IT!! I still can't believe it. i haven't been able to play it or see it yet because i think he is gonna give it to me on his weekend (not this weekend but the next. i don't know what i'm gonna do with myself until then!). i'm gonna have to work hard to pay it off but it is beyond worth it.

 

If you really' date=' really like, and have a thing, for black guitars, then give this a listen.

Dave Grohl playing a black Gibson Elvis Presley Dove...It's a cannon!

[/quote']

 

hey thanks! foo fighters are easily one of my favorite bands and one of the reasons i first got into doves. i saw dave with his during the skin and bones concert on youtube and right away realised it was a gibson so i looked it up and realised it was an elvis presley dove. one of the most beautiful guitars ever. i decided to get the natural though because:

-the natural was cheaper,

-it had a pickup already installed (i could have installed one the the black dove but i didn't want to have to pay 200 more dollars),

-the nat was much easier to find,

- i don't want anyone else's name one my guitar (i guess les pauls are an exception)

-i also really love all of the extra pearl on the natural.

As soon as i get it and am willing to set it down i will tell you guys about it and try to do pics etc. (it will probably be a while :)

 

i still can't believe it !

[harmonicchaos]

i got it today! it sounds and looks better than what i remember at the store. she is currently laying right next to me as i type. i'll post pics asap. she's a looker! the pearl and the flame maple are an amazing combo. i don't know whether to play her or just look at 'er. i do have to say that she's a mamoth compared to my les paul. it'll take a little while until i get used to the difference but it's definitely not a bad difference from my lp. i feel a bit dwarfed when i play (especially when i stand up) because i'm only 5'7" (hey mr. mellencamp's that tall and he sure did fine with his dove but the sound is amazing! i don't think i've ever played an acoustic that felt this good to play.

 

It's very surreal right now. I have a new best friend (actually with the lp i've got two). wow that sounded really sad. oh well guitars are much nicer than most people and they smell better lol.

[ballcorner]

I had a similar experience when I bought my AJ. I had gone in to look at a WM J-45 as a stage guitar but when I played the AJ I was hooked. The music shop I deal with has payment plans, so when I did not have enough cash for the full price plus tax they worked out a deal for me so I could pay the balance in installments.

 

I am really happy that I bought the AJ instead of the WM J-45. If the Dove is what you really want, ask if there are options you can work with.

 

I hope whatever you get in the end is something you love and appreciate. Life isn't about woulda shoulda coulda - make sure you find a way to get what you want.

 

I still don't have a stage guitar, by the way. I have to finish paying for the AJ before I can afford to buy one. I don't mind.

[LPDEN]

i got it today! ...

 

It's very surreal right now. I have a new best friend (actually with the lp i've got two). wow that sounded really sad. oh well guitars are much nicer than most people and they smell better lol.

 

Congrats, Harmonic! Sounds like you made a great decision!