Three things every acoustic guitarist should try 

"Three things every acoustic guitarist should try"... one of them is "buy several guitars". Love the suggestion! I couldn't agree more!

I love the adjustability of Shubb capos because all necks are different.

All the guitars sound really amazing in this video - props to the player and the sound recorder.

turn capo upside down , handles at top, it still works ok, and doesnt impede on hand as much

Its also important to choose a capo with a pad matching the radius of the fretboard as closely as possible, or there's the possibility that some strings will be muted. Thalia capos (no affiliation), are supplied with interchangeable pads of various radii to suit all common fretboard radii.

Thanks for doing this video. J-45 is definitely the sound I am looking for.

What a great discussion/demo. Well done. Beautiful playing !! Thank you!

Such a treat listening to this guy play. Helpful video too. Thanks for sharing

Fantastic! Great suggestion! Thank you. Beautiful guitars!

I used a spring-loaded Kyser capo in my early years without thinking about it much but would be left frustrated that I would often have to re-tune the guitar. Later I started using adjustable center-pull capos (with matching radius) like the Elliott and G7th Heritage, and that made an incredible difference for me in both intonation and tone quality. Another major improvement I have found is placing the capo as close to the fret as possible. You are much less likely to pull the strings sharp this way and with an adjustable capo, you apply only the minimum pressure needed. With that setup, I hardly ever need to re-tune after putting it on.

Really helpful. Thanks for sharing!

Yes. I've been playing acoustic guitar with different body shapes in the last few decades. It's the beer, mainly. Very useful video... thank you.

Lovely touch you have.

An easy tonal improvement is to not allow the back of the guitar to rest against your body. You will get a much richer tone if you let that back wood vibrate. And vary where on the neck you strum or pick. Clean hands. Learn to mute discordant strings. Get good picks of varying thickness and materials. Get a bone saddle and nut. Wipe strings after practicing. Keep guitar in its case. Keep damp sponge in case cubby. All easy stuff that will improve tone.

Excellent video guys. I wish I had this information years back - it would have helped a lot. Thanks

Thank you for this very informative video. I love that custom J45!

Very well done and helpful. Thank you

Tried dozens of Capo's, I found Shubb to be the best by far. They are so slim and unobtrusive, they do not get in the way like the bulky G7 or similar. Of course, everything is just an opinion, but Shubb are not expensive, and if you want a Capo that does not get in the way at all, Shubb are by far the ebst option. Strings, I absolutely love Elixer strings, they sound great, they last ages, and they eliminate that horrible squeaky & scratchy string noise. I even use 'Fast Fret' on my Elixer strings, which makes them even less squeaky, less scratchy, and much smoother for slides. Tonewoods, just my opinion, but if you can only afford to own one main guitar, Sitka Spruce is the best all rounder.

Beautiful guitars you have there! I really like the way the j200 sounds and looks

Thx alot, cool advises and wonderful playing 👍😀🎸🙏

I don’t mind a little string squeak, it gives a human element to the song. I can almost visualize the hand moving across the fretboard as I’m hearing it

The soundboard material makes a difference; back and sides a smaller one. In my experience the largest contributors to an instrument’s sound are the combination of top thickness and bracing, along with the overall body volume. Lovely playing and sound.

Notice at 3:00 and 5:00 how the spring loaded capo pulls the lower strings dramatically out of tune. I strongly prefer models like the Elliott or Paige where the pressure from the device is evenly applied from the center rear of the neck. He doesn't even seem to notice (?)

Very much enjoyed the video, Thanks Jamie.

Great playing. I love the mention of Martin Carthy.

Great, informative video, and hands down, The Best guitar magazine along with Fretboard Journal out there !

That was fun. Thank you.

Shubbs are the best and I’ve tried them all, well nearly all.

Thank you so very much!

Worth trying out especially for percussive fingerpicking with hammer-ons and bendings, it is also to tune the guitar down by a half or whole step and then place the capo on the first or second fret. The lower string tension gives the guitar a different sound, more vintage that suits Blues and Country very nicely.

Well presented.

Sounds great.

Love this video. Working dad powering through and giving us a great video. We’ve all been there. ❤

Thanks for reviewing the different acoustic guitars. BTW, you stated (mispoke) that the Taylor guitar was different, having a redwood rather than a Sitka spruce top. I am pretty sure that is a red cedar soundboard on that guitar!

The example of the capo on the second fret is immediately audible, allowing the guitar to use a different voice, kind of silky. And seriously, that guitar is amazing!

Thanks for a great video! The coated string tip sounds great! A capo on first fret may give lower string action. To put the capo just below the fret makes the capo'ing more in tune. (If a string is a bit too high after capo'ing, trying to pull the string out (away from the guitar) a little bit may bring the string back to tune after capo'ing.) To have he clamp facing upwards gives less problems when playing near the capo.

