As mentioned
beforehand, I found this
limited Little Jane, thanks to Bill at
the Fretted Buffalo.
I could immediately tell that it is a very elegantly build instrument, true to many of the previous testimonies on Furch. I personally prefer the straight-grained back and sides, but with this being a limited edition with hardly any choices, I'll probably grow into the look of this Cocobolo box. I do like the striped ebony on the fretboard and bridge, which adds to the unique appearance. Normally I wouldn't be too crazy about the pickguard, but the clear one on this guitar is super-thin and scratch-proof.
The detachable headstock means that the joint just above the first fret is visible on the fretboard and the neck, as seen on the following photos. I can feel the joint on the back of the neck, but it doesn't appear to interfere with my play.
The hinge to (dis)assemble the guitar is clean and well-built. The neck is as straight as can be, and the action is very nice and playable right out of the box. The apparatus to hold the neck inside is positioned such that, should I choose to add a permanent pickup later, the jack cannot be installed in the place of the tail strap pin, and another hole would have to be drilled elsewhere. I think it's cool to be able to take a peek inside the guitar from the side and see how the bracing is done and all. And the "incidental soundport" appears to make quite a difference in how I hear the sound, but more on the sound later.
(Dis)Assembling the guitar is not too terribly difficult, but it's not as easy as you see on the videos out there. In particular, I'm needing to use reasonable caution when (un)hooking the metal hinge. Or maybe I just have to get used to it after a few times. As for inserting the neck into the body, it doesn't seem to matter whether the fretboard is up or down.
The backpack is quite sturdy, although you obviously don't want to put anything on top of it. Careful placement in the overhead compartment of planes would most likely ensure safe travel. I also like the velcro in the back that allows the shoulder straps to be tucked in.
So how does this play and sound?
It definitely punches above its own weight in terms of tone and volume, although it won't be mistaken for an OM or even a 00. I do think the combination of the Cocobolo back and the soundport makes for a very lush and complex sound to my ears. Because of its small size, it will not completely sound un-boxy, at least for now. But without a doubt, this is the best sounding travel guitar I've played, and it sounds much better than most of the parlors I have come across (including the Hex I own now). Given what I paid for, I guess that is to be expected.
As mentioned before, the neck is super-straight with great action for playability. The neck's profile is a "soft V," and I'm not having too much trouble with it, unlike the Martin 000-18 Golden Era for instance. (I loved the tone of that guitar, but just couldn't get over that V neck to pull the trigger.) The scale is a little shorter (24 3/16") than what I usually play (24.9"), but I'll get used to it.
I am looking forward to seeing and hearing how the tone will mature as it ages going forward.