swee'pea99
Squire
I've been thinking about getting myself a guitar for Christmas, and one of the ones I like the look of calls itself a Super Dreadnought. I thought dreadnoughts were battleships. Can anyone tell me what it means?
What is a 'super dreadnought' guitar?
- Thread starter swee'pea99
- Start date
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Mr Pig
New Member
- Location
- North Lanarkshire
Big fat guitar body basically.
tdr1nka
Taking the biscuit
- Location
- SE London, Bandit Country
I have a dreadnought acoustic, it has, as Mr. Pig says a deeper fatter body making it louder and more resonous. Lovey sound!
Amanda P
Legendary Member
- Location
- York. Well, York-ish...
If you're small, a dreadnought might be a bit big to handle. Seen Suzanne Vega playing one? You don't see much of her - most of her is hidden by the guitar.
If you plan to sing, unamplified, accompanying yourself on said guitar, strumming, and you don't have a very loud voice, go for a smaller guitar. Dreadnoughts are loud - especially if you strum at all vigorously.
If you plan to sing, unamplified, accompanying yourself on said guitar, strumming, and you don't have a very loud voice, go for a smaller guitar. Dreadnoughts are loud - especially if you strum at all vigorously.
Mr Pig
New Member
- Location
- North Lanarkshire
My son has a cheap dreadnought and a better quality, normal sized, Spanish guitar. The Spanish one is both louder and nicer sounding. I wouldn't buy a dreadnought unless you had a need for one.
OP
OP
swee'pea99
Squire
Thanks all. To answer LLB's question, I used to play....a bit. Which is to say, I had some of those Beatles/Bowie/the Bobster type books with fret diagrams to show you when to change from G to Em to F, and I could keep up reasonably ok. But I got out of the habit, and now I'm thinking of trying to get back in. From the responses, it sounds like I'd be better off going for a non-dreadnought option (to spare my family...not least because I'd probably be playing mostly when the kids are in bed).
Amanda P
Legendary Member
- Location
- York. Well, York-ish...
Sounds like you want a steel-strung acoustic, then, but not necessarily a large-bodied (i.e. dreadnought) one. You can't go wrong with a Yamaha (other makes of acoustic guitar are available).
Do your family a favour and learn some right-hand fingerpicking techniques.
Do your family a favour and learn some right-hand fingerpicking techniques.
BigonaBianchi
Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
- Location
- Iskele TRNC & Mordor UK
I think Tanglewood do some good ones of those...I am not sure why they use th eword 'super'....dreadnought is dread nought ...it's a big sound box for a steel strung acoustic...
maybe it's because of the cutaway to access higer frets or maybe refers to models with pre amps installed (electro acoustics)....dunno...suspect it's marketing but a stand to be edookated.
Bewar laminated top guitars though....you need proper wood...preferable all over but the soundboard as a minimum...laminated guitars are cheaper and sound dead in comparison....but it's like everything...money get's you more.
maybe it's because of the cutaway to access higer frets or maybe refers to models with pre amps installed (electro acoustics)....dunno...suspect it's marketing but a stand to be edookated.
Bewar laminated top guitars though....you need proper wood...preferable all over but the soundboard as a minimum...laminated guitars are cheaper and sound dead in comparison....but it's like everything...money get's you more.
OP
OP
swee'pea99
Squire
Thanks again. As for the fingerpicking - I'd love to. Any handy household hints 'n tips on that?
Amanda P
Legendary Member
- Location
- York. Well, York-ish...
Well, different people use slightly different approaches.
Mine is basically this (three-finger clawhammer). Fret chords with your left hand as normal.
Right hand, your first, second and third fingers are reserved for the G, B and E strings respectively.
Your right thumb can pick any of the three bass strings as appropriate.
So you might play a D chord, and play a simple um-chug pattern with an alternating bass by plucking the open D string with your thumb, followed by plucking all three treble strings simultaneously with your three fingers, followed by plucking the open A string, then the three trebles again, then open D, and so on.
Which string your thumb hits depends on which string the bass and fifth of the chord occur on.
Moving on, you might play something more sophisticated than just all three treble strings together, such as Thumb, 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 and repeat.
As you get more advanced, you will learn to fit in runs with your thumb, play bass notes on the G string occasionally, bring in your right hand little finger and so on.
I'm sure there are videos and other teaching material on line, and of course you can't beat a few sessions with a real live teacher.
Handy hint: keep your left hand nails short; let your right hand nails grow a little to give you a clean, bright sound. Try not to get in to the habit of resting the heel of your right hand on the bridge or soundboard as this cramps your technnique and damps the sound of the guitar.
Mine is basically this (three-finger clawhammer). Fret chords with your left hand as normal.
Right hand, your first, second and third fingers are reserved for the G, B and E strings respectively.
Your right thumb can pick any of the three bass strings as appropriate.
So you might play a D chord, and play a simple um-chug pattern with an alternating bass by plucking the open D string with your thumb, followed by plucking all three treble strings simultaneously with your three fingers, followed by plucking the open A string, then the three trebles again, then open D, and so on.
Which string your thumb hits depends on which string the bass and fifth of the chord occur on.
Moving on, you might play something more sophisticated than just all three treble strings together, such as Thumb, 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 and repeat.
As you get more advanced, you will learn to fit in runs with your thumb, play bass notes on the G string occasionally, bring in your right hand little finger and so on.
I'm sure there are videos and other teaching material on line, and of course you can't beat a few sessions with a real live teacher.
Handy hint: keep your left hand nails short; let your right hand nails grow a little to give you a clean, bright sound. Try not to get in to the habit of resting the heel of your right hand on the bridge or soundboard as this cramps your technnique and damps the sound of the guitar.
OP
OP
swee'pea99
Squire
Thanks Phil - much appreciated. Now to get that guitar!