Thank you sir for the tips. And thank you for a fantastic publication

wow great playing

The tips in the videos are very useful. But JEEZ the guitar playing is so dang musical and flowing. Bravo

Many thanks for the video. Any chance to get a "Travelling Light" tutorial😊?

Man that sinker redwood Taylor is a nice guitar. I have a 714 Sinker which I love but yours is stunning. Having said that my go to guitar is a Martin 000-15M Street master. I have a bunch of capo's - I usually get them to throw one in & a strap when I buy a guitar. Best one I have was a five buck Chinese one I bought of ebay. The brand is Meideal. I bought a bunch of them for spares as they were cheap. Enjoyed your vid. Thanks for posting it.

I've always liked JD's considered, balanced videos, and articles (as well as the other writers on Guitarist magazine, which I've been buying for 20 years, the best, bar none).

Nice share, thanks!

I'm a fan of phosphor bronze strings. If you can't afford a Martin then I recommend Faith brand acoustic guitars.

Love the Taylor. Sounds like a symphony to me.

When I was shopping for my first really good acoustic I wanted a Martin D28. But then I tried them and couldn’t get used to the big body. So, I bought an OM21 and it fits me well.

With a quality adjustable-tension capo you should be able to find the sweet spot where the tension of the capo is no higher than what is necessary to allow the strings to ring freely. This can be different from guitar to guitar which is why adjustability is useful. There is also less need of retuning after applying a capo which is properly tensioned. Although legions of icons and professional players are happy with single-tension capos, there is no doubt that capos that allow tension adjustment offer an advantage. I especially like the "yoke-style" capos which are aligned to the center of the neck and have to protruding pieces which interfere with hand positioning.

Spent yrs playing elixirs.. now playing retro/flatwounds... totally cool.

OK, so now I have to get a J45. Thanks Jamie...lol. Great video, great tips and great playing. Thank you.

I like the Kyser capo with the handle up. G7 feels loose to me, not positive enough pressure. Shubb is too fussy. I use the capo to 1. Change keys to fit vocal ranges 2. Avoid playing in unison with other guitarists for added harmonic variety (first guitar in E, second guitar capo 2 plays D shapes) 3. Change keys to use picking patterns I am comfortable with (and have a certain sound or cadence) I don't fancy Elixirs, a little dead for me. Monel strings? Peaked my curiosity. I have to try some. Nice guitars and nice video, thanks. Send me a copy of your magazine so I can check it out 😎

Capo's with the spring mechanism, I find are less intrusive to hand movement when the mechanism is placed on the top of the fret board.

Very informative thanks for the time and effort showing us these tips excellent playing by the way fella nice one

One thing to mention about capos is that depending on the fretboard radius of your guitar, different ones will work better. Mismatch between the fretboard’s curve and the capo’s curve is one reason why it can be hard to get even pressure across the strings, causing sharp notes on some strings and out of tune chords. This is one reason why the G7 is so good. Its design makes it apply variable pressure on each string. It works with any radius.

What a fun video. The guitar playing was first rate. All the guitars sounded very good. I only use Elixir medium gage phosphor bronze strings. I do have several guitars. I have a martin d18 which is my most expensive, I have a yamaha 830 CE, and I just bought a used Alvarez DY52. I don't use a pick, so I want a guitar with a louder sound, so I always go for dreadnaughts. If you have never used Elixir strings, then I highly recommend them. I won't use any other strings.

Great video, thanks for the advice!

I play the capo upside down when I go up two frets. I leave the low E unfretted, play a D shape ( E) chord, and the low E gives the chord a great bassy sound.

Thomastik-Infeld KR116 Classical guitar strings tend to minimize the squeak sounds on the lower strings. Also, they give a bright steel string sound to a standard classical guitar.

Conversely I quite like the squeak of a guitar being played, adds to authenticity, just my thoughts 😊😊😊

Funny but i noticed the squeaks more with the coated strings on the Taylor, maybe since I'm so used to hearing the squeaking sounds they kind of disappear into the overall sound of the Martin

I would think 80 -20 strings would sound better on the redwood (?)topped Taylor? I like the XS a strings from D Addario and the coated ones from String Joy in Nashville. The older I get, the more I play the OM models. Thanks for the info!

Good info

Love the sound. I wanted to ask you how did you record the guitar. I see 2 AKG 414. What preamp are you using? I guess the room is also great. I hear a bit of reverb as well. Thank you!

Thanks for this. Curious about the tuning…😎

I like the Paige capos

Wouldn't reversing that capo (in Tip #1) by placing the handle/lever above the neck allow better access? Nice video, thanks.

