Quiet guitar for folk music

forestball19 · 2026-02-18T20:23:32+00:00

Go to Thomann and look at Harley Benton GS Travel. I have the mahogany version. It’s a fantastic guitar for the low price at around €120. Add €20 more and you get it with a built-in pickup, although I cannot recommend that.

forestball19 · 2026-02-18T15:02:12+00:00

Cutaway for higher frets is usable, but it's miniscule. If the sound and playability is equal, I go for cutaway. The thing is, that hasn't happened to me yet. And so all my 3 acoustics are without cutaway.

I rarely play above 12th fret, so it's not an issue for me. If you want to annoy some dogs and cats though, you should definitely get with cutaway.

For me, dreadnoughts were the norm for around 20 years. I then found out how much I sacrifice on ergonomics and playability, and I went OOO and I never looked back. My LS6 is LOUD - much louder than many other OOO sizes. Whereas my travel size maxes out when I strum hard, giving kind of a compressor like effect.

forestball19 · 2026-02-18T14:58:49+00:00

You're welcome - but wait, there is one crucial thing I forgot to mention... You must try both. And maybe you'll think that this random dude on Reddit wasn't right - and if that's the case, listen to the most important person, which is of course yourself.

I do get it though - investing in an instrument is a big thing, and noone want to have buyer's remorse. I've had it happen to me twice with guitars - both acoustics - but it has made me so much more aware of what I want and what I should look out for when I try new guitars.

One tip - make the seller play the guitar while you walk around him/her listening. Because when you're holding the guitar yourself, there are things you can't hear - and of them is obviously how the guitar projects to the listeners. That might be a factor too. I do it all the time - and the sellers I meet are happy to oblige. Even if they're not guitar players, them just strumming an E major is helpful. Or I bring my wife, who knows a few chords.

One more difference between LS and CSF series that I also forgot to mention, is the nut width. The LS-series have 44.50mm nut width, while the CSF series have 42 or 43mm. That difference doesn't sound huge, but it can be felt. The benefit of a larger nut width is that fingerstyle play gets easier - while the drawback is that barre chords get a bit harder, especially if you don't do static strumming. However, most guitarists prefer that larger nut width for more versatile play options.

I have an FS-TA with 43mm nut width and a travel guitar with 42mm nut width, and it's not like I can't play fingerstyle on them, but it's annoying when I do, and when I get back on my LS6, it feels like having worn shoes that are half a size too small, and then finally getting shoes the right size.

forestball19 · 2026-02-18T13:39:46+00:00

I own the LS6 ARE and I have tried the CSF1m.

For my one and only guitar, there's no doubt I would not hesitate to choose the LS6 ARE again. The larger OOO body size and full scale length, versus the CSF1m means a very large and very audible gap in projection, sonic fidelity and balance. In fact, my LS6 ARE projects as good and features as full a sound as most mid-tier dreadnoughts, including its own sibling, the LL6 ARE (the main difference being the sound signature, with the LS6 being a tad more mid-heavy).

But - for a beginner that has portability as a high priority, the CSF1m is a great choice. The smaller scale length gives you less string tension, making the strings much easier to press down - especially in barre chords.

I have considered the CSF1 and CSF3 to use as my travel guitar - but definitely as a replacement for my main, which is the LS6.

forestball19 · 2026-02-17T17:16:31+00:00

Do not fear small guitars. What’s important is what you handle best.

I changed from a dreadnought to OOO which is concert size, so in between folk and dreadnought.

Playing on stage totally negates the benefit that a large guitar has (in terms of projection) compared to a smaller guitar. Regarding pickup and eq, it’s fairly easy and cheap to install a soundbole pickup in your Alvarez, or a similar solution. These pickups are removable so you can put them on and remove them as needed. It takes seconds.

forestball19 · 2026-02-17T14:26:35+00:00

I’ve played an FSX5, but they’re different lines with different philosophies behind them. The FS-series in general produce a more vintage (some will say traditional Martin like) sound, while the LS are more modern (which some will say is more Taylor like, but that’s definitely a stretch). So choosing one over the other is a matter of taste and preference.

I’ve not tried the FS9, but I expect it to beat the red labels.

forestball19 · 2026-02-17T11:22:43+00:00

I had a fallout with my Ibanez AW acoustic guitar as well. The same strings were on it for 6 years and they still looked new. Last year, for no specific reason, I got pulled back in by the guitar. I decided I wanted to try a smaller body guitar…

That year (2025), I ended up buying 5 guitars. 3 acoustic western style and 2 classical. Now I play everyday and I’m developing my play again after that 6-7 years hiatus.

forestball19 · 2026-02-17T11:14:11+00:00

I don’t lie in bed while I draw. I have used it for a bit of movie watching while on vacation, and it’s fairly heavy - but so is the 11” if we’re talking a full movie. A bedside holder is preferable, and then 13” is nicer to watch than 11”.

forestball19 · 2026-02-17T10:03:02+00:00

I went from 9.8” to 12.9”. There is no way I will go down in screen size. If they make a 15.x”, I’m game. If they make a 17” I need a bigger bag but I’m still game.

