First, I would like to thank everyone for their input for an acoustic guitar. My odd question is is there anything I can do or buy to make the acoustic guitar not as loud. I live in an apartment complex plus I have a 1 1/2 year old son who goes to bed early. I always practice when he is sleeping. Thank you all in advance
You'd be wanting a soundhole cover, something like this:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/420180/
The reviews on that particular model don't seem to be that great, but it's the type of unit you're looking for in any case. :)
You can work on your fingerpicking - that's only as loud as you want it to be! If you're a serious strummer, or perhaps working on leads, you might try using a pick made of felt. You can find these at most any music store. Won't make your guitar totally quiet but will tone it down appreciably.
Before Tim chimes in, George Harrison used felt picks quite often to get a mellow tone for a solo. I want to say in Michelle and And I Love Her, but I don't remember! :wink:
Peace
What I do sometimes is get a piece of paper hand towel, fold it in half, then quarters, and roll it. I stuff it under the strings and pack it toward and against the bridge and it mutes the strings enough to strum hard and not have it too loud. Sometimes you just have to strum hard, especially if you're doing flamenco type strums (rasqueados) - hard to do those 'gently' lol.
A cheap approach is to get a thin sponge (about 1/2 inch thick) and cut it to fit snug in the soundhole.
ive seen rubber picks....they quiet it aswell.
RIP Dimebag
Filling the body with a couple of rags will also dampen the sound quite well, but it will mess with acoustical response, so it won't sound quite right. But it's functional and cheap.
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST
