onewilyfool Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Although I'll admit there is a nice rush playing a powerful Jumbo or Dread guitar....there is something extraordinary about a good small body guitar. I think ounce for ounce and inch for inch the small body guitar out performs their larger cousins in sound, tone, and volume...AND....they are very comfortable to play. You may have to work a smaller body more to get all the best sounds out of her, but when you get to know her, there is no guitar that is more fun and rewarding to play. Not a guitar to take to a jam with 6 dreadnaughts playing at the same time....but a wonderful experience for a solo player, which is what I do most of the time. With the fun factor, the comfort factor, and the tone factor, I find myself reaching for the small body most of the time........how about you??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Wily, How "small" is "small"? Does OOO/OM size count, or do you mean "really" small guitars? I happen to think the OOO/OM is a great all-around guitar, provided, as you say, you aren't trying to compete with a bunch of dreads. But it's not very small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 Wily, How "small" is "small"? Does OOO/OM size count, or do you mean "really" small guitars? I happen to think the OOO/OM is a great all-around guitar, provided, as you say, you aren't trying to compete with a bunch of dreads. But it's not very small. For me Nick..."Small Body" in MArtin Parlance is 00 and smaller, and in Gibson terms L-00 and smaller. I agree with you 000/OM is the best all a-rounder, and a good one can hold it's own against larger guitars, but the smaller body guitar is still my favorite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markini Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Purchased a an Eric Clapton Martin small body guitar, I think scale length is 24.9". Played it a week and returned it, I did not like it. On the other hand I have a very small body guitar a Taylor GS mini and that guitar is outstanding, had good tone and really projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratch47 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 For me Nick..."Small Body" in MArtin Parlance is 00 and smaller, and in Gibson terms L-00 and smaller. I agree with you 000/OM is the best all a-rounder, and a good one can hold it's own against larger guitars, but the smaller body guitar is still my favorite! Great post. I favor my OM as related to a full size dred/jumbo. It is much more comfortable and somehow intimate as a novice singer/songwriter. The L-00 is on my wish list... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I totally agree. Not all guitar playing calls for a big dreadnought sound with gobs of bass and metallic chimes. I played an L-00 Pro at GC a few weeks back, and it makes a lovely, lovely sound. My little vintage LG-1 too. I tend to agree on size. A Martin 000 is pretty good sized, you need a 00 to feel 'small'. In Gibson, the 00 are a nice small guitar, perfect for curling up in the easy chair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 O , Oo , OOO 's , l's , lg's . i have a 45 . i know a hummingbird . a j200 . there seems to b a whole family of small guitars . any chance of a picture ? so i can relate ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Good for around the house and solo gigs. Might get lost at a hoot or with a string band. That said, I remember (this is waaay back)being at a song circle with a 60s CW that did not cut through at all, while a guy with a L00 did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I wish they would do a 1934 L2 14 fret like the Original with a Rosewood back and side and the Jester on the peg head.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 Here are the "babies": 1923 Gibson L-2, 2000 Tacoma P-1, 1900 Washburn,1953 Gibson CF-100, 1860's Bruno Parlor, 1994 Gibson L-20, Martin 00-18V custom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 That CF-100 is on my bucket list. In fact, there is a Guild along those lines, and now that Ren might be helping steer that ship, I will be watching. I'll find a jpeg of it ASAP. Here it is, its the F-47RC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 That F-47RC, Danner is a pretty big bodied guitar......The Cf-100 is like an LG-2 with a cut-away...The L-20 is Nick Lucas body size... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I'm 'Allured'! Can you make a little audio demo of those guitars of yours for us, Wily? Perhaps play the same short tune with each guitar? I don't know which one I would fight for, but I think all of them! After the Kenny Sultan thing, I am eying your 00-18v, but the others are great too. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double0blues Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 And here are my two 00s again - a 1995 L-00 and a 1937 L-00 Legend. I haven't played my Southern Jumbo, or anything else much, for that matter, since I got the Legend - I'll probably sell my others and just keep these two - maybe set up the '95 just for slide... Small bodies just suit me - love 'em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 A lower bout of up to 14.75" takes in alot of guitars there Hoss. But I'm in. First up - a 1929-31 Oscar Schmidt First Hawaiin Conservatory of Music concert. Pretty much a standard Stella - all birch, square top kerfing, angled neck heel, arched back - originally set up for lap playing. These were provided free when your ordered lessons from Schmidt's mail order music business. Next we got a mid-1930s May-Bell Style 75 (made by Slingerland). All-mahogany slothead archtop with a lower bout just a tad over 13". How about another round soundhole archtop - a mid-1930s Kay Kraft. One of the last of the Kays to sport the Zorzi adjutsable neck. Not to leave the Gibsons out - a 1946-1947 LG-2 Last but certainly not least a 1932 National Duolian - with a lower bout of 14 1/8" it qualifies. Not pictured late 1920s Regal parlor guitar. I am still putting this one back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 And here are my two 00s again - a 1995 L-00 and a 1937 L-00 Legend. I haven't played my Southern Jumbo, or