Is this guitar OK for mass?

[Michael96]

I play guitar at mass. Currently I play a guitar that looks like a very conventional acoustic (because it *is *a very conventional acoustic, albeit with a magnetic pickup fitted).

I’m thinking of swapping to a Taylor T5. The sound will be at least as naturally acoustic sounding as my current guitar (I play with a little amplification so I use a pick-up) but looks a little more modern (but still pretty).

http://www.12fret.com/new/Taylor_T5-C2_Walnut.jpg

So, people who aren’t opposed to any guitar in church, does this guitar look O.K. to you?

Michael

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I’d have to hear it to know.

I would think it would not have the same sound as a traditional acoustic, but that doesn’t mean it won’t sound good.

The one lesson I learned years back when I was playing, is that instruments such electric keyboards, don’t sound well in a group with acoustic instruments.

We tried letting a teen play his keyboard in our group, which was unamplified, guitars, flute and an upright bass. It just didn’t sound right.

Jim

 

[rpp]

If you switch to an organ, I will attend Mass at your parish. But not until then.

 

[Lee_M]

If you switch to an organ, I will attend Mass at your parish. But not until then.

And how did this contribute to the thread?

I think the guitar looks nice. I guess as long as you don’t start jumping around with a Flying V guitar playing Ozzy Osbourne tunes, you’ll be alright. Seriously, it looks like a nice guitar and I couldn’t imagine any getting upset with it over a traditional.

 

[Lee_M]

I remember as a child, going to the Christmas Eve Mass and our pastor playing The Little Drummer Boy on the guitar. I always loved his Christmas Eve Masses. It is something I will never forget.

 

[Lee_M]

I guess I’ve never heard the Hendrix version of drummer boy. All I remember is our pastor playing it on his acoustic guitar during the Christmas Eve Mass. It was beautiful.

 

[Guitar]

I play guitar at mass. Currently I play a guitar that looks like a very conventional acoustic (because it *is *a very conventional acoustic, albeit with a magnetic pickup fitted).

I’m thinking of swapping to a Taylor T5. The sound will be at least as naturally acoustic sounding as my current guitar (I play with a little amplification so I use a pick-up) but looks a little more modern (but still pretty).

So, people who aren’t opposed to any guitar in church, does this guitar look O.K. to you?

Michael

I’m not heavily into Taylors myself (great guitars and well-made, I just spent my money on a locally handmade western red cedar/indian rosewood mini-jumbo instead ) but if you want to read what others think of the T5, have a look round the Acoustic Guitar Forum:

acousticguitarforum.com/forums/index.php

It’s not a Christian site but many of the mods and a lot of the membership are Christian. (The primary rule is “Be Nice”, it is enforced, and as a consequence it is a very pleasant forum and a safe place for young’uns as well.) Bear in mind that few posters are Catholic - most mean P&W/platform ministry when they talk about playing in church so they may be talking about a different style and approach to yours when discussing the suitability of various guitars for church/worship. Still, the site was originally a Taylor forum and there is a major sub-board devoted to Taylors. You’ll find plenty of pretty well-informed T5 discussion, and newbies don’t get roasted for re-posting questions that have already been answered - read around first but don’t feel shy about asking questions.

I can put my hand on my heart and say that if you are using a magnetic pickup now, the T5 will sound at least as natural as your current rig. Magnetic pickups do their job well at that price point but in terms of sound quality there are waaaay better options out there, depending of course on your budget and what and where you play. (And of course, amplification method has a lot to do with it - acoustic guitar amps and electric guitar amps are different creatures. Using an electric guitar amp, for example, won’t get the best out of your acoustic rig no matter how good it is.)

The AGF may also give you a lot of other ideas for guitars and pickups that might suit you just as well at a lower price tag. But then if the T5 is exactly what you want, that’s great too.

 

[maize]

And how did this contribute to the thread?

I think the guitar looks nice. I guess as long as you don’t start jumping around with a Flying V guitar playing Ozzy Osbourne tunes, you’ll be alright. Seriously, it looks like a nice guitar and I couldn’t imagine any getting upset with it over a traditional.

so no death metal vocals then?

 

[Lee_M]

so no death metal vocals then?

That might not be the place. Although it would be one interesting Mass.

 

[pnewton]

If you switch to an organ, I will attend Mass at your parish. But not until then.

Well, you can’t please all the people all the time.

As to the original question, it always depends on the circumstances. Specifically, the people and culture you are in and how you intend to use the guitar. This is why the Vatican does not have a punch list on what can and can not be used, but rather uses guidelines.

 

[CarrieH]

If you switch to an organ, I will attend Mass at your parish. But not until then.

I have to ask, if you had to choose, would you rather hear a good guitarist or a poor organist at Mass? (Of course you’d rather hear a *good *organist, but that’s not what I’m asking). I ask this as one who played the organ a long time ago, but my church was desperate enough to have me play again, despite my slopping around and hitting wrong notes. I practice every day and I’m getting better, but at this point it is a exercise in mortification for me to play for Mass. I would rather hear a good guitarist than to hear someone who plays the organ like I do, at least until I get my technique back.

I don’t know much about guitars, but to the OP, as long as you are playing it in a sensitive and artistic manner and not carrying on like Zakk Wylde, you should be fine with that one.

 

[Guitar]

I don’t know much about guitars, but to the OP, as long as you are playing it in a sensitive and artistic manner and not carrying on like Zakk Wylde, you should be fine with that one.

