What would you bring to a camp fire

[abalone at last]

Okay ST...I see where your comin' from....outdoor ..guitar tone takes on a very organic dimension...a tent or tree  canopy can act as an amplifier...crickets and campfire noise are your drums...that being said a beater with good strings can sound very good indeed...often a dread beater is the weapon of choice...ahhh good old dreads,,

[L07 Shooting Star]

.....I usually make a point of knowing what kinds of instruments will be at an event. I may know that because I know the guest list. I will usually bring something different.  If most are playing rosewood I'll bring something that will sound different.  Not louder... different..............

Never attended a campfire event with a guest list.  "Lord have mercy on a boy from down in the boondocks".  I think I'm more like that guy.

[L07 Shooting Star]

Hi Kurt  (L07 Shooting Star),


A storied guitar is a wonderful addition to a gathering of aficianados. I like that yours has that sunspot, a beauty mark that could easily spark a conversation.  

In many cases I'll take playability over tone if I have to make a choice.  Sounds like your Norman is a player.

It absolutely is, ST. 

[L07 Shooting Star]

"Beater".

Hey, shouldn't there be a Larrivee mug there alongside that beer instead of that plain ole glass?

Kurt

[ducktrapper]

Hey, shouldn't there be a Larrivee mug there alongside that beer instead of that plain ole glass?

Kurt

Are you kidding! Take it outside?  

This was taken by the fire in my gentle, civilized back yard and I'm still not using one of my Larrivées.  

[ST]

Hi GA-ME,

I take my 000-60 anywhere I play.

That's an admire-from-afar guitar for me. I don't think I've actually seen one.

Do you have any recordings of yours online?

[ST]

Hi unclrob,

Interesting story.

Sometime guitars choose their players.

Either one would be great but I must admit that I really love how Larrivee classicals play and sound,wish I keeped the one I had.It went to an old high school friend who had a breakdown of sorts,she had such a feel and talent.She came into Tally to visit her ex husband also a friend from high shool,She stopped by with him and though she hadn't played in years she picked it up and both her and the guitar came alive,it was like they became one.I loaned it to her while she was in town and at the end of the week I told her that it was time for her to get back to were she belonged and that the guitar belong to her.She visits every year for a week and baby come's along.She plays in the park during lunch for tips and says she thinks she could get back to were she belongs soon.She was a top notch performance major at the U of Miami and if it wasn't for a major brain fart{her words not mine} she would have been up there with the greats in the classical guitar performance today.Just the most lovely women I've ever had the pleasure to know.

I wish all of you well.

[ST]

Hi Danny,

There are a whole bunch of things to consider when you have so many guitars. Physical size comes into it for sure. When I'm packing for a gig I like to take two. Usually there will be a big one and a small one.

Every time I pick up my LS-05 I am grateful that you introduced me to that body style (Forum III) - or more accurately, to the allure of the smaller guitar.

With all the guitars that have passed through your hands, do you think it is easier to acquire and let them go now than it was in early days?

 I chose LS and 00. Truly the 00 is best for me to pack around. We are taking some time off starting tomorrow (just 3 days) and I'll be taking my 00 with me for sure.
Then maybe my OM-21. That way I'll have a mahogany and a rosewood, a 12 fret and a 14 fret to cover all the bases.

   I guess I should add, if I thought there may be a problem of any nature that may cause damage to my guitar, it would be my 000 RK. $275 is a lot easier to accept a loss on than some of these others. Plus no attachment to it like the Larris or the OM-21.

[ST]

Hi tad,

My few experiences with playing outdoors with a fair number of people and without amplification leads me to believe you need to get as much volume out of the guitar as you can, and not worry about nuance. I voted Dread or 000, since those are undoubtedly my loudest.

Originally posted by tadol:
Interesting that the Dread and the 000 are your loudest guitars. This seems to support the idea that volume is not necessarily  related to size, or that size alone is not a significant enough factor upon which to make assumptions.

Is your 000 a 50 or 60 (and is that Mahogany or Rosewood respectively?)

I agree with d - I would have no problem taking a really nice guitar to a group setting with a bunch of other musicians I knew. That's exactly what they're for.  I would never consider taking it to a public setting and passing it around, though -

Those comments could apply to so many things.

I'll share a guitar in a group of like-minded individuals (now there's an oxymoron) but more typically I'm of the mind: "If it's not on my back, it's in the rack (case)". 

[ST]

Hey dermot,

Tone - thanks for bringing that up.  It was my preoccupation when I created the poll.  But more on that soon.

the classical... love the tone... sounds like a summer night in Andelucia...

d

And thank you for this mental picture.

