Excels at? Collings vs H&D vs Goodall vs Santa Cruz vs Bourgeois

[WindChaser]

For those familiar with these brands, what is your opinion on what each of these brands excels at in terms of body shape? For example, in my opinion, Taylor is known for their grand auditorium shape, which is known to be good at handling various styles (e.g. fingerstyle and strumming). Martin is known for their dreadnoughts with their deep, growling bass. I understand there could be overlap in that two of these brands could excel with the same body shape.

Looks forward to your thoughts!

Thanks,
Aaron

[HHP]

I don't think body shape is much of a hallmark of any of them. The small shops build with a definite point of view and this carries across all the sizes.

[zmf]

Originally Posted by WindChaser

For those familiar with these brands, what is your opinion on what each of these brands excels at in terms of body shape? For example, in my opinion, Taylor is known for their grand auditorium shape,

This is so much a question of individual preference that there is no answer.

For example, I agree with you about the Taylor GA. I happen to like Collings 000s, and not so much their dreads and OMs. But the next person you ask may have a totally difference opinion.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by WindChaser

Martin is known for their dreadnoughts with their deep, growling bass.

Not sure I would totally agree with that. Their OMs are pretty well-know.

[1Charlie]

Around here, anyway, the Huss and Dalton traditional dreadnought (either rosewood or mahogany) is revered in the thriving bluegrass scene.

Of course, they arguably have a "home court advantage".

[DenverSteve]

I'll be the lightening rod. Martin is known for pretty much creating most of the current popular body shapes and styles (that Taylor didn't). The other's you mentioned are known for copying Martin.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by PastorSteve

The other's you mentioned are known for copying Martin.

Umm-No. My H&D sounds nothing like any Martins I have owned or played.

[zmf]

Originally Posted by PastorSteve

I'll be the lightening rod. Martin is known for pretty much creating most of the current popular body shapes and styles (that Taylor didn't). The other's you mentioned are known for copying Martin.

Think that particular lightening rod's getting a little worn out.

[G_Sin]

Originally Posted by PastorSteve

I'll be the lightening rod. Martin is known for pretty much creating most of the current popular body shapes and styles (that Taylor didn't). The other's you mentioned are known for copying Martin.

Brass balls. Love it.

[Dolphin Siren]

Originally Posted by PastorSteve

I'll be the lightening rod. Martin is known for pretty much creating most of the current popular body shapes and styles (that Taylor didn't). The other's you mentioned are known for copying Martin.

Collings, Huss & Dalton and Goodall all use bolt on necks, and I believe Huss & Dalton and Goodall use the same finish as Taylor. Santa Cruz set out to be deliberately different from Martin, using their own tapered bracing and exploring using Koa as their back and sides instead of Mahogany.

Martin's current most popular body shape is a copy of Taylor's.

[Montesdad]

I'm a dread kinda guy -

I think they all make great dreads -

Got one GA currently, and its not on your list.
However, they all make great guitars of fairly similar size to a Taylor GA

That being said, no one makes a better smaller bodied guitar than James Goodall,
'cept for maybe Collings, Santa Cruz, Bourgeois or Huss and Dalton.

[dneal]

Originally Posted by Dolphin Siren

Santa Cruz set out to be deliberately different from Martin, using their own tapered bracing and exploring using Koa as their back and sides instead of Mahogany.

Martin used Koa way back in the 20's

[dneal]

Originally Posted by WindChaser

For those familiar with these brands, what is your opinion on what each of these brands excels at in terms of body shape? For example, in my opinion, Taylor is known for their grand auditorium shape, which is known to be good at handling various styles (e.g. fingerstyle and strumming). Martin is known for their dreadnoughts with their deep, growling bass. I understand there could be overlap in that two of these brands could excel with the same body shape.

Looks forward to your thoughts!

Thanks,
Aaron

I don't think any excels at "body shape", but I can see how some correlation could be drawn.

Martin certainly is known for dreads (and you never saw the small bodies in shops until Clapton's "Unplugged" helped revive them). But their sound is more in line with bass-focused woodiness.

Collings makes a wide variety of body styles, and I don't think any shape really defines them. I think the thread that links them all is that they're bright and crisp... or have a bunch of clarity above all else.

Goodall doesn't really have a "defining" shape. Tonally they're responsive, loud, clear, and colored heavily with overtones.

I find H&D, SC and Bourgeois to all be similar. Traditional shapes and traditional sounding (dry and woody with good sustain and moderate overtones). H&D is maybe the most crisp, Bourgeois the most warm or mellow, and SC in between.

There are exceptions to every one of those generalizations.

[WindChaser]

I appreciate everyone's thoughts; thank you. I'm planning to drive 3 hours (one way) to Willcutt guitars in Lexington to try out all the brands I mentioned. I wanted to try the body shapes they are most known for (if that exists) to make my trip most effective in helping me choose my next guitar. I strum and fingerstyle, so I'm looking for a small body or a larger body; whichever one wins me over.

[pjroberts]

Originally Posted by Dolphin Siren

Unfortunate to read such crassness from a pastor.

Martin's current most popular body shape is a copy of Taylor's.

The first bit is funny, but the Martin GA is a surprise to me, though I'm mostly familiar with their traditional shapes and their J (40 specifically, which is similar to a GA). What is this super popular GA copy?