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  #1  
Old 11-23-2020, 08:27 AM
fingerstyle_me fingerstyle_me is offline
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Default Furch Vintage 2 OM-SR

Hello all,

I'm purely a finger style player (bare fingers only, no nails, no thumb pick) and I'm the recent proud owner of a Furch Vintage 2 OM-SR, an impressive guitar if you ask me, however it was not my primary choice, more on that...

Until now I had a Martin DJR10 sunburst, a very easy guitar to play, however firstly I wanted a more 'real' guitar and secondly I wanted a guitar tone that would fit better with my playing style. Hence I was searching for a spruce / rosewood OM guitar, not so original you would say, at a time I was considering cedar / mahogany OM guitar but I was finally not really convinced by this choice.
So I was looking for a very responsive guitar, with more of a bright tone (because of my playing style). A guitar that catch my eye was the Yamaha LS16: 'moderate' price, spruce / rosewood, consistent build that is acclaimed by all that I have read. I was nearly decided about LS16 when I discovered the LS-TA, a LS16 with the Transacoustic system, the videos I was watching on YouTube were quite impressive, such a resonant guitar because of the reverb effect. So I pulled the trigger on a very beautiful LS-TA sunburst.

What to say: perfect build, eye catching guitar, frets alignment were perfect, action was moderately low, nice guitar case, no obvious flaw.
Compared to my Martin which is just barely less expensive, the Yamaha is a different world, the build of the Martin (at least mine) was just a joke :
the saddle was badly glued and the frets were absolutely not aligned (the guy behind the PLEK machine, proudly marketed by Martin, can certainly be called a bad technician).

So what do I think about the LS-TA? it is a very easy guitar to play, very resonant, and a tone that some can consider bright and metallic but which fit well with my playing style.
The bad now, well the guitar is heavy, very heavy... not so comfortable to hold, for me, because of that and because of the deep body (12cm, 4.7inch).
The Transacoustic system? truth I was expecting more: the chorus effect is nice, play 'Nothing Else Matters' and you will understand, however the reverb effect was deceptive even on 'hall' reverb,I was even considering that there is a malfunction, yes there is some reverb but not as impressive than what I have see on YouTube.
Maybe I was asking too much, but in fact I think that the 'artificial' effect that is added killed the charm of a pure acoustic guitar, and I was not expecting that despite my initial thoughts.

So the Yamaha has to get back... but then what guitar would I choose? the Martin and Taylor were too expensive, the LS-16? yes I re-considered it very seriously.
But I had a guitar brand in mind that I was looking some month ago, you guess, it is Furch. Why ? I have to be honest, I was firstly attracted by the price. Not that Furch guitars are low price guitars, but get the same guitars at Martin and Taylor and you pay 2 time or 3 time the price. But it was not only the price, it was because of all of the glowing reviews that I have read, and I have read plenty.
You certainly know the Furch Color lines but I was more interested in the Vintage line, especially the Furch Vintage 2 OM which remind me a lot of my dream guitar, the Collings OM2h (check Paul Davids on YouTube).
So here we go, I'm now the owner of a wonderful Furch Vintage 2 OM ! yes the price is a bit expensive, I paid mine 1900 EUR at Kytary (a czech reseller, the country of Furch) but a Martin OM28 would be way more expensive, especially in Europe where you can't get the discount that American stores can propose.

So the Vintage 2 ? I'm really quite happy, yes maybe I would have preferred a bit more bling and gloss, the LS-TA is definitely more eye catching (before returning it, I kept the LS-TA some days to compare against the Furch).
In no particular order: build is perfect, the Hiscox case is surprisingly small but robust, playability is fantastic, nut is a bit wider than LS-TA, action is a bit lower also, absolutely no fret buzz, the neck is wonderfully straight, the neck profile of the LS-TA is a bit more V shaped and so, for me, a bit more comfortable to grip.
Now about the tone, delicious if you ask me, warm and bright at the same time, wonderfully balanced, in fact the intonation reminds me a lot of the Colling OM2h:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6b371mNkCw Paul Davids again about Travis picking, go at 5:05, this is exactely the intonation I get with the Furch, something that I cannot achieve with the DJR10 or the LS-TA.
Against the LS-TA, the Furch sound deeper, the LS-TA is flatter sounding, treble are nicer on the Furch.
About the resonance now ? impressive, in fact the Furch is more resonant and loud than the LS-TA which has a deeper body (12cm vs 10cm for the Furch). Same when I activate reverb on the LS-TA, the Furch is still more resonant and loud but maybe it is due to my playing style.