anything else much, for that matter, since I got the Legend - I'll probably sell my others and just keep these two - maybe set up the '95 just for slide... Small bodies just suit me - love 'em! those are beautys! am also droolin at wily's L20 . the more i see / hear these small bodied gits on here the more i like 'em . bluesking777 has a couple tunes uploaded . you have a SJ , which would give me somethin to relate to . how do the smaller ones compare in volume ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Well, Bluesking....here is the L-2 and the Bruno......I will make other vids soon.....What I like about the above "smalls" is that no two sound even remotely alike.....t's like having a golf bag full of tones.....ahhhhh gotta love them small bodies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Well, Bluesking....here is the L-2 and the Bruno......I will make other vids soon.....What I like about the above "smalls" is that no two sound even remotely alike.....t's like having a golf bag full of tones.....ahhhhh gotta love them small bodies! thangew . thangewvurrymush totally brilliant wily . you shoulda worn the jumpsuit though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Well, Bluesking....here is the L-2 and the Bruno......I will make other vids soon.....What I like about the above "smalls" is that no two sound even remotely alike.....t's like having a golf bag full of tones.....ahhhhh gotta love them small bodies! Thanks Wily, I have seen those, thanks, really nice. But, I am keen to hear the flat-top L30 next to the 00-18v! You don't have to do a major production with a video, new clothes and possibly a haircut and shave if you just put the gadget on audio only and strum ex4, ax2, ex2 you get the story, then without turning off gadget grab next guitar ex4, ax2 HAhaHa someone could really do something with those eeeehs, a few of that mysterious yx4.... BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Oh I totally agree. In fact my main 'couch' guitar is my Furch OM. I really enjoy just kicking back on this little beauty, very comnfortable and a killer tone reminiscent of vintage Martins. It has an 'aged' top which basically means it has been treated with enzymes which treat the wood to deliver a very similar structure that you would find in a 70 year old top. It could all be bollocks but this guitar definitely has the vintage look, feel and tone. I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 lol @ it could be bollocks , and you in advertising too ! nice lookin little guitar , any sound clips ? funny place this forum , always wanted a j45 and a hummingbird , have a j45 , but now i'm not sure what my next one would be , bluesking has a lovely sound coming from his , and it looks like it would be great for the couch like you say . i spend a fair amount of time like that if the missus is out , i tend to strum away while i'm staring at the TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 lol @ it could be bollocks , and you in advertising too ! nice lookin little guitar , any sound clips ? funny place this forum , always wanted a j45 and a hummingbird , have a j45 , but now i'm not sure what my next one would be , bluesking has a lovely sound coming from his , and it looks like it would be great for the couch like you say . i spend a fair amount of time like that if the missus is out , i tend to strum away while i'm staring at the TV. I recorded this Radiohead cover with her about a year ago. Listening to it now I feel this guitar has since open up even more and has a deeper tone which Im really diggin'. Below is more of an explanation of the 'aging' process. I believe there is somethign in it. I know the owners son who is involved in the business with his father 'Frantisek Furch' and while it wont substitute 70 years of vibrations, it seems to physically 'evolve' the sitka top to one which would be reminscent of an aged top. Either way I really enjoy this guitar a lot and the tone is constantly evolving. Roger Schmidt, owner and director of Tech Music Marketing, the company who imports the Furch guitars to North America under the Stonebridge name, explains that the "aging" process organically changes the wood in structure and composition to resemble an 80-year-old piece of wood. He said, "The wood is exposed to enzymes and micro-organismst hat eat away everything from the wood that would decay naturally over time. What you are left with is a non-hydro scopic piece of wood that is completely dry and much lighter. It is open and light and produces a tone that is close to that of a vintage instrument." At the International Bluegrass Music Association's annual convention and Fanfest in the fall of 2006 Roger Schmidt exhibited the Stonebridge line of Furch instruments. One of the professional players who was impressed by the instruments on display there was this issue's cover story artist Andy Falco. Andy said, "When I tried the guitars at IBMA they had yet to build a Dreadnought that had undergone the aging process. But I tried two OM models that they had on display. One of the guitars had an aged top and the other didn't. I could really tell the difference." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Where are all the 165 fans in this discussion? I know there are lots out there, I'm one but perhaps bias as living in UK it took me a year to get one and then from USA. Great all round guitar. I play regularly with a Martin D45 the 165 holds up well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markini Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I assume it is the recording medium, though both those tracks were played extremely well, but the sound was tinny, kinda rubberband sounding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest J-Doug Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I played a Robert Johnson L-1 recently that I can't get out of my head! Oh the GAS pains! And wily's L-20 is killing me. I had to pass up a 20th Anniversary here locally. I tried it out for about 15 minutes and my wife and I both agreed it was a great sounding little guitar, but alas I have bills to pay... :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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