I wish I could relate to Andelucia in a personal way. I had to look it up



Wow.

[ST]

Hi hadden,

There was power at the camp fire. One of long-time members of the community plays electric bass. She was sitting on a little cube amp when I arrived.  

I agree with the comment you need volume outside. So: Guitar. Amp. Long extension cord. Generator.

I had a car full of electric gear including my favourite acoustic guitar amp but except for the bassist, the vibe was strictly acoustic.  When these people meet for their regular Thursday night event it is  indoors, there is drum kit and plenty of amplification. So this outdoor event was a change of pace.

[Mr_LV19E]

I chose Jumbo strictly for volume reasons.  I find that around a campfire with people singing, the need for more guiitar volume comes into play.

I use a Recording King 12 fret 000 as i don't own a Jumbo, plus no one is listening anyway.   

[KLREngr]

These days I take a Silvercreek T-170 that I got for $100 off of Musicians Friend.  Soon I'll be reverting to a Seagull S6 dreadnaught.

Generally, I'd prefer a dreadnaught or L-body guitar for this setting.

[GA-ME]

Hi GA-ME,

That's an admire-from-afar guitar for me. I don't think I've actually seen one.

Do you have any recordings of yours online?

ST, I really don't have any recordings online of any thing approaching well recorded.  The song I'm linking is an original tune called I Told A Lie. I'm playing my 000-60 and my buddy Dave is playing an exceptional sounding hand made Yari dred.  We had just completed the song and wanted to get a quick recording to send to the other fellows in our little group so they could learn it for our next practice. Again, allow for the recording quality as it is just an el-cheapo Sony Camcorder placed about ten feet in front of where we are sitting to play.


http://vimeo.com/18447609

[raynspunk]

I know what guitar I would bring camping, my 1997 Tacoma PM-20.  As a matter of fact the Tacoma is always in my Tacoma truck as my truck guitar, and since I take the truck camping, it's also my camp guitar.  I have in the past taken my old scratched L-03 Blackwood camping, and regardless of conditions; spent way too much time worrying about that guitar.  By the way I no longer own the Blackwood with my recent purchase of a quilted mahogany L-09.  The Tacoma was a deal I got ($250) due to the finish cancer many Tacomas experience.  I took a 1200 degree heat gun to that guitar, stripped the old finish, put a thin nitro finish back on, rubbed a little buff and called it my camp guitar.  Solid mahogany with plenty of bee's wing, great tight sitka top deep body "00" (4.5") with a set of Gotoh 510 mini's.  I even changed the saddle and nut to polished bone from the L-09 when I upgraded it to fossil walrus.  The Tacoma is kind of a poor man's H-13 with all the volume and sound quality.  Camping is a blast, but I always lock the truck!

[Grifftology]

I'd bring my 12 year old $100 (back then) Fender DG6. Dudes ...I still get cross with my kids if they happen to bump into any part of my 95' d-03r whilst i'm playing it. ...not a chance i let a camp fire/smores/the woods in general get near my baby right now. I'm still on my honeymoon. ;)

[JOYCEfromNS]

not a chance i let a camp fire/smores/the woods in general get near my baby right now. I'm still on my honeymoon. ;)

[Strings4Him]

ST, I really don't have any recordings online of any thing approaching well recorded.  The song I'm linking is an original tune called I Told A Lie. I'm playing my 000-60 and my buddy Dave is playing an exceptional sounding hand made Yari dred.  We had just completed the song and wanted to get a quick recording to send to the other fellows in our little group so they could learn it for our next practice. Again, allow for the recording quality as it is just an el-cheapo Sony Camcorder placed about ten feet in front of where we are sitting to play.


http://vimeo.com/18447609

Is your buddy playing a Alvarez-Yairi DYM95?  These Yairi Masterworks are incredible, for sure.

[GA-ME]

Is your buddy playing a Alvarez-Yairi DYM95?  These Yairi Masterworks are incredible, for sure.

I don't know which model it is, but it is a damn fine sounding instrument and the tone and workmanship rivals SCGC quality. This dred is one of those instruments that seems to just have a near unlimited amount of headroom. 

[Strings4Him]

Hi Strings4Him,

What characteristics do these two different guitars bring to the party, and why do you think that these would be more appropriate at different stages of the party?


I had a flamed maple Parlor here short while ago, but it didn't stay long.  I'm sorry that it wasn't here for the comparisons.

Hi ST,

I thought a dread would be more appropriate at the beginning--when people tend to have more energy (at least that's the case with me  .  And I suggested a parlor toward the end of the party when things are winding done, since the parlor is a smaller bodied guitar.

Thanks for asking,
S4H