I'm looking for suggestions and comments on guitars suited to traditional Irish music. I've played in a band for 6 years and am still looking for the right guitar. I'm a huge fan of John Doyle. Does anyone know what he plays?
Troy Amyx
John Doyle plays a Lowden and a Martin D28 - he also uses a very heavy low D string (.072)
Paul Brady and Richard Thompson also play Lowdens.
Arty McGlynn plays Takamine guitars.
Steve Cooney and Jim Murray both play nylon string guitars (don’t know the make, but was suggested here on an earlier thread that
Cooney plays Takamine)
I play a Norman B-20 HG, and I must say it has a real good tone all the way through - it's not as expensive as Martin & Lowden, but it sounds just as good as all Martins i've ever heard
No no no. I know Findly Napier who plays moon guitars and he knows Jimmy very well .He says That Jimmy Moonis in the process of makin g a new guitar for John Doyle to Replace his old Fylde. It is a custom made "jugernaught" style made to hold heavy strings and a 0.72 bass. But they will cost about 2500 pounds when there on the market.
John Doyle records and performs on two guitars, a mahogany-body Lowden (www.lowdenguitars.com) dreadnought D-10 and a Martin D-28. The Lowden was built as a lefty, while the Martin is an off-the-rack right-handed model with the nut and saddle switched for left-handed playing. "It sounds great," says Doyle. "I can hear no discernable difference."
The Lowden is Doyle’s overall favorite. "It’s perfect for fingerstyling and for low tunings," he says. "I do a lot of recording on the Lowden and play it on stage as well. Most Lowden guitars have what people call a ‘film’ over them. It gives them a muffled, fat sound that’s great for when you’re thumping on that low string. You have this boom that lasts forever."
He also plays a short-necked, five-course Trillium bouzouki, made by New Hampshire luthier Robert Abrams ([603] 431-6056, www.octavemandolin.com). He tunes it D G D A D, from low to high.
Doyle performs and records using a heavy set of D’Addario phosphor-bronze strings and changes the low E out for an even heavier nickel-wound D’Addario .072. When flatpicking, he favors a light .60-mm. USA nylon pick, which provides clarity without being brittle.
When it comes to amplification, Doyle just wants to plug in and go. "I’ve got a Highlander pickup and a mic in the Lowden," he says, "but I never actually use the mic. The pickup sounds great by itself. On the Martin I’ve got an L.R. Baggs Dual Source [pickup/mic combination with on-board blender], and it’s the best sound. I can just plug it straight into a Para Acoustic D.I. and use nothing else. It takes a lot of the pressure off."
I've always liked Ovation guitars for all kinds of music, but I'm often told that it's on account of my lack of good taste. I've had two for donkey's years and I love them.
I but when was that Acoustic guitar magazine published because in the Liz Carrol Lake Effect Cd It says he plays a Fylde guitar and a Martin. And anyway if played Lowdens, Martins,Takamines, Ovations, Seagulls ,Simon and Patricks, TAylors but the best sounding guitar, the most versitile (watch ma spelin!) and just alround coolest guitar for me has to be the moon. They start at 900 quid and go up to what ever u want.
I play a hand-made Northwood mini-jumbo and love it. Great bass for Doyle-style playing. They're a small company in British Columbia not far from Vancouver I think. They don't advertise much but check out their website (www.northwoodguitars.com I think). Mark
Fine time for me to read this discussion... a week and a half after I hand over my retirement fund to the local music shop!
Actually, I think I did alright with a Martin D-16 (Sruce and Rosewood). It was between that and a Seagull Mosaic which was a little sweeter and more even across all the strings but lost out to the deeper bottom end of the Martin. (As soon as I work up another retirement fund, I may buy that one too...)
For playing in public sessions:
The biggest, baddest dreadnought you can find with medium gauge phosbronze strings, bone saddle and nut, strummed with a heavy flat pick.
For delicate, pretty solo or small ensemble work - something delicate and pretty. Maybe a nylon string or an OM body. Fingerpicking is nice. (Wish I could do it.)
Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
I'm looking for suggestions and comments on guitars suited to traditional Irish music. I've played in a band for 6 years and am still looking for the right guitar. I'm a huge fan of John Doyle. Does anyone know what he plays?
Troy Amyx
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by troyam
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
John Doyle plays a Lowden and a Martin D28 - he also uses a very heavy low D string (.072)
Paul Brady and Richard Thompson also play Lowdens.
