Hugokildare
TDPRI Member
Hi I’m about to buy a 48 LG1 as I think it has a great thump to it and good single note clarity as I play Delta blues. If you where to choose an acoustic for finger style blues what would you guys pick.
thanks.
thanks.
Best blues acoustic.
- Thread starter Hugokildare
- Start date
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I would want an old small bodied Gibson - maybe an L00 (I have a couple of modern replicas). I would want (and have) an old Stella six string. I would want (and have a reproduction) Stella 12 string. I would want (and have) either a single cone biscuit or a tricone.
I could probably do it all on a small bodied long scale guitar - 00-17 or -18 but its more fun to have several.
I could probably do it all on a small bodied long scale guitar - 00-17 or -18 but its more fun to have several.
You'll get a bunch of good recommendations here, like the ones above, but TBH - it's not the guitar model - it's the player that counts.
When I'm into picking some old school delta blues, Blind Boy Fuller or Blind Blake, I pick up one of these 3, 31' 0021, 36' Gibson L00 or my 31' 0028. You need to decide on a 12 or 14 fret guitar.
Reknown luthier John Greven builds wonderful L00 style acoustics that are reasonably priced. You don't mention a budget, but if vintage is too much $$$, check out the Waterloo line from Collings, I see them on Reverb from $1500-$1800. If these are still too much $$$ check out the Farida and Recording King guitars available at Elderly.
https://www.elderly.com/collections...da-old-town-series-ot-22-acoustic-guitar-ot22
Hope this helps.
RJ
Reknown luthier John Greven builds wonderful L00 style acoustics that are reasonably priced. You don't mention a budget, but if vintage is too much $$$, check out the Waterloo line from Collings, I see them on Reverb from $1500-$1800. If these are still too much $$$ check out the Farida and Recording King guitars available at Elderly.
https://www.elderly.com/collections...da-old-town-series-ot-22-acoustic-guitar-ot22
Hope this helps.
RJ
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39martind18
Poster Extraordinaire
NICE collection!
jayyj
Tele-Afflicted
These are my two for that style of music.
The L-1 is from 1926, and it's featherweight and H braced, which is a bit like ladder bracing but with longitudinal rather than lateral braces either side of the soundhole. It's a really cool guitar with bags of character, and you have to play it on its terms - it's really easy to overdrive the top so thumb and fingernails are the only real way to get on with it, but it's unbelievably responsive to playing dynamics. Small body L-1s are often referred to as the Robert Johnson guitar because of the iconic photo of RJ, although it's generally accepted that the L-1 in the photo was a studio prop and Johnson owned cheaper ladder braced guitars - the other (phone booth) photo shows him with a Kalamazoo and some contemporaries of his mention him playing a Stella.
The L-00, which is from 1939, is a much more modern feeling guitar. The X brace and larger body dramatically increase overall volume and bass response in particular over the L-1, and for strumming this guitar gives the average modern Gibson J45 a run for its money - it's a very big, strident sounding guitar. Fingerstyle it's more refined and less bright than the L-1, and it takes a little more time to get the top moving so it's not as snappy as the L-1.
I love them both and it's hard to say which is better, really. I think the L-1 is probably the better blues guitar, having some of the better qualities of a ladder braced guitar but also a little more refinement and sweetness. The L-00 is definitely a better all rounder.
I've had a bunch of ladder braced guitars over the years and my favourites have been Kalamazoos, which were made in the Gibson factory as a budget range. The most familiar one was the KG-14 which was an L-00 with ladder bracing and no trussrod (although some actually had trussrods buried inside them, they just aren't accessible) and there was also a rather cute stubbier looking model called the KG-11. If I were starting from scratch today and Delta blues was my target I think a Kalamazoo is probably the way I'd go.
The L-1 is from 1926, and it's featherweight and H braced, which is a bit like ladder bracing but with longitudinal rather than lateral braces either side of the soundhole. It's a really cool guitar with bags of character, and you have to play it on its terms - it's really easy to overdrive the top so thumb and fingernails are the only real way to get on with it, but it's unbelievably responsive to playing dynamics. Small body L-1s are often referred to as the Robert Johnson guitar because of the iconic photo of RJ, although it's generally accepted that the L-1 in the photo was a studio prop and Johnson owned cheaper ladder braced guitars - the other (phone booth) photo shows him with a Kalamazoo and some contemporaries of his mention him playing a Stella.
The L-00, which is from 1939, is a much more modern feeling guitar. The X brace and larger body dramatically increase overall volume and bass response in particular over the L-1, and for strumming this guitar gives the average modern Gibson J45 a run for its money - it's a very big, strident sounding guitar. Fingerstyle it's more refined and less bright than the L-1, and it takes a little more time to get the top moving so it's not as snappy as the L-1.
I love them both and it's hard to say which is better, really. I think the L-1 is probably the better blues guitar, having some of the better qualities of a ladder braced guitar but also a little more refinement and sweetness. The L-00 is definitely a better all rounder.
I've had a bunch of ladder braced guitars over the years and my favourites have been Kalamazoos, which were made in the Gibson factory as a budget range. The most familiar one was the KG-14 which was an L-00 with ladder bracing and no trussrod (although some actually had trussrods buried inside them, they just aren't accessible) and there was also a rather cute stubbier looking model called the KG-11. If I were starting from scratch today and Delta blues was my target I think a Kalamazoo is probably the way I'd go.
