Seagull S6 vs Maritime

[IvanJS]

Hello, I am new here and first of all I wanted to congratulate the great community that is here.

Sorry if my English is not good, I am Spanish.

I found the Seagull S6 Original for € 519 and the Martitime € 565, both new in store (I would have to buy online).

Since I do not have the possibility to try them, I would like to know which of the two is the most balanced for a beginner and which one would you recommend for that price (below € 600) and not second-hand.

Thank you!!

[JERZEY]

There are several versions of the S6 Original. You will find them with Cedar or Spruce solid tops and wild cherry back and sides. The standard S6 Original comes with a 1.8 inch nut. Its a very big neck. Pretty hard to get the thumb over the 6th string for most people. The S6 Original Slim comes with a 1.72 inch nut. Its a much faster neck but still roomy. All of the S6 models are fantastic guitars in that price bracket. All current S6 models have the 25.5 inch scale.

The Maritime series appears to come with gloss or natural finishes atm. They all appear to be the 1.72 inch nut. They all come with a solid spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides. They all appear to have the SWS(solid wood series) designation now. All of the Maritime models currently have the 25.5 inch scale.

These instruments are all very simular. The Maritime series is technically a step above the s6 series. Recently Seagull revamped both lines. Be wary of what you are buying. The old model are not all solid wood. Some had shorter scales.

For comparison purposes check out Eastman guitars. They would be the closest competition in this price bracket. You can get all solid Eastmans for under 600$. The E1D, E1OM, E2D, E2OM, and the AC122 with spruce or cedar tops are insane nice instruments.

You may want to consider avoiding a 1.8 inch nut at first. Otherwise both guitars you listed are going to be super nice. Fantastic for any new player or intermediate player alike.

[Earl49]

It is hard to lose either way. Just study the specs and see which appeals to you. As for the 1.8" nut width, the actual string spacing is still 1.5" exactly the same as a 1.75" nut width on my Taylor's (and others). I have an older S6 with 1.8" nut and the shorter scale. I like it a lot.

Your English is muy bien - much better than my high school Spanish from decades ago.

[IvanJS]

Thank you very much for the answers.

As for the size of the nut, I have big hands and with my current guitar I have problems (also due to lack of experience).

So I think 1.8 nut is going to like me.

Apart from that, I have read many other posts on this forum and regarding specifications both seem good to me, that is why I would like to know in terms of sound which one seems best to you (balanced sound). As I am still learning, I will play a bit of everything (different guitar techniques) and I would like the guitar, regardless of the materials, to be versatile.

S6
http://www.seagullguitars.com/en/pro...51-s6-original

Maritime
http://www.seagullguitars.com/en/pro...sws-semi-gloss

Those are the ones.

Thank you again!!

[Earl49]

I too have fairly large hands and have no issue with a thumb over to get the bass strings. That 1.8" nut works well for me. Over the years I have grown to prefer shorter scale lengths, with 24.75" as my maximum.

The S6 original is visually plainer with a matte or satin finish and has a cedar top (warmer and mellower tone). I still like mine a lot, even though I have several "nicer" Taylor and carbon fiber guitars to play. The Maritime SWS is a little bit fancier with a semi-gloss finish and white binding. It has a spruce top / mahogany body (brighter tone, probably more balanced overall). Don't get too concerned about the solid versus laminated body difference. The tops are still solid either way and will age with time and play.

Maybe think "Gibson J45" sound from the S6 and a more "Martin D18" kind of sound from the Maritime, if that helps.

[Robin, Wales]

The S6 Original is a modern classic. The wild cherry laminate back and sides works beautifully with the cedar top to give a dry, earthy tone with lots of depth. The guitar would be good for very many different playing styles - with a pick or fingerstyle. They have a distinctive tone that's not trying to be a copy of another guitar. The build quality is consistent. But you may need a set-up if the guitar is coming from an on-line shop.

I have the S6 Coastline Spruce. It is a hugely loud guitar that I use for bluegrass flatpicking (in fact it is a little too loud for solo singing). The S6 Original with the cedar top is a mellower guitar all-round.

I've played one of the Maritime SWS Spruce/Mahogany guitars and it was amazing! But I'm not sure if the price you quote for a Maritime could be that guitar as they are more like 800 Euro? If someone has it for 565 Euro buy it!

[IvanJS]

Hello again!!

I have asked the store and they have told me that the supplier of Seagull here in Spain has just received new stock and, as it is not such a well-known brand, they have lowered the price.

He told me that the S6, for example, had it on sale a year ago for € 470 when in other European stores it is around € 600.

The guitar I ordered would come directly from the supplier, so I guess it was made recently.

I have seen videos (there are many fewer from the Maritime) and I have also compared the sounds of the Gibson and the Martin as you recommended and perhaps I find the sound of the Maritime more attractive. It is also that with the skill of the one who touches it in the video it is difficult for it to sound bad hahahaha

Thank you very much, you are helping me a lot!!