So to conclude, Furch is an impressive brand with plenty of innovation, CNR truss system, guitar top individually tuned, lacking finish, and a build that is mainly done by hand, really nice.
The price ? yes Furch guitars are not cheap, but definitely way more affordable than Martin and Taylor, a more consistent build, you will be unlucky to get a bad Furch, and a sound that has nothing to let against the big brands: my Vintage 2 just sound wonderful !

Last edited by fingerstyle_me; 11-23-2020 at 12:30 PM.
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  #2  
Old 11-23-2020, 09:08 AM
pieterh pieterh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fingerstyle_me View Post
Hello all,

I'm purely a finger style player (bare fingers only, no nails, no thumb pick) and I'm the recent proud owner of a Furch Vintage 2 OM-SR, an impressive guitar if you ask me, however it was not my primary choice, more on that...

Until now I had a Martin DJR10 sunburst, a very easy guitar to play, however firstly I wanted a more 'real' guitar and secondly I wanted a guitar tone that would fit better with my playing style. Hence I was searching for a spruce / rosewood OM guitar, not so original you would say, at a time I was considering cedar / mahogany OM guitar but I was finally not really convinced by this choice.
So I was looking for a very responsive guitar, with more of a bright tone (because of my playing style). A guitar that catch my eye was the Yamaha LS16: 'moderate' price, spruce / rosewood, consistent build that is acclaimed by all that I have read. I was nearly decided about LS16 when I discovered the LS-TA, a LS16 with the Transacoustic system, the videos I was watching on YouTube were quite impressive, such a resonant guitar because of the reverb effect. So I pulled the trigger on a very beautiful LS-TA sunburst.

What to say: perfect build, eye catching guitar, frets alignment were perfect, action was moderately low, nice guitar case, no obvious flaw.
Compared to my Martin which is just barely less expensive, the Yamaha is a different world, the build of the Martin (at least mine) was just a joke :
the saddle was badly glued and the frets were absolutely not aligned (the guy behind the PLEK machine, proudly marketed by Martin, can certainly be called a bad technician).

So what do I think about the LS-TA? it is a very easy guitar to play, very resonant, and a tone that some can consider bright and metallic but which fit well with my playing style.
The bad now, well the guitar is heavy, very heavy... not so comfortable to hold, for me, because of that and because of the deep body (12cm, 4.7inch).
The Transacoustic system? truth I was expecting more: the chorus effect is nice, play 'Nothing Else Matters' and you will understand, however the reverb effect was deceptive even on 'hall' reverb,I was even considering that there is a malfunction, yes there is some reverb but not as impressive than what I have see on YouTube.
Maybe I was asking too much, but in fact I think that the 'artificial' effect that is added killed the charm of a pure acoustic guitar, and I was not expecting that despite my initial thoughts.

So the Yamaha has to get back... but then what guitar would I choose? the Martin and Taylor were too expensive, the LS-16? yes I re-considered it very seriously.
But I had a guitar brand in mind that I was looking some month ago, you guess, it is Furch. Why ? I have to be honest, I was firstly attracted by the price. Not that Furch guitars are low price guitars, but get the same guitars at Martin and Taylor and you pay 2 time or 3 time the price. But it was not only the price, it was because of all of the glowing reviews that I have read, and I have read plenty.
You certainly know the Furch Color lines but I was more interested in the Vintage line, especially the Furch Vintage 2 OM which remind me a lot of my dream guitar, the Collings OM2h (check Paul Davids on YouTube).
So here we go, I'm now the owner of a wonderful Furch Vintage 2 OM ! yes the price is a bit expensive, I paid mine 1900 EUR at Kytary (a czech reseller, the country of Furch) but a Martin OM28 would be way more expensive, especially in Europe where you can't get the discount that American stores can propose.

