Official Luthiers Forum!

It seems to me that the person asking about the most versatile guitar probably doesn't know what they like,
that they're probably a beginner.

The AGF Forum is full of questions like that: what pick to use, what strings,
how many guitars should I own, what's best - sitka or adirondack?

Those questions aren't asked by people with experience, and experience comes from trying it all out for oneself.
My answer or yours won't be appropriate for someone else.

The OM for sure.
TJK

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

All things being equal, I would agree with Terence that the OM is the most versatile gtar. Although, without the proper set up for the individual playing, no one gtar is versatile.

Todd, I think you answered your own question, and I agree. The thing that makes any gtar versatile to any one person is the set up that matches that particular persons style of playing and desired "feel".

Chuck

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Dumb question --

What's a "K&K"...???

K&K sound pickup ..likely the Pure Western ... inexpensive, only require the end pin hole (no saddle work) and they sound great.

most versatile .. depends on who its for, and thats why most guys have a room full .. but for me, its an OM, maybe OM plus (little bigger/deeper) .... until I get a harp ....

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

I would never answer a question with an absolute when it comes to preferences. All I can say is that for my 30 years of playing, I have found the Prairie State (Larson Brothers) Influenced guitars by Nick Kukich (Franklin Guitars) and John Greven to be extremely versatile. These are jumbo guitars (17+" across lower bout) but at an OM depth. I own a Franklin, and have played John's wonderful guitars. I am in process of building my version of this wonderful guitar.

Glenn

I have got to agree with Tony on the K&K pickups, I have used their Trinity system in 2 guitars and a Mini Western in my Cocobolo OM. They are as close to the guitars acoustic sound as I have heard only louder. As for a versatile guitar I would go with a OM size or small Jumbo with OM depth like the Martin M/0000 guitars. I have not played a deeper body OM as Tony suggests but that makes sense to me.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

If you had the Ultimately Versatile Guitar, then you'd need only one - who wants only one guitar?!?!

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The member formerly known as erikbojerik....

If all you have is a Hammer.... Every problem looks like a Nail!

Versatile for what?
Playing out at the beach and camp fire?
Recording?
Playing live unamplified for large crowds in large outdoor settings?
Playing live unamplified for small crowds?
Playing Amplified in a noisy setting?
!

The most "versatile" guitar is the one you own when you only own 1 guitar... and kinda begs to be answered with "Ovation Celebrity Thin Body"

If you have 1 guitar to do everything... It probably won't do anything exceptionally well... Kinda like a Swiss Army Knife...

It's a bulky pocket knife with a teeny pair of scissors and a wine corkscrew that would make Lou Farigno strain and a short T-handle phillips screwdriver and an Itty Bitty saw... BUT.. you can carry it with you.

Thanks

John

Ok, don't hit me. ... A telecaster?

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"...you have to get over your strict adherence to your largely imagined notion of absolute perfection..."

That was a bit harsh of a reply don’t you think?

It has always been the general attitude of this forum’s membership that no question regarding lutherie is silly or repugnant and all deserve a respectful answer with a courteous reply. Even if the reply was just to say the questions is too subjective to answer definitely.

You know we all started as beginners.

I agree that a versatile guitar is probably not going to be the best at anything, however, there are guitars that do a pretty good job at a lot of things. Conversely, there are guitars that are not versatile. Gypsy Jazz guitars are only good for one thing, Gypsy Jazz, for example. Nylon string parlor guitars won't be much use outside of the parlor.

Given that there are guitars that are not versatile, there are other guitars that are more versatile. The most versatile guitar that I have found is the Martin M/0000 guitar. It has great bass but is not "tubby" like a lot of dreds. It has clear trebles but chords well unlike a lot of OM's that I have heard where the individual strings seem to have their own personality and you hear six distinct notes instead of a unified chord. It works well for most finger style playing as well as accompanying singing or even backing up a fiddle. I wouldn't record Celtic DADGAD tunes with it if I had access to an OM. Nor would I play light jazz in a piano bar with it. However, all in all, it is a guitar that is useful in a lot of places.

Oh and my reply is I find an SJ to be my most versatile model. But it is close in size to an OM so its versatility comes from the same line of reasoning in regards to flat picking, finger style or Travis picking. But in truth this is going to be subjective to the individual as well as the diverse genre of music being played on it.

Same here. And most of my customers who are looking for the most versatile guitar go for a OM with a Dreadnought body depth. All were fully satisfied.

But as it was mentioned before, depends who's palying and in what environment. (Studio, living room, on stage, etc.)

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)