Yep.

I’ve heard a lot of IMO “precious” talk in places about whether this guitar or that guitar is better suited to this or that or the other … and whilst generally some tonewoods are better for fingerstyle and others for strumming (my cedar/IR is lovely for fingerstyle but I’d buy a spruce guitar if I were to take up Irish trad backing or go back to playing in a band) … the majority of listeners neither know nor care about the difference. As long as it is set up properly so you can play it comfortably and there are no buzzes or tuning issues, and you do common sense things like change strings when they go dead, and it sounds “presentable” played solo, the folks singing along with you are not going to know whether you have a Seagull or a top-of-the-line hand-built from [insert famous maker here].

 

[Corki]

I have to ask, if you had to choose, would you rather hear a good guitarist or a poor organist at Mass? (Of course you’d rather hear a *good *organist, but that’s not what I’m asking). I ask this as one who played the organ a long time ago, but my church was desperate enough to have me play again, despite my slopping around and hitting wrong notes. I practice every day and I’m getting better, but at this point it is a exercise in mortification for me to play for Mass. I would rather hear a good guitarist than to hear someone who plays the organ like I do, at least until I get my technique back.

I don’t know much about guitars, but to the OP, as long as you are playing it in a sensitive and artistic manner and not carrying on like Zakk Wylde, you should be fine with that one.

I know you aren’t asking me but, if you don’t mind my 2 cents… I would much rather have a poor organist than a great guitarist if we are taking about Mass. Just hearing the begging note of a pipe organ puts me in the mood for Mass in a way no guitar ever could.

Of course, I was in grade school in the 70’s and all those “folk” Masses have probably scarred me for life.

 

[CarrieH]

I know you aren’t asking me but, if you don’t mind my 2 cents… I would much rather have a poor organist than a great guitarist if we are taking about Mass. Just hearing the begging note of a pipe organ puts me in the mood for Mass in a way no guitar ever could.

Of course, I was in grade school in the 70’s and all those “folk” Masses have probably scarred me for life.

That’s good to know. I am very self-conscious about my musical ineptitude (partly because I used to be quite good, but I didn’t keep up with it as the years passed), and I’m always wondering if people aren’t thinking “why can’t we do Low Mass so we don’t have to hear that awful organist!” But like the widow who pleased our Lord with her humble offering of two small coins, I hope He is pleased with my stumbling and bumbling, because that is all I have to give right now.

 

[Dauphin]

“The more closely a composition for church approaches in its movement, inspiration and savor the Gregorian form, the more sacred and liturgical it becomes; and the more out of harmony it is with that supreme model, the less worthy it is of the temple.” - Pope St. Pius X

Unless that guitar is really a cleverly disguised speaker which belts out gregorian chant, I wouldn’t bring it to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

[Tietjen]

This one is more appropriate…
http://www.kellerwall.com/sitebuilder/images/Broken_Guitar_by_the_Breach-378x267.png

As you can tell, I’m not a guitar aficionado when it comes to the Mass. I just don’t see sacred music coming from a guitar, harmonica, tambourine, etc. I know, I know… I’ll crawl back into my hole now.

 

[Dauphin]

This one is more appropriate…
http://www.kellerwall.com/sitebuilder/images/Broken_Guitar_by_the_Breach-378x267.png

As you can tell, I’m not a guitar aficionado when it comes to the Mass. I just don’t see sacred music coming from a guitar, harmonica, tambourine, etc. I know, I know… I’ll crawl back into my hole now.

Good one

I think everyone could benefit from reading Pope St. Pius X’s Motu Proprio Inter Sollicitudines on Sacred Music:

unavoce.org/intersollicitudines.htm

 

[Michael96]

Thanks all - that’s given me the confidence to go ahead.

I can put my hand on my heart and say that if you are using a magnetic pickup now, the T5 will sound at least as natural as your current rig. Magnetic pickups do their job well at that price point but in terms of sound quality there are waaaay better options out there, depending of course on your budget and what and where you play. (And of course, amplification method has a lot to do with it - acoustic guitar amps and electric guitar amps are different creatures. Using an electric guitar amp, for example, won’t get the best out of your acoustic rig no matter how good it is.)

Thanks Guitar. For some reason I’ve just always hated piezo-only guitars - there’s something about even the best that irritates me. The only exception would be use with an Aura system which I do think are excellent. So at the moment I’m using a Lowden loaded with a Fishman Rare Earth pickup. It’s a very nice guitar but I’d like a bit more tonal variation for different tunes which is why I’m looking at the Taylor (I’d consider Variax but I know someone who’s had a ton of reliability problems with their’s so I’d rather dig deeper into the wallet and go for something a bit better made). I guess the only thing that pops into mind (that I’d forgotten about) is to go for Rick Turner’s Mama Bear to get a wider range of tones (I’d obviously need to load the Lowden with a piezo for that).

I agree on the need for a proper acoustic guitar amp (or decent PA).

 

[pnewton]

Unless that guitar is really a cleverly disguised speaker which belts out gregorian chant, I wouldn’t bring it to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

That was not what was asked. It was the type of guitar that was in quesiton.

 

[pnewton]

I agree on the need for a proper acoustic guitar amp (or decent PA).

I have to admit that I have been tempted to go to a full electric. My son’s amp does a great acoustic immulation and the strings would be a lot easier on the fingers when I have a full weekend of playing. So far I have been too much of a purist to give up my acoustic.