Acoustic Tone Recommendations

[Keith7940236]

I have been really enjoying playing my Eagle TDC and Prospect, however I am also interested in finding an archtop that I can use acoustically for fingerstyle music. I know that there are HOC owners that play acoustically and was looking for advice concerning body size, tone woods, etc. I realize that I am treading on thin ice in terms of personal opinion, but I would like to hear about fellow Heritage owners experiences.

 

Thanks, as always I really appreciate the information, this is a great board and I have enjoyed reading everyone's posts.

 

Keith.

[Ned]

Like others have said here, the sweet 16 is essentially an acoustic instrument that happens to have a pick up. I have been tempted to try mine with phosphor bronze. I am pretty biased on this, and my experience is limited, but spruce top, no mounted pick up, x-brace, long scale....how can you not have killer tone? I like mahogany topped guitars too, not too many Heritages like that out there.

 

I'm a bit surprised the Eagle isn't giving you every thing you want. Have you tried her with PB rounds? It might be $8 well spent.

[Keith7940236]

Thanks Ned, the Eagle TDC that I have does have a mahogany top. It's a thin line model with two pups, so it doesn't have a lot of acoustic sound.

[Kuz]

For pure acoustic tone with any kind of volume, I would get a Golden Eagle or to a lesser extent a Sweet 16. BUT IN MY OPINION, WHAT EVER ARCHTOP YOU CHOOSE IT NEEDS TO HAVE A FLOATER PICKUP, not an installed routed Humbucker.. This is the only way to get appreciable acoustic volume. The routed Humbucker will greatly decrease any unamplified acoustic volume.

 

Personally, I believe arch tops are meant to be played through an amp, so I use my flat top acoustics for acoustic unamplified playing. I do sometimes practice for short periods with the arch tops not plugged in, but flat tops sound better for pure acoustic playing, in my opinion.

[Ned]

Thanks Ned, the Eagle TDC that I have does have a mahogany top. It's a thin line model with two pups, so it doesn't have a lot of acoustic sound.

 

Sounds like a very nice guitar. I am fond of mahogany. In my gallery you'll find and old all mahogany Kay and I have an early sixties guild m20 that sounds as big as all outdoors. Funny, I don't play either any more.....

[morg21279]

I owned a tap-tuned super eagle - an acoustic monster. I used DR zebras- bronze for acoustic, nickel for electric.