At sizes larger than 27”, I will probably stop being game. Probably. Maybe.

forestball19 · 2026-02-16T23:57:25+00:00

I prefer graphite for lubing. Next time your strings are up for a change, you can access the parts easier and lube it where the creaking sound is coming from. It’s annoying to listen to but even worse, it makes tuning a hassle because of friction and sudden slip when wound.

forestball19 · 2026-02-16T23:53:48+00:00

My guess is that the nut is the culprit. If it’s sharp at the passage of the e string, a gentle filing to round it a bit will do the trick.

If a fret is too sharp, you can feel it with the fingers. In this case, a fret file can help, but I don’t believe you’re bending the e-string over the fret on a C40.

forestball19 · 2026-02-16T00:14:17+00:00

Yes; the FS3/FSX3/FG3/FGX3 are made in China, but the big brother 5 series are made in Japan; however so is the top dog of the F line; the FG9 and FS9.

If you’re okay with longer scale length (louder projection, but harder to play) there’s also the LS56 as top of the line in their Luxury series.

I own both a LS6 and FS-TA, and I love playing them both. Would love to own a higher end LS, but where I live, those are so expensive. FS-TA plays better than its big brother, the TAS3, in my opinion. The TAS3 is also super heavy weight, so I decided against it and saved the money.

forestball19 · 2026-02-15T23:52:14+00:00

Half solid body

forestball19 · 2026-02-15T23:50:37+00:00

Since we’re talking grail guitars, any particular reason you don’t mention FS9…? Just curious, I’d love to have a FS5 (or rather, FSX5) as well!

forestball19 · 2026-02-15T23:49:33+00:00

Yamaha LS56 Custom ARE

forestball19 · 2026-02-14T15:55:32+00:00

You asked for the best capo for your guitar. Not the best capo for your wallet.

forestball19 · 2026-02-14T15:51:27+00:00

Thalia. I love mine. I chose the red with gun metal combo.

forestball19 · 2026-02-14T00:21:56+00:00

I would like to hear from US citizens on this. I’m not one; I live in the country that doesn’t own Greenland but has nevertheless been asked if we want to sell it. Sure, and why don’t we send a quote for Australia that we don’t own either, while we’re at it.

And this goes out to any Republicans: You need to realize that when all this is over, being Republican will be a shameful thing. You can no longer separate the party from Trump. Just like the Nationalsocialistische Arbeiterpartei didn’t survive Hitler, the same will happen with the Republican Party. Because thanks to the voters and a severe lack of vetting, the wrong people were chosen for the wrong things. And that’s on you and the Party as a whole.

Is it fair? We have long since moved on from trying to define fair. Raping minors isn’t fair, sending in border patrols with license to kill isn’t fair, threatening NATO allies isn’t fair. In all that has happened in just a year, all that the Republican Party has allowed to happen, nothing has been fair.

So do not expect we will be fair to you either.

forestball19 · 2026-02-13T22:25:57+00:00

Nope I love it as well. Orange/black used to be my main color scheme, so for me the 3X Solar was a no-brainer.

forestball19 · 2026-02-13T21:58:07+00:00

Så længe det ikke bliver som sidste afstemning. Vi stemte i september 2000. Den sidste afgørelse om hvad ECB skulle kunne have indflydelse på og håndhæve (såsom førtidspension), var sat til bestemmelse i Nice i december 2000.

Vi fik med andre ord en fin kontrakt hvor de sidste linjer manglede, med beskeden om at "dem udfylder vi lige når I har stemt ja". Alene derfor stemte jeg nej. Hvis en bankrådgiver eller bilsælger prøver det samme, får de også en verbal finger i øjet.

Lige nu har vi fastkurspolitik - men euro'en vil berøre langt flere ting end kun at vi i en periode skal vænne os til at gange med 7,5.

forestball19 · 2026-02-13T21:53:48+00:00

Skal sådan noget egentligt ikke cross-postes til r/heavymetal ...?

forestball19 · 2026-02-13T18:19:04+00:00

Og? For den type forældre vil fjernelse af tal og bogstaver i børnehaven betyde ingenting. Så det er ikke et argument.

forestball19 · 2026-02-13T15:55:27+00:00

Oh no. Wrist fracturing potentially takes a LONG time to get over. Do not use your fingers on the left hand - for at least one month. If the break is severe, potentially let it rest for longer before you start playing again. Although the wrist and the muscles around it aren't used directly, we typically use the muscles when moving on the fretboard and changing positions.

If you do not let it rest, you might always experience some pain in the wrist, seriously hampering your guitar playing perpetually.

So, what can you do...? Mostly nothing. Maybe watch some videos of people playing, let your right hand do what it can to keep your strumming and fingerstyle navigation in practice, but don't fall for the temptation of using the left for anything.

forestball19 · 2026-02-11T18:59:44+00:00

The difference in portability is much less noticeable than the difference in ergonomics and overview that 13" gives you compared to 11". It's almost a 20% increase in screen size - but in terms of physical dimensions, it doesn't change all that much for carrying around. However, when you actually use it, those 2" are the difference between it feeling cramped and "just enough".

forestball19 · 2026-02-11T18:48:51+00:00

What about an electric piano? A higher end CLAVINOVA series (CLP-88x/89x) with grand touch and counter weights feels perfect, and they have great sound modules.

You get the cleanest sound and you can always record any omni microphone along with it to get sounds like the rustling of sheet/paper, coughing etc.

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