loudest acoustic guitar possible?

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by macmanmatty

I'm hoping to have a guitar than I can fingerpick with no picks used unplugged and compete with a fiddle, upright bass, mandolin, or banjo with no picks used.

Come on, dude, are you serious? I hope not.

On the off-chance you are, here's your answer: have a pickup installed or use an instrument mic to amplify. No other options.

[GuitarDogs62]

I was attending a MOAM events this past year in South Jersey. A man who really could play finger style and make it sound great and could barely notice his fingers were moving played a Collings. At first due to a large room a few people said that he should mic up so all could hear him without crowding around. The man said just sit right where you are and listen. Boy did that guitar ring and just blow the crowd away. It was the loudest guitar I ever heard finger picked and un-mic'd. When he put just a tad of effort with a strum the sound was huge. The volume as stated was the loudest I ever heard but the clarity of each note rang out and sounded beautiful. This Collings blew away all the D-18's I ever heard. Sorry that I did not get the model, but he did tell me it was Collings top of the line Dread.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Athens

I would look to one of the old arch back Guilds.

Agreed--they were true canons, almost too loud. But even there the OP is not going to compete well with banjos if he limits himself to fingerstyle.

[nickv6]

Loudest guitar I ever played was a real Maccaferri D hole. Ludicrously loud.
Not really good for fingerpicking though.
Nick

[Sonics]

The back has to be braced in a way that it does not vibrate, but reflects the sound back into the top. You can enhance this reflection with an arched, or in the case of Ovation, 'bowl' back. This is know as the 'single diaphragm' design and guitars based on this design are canons.

[donlyn]

Originally Posted by fazool

I always thought the Gibson Super Jumbo line was designed specifically to be really loud.

I too think it was designed to be loud. Thank you Ray Whitley

Originally Posted by fazool

The loudest guitar I ever played was a newly introduced Taylor 818 (their biggest guitar).

I have a Gibson J 200 (spruce over rosewood) which is pretty loud, and I also have a Taylor 818e Grand Orchestra (spruce over rosewood) which is even louder. Previously I wrote,

Anybody know what the DB level is for a Taylor 458e-R 12 string Grand Orchestra?

It's spruce over rosewood, it's very loud, and it's my entry for this thread.

Well, the 458e-R 12 String is the loudest of these three. And it's always under my control, even with all 12 strings humming.

Don

.

[macmanmatty]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

Agreed--they were true canons, almost too loud. But even there the OP is not going to compete well with banjos if he limits himself to fingerstyle.

even banjos played claw hammer or WITHOUT finger picks? But that aside could I compete with acoustic basses , mandolins, violins, or other flat picked guitars?

[D. Churchland]

Originally Posted by macmanmatty

even banjos played claw hammer or WITHOUT finger picks? But that aside could I compete with acoustic basses , mandolins, violins, or other flat picked guitars?

You will not be able to compete with any of those instruments with a regular wood body guitar in pretty much any size venue.

Some advice.

1. Resophonics were designed because wood topped guitars were simply not loud enough for the venues in which people played at the time. A resonator guitar (something like a National Reso-Rocket) is loud enough to busk with provided you play hard and with a thick pick.

2. Amps really do work.

3. Acoustic pickups are worth the time and effort to invest in.

4. You are never going to be loud enough to meet your demands you listed in the OP playing a guitar fingerstyle.

5. A Gypsy Jazz guitar is a much louder guitar. But it is still not going to be enough if you're playing fingerstyle.

Here's your options. Get a guitar, get a good pickup put in it, get a good amp, go out and play. Trying to be as loud as an amplified acoustic with just a plain jane acoustic is simply not going to happen.

[musicman1951]

Loudest guitar I ever played was a D-28 Authentic 1937. Beautiful tone as well. You could get a lot of volume out of it with fingers if you use plenty of pressure on the medium strings.

[macmanmatty]

Originally Posted by Will Kirk

You will not be able to compete with any of those instruments with a regular wood body guitar in pretty much any size venue.

