dhanners623 Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 I tend to think of a guitar's sound in terms of "presence" and/or "resonance." I listen for both, although damned if I can't really define them. But to paraphrase Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart (as Zombywoof did above), "I know it when I hear it." Years ago, I was a member of another acoustic guitar forum in which one of the members routinely reviewed guitars he had played in language that seemed to combine food reviews, wine reviews and dime-store romance novels. After reading a few of his reviews, I began wondering if he was just punking us but, no, he was completely serious. It actually got kind of tiring after awhile because he was describing guitar sounds in ways I couldn't relate to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 It seems that all of these posts are missing a key phrase. That being “A (variable) guitar in the hands of (variable)… has a (variable) sound or sounds like (variable)…” All of the posts seem to be missing that a guitar’s sound is primarily in the hands of the player. It’s the player that primarily puts the sound into the guitar. The guitar is just the instrument that the player’s sound comes through. Though some guitars for a number of reasons can be better vehicles for different players’ sounds to come through. Just my two cents. QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 My favorite description is "Angry Cicada". Years ago, I somehow got a Cicada to rest on a badminton racket and flung it across the yard lacrosse-style. It made the most gawd-awful loud buzzing pi$$ed off, petulant mid-range sound I have ever heard in my life. So, "Angry Cicada" is how I describe the first 3 months of that baked adi J-45 before settling down with some Sunbeams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevendaymelee Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 Martin=scooped mid-range with clear higher and lows. Gibson=flat EQ and very balanced. That is my overly-simplified answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 Listening to guitar demonstrations on TV......Acoustic Letter actually..... Better Half said: Hate to tell you, but they all sound the same!😑 BluesKing777. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, BoSoxBiker said: My favorite description is "Angry Cicada". Years ago, I somehow got a Cicada to rest on a badminton racket and flung it across the yard lacrosse-style. It made the most gawd-awful loud buzzing pi$$ed off, petulant mid-range sound I have ever heard in my life. So, "Angry Cicada" is how I describe the first 3 months of that baked adi J-45 before settling down with some Sunbeams. The cicada’s were not to bad this last summer in VA. Seems like the arrived latter than normal and were not around as long. They are damn annoying thought. Edited February 8, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 8 hours ago, QuestionMark said: It seems that all of these posts are missing a key phrase. That being “A (variable) guitar in the hands of (variable)… has a (variable) sound or sounds like (variable)…” All of the posts seem to be missing that a guitar’s sound is primarily in the hands of the player. It’s the player that primarily puts the sound into the guitar. The guitar is just the instrument that the player’s sound comes through. Though some guitars for a number of reasons can be better vehicles for different players’ sounds to come through. Just my two cents. QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff QM, The problem doesn't lie with the range of variables you describe, but rather with the difficulty of describing sound in words. Hearing is understanding, while verbal descriptions are not. Another two cents. RBSinTo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 I guess it’s like trying to describe what a steak tastes like to a vegetarian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 Reminds me of a Johnny Carson & Ed McMahon classic segment when they both lost it. Johnny was supposed to answer the question in an envelope. "Describe the sound when a sheep explodes". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I guess it’s like trying to describe what a steak tastes like to a vegetarian. Chief, Or a colour to a blind person. RBSinTo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 46 minutes ago, RBSinTo said: Chief, Or a colour to a blind person. RBSinTo This was posted about a 12 fret J-45. ”Had two. . . kept the soundier one” What does Soundier exactly sound like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 (edited) Chet Atkins once told a story about a guy at a fair ground he was playing at. The band was waiting to get up and play and Chet was just sitting around with the band, guitar and amp there with him, warming up. A guy walking stopped to listen and said "Chet That guitar sounds GREAT!" Chet put the guitar on the ground and said in reply "How's it sound now?" Edited February 8, 2022 by kidblast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 42 minutes ago, kidblast said: Chet Atkins once told a story about a guy at a fair ground he was playing at. The band was waiting to get up and play and Chet was just sitting around with the band, guitar and amp there with him, warming up. A guy walking stopped to listen and said "Chet That guitar sounds GREAT!" Chet put the guitar on the ground and said in reply "How's it sound now?" Touche Chet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 7 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Touche Chet. he had one of the quickest wits in the bizz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 2 minutes ago, kidblast said: he had one of the quickest wits in the bizz. Sound like he and I would get along just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 1 minute ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Sound like he and I would get along just fine. yes, you probably would... ever watched a few vids of him on youtube, (I'm sure u have) he was efing awesom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 4 minutes ago, kidblast said: yes, you probably would... ever watched a few vids of him on youtube, (I'm sure u have) he was efing awesom. Oh yeah I've seen vids and listened to his music. He's a pros pro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said: This was posted about a 12 fret J-45. ”Had two. . . kept the soundier one” What does Soundier exactly sound like? More soundy. . . like, duh! . . . and Hummingbirds do occasionally drip nectar. (from the definition of nectar) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 2 hours ago, kidblast said: Chet Atkins once told a story about a guy at a fair ground he was playing at. The band was waiting to get up and play and Chet was just sitting around with the band, guitar and amp there with him, warming up. A guy walking stopped to listen and said "Chet That guitar sounds GREAT!" Chet put the guitar on the ground and said in reply "How's it sound now?" That is exactly the point I was trying to make. QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 1 hour ago, 62burst said: More soundy. . . like, duh! . . . and Hummingbirds do occasionally drip nectar. (from the definition of nectar) Oh how stupid of me to know now what soundier means. Such an accurate descriptive word. I've had Guava and Papaya Nectar, and they are thick and goopy and overly sweet. So I guess that must be what Neckar sounds like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 2 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Oh how stupid of me to know now what soundier means. Such an accurate descriptive word. Yes, bad circular definition, there. It's just that the words used to describe a guitar's sound can be very subjective, it was just meant to mean "the one that sounded like the sound that I was looking for". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 I can’t put exactly into words what I mean by loud, woody, mellow, crisp, bright, muddy, etc. All I know is that when I hear it I know I’m hearing it and if I like that particular degree of sound than I’m more likely to feel that I could live with that guitar. I’ve got to feel that a guitar is an extension of who I am by enhancing the sound and mood I want with my songs. The attributes of a particular sound depends on who is listening to it. You might hear something as too quiet while I think it’s nice and mellow, and we’re both correct in our own personal way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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