NGD - OMG!!!

jellyroll · March 2017

So, I decided to get myself a really nice acoustic as a belated 50th pressie. Played a lot of Martins and Collings but ended up getting a Santa Cruz OM Grand from Ivor Mairants. Basically, it's an OM with a fat arse. And it's fookin lovely. Warm and big and lush and clear with a gorgeous neck (with binding - which I much prefer). I'm a lousy player (though I hope to improve) so feel somewhat undeserving - but then again life is short and I don't own a car or drink or buy golf sticks. It's really a lovely thing and I feel quite privileged to have it.

notanon · March 2017

Happy belated birthday!

TimmyO · March 2017

Ah, that was you then :-)

That was a lovely instrument and no mistake, congrats

jellyroll · March 2017

TimmyO said:

Ah, that was you then :-)

That was a lovely instrument and no mistake, congrats

Thanks. Yes, I'm really chuffed with it.

jellyroll · March 2017

notanon said:

Happy belated birthday!

Thanks!

ICBM · March 2017

It's never too early - or too late - to have a really good acoustic.

I bought a Martin 12-string when I could barely play. Nearly thirty years later I've still got it - and I can still barely play, but in a more controlled way so at least it sounds nice

.

TheBigDipper · March 2017

Even an open D chord sounds better on a decent guitar. Enjoy it!

BigLicks67 · March 2017

Happy belated birthday and how about some pics of the Santa Cruz.

jellyroll · March 2017

Thanks all. Pics? Well I need to grasp that web hosting nettle....but yes I will. Although, tbh it looks like ...a spruce acoustic.

jellyroll · March 2017

Lewy · March 2017

Sounds awesome (another call for pics).

As others have said, a fine instrument will give you the best possible chance of improving as a player through both playability and inspiration, so don't worry about notions of worthiness. If makers like SCGC, Bourgeois, Collings etc only sold to the deserving, they wouldn't exist

jellyroll · March 2017

Lewy said:

Sounds awesome (another call for pics).

As others have said, a fine instrument will give you the best possible chance of improving as a player through both playability and inspiration, so don't worry about notions of worthiness. If makers like SCGC, Bourgeois, Collings etc only sold to the deserving, they wouldn't exist

Thanks, I appreciate your comments. Funny thing is, after spending a massive wedge on the guitar, I enquired about the Santa Cruz own brand strings. Turns out they're 18 quid a pack....and I'm more bothered about paying that for strings than paying the price of the guitar.

Jimbro66 · March 2017

That's a lovely guitar. I'd be very surprised if it doesn't help you advance your acoustic playing.

I was a more than competent electric player but a lousy acoustic player. That has changed dramatically since getting an Atkin OM four years ago. A great acoustic guitar makes all the difference.

Enjoy!

VimFuego · March 2017

that is awesome, nice GAS. I bought my nice acoustic when I'd only been playing a few years and not once has it ever judged me on my lack of playing ability.

ICBM · March 2017

jellyroll said:

Thanks, I appreciate your comments. Funny thing is, after spending a massive wedge on the guitar, I enquired about the Santa Cruz own brand strings. Turns out they're 18 quid a pack....and I'm more bothered about paying that for strings than paying the price of the guitar.

Especially when D'Addarios only cost a third of that and even DRs are only a little over half.

jellyroll · March 2017

Thanks guys.

jellyroll · March 2017

ICBM said:

jellyroll said:

Thanks, I appreciate your comments. Funny thing is, after spending a massive wedge on the guitar, I enquired about the Santa Cruz own brand strings. Turns out they're 18 quid a pack....and I'm more bothered about paying that for strings than paying the price of the guitar.

Especially when D'Addarios only cost a third of that and even DRs are only a little over half.

It's the parabolic tension that add to the cost. You can only get it from sustainable sources....

http://www.santacruzguitar.com/scgc-strings/

kaypeejay · March 2017

Just bought myself a Taylor after 30 years on and off, mostly off, strangling an Epiphone dreadnaught. I now love playing both and am practicing more than ever which means I am now just above incompetent. Enjoy your new guitar, it looks lovely.

AliGorie · March 2017

jellyroll said:

Lewy said:

Sounds awesome (another call for pics).

As others have said, a fine instrument will give you the best possible chance of improving as a player through both playability and inspiration, so don't worry about notions of worthiness. If makers like SCGC, Bourgeois, Collings etc only sold to the deserving, they wouldn't exist

I enquired about the Santa Cruz own brand strings. Turns out they're 18 quid a pack....and I'm more bothered about paying that for strings than paying the price of the guitar.

yeah JR, quality engorged 'OM's' are super versatile - delicate fingerpicking to strident session / jam playing, all the dynamics are there. I got a Bourgie JOM in the '90's mainly for gigging though it can be subtle as well.
What depth is the grand ? the JOM is Dread size - 4 7/8.
Good instruments should be having the effect -"come on big boy - is that all u can do - cause I can do a lot more" stretching u as a player

.
give it a few years of good playing (all over the neck) and u'll pick it up one day and it'll hit u - sonic fulfillment

happy pickin

jellyroll · March 2017

I was actually weighing up the Santa Cruz against a Bourgeois (not a JOM, a smaller model). The Bourgeois was lovely and appealed to me as smaller sweeter guitar. In the end I went for the bigness of the SC OMG but I might well have gone home with a Bourgeois JOM if they'd had one. The body doesn't seem that deep on the SC, I think the extra size over the OM is in the width rather than the depth.

