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NGD Finally found the one

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SmellyfingersSmellyfingers Frets: 939
edited November 2022 in Acoustics
I did what I should have done in the beginning of my ‘tone’ hunt and went to a big guitar shop - GG in Epsom, to try out a lot of acoustics side by side:

One of highlights for me was the Alvarez Artist at I think £329 new. This sounded really warm and with a wide string spacing was ridicously easy to play, it also had some lovely bling. Given all this, I found it suspiciously cheap and moved on ( I am an idiot btw).

Next while I was looking around, the sales person offered me I think a laminate Martin at £650 new. It looked and felt really nice, but I found it sounded really thin and clangy. Actually a much cheaper Sigma sounded better.

Next a Yamaha at £599, this had some lovely adornments reminiscent of a vintage Gibson, but it sounded just awful.

In the end, I felt  after all the trouble I had caused I had to buy something,and halfheartdley  opted for the Sigma, it sounded Ok and with electrics was quite good value at £430.

Then whilst they inspecting my trade I spotted the below tucked away in a corner.

 A barely used Furch Blue Cedar and mahogany dread at £700. Tonally it just blew the others away, including a similarly priced solid wood Eastman. The Furch manages to sound warm, rich and throated.

My advice when going to guitar stores, and not being sure what you want, is  to try and be nice, but inwardly sceptical about any guitar the sales people actively offer you, they are likely to be the ones with the most profit for the shop. Also not to be afraid to walk away if you can’ t find something that you can happily live with.

 But above all persist in trying as many as possible, even if you think you’ve already found the ‘one’. So maybe try not to go at the weekend when they will be busier.

Here’s a pic  of my new preowned Furch.

https://imgur.com/a/4HIHuSP


 

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Comments

  • lovestrat74lovestrat74 Frets: 2671
    No pic for me but an enjoyable read nonetheless :+1:
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  • TanninTannin Frets: 5997
    Furch
    All solid
    Cedar
    Mahogany
    £700

    That's five ticks out of five. Good one!

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  • BillDLBillDL Frets: 8957
    Smellyfingers said:

    Here’s a pic  of my new preowned Furch.

    <no visible trace of the guitar here>
    Seems to have disappeared, and Hermes aren't even involved this time.
    4reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • DavidRDavidR Frets: 835
    Furch Blue D CM Acoustic Guitar – Richards Guitars Of Stratford Upon Avon (rguitars.co.uk)

    Like this one??
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  • SmellyfingersSmellyfingers Frets: 939
    BillDL said:
    Smellyfingers said:

    Here’s a pic  of my new preowned Furch.

    <no visible trace of the guitar here>
    Seems to have disappeared, and Hermes aren't even involved this time.
    Lol that's worthy of Vic reeves, photo now attached.
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  • BillDLBillDL Frets: 8957
    That's a nice tight grained cedar top.  Fine looking guitar.
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  • SoupmanSoupman Frets: 263
    @Smellyfingers I've said before that I like Furch guitars. Looks like you got a bargain. But come on, ONE photo?? MORE please!  ;)
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  • bertiebertie Frets: 13587
    lovestrat74 said:
    No pic for me but an enjoyable read nonetheless :+1:
    nor me - link just goes to a big black page  
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • KittyfriskKittyfrisk Frets: 20517
    Link worked for me.
    Downloaded the image to Imgur and...

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  • SmellyfingersSmellyfingers Frets: 939
    BillDL said:
    That's a nice tight grained cedar top.  Fine looking guitar.
    Thanks. I was looking for something more flash, but Alvarez aside, there seemed to be an inverse relationship between the quality of a guitars bling and the quality of it’s sound.

    Possibly they use eye catching paint jobs and other adornments to hide the underlying quality of the wood,
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  • bertiebertie Frets: 13587
    cedar on hog is a fine combination 
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • ShadowShadow Frets: 77
    I recently picked up the Blue CM OM. With the depth of sound on that, I can't imagine how rich and full the dread must sound!
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  • sev112sev112 Frets: 2978
    I played one of those Akvarez’s a yea4 back and was pleasantly surprised; it beat a PRS and Martin that was twice as expensive in playability, tone and volume. 
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  • MellishMellish Frets: 951
    @Smellyfingers ; looks very nice mate.

    Finding "the one" can be a very long journey and take years, so well done.

    :) 
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 74388
    Now *that* is a result :).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

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  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6511
    Good to read about this - I presume Furchs are all still made in Europe? And not China?

    I'd been eying the Eastman 00 and feel increasingly unhappy about buying Chinese, so Furch could be an option. Wonder if they do a 12-fret 00 style?
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  • Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2459
    Excellent result- I remember trying a Furch (the equivalent of the Blue series at the time) against one of the new (at the time) all-solid Fender Paramounts (which was a similar price) and the Furch absolutely smoked it. Bit like what you're describing. 

    goldtop said:
    Good to read about this - I presume Furchs are all still made in Europe? And not China?
    I think so, but you'd better check to be sure. Dowina would be another option (made in Slovakia).
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  • BigPaulieBigPaulie Frets: 1121
    Furch are made in the Czech Republic.

    Excellent value for money and beautiful guitars.

    The one in the OP is a stunner fo' sho!

    Dowina are Slovak and are also stunning.
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  • BigPaulieBigPaulie Frets: 1121
    goldtop said:
    Good to read about this - I presume Furchs are all still made in Europe? And not China?

    I'd been eying the Eastman 00 and feel increasingly unhappy about buying Chinese, so Furch could be an option. Wonder if they do a 12-fret 00 style?
    Careful now.

    If you express any reservations about Eastman or Chinese manufacture round here you will be descended upon by rabid owners whose reaction will have you convinced you just questioned their mothers' fidelity.
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  • TanninTannin Frets: 5997
    A list of all the ones I know about:

    * Furch (Czecho)
    * Dowina (Slovakia)
    * Lakewood (Germany)
    * Lowden (NI)
    * Kremona (Bulgaria)
    * Various smaller-scale EU and UK makers possibly more sensibly regarded as "luthiers" rather than "manufacturers", e.g., Atkin, Brook, Stoll, Cuntz, Avalon. None of those try to be cheap, just good.

    There are lots of Spanish makers still, but pretty much exclusively classical and flamenco I believe.

    So far as I can tell, neither the French nor the Italians manufacture anything anymore, just badge-engineer stuff out of China.

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