How To Talk About Guitars Like a PRO (4 Steps) ★ Acoustic Tuesday 170

Tired of feeling out of the loop when folks talk about guitars? In this video, you're going to learn how to talk about guitars like a pro in just 4 easy steps.

Guitar tone terminology is essential. Without it, guitar geeks don't have a common language to describe guitar tones. This video will help you discover precisely how to talk about guitar tone so that you sound like a professional.

From the dark and focused sounds of some guitar tones to the thin and string sounds of others, you're going to hear the 4 tonal categories to describe guitars with.

In addition, you'll get a chance to hear how each of these categories applied to a real guitar, that way you know exactly what sounds I'm trying to describe.

This video will also cover the latest acoustic guitar news and headlines, and, as per usual, you'll get my take on some of the news and how it'll impact the industry. That's right, I'm looking at you @gibsonguitar

#guitartone #toneterminology

00:00 - Intro
01:53 - Tone Category 1: Volume
05:08 - Tone Category 2: Projection
07:39 - Tone Category 3: Depth
11:17 - Tone Category 4: Character
15:24 - TAC Family Story
18:53 - Guitarsenal+Comments
25:24 - Acoustic Guitar News Recap

[CateB]

Yes! On this series. I feel like when ever I try to talk about guitars with other people I feel like a noob. (I am a noob, but I would like it to be less obvious)

[VictorGonzalez-cdnd]

I've been watching you on YouTube for over two years and I finally took the plunge and joined TAC in September 2020. I'm 57 and after a 40 year hiatus picked up the guitar again, very happy to both be playing again and investing in TAC. Money well spent....

[ronndon]

These last few episodes have been a treasure trove of info. Tone talk, alternate tunings, lots of news, and so much more. Thanks Tony!

[texhaines]

Needed a guitar that was loud enough for Dad to hear without his hearing aids that I can sing with. So for a loud, good sustain with rich overtones that was warm and broad projection...a Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe.

[pickersgrip]

I've never in my life had anybody explain in such detail the wide tonal spectrum of guitar sizes, tone woods and best playing situations. Invaluable information to help while searching for a new guitar. Kuddos and thanks Tony P.! ~Billy

[scoggers]

Another very cool show, Tony, keep ‘em coming. A suggestion for a future topic of discussion; short scale acoustic guitars and their pros, cons and your top 5 short scale models.

[ericecklund]

I have four Martin's in my Guitarsenal, two are different types of Mahogany, and two are different types of rosewood.
The 000-28 has Loud with long sustain, Focused, Overtone Rich, and Stringy Cold. It's good in Standard or DADGAD tunings.
The 000-18KS is Quick Decay, Focused, Fundamentally Dry, and Woody Warm. It excels in DADGAD and Open D.
The CS-Bluegrass-2016 (a style of D-28GE) is Loud Long Sustain, Broad Projection, Overtone Rich, Stringy Cold. It's a Guatemalan Rosewood Cannon.
The 0000-18S (12 fret slot-head) is Loud with Long Sustain, Broad Projection, Fundamentally Dry, and Woody Warm. It has a bigger body than the D-28, but it has the shallow depth of a 000. It has some of the character of both a 000-28 and a D-18. But, you can hold it closer to you than any Dread.

[resomony]

To my ear sustain doesn't necessarily go with being loud. I've had guitars that weren't "loud", but would have impressive sustain and vice versa.

[janeandthecoolcats]

I' ve found a nice diagramm from breedlove guitars about the tone woods and they attributes. You should check it out. Greetings from Switzerland

[leeharper]

Great topic Tony, you've played so many different guitars you have the experience to explain this. Also glad you're back in the studio, now bust out the bourbon and skulls. Play on!

[plumeetpixels]

Ok, I ended up on one of your videos while looking after nice presentations of Bourgeois guitars... and lets face it, this is the channel about acoustic guitar I was seeking without knowing it ! Somewhere between a genuine love of the instrument, especially the woods, and the joy of playing the acoustic way. I feel home here.
Thanks from Bordeaux, France.

[anneh-lint]

Thanks for inspiring me to learn guitar and to think and try to understand nuances between guitars. I really appreciate your posted content even if it is old videos. Still informative and important. Ann

[jimsherlock]

Great show!!! Was this your sneaky way to show us pieces of your guitarsenal?!! Love it!!! Your Martin Tuxedo guitar is my favorite!!!

[celestelongway]

Great work Acoustic Life. The Barry Gibb shout was very classy.

[pameladiez]

Just saw your show, 170.i love your show.but I want to say, I really have to understand your class more, and digest what you we're teaching.you said, warm, cold, and so on.but your Martin was not stringly and cold at all to me.it was a beautiful warm sound what I heard, from your martin.so I really don't get it.love your guitar collection.very beautiful.so I don't know.see to me I heard something else.so I am confused.james Taylor has a beautiful guitar.very nice.your so vain😂🤘💖😁👍🤪👽🎊anyway, thanks Tony, see you in your next class.thanks🤪👍😁🎊☕

[Kabayoth]

Volume: I prefer loud with plenty of sustain.
Depth: rich, lush tone all the way.
Projection: I'm on the fence about this one. Probably a focus freak.
Character: warmth, boomy guitars that rattle the ribs... gently.

August guitars builds my ideal instrument in their jumbo line. Plays like Stradivarius hunting for timber, which is to say with a mallet under the light of a full moon alone.

Another I thoroughly enjoy is a Taylor 524ce. Mahogany has a flat EQ, and the one I tried to buy boomed like Smaug chiding Bilbo.

All time favorite: Guild F512E-12. It's a benchmark for a reason.

[emily_the_studd]

1) Quiet/decay 2) Focused 3) Fundamental/dry 4) Stringy/cold
Any suggestions for a guitar that fits these specs? I’m looking for a cutaway acoustic that fits blues, jazz, rock, folk, and funk (maybe, could just use electric guitar for that) I’m hoping to find something new or used around $450 but may be willing to pay close to $600. I’m almost an intermediate player that does lots of bends, blues licks, rock/funk/folk rhythm guitar, but more interested in getting some good jazz and blues feel into my lead playing. I like hearing those individual notes and hate having my last notes lingering too much over the new notes. I’m trying to get more into palm-muting technique though, fingerpicking (though I mostly use a flat pick), percussive playing, and slide. Thanks!

Love this content! Very helpful and informative!

[jacsvihus]

I like a guitar that has a bright vitreous nature and I like a guitar with a dark woody nature. I like a guitar with focused projection and I love a guitar with broad projection, I like a luscious guitar and I like direct guitars with a snap (I like luscious but not when paired with vitreous), I love them warm and cold but not at the same time. No wonder I have GAS

[cblf]

Hey Tony, good episode. Where did you get the "Be Nice and Play Guitar" hat?

[nancyshumway]

Hi Tony l am going to join TAC IN February so excited to become party of Guitar Geeks everywhere