Acoustic Guitar Construction

We all know the soundclips around the net. Sometimes intended as entertainment, but often as a tempting commercial sound.
The build I made showes how sceptical you should be.
At first I show you a clip with a Rode M3 condensor microphone just in front of the guitar, played by me. After 17 seconds I swap to the K&K pickup and AER amp and a microphone in front.
http://hermanarendsenguitars.nl/mp3/bert1.mp3
Not bad, but not very professional.

Then sold the thing and Bert made me a sweet sounding clip. Made stereo with 2 condensor microphones and a little reverb. Same guitar, but what a difference.
http://hermanarendsenguitars.nl/mp3/Ber ... 20song.mp3
So don't let them fool you. A nice clip is fun, but be a bit aloof. The reality can be a bit different, as always.

I know, a player can make a huge difference, but here recording is a big deal IMO.
Herman

I think the second recording is an honest recording of your guitar. Listening to the first 17 seconds of the first clip and listening to the second clip I think shows in this case that a great sound of a great sounding guitar can be highlighted. I can hear the reverb in the second recording but that reverb does not change the overall balance nor the sweetness I hear in the first recording. From the first recording I like the sound of the miced acoustic sound more than the miced amplified pickup sound.

Did Bert use fingerpicks of some sort - metal, or maybe plastic - or was that bare fingers and fingernails?

A very nice sound indeed.

Which is why I try to NOT let folks hear my guitars on a recording. Too many variables and I don't have great equipment. If I can get them here to play a guitar live I usually make the sale. And while I do have a recording on my website it is not one I did but it is a guitar I built.

Thanks for the interesting comparison Herman.

Not that I want to be peculiar, but I prefer the first recording over the second ... perhaps because I like the music in the first one better, but also because the sound seems less "damped". Maybe all I am saying is I don't care for reverb. The treble in the first "rings" and sounds woody, where in the second, treble is smoothed out. It certainly boils down to "opinion" and may well be a function of actual differences in ears as well, not to mention the equipment installed on one's computer for listening. That's two empirical variables added to a subjective one - leaves room for a lot of different takes.

I've got a pair of Rode NT-1a mics and a DSLR video camera that does hi-def that I plan to use for recording a number of my guitars - as soon as I can get someone in who can play and is willing to be on YouTube. Had not thought of just doing the sound, which could be hosted on my basement server, with much less public exposure for the player. Your clips reminded me to consider that.

I think that, assuming the audience is presented with honest qualifications, sound clips are a welcome addition to a maker's web site. (I'm working on a new one of those too, using "responsive" CSS3 and HTML5.) But I also appreciate Tim's reluctance. Recordings never sound the same as live and can send expectations in a bad direction, although if someone is getting the instrument for recording, how it sounds there would be a primary concern.

Projects, projects.