Every guitar collection has to start somewhere: maybe you picked up a classic dreadnought or a grand concert for your first acoustic. Your second purchase, though, is the perfect time to spice up your playing with an out-of-the-box addition to your budding collection.
If you’re feeling daring, look no further than Orangewood’s one-of-a-kind guitars. Here are the top 4 options to get you out of your comfort zone and unlock some acoustic sounds you would have never dreamed of on your typical rig.
Hugo Baritone Live
Drop into a whole new range — B standard to be exact. The Hugo Baritone boasts an incredible 27” scale length, bringing its register a 4th down from E standard tuning. Transfer over all of your fretboard knowledge and chord shape muscle memory while revolutionizing your sound; this guitar is an easy choice for a player looking for a new perspective on their instrument.
Getting a baritone in your arsenal is the ticket to unlocking new chord progressions and experimenting with different keys to sing along in — it’s a great tool for songwriters looking to get out of the box!
Echo 12 Live
Imagine the sound of your standard acoustic guitar. Got it? Okay, now take that and double it: that's the Echo 12. This addition to the list gets its namesake from the 12 strings that it comes equipped with. The lowest three strings (E, A, and D) are each paired with a string an octave higher, and the high strings (G, B, and e) are doubled up with a second string at the same pitch. This creates an unmistakable sound that can be described as bright, jangly, or even similar to a chorus effect.
Though there’s twice as many strings, the string spacing is such that you can conveniently fret both strings at the same time. 12-string guitars do require a bit of extra force, so be aware that this choice might provide a fun challenge!
Florence Parlor
Our last two choices have been complete reworkings of the traditional acoustic. Looking for a more subtle, yet equally niche choice to add variety to your guitar collection? The Florence might be the one for you. This guitar features a parlor body style, a truly vintage shape whose name alludes to the literal parlors that these guitars were played in back in the 19th century.
Small and lightweight, our Florence has great features for a player looking for a guitar to travel with that doesn’t sacrifice any scale length like a Jr. or Mini model would. Parlors have their own unique vintage sound, too. Plus, who can resist that beautiful three-tone sunburst?
Duke Live
Was our last entry in this list too small for your sensibilities? That’s alright, we’ve got you covered with our jumbo guitar: Duke Live. This shape is even bigger and the sound is even boomier than the typical “big strummer” guitar pick, the dreadnought. Despite its size, our Duke has great clarity on the high end and plenty of responsiveness, too.
This guitar is the perfect pick for a musician looking to lean into that huge sound, such as a strumming singer-songwriter or a plucking country player. If a larger-bodied guitar is what you’re looking for, the jumbo is a great one to have on the guitar rack.
Why Go Alternative?
Not everybody wants to blend into the crowd! If you’re looking for a way to distinguish your sound (and your look) from other acoustic guitarists, introducing a more eccentric instrument into your repertoire is a great way to do exactly that. Having versatility up your sleeve is a sought-after skill for any aspiring musician, whether you’re a living-room rockstar looking to cover more genres, or a performer aiming to surprise their fans with all-new sounds.
If that sounds like what you’re looking for, you can find these guitars and more on our full one-of-a-kind collection page.
