Small bodied finger style. Froggy Goodall or Santa cruz

[Vtckf]

Looking for a smallish responsive finger style guitar with easy playability sustain and response. Have been looking at froggy h and p, Scgc style and OOOand the Goodall parlor. Prefer short scale less than 25 and lower bout below 15. Leaning toward the froggy p12. Would appreciate anyone’s real experience with this as well as other suggestions. Budget is 3-7k. Thanks

I'll add that I've been to Dream, Guitar Gallery, Eddies and others and have played a LOT of these type guitars. I am mainly seeking a backup to my main Somogyi apprentice built OO that seems to spend more time being repaired than played. I know what a fingerstyle guitar can be as my #1 is BRW and Euro from a well known builder whom I'd rather not name.
I'm looking for something to take some of the miles off it and give me at least most of what I'm used to experiencing.
While I've played a few Frogs, SCGC, and goodall I've not played them back to back and was mainly wondering what others have observed with them.

I'd really like to keep it at or under $5k too which pretty much knocks out the Frogs.
I'm also concerned about buying used as I'be been bitten by multiple instruments that needed work that wasn't immediately apparent when I bought them so I don't want anything too old for that reason...I know i"m not making this easy...
I'm in Central Virginia but can't super easily run out and check all of these out without a lot of driving.

[FormerFoodie]

You can't go wrong with the guitars you listed.

Myself, I'm an unabashed Froggy owner with both a P12 and an H12. They are pretty amazing guitars and fit your desire for a "a smallish responsive finger style guitar with easy playability sustain and response". With your budget, you can nab one used.

Enjoy the hunt. More importantly, let us know what you get! We want to see pictures when you get it!

[robey]

Oh man, the Goodall Koa Parlor I had for a few years was fabulous. Wish I was more of finger style player to justify keeping it. Fabulous balance, gorgeous voicing. Mmmm....miss that guitar.

[SuperB23]

I had a Goodall Short scale CJC in Cedar and Rosewood that completely fit that bill. Also the GC or TROOO from Goodall would too. A Froggy Bottom H12 is also a special instrument!

[BrunoBlack]

I own all 3 brands and agree you can’t go wrong with any of them. But given the choice, I’d go for the Froggy H12. Visit AGF sponsor Guitar Gallery and you will find 2 new Froggy guitars in your budget.

There is a new H-12 for sale at $6895 - https://www.guitargal.com/collection...-custom-guitar

And a new P-12 for sale at $7199 - https://www.guitargal.com/collection...-parlor-guitar

There are sound samples and videos for both guitars.

[tadol]

Well, I’m an unabashed Santa Cruz fan, and their selection of small bodied short scale guitars are amazing - everything from the style 1 to their 00, although I personally prefer to go up to their H models. Many are standard short scale, but the H is usually a common custom order with short scale. You can always call the shop and talk to them about what it is you want in size and tone, and they can make some recommendations that you can then talk to your dealer about -

[J Patrick]

...sometimes you have to develop a taste for a builders guitars first..then select the model....that and really know the specifics of what you would like and what you don’t want...

....I”m right in my zone with Santa Cruz guitars...I like everything about them....I’ve owned a bunch from a Firefly to Dreadnoughts...I have three currently and they are distinctly different from one another but they all have that SCGC feel and vibe that i personally dig......I”d love a PJ....because I love the 24 inch scale length.....

[Methos1979]

Another unabashed Santa Cruz 00 12-fret fan here and have owned several. That said, I once went to The Music Emporium just to test drive a bunch of guitars (this is where I fell in love with SCGC) and while there the two guitars that jumped out at me was a Goodall that was something special (can't remember what it was - cedar over Koa, maybe?) and then a used Froggy H14 sitka over BRW that to this day remains the single most incredible sounding guitar I've ever played. But it was also $14k (used, btw) so there's that! But if I was looking for a one-and-done tone monster and had the budget I'd likely be looking at Froggy's!

[EverettWilliams]

So, you don’t say where you’re located, but I think there’s a lot of value to getting somewhere where you can play a bunch of guitars. You’ve named two very good brands and others have thrown in some other great names, but the range of what’s available is huge. I’d also consider a lot of the hand builders out there. Going to a place like Dream Guitars, Luthier’s Collection, or Guitar Gallery could give you some great examples of what’s available and you may find something that works really well for your purposes. The range of what’s out there is broad. There’s no “Fingerstyle Guitar.” Also, if you’re liking the SCGC/FB thing, you may have a taste for the vintage Martin sound and an 18 series O would and OO may be in your price range — prewar Martins are special things and the mahogany models can be a great value. Going to great guitar shops can be eye opening. I hope you can get the chance to sample first! Good luck.

[gitarro]

I havent played a Santa cruz but I have played a froggy f14 and used to own a Goodall rgc. The froggy and goodall have very different tonal profiles with the Goodall having more overtones and being more responsive to a light touch. The froggy had more prominent fundamentals. The Goodall was very much embodying the overtone rich airy and bright contemporary American fingerstyle sound while the froggy was a more unusual animal sound wise. It seemed louder 5han it should have been. It was also responsive but in a different way than the Goodall- it seemed tighter but yet would ring out to a light or heavy touch. A caveat is the Goodall had an englemann top while the froggy had an adirondack top.

I would liken the froggy to a cross between a lowden and a martin if that makes any sense.

IMHO the best thing for the OP to do is to visit a shop and try out a Goodall and a froggy preferably side by side to find iur which tone best suits the OP.

[gmel555]

Might consider adding Bourgeois LDBO and/or his 00 Coupe to your list for auditioning. I think any of those previously mentioned can be great guitars, just need to match your final choice to your personal preferences.

[Parlorman]

I love my Froggy Bottom L. It’s a finger picker’s dream.

[Erithon]

Those are all great brands and you can't go wrong with any of them. They each have their own timbral signature, though, which is probably what you'll want to consider as you make this decision. Have you played examples from each builder? Alternatively, have you considered fingerstyle guitars from smaller shop luthiers? There are a lot of great options out there.

[zmf]

Originally Posted by Vtckf

Leaning toward the froggy p12. Would appreciate anyone’s real experience ....

My real experience isn't going to be the same as yours, but when I was on a similar quest, it came down to a P12 mahogany B/S vs the H12 rosewood B/S. To my ear, the H12 was dominant; the P12 was a quieter, more subtle guitar.

My wife has a good ear and likes to go guitar shopping with me. She did a thumbs down on the P12. I agreed. So I own a H12.

You're in rarefied air -- great choices -- others' real experience won't sway your choice.

SCGC --- also great guitars. Haven't played many Goodalls, but found them a bit lush for my taste.

[s2y]

If I were in the market for something small, I'd probably go for a Bob Thompson BTO. Should be relatively easy to stay under $5k. I currently have a rosewood DN, Brazilian rosewood OM, and just picked up a mahogany DN.