Brook Teign Dreadnaught

Subject: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 29 May 08 - 03:34 AM

Well I'd promised myself a REALLY good guitar out of the proceeds of my late mother's estate, and I actually went as far as winning, on ebay, a Brook Teign for the (IMHO) bargain price of £1122.

Last night I went round the M25 to collect it, armed with the cash. The seller had already said that if I didn't like the Teign he was happy to re-list it. I think he, like me, thought that I'd got it rather cheap.

It looked lovely, plain with a herringbone purfling, and the neck was a hand-snuggling slim C. The machine heads were wonderful. But it just goes to show you should play guitars before buying. Don't get me wrong - a lovely sound. But not at all what I was expecting or wanting. Very sweet, clear and pure trebles, with no splash. A silky-smooth midrange, again sweet and pure. But relatively quiet and no big thud at the bottom end. In fact sounding more like an 000 or parlour size than a dreadnaught and not even the trembling passion of that little Koa Takamine that Jon Loomes used to play.

So I offered to pay his seller fees, and he tried to say it wasn't necessary, he'd made it clear that if I didn't like the guitar on playing (what a gentleman) I didn't have to have it, but I persuaded him, and I came back round the M25 with no new toy and the money still in my wallet.

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: mattkeen
Date: 29 May 08 - 08:27 AM

Thats a shame Richard
I own 2 Brooks an Om and a 000 types.
Don't know about the Teign in that I have never played one.
Andy and Simon at Brook do seem to be known for their small bodied guitars but I have never perceived this as something lacking in the others.

Mind you, they is nothing "Martin" like about the Brook sound, so if that was the type of dreadnought sound you were hoping for that perhaps that has something to do with it?
I assume the strings weren't just tooo light?

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 29 May 08 - 09:24 AM

I'd guess the strings were 12/54s by feel. It was lovely sounding guitar if you like that sweet and pure sound, possibly the cleanest and most angelic sound I've ever played, and it's back on ebay again right now. But it wasn't the sound for me.

Yes I'm looking for something with the power of Andy Cavan's Armstrong or William Pint's Koa Goodall, but the meld and harmony of Mike Nicholson's (hell, what is it, a Collings, or a Froggy Bottom, or a Santa Cruz? I think it's a Collings). Local players with guitars I like would be Les Elvin's Martin - I think it's a D-45 with 12 frets to the body and the scolloped bracing, and Keith Pearson has a L'Arrivee that just sings the harmony to you. Travelling Charles Fyson's Tak was loud, but to my ear it sounded coarse and a bit banjo-ey.

Paul from Sheppey has a lovey Zemaitis, again very loud, but a bit sort of blues sounding for my preference and of course all Zemaitises are silly money.

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: mandotim
Date: 29 May 08 - 09:48 AM

Hi Richard! Have you thought about going to talk to Rob Armstrong? He can build for just about any sound or shape you like, he's not vastly expensive, and doesn't really believe in waiting lists. All his guitars are different, but have one thing in common; they are bloody LOUD! I've got two of his instruments, and they're just great.
Tim

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: theleveller
Date: 29 May 08 - 09:59 AM

Richard, have you tried a Lowden 010C? Mine certainly is a loud 'un but it has a subtlety and finesse that is hard to find in a dreadnaught. It's a little battered now but it is still admired by people who haven't heard it before (I had several people ask about it at Ryedale Folk Weekend last weekend). You'll probably get a s/h one for the price you quote. I've only come across one guitar that I would maybe swap it for and that's an early Ralph Bown - but anyway, the owner wasn't selling and I haven't got two years and three grand to spend on a new one.

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 29 May 08 - 12:35 PM

I had indeed thought about an Armstrong. Maybe I will have to do that thing. I played a Bown at NotMiskin and it was lovely but not a cannon. Surely a real Lowden is going to be about 3 grand second hand (and equally surely I'm going to want one of the full-size non-cutaway Jumbos for the sound I want).

The other snag with Lowdens is that the ones I see for sale are all in Ireland and that's a long way to go to try one out! I played a very nice one at Cambridge Folk Fest in about 1988 but others are not quite so wonderful.

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: The Barden of England
Date: 29 May 08 - 12:49 PM

I've played a couple of Martin D35's that were really good. As you know I'm not a fan of Dreadnoughts, but it may be worth looking at the one in Enfield that's on ebay at the moment.
John Barden

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 29 May 08 - 08:02 PM

That's the F10 John?

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: The Barden of England
Date: 30 May 08 - 01:56 AM

This is the one I meant :-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1987-Martin-D35-Acoustic-Guitar_W0QQitemZ150250815758QQihZ005QQcategoryZ33028QQtcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQ
See you later at Pigs Ear Folk Ale?

John Barden

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 May 08 - 02:23 AM

Hmm. I assumed that I'd buy private. I wonder what the "hanging on the wall" price in the shop is. Might be worth a trip to Enfield to see.

Yes, see you at Pigs Ear but I'm likely to be grumpy all weekend as my teeth are playing up again!

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: theleveller
Date: 30 May 08 - 03:25 AM

"Surely a real Lowden is going to be about 3 grand second hand (and equally surely I'm going to want one of the full-size non-cutaway Jumbos for the sound I want)"

Three grand! Hell, mine's only insured for £1500 - better get that sorted. Shows that guitars could actually be a good investment if the price has tripled in 12 years. The 010 is the big bodied, non-cutaway model with a cedar top that gives it a very "Irish" sound - rich and dark, just like Guinness.

Recently I've been hearing some very nice-sounding Yamahas. Why not have a look at the reviews on the Acoustic magazine website for ideas?

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: mattkeen
Date: 30 May 08 - 04:29 AM

Hi Richard

All those other makes you mentioned (Collings, Froggy Bottom etc......) are all Martin based aren't they.
In my opinion your are not going to get anything like a Martin sound from a Lowden either. They are nice, just they don't sound like a Martin.

A lot of Martin players in the UK seem to like Fylde's though?

Subject: RE: Brook Teign Dreadnaught
From: Grab
Date: 30 May 08 - 06:52 AM

A real *new* Lowden is a little over £2k, more if you want fancy woods and stuff. A real older Lowden (pre-breakaway when George Lowden and Avalon split) is £1-1.5k, again more if you want fancy woods. The same price will get you a new top-line Avalon, which is almost identical to a pre-breakaway Lowden. For my money it's the O32 (spruce and rosewood) for best clarity of sound, but YMMV.

When I got my Lowden, I spent a while A-B'ing with the equivalent Avalon. The Lowden sounded that bit nicer, but there wasn't much in it. That was a few years back now though - don't know what current Avalon quality is like.

They're not at all like your target guitars though.

Graham.