@wolf_garcia. Yeah, stereotyping guitar brands with a particular type of sound is ultimately treacherous as hell, but I still can't help but do it. I also gotta say that me and the wife have more than our share of steel string acoustics in the house. Damn, her Everett sounds lovely! And in earlier days I spent an inordinate amount of time at McCabe's Guitar Shop and similar joints, taking guitars off the wall to sample.
At any rate, I think of a Gibson acoustic as sounding dry and midrangey -- a sound particularly designed not to get in the way of vocals. A Gibson L-00 (yeah, it's tiny) suits this sound to a T, as do many Gibby dreads. Martins, particularly dreadnaughts, sound big and complex -- made for propelling bluegrass bands.
I've never heard or played an Olson Guitar, but I've played the other brands you mention, and sound-wise they all generally hew to the Martin sound. And oh yes, I truly love the Froggy Bottom and the Santa Cruz.
@mglik -- I gotta tell ya' that pianos' sounds can vary remarkably by both brand and size. Again, I'm typecasting here to beat the band, but Steinways tend to sound clangy and Baldwins tend to sound mellow. Bosendorfer inhabits the tonal spot between them.
At any rate, I think of a Gibson acoustic as sounding dry and midrangey -- a sound particularly designed not to get in the way of vocals. A Gibson L-00 (yeah, it's tiny) suits this sound to a T, as do many Gibby dreads. Martins, particularly dreadnaughts, sound big and complex -- made for propelling bluegrass bands.
I've never heard or played an Olson Guitar, but I've played the other brands you mention, and sound-wise they all generally hew to the Martin sound. And oh yes, I truly love the Froggy Bottom and the Santa Cruz.
@mglik -- I gotta tell ya' that pianos' sounds can vary remarkably by both brand and size. Again, I'm typecasting here to beat the band, but Steinways tend to sound clangy and Baldwins tend to sound mellow. Bosendorfer inhabits the tonal spot between them.