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April 2008
Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | Might seem like a stoopid question but bear with me...
What's the difference(s) between a cutaway and a non cutaway.
OK the cutaway has easier access to the upper frets but and the non cutaway potentially has better resonance but am I missing somthing else?
Is the difference really just down to the above and looks? |
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January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | That's about it, Dweez. The only thing I can think of adding is the marketing angle that was reflected in practice: for many artists, an Ovation was the "Electric Player's Acoustic". For electrics, cutaways are standard, indeed de rigeur, obligatory.
An electric without a cutaway is like Ted Nugent without his weapons. My two cents, anyway... |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The part of soundboard lost by the cutaway is so stiff it contributes almost nothing in terms tone. The amount of air volume lost is pretty irrelevant too. In a side-by-side comparison of a cutaway and non-cutaway of the same model there's little difference between them. And it would be difficult to attibtute whatever differences may be apparrent solely to the presence of a cutaway. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | Would tend to agree regards the tone comment. So it's looks/access then. |
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February 2002
Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | What Paul said. I suspect a machine can detect the differences in frequencies and volume, etc., but it is negligible to the naked ear and a moot question when plugged in and tweaked by a preamp. |
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September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Fretboard accessibility and a different look. I have shorter arms so I prefer cutaways. In most cases I think they look better also. But that is not always the case. I think bursts look MUCH better without a cutaway. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | The flowers/leaves/feathers/whatever look cooler on a non-cutaway.
But fret access is the real answer.
When I first visited here I asked, "If 12 fretters sound better, why make 14 fretters?"
and the answer was the same... Access to the higher frets. |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Comes down to personal preference and functional need. Some players need access to the upper frets. Some players think non-cutaways sound better. Follow your own best judgement. |
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January 2006
Posts: 387
Location: Whitecourt, Ab | I wonder if there is a price difference. I would assume a cutaway would be harder to make. However in terms of the top if there happened to be an imperfection in the corner where the cutaway was it would be more practicle. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | as a player I need all the help I can get.
cutaways extra frets etc.
the sound difference is little.
btw as a vendor cutaways are far more desireable than non cutaways |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I prefer cut away too. When I play the upper frets on a non-cutaway, I have to play like Kaki King. Unfortunately, I sound nothing like her. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6992
Location: Jet City | Can't do a Randy Rhoads solo unless you have a cutaway...
Maybe Al Di Meola is a better example for this crowd. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | For acoustics, I'm running 78% cutaway, 22% non-cutaway. Guess I prefer cutaways. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | I'm the opposite. 77% noncutaway and 23% cutaway. Not so much a preferance as much as I just don't need a cutaway. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | I seem to remember hearing/reading that Ovations/Adamii cutaways w/o the treble side soundholes had a deeper bass response but I'm not certain that losing just over half the soundholes on those cutaway guitars with teble soundholes would make that much difference.
Whether you have a cutaway or not should depend on whether you play in the upper frets (or in my case) or not.... |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Originally posted by rededdie:
I wonder if there is a price difference. I would assume a cutaway would be harder to make. If you commission an acoustic guitar there is usually an up-charge for a cut-away. So i assume it would at the very least take more time to construct. Tooling has to be different or at least modified as well.
_____
gh1 |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by rededdie:
I wonder if there is a price difference. I would assume a cutaway would be harder to make. With normal guitars that's true. I think Collings for example has an upcharge of about $550. for a cutaway. It is certainly more difficult to produce.
But with the plastic bowl of an ovation I think it's a non-issue. Yes the binding glue clamp machine is a bit modified, but that's about it. Almost all ovations are girly cutaways so I imagine it's the non-cutaways that make them stop and think, oh this is different.
Personally I just don't like the look of a cutaway. Looks like 4/5 of a guitar to me. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I've seen cutaways I thought were very attractive and some that were butt ugly.....actually I think I own versions of both. I believe my own collection is about 40/60 with most of the Adamas I have being cutaways and most of the all wood guitars being full body.
Sound wise for me it seems that the type of strings I use have a bigger impact on the sound than the body type does. |
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Cutaway VS non cutaway
