Godin Guitars 036738 Seagull Entourage Natural Spruce CW QI Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Price:


Product Feature
- Integrated set necks
- Godin Quantum I
- Silver leaf maple necks
Product Description
Solid cedar tops, Wild cherry back and sidesGodin Guitars 036738 Seagull Entourage Natural Spruce CW QI Acoustic-Electric Guitar Review
I'm reviewing this Seagull Spruce top Entourage guitar as a guitarist moving from beginner to intermediate who has only been playing electric guitar.Summary: great action, great nut size, solid wood top, amazing build quality, good projection and bright with good bass. TREMENDOUS value for under $500.
I was handed my first acoustic guitar when I was 12 and, while my family was rather musical, I chose not to get to into it. The strings hurt, I wanted to play electric and I lost interest quickly. Picking up the guitar as an adult has it's challenges, but it is an oasis in the sea of adult responsibilites. I love the sounds, volume and ease of playability in my electric guitar collection, but am tired of being attached to an amp to truly experience what I play. Started doing a ton of research on guitars and chose Seagull because of the feel of the neck, ease of transition from electric to acoustic and back. Most importantly was that hard to articulate "thing" that says..."this is the one". Throw in it was at the bottom of what I was looking to spend and it is awesome.
My guitar teacher says, "keep playing that acoustic and you will become a better guitarist...wait till you pick up your electric after a week with that guitar". Absolutely right. I was wondering if there was something wrong with the crown jewel of my guitar collection (my les paul)...It played crisper, notes rang truer, chords were easier to fret the first time I picked it up after playing my Seagull.
HIGHLIGHTS OF SEAGULL:
* Made in North America (Canada 'eh)
* unique wild cherry back and sides
* 1.72" nut a great size for any sized hand, makes for easy transition between electric and acoustic
* built in tuner/amp. tuner is used all the time to switch to alternate tunings
* neck is quick, but feels sturdy and "natural"
* satin polished body gives organic feel...not bright and glossy
* solid spruce top rings bright - many guitars around this price range are ALL laminated woods, even the top.
* dred body style gives the bass response when you want it
* can plug into any of my amps and keep up with any other instrument
* double binding to protect edges (love that aesthetic and have it on 2 of my electrics, so it fit into my collection perfectly)
* good D'addario strings came stock
* headstock shape is different than all other brands
Why spruce over cedar?
I was told by guitar guy that the guitar would "darken" over time since it was a solid wood top. since the back and sides are laminants, it might be more subtle, but it will still happen. I played the cedar version and the spruce version and came to enjoy the brighter response of the spruce. I really liked the sound of the cedar top version, but wouldn't want it any darker...If my spruce top gets to that sound over it's lifetime...then it is perfect. Also, it seems like there are a ton more cedar tops than spruce topped Entourages...so it is a little more unique even though spruce is used is so many guitars.
List of other brands I physically played before choosing this one. All in price range of $500-$1500...Takamine, Ovation, Ibanez, Fender, Taylor, Breedlove, Martin. I went to 3 guitar stores in my area over the course of 2 months. There were things I liked about all of the ones I played, but only a couple brought everything I wanted into one guitar. When I picked up this Entourage Spruce top, it screamed, "I'm the one". I was looking for the best guitar with the best materials for the best price that had something unique about it between $500-$1000. None of the Martins, Taylors or Fenders between $1000-$1500 justified the price. They were nice, but not $1000 more nice. The Takamine and the Ovation were darn close to being the one...but each had a small compromise. Seagull hit on all accounts and was less than $500!
If you are a beginner, playing on nicer equipment will take the "my guitar sucks" excuse away. If you are advanced and have lots of guitars...this is a great value for the sound and materials you get. If you are intermediate, this is a perfect place for you.
I prefer the electric guitar...but I've been playing this Seagull more than any of my others. Playing my favorite songs acoustically has opened up my appreciation for the music and both styles of guitar sound. When I do pick up my other guitars, they all play a little easier. I play mostly rock, blues rock... but this guitar handles any genre confidently.
I expect to only have one acoustic guitar and was willing to spend up to $1000 to get the perfect guitar for me and my wants/needs. This Seagull Entourage Spruce is it and less than $500. Highly recommend playing a bunch IN PERSON. The guitar you want will tell you it is the one.
If you ARE buying online without playing one first...It is tough to go wrong with this Seagull if you have the same wants/needs I did. Make sure you have it set up by a pro after you have it home for a while...my guitar tech buddy has set all my guitars up...from the $200 Ibanez to the $2000 Gibson...that is a critical step to making your guitar play the way you want it to.
Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Godin Guitars 036738 Seagull Entourage Natural Spruce CW QI Acoustic-Electric Guitar" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Godin Guitars 036738 Seagull Entourage Natural Spruce CW QI Acoustic-Electric Guitar ...

No comments:
Post a Comment