[Bluesra]

I own a regular S6 (cedar top) and have not played the Maritime so I can't speak to the sound of that but to generalize a little bit I find the cedar tops sounds beautiful fingerpicked, I absolutely love the warm bass, earthy sound but it lacks the snappy response that you'll find with spruce. I find strumming and flatpicking it doesn't play as well as a spruce top would in my opinion. With that said my S6 is special to me, I've almost worn a hole in the top by the pick guard from playing it so much, it's a wonderful sounding guitar.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

The S6 Original is a modern classic. The wild cherry laminate back and sides works beautifully with the cedar top to give a dry, earthy tone with lots of depth. The guitar would be good for very many different playing styles - with a pick or fingerstyle. They have a distinctive tone that's not trying to be a copy of another guitar. The build quality is consistent. But you may need a set-up if the guitar is coming from an on-line shop.

I have the S6 Coastline Spruce. It is a hugely loud guitar that I use for bluegrass flatpicking (in fact it is a little too loud for solo singing). The S6 Original with the cedar top is a mellower guitar all-round.

I've played one of the Maritime SWS Spruce/Mahogany guitars and it was amazing! But I'm not sure if the price you quote for a Maritime could be that guitar as they are more like 800 Euro? If someone has it for 565 Euro buy it!

Ivan, Welcome to the AGF! I like the quote above: "The S6 Original is a modern classic". I'd go with that.

[Ed66]

I have several Seagulls and find each to be exceptional. My S6 was the first quality guitar I purchased and I can't see ever letting it go. For me the combination of cedar and wild cherry is a sound all its own - warm and woody. I have never played any of the Maritime series, but have played a number of all solid wood Seagulls. I would not sell the S6 short. As a beginner, just starting your guitar journey, I don't think you could go wrong with it.

[IvanJS]

Hello again!

Thanks again for the great help you are giving me.

Tomorrow the store confirms how long it would take to bring me one of the two models.

My doubt originally came from the fact that the S6 has many reviews and videos and I counted on it being a great guitar as you tell me, but, on the other hand, on the Maritime it has been difficult for me to find more information, that's why I highly appreciate what you tell me about it.

I know that if the Maritime cost me € 800 it would not be so attractive in comparison, but knowing that both are such good guitars I decided to ask only for the sound.

Although (I think) I prefer a brighter sound than a warmer one. I currently have a Framus FD14 solid spruce top and laminated mahogany which sounds pretty good, and I consider its sound warm enough.

Obviously there will be many other differences between this and the Seagull, but I think I would like the Maritime one the same.

I have also read of some user of this forum saying that his Maritime was fatally adjusted and that he had to make many adjustments.

The post was from 2012 or so, I don't know if this will have been corrected in the current models...

[personatech]

I'll chime in among those who love their S6es (although I do now regret opting for the slim neck over the slightly wider nut - I prefer a wider nut these days!) However, the nicest Seagull I've ever played was a Maritime SWS Burnt Umber GT QIT. Really, a superb guitar (actually, I've played two - both were incredible instruments!!)

[Greenstar]

Originally Posted by Bluesra

I own a regular S6 (cedar top) and have not played the Maritime so I can't speak to the sound of that but to generalize a little bit I find the cedar tops sounds beautiful fingerpicked, I absolutely love the warm bass, earthy sound but it lacks the snappy response that you'll find with spruce. I find strumming and flatpicking it doesn't play as well as a spruce top would in my opinion. With that said my S6 is special to me, I've almost worn a hole in the top by the pick guard from playing it so much, it's a wonderful sounding guitar.

I have a 20 year old S6 Folk with a cedar top. No pick guard on mine so my hole is starting to take on Trigger proportions. This guitar just sounds better and better every year. I can palm mute it and get a huge strummed tone and it's probably the best fingerpicker that I own. I bought it new and left it in front of some huge EV monitors in my studio for eight hours a day while I was at work with the music cranked (my neighbors loved me for that). Ever since then this guitar has been out on a stand, in various rooms (never really in my studio with the big boys) just wherever I could grab it in a moment's notice and play a few songs. Every time I put it back on it's stand I say "wow, what a great guitar." The neck is still perfect, no belly bulge, action is always spot on (maybe two truss rod adjustments in 20 years) and it holds tune with both hands.

I could not recommend a Seagull enough. That little shop in La Petrie, Quebec Canada has found some magic with these guitars and they age like a nice red wine.

Cheers

[IvanJS]

It seems that not everything was going to go as planned hahaha.

The store called the supplier and told me that they currently have no stock of the Maritime and that it appears to be discontinued.

I honestly think that the price it had was very good to be true, so I will ask in a few weeks and if there are no news I will opt for the S6.

[Wellington]

I've owned the s6 with the cedar top and also it's brother, the Simon & Patrick is the same thing. I really want one again, I would recommend the S6 cedar