It's pretty amazing reading these comments regarding strings, capos, woods and choice of one's own preferred sound and looks of guitar but one of the most glaring things to me regarding the "looks" of the guitar was the J-200 guitar. Did anyone else notice the fitment of the pick guard on this beast? The placement looks sloppy, nearly covering a wee bit of the tone hole, cocked a bit out of alignment and appears almost to be an afterthought...just something grabbed off the shelf that was meant for a better fit on a guitar it was designed for. I think this one slipped by the "final inspector". I also know that mics and mic placement influences the tone...if the guitar is being recorded. Obviously, not the main subject matter here and furthermore...what do I know? Thank you for the video...I enjoyed it!

It would be helpful to know what gauge strings are being used. Maybe consider a vid showing the same guitar but using heavy, medium, light, and extra light.

Nice video thank you

Definitely would suggest trying elixir strings, they are fenomenal (the coated ones)

I like the 80/20's Phosphor Bronze has too much mid frequencies for my ear. I could see using them for specific recording needs (cut through the mix etc..)

This j45 is absolutely gorgeous 🥰 can you Tell me if it's one of a kind or if i can find it in a shop thank you 👏🏾👌🏾👍🏾🤘🏾🎼🎵🎶🎶

Is that a 000-18 ?? Thanks , great video

Nice lesson. I agree, some capos aren't a good "fit" with some guitars. Thanks.

Can you please tell me the Model of Taylor you have in this Video. Thank you

I have a Thalia that’s a pretty nice capo, but I find them a little heavy and bulky. My favorite are Shubb capo. They are light and thin. They don’t get in the way and easy to attach.

Taylor brighter and louder. What model is it?

Really really nice video. I wouldn't be able to get any sleep having all those amazing guitars in the same house with me! Dang!!

That opening bit sure sounds like Michael Gurley!

Make that four things, lift your fingers as you transition between chords and then you don't make those most unmusical squeaks . Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong. I think Bruce Lee said that.

Great tips, but even greater playing. I'd love to know what the tunes are that Jamie is playing here, and if he's recorded them. -Tom

An easy fourth idea to try, especially for strumming is different picks or plectrums if you like the fancy terminology.

Hi Jamie, great video and great guitars. That piece your playing at the beginning is really nice, is it your own music, or someone else? Thank you.

Hi Jamie Great sounding 000-18 ....... yes I do appreciate the player's input but just wondered whether your guitar has the back and sides constructed of sinker mahogany and opposed to the standard Martin mahogany ........ it really is quite exceptional tonally for a modern guitar? Thanks

Nice! You could use a genuine Sound Seat.

Thanks for the tips...Most people have no idea of the differences between acoustic guitars sizes, shapes and wood. Another thing is use of a Capo and why to use one seems to be a total mystery to all the electric guitar lead players. One question I have is what are your views about switching between guitar scale lengths? I've played mostly short shale (Taylor GC3 and a T5), but I also have a Taylor GO with a larger scale length. When playing fingers style or especially using a pick (which I've never really mastered), it becomes a challenge to find the strings due to the different spacing. I'm just an amateur fingerstyle player. I'm guessing its all a matter for dedicated playing time. Plus, I have three Taylor guitars...can always use one more. I really like that Taylor. Great playing.

Always a pleasure to hear Jamie wax lyrical about acoustics. Laid back, informative and great playing to boot.

What are the Strings gauge on all guitars 12/53 or 13/56 ? Thank you

Nice video, thank you. Have you tried placing your Ernie Ball Capo "upside-down" so it doesn't interfere with your playing?

Fretted notes has different tone to unfretted. Therefore capo act as fingers. Even and balanced tone is more pleasing to discerning player.

Intro sounds like a play on Martin Sexton's "over my head"

12 string guitars require a special capo to get all the strings properly. Try G7 12 string capo, a good attempt at compensation for different string sizes.

Any thoughts on flat wound strings? Love this video. Thanks.

Be aware that the buttons on your jacket could go resonating to the back of the guitar ;+> Question : what kind of microphone and recording equipment did you use. Great sound !

Try a D'Addario PW-CP-18 capo. There's no going back! Very similar to the MUCH more expensive Elliott capos

I'd really recommend trying to capo a 12 string further up the neck - they really sing out if you capo at the 7th fret :-)

That's the best sounding Martin I've heard.

Love to know what the piece is that he opens with ....

When you switched to the Taylor, the sound was so airy and lush, I thought it was a 12-strings. What model is it?

ghs FAST FRET also reduces string squeak!

Great video, Jamie. And the guitar sounds fabulous. You mentioned it’s a custom 000, but its pickguard it an OM style? Is it a custom 000-18?