I own a variety of acoustic guitars; different sizes, types & styles, from hi-line to cheapies; bought an S-6 folk Seagull last year, took it to Winfield. I think it's a GREAT campfire guitar & a pretty decent rig for the price, fairly sturdy & nice size - very close to exactly the same as my old Gibson "B" body guitars (somewhere between a tripple-O & a double-O Martin). Even green & new, it's clearly a better guitar than at least my B-bodied 6-string, & many other b-bodies I've heard & played & it seems to be getting some good ageing already. (I'm VERY fond of the sound of my [relativly uncommon] B-bodied 12-string - if only the neck wasn't so thick!)

I replaced the factory saddle w/one I made myself, multiply compensated, & the intonation is just fine, string height just where I want it; I didn't like the relatively HUGE tuner buttons - standard shaller style -on the relativly petite headstock, so I swapped them for the original small buttons from a DM (The DM looks a LOT better w/old-time full-sized Grover Rotamatics), swapped the bridge pins for some I like better. 'n so it goes... sorta puttin one's own "karma" into your instruments is not hard & adds to pleasure of ownership..

I have been looking at Seagulls for YEARS, & I've never ever seen a laminated top. As for the back & sides.. There appears to be a lot of variation in the materials & bindings, w/little in the nomencalture to give a clue, some clearly DO have solid mahogany back & sides, some rosewood, also different finishes, & much more attractive dark bindings (& 2 of them - both top & bottom).

The necks also seem rather variable; some are much better finished & shaped, some VERY coarse - I carefully chose one w/a nice neck. The necks are deefinitely wider than most 6-strings. I almost get the idea that each bit is made under a different roof in the village(s) where they are constructed. I'd really like to know..

BUT - buy the Seagull - select it carefully, 'n you'll probably love it. Bueno suerto!

Cheers, BK