Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG200N

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Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG200N

Postby MrAstro » Thu Nov 12, 2015 7:19 am

Guys I'm thinking of getting a Yamaha Silent Guitar SLG200N. As you may know I like playing Chet Atkins numbers mostly.

It is 50mm wide at the Nut (1 31/32"). It has a scale length of 650mm (25 9/16") so a hair bigger than 25.5".

I'm a bit worried the nut width and scale might be a bit long for fingerpicking - but it seems to be fairly narrow for a classical guitar. I have fairly short stubby fingers but manage with Fender Stratocasters alright - they have a 25.5" scale length. I wonder what specs the electric nylons that Chet used had - but then again he had bigger hands than me.

Can I have your thoughts on this please? They are pretty scarce in Australia but I think one might be available tomorrow if I decide to pull the trigger. I will try it before I decide but I wonder if Chet's style lends itself to certain fretboard specifications?

They look like this:

Image
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Re: Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG20

Postby Norm » Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:39 am

MrAstro wrote:Guys I'm thinking of getting a Yamaha Silent Guitar SLG200N. As you may know I like playing Chet Atkins numbers mostly.

It is 50mm wide at the Nut (1 31/32"). It has a scale length of 650mm (25 9/16") so a hair bigger than 25.5".

I'm a bit worried the nut width and scale might be a bit long for fingerpicking - but it seems to be fairly narrow for a classical guitar. I have fairly short stubby fingers but manage with Fender Stratocasters alright - they have a 25.5" scale length. I wonder what specs the electric nylons that Chet used had - but then again he had bigger hands than me.

Can I have your thoughts on this please? They are pretty scarce in Australia but I think one might be available tomorrow if I decide to pull the trigger. I will try it before I decide but I wonder if Chet's style lends itself to certain fretboard specifications?
]


I doubt there is any particular fretboard spec other than Chet himself gravitated toward a wider fingerboard after he got his legendary '59

Any kind of finger style playing is a little easier with a wider fingerboard... it's a matter of player comfort in the long run.

And don't hide behind "having small fingers" Muriel Anderson is very petite and manages quite well on wide fingerboards... ;)
...that's how it looks to me...The opinion expressed above is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of this station. Your mileage may vary...

Audio samples: http://www.youtube.com/user/acountrygent/videos
That should do it.
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Re: Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG20

Postby Joeb » Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:05 pm

Hi Norm. I picked up a Ibanez GA-35tCE DVS classical guitar. If your looking for a big bang for the money on a pretty decent guitar this Ibanez might be just what you need at good cost. They list for around $400. 00 but I got mine at the Guitar Center for $300.00 no case. This guitar plays like butter when you set it up as you would do to any guitar. Sounds good. Scale Length 25.6 has a thin body 2 3/4 the best part is the 1.74 neck width. Plays as a standard electric guitar with the slim neck. I've been looking for a classic for a few years and this model suits me < an electric player> well. Go on you tube and check one out. Only thing I don't like on the guitar is the volume controls and the on board guitar tuner is in a odd place on the guitar which for me anyway is useless. I have a Chet Epiphone classical from the 90's and this Ibanez plays better than it as the neck on the epiphone chet is bigger at 1.75. Hope this helps you out. Later friend. Joe
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Re: Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG20

Postby MrAstro » Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:23 pm

Thanks for your opinions.

I'll see if I can try the Ibanez - it looks like a good option. I wasn't really buying the Yamaha as a travel guitar but because it was an electric nylon. The Yamaha has a truss rod too which I know a lot of classical guitars don't have because they say they don't need them - but the truss rod is good to have in case things 'move' on the guitar longer term.

I wasn't really hiding behind 'small fingers' but I couldn't see the point in being masochistic and just buying an enormous fretboard which was going to make the stretches on some of Chet's songs more difficult than they already are :-) Thanks for the information about what Chet actually used ie. a variety of scale lengths.
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Re: Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG20

Postby Joeb » Thu Nov 12, 2015 5:57 pm

Mr astro. Joe here again. The Ibanez GA- 35 has a truss rod located in the sound hole which is a big plus! They have decent tuners as well. They are not like those real cheap ones that came on my 1990's Chet Atkins Epiphone. I llike my Ibanez it plays like a standard electric neck and plays with ease. I have small chunky fingers too so that's why I love this guitar. I got mine at guitar center so if there's one around your neck of the woods check one out. Here's a heads up they have them on ebay for about $100.00 less than the store. All the best . Joe
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Re: Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG20

Postby MrAstro » Thu Nov 12, 2015 6:09 pm

Hi there Joe - I found one online - but it turns out it's at my local music store! So I'm going to drive over there this morning and try it. It's a quite a bit cheaper than the Yamaha so that's a very good thing if it works out :-) Hopefully the store actually has it in stock and isn't just selling it from a distribution centre. I'll find out soon.

I'll let you know what happens

Thanks very much

Andrew
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Re: Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG20

Postby MrAstro » Thu Nov 12, 2015 10:05 pm

The store ended up having GA 5TCE (not a GA 35TCE). I'm assuming the GA 5TCE is a lower end version of the GA 35TCE.

For what it's worth it played reasonably well and certainly let me access the around the 9th to 12 fret using my thumb for the bass note. The downside was the action was a little high - probably adjustable by shaving the bridge down a bit.

I think I'll wait to try the Yamaha and if the Yamaha doesn't work out I'll try and find someone over here with the GA35TCE.

At least now I have an idea of what the Ibanez is like and I was definitely reasonably happy with it. I just think I'd prefer the model you have rather than the really low end model.
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Re: Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG20

Postby jay » Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:32 am

Mr. Astro,
I have one of the older Yamaha Silent models. It is so easy to travel with. The piezo seemed a little quacky, compared to a good pickup...and I am sure they have improved that. I love how you can plug in with some earphones and not bother a soul. Lots of pluses ... and you compromise quite a bit also. I have seen them used on stage and on quite a few Youtubes and they sound very classical. I am glad I have one.
jay kantor
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Re: Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG20

Postby MrAstro » Fri Nov 13, 2015 4:25 am

Thanks Jay - I got to try one today and it sounded really nice. I didn't end up getting it though because I found that the neck joint was too close to the 12th fret. It made it hard to play chords using your thumb for the bass note up near the 9th and 10th frets because the 'heel' of your hand hits the neck joint.

The consensus at the guitar store was that I needed a guitar like the Ibanez we've been talking about with a neck joint up near the 14th fret.

I was a little disappointed not to get it because in all other respects it was really nice. It was made really well and it sounded great. I did find the fretboard really wide though compared to the Ibanez - I could have gotten used to that if not for the neck joint.

Best

Andrew
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Re: Quick Opinions Needed Yamaha Silent Guitar (Nylon) SLG20

Postby MrAstro » Fri Nov 13, 2015 4:32 am

Actually an interesting side note was the disdain I got from some of the sales people when I mentioned I used my thumb to hit bass notes like Chet Atkins - it was like I was saying something heretical :lol:

One even said, you'll never catch me wrapping my thumb over the fretboard!

Another one tried to explain that you don't use a thumbpick on a classical guitar :-) When I explained that Chet Atkins did, he said "Well Chet Atkins was pretty out there". I didn't answer him back but I stored it away for future reference that some people are sticks in the mud :-) I could have cited Tommy Emmanuel - since he's well known in Australia (given that's where he's from) - but I guess he doesn't usually play a classical guitar.

I tried to explain the concept of constructing basslines and chord voicings for travis picking and his eyes just glazed over. He didn't want to know...
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