Arty McGlynn plays Takamine guitars.
Steve Cooney and Jim Murray both play nylon string guitars (don’t know the make, but was suggested here on an earlier thread that
Cooney plays Takamine)
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by BegF
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
Air guitars are very popular at most sessions
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by Cath
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
I play a Norman B-20 HG, and I must say it has a real good tone all the way through - it's not as expensive as Martin & Lowden, but it sounds just as good as all Martins i've ever heard
Check out the link: http://www.normanguitars.com/
/DADdyGADdy
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by DADdyGADdy
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
No no no. I know Findly Napier who plays moon guitars and he knows Jimmy very well .He says That Jimmy Moonis in the process of makin g a new guitar for John Doyle to Replace his old Fylde. It is a custom made "jugernaught" style made to hold heavy strings and a 0.72 bass. But they will cost about 2500 pounds when there on the market.
fiddlinZombie
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by fiddlinzombie
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
This is from Acoustic Guitar magazine:
John Doyle records and performs on two guitars, a mahogany-body Lowden (www.lowdenguitars.com) dreadnought D-10 and a Martin D-28. The Lowden was built as a lefty, while the Martin is an off-the-rack right-handed model with the nut and saddle switched for left-handed playing. "It sounds great," says Doyle. "I can hear no discernable difference."
The Lowden is Doyle’s overall favorite. "It’s perfect for fingerstyling and for low tunings," he says. "I do a lot of recording on the Lowden and play it on stage as well. Most Lowden guitars have what people call a ‘film’ over them. It gives them a muffled, fat sound that’s great for when you’re thumping on that low string. You have this boom that lasts forever."
He also plays a short-necked, five-course Trillium bouzouki, made by New Hampshire luthier Robert Abrams ([603] 431-6056, www.octavemandolin.com). He tunes it D G D A D, from low to high.
Doyle performs and records using a heavy set of D’Addario phosphor-bronze strings and changes the low E out for an even heavier nickel-wound D’Addario .072. When flatpicking, he favors a light .60-mm. USA nylon pick, which provides clarity without being brittle.
When it comes to amplification, Doyle just wants to plug in and go. "I’ve got a Highlander pickup and a mic in the Lowden," he says, "but I never actually use the mic. The pickup sounds great by itself. On the Martin I’ve got an L.R. Baggs Dual Source [pickup/mic combination with on-board blender], and it’s the best sound. I can just plug it straight into a Para Acoustic D.I. and use nothing else. It takes a lot of the pressure off."
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by BegF
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
I've always liked Ovation guitars for all kinds of music, but I'm often told that it's on account of my lack of good taste. I've had two for donkey's years and I love them.
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by grego
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
L'Arrivee and Seagull acoustic and electro-acoustic guitars have a great sound, period.
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by Hanley
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
I but when was that Acoustic guitar magazine published because in the Liz Carrol Lake Effect Cd It says he plays a Fylde guitar and a Martin. And anyway if played Lowdens, Martins,Takamines, Ovations, Seagulls ,Simon and Patricks, TAylors but the best sounding guitar, the most versitile (watch ma spelin!) and just alround coolest guitar for me has to be the moon. They start at 900 quid and go up to what ever u want.
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by fiddlinzombie
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
I like the sound of Lowden or Takamines...
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by Murrough
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
I play a hand-made Northwood mini-jumbo and love it. Great bass for Doyle-style playing. They're a small company in British Columbia not far from Vancouver I think. They don't advertise much but check out their website (www.northwoodguitars.com I think). Mark
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by markwilson
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
Fine time for me to read this discussion... a week and a half after I hand over my retirement fund to the local music shop!
Actually, I think I did alright with a Martin D-16 (Sruce and Rosewood). It was between that and a Seagull Mosaic which was a little sweeter and more even across all the strings but lost out to the deeper bottom end of the Martin. (As soon as I work up another retirement fund, I may buy that one too...)
Schy
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by Schy
Re: Suggestions on guitars for Irish folk music
For playing in public sessions:
The biggest, baddest dreadnought you can find with medium gauge phosbronze strings, bone saddle and nut, strummed with a heavy flat pick.
For delicate, pretty solo or small ensemble work - something delicate and pretty. Maybe a nylon string or an OM body. Fingerpicking is nice. (Wish I could do it.)
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by tocotodo