Have you Played/Owned a Bourgeois Martin Simpson Model?

Vancebo · #1 12-13-2017, 12:12 PM

I like playing fingerstyle on a larger guitar that has some beef to it. I also like to flatpick with my mando playing buddy. I have a tendency to just keep to one guitar and not switch. So I have always been interested in guitars that can fill these two needs well.

As for the Bourgeois Martin Simpson model, these have been billed to be a great flatpicking and fingerstyle guitar. Twelve Fret Dread body with a cutaway probably has something to do with that. If you played one care to share your experience?

Vancebo · #2 12-14-2017, 06:59 AM

Anyone????

llew · #3 12-14-2017, 07:24 AM

I was intrigued with that model for a while myself. I've only seen one and that was at Gruhn in Nashville. But by then I'd kind of gotten past it and didn't even play it so I'm sorry but can't comment on it?
If you're looking for a 12 fret dread Gruhn usually has a nice spread of custom Martin's in stock. Without the cutaway though?

Vancebo · #4 12-14-2017, 09:30 PM

There were only a few of these made in a 15 year period or so. I am hoping to catch one or two of you.

fretfile100 · #5 12-15-2017, 01:11 AM

I have a Bourgeois DS-260, which has sometimes been called a Martin Simpson model except that it is a 12 fret slothead. I traded a great D-35S and some cash for it , mostly because it has the cutaway and a 1 and 3/4 nut. Wonderful instrument with a signature
adirondack top which gives it a seemingly unlimited voice without any hint of breaking up.
I wanted a 60's Martin D-28S but this one at about half the price has kept me satisfied. In a
moment of lust I also bought a Larrivee SD-60 that also sounds great but the tuners are cheap and I like the aesthetic of a herringbone stripe on the back. Back to back the adirondack top is louder and more coherent than the similar Larrivee or Martin that I previously enjoyed. To be sure all these 12 fret dread slots have their own voice which I savor. Regrettably, I only finger pick and strum with my hand so I can't comment on the flat pick sound.

sayheyjeff · #6 12-15-2017, 09:23 AM

I had one for a number of years. Loved it. Bought it from someone here on the forum. I never fingerpicked on it as I am really just learning to do that now. For me, it was a great player. I flatpicked Celtic, Bluegrass and old time and strummed along with friends. Very comfortable guitar with what I thought of as a full, rich sound. I like playing 12 fret guitars (still have 2) and the Simpson was no exception. The cutaway was handy. I don't play up the neck often, but needed to occasionally when capoed up. Playability was just great for me. The neck was very comfortable. Sounded good plugged in too. Had a schertler blue stick installed. Didn't plug in very often, but it was good when I did. Had a very different sound from my Martin om28v. Liked having 2 uniquely different sounding spruce/rosewood guitars. I would still have it if I hadn't really wanted to have a Lowden. When I found a Lowden, the Bourgeois was sold to a friend to fund the new purchase and keep me within my guitar limit. I still get to play it and hear it fairly regularly since it went to a friend. My friend mostly plays fingerstyle blues on it. He is good player and makes it sound better than I ever could. My sense is that the guitar I had is very similar to the slothead 260 model. I also understand that some of the Martin Simpsons had mahogany back and sides while mine was rosewood. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any specific questions I can try and answer, or you just want to talk about these guitars.

Jeff

Vancebo · #7 12-16-2017, 11:28 AM

Thanks for the responses. What I am wondering specifically, does this guitar live up to the billing as a great fingerstyle guitar and great flatpicker. I also wonder what the recommended string gauge for these are.

brianmay · #8 12-16-2017, 12:27 PM

I've seen Martin playing a few times in the last year and was talking to him a few months back and he wasn't playing one of them. I think he was playing a couple of Sobells. (He lives about 25 miles away)

His luthier is my luthier and interestingly I've never heard him mention them. That's not to say they're not superb guitars, but it's interesting he doesn't seem to play it live.

jdinco · #9 12-16-2017, 12:34 PM

I had one for a while too. I'm not sure what the specs are, but I found the string spacing at the bridge too wide for my strumming, I had a hard time getting used to it. I always thought it would be a great finger style guitar and I think that was what it was designed for. I ended up with a similar guitar that works a lot better for me. A SCGC D-12. You may want to try both if you have the chance.

sayheyjeff · #10 12-17-2017, 09:20 AM

For me, the Simpson completely filled the bill as a flatpicker and fingerstyle guitar tho I am not great at either. If I were going to have one or two guitars instead of 6, it would probably still be here. It more than filled the bill as my 'big' guitar. I used medium strings on it like I do on all but my PJ.

Jeff