AliGorie · March 2017

Ah - ok, I dont mind a 'big bottom', on a guitar - I rest my r/h upper arm on the lower bout so my picking hand falls over the soundhole smaller L/B guitars are awkward for me to play
heres the dynamics of the Bourgeois (cheap mic 'n noise 'n all)
http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXdGXIRSibo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulqYgJG-T6g

ah - forgot to mention SC strings - there was a GREAT to do over the pond when they came out - simply, there elitist / exclusive product that some people drool over - read, accountants / dentists / lawyers being the target market.
I suspect them to have been avalible previously but now re branded and given exclusivity in price and marketing blurb - I mean - built in PARABOLIC EQ - WHAT, WTF.
Naa - DR Rares and Newtone Masterclass - on my guitars thanks.

jellyroll · March 2017

Nice tunes and nice playing @AliGorie. ; Will try the DR and Newtones. Cheers.

artiebear · March 2017

Congratulation and heres to a long and happy relationship. There is something magical about playing and growing into a bond with a great acoustic guitar. As for strings, I've tried everything over the years and still come back to the simplicity of good old D'addario's.

AliGorie · March 2017

jellyroll said:

Nice tunes and nice playing @AliGorie. ;; Will try the DR and Newtones. Cheers.

didn'tmean to crash u'r NGD with the vids but I put the two links and it's 'embedding' one ???.

I've writen bout (my) experiences of wire on guitars somewhere on here - the better the guitar the more it highlights the strings - if u've an ear to hear, cheaper strings are, just that - made to a cost and made to last fairly well deliberately so, because of the alloys employed, they know people are 'driven' by price. Whereas manufacturers that use quality raw materials - obviously will cost more and is reflected in the retail price. If you have 'killer sweat' quality strings die more quickly.

jellyroll · March 2017

AliGorie said:

jellyroll said:

Nice tunes and nice playing @AliGorie. ;; Will try the DR and Newtones. Cheers.

didn'tmean to crash u'r NGD with the vids but I put the two links and it's 'embedding' one ???.

I've writen bout (my) experiences of wire on guitars somewhere on here - the better the guitar the more it highlights the strings - if u've an ear to hear, cheaper strings are, just that - made to a cost and made to last fairly well deliberately so, because of the alloys employed, they know people are 'driven' by price. Whereas manufacturers that use quality raw materials - obviously will cost more and is reflected in the retail price. If you have 'killer sweat' quality strings die more quickly.

Agreed. I'm not interested in the cheapest strings. As I've got a top drawer guitar, I want the best strings. And, I will pay £18 for the SC strings if they are indeed "better" than the other brands. So it comes down to experimentation, comparing them with the DRs, etc.

There's a psychological aspect too. (Which cynics might say is what SC are preying on). There's a voice in my head saying I should buy the strings that are "designed" for the guitar.

I suppose, it also comes down to how often I find myself changing strings. If the SC strings last a week, then 18 quid a pop will get annoying quickly. If they last 3 months, it's not such a biggie.

Lozboy · March 2017

Lovely guitar what a great treat.Enjoy.

Chuffola · March 2017

Beautiful. Enjoy!

I've just got a parlour guitar for my 50th - not that standard though! But apart from checking that it had arrived in one piece I'm not allowed to even strum it until "the day". I'm looking forward to it though...

richardhomer · March 2017

Happy birthday and congratulations. 3 of the top 5 acoustics I've played were SCGCs. The other two were old, well played Martins.

IMO SCs are the best of the best.

Sassafras · March 2017

Parabolic strings?
Sounds like a very important scientific breakthrough and not a moment too soon.
At long last strings will no longer hamper my playing.

jellyroll · March 2017

AliGorie said:

yeah JR, quality engorged 'OM's' are super versatile - delicate fingerpicking to strident session / jam playing, all the dynamics are there. I got a Bourgie JOM in the '90's mainly for gigging though it can be subtle as well.
What depth is the grand ? the JOM is Dread size - 4 7/8.
Good instruments should be having the effect -"come on big boy - is that all u can do - cause I can do a lot more" stretching u as a player .
give it a few years of good playing (all over the neck) and u'll pick it up one day and it'll hit u - sonic fulfillment
happy pickin

I measured the lower bout last night - it's 4 1/8 ......so you've got 3/4 of an inch on me.....

artiebear · March 2017

jellyroll said:

AliGorie said:

yeah JR, quality engorged 'OM's' are super versatile - delicate fingerpicking to strident session / jam playing, all the dynamics are there. I got a Bourgie JOM in the '90's mainly for gigging though it can be subtle as well.
What depth is the grand ? the JOM is Dread size - 4 7/8.
Good instruments should be having the effect -"come on big boy - is that all u can do - cause I can do a lot more" stretching u as a player .
give it a few years of good playing (all over the neck) and u'll pick it up one day and it'll hit u - sonic fulfillment
happy pickin

I measured the lower bout last night - it's 4 1/8 ......so you've got 3/4 of an inch on me.....

Sounds like it's SC's take on Martin's M / 0000 body size. OM depth but with a wider lower bout. That will really give you the best of both worlds, comfy to play, clarity of the OM with a little more air moving, but without getingt boomy on the low end. One of Martin's most underrated body sizes and it only came about after a C series Martin arch top was effectively turned into a flat top for an artist at which point they discovered a great idea.

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