Building your first Acoustic Guitar Kit is an exciting endeavor! Many aspiring luthiers and guitar enthusiasts find it a rewarding way to deeply understand the instrument and create something truly personal. If you’re diving into your first build and considering an acoustic guitar kit, one of the initial crucial decisions is selecting the body style. With various options available like OM, Jumbo, and Dreadnought, it’s important to choose one that aligns with your playing style and sonic preferences.
You mentioned you’re leaning away from a dreadnought since you already have access to one, and are considering OM or Small Jumbo styles, especially for fingerstyle playing. Let’s explore these body styles and others in the context of your desired sound characteristics to guide you toward the perfect acoustic guitar kit for your first project.
Understanding Your Sonic Preferences for Your Acoustic Guitar Kit
You’ve clearly outlined your sonic priorities, which is fantastic for guiding your kit selection. Let’s break down how different body styles typically cater to these preferences:
- Bass: A defined and loud bass response is a key desire. Larger body guitars generally produce more bass due to their bigger soundboard and internal air volume.
- 3D Sound: This immersive, enveloping sound often comes from guitars with good resonance and complex overtones, resulting from a balanced response across frequencies and good sustain.
- Reverb/Shimmer/Overtones: Guitars with longer sustain and complex harmonic profiles tend to exhibit more reverb and shimmer. Tonewoods and bracing patterns significantly influence this characteristic.
- Thinner Treble: You prefer thinner treble, associating thicker treble with less reverb. This suggests a preference for clarity and brightness without harshness, often found in balanced guitars.
- Volume with Light Touch: Responsiveness and dynamic range are important. A guitar that is loud and resonant even with a gentle touch is ideal for fingerstyle and nuanced playing.
- Long Scale: You prefer the sound of long-scale guitars. Longer scale lengths generally contribute to greater string tension, which can enhance clarity, projection, and bass response.
Popular Acoustic Guitar Body Styles for Kits
Considering your preferences, let’s look at some body styles commonly available as acoustic guitar kits:
OM/Orchestra Model Acoustic Guitar Kit
The OM (Orchestra Model) is a highly popular choice, especially for fingerstyle players. It’s known for its balanced tone, comfortable size (smaller than a dreadnought but larger than a parlor), and responsiveness.
- Bass: OMs offer a respectable bass response, although not as booming as larger jumbos or dreadnoughts. It’s typically well-defined and clear, rather than overpowering.
- 3D Sound & Reverb: OMs are often praised for their complex overtones and balanced frequency response, contributing to a “3D” sound. The smaller body can also enhance clarity and sustain, leading to pleasing reverb.
- Treble: OMs generally have clear and articulate treble, which can be described as “thinner” and less muddy, aligning with your preference.
- Volume: While not the loudest body style, OMs are responsive and can produce a good volume level with a light touch, suitable for intimate settings and fingerstyle playing.
- Scale Length: Typically available in long scale, which matches your preference.
Alt text: Close-up of an Orchestra Model (OM) acoustic guitar body, showcasing its balanced proportions and elegant curves.
Small Jumbo Acoustic Guitar Kit
Small Jumbo guitars, like the Gibson J-185 or Martin J style, offer a blend of qualities. They are larger than OMs but typically smaller than full-size jumbos, aiming for a balance of volume, bass, and comfortable playability.
- Bass: Small Jumbos generally deliver a stronger bass response than OMs, approaching the depth of a dreadnought but with potentially more focus and less boominess.
- 3D Sound & Reverb: The larger soundboard can contribute to a rich, resonant sound with complex overtones and good sustain, enhancing the “3D” quality and reverb you desire.
- Treble: Treble response is usually balanced, providing clarity without being overly thin or harsh. It can be described as having a good “shimmer.”
- Volume: Small Jumbos are typically louder than OMs, offering more projection while still being responsive to a lighter touch.
- Scale Length: Often available in long scale, and as you mentioned, customizable kits for long-scale J-185 styles are possible.
Alt text: A Gibson J-185 Small Jumbo acoustic guitar, highlighting its slightly rounded body shape and elegant aesthetics.
Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Kit (Consider with Caution)
While you mentioned wanting variety and already having a dreadnought, it’s worth briefly considering why it’s often recommended for beginners, and why it might be less ideal for your specific preferences in this kit build.
- Bass: Dreadnoughts are known for their powerful, booming bass, which excels in genres like bluegrass and strumming. However, it might be too bass-heavy for your preference for a defined bass in fingerstyle.
- 3D Sound & Reverb: While dreadnoughts can be loud and resonant, their sound projection is often more direct and forward, potentially lacking the enveloping “3D” quality you seek compared to other body styles. Reverb and overtones can be present, but sometimes overshadowed by the strong fundamental tone and bass.
- Treble: Dreadnought treble can sometimes be perceived as thicker or less articulate compared to OM or Jumbo styles, potentially not aligning with your preference for thinner treble.
- Volume: Dreadnoughts are the loudest of these body styles, designed for projection. This might be more volume than you need for apartment playing, and their responsiveness to a very light touch can sometimes be less nuanced than smaller body styles.
- Scale Length: Typically long scale.
Considerations for Your First Acoustic Guitar Kit Build
For a first build, both OM and Small Jumbo styles are generally manageable. Neither is inherently more difficult to build in terms of basic construction. However, consider these points:
- Customization: The idea of a customized long-scale J-185 kit is appealing if you love that style. Discussing this with a reputable kit provider like Blues Creek Guitars (where you mentioned John Hall) is wise. They can advise on the feasibility and any potential challenges for a first-time builder.
- Established Models: Choosing a standard OM or Martin J style kit from a well-known manufacturer ensures you are working with a proven design. This can be less risky for your first project as instructions and support are often readily available.
- Building Experience: Regardless of body style, focus on choosing a kit with clear, comprehensive instructions and good support for first-time builders. This will be more crucial to your success than the specific body shape.
Conclusion: Making Your Acoustic Guitar Kit Choice
For your first acoustic guitar kit, focusing on either an OM or a Small Jumbo style seems most aligned with your sonic preferences and playing style.
- If you prioritize a balanced, articulate tone with clear treble, good responsiveness for fingerstyle, and a comfortable size, an OM kit is an excellent choice.
- If you desire a stronger bass response and more volume while retaining good balance and responsiveness, a Small Jumbo kit, particularly a long-scale J-185 style, could be ideal.
Both styles offer the potential for achieving a “3D” sound and pleasing reverb. Ultimately, consider your visual preference as well – if you are drawn to the look of the J-185, pursuing a customized kit might be a very rewarding first build. Talk to your kit provider, weigh the pros and cons of customization versus a standard model, and get ready to embark on the exciting journey of building your own acoustic guitar!
