Stretching the definition of "Acoustic," but still...

[spinland]

When you play out, and plug into the venue's sound system, unless you're graced with a fancy guitar with actual microphone pickups the tone you get is going to be all about the piezo pickup under the saddle; the guitar's resonance chamber is all but ignored.

So.

What if you had a guitar that dropped that chamber altogether but retained the piezo pickup and all the other attributes of an acoustic? You'd end up with something like this Yamaha:



I recently traded an electric guitar and an amp I wasn't using to obtain one of these, and I'm quite pleased. I play an acoustic mini-set (3 songs) most every week at a local open mic and, not only does the guitar draw comment on the looks, but also many compliments on the sweet tone. It's got the usual addons you see on acoustics with pickups: bass and treble, volume, a tuner...and it also has a control that lets you add in either chorus or reverb.

Another virtue (and the reason it's called the Silent Guitar) is that I can practice with it late at night and make no appreciable sound. It has a headphones jack for such times (or I can plug phones into my acoustic guitar amp).

I haven't given her a name yet, for now she's just my Air Guitar. :silly:

[spinland]

In action:

[familyman4]

I have one of these and have used it as a travel guitar many times. It is really wonderful for hotel rooms because of the "silent" factor. But when you plug in the headphones, wow it sounds wonderful!

I've enjoyed mine for years.

Welcome to the silent club Mark!
Bart

[jayswett]

I've seen this, but have not played one. I know it disassembles, so fairly easy to take on airplanes, etc. What is the cost of one of these?

[TGNesh]

So, have you come up with a name yet?

Great in action picture btw!!

[spinland]

jayswett wrote:

I've seen this, but have not played one. I know it disassembles, so fairly easy to take on airplanes, etc. What is the cost of one of these?

The top frame is removable, yes. The length doesn't get any shorter but the much narrower profile does make carrying and stowing it much easier. It comes with a rather nice gig bag that requires that removal to use.

My one design crit is the heads of the knobs you tighten to hold the frame in place double as the strap buttons; in use the strap tends to twist the knobs around so the frame can come loose all too easily. In my case I added velcro to the ends of the frame and into the bottoms of the mounting slots so even when the knobs loosen the frame stays put. To remove it I really have to want it to come off.

If I'd paid cash for mine it would have cost me US$650.

They make a nylon string version, too.

[spinland]

familyman4 wrote:

I have one of these and have used it as a travel guitar many times. It is really wonderful for hotel rooms because of the "silent" factor. But when you plug in the headphones, wow it sounds wonderful!

I've enjoyed mine for years.

Welcome to the silent club Mark!
Bart

Thanks, Bart! Yeah, the tone on this thing is great. I neglected to mention there's another knob that lets me blend in the sampled tones of a high-end Yamaha acoustic that's been sampled on a mic. I blend that in about 30% and it really sweetens the tone.

Mine's in the shop right now getting the action lowered and a fret job done on it. I could do the action myself but my luthier friend (from whom I also take in-person lessons) is a real pro at this stuff and I wanted the fret job anyway so I'm just letting him handle everything.

My home office/practice space is at the other end of a short hallway from the master bedroom, and my lady love is both early to bed and a light sleeper. Before I got this guitar my nightly practice would be on an unplugged electric, or amped with headphones. Now I can practice at night with the feel and sound of an actual acoustic which is much nicer and very useful. I fully get how different the two types feel. :side:

[spinland]

TGVanessa wrote:

So, have you come up with a name yet?

Great in action picture btw!!

Heh. Thanks for the compliment, Ness! I'm having tons O fun with it (and with the open mic scene here). I'm playing it through a BOSS Acoustic Singer Live amp that's a perfect partner (and has a vocals channel that I'm going to start exploring soon).

Haven't had naming inspiration as yet; I like to wait until the muse speaks to me before I dub a keeper. For now "Air Guitar" will have to do. :side: