Long-time player - first serious purchase. Advice please!

[*Sundance*]

Hi,

I have just joined the forum as I am looking for advice about buying a new guitar which, for me, will be a major purchase and my first venture beyond low budget models.

I hope to spend up to £1000 or thereabouts. Less would be better but the most important thing is to get the right guitar so I am prepared to be a bit flexible with the budget. For me this is almost a once in a lifetime opportunity and my hope is that I will have an instrument which sounds, feels and plays significantly better than any previous guitar I have owned.

I am happy to buy a used guitar if it means getting the best quality for my money.

I know my budget isn't really high end but I like to think that I can find something which will be a big improvement over my previous guitars and which will bring a smile to my face when I play it!

Here is some background:

I have been playing for over 30 years, but mostly just for myself. I don't really perform so have no need for a pickup. I play mainly fingerstyle with a wee bit of strumming, usually stuff like Paul Simon, Dylan and, more recently, some songs by The Tallest Man on Earth. I like to do a lot of Travis-style fast picking and try to sing along as I play. I never use a pick these days and prefer strumming with my thumb and back of my fingers when not fingerpicking. It's just a habit I got into and now find using a pick awkward.

I currently own a Simon & Patrick SP6 with cedar top and wild cherry sides which I bought about 13 years ago. It was (and still is) the best and most expensive guitar I have ever bought but although I generally like it, I have a few frustrations with it and I feel the time has come for me to move on to something better which is more suited to the way I play.

I'm not very experienced with different types of acoustic guitars so I've been doing a lot of research on this forum, and elsewhere, to try and understand the features I should be looking for. Unfortunately I do not have access to any local guitar shops (even pre-lockdown) as I live on a remote Scottish island. If I can manage to make a shortlist, I hope eventually I can go to the mainland and try them out before I decide.

Based on what I've learned, and my experience with the SP6, here are some thoughts I have on what I should look for. I know a lot of this is subjective, but I would appreciate any advice on these points if possible.

Body Size
My current guitar is a dreadnought but I'm thinking an OM or GC size would suit my fingerstyle playing better? Not really looking for a cutaway model.

Woods
I like the mellow sound of the cedar top on my SP6 and am thinking of sticking with cedar. I don't want to rule out spruce altogether but, to my ears, it sometimes sounds a bit too bright and trebly. Maybe I just haven't heard the right guitars though. I am not sure about the back and sides and am open to advice.

Nut width/String Spacing
This is probably my biggest issue with the SP6. My fingers aren't fat but I would prefer a bit more space for my fretting hand. I find it a squeeze to play even a simple A chord perfectly and often find in general that my fingers will inadvertently touch adjacent strings during play. I would love to feel that each note is ringing out cleanly. My understanding is that the SP6 has a 1.72 inch nut width so I am looking at guitars with 1.75" or wider, as long as the neck isn't uncomfortably chunky (I still want to be able to play the 6th string with my thumb when necessary)!

Some models I've been considering (in no particular order)
Yamaha LL series (Engelmann spruce rather than cedar, so maybe too bright?)
Furch OM/GC CM (Love the look of the 'Yellow' models with clear pickguards but these are maybe out of my price range)
Taylors (Really unfamiliar with the models as I have always considered them out of my budget. Are the cheaper models worth considering?)

TLDR/Summary
Apologies for the long post. In summary, I am looking for help to find a great guitar to suit my folk, fingerstyle type of playing. It has to be significantly better than my current Simon & Patrick SP6 cedar-top and hopefully no more than £1000 in price.

Many thanks for any advice you can offer!

[warfrat73]

Welcome to the forum.

It does sound like OM or GA would be a good bet for you.

People tend to really like the Furch guitars if you can get one in your price range.

The other thing that would tic all your boxes would be an Eastman E2OM, and should comfortably fit within your budget. Some of the higher end Eastman models might too, but they're all spruce topped.

I think you're right that an Englemann top might prove too bright sounding for you. But, spruce more broadly is worth considering, it really covers a broad tonal range.

Personally, I'm not much of a fan of Taylor's lower end models.

Just out curiosity, which remote Scottish island?

[roylor4]

First - don't bother with the cheaper Taylors - they all have a 1 & 11/16 nut width and lean strongly towards the "bright" category (IMO). The 3 series and up are good and a standout for the money (though still not cheap) is the 324 and 322. The Mahogany top and Blackwood back and sides really give great tone and add warmth to the typical Taylor sound.

Second - Never played a Furch, though they are highly regarded here and elsewhere.

Third - The 16 series Yamahas are quite good. If you can find one, go with a Rosewood b&s one. Rosewood provides more bass than Mahogany and will add warmth as well as some overtones. I would avoid the LL's, as they are a slope shoulder dread and will not offer better ergonomics than your current guitar. Look at the LS.

Seagull still offers some models with a 1.8 nut width and they are well built, though not really a step up for you. If Eastman is available in your area, they are worth looking at.

Good luck in your search.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Welcome to the big show! It sounds to me like Eastman guitars are readily available over there. I love my little E2OM-CD. See if you can find one to test drive.

[botofogo]

I love my Furch — don’t think you could go wrong there. Just glanced at Reverb and there’s a Furch OM Cedar-Mahogany for $1100 (as an example).

