Visit to Buffalo Bros

jerome · #1 05-27-2002, 07:52 PM

I visit San Diego from my home in the El Lay area from time to time. This weekend was a church camping trip so I went to hang out and say hi to everyone. On the way back home, my friend and I stopped at Buffalo Bros. The last guitar I purchased from there was a 414CE, and before that, a Santa Cruz D/PW. But as we were driving to Buffalo Bros, I was telling my friend that it's time to stop buying "versatile" guitars. I bought the 414CE because I'd heard it would work well for both fingerstyle and flatpicking. My Cruz is/was also pretty versatile for a D. But since I'm most interested in fingerstyle guitar, it was time to commit and go with one. I played an SCGC F model (great guitar, slightly out of my price range), a Lowden O32C (incredible, but a little bulky and maybe too much in the bass for my taste) and a Bourgeois OMC. Besides the obvious association with Sean Watkins, who uses a pick on a similar Bourgeois instrument, I found the OMC to have a beautiful midrange, clear treble, and tight, controlled low-end response. Overall, a very balanced tone and a nice WIDE neck. That's the one I ended up taking home. I promised to send my D/PW back to them as part of their 100% upgrade policy. So I now have a Bourgeois (again). Here are the photos:

cpmusic · #2 05-27-2002, 08:25 PM

Jerome, that's a beauty! I love that tight, straight grain in the rosewood, and the appointments are just "enough." I've been to Buffalo Brothers a few times and seem to have missed the Bourgeois guitars altogether. My loss. Congratulations on a great find!

muzz76 · #3 05-28-2002, 06:23 AM

I hate to tell ya this Jerome, but those OM bodies are quite 'versatile'

Nice purchase..beautiful guitar.

Derek

jerome · #4 05-28-2002, 04:27 PM

Yeah, I've discovered that. Darn.

Took the OMC to my local tech today to get the Highlander IP-1 installed. It'll be back in time for my weekend gig.

cotten · #5 05-31-2002, 01:28 AM

Yep. Nothing's worse than having one a dem versa-tile geetars. Why, it's almost as bad as having a car that kin take you anywhere you wanna go!

cotten

jerome · #6 05-31-2002, 08:17 AM

Got the guitar back yesterday morning. The Highlander sounds great--my favourite piezo-type undersaddle so far. The tech also adjusted the saddle height and now it plays like buttah! But I'm thinking that the action might be a little too low for my tastes; with a wide neck and low action, it's hard to find something to really get a handle on. Oh well--maybe I should work on my left hand technique anyhow.

RobertC · #7 06-07-2002, 04:00 PM

hahahah...you sound like someone who loves to tinker with his guitars..moi, aussi.

I used to live in San Diego and hang out at Buffalo Brothers regularly.. Bob is a great guy with an appalling sense of humor. They know a ton about guitars. Now I am on the East Coast and really miss that place. I bought a ooo-28EC (Clpaton model) from Mr. Bob. god, I love that guitar.

jerome · #8 06-12-2002, 11:01 PM

Haha, yeah, I guess you can say I have a hard time leaving well enough alone. Although when I have a killer setup, I don't touch the truss rod again. I'm blessed to live in a climate that doesn't vary too much.