Acoustic Newb

Comment

Comment by Arlie Box on April 20, 2012 at 11:56pm

Well Stan,

I guess we need to get Scott, over here to lend a hand, and perhaps a few of the regulars at JoyG's & GuitarBQ too.

Sounds like the starting of another group
Kentuckiana (sp?) Guitar Pickers :)

I know I live here, But I usually just say Indiana lol

Comment by Walt Pilcher on April 20, 2012 at 10:03pm

Welcome to the group, Stan.  And thanks to Arlie for inviting you.  You are doing a good thing by hosting a monthly session.  I've certainly gained a lot from the weekly music circle hosted by Vance Archer, a talented acoustic string musician here in Greensboro, NC, so I appreciate how important it is.  Like yours, everybody's welcome.  Vance says, "If you show up twice, you're automatically in the band."  And that was true for me even before I could play more than one chord per song.

Comment by Stan Attenberger on April 20, 2012 at 9:31pm

Thanks, Arlie, for inviting me to join this discussion. The monthly Songwriter GuitarBQ is at my house, but it wasn't my idea.  My friend Scott Murray Bate was involved in a similar thing in Nashville, TN, and he was looking for someone to host it.  Peggy and I are delighted to be able to do it.  It has inspired my songwriting and I always pick up guitar playing ideas from people like Arlie.  You probably need somebody like Scott that really promotes the event and keeps bringing newcomers.  We enjoy having all skill levels, but I think that part of our success is due to having some really good songwriter/players that keep showing up.  They enjoy visiting with each other and eating the wonderful food that everybody brings.  And they inspire the rest of us and keep the NewBs coming back.  We don't ever tell anybody that they are not welcome.  We were afraid that throngs of people would show up to see free entertainment, but it hasn't been like that.  It's been going on for a year, and we continue to get a good mix of people.

Comment by TheValleyGirl on April 12, 2012 at 6:33am

I'd say a couple of each :)

Comment by Walt Pilcher on April 12, 2012 at 6:16am

Welcome to the group, Aubrey Brawley of Waterloo, Ontario.  We hope you will enjoy the group.  All 400+ of us have benefitted from it whether new players or veterans.

Comment by Edward Sparks on April 9, 2012 at 7:35am

For those of you who do not get these emails from Acoustic Guitar...

April 6, 2012

Guitar Shopping: Acoustic vs. Acoustic-Electric

Q: What should I consider in choosing between a straight acoustic, and an acoustic-electric?
A: In recent years, amplification systems for acoustic guitars have gone from being an option to being practically standard equipment. In many cases, manufacturers have simply added pickups to their existing acoustic models, and the acoustic properties of the instruments are not affected by the retrofitting. But many other instruments are designed from the ground up with amplification in mind, and they strike a compromise between acoustic and electric sound: they tend to be thinner bodied and have less unplugged volume, but they can sound great plugged in and be more trouble-free onstage.

So your choice really hinges on whether the acoustic or amplified sound is more important to you. What do you see yourself doing with this instrument, now and down the road? Margie Mirken of Shade Tree Stringed Instruments says that from her perspective “the most important things are tone and playability, so a pickup system takes a backseat. If a student thinks it's fun to plug in and make a big sound even before he or she is ready to get a gig, so much the better. Have a blast. But I also see people who've bought a really bad guitar (bad tone, back neck angle, bad frets, horrible playability) with a pickup system, and it's apparent that the manufacturer put all the money into the electronics. The student is really loud but sounds terrible.”

In the end, you are buying a guitar first and a pickup system second, and you need to make sure the guitar is a good one that you can grow with. Keep in mind that pickup systems can be very easily and inexpensively added to acoustic instruments, so if you are not sure you want or need to plug in, you should get the best straight acoustic you can and see how your interests develop over time. Also remember that amplification technology is changing constantly. Acoustic-electric guitars with built-in pickup systems, especially those with control panels cut into the side of the instruments, commit you to the current technology, so you may be better off with a system that can be added, removed, and upgraded as your needs change.

Comment by Walt Pilcher on April 5, 2012 at 5:15am

David Brockman, welcome to the group.  I see you've been playing for awhile.  We love having more experienced players such as yourself because we all learn from each other.  Hope you enjoy the group.

Comment by Walt Pilcher on April 1, 2012 at 1:06pm

Welcome to the group, Julie Clark!  Hope you will find it fun.  I see you have a Taylor 410.  I'm sure you like it as much as I like my 210e. 

Comment by Seamus1967 on March 18, 2012 at 5:21pm

Thanks Walt!

Comment by Walt Pilcher on March 17, 2012 at 9:41am

Welcome, new member Seamus1967 from Wales, UK.  Hope you will enjoy the group!

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