Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Guitar Comparison

#21

Thanks guys for the honest opinions and participation. No one in my immediate family plays music and there’s no one close around here that plays either. I get kinda lonely (in music) so it’s nice to talk shop and compare instruments once in awhile. My brother’s an hour and fifteen minutes away so we don’t get much playing time either. He’ll be glad to know everybody liked his Martin including me. Still don’t like the neck though. :confused:

Your descriptions of the Gibson are dead on Doc and Mike
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slightly lacking in the sparkle of the trebles

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It has very thick highs and it seems like it needs new strings alot sooner than the other guitars. I’ve never put 80/20’s on it. That’s a good thought, I may try a set.

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microphone proximity effect (boosted bass at a close micing distance).

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I may have leaned in some during the recording but the Collings does have the strongest bass. By the way, the recordings were just raw recordings with no EQ, compression or anything else.

I was pleasantly suprised with the Yamaha myself. It’s a cheap guitar I bought when I was 19 years old and arrived at Ft. Polk Louisiana for my first duty assignment. I went to Germany after that for a year and a half and it went with me, the whole time never having a case for it. I even ended up on stage with it in a German pub one night with a German band that was trying to do bluegrass and some classic country. It was quite a night. Sometimes the things that cost the least can bring the most joy and best memories in life.I don’t think I could ever let this one go.

Thanks again

J.W.

#22

Actually J.W., I have done these types of comparison recordings myself in the past and yours is about as good of one as I have ever heard. Many times folks will EQ their recording to “balance” the sound, but that ruins the ability for a blind comparison. I’ve lost the recording of the comparison I did some years back, but now I am inspired to do it again.

#23

Thanks for the comments but I really have alot to learn about recording. I just did what I thought made sense and honestly, I’m not to the point yet of adding EQ or compression or any other fine tuning. I’m just glad to be able to get it into mp3 form.

I’d love to hear your comparison as I’m sure others would too if you can find it. You could always make a new one. Hint.

I still feel like I should send you some strings, let me know if you change your mind.

J.W.

#24

I will definitely redo the comparison in the next two weeks. However, I have a lot of construction at our house that requires my attention during the same time (installing a shower, laying ceramic tile floors in two room (including cement backer board), building a closet, drywall three rooms, finish trim install in 3 rooms, paint 2nd floor of house, install bathroom sink/cabinet, install toilet, build permanent in-wall shelf unit… ( I think that is most of it). You see, I teach at a school and we are on a two week “Spring break” so I need to buckle down and finish work at our home.

#25

I’ll try to do one at some point as well. I might borrow a few instruments to get some variety.

Doc, I thought you had posted a comparison on these forums before. I remember you had something like a $200 solid wood guitar that sounded pretty remarkable for the price point (Silver Creek?). Then again, maybe I imagined it all.

#26

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I’ll try to do one at some point as well. I might borrow a few instruments to get some variety.

Doc, I thought you had posted a comparison on these forums before. I remember you had something like a $200 solid wood guitar that sounded pretty remarkable for the price point (Silver Creek?). Then again, maybe I imagined it all.

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No, you did not imagine it. However, those files were lost with an online file service (they went under one day without any warning) and the files I stored there were lost.

So much for secure online file storage… :blush:

#27

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I have a lot of construction at our house that requires my attention during the same time (installing a shower, laying ceramic tile floors in two room (including cement backer board), building a closet, drywall three rooms, finish trim install in 3 rooms, paint 2nd floor of house, install bathroom sink/cabinet, install toilet, build permanent in-wall shelf unit…

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That’s alot of work to do in two weeks! I hope you have a good contractor and aren’t doing all that yourself. We’ve been restoring this old farmhouse for twenty five years and we’re still not finished. Maybe if I’d put down the guitar…

I hope it all turns out even better than you hope. It’s tough living in a house that you’re restoring or remodeling.

J.W.

#28

Thanks for the concern JW.

Actually, we currently live at a boarding school as boarding music teachers; our home is unoccupied. However, we lived in the home for 8 years while I totally rebuilt it. And yes, it was interesting living in a house that you are working on. As far as the contractor help, I have a guy coming in to sand and refinish the floors in about 2 weeks, so I have to be done my work by then. I am right on schedule at this point. I just finished cutting, fitting and installing the cement backer board in two rooms. I’ll be drywalling tomorrow and should be done that by Saturday. So it is moving forward.

This was a lot easier when I was closer to 35 than 60… my body really hurts. :cry: