Trip to Ivor Mairants

TimmyO

I was in London earlier in the week and stopped by at Ivor Mairants to have a nose around the acoustics.

I can see why people recommend it as a shop - lovely chaps who were very helpful and let me play anything I wanted.

I left the Santa Cruz display alone (everything was scary money) but had a good go on (actually some pretty expensive) other stuff too  including Collings, Atkins and Lowden.

The Collings OM2H was, basically flawless. It can do anything, plays beautifully, sounds fab. Just a very special guitar.

The Atkins OM28 was almost as good, actually felt a bit lighter, and the vintage tint looks the business. It was sufficiently cheaper (by about a grand iirc) than the Collings that I'd def have one if I had the ££. 

The Lowdens were beautiful to look at - I'd always wanted to try an S against an F model in similar woods to see what the size/construction differences sound like - for me the S was sweet and all but the F was a far more rewarding instrument to play. That said there's something about the E and A strings on them that doesn't sound right to my ears (or for my fumbling fingers) - perhaps I'm too tuned in to the American style acoustics' dry, clear low string sound to appreciate it. Top end is sweet as you like though.

The other guitar that REALLY turned my head was a used Goodall Standard. Possibly the best strumming guitar I have heard!

A richer man would have left with the Goodall and the Atkins. 

Strat_a_tat_tat

TimmyO said:

A richer man would have left with the Goodall and the Atkins. 

... but that'd rapidly make him a poorer man.

richardhomer

You shouldn't have left the SCs alone - the three best acoustics I've ever played were made by them.

Fuengi

What sort of budget should you go shopping with there? 

TimmyO

Oh there was plenty of more middle of the road stuff - but that's not where my head is at at the moment lol 


I also meant to mention - the used Gibson Sheryl Crow sounded like a £100 budget box - very disappointing in that company.

re Santa Cruz - yeah, something for next visit.

(I'm serious though - I'd have the Atkins and Goodall <sigh> )  

Jimbro66

I had a SC OM. It was a very nice guitar. Sold it to buy an Atkin OM28 Retrospective. Definitely one of the better decisions I have made.

Strat_a_tat_tat

TimmyO said:

Oh there was plenty of more middle of the road stuff - but that's not where my head is at at the moment lol  

Life's too short for 'middle of the road stuff'.

If you've got the cash... enjoy it.

AliGorie

here ya go -
http://www.projectmusic.net/collings-om2h-custom---pre-owned-18719-p.asp
Collings OM2H Custom - Pre Owned  £2,780.00
I played an OM1 recently which was an excellent instrument - no fuss just plain Sitka / Hond Mahogany - but was £4k !!!

your observation re GL’s treble strings ‘voice’ is interesting, I find it interesting noting how certain style / models / makes of guitars are used - what type of music is played on then. GL’s ‘F’ ’n ‘O’ models ‘use’  in particular would suggest a different ‘balance’ in they’re ‘voicing’. They also ‘play’ differently from traditional Martinesque style guitars.
Whereas the 'S' model tend to be more an accompaniment instrument for singers.

mellowsun

Someone described the trebles on my Lowden as crunchy, which is a close description. There's a lot of overtones there , it's almost like an slightly overdriven piano sound

Lewy

AliGorie said:

here ya go -
http://www.projectmusic.net/collings-om2h-custom---pre-owned-18719-p.asp
Collings OM2H Custom - Pre Owned  £2,780.00
I played an OM1 recently which was an excellent instrument - no fuss just plain Sitka / Hond Mahogany - but was £4k !!!

That's a very good price for that OM2H - although in my experience Collings "upgrades" sometimes take you into territory that aren't to everyone's tastes - such as the supposedly "better than sitka" spruces for tops and braces etc. For example, if you like the Martin sound but want Collings feel and construction then often you're better off with a sitka topped and braced model as opposed to Adi/German whatever.

I'm assuming the OM1 must have been an OM1A to be 4k?

TimmyO

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

TimmyO said:

Oh there was plenty of more middle of the road stuff - but that's not where my head is at at the moment lol  

Life's too short for 'middle of the road stuff'.

If you've got the cash... enjoy it.

I don't have the cash - it makes for an interesting challenge :-/ 

TimmyO

I also saw this on my way there  

artiebear

I find that guitars like Lowdens definitely require a different approach to what can be described as the classic American braced / built guitars. Because of the extra overtones, a less is more approach helps. While big strummed chords sound great on say a Martin dread, while putting down tracks, the same on the Lowden just creates too much of  a wash in the mix. However, using part chords and picked parts it sounds fantastic, solo fingerstyle sounds amazing whatever the tuning.  I'm currently get back into a Sobell guitar built for me about 10 years ago. That one takes the whole different approach thing even further away from my other guitars. It sounds huge and very defined, however, it comes to life in the spaces between the notes, if you see what I mean.  It sounds and plays nothing like a Martin or a Collings and would be the wrong guitar for some music, but solo finger style and drop tunings are other worldly. It pushes me to play less notes and let the guitar fill the spaces.

As for Collings, I've owned  an OM2H with Koa back and sides for the last 12 years and it is just brilliant. It's never given me any hassle and just delivers in any setting. Very good guitars that will keep a player satisfied for a long long time.

musicman100

I have a lovely collings OM2H. It's the best acoustic I've played imo 

AliGorie

mellowsun said:

Someone described the trebles on my Lowden as crunchy, which is a close description. There's a lot of overtones there , it's almost like an slightly overdriven piano sound

whaaaaat = fake news - heres what ithey sounds like -


been playin the h*ll outa it since I got it in '88 - Sn. 717 an L25 (which is now the 'O' model)

artiebear

Nice @ailigorie, miss my 025 a lot , had that and two 032's,ended up keeping the better of the 32's and let the others go, but the cedar top was certainly a different flavour .

crunchman

I hope Ivor Mairants survives in the current climate with the likes of Sheehans and Chandlers closing down.

Last time I went in the stock didn't seem as good as it was 10 years ago.

Strat_a_tat_tat

@crunchman... ; I think Ivor Mairants is owned by JHS (John Hornby Skewes) one of the UK's main distributors of musical instruments.

With regard to two shops you mention... they each closed for very different reasons.

TheBigDipper

I bought my first ever guitar at Ivor Mariants. In 1969. A Yairi classical that cost £40. Heaven knows what you'd pay for that guitar now (and of course I don't have it, I px'd it towards a 73 Strat). Mr Mariant himself served me, a real gent. 

I also like the Atkin OM guitars, and tried a few last Autumn - but bought a Brook Taw instead in November. Still in awe of the sound it makes.  Must practice more!