So the Vintage 2 ? I'm really quite happy, yes maybe I would have preferred a bit more bling and gloss, the LS-TA is definitely more eye catching (before returning it, I kept the LS-TA some days to compare against the Furch).
In no particular order: build is perfect, the Hiscox case is surprisingly small but robust, playability is fantastic, nut is a bit wider than LS-TA, action is a bit lower also, absolutely no fret buzz, the neck is wonderfully straight, the neck profile of the LS-TA is a bit more V shaped and so, for me, a bit more comfortable to grip.
Now about the tone, delicious if you ask me, warm and bright at the same time, wonderfully balanced, in fact the intonation reminds me a lot of the Colling OM2h:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6b371mNkCw Paul Davids again about Travis picking, go at 5:05, this is exactely the intonation I get with the Furch, something that I cannot achieve with the DJR10 or the LS-TA.
Against the LS-TA, the Furch sound deeper, the LS-TA is flatter sounding, treble are nicer on the Furch.
About the resonance now ? impressive, in fact the Furch is more resonant and loud than the LS-TA which has a deeper body (12cm vs 10cm for the Furch). Same when I activate reverb on the LS-TA, the Furch is still more resonant and loud but maybe it is due to my playing style.

So to conclude, Furch is an impressive brand with plenty of innovation, CNR truss system, guitar top individually toned, lacking finish, and a build that is mainly done by hand, really nice.
The price ? yes Furch guitars are not cheap, but definitely way more affordable than Martin and Taylor, a more consistent build, you will be unlucky to get a bad Furch, and a sound that has nothing to let against the big brands: my Vintage 2 just sound wonderful !

Thanks for posting your review. I’m glad you like the Furch. I have the OM34sr which the Vintage 2 is more or less the equivalent of (mine has a slightly more ornate inlay on the headstock but came just before the CNR-neck).

Like you say, Furch are easily the equal of any of the big name American brands but for a reasonable price. The minute I played the OM34sr I knew it was coming home with me and that my days of yearning for a Martin were over (I wouldn’t mind one but it’s not high up on my list any more).

We have two others at home, an older OM23sf and a year old Green Plus D-12 string (with the new neck reinforcement).

I can understand where you’re coming from regarding finish though the vintage line does exactly what it says, as it where. Personally I love the hand rubbed look. The single thing I would have different on mine if I could have ordered it that way is a transparent pick guard (the Millenium/colour models are both transparent). It’s a minor quibble as it is supposed to be a vintage style and still looks great!

Any pictures?
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Gibson ES-335 Studio 2016; Furch OM34sr 2015; Fender MiJ Geddy Lee Jazz bass, 2009; Taylor 414CE 2005; Guild D35 NT 1976; Fender MIM Classic 60s Tele 2008; Fender US Standard Strat 1992; G&L ASAT classic hollowbody 2005; Ibanez RG350MDX 2010(?); Ibanez Musician fretless, 1980s; Seymour Duncan Tube 84-40; Vox AC4TV;

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Old 11-23-2020, 09:16 AM
Fresh1985 Fresh1985 is offline
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Congrats on a great purchase. Furch make world class guitars. The vintage series OMs are particularly outstanding IMO.
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Old 11-23-2020, 11:33 AM
Rosewood99 Rosewood99 is offline
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Let’s see some pics?
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Old 11-23-2020, 11:59 AM
pieterh pieterh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fresh1985 View Post
Congrats on a great purchase. Furch make world class guitars. The vintage series OMs are particularly outstanding IMO.

They are a game changer for me! Best acoustic I own!
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Gibson ES-335 Studio 2016; Furch OM34sr 2015; Fender MiJ Geddy Lee Jazz bass, 2009; Taylor 414CE 2005; Guild D35 NT 1976; Fender MIM Classic 60s Tele 2008; Fender US Standard Strat 1992; G&L ASAT classic hollowbody 2005; Ibanez RG350MDX 2010(?); Ibanez Musician fretless, 1980s; Seymour Duncan Tube 84-40; Vox AC4TV;

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Old 11-23-2020, 12:23 PM
fingerstyle_me fingerstyle_me is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paulzoom View Post
Let’s see some pics?
I’ll post pics tomorrow
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  #7  
Old 11-24-2020, 09:31 AM
fingerstyle_me fingerstyle_me is offline
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Some pics of my Furch Vintage 2




















Last edited by fingerstyle_me; 11-24-2020 at 10:24 AM.
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  #8  
Old 11-24-2020, 10:26 AM
fingerstyle_me fingerstyle_me is offline
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I love my Furch
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Old 11-24-2020, 10:30 AM
pieterh pieterh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fingerstyle_me View Post
I love my Furch

I don’t blame you, it’s a beauty!

