The little Seagull guitar

Subject: The little Seagull guitar
From:
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 04:50 AM

One of the threads on cheaper guitars, or on "how do Seagulls play" make mention of the Seagull Parlor guitar (the Grande?) Does anyone remember where that is? I would be interested in comments about it anyway.

Murray

Subject: RE: The little Seagull guitar
From:
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 11:23 AM

Murray. If you go [Back] to the page previous, and go to the Super Search at the top of the page, you can enter either Seagull or Seagull Guitars and you will get to the proper threads.

I'm finished lunch now and have to get back to work, or I would set up the links for you here.

Subject: RE: The little Seagull guitar
From:
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 01:36 PM

I did a Forum search and looked at all the postings; but I couldn't find one about the little Seagull. There was a link to the Seagull website and I had a look. The guitar is called the "Grand Artist". It has a nutwidth of 1.32 inches according to the specs. That's a toy guitar!

Murray

Subject: RE: The little Seagull guitar
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 03:05 PM

I can't find the post you're talking about either murray, but I too remember some discussion. Are you looking for something in that size? I mean "Parlor" or thereabouts......I know you've seen a lot of posts on the Larrivee....Have you tried it?

Spaw

Subject: RE: The little Seagull guitar
From: DougR
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 04:56 PM

I remember several discussions about the Larivee, but nothing about the Seagull Parlor guitar. DougR

Subject: RE: The little Seagull guitar
From:
Date: 08 Aug 00 - 02:27 AM

Thanks Doug and Spaw. The Larrivee has a bad reputation here (in Sydney). It is surprising, because it has such a good reputation everywhere else! Anyway, nobody wants to handle it. I'm kind of sorry; because I would like to look at one

I use a small bodied guitar at the moment. It is an Australian made Maton. It differs from Martin 00 type guitars in that it has quite a lot more depth. If you know the Gibson "Nick Lucas Special", it is something like that in dimensions. Anyway I can use another one (I don't think it is just GAS--I have to commute from my home in Blackheath to Sydney once a week on the train with a handfull of luggage and sometimes a classical guitar in its hsc.) I have a secure place to keep a guitar in Sydney. I was thinking of one that is not too expensive, which would leave out the Larrivee, I guess. Anyway Maton has put out a cheap(er) version of my guitar ("M" series--their lowest line) and I will probably wind up with one of them. However, I thought this was a good opportunity to look at other small guitars. I really enjoyed seeing and handling a Martin 000-15S and a small Taylor (not a baby), for example. Actually I was disappointed with the sound of the Taylor. It might have been a bad one, or a badly set up one.

Murray

Subject: RE: The little Seagull guitar
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Aug 00 - 02:36 AM

I've never experienced a Maton, but I know all of you in Oz speak highly of them and I'd certainly like to.

Shame about the Larrivee.......I recall we talked about them there (Oz) before regarding glue problems I believe, which I really found odd, knowing what a reputable man and company the Jean Larrivee is. That parlor goes for about 325 US at Elderly and is really a good buy in the small guitar market.

Spaw

Subject: RE: The little Seagull guitar
From:
Date: 08 Aug 00 - 03:12 AM

I was at a friend's wedding in San Marcos and the band leader (a guy named Doc Toler) was playing one of those amplified with a built-in fishman pickup. I'd never seen one before, and it sounded really nice through his p.a. I asked him about it and he said he'd had it three or four years and used it a lot, and was very happy with it. He even let me play it, and I thought it played quite well--even high up on the neck. It wasn't very loud unplugged, which I guess should be expected from a tiny guitar with medium strings, but it sounded sweet, was very light weight, and the short scale length made the strings a little easier to bend than on a full size acoustic. It was a pretty plain, straightforward guitar except for it's size, but it seemed to be fairly well made, and the owner certainly had a lot of miles on it.

Subject: RE: The little Seagull guitar
From: DougR
Date: 08 Aug 00 - 09:52 AM

Spaw: That does sound like a good price at Elderly. I priced one here (Larivee Parlor) and they wanted $475 U.S. with case.

You're right. The previous discussion related to problems with the glue in that climate.

DougR

Subject: RE: The little Seagull guitar
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Aug 00 - 10:23 AM

I am very surprised that Larrivee guitars would have a bad reputation anywhere. They are generally about as good as it gets. Perhaps the Australian climate does cause problems for them though, I don't know.

I saw Eric Bogle at a show in Orillia, Ontario about a year ago, and he had a lead guitar player from Australia who was about the finest acoustic guitar player I've ever seen (he also had that rugged "Crocodle Dundee" look, along with a great personality...probably leaves a trail of broken hearts where the Bogle show goes...). At any rate, this guy was playing an Australian-made guitar that was superb...wish I could remember the brand name.

As for Seagull guitars, they are usually a very good deal for the money...inexpensive and just fine in every way. I recommend them. As for Larrivee guitars...I totally recommend them.

Subject: RE: The little Seagull guitar
From:
Date: 08 Aug 00 - 05:57 PM

Even $475 USd is not that expensive. I think the cheap Maton I mentioned would go for about $500 Ad which is about $300 USd. It has a solid top but laminated sides and back whereas I think the Larrivee is all solid.

I can't get that 000-15S out of my mind--time for a cold shower.

Murray