Mike Simpson
Doctor of Teleocity
For me it's the Lightnin Hopkins sound.... Gibson J45 / J50 round shouldered dreadnought, I have a 49 and a 62. I also have an old L-OO
The Martin sound is more suited to bluegrass to me. I don't care for acoustic archtops for blues unless they have a P90... but if someone can really play, it does not matter what they are playing except maybe an ovation, they sound bad.
And then Muddy Waters invented electricity...
The Martin sound is more suited to bluegrass to me. I don't care for acoustic archtops for blues unless they have a P90... but if someone can really play, it does not matter what they are playing except maybe an ovation, they sound bad.
And then Muddy Waters invented electricity...
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Hereandthere
Tele-Meister
I have a friend that has a Gibson L50 archtop. No pickup version. The guitar is very loud and sweet, oh so sweet tone. I can play parts on it with my fingers that I cant pull off as well on my flattop gibson. I have been looking around for one. They are fairly cheap too, for what you get, the name, beautiful construction, a work of art, just to know how well the old world America did it, put that in your hands and you are transported away from the digital garbage culture we endure. They are going for like 1500-1600 all over the place here in So Cal. Even less on reverb. The L5 is another matter way too expensive for my budget.
bgmacaw
Doctor of Teleocity
You should plan on spending at least $5000 on a good 'authentic' blues acoustic guitar. You should also invest in a $1000 suit, $250 tie and $500 shoes to wear while you're playing it.
pi
Tele-Holic
The Waterloo's look pretty nice for acoustic blues. I've auditioned a couple models at a store and always liked them.
LG1 sounds like a great choice too.
LG1 sounds like a great choice too.
black_doug
Poster Extraordinaire
As mentioned, almost any one would be fine.
David Bromberg and Jorma Kaukonen both play the blues on "M" sized Martins.
David Bromberg and Jorma Kaukonen both play the blues on "M" sized Martins.
4 Cat Slim
Poster Extraordinaire
I wouldn't overthink it.
If you examine photographs of country blues artists, you seldom see
them using very costly instruments. You see more Stellas, Kays, and Harmony guitars
than Martins or Gibsons.
Find something with a sound you can live with and enjoy it.
If you examine photographs of country blues artists, you seldom see
them using very costly instruments. You see more Stellas, Kays, and Harmony guitars
than Martins or Gibsons.
Find something with a sound you can live with and enjoy it.
StevesBoogie
Tele-Afflicted
I'm in the market for a guitar that can handle everything, but, it has to be able to do acoustic blues very well. I am darn near convincing myself with pulling the trigger on a Guild M-20. All mahogany. Check out the Wildwood demo of it on YouTube, the talented player starts with an amazing version of Here Comes The Sun, then goes into a nice Delta Blues piece. And the whole time it sounds stunning. It's on the smaller side of things, with a smaller scale, but it sounds wonderfully unique. If you want a guitar for only blues then perhaps there are other better choices, but it sure sounds like the M-20 can handle everything pretty well.
Hugokildare
TDPRI Member
These are my two for that style of music.
The L-1 is from 1926, and it's featherweight and H braced, which is a bit like ladder bracing but with longitudinal rather than lateral braces either side of the soundhole. It's a really cool guitar with bags of character, and you have to play it on its terms - it's really easy to overdrive the top so thumb and fingernails are the only real way to get on with it, but it's unbelievably responsive to playing dynamics. Small body L-1s are often referred to as the Robert Johnson guitar because of the iconic photo of RJ, although it's generally accepted that the L-1 in the photo was a studio prop and Johnson owned cheaper ladder braced guitars - the other (phone booth) photo shows him with a Kalamazoo and some contemporaries of his mention him playing a Stella.
The L-00, which is from 1939, is a much more modern feeling guitar. The X brace and larger body dramatically increase overall volume and bass response in particular over the L-1, and for strumming this guitar gives the average modern Gibson J45 a run for its money - it's a very big, strident sounding guitar. Fingerstyle it's more refined and less bright than the L-1, and it takes a little more time to get the top moving so it's not as snappy as the L-1.
I love them both and it's hard to say which is better, really. I think the L-1 is probably the better blues guitar, having some of the better qualities of a ladder braced guitar but also a little more refinement and sweetness. The L-00 is definitely a better all rounder.
I've had a bunch of ladder braced guitars over the years and my favourites have been Kalamazoos, which were made in the Gibson factory as a budget range. The most familiar one was the KG-14 which was an L-00 with ladder bracing and no trussrod (although some actually had trussrods buried inside them, they just aren't accessible) and there was also a rather cute stubbier looking model called the KG-11. If I were starting from scratch today and Delta blues was my target I think a Kalamazoo is probably the way I'd go.
once I’ve bought the lg1 I’m definitely gonna have the kg14 down the pipeline for my next guitar I’m just really worried about there not being a truss rod.
kingofdogs1950
Tele-Afflicted
Gibson J-50 (2002)
I saw LH play a bunch of times in the early '70s at the University of Houston - coffee house, frat parties, dances, etc.
His home in Houston's third ward is close to UH and he played on campus all the time.
He (plus Ry Cooder) is my biggest influence, but my interest in the blues goes back a few years.
My first record purchase ~1967 was Howlin' Wolf.
I know most folks like small body Gibsons for acoustic blues, but I've yet to find one that didn't sound boxy to me. No doubt there are some out there.
I have, however, owned small body Martins - 00-21 and 00-42 - that sounded great and were not boxy at all.
A J-45/50 is my favorite guitar, except of course, for electric guitars.
Markkrrk
Steerforth
Friend of Leo's
Something AJ-shaped. If you need more specificity, the Gibson J-35.
