yoav
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Post by yoav on May 15, 2014 20:57:19 GMT
Hi, First of all this being my first post, so hi to everyone. I've been learning to play for a couple of years now, and decided is time to replace my first guitar (a steel string cheap one) with something of a greater quality. So I visited a local shop, and found a gretsch honey dipper which I really really liked - both sound and looks. So my question is, should I get it, or should I go with a conventional acoustic? Will a reso limit me in any way? I'm mainly focusing on finger style blues - not slide - so seems half a good fit, but I also like to try other stuff. Bear in mind I'm not going to do this professionally. I'm a 43 year old man learning a new trick, so having a cool looking guitar is also important I just don't want tip find out I crippled myself after buying it.
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Post by earwighoney on May 15, 2014 21:13:20 GMT
Welcome to the forum.
The Gretsch Honey Dipper seems a fine guitar, and if you like the sound then there's no reason why you shouldn't go for it.
On another forum, a chap by the name of Toby Walker bought himself another Gretsch reso (a slightly cheaper one) and it sounds great for fingerstyle blues and he's very pleased with the guitar and he has a formidable collection. By the way, he's a teacher too and he has tutorial bundles of videos teaching how to play fingerstyle blues which are highly rated.
Here's the guitar in question.
A conventional acoustic might be more versatile but if you're going to play fingerstyle blues, a reso will serve the job well.
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Martin
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Post by Martin on May 15, 2014 21:14:40 GMT
Hi yoav and to the forum As long as the guitar plays well for you, it shouldn't limit you, reso or not. Some resos can have high actions as they have slide play in mind, but the action can be specified by you and lowered if necessary.
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yoav
Sore Fingers
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Post by yoav on May 15, 2014 21:56:59 GMT
Welcome to the forum. The Gretsch Honey Dipper seems a fine guitar, and if you like the sound then there's no reason why you shouldn't go for it. On another forum, a chap by the name of Toby Walker bought himself another Gretsch reso (a slightly cheaper one) and it sounds great for fingerstyle blues and he's very pleased with the guitar and he has a formidable collection. By the way, he's a teacher too and he has tutorial bundles of videos teaching how to play fingerstyle blues which are highly rated. Here's the guitar in question. Hmm, the shop has this model well so check it out. Thanks for that for info about the tutorials. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
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yoav
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Post by yoav on May 15, 2014 21:57:45 GMT
Hi yoav and to the forum As long as the guitar plays well for you, it shouldn't limit you, reso or not. Some resos can have high actions as they have slide play in mind, but the action can be specified by you and lowered if necessary. Didn't know that. The people at the shop will be able to do that? Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
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Martin
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Post by Martin on May 15, 2014 22:19:42 GMT
They should be able to, if required. Check it and see how it plays first
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Post by vikingblues on May 15, 2014 22:25:26 GMT
Any decent guitar shop should be able to do that for you - and it can make a huge difference to how good the playing experience is. If a reso is set up just for playing slide it will have a much higher action and that will make it much trickier to play in the normal way. My favourite local guitar shop tends to have their display resos set sort of midway so that both normal and slide types of playing are achievable. I have a Gretsch Alligator resonator which I enjoy playing - and if I use a slide, like most resonators, it's instant blues as soon as a note is played with the slide! The reso is quite a different sound to a standard steel string acoustic, but as you know you like the sound of the Honey Dipper then that different sound shouldn't be a problem and it should work well for you. Oh - and to the forum. Mark
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on May 15, 2014 22:42:06 GMT
Hi there yoav, and a very warm welcome to the Forum! Can't add a lot to what's already been said, except to hope that you'll let us know what you decide to do and post a suitably drooling review of your chosen instrument! Keith
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yoav
Sore Fingers
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Post by yoav on May 19, 2014 21:27:10 GMT
I up ended buying the gretsch bobtail. I think it's basically a boxcar with a pickup. Anyway I'm loving it. It's got a sweet sweet tone. Thanks for all the advice.
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Post by curmudgeon on May 22, 2014 12:16:57 GMT
My suggestion is that you seek out a real (modern) National - nothing else sounds or feels like them. They donl;t have to be expensive. If you are seeking real power go for the metal body - Steel is harsh and loud, brass is sweeter...and loud (and a bit heavy). If you want mellow - the wooden (laminated) bodies are great.
Tricones are lovely but with three times as many cones - they might be thought to be more troublesome (rattly) but the tone is very sweet.
The newer "National Respohonics" are in my opinion superior to the vintage jobs and lack the problems associated with the older instruments.
My suggestion is to string them with medium gauge strings but put a 17 (b) on the 1st string.
You don't need a very high action - what you DO need is skill - i.e. play as hard as you like with the right hand but greatly with the left - in fact a good lesson for any style of guitar playing.
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Martin
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Post by Martin on May 22, 2014 12:23:22 GMT
Congrats on the Bobtail, yoav Maybe if you feel like it, you might post up some pics or even sound clips of your new purchase?
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