Cutaway vs. non-cutaway

Question:

I think the cutaway will add to the cost of the guitar.  I doubt you will be playing any chords up that high on the neck either.  There is surely a small loss of volume.  No difference in fit or comfort.  Style…..they both look good to me.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’m starting to shop for a beginner acoustic guitar. At the local guitar > shop, I saw several brands with cutaway and non-cutaway models. Is there any > significant tonal difference between the two or is it style, comfort, etc.? > Thanks. > Steve

Response:

A cut away will definately add to the cost because it requires more work to make.  Being a beginner most of you playing is going to happen from the 12th fret to the nut.   More likely would be from the 5th fret to the nut.  I say don’t get the cut away. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >I think the cutaway will add to the cost of the guitar.  I doubt you will be >playing any chords up that high on the neck either.  There is surely a small >loss of volume.  No difference in fit or comfort.  Style…..they both look >good to me. > I’m starting to shop for a beginner acoustic guitar. At the local guitar > shop, I saw several brands with cutaway and non-cutaway models. Is there >any > significant tonal difference between the two or is it style, comfort, >etc.? > Thanks. > Steve

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I’m going to top post here..instead of at the bottom, since it seems to be the style on this one. I’d get the cutaway. Fact is, a beginner has no reason not to be learning things up the neck right along with the open chords, etc. Why not? It’s no harder.. slide that open D chord up and up and up.. if you can play it low, you can play it high.. get used to going up there.. learn your chords in many positions.. even if the open ones are all you can do well at first.. so what? besides, some people actually feel a little more comfortable up the neck, we’re all different. The guitar supposedly will have less tone, due to the cutaway.. but that’s not stopped anyone .. because it’s hard to get up the neck without it.. it may add to the cost.. typically does.. but there is no great tonal difference.. no reason not to have one. I’m helping a kid locally and the first thing I plan for him is a Tom Petty tune.. American Girl.. why? because it’s D E G A and Bm… BUT.. the rhythm stays low while the lead goes high.. It has simple riffs, some very fast pull off shreddy type stuff… and some nice simple small chords up the neck.. this way.. he can work on the typical rather boring open chords.. and also have the lead parts to keep him interested and working hard AND learning the whole neck.. and it’s a good tune, and one he can do.. If he were playing acoustic instead of electric, I’d still look for the same kind of song.. learning to voice chords, learning all the forms.. learning how to make riffs out of chord forms.. there’s no sense in not teaching songs that offer all of it at once.. none at all. I’d go cutaway.. ! Twang!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> A cut away will definately add to the cost because it requires more > work to make.  Being a beginner most of you playing is going to happen > from the 12th fret to the nut.   More likely would be from the 5th > fret to the nut.  I say don’t get the cut away. >I think the cutaway will add to the cost of the guitar.  I doubt you will be >playing any chords up that high on the neck either.  There is surely a small >loss of volume.  No difference in fit or comfort.  Style…..they both look >good to me. >> I’m starting to shop for a beginner acoustic guitar. At the local guitar >> shop, I saw several brands with cutaway and non-cutaway models. Is there >any >> significant tonal difference between the two or is it style, comfort, >etc.? >> Thanks. >> Steve

Response:

> I’m starting to shop for a beginner acoustic guitar. At the local guitar > shop, I saw several brands with cutaway and non-cutaway models. Is there any > significant tonal difference between the two or is it style, comfort, etc.? > Thanks. > Steve

   The tonal difference is very small, if even noticeable by the average player.  The purpose of the cutaway is easy access to the upper frets. Whether or not this will make a big difference to you is dependent on the kind of music you want to play.  If you’re a beginner, the difference probably isn’t anything to concern you.  Buy your preference – all other things being equal (you like the sound, the playability, etc.). The Old guy —–=  Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News  =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!  Check out our new Unlimited Server. No Download or Time Limits! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 19 Different Servers!  ==—–

Response:

I’m starting to shop for a beginner acoustic guitar. At the local guitar shop, I saw several brands with cutaway and non-cutaway models. Is there any significant tonal difference between the two or is it style, comfort, etc.? Thanks. Steve

Response:

> I’m starting to shop for a beginner acoustic guitar. At the local guitar > shop, I saw several brands with cutaway and non-cutaway models. Is there any > significant tonal difference between the two or is it style, comfort,

etc.? A cutaway has a "theoretical" tone difference from a non-cutaway, all other things being exactly equal…. …but they seldom are. Side and back materials, the specific piece of lumber used for the top, bridge material, and other seemingly minor differences (even between two otherwise identical guitars), all play a bigger part in tone than the cutaway. The cutaway occurs in a part of the guitar top that isn’t vibrating much anyway…it’s impact on tone is negligible. The loudest, most aggressive acoustic guitar I’ve ever played was a cutaway Goodall owned by a friend from the newsgroup RMMGA (we call it the "Assault Goodall").  Maybe it would have been louder and more resonant if it had been made without a cutaway…I can’t imagine it. For a beginner, a cutaway is unlikely to add much value beyond cosmetic appeal…you won’t spend a lot of time above the 12th fret.  Buy the guitar you like…the cutaway is pretty much irrelevant. — Michael Pugh

Response:

<< Is there any significant tonal difference between the two or is it style, comfort, etc. >> I generally find that there is a large tonal difference, though i am spoiled on full bodied acoustics. Certainly there will be exceptions to the rule, but make sure you give fair comparison. It also depends what you are looking for, if you want something to plug in for gigging, a cutaway will work fine, as the amplified sound will not suffer (in most cases), however, make sure you try some out on your own — mike anderson http://www.mp3.com/mikeanderson <–new songs are up!  3 still awaiting approval my guitar lessons–> http://us.geocities.com/flabellifoliate No one wants to know the truth about their heroes.

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