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Location: Rocheter, MN | Right now I have mediums on my CSE44, and I'm not terribly happy with how they sound (amplified or not). It just seems...muffled. The strings are brand-new, and the second set I've tried. I realize that the bowl on this model is only mid-depth, but I don't think that's the problem. I'm wondering if I should move to light-gauge strings to improve the mids/highs? I can always amplify if need more projection; right now I'm just looking for better tone. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Before I crack any Celebrity jokes...
When you say "medium" strings, what brand of strings and what gauge are we talking about.
(Medium means different things to different companies.)
The more info, the better chance of getting a plausible answer. ;) |
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Location: Rocheter, MN | D'addario mediums - .056 to .013. I've tried Ernie Balls and Martins too; same result. It's probably just the guitar itself. I know it's not the top-shelf Ovation, but still, I kind of expected a better pure-acoustic sound out of it since the soundboard is a solid-top and not a lam. I have a Morgan Monroe MVS-45 (a copy of the old Gibson J45 slope-shoulder), and it just blows my CSE44 out of the water in all ranges: lows, mids, and highs. The lows I could understand, but I was really shocked at the CSE44's weak mids and highs compared to the other guitar. But I know strings make a big difference, so I wanted to get some feedback on this before I assume that I just need to play with an amp on my Ovation to get a decent tone. |
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Location: SoCal | How high or low is the saddle? What kind of sound are you looking for? |
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Location: south east Michigan | Hmmm... IMO... Trying to adjust the basic sound of a guitar by changing strings is like taking vitamins for a broken leg. It can help, but to what extent??
Try 3 or 4 different types of strings and if none of them does the trick you might have to look a little deeper.
And I just noticed a very, very nice Adamas in out signature line. That kind of instrument can really spoil you. Any mid-bowl Celbrity would feel a little intimadated by that one. |
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Location: Utah | Are you using coated strings? Those do tend to sound deader to my ears than non-coated. The gold standard for me has been Martin Marquis Phos Bronze lights. The 80/20 have a brighter sound, so you might try those instead of phos/bronze. |
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Location: south east Michigan | very nice Adamas in out signature line. in OUT signature line??
Of course I meant to type... In YOUR signature line.
And I mis-spelled "Celebrity", too.
Hey.. if I don't correct it myself I'll get grief from Moody or Woody.... a.k.a.- The Grammer Police. |
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Location: closely held secret | Brad, "misspelled" has no hyphen. |
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| You're dealing with a lot of variables here, not the least of which is the size and shape of the guitars. Even top-of-the-line Ovations with mid and shallow bowls sound thinner than the comparably shaped deep bowls. Then you're comparing a full body dreadnaught to a smaller bodied cutaway. Bracing patterns have a lot to do with the guitar's voice, and I imagine they're radically different in these guitars. There are more factors, but you get the idea.
I would have suggested the thicker string gauge but you're already using the max I'd use on that guitar. FlySig's suggestion was spot-on if you're looking for more distinction in the ranges. I don't think string type will do anything for volume, tho (except decrease the volume with lighter gauge). |
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Location: Rocheter, MN | Well, my 1187 (obviously) has the best sound of all my guitars: round, full, vibrant. It's got low-end rumble and very sweet high-ends and mids. But it also has a deep bowl and thinner soundboard. But I use light-weight strings on that instrument because it's my fingerstyle guitar.
The CSE44 is supposed to be my strummer/flatpicker, which means I have to be able to wring decent mids out of it. It sounds fine through an amp, but if I have to play with an amp anyway I might as well just switch to light-weight strings and save my fretting fingers.
I dunno - maybe I'm just expecting too much out of the mid-depth bowl. The sound isn't *bad*, it's just *weak*. |
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Location: closely held secret | It's not that you're expecting too much out of a mid bowl. You're expecting too much out of a Celebrity. |
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Location: Rocheter, MN | Then you're comparing a full body dreadnaught to a smaller bodied cutaway. Bracing patterns have a lot to do with the guitar's voice, and I imagine they're radically different in these guitars. There are more factors, but you get the idea. Yeah, I hear you. I think I'm just expecting too much out of it without an amp. Still, I do wonder if the top of the CSE44 is a little over-finished. The finish looks to be a fairly thick layer of urethane.
Meh. It's probably not that big a deal...my playing is probably mostly to blame anyhow! :) |
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Location: NJ | ". . It's not that you're expecting too much out of a mid bowl. You're expecting too much out of a Celebrity . ."
. . . and "Bingo!" was his name-o. |
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Location: closely held secret | Everybody was busy dancing. Somebody had to say it. |
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| 'Tis the season - I was trying to be nice. |
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Location: closely held secret | You don't have to try very hard, Serge. It seems to come naturally to you! |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | and the ass kissing begins :rolleyes:
Less than 82 and counting! ;) |
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Location: Chicago | Fly Sig might be right about coated strings in general; HOWEVER I think if you try the Elixir Nanoweb Lights (12-53) you will be amazed. They give the brightest "zingietst" sound I've ever heard. They are so "zingy" that some need to back off and go for something a little more woody or "dead". So, spring for a set a see what they do for your Celebrity. |
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Location: closely held secret | Always good to suck up to the locals. Otherwise you might find yourself abandoned at the Huddle House at 3am... |
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Location: NJ | . . . again. |
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Location: Nashville TN. | It has a solid top I doubt the bowl the problem.
The mid ones tend to sound good.
Try Adamas Strings on it.
If that doesnt do it, trade up to a USA
model. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by mrmanley:
The CSE44 is supposed to be my strummer/flatpicker, which means I have to be able to wring decent mids out of it...
...I dunno - maybe I'm just expecting too much out of the mid-depth bowl. The sound isn't *bad*, it's just *weak*. When I play (strum) most any of my guitars with a Heavy Pick they sound 'muted'...
Smack me if this is a dumb question, but have you been using a heavy pick, and did you try a lighter one?
[I thought about getting a Solid Top Celebrity, CSE or CDX...
The I decided that if I was gonna do that I should just get a USO.] |
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String weight on CSE44 for pure acoustic sound?
