Boxy?

[rlgph]

Can someone describe more fully what people mean when they say such and such a small guitar's tonal quality is "boxy"?

[TRose]

To my mind it means lacking resonance and sustain.
Here is a more in-depth discussion from last summer with a link to a sound engineer’s input:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=621788

[Jaxon]

the good opinion or bad opinions

[KevWind]

sorry could not resist

[steelvibe]

Opposite of “airy”; lacking overtones and/or sustain. Usually but not always an issue with smaller guitars/ budget guitars, and or smells, sounds, or looks like cardboard.

[generalliamsayn]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

Opposite of “airy”; lacking overtones and/or sustain.

I agree with the above and would also add 'mid-rangy'.

When I think of 'boxy', I think mostly of old and often cheap models of ladder-braced guitars, like my '39 Stella.

IMO, 'boxy' is good for when it's the sound you're seeking - like old-timey blues and folk.

[Br1ck]

It means it sounds small, which they are. I have a Pono that is just great for fingerstyle blues. It's boxy, yet another term that has taken a negative meaning for no good reason. Different is just different.

[ewalling]

For me, 'boxy' describes the sound that small guitars make. No matter how sweet the sound, a small guitar 'box' sounds like a small guitar box. It has a small space in which the air can move, and this produces a sound that reflects this - sort of constricted and bound.

Contrast that with a big box, as in a dread, and we get the opposite. The sound is open and full.

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by rlgph

Can someone describe more fully what people mean when they say such and such a small guitar's tonal quality is "boxy"?

Just imagine singing inside a hall. . .

and then imagine singing in your room.

Obviously, a small guitar encapsules the sound more than a big guitar. The spectrum of the sound will be narrower, probably less bass and less treble, but plenty of mids.

A person who loves big strumming chord would probably dislike that boxiness. A jazz or blues player would LOVE it.

[min7b5]

Pronounced midrange, usually around 500K, plus or minus 100hz. Most people are familiar with with a "smiley face" curve -"boxy" is the opposite.

Lacking the extended bass and reach into higher treble range that makes what some of think of a sort of mini baby grand piano vibe of a great steelstring. On the other hand a boxy guitar might be just thing to cut through a dence mix or make slide sing like a voice..

[PTL]

Boxy, for me, is when poor quality small guitars often have a limited dynamic range and when you push it hard, it does not give any more volume.

[musicman1951]

Boxy is a lack of depth and sustain, with an overemphasis on mids. I've unfortunately played plenty of Mahogany dreads that were boxy sounding (well, unfortunate for me as I don't play a style that benefits from that sound). Most of these were well used with strings of an unknown age, which no doubt didn't help.

A few minutes ago I listened to a NGD video from Jonnymosco with his Bown 00. It's a pretty small guitar and it's anything but boxy.

[Mr. Jelly]

Originally Posted by min7b5

Pronounced midrange, usually around 500K, plus or minus 100hz. Most people are familiar with with a "smiley face" curve -"boxy" is the opposite.

Lacking the extended bass and reach into higher treble range that makes what some of think of a sort of mini baby grand piano vibe of a great steelstring. On the other hand a boxy guitar might be just thing to cut through a dence mix or make slide sing like a voice..

You nailed it!

[CASD57]

Go pound on a empty cereal box... lol
I can't give technical ligo but it's hollow sounding one dimensional...boring but it does make you a better player as your brain tries to make it sound better through your hands and technic

[jaymarsch]

Yeah, I have always had a hard time describing what exactly “boxy” sounds like. I know it when I hear it and do notice it more on smaller and more inexpensive guitars than other guitars. It sounds like the notes kind of die before they ever get out of the sound hole. There’s sort of a dull echo effect to my ears. Boxy, to me, has nothing to do with scooped mids or mid-range presence, it is all how the guitar lacks a certain responsiveness and projection.
See, I warned you. Not good at describing it. LOL!
Best,
Jayne