Talk to me about Furch Vintage OMs

kriso77 · #1 03-01-2021, 03:18 PM

I'm eying the Furch Vintage OM 2 or 3 and curious how they stack up tonally to, lets say a Martin OM or 000-28. I know that guitar pretty well and serves as a good reference point. Thoughts on overall playability, fit and finish are appreciated as well.

brianlcox · #2 03-01-2021, 03:55 PM

Not quite what you are asking about, but I recently got a Furch D35 (which is now called the vintage 3).

In terms of fit and finish I would argue that it is above a martin. The construction is very clean - I would be hard pressed to find a flaw. Also the wood selection seems to be very good. My example as an excellent piece of spruce on top with consistent silking all over it. The rosewood is nice and straight grained. The mahogany on the neck is nice and straight grained (though with a seperatate piece for the heel). The abalone is well set and nice and colorful.

In terms of tone, it is a good dreadnaught. Nice full strumming sound, good pop on the trebles for lead lines. Due to the lockdown I haven't been in a guitar store to play many other guitars in it's league (and it's not really fair comparing it to the Froggy Bottom or Goodall guitars that I have in the house that cost 4 times more), but it does what it's built to do very well.

Of course, the sound is a bit different than a Martin - even the vintage Furch models seem to be a bit brighter than the martins. However, this isn't a fault, simply a difference. I feel that the Furch dread is perhaps a bit more responsive to fingerpicking than martin dreads that I can remember playing.

I don't really think that you can go wrong with a higher end furch- they really do seem to be on par with martins. Here in Europe anyway they are also cheaper. I can get a Furch D35 new for about 500-800 dollars cheaper than a new Martin D28. On the used market the price difference is probably still around the same. Based on that fact I chose a Furch!

Earl49 · #3 03-01-2021, 04:44 PM

I have limited experience with Furch, but got to house-sit a rosewood/cedar G25 cutaway for a few weeks last year and play it a lot. I have no idea where that model fits into the new naming scheme, but it is probably mid to upper range - maybe orange or yellow?

Anyway it was very nicely made with high quality woods, played wonderfully and "out-Taylored" a Taylor for build quality (said as a big fan of Taylor guitars). The tone was somewhere between a Martin and similar Taylor, a touch richer than a Taylor GA and a touch brighter than a Martin OM. It was a great finger picking guitar, and if I were looking at another wood guitar, it would likely be a Furch.

Scotso · #4 03-01-2021, 06:58 PM

I would not put Furch above or below a Martin std series. Furch vintage are good guitars with less bass than a Martin. neither good or bad. Just gotta decide what your ears like.

Shadowfox · #5 03-01-2021, 08:33 PM

I find the Furch's to be much more balanced than martin, I know they do minor changes in the bracing for Vintage, but nothing crazy.

The build quality will be better imho just because it's not a massed produced guitar, and hand built.

perttime · #6 03-01-2021, 11:50 PM

Previously, people have commented that Furchs are built light. That makes them responsive and resonant - but also sensitive to external conditions and abuse.

richie1959 · #7 03-02-2021, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kriso77

I'm eying the Furch Vintage OM 2 or 3 and curious how they stack up tonally to, lets say a Martin OM or 000-28. I know that guitar pretty well and serves as a good reference point. Thoughts on overall playability, fit and finish are appreciated as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxFia9FJqfA

well, this sounds good enough for me...
They have a sort of sweetness i think.
But that's only from listening on you tube..

blinddog · #8 03-02-2021, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kriso77

I'm eying the Furch Vintage OM 2 or 3 and curious how they stack up tonally to, lets say a Martin OM or 000-28. I know that guitar pretty well and serves as a good reference point. Thoughts on overall playability, fit and finish are appreciated as well.

Funny, I ran across your post as I sit here with two guitars I just bought, a Martin OM-28 and a Furch OM Vintage 3, the exact two guitars your want to compare! I've had them both for about a week. First off, they sound way different. The Furch is much brighter, almost to the point of being what I would call "glassy". Some times I love it, some times I don't. Playing notes on the low strings sounds great, strumming not so much. I had a friend that softly finger picks come over and play it and it sounded fantastic. When I play blues on it I play pretty hard and it doesn't sound as good to me. The Martin to me has a little more balance and doesn't have that sound of being "small" and overly bright. Some might call that "warm" and some people don't really prefer that but I think I like it better than the Furch. From a playability standpoint, I think they're pretty equal, maybe I like the neck on the Martin better but not by much. I think it really comes down to personal taste, but I think the Martin is more versatile, it doesn't sound "glassy" or "brittle" when I strum it. You already know the sound of Martin, I would say the Furch is closer to Taylor in terms of tone. As far as fit and finish, both are excellent, but that Furch might be the best looking guitar I've ever seen, the craftsmanship seems flawless to me. That hand rubbed finish along with the abalone rosette and flamed maple binding on the body and koa binding on the neck are all incredible, not to mention that dark rosewood back and sides. It's just beautiful to look at, better looking than the Martin, even though the Martin is also a beautiful guitar. With all that said, I'm 80% sure I'm sending the Furch back and keeping the Martin. Ultimately I like that Martin tone better. Good luck in your search.

