I've changed my mind about overtones!

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

The downhill skier looks to have good form. As far as the guitar goes…
I’m hearing a bit of sustain and a warm tone with great note separation. It’s a very pleasing combo. Nice playing.
Best,
Jayne

Hi Jayne, the photo was me telemark skiing on Senja Island north of the Artic Circle in Norway last year. I was back ski touring there with my wife two weeks ago. Such beautiful mountains to climb, and then you can ski back to the beach!

I think that you have described the guitar perfectly! It's what I hear too.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by L50EF15

This gives me ideas for business plans for which I donÂ’t have the capital, but I will start a new thread in the Archtop or Builders subforums.

I'll look out for your post.

Originally Posted by mike in lytle

I am not a skilled listener, but I liked your playing.
Mike

Thanks Mike. I played the kick-offs followed by the instrumental breaks I arranged from two songs that I know well enough to sing by heart at parties, sessions, campfires etc. The first one is Diana Jones by Jonathan Byrd and the second is Midnight on the Stormy Deep (mostly stolen from various Doc Watson recordings).

I play everything from open chord shapes and use a capo a lot for pitching the singing key. My playing style is very simple - sort of the way Maybelle Carter or Woodie Guthrie or John Prine would accompany themselves with guitar.

Originally Posted by HogsNRoses

Hi Robin,

Nice sound playing! I donÂ’t think IÂ’m hearing a lot of overtones. However, itÂ’s fairly simple to measure your overtones with a spectrum analyzer like the Decibel X app for iPhone.

TLDR: our brain knows the difference between an E on a bass and an E on the guitar from the mixture of harmonics - the guitarÂ’s E is missing the 120Hz tone, for instance.

I can understand that. If it wasn't for the harmonics and dynamics then every guitar would sound like a midi generated plain tone.

[A Scot in Otley]

I like that sound you're getting for the type of music you're playing. I've been humming and hawing a bit about getting an archtop. I don't really get into flat picking stuff, but I think that sound - woody with short sustain (like a giant mandolin ) suits that stuff just dandy, and makes me want to have a go. I've a self penned song that I'm looking to do something different on. Got a question for you, Robin. Is your Godin 5th just an acoustic? I've only seen one used (still for sale) without a P90 in it - a shallower body than I imagined - looks more like a semi acoustic body width. Seller says it was made in Canada. Would that be the type you have?

PS - anything I should look out for in a used 5th?

Cheers

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by A Scot in Otley

I like that sound you're getting for the type of music you're playing. I've been humming and hawing a bit about getting an archtop. I don't really get into flat picking stuff, but I think that sound - woody with short sustain (like a giant mandolin ) suits that stuff just dandy, and makes me want to have a go. I've a self penned song that I'm looking to do something different on. Got a question for you, Robin. Is your Godin 5th just an acoustic? I've only seen one used (still for sale) without a P90 in it - a shallower body than I imagined - looks more like a semi acoustic body width. Seller says it was made in Canada. Would that be the type you have?

PS - anything I should look out for in a used 5th?

Cheers

Yes, I have the purely acoustic version. Steve DeRosa here on AGF is the font of all knowledge on these guitars as he has both he acoustic and pick-up fitted versions. He thinks that the acoustic version is better when played purely acoustically.

When buying, there are two models of the acoustic version. The very early ones had a glued on neck - I have heard of these joints failing. But most have a bolt on neck. It is easy to see the heads of the two bolts through the F holes - they look like the bolts from Ikea furniture!

Also, the factory fitted Tusq bridge works great with the pick-up versions but is disappointing on the acoustic version - it is quite brash acoustically. Steve pointed me towards buying an adjustable rosewood bridge. There are plenty quite cheap on Ebay. You will need to fit and shape one. Not difficult, as there are videos on YouTube showing how to fit an archtop guitar bridge, but it does take time - probably a whole afternoon.

The guitar doesn't come alive until you put medium gauge strings on it. And monel 13-56s (Martin MM13) seem to work the best. Plus they last forever.

They are quite thin bodied guitars but still seem to pack a punch. I get more than enough power to play mine just with a mic' at gigs. Here's a short clip of it in action at a one-off scratch band gig I did with a few friends just before Christmas:

[A Scot in Otley]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

Yes, I have the purely acoustic version. Steve DeRosa here on AGF is the font of all knowledge on these guitars as he has both he acoustic and pick-up fitted versions. He thinks that the acoustic version is better when played purely acoustically.

When buying, there are two models of the acoustic version. The very early ones had a glued on neck - I have heard of these joints failing. But most have a bolt on neck. It is easy to see the heads of the two bolts through the F holes - they look like the bolts from Ikea furniture!

Also, the factory fitted Tusq bridge works great with the pick-up versions but is disappointing on the acoustic version - it is quite brash acoustically. Steve pointed me towards buying an adjustable rosewood bridge. There are plenty quite cheap on Ebay. You will need to fit and shape one. Not difficult, as there are videos on YouTube showing how to fit an archtop guitar bridge, but it does take time - probably a whole afternoon.

The guitar doesn't come alive until you put medium gauge strings on it. And monel 13-56s (Martin MM13) seem to work the best. Plus they last forever.

They are quite thin bodied guitars but still seem to pack a punch. I get more than enough power to play mine just with a mic' at gigs. Here's a short clip of it in action at a one-off scratch band gig I did with a few friends just before Christmas:

Thanks, Robin. That information is very helpful indeed, and you looked like you were really enjoying yourself. As regards the depth, it looks slightly deeper on your photo and video (must just have been the angle of the pic I saw). I'm angling slowly towards taking a punt ... and digging up my flat pickin' plectrums. ... I've found another for sale: two to choose from ...

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by A Scot in Otley

Thanks, Robin. That information is very helpful indeed, and you looked like you were really enjoying yourself. As regards the depth, it looks slightly deeper on your photo and video (must just have been the angle of the pic I saw). I'm angling slowly towards taking a punt ... and digging up my flat pickin' plectrums. ... I've found another for sale: two to choose from ...

I can pretty much guarantee that you are going to hate the guitar at first strum!!! Then you'll do a bit of work on it - and still hate it. Then gradually you'll start to find its voice and go...Mmmmm.....hang on a minute, there is something wonderful in this box somewhere....

And then you are going to love it!

[A Scot in Otley]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

I can pretty much guarantee that you are going to hate the guitar at first strum!!! Then you'll do a bit of work on it - and still hate it. Then gradually you'll start to find its voice and go...Mmmmm.....hang on a minute, there is something wonderful in this box somewhere....

And then you are going to love it!

I shall gird my loins in preparation. No gain without pain:

[Deliberate1]

I just hear unabashed honesty from both guitar and guitarist.

David

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by Deliberate1

I just hear unabashed honesty from both guitar and guitarist.

David

David, that's very humbling feedback. Thank you.

[sinistral]

Lovely playing!

“Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t.” I’ve always loved this clip of Herbert von Karajan and Yehudi Menuhin demonstrating the difference in tone when bowing a string "open" vs. "fingerboard" in a rehearsal. The tone played by the orchestra is haunting:

https://www.instagram.com/before_reh...l/C3OP41LIX6X/

Of course, they’re playing the same instruments and not different ones, but the concept is similar. For certain styles of playing, one either wants a guitar with overtones, or one doesn’t. I can’t imagine a tune like this played on a Goodall: