Hello, everyone. This is Naito from
Advance Guitars.
Summer is finally in full swing—what temperature do you set your air conditioner to while you sleep?
It’s a real headache because if you don’t have a comforter that’s just the right thickness, it tends to slide off while you’re sleeping, leaving you either too cold or too hot—which really affects the quality of your sleep.
This time, I thought I’d touch a bit on “good sound”—an eternal theme for musicians.
That said, I won’t be reaching any conclusions.
The reason is that the definition of “good sound” changes depending on the situation.
For example… you might think, “This sounds great when I’m playing this instrument solo,”
but then take it to band practice and find it doesn’t blend in… Haven’t you had that kind of experience?
To give an example that goes a bit deeper, take a “vintage ’60s guitar,” which is highly regarded among musicians.
If you try incorporating it into a song with a modern four-on-the-floor beat and electronic instruments, you’ll probably feel like you’re in a completely different world.
As you can see, it’s entirely possible that a sound you find great in one context might not feel right in another.
However, if you get too caught up in trying to anticipate every possible scenario—to the point where you start feeling anxious about an instrument even though you know it sounds good—you’ll end up defeating the whole purpose.
So what should you do? Choose the right instrument for the right situation—one that fits the context.
To put it another way, structure the situation around that instrument.
I think this is the way to go.
Of course, in professional recording sessions, there are specific instrument requirements. That’s where a third party’s opinion comes into play.
But personally, if I play an instrument myself and think it sounds good—and I enjoy playing it—do I really need a third party’s opinion?
It’s the user who determines an instrument’s value. This isn’t about price—it’s about whether you personally like the instrument.
Of course, I also have my own criteria for what constitutes a “good sound.”
Factors like the balance of attack, decay, sustain, and release, as well as how the overtones shape the perceived pitch—but even this is purely subjective, based on my own musical experience.
With that in mind, let me introduce one acoustic guitar that Naito personally considers to have a “great sound.”
Sumi / S-L00-W
This is an L-00-type guitar crafted by Eiichi Sumi, a veteran luthier who is a source of pride for Japan.
To be honest, the sound has absolutely nothing “Gibson-like” about it.
Of course, just from the ebony fingerboard and bridge, along with the walnut sides and back, it’s clear he had no intention of emulating that sound.
The scale length is 628 mm, so while it’s a medium scale, the sound is incredibly clear.
This is because the balance of the upper harmonics—those above the fundamental—is excellent, so the pitch comes across with astonishing accuracy.
I think this is an excellent choice when you want your acoustic guitar to focus on conveying chords clearly, rather than just filling out the frequency range.
I know I slipped in some promotion there, but regardless, as someone who loves instruments, I find it simply sad when people find fault with others’ instruments.
Let’s cherish the instruments we think are cool and sound great to the very best of our ability.
Advance Guitars
Naito