Furch cedar/mahogany Grand Auditorium or OM?

[PeterD18DK]

I have decided on a Furch cedar/mahogany Grand Auditorium or OM.

I play folk, bluegrass, blues and I mostly do solo stuff along with some strumming.

Do You think the OM can handle it? Or will it be to boxy/nasal for picking and strumming?

[Prahanien]

Originally Posted by PeterD18DK

I have decided on a Furch cedar/mahogany Grand Auditorium or OM.

I play folk, bluegrass, blues and I mostly do solo stuff along with some strumming.

Do You think the OM can handle it? Or will it be to boxy/nasal for picking and strumming?

I just bought the blue masters choice Gc-CM plus. It’s phenomenal. I play fingerstyle primarily and usually love smaller body guitars but this GA is super comfortable and the size does not bother me in the least. Glad I went with it over the OM.

[PeterD18DK]

Originally Posted by Prahanien

I just bought the blue masters choice Gc-CM plus. It’s phenomenal. I play fingerstyle primarily and usually love smaller body guitars but this GA is super comfortable and the size does not bother me in the least. Glad I went with it over the OM.

Good to hear
I don't have possibility to try before I buy. And I am aware that the G-models are more rounded and less boxy in tone. That said, the OM is usually very balanced and I was wondering if anyone has both models and would share their opinion?

[Prahanien]

Originally Posted by PeterD18DK

Good to hear
I don't have possibility to try before I buy. And I am aware that the G-models are more rounded and less boxy in tone. That said, the OM is usually very balanced and I was wondering if anyone has both models and would share their opinion?

I cannot comment on the Furch om. However...I have owned a Martin D-18, D-35, Taylor 214, 314, 414, 814 and GS7. Larrivee OM-05 and Eastman E8OM-TC, E6D-TC, and E10ooss/v. (I know. I have a problem). Anyways...the Furch is easily the most balanced out of all of those.

[PeterD18DK]

Originally Posted by Prahanien

I cannot comment on the Furch om. However...I have owned a Martin D-18, D-35, Taylor 214, 314, 414, 814 and GS7. Larrivee OM-05 and Eastman E8OM-TC, E6D-TC, and E10ooss/v. (I know. I have a problem). Anyways...the Furch is easily the most balanced out of all of those.

I have the same problem. My doctor says I am optimizing on tone and it keeps illness and depression away

I also hold an Eastman E10SS and a few more, Eastman are also very nice, I like them both. But for now I want to try the Cedar/Mahogany combination on a Furch.

[Rosette]

Originally Posted by PeterD18DK

I have decided on a Furch cedar/mahogany Grand Auditorium or OM.

I play folk, bluegrass, blues and I mostly do solo stuff along with some strumming.

Do You think the OM can handle it? Or will it be to boxy/nasal for picking and strumming?

I have the OM in Cedar/mahogany. Based on what you wrote, I would choose the Grand Auditorium instead. I don't think the OM is boxy sounding, but the small body size limits volume and the headroom is such that I think the larger body would probably serve you better for strumming and bluegrass.

[DukeX]

I have an OM and a GA (neither are Furch). For what you are playing I'd choose my GA for it's versatility (fingerpicking and strumming).

[Macpage]

Furchs are nice guitars. I just played a cedar/rosewood Gc right along with Taylor spruce/rosewood 14's. As one might generally expect, a little more output from the spruce tops, and Taylors do put out the sound. In my opinion, with your playing and the tonewood combination, I would say the Furch Gc would be the safer choice. You can always play softer, but it's hard to make them louder.

The Furch Gc presented nicely seated in a very similar manner to the Taylor 14's. I was looking for an OM but found that the GA's were actually a little more comfortable to me as to how they placed the fretboard for me. I thought the Taylor and Furch cedar tops were in the same vain so to speak, and it would be foolish of me to try and compare tone. There was not say a Martin to Taylor kind of variation. I did not play a spruce top Furch so can't comment there.

The Furch was a beautiful guitar aesthetic wise. Again a fool's errand but I'll give my very "subjective" opinion on necks coming from a guy who prefers sleeker necks and plays 1.69". To me, the Furch was just a hair sleeker feeling in the first few frets and "just" a bit fuller in the higher frets compared to the Taylors. Others are likely to have a completely different take. They were close enough in profile thickness that I did not feel comfortable making eyeball measurements with action gauge. Both were very playable, and I'm sure that most would find something to be happy about in both. I hope you enjoy the guitar you select. Great times for players.

Best,

Mac

[PeterD18DK]

Originally Posted by DukeX

I have an OM and a GA (neither are Furch). For what you are playing I'd choose my GA for it's versatility (fingerpicking and strumming).

yeah it is vertasile and better jams with other loud instruments. Still the OM is very focused and tone is fast.

[PeterD18DK]

Originally Posted by Macpage

You can always play softer, but it's hard to make them louder.

it is a good point, as DukeX said more vertasile. I have never tried a Taylor. But they sound absolutely fantastic. However, I am going to try the cedar/mahogany combination. I have never owned one and they sound fantastic online. I like the darker and more mellow tone. It is great for melodic play. And I would guess on a GA, this combination would be loud enough for playing with a pick.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

No experience with Furch guitars, but plenty of experience owning several OMs and GAs.

My OMs are some of the best projecting OMs I've had the pleasure of auditioning (I always audition a half dozen guitars or more on each buying trip). But there is something "extra" that the added depth of a GA gives that can't be replicated by the OM. Even if it's not say top-end volume (i.e. the top achievable decibel levels are the same), there's just an "easiness" or "airiness" at higher volumes that the GA provides vs. the OM. I don't know how to say it.

Kind of like when you're driving a 4-cylinder 190hp vs. a 6-cylinder 300hp car at 80mph. They're both going 80mph, but the "ease" of which the 6-cylinder achieves that speed vs. the 4-cylinder is usually pretty apparent. That's kind of how I feel when really digging in to an OM vs. a GA.

And a dreadnought I guess would be an 8-cylinder, 400hp beast.

[warfrat73]

You sound pretty set on Cedar and Mahogany, but it sure doesn't seem the most obvious choice for the kinds of music you say you like to play.

It'll do it, but IMHO spruce topped guitars are generally better suited to folk, bluegrass and, to a lesser extent, strummy music.

[Triggs]

Furch actually makes a deep bodied OM (depth of a dred). I have a Furch OM that has incredible sound, responds well to a light touch, but holds up under a firm strum

[Shadowfox]

So two considerations:

Look to an Alpine top, as they are like a cross between sitka and Cedar.

Furch builds guitars super light, so they will be great either way.

You can also order a Deep Body OM, which will be as deep as a GA.

Finally, I would order the string spacing wider, since you do finger style, it's way more comfy!

[PeterD18DK]

Originally Posted by warfrat73

You sound pretty set on Cedar and Mahogany, but it sure doesn't seem the most obvious choice for the kinds of music you say you like to play.

It'll do it, but IMHO spruce topped guitars are generally better suited to folk, bluegrass and, to a lesser extent, strummy music.

yeah I am convinced You are right about the spruce is better suited for folk and bluegrass. I already own a few spruce tops and they are able to play along with fiddle and accordion. The cedar/mahogany will be a couch guitar, for recording projects and lighter accompany. For that I believe the cedar/mahogany sounds really good.