I know this when I play live at a gig I use a pick up because I have to or I won't be heard ( even my resonator banjo ,with a tone ring ,medium strings and heavy fingers picks can't be heard with out amplification ). Now, some places can mic my acoustics fairly decently but most can't even do that . The loud guitar is for acoustic jams. But I would put a pick up in it and use it to play live gigs too.

Originally Posted by Will Kirk

You
1. Resophonics were designed because wood topped guitars were simply not loud enough for the venues in which people played at the time. A resonator guitar (something like a National Reso-Rocket) is loud enough to busk with provided you play hard and with a thick pick.

I want my guitar to sound like a guitar not a resonator.

Originally Posted by Will Kirk

2. Amps really do work.

Yes they do. Pa's Work too.

Originally Posted by Will Kirk

3. Acoustic pickups are worth the time and effort to invest in.

This I know.

Originally Posted by Will Kirk

4. You are never going to be loud enough to meet your demands you listed in the OP playing a guitar fingerstyle.

really, so for acoustic jams should I try to get better with finger picks on guitar with a slightly different style or will I still get drown out by the rest of the pack? According to my DB measurements my picking with and with out the finger picks was about the same.

Originally Posted by Will Kirk

5. A Gypsy Jazz guitar is a much louder guitar. But it is still not going to be enough if you're playing fingerstyle.

what is a Gypsy jazz guitar? an Arch Top?

Originally Posted by Will Kirk

Here's your options. Get a guitar, get a good pickup put in it, get a good amp, go out and play. Trying to be as loud as an amplified acoustic with just a plain jane acoustic is simply not going to happen.

Does an micing an acoustic amp produce more natural guitar sound than a PA system would?

[J Patrick]

..if I was fingerpicking guitar in an ensemble with other stringed instruments (which I have done occasionally)...and wanted to be heard I would go with a guitar that “cuts” through the mix...it’s not really so much about volume as it is about finding your spot in that situation....

...it’s been my experience and observation that archtops, resonators, and smaller bodied guitars can be used more effectively in that situation than dreads and jumbos...that and an understanding of dynamics amongst the players...if you’re talking about attending the local bluegrass jam...i wish you well and recommend taking up flat picking...

[D. Churchland]

Originally Posted by macmanmatty

I want my guitar to sound like a guitar not a resonator.

A resonator is a guitar

Originally Posted by macmanmatty

really, so for acoustic jams should I try to get better with finger picks on guitar with a slightly different style or will I still get drown out by the rest of the pack? According to my DB measurements my picking with and with out the finger picks was about the same.

Why ask the question if you already have the answer from your Db meter?

Originally Posted by macmanmatty

what is a Gypsy jazz guitar? an Arch Top?

3 seconds of work produced this

https://www.google.com/search?q=gyps...w=1600&bih=789

Originally Posted by macmanmatty

Does an micing an acoustic amp produce more natural guitar sound than a PA system would?

No, it would be the sound of the amp being mic'd.

You started this thread on June 25th. It is now Nov. 30th and there are 70+ posts into this discussion. We know "what" you want but I think the more important thing to know is "why" you want this.

If you don't know why you want this, forget this death by analysis thing and just play with an amp. If you don't want to do that, you have already had good advice on what kind of guitar to pursue.

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by jojobean39

I’ve never heard anything louder than a McPherson 5.0.

I know what you’re referring to and when you hear one of these it’s very impressive.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by macmanmatty

so what would be the most responsive top? Adirondack Spruce? Hemlock? Butternut, aspen, basswood? I know some of those may be to weak to be used as guitar tops but I want responsive. I may be having a friend make me one my number one priority is volume!! But if there is a LOUD guitar all ready on the market I may take a look.

I'm hoping to have a guitar than I can fingerpick with no picks used unplugged and compete with a fiddle, upright bass, mandolin, or banjo with no picks used.

Matty,
It's got little or nothing to do with the guitar.

Pick your fiddle player, bassist, mandolinist & banjo players wisely.

If they're ensemble-playing-listeners, as well as accomplished players, you'll be fine, but I'd still consider a 6 string banjo if you're bent on no picks.

HE

[fray]

The loudest for me has been a Takamine TF 340s bg.