quote:
Originally posted by shoveller
2) Would this sort of damage influence tone? The tone of this instrument seems a bit...I dunno...rattle-y, for lack of a better word. OOO-size guitars tend to be a little more on the jangle-y side, compared to a dreadnought, but I've never hear one that sounded like this.
Cheers,
Shoveller
I'd have to say yes, also, Shoveller.
It doesn't take a loose brace to cause unknown tone variations. I bought an expensive custom shop Breedlove 000 guitar, and despite it having the most pure tones I've ever heard, there always seemed to be something just a little bit amis...sort of a barely perceptible hiss sound, but it wasn't juiced. It was consistent, though, so I had about decided one of the ball-ends on the strings was buzzing under the bridge plate.
Then, one day, I dropped a pick into the soundhole, and as I was shaking the guitar to get the pick to move into the area where I could retrieve it, a dry leaf fell out. End of problem. I have no idea when or where the leaf got in there, all I know is that the hiss stopped. I suspect that somehow it became glued to the wood inside the body and as the wood vibrated, so did the leaf.
As for size influencing tone....you're right. My WMJ11S has a more jangle-y tone than my D61SW...but that is to be expected as the internal volume of the body is smaller and it will therefore not reinforce the lower tones as well. What it gives up on the lower end, though, it more than makes up for in increased playability (but, I think a large part of that is the cedar soundboard).
If it were me, I'd have Washburn replace it under warranty, and if one with intact bracing still doesn't sound right to you, then you could assume you need a different body style.
Myself, I'm curious about Washburn's new Grand Auditorium bodies. My WMJ might well be a mini-jumbo...soon as I find a Grand Auditorium body I'll be able to feel the difference, though.
Cheers from.....
Dugly [8D]
YerDugliness, Esq./Post No Bills
Guitar Playin' FOOL, retired & attempting to age disgracefully!!
Washburns: WD32SW, D61SW, C124SW, and WMJ 11S
Other fine acoustic guitars by Breedlove (custom shop Revival Series 000), Darren Hippner (#506), Takamini (2005 LTD), Epiphone (Masterbilt AJ500RC), and Yamaha (G231-II)