[Macpage]

Welcome to the forum! It sounds like you have been doing your homework. I think your idea of planning a list and then making a trip to audition when things get a little better is well thought out. Of course, you can always shop at distance if you have a return policy. In my opinion, you have to get them in your hands to really make the decision. I was fortunate recently in shopping and was able to audition dozens of guitars from many brands. The result was completely opposite of what I had expected.

I agree that OM would be a good choice. If you can find a deep body OM, you can get a little more low end, but a lot of these come with cut away. Cedar is a classic choice for fingerstyle, and both mahogany or rosewood make nice back/side selections. Hard to say which I like best. It depends on the player and the tune.

In your location, I agree with other posters that Furch and Eastman are the logical candidates for 1 3/4" nut width and cedar. Yamaha L series and Red Labels will give you a chance to audition some good spruce tops. They are one of the brands at budget that really do spruces over rosewood/mahogany very well. Furch will probably have the thinnest neck of these. The Yamaha L would most likely be the fullest with the Eastmans and Red Labels falling somewhere in between these. If you need thinner than mentioned when working with 1 3/4" nut, Alvarez Masterworks are available at budget in your location in a few different tone woods, but I do not believe they have an all solid cedar in the line presently.

Perhaps, other posters will note additional brands that are more local to you that will fit your preferences. Someone may also recommend a model with a wider bridge string spacing to go along with wider nut width. I find this wider spacing to be very nice for fingerstyle. Best of all, it may be harder to shop right now, but there may never have been a time with better guitars at all price points than presently. Enjoy your shopping!

Best,

Mac

[DukeX]

Originally Posted by roylor4

...Taylors...The 3 series and up are good and a standout for the money (though still not cheap) is the 324 and 322. The Mahogany top and Blackwood back and sides really give great tone and add warmth to the typical Taylor sound.

Agreed, fantastic guitars!

[Telecastoras]

I believe for buying new this is the best bang for your back...

https://www.thomann.de/gb/yamaha_fs5_nt.htm

[*Sundance*]

Wow, thanks so much for the replies. It's great to hear so much good advice and it's reassuring to know that my own thought process regarding what to look for seems to be roughly on the right track.

It's interesting that the Eastman E2 OM has been mentioned as that came up a lot during my previous research. It's certainly budget-friendly and I hope I can manage to try one out sometime soon.

I'm happy to disregard the Taylors at this point. I never felt too enthusiastic about their looks anyway and from what I've read the lower end models aren't ideal for my needs.

Of course, the Yamaha LS body shape makes more sense than the LL models but I am put off my the Engelmann spruce top. However, I wasn't aware of the Red Labels and am interested in the FS5. I love the classic appearance and it sounds great in the YouTube videos I have watched. It's probably the first spruce top I have really warmed to.

My real favourites at the moment though are the Furchs. The Blue CM seems to have everything I am looking for: solid cedar top, solid mahogany back & sides, beautiful simple looks and excellent reviews. I just wish it had a transparent pickguard like the Yellow series! There is a Blue Plus CM model which has it but I can't seem to find it in any shops. The Yellow series look even better but I think that is stretching the budget too far!

One question I have about the Furchs is about the body sizes. Is there much difference between the Grand Auditorium and the OM? Would one suit be better than the other?

I'm on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles of Scotland by the way

Thanks again.

[cmac]

Originally Posted by *Sundance*

I'm on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles of Scotland by the way

I sent a PM to explore an idea.

[roylor4]

You should be able to find Furch specs online. If not, GA's are typically 1 inch wider in the lower bout (16 vs 15 inches) with a slightly wider waist as well as a bit deeper. GA'S are much more comfortable than dreads, with better balance and a bit less volume.

If dreads are just a tad too big, a GA may work for you. I'm short and stocky and find OM's a better fit for me.

[Steve DeRosa]

One of the Irish-made Avalon Gold Series instruments from the early-2K's should be right up your alley - especially the cedar/EIR and cedar/mahogany 16" mini-jumbos (I own one of the former) - and probably easier to find over there than here in the States...

[neomastino]

I have a number of expensive guitars (well above your stated price point) and still come back to my Furch (my cheapest guitar) the most. I am almost to the point of selling half of my collection because i love the Furch that much. My second would be the aforementioned yamaha. I am not a fan (in the slightest) of Eastman, but that's just me.

[cliff_the_stiff]

Taylor is a great guitar. 3xx and up as Roy also said.
Also could look for Northwood or Eastman guitars for lower priced widely spaced necks.

[mawmow]

I play almost exclusively orchestra models with 1 3/4" (1,75") nut width.

Yamaha LL would do it if you like clear tone :
That is why I allowed my LS-16 get another home.

I was blown away by Taylor Academy at local store last year.

My Seagull Performer CW and Eastman AC122ce are great,
but they have a cutaway : I had bought these to climb the scales up the neck.

Maybe you could get a used Taylor in the 300 series in your budget :
My all Mahogany 322 is great.
NB the 322 12 fret is more expensive.

You could also get a used Martin OOO-18.

CORRECTION : My 322 is Mahogany/Blackwood... Sorry !