# Parlor guitar: very small sound ?



## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

I like the look of parlor guitars: they look like they'd be perfect for playing around the house, play them anywhere etc. I got to try one yesterday and was really disappointed with the sound - very 'small' sounding and very little projection, not lively at all. It was a Larrivee PV-05. Very pretty guitar, and seemed to be finished nicely, it just didn't sound that good. Sounded exactly like it looked - a really small guitar. 

I don't want to bash on Larrivees, as I've tried some others that were nice. Is the small sound just a general feature of parlor guitars, or was it just this particular one? The strings weren't brand new, but they certainly didn't feel dead.


----------



## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

bagpipe said:


> I like the look of parlor guitars: they look like they'd be perfect for playing around the house, play them anywhere etc. I got to try one yesterday and was really disappointed with the sound - very 'small' sounding and very little projection, not lively at all. It was a Larrivee PV-05. Very pretty guitar, and seemed to be finished nicely, it just didn't sound that good. Sounded exactly like it looked - a really small guitar.
> 
> I don't want to bash on Larrivees, as I've tried some others that were nice. Is the small sound just a general feature of parlor guitars, or was it just this particular one? The strings weren't brand new, but they certainly didn't feel dead.


I find it really varies. I have had small boxy sounding ones, and ones that you would be shocked by how well they project. Generally, I find them a little better for finger picking though.


----------



## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

I know it's not considered a parlour guitar or maybe it is, but try the Martin 00-15. Great sound for a small guitar and projects really well. That's the one I use when I play in the family room or for when I want to bring a guitar when we go on trips.


----------



## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

The sound was what won me over from the start with the Baby Taylor line. That sculpted back does lead to good sound projection. When my son and I were looking for a guitar for him, it was the only one we tried that decently competed with the other full size guitars around.

But yes, there are a lot of "small" guitars that do have a "small" sound. Not bad, just not loud.


----------



## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

I have a Martin OMC-15E, which is just a little bigger than a parlour. It has a really warm, rich sound that I love, but between the relatively small size and the all mahogany body it is quite quiet. Our other guitarist has a Norman dreadnought and I can't play with him without being plugged in ... the martin just disapears. That said, it's an excellent stage guitar.


----------



## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

I have played some pretty "punchy" parlour sized guitars, and some pretty weak sounding ones - often from the same manufacturer. Keep shopping around.


----------



## canadian tyler (Jul 7, 2009)

I find parlour guitars generally pretty weak. but if you want to go a little bigger I find OM guitars have a really great sound. once again you will find some stinkers, but I've played more good sounding ones then bad.

A good deal is a old japanese fender F-15 from the mid 70's. sometimes you can find these pretty cheap and they sound perty durn nice!!!!


----------



## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

Technically, a Parlour is smaller than a 0 sized guitar. A 0 has a lower bout of roughly 13". The 0 is the smallest body on a full scale guitar (24.9"). Below this are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 sized guitars. (the higher the number the smaller the guitar). 
The better the maker, the bigger the guitar sounds. I have a 1925 Martin 2-17 that will bury most larger guitars. It is so light in your hands as to feel like "Musical Air" and it has a voice that will "suck the water out of yer face"! 

I haven't found a factory parlour to date that is built light enough to have a voice. Don't judge the parlours by what you find in the stores. Sadly, you must either visit a top level luthier or find a vintage Martin, Washburn, or other maker from the early part of the last century. It's really too bad, because they have a charm and an ease of play that is quite engaging.


----------



## brimc76 (Feb 14, 2008)

I found the same thing with the parlour I had so I switched over to a Seagull SWS Folk. It's smaller than a Martin OM and from what I've been told it's more the size of a classical. I like the sound of this one, although the Mini Jumbo has a bit more bottom if that's what you're after.

Brian


----------



## Guest (Feb 20, 2010)

Art & Lutherie AMI Cedar top sounds ok. I just got it a few weeks ago and so far its been good. Mini Jumbo doesn't have much of a sound difference compared to a regular Dreadnaught. If you are going to go Jumbo its best to go Super Jumbo for the full effect of the bass.

Super Jumbo is my next purchase, to bad Seagull, Norman, Simon & Patrick or Art & Lutherie don't make super jumbo's.


----------



## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

I find bagpipe that most folks who generally play dreads and bigger are disappointed in the amount of volume a parlor will give and go away feeling less then you can imagine. I think parlors are more for very specific types of playing conditions and types of music also, like old rag time playing and so forth and most folks I know directly use them for recording more then playing out and then you have those folks who just don't like the lack of sound and volume it projects. I haven't had the pleasure myself of owning one but have been thinking about it and have only noodled around for short periods at music stores, but at least I know what I am or I am not missing.Ship


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

yeah- a lot of it has to do with playing conditions- ive got a bunch of acoustics, most are parlour sized, and the largest is 00 size- 15" across the lower bout.
for everything that i do, by myself, a parlor is fine volume wise. tonewise, they are all different, like any guitar- and although they "project" really well- if im jamming with other players, i use the 00, or a resonator. the parlours are great- but if i was cutting down to only 1 acoustic, itd be something in a 00 size-
still has some midrangey honk, but is loud enough to compete with larger guitars. i think that a parlour size doesnt have the frequency range that a larger body does, and gets overpowered-
its a plus for playing solo however- in my opinion.


----------



## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Playing conditions, micing, and expectations. These are all considerations. This conversation has come up before and I have mentioned before too that Ian Anderson is a recognized musician that does appreciate and even prefer the "small" guitar. To my ears, there is nothing at all small in the sound of Jethro Tull or in Ian Anderson's playing.

[video=youtube;JDosgkws0-c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDosgkws0-c[/video]


----------



## brimc76 (Feb 14, 2008)

Thanks Keeper, it's been a long time since I've listened to any Jethro Tull and I'd forgotten how much I like it.


----------



## Intrepid (Oct 9, 2008)

I have always played D's but last year decided to take a chance and purchased a Larrivee PV-09E from Guitar Adoptions in the States. They were very helpful and understood my concern about small, boxy sounding guitars. They picked a beauty in a nice sunburst. At first, it played "a bit small" but after a couple of months the top started to open up and it sounds great now . It will not replace my D-28 but it sure is fun to play and is easy to tote around ( a touch expensive though).


----------



## roadflix (Nov 4, 2008)

In the process of developing new models we've had a few parlors in our sample room. Some project better than others but in all cases going to medium (.13) strings makes a big difference. The short scale length suits the heavier guage.


----------



## whammybar (May 7, 2008)

I played a little fender f-15 that had huge sound for such a tiny guitar. I don't know if it qualifies as a parlour guitar or a kid guitar but there was nothing small about the tone. And LOUD! Absolutely amazing and you can find them anywhere cheap.


----------

