I was thinking of getting an electric because I could practice/play without disturbing anyone (no amp or with headphone amp) Also I admit that my playing is bad enough to drive my wife wild but not in the way that I would like to drive a woman wild. So I have an old junkie classical that I use and thought instead of purchasing an electric maybe I can somehow muffle the acoustic. Maybe stuffing a towel in the body. Has anyone attempted this? I dont care what it will sound like tone wise. But I do want to be able to hear when I am damping a string, etc. Its hard on the ego when your wife says "Promise me you wont get mad if I tell you this but your playing......"
Thanks
Brian
I hear ya!
I drove my wife and kids crazy for years. You will likely always drive her crazy with playing. Practice is very repititious. I finally took their concerns seriously - 5 years later.
I now practice in the basement only, in one particular room. The room is not overly soundproof, so I stapled a bunch of old, heavy drapes to the walls to deaden the sound. I plan on puting in two extra layers of drywall along two walls when I get a chance. I also try not to pound the guitar too badly unless I am the only one home. The dogs don't seem to mind.
I play flatpick and fingerstyle, and I have found I can fingerpick quite lightly when practicing, while strumming lightly is much harder to do. I am an occasional insomniac and fingerpicking lightly doesn't wake anyone.
Although I have not tried to deaden the sound of an acoustic, I imagine that stuffing anything in the sound hole would have a negative effect on your ability to hear how your playing is improving. I imagine it would be like playing a guitar that is out of tune.
You could certainly get an electric with some headphones.
Cheers,
Max
just make faces when you are eating the dinners she has prepared.
Your guitar - does it have nylon strings or steel strings? If it has steel strings you could try putting on some light strings for electric guitar (dont do that on a nylon string guitar!)
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
You could try one of these:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Planet-Waves-Screaching-Halt-Soundhole-Plug?sku=360746
They say they are for feedback, but they might help.
Ultimately, there's this:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-SLG100S-Silent-Steel-String-Guitar?sku=511107
Learning requires a willingness to be bad at something for awhile.
If you have a car, you can sit in it to practice.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
or get a girlfriend and play at her house.
But then again, your wife wouldn't like that either.
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
Or, she can go sit in the car.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
just make faces when you are eating the dinners she has prepared.
classic.....I'll have to use this one.....
I may grow old, but I'll never grow up.
I know the feeling of unappreciative wife's and children. Now I that I can play something recognizable I don't usually hear to much from anyone, unless I have the PA system cranked up and I'm playing along to some CD's, then i might hear something.
And I like it loud!!!
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
unless I have the PA system cranked up and I'm playing along to some CD's, then i might hear something.
:shock:
You considered seeing an ear-specialist?
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
Thanks for all the response. I know that someday when I can play like Clapton my wife will regret everything she said about my playing. :D If I can find a way to dampen the sound I will report back to this forum. I do not want to buy an unwanted electric just to play silently. Id rather buy something I really want. But electrics are pretty cool too. I will lock myself in my laboratory till I find a way to muffle my accoustic. Gotta order some Acme stuff fist. This is Wile E. Coyote signing off.
Thanks
Brian
How about getting the missus some earplugs?
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Stuffing a t-shirt in the sound hole does work