How does it sound?

Those rosewood OMs from Furch are something else aren’t they?!
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Gibson ES-335 Studio 2016; Furch OM34sr 2015; Fender MiJ Geddy Lee Jazz bass, 2009; Taylor 414CE 2005; Guild D35 NT 1976; Fender MIM Classic 60s Tele 2008; Fender US Standard Strat 1992; G&L ASAT classic hollowbody 2005; Ibanez RG350MDX 2010(?); Ibanez Musician fretless, 1980s; Seymour Duncan Tube 84-40; Vox AC4TV;

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Old 11-24-2020, 10:38 AM
fingerstyle_me fingerstyle_me is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pieterh View Post
I don’t blame you, it’s a beauty!

How does it sound?

Those rosewood OMs from Furch are something else aren’t they?!
Yep those Furch are something, to summarize: resonant, loud, balanced, warm and bright at the same time
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  #11  
Old 11-24-2020, 01:23 PM
pieterh pieterh is offline
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Default Furch Vintage 2 OM-SR

Quote:
Originally Posted by fingerstyle_me View Post
Yep those Furch are something, to summarize: resonant, loud, balanced, warm and bright at the same time

Welcome to the club! I’ve had my OM34sr for around 3 years now; more or less the same guitar but with a bit more inlay on the headstock and just before they introduced the CNR neck. Prettiest, best sounding and easiest to play acoustic we have!

What nut width did you go for? It looks like 44mm or even wider from the pics. Mine is 43 which suits me perfectly on that guitar and was a deliberate choice - I can do fingerstyle with it no problem but if it’s an acoustic gig I usually have my Taylor with me for fingerstyle and most lead work (because of the cutaway).
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Gibson ES-335 Studio 2016; Furch OM34sr 2015; Fender MiJ Geddy Lee Jazz bass, 2009; Taylor 414CE 2005; Guild D35 NT 1976; Fender MIM Classic 60s Tele 2008; Fender US Standard Strat 1992; G&L ASAT classic hollowbody 2005; Ibanez RG350MDX 2010(?); Ibanez Musician fretless, 1980s; Seymour Duncan Tube 84-40; Vox AC4TV;

Ex-pat Brit in Sweden
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  #12  
Old 11-24-2020, 01:56 PM
fingerstyle_me fingerstyle_me is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pieterh View Post
Welcome to the club! I’ve had my OM34sr for around 3 years now; more or less the same guitar but with a bit more inlay on the headstock and just before they introduced the CNR neck. Prettiest, best sounding and easiest to play acoustic we have!

What nut width did you go for? It looks like 44mm or even wider from the pics. Mine is 43 which suits me perfectly on that guitar and was a deliberate choice - I can do fingerstyle with it no problem but if it’s an acoustic gig I usually have my Taylor with me for fingerstyle and most lead work (because of the cutaway).
The nut of my Vintage 2 is 45mm, pretty perfect for me.
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Old 11-25-2020, 03:59 AM
richie1959 richie1959 is offline
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Congrats with you new Furch!!
Looks fantastic.

I am waiting for 3 months now for my OM vintage 3,with deep body, to arrive.
I am also a fingerstyle player, hope that the string spacing of 2 3/16 at the saddle is enough for me.
I did order a 1 7/8 nut witdth.

Enjoy your Furch!!

Richie...
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  #14  
Old 11-25-2020, 04:55 AM
fingerstyle_me fingerstyle_me is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richie1959 View Post
Congrats with you new Furch!!
Looks fantastic.

I am waiting for 3 months now for my OM vintage 3,with deep body, to arrive.
I am also a fingerstyle player, hope that the string spacing of 2 3/16 at the saddle is enough for me.
I did order a 1 7/8 nut witdth.

Enjoy your Furch!!

Richie...
The waiting time for guitars are quite long, don’t know if it is because of Covid.
When not in stock, both Yamaha and Furch guitars deliver after several months.
I’m pretty sure you’ll love your Vintage 3 !
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  #15  
Old 11-25-2020, 05:25 AM
LeftyKev LeftyKev is offline
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Nice OM there, enjoy.
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