kriso77 · #9 03-02-2021, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinddog

Funny, I ran across your post as I sit here with two guitars I just bought, a Martin OM-28 and a Furch OM Vintage 3, the exact two guitars your want to compare! I've had them both for about a week. First off, they sound way different. The Furch is much brighter, almost to the point of being what I would call "glassy". Some times I love it, some times I don't. Playing notes on the low strings sounds great, strumming not so much. I had a friend that softly finger picks come over and play it and it sounded fantastic. When I play blues on it I play pretty hard and it doesn't sound as good to me. The Martin to me has a little more balance and doesn't have that sound of being "small" and overly bright. Some might call that "warm" and some people don't really prefer that but I think I like it better than the Furch. From a playability standpoint, I think they're pretty equal, maybe I like the neck on the Martin better but not by much. I think it really comes down to personal taste, but I think the Martin is more versatile, it doesn't sound "glassy" or "brittle" when I strum it. You already know the sound of Martin, I would say the Furch is closer to Taylor in terms of tone. As far as fit and finish, both are excellent, but that Furch might be the best looking guitar I've ever seen, the craftsmanship seems flawless to me. That hand rubbed finish along with the abalone rosette and flamed maple binding on the body and koa binding on the neck are all incredible, not to mention that dark rosewood back and sides. It's just beautiful to look at, better looking than the Martin, even though the Martin is also a beautiful guitar. With all that said, I'm 80% sure I'm sending the Furch back and keeping the Martin. Ultimately I like that Martin tone better. Good luck in your search.

This was helpful. I don’t think I would buy one without playing it first. Unfortunately they are not readily available near me.

PeterD18DK · #10 03-03-2021, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kriso77

This was helpful. I don’t think I would buy one without playing it first. Unfortunately they are not readily available near me.

It is always a good idea to play an instrument first! However many of us have specific needs to the setup e.g. nut-dressing, tension, bridge-height that takes a few days to tweek and the setup may change tone and feeling a lot.

I bought two Furch guitars without playing them first. All I can say is that Furch is on the right path of playability, tone, quality ... amen

jcpharm · #11 03-03-2021, 08:24 AM

i own a 000-28 and a Furch Red GC-LC (Grand Auditorium/ alpine spruce top/cocobolo B&S) and i would echo that the Furch is balanced to be brighter than the Martin is. my Furch has more prominent overtones which sound wonderful doing fingerstyle but don't sound as crisp when strumming so i prefer my 000 for strumming. both necks are very playable and build quality on both are top notch.
i would tweak the above comments that Furch is more like Taylor to say that Furch is more in between Martin and Taylor on the warmth/brightness spectrum. i've played my friend's Taylor 814ce and it is brighter than my Furch (a bit too bright for my taste). i don't think you can go wrong either way and i enjoy having both around. if i HAD to choose one, i think the 000-28 is the better all-around-er but i would definitely miss my Furch (plus it's beautiful to look at).

Jon29526 · #12 03-04-2021, 03:38 PM

I love my Furch. Granted the vintage 1 series is in wood selection below the 2 and 3 but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the guitar. It has the best action of my guitars, and seems best suited to accompany a single voice. It has quickly become my favorite guitar to play out with. Mine seems very stoutly built, yet the top is very responsive.

Fresh1985 · #13 03-05-2021, 07:33 AM

The furch OM32 I had was lighter and cleaner in build than the martin 28vs I had. Tonally different animals but on par quality wise.

Which is even more impressive considering it costs a third of what the martin did.

I would say the furch will be a bit more modern sounding than the martin even though it is the vintage series.

Overall though in my neck of the woods you get a lot more for your money in a furch.

Laughingboy68 · #14 03-05-2021, 08:52 AM

Not quite the same comparison, but a few years ago, I A-B'd an HD-28 (the guitar I was shopping for) and a Furch D31TSR. To be upfront, part of my decision was based on price, but I haven't looked back on choosing the Furch. In the dreadnaught category, I'd say the Furch is better balanced, has about 80% of the Martin growl on the bass strings, and strums amazingly well. It's not a Martin. It reminds me most of some of the Bourgeois guitars I've played.

Fit and finish are stellar on all the Furchs I've played. The gloss finish is not as glassy as on a Martin. It isn't satin, but it feels a little in that direction. I wasn't crazy about all of the aesthetic choices (binding combinations and trim) that Furch made as it went up the bling ladder in the past, I think things are a little different with the Rainbow and Vintage lines. This kind of thing is very much a personal choice.