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Haolenuke
Lokahi
USA
117 Posts |
 Posted - 03/27/2013 : 1:13:52 PM
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Does anyone regularly use a classical guitar w/o a cutaway to play slack key, and if so what do they use?
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ukrazy
Akahai
USA
69 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2013 : 2:55:21 PM
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| I have a newer Yamaha classical with cutaway that sounds pretty bad unless plugged in. I often play a friends old Yamaha w/o cutaway that sounds pretty darn good for an inexpensive classical guitar. I just saw Keola Beamer along with Jeff Peterson last month in Phoenix. Keola played most of his set with his Nylon string 12 fret no cutaway guitar. He never played above the 12th. fret. |
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Earl
`Olu`olu
USA
523 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2013 : 5:12:01 PM
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Nylon string works fine, and gives a delightful mellow sound that works well with the slack key style.
But nylon strings don't typically settle as quickly as steel does when you change tunings. It takes longer for the nylon to acclimate to the changes in tension, so you probably would not want to switch back and forth between standard and Taropatch or other tunings. It is probably best to keep the nylon string guitar in whatever tuning you plan to use. That is partly why we tend to own multiple guitars, right?
I rarely play above the 12th fret. Every once in a while I get up to the 12-14 position as part of a turnaround or intro, but the lack of a cutaway is not much of a hindrance.
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2013 : 01:50:39 AM
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I do around the house, but because my full body does not have a pickup I play a cut-away alvarez classical/electric when I play out.
Full body with electric should be ok.
About the strings--consider taking this advice from a nylon player--Try d'Addario Dynacore strings. They stabilize very quickly. After an hour or so one can play a whole song without drifting out of tune. They are a little brighter btw. After a day or so you can change tunings too. I can now consider changing tunings on stage.
Can't do that with regular nylon strings. |
Bob |
Edited by - RWD on 03/28/2013 01:52:24 AM |
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ukrazy
Akahai
USA
69 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2013 : 06:56:41 AM
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| Thanks for the plug for the Dynacore strings. I'll give them a try. I've had pretty good luck with the D'Addario EJ-46 Hard Tension strings. They settle fast and seem to last a while, but they don't like tuning changes. I keep my nylon in Drop C. |
Edited by - ukrazy on 03/28/2013 09:58:16 AM |
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neeej
`Olu`olu
USA
643 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2013 : 07:44:40 AM
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All my children are classical-kine---some cutaway, some not. Kalo is in Taropatch (wot else?), Puana in Drop C, Lele in Drop Bb, and Her Ladyship in an open Bb (Atta's C tuned down). Hele is most often in standard, mainly for visitors who need to borrow a guitar, but sometimes wanders into others, such as D6, Ozzie's Kona Hema....
A couple more are in more-or-less-permanent snooze mode, including Susy's Kai, who mainly decorates the big upstairs room <G> |
--Jean S |
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Haolenuke
Lokahi
USA
117 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2013 : 9:36:54 PM
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Aloha,
Thank you for all the replies. It sounds like the lack of a cutaway on a classical guitar is not much of a problem. |
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Allen M Cary
Lokahi
USA
158 Posts |
Posted - 03/29/2013 : 10:54:07 AM
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I have an Alvarez Yairi classical that I use for some tunings--it seems happiest in Keola's C and drop C. It sounds a bit muddy in Taropatch. I use it if I don't have a lot of stuff up above the 12th (it is a 12 to the body). It is definitely my favorite guitar for Keola's He Punahele. All of Keola Beamer's stage guitars (at least that I have seen many times over the years) are sans cutaway.
Aloha
Allen |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 8:19:08 PM
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I've used nylon stringed guitars for ki hoalu for decades. One of my main guitars now is an A/E Aria classical but it has a cutaway. For the C6th Mauna Loa tuning I have it permanently tuned to the cutaway is necessary because I sometimes do open/closed positions at 15/17, 14/15.
A couple of other reasons to consider using a nylon stringed guitar is that you don't experience intonation problems when you apply a capo. For steel stringed guitars you always have to tweak your bass strings when you slap the capo on because they go sharp. I use Savarez high tension strings. TP member S.M.80808 who had classical guitar training told me they used high tension for the quicker response (another proven reason). Great thing about these strings is that you could easily tune down to Bb Mauna Loa or Taropatch F & not experience ANY fret buzz at all unlike most all steel stringed guitars. Ozzie makes the best use of nylon stringed guitars bar none. |
Edited by - sirduke58 on 04/04/2013 8:28:44 PM |
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Haolenuke
Lokahi
USA
117 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2013 : 06:42:15 AM
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Aloha Uncle Duke,
You really make your Aria AC-35CE sing on your fine videos. While I listen repeatedly to all of you videos, I really prefer the sound you get with your classical guitar. Uncle Ozzie Kotoni is probably my most favorite slack key artist and some of that is due to his masterful use of classical guitars.
As neither my resources nor my skill level warrants an Aria AC35CE, nor a Takamine EC132SC, I was trying to learn if I could get by for a while w/o a cutaway. Hopefully, the mahogany Favilla classical I purchased will keep me going until I can afford to come down with GAS again.
Keep on posting! |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
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Haolenuke
Lokahi
USA
117 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2013 : 3:36:46 PM
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Aloha Fran,
I found a Favilla C-5 Overture on eBay. At the risk of giving you GAS, there is nice looking Favilla C-8 on eBay right now.
Based upon your rendition of Manuela Boy, I think it is time for you to do another CD.
Best Regards,
Michael Leahy |
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Topic |
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Classical guitar w/o cutaway for slack key?
