The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 05-12-2016, 09:33 AM
brencat's Avatar
brencat brencat is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 7,642
Default

Some bluegrass, aggressive strumming of classic rock and church music, and some fingerpicking like Dust in the Wind and others. I'll also capo the neck at the 2nd and 3rd to get a sense if the guitar gets thin sounding when capoed. This diversity allows me to quickly assess what kind of an 'all-arounder' the guitar is likely to be. If it is weak in one area, I can then more easily decide if it can compete with something else in my stable that covers the same ground. But typically I like every guitar I buy to be as versatile in all styles as possible.
__________________
Merrill | Martin | Collings | Gibson

For Sale: 2023 Collings D2H 1 3/4 Nut, Adi Bracing, NTB -- $4250 shipped
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 05-12-2016, 09:38 AM
DanR DanR is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: St. Clair Shores, MI
Posts: 2,525
Default

I usually play "Blackbird" or "You and Your Sister" (by the late great Chris Bell) to see how the guitar sounds with fingerpicking. For strumming, it's usually "Tell Me Why" by Neil Young. I kinda chuckled about what people must have thought when I was auditioning OM's when I bought my OM-28 or dreadnaughts when I bought my HD-28. I was at Elderly Instruments both times going from guitar to guitar playing the exact same thing over and over. "Is that all he knows?"
__________________
===================================
'07 Gibson J-45 '68 Reissue (Fuller's)
'18 Martin 00-18
'18 Martin GP-28E
'65 Epiphone Zenith archtop
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 05-12-2016, 09:58 AM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,829
Default

At this point in time because I want something on the mellow side I will play E A7 B7 with blues licks overlayed.
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 05-12-2016, 10:36 AM
musicman1951 musicman1951 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 4,994
Default

In a word: everything. I play it soft, loud, high and low. I do some finger picking. I flat pick a few chords - although I have yet to find a high rent guitar that can't handle that. I play some very fast things to see how that works/feels.

I also finger pick chords with a descending chromatic bass line to see what happens when I get to the Ab on the 6th string. On many smaller bodies I find the lack of resonance/volume disturbing.
__________________
Keith
Martin 000-42 Marquis
Taylor Classical
Alvarez 12 String
Gibson ES345s
Fender P-Bass
Gibson tenor banjo
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 05-12-2016, 02:53 PM
Fred Fred is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,840
Default

I like to play tunes in all the significant guitar keys...C,D,E,G,A. That usually manages to get me around most of the fretboard.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 05-12-2016, 04:26 PM
Pitar Pitar is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,129
Default

Elton John's Funeral For A Friend. It tasks the neck's playability and intonation. These days, though, it's rare I'll actually touch a guitar at a store. I'm pretty set with what I already have. I'm there usually just to buy strings.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 05-12-2016, 06:59 PM
Ed C. Ed C. is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 582
Default

I'll play some Travis style picking, followed by some melodic finger style to see what the guitar likes. Even if I hate the guitar, I'll try some Blues, flatpicking, etc. to see if something hits my tastes. I remember years ago, playing a guitar that I absolutely hated, I found a style of music that made the guitar okay.

As an aside, I like my guitars to excel in different areas and not sound the same. Although, all my guitars have fat trebles, good response and great playability.
__________________
Blanchard
Baranik
Claxton
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 05-12-2016, 07:36 PM
Orfeas Orfeas is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Lake Tahoe
Posts: 2,048
Default

I test intonation, play simple scales throughout the fretboard, checking sustain. I usually play some small tunes that I wrote, both for fingerstyle and flatpick.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 05-12-2016, 07:51 PM
jjracer jjracer is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Chicagoland area
Posts: 719
Default

After checking intonation and playability up the neck if I really like the guitar I have the salesman or a friend play the guitar and I walk out front to listen.

Then if I am still liking the guitar and it has electronics, I'll plug it in. Then I decide if it comes home with me.
__________________
jjracer: if I'm not here.... I am somewhere else...

guitars? yep still have some
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 05-12-2016, 08:09 PM
000JB 000JB is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: N33W086
Posts: 307
Default

I like to play the same thing, usually fingerpicking on the guitars I'm trying to see if a I can hear any differences.
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 05-13-2016, 06:52 AM
AmericanEagle AmericanEagle is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,502
Default

Stairway To Heaven

and I don't care one bit how that has become a joke

I still do it every time anyway.
__________________
Be nice.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 05-13-2016, 07:27 AM
Long Jon Long Jon is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: London UK
Posts: 9,231
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AmericanEagle View Post
Stairway To Heaven

and I don't care one bit how that has become a joke

I still do it every time anyway.
Well said AE ! I'm a staunch "Smoke on the Water" man m'self.
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 05-13-2016, 07:35 AM
SFCRetired's Avatar
SFCRetired SFCRetired is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Mid Missouri
Posts: 4,530
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AmericanEagle View Post
Stairway To Heaven

and I don't care one bit how that has become a joke

I still do it every time anyway.
Thanks for keeping it alive. We need you folks so we can keep the joke alive.
__________________
Some Martins
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 05-13-2016, 08:03 AM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: North of the Golden Gate, South of the Redwoods, East of the Pacific and West of the Sierras
Posts: 10,571
Default

I also usually play whatever I am working on at the moment. But I do have a few favorite chord sequences that go up the neck that I always like to try out on any guitar that I play. It is a good way for me to hear in short order how both the bass and trebles respond what kind of dynamics I can pull. Of course, it is best if I have a friend with me who plays the guitar better than I do. I think that my lack of technique and playing skills do not always reflect how good the guitar may actually be.

Best,
Jayne
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 05-13-2016, 10:33 AM
ecadad ecadad is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 18
Default

I usually do the riff from the U2 song "In A Little While", and then I'll do C-Em strumming with hammer-ons. I also just strum whatever chords come to mind and do a tiny bit of scales. Also depends what I've been playing or working on recently.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:49 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=