Bourgeois Guitars

dean111music · January 2020

Hi

i am new the upper end of the market when it comes to acoustic choice and although I have heard of Bourgeois I hadn’t really looked into them.

The have 16 body shapes and I have found a few videos very interesting.

body and top woods

https://youtu.be/KDKTze4g510

And a talk on how he voices tops lots of them!

https://youtu.be/Ei5-DkVTrEE

After reaching out to them with a question they responded very quickly and where very helpful.

they recommend me the OMSC which sounds amazing

https://youtu.be/ji8GCVnJ5tE

Whats the experience with you guys? Anyone owned a bourgeois?

i guess buying new £6-7k you would lose lots of you custom ordered and didn’t like it?

camf · January 2020

I have one, a Custom OM and it's superb. I think it's even better than my Collings and I think they are generally very highly regarded. If you can pick one up second hand, I also think they offer great value. You might just have to wait and possibly travel a bit to find one. If you see one advertised and the spec and price sounds right, I'd be very surprised if, when you went to view the guitar, you'd be disappointed in any way.

dean111music · January 2020

camf said:

I have one, a Custom OM and it's superb. I think it's even better than my Collings and I think they are generally very highly regarded. If you can pick one up second hand, I also think they offer great value. You might just have to wait and possibly travel a bit to find one. If you see one advertised and the spec and price sounds right, I'd be very surprised if, when you went to view the guitar, you'd be disappointed in any way.

Nice! What specs? Pics?

from watching videos he builds in a way that the top and body move to make a very resonant guitar when you play it.

mgaw · January 2020

go 2nd hand...there are always some good guitars around..i bought new acoustics at the expensive end and being fickle its an expensive way. for 5-7k you could buy 2 top end guitars, always nice to have a little parlour as well

stuartryanmusic · January 2020

As above. One of my biggest regrets many years ago was spending about £7k on a new Froggy Bottom. Great guitar, I worked with it for many years but the week after I went to a good store and tried a Cowlings OM I loved and a Lowden. I could have had both for what I paid for the Froggy and regretted it for quite some time. Get used then put the remainder of the cash to another guitar. Bourgeois make quite a few guitars comparatively, I've played more than I can remember of them - some incredible, some quite pedestrian so you just have to get several in your hands

dean111music · January 2020

Thanks so the sound advice guys!

Ill keep a look out on the used market.

ToneControl · January 2020

I've had two, they make top-level instruments

I had a DS-260 and a Sean Watkins OMC
Both were stupidly cheap in the UK second hand (i.e. much cheaper than importing a used one from the USA), because people don't know the brand. Put a permanent search on ebay and wait to see what turns up

brucegill · January 2020

I think I read that they have joined up with Eastman for Europe distribution very recently

drofluf · January 2020

brucegill said:

I think I read that they have joined up with Eastman for Europe distribution very recently

And also a “budget” line. Bourgeois designed but built in Eastman’s Far East factory.

dean111music · January 2020

drofluf said:

brucegill said:

I think I read that they have joined up with Eastman for Europe distribution very recently

And also a “budget” line. Bourgeois designed but built in Eastman’s Far East factory.

Interesting. What model?

camf · January 2020

Custom OM Sitka and Mahogany. Nothing especially fancy but just superb sound and playability.

dean111music · January 2020

Would you guys suggest, trying loads of guitars in shops out to then find what brand/model you like. Then look on the second hand market? Seems like a lot of travelling and potentially going to try guitars and them not being what you imagined.

dean111music · January 2020

Would you guys suggest, trying loads of guitars in shops out to then find what brand/model you like. Then look on the second hand market? Seems like a lot of travelling and potentially going to try guitars and them not being what you imagined.

drofluf · January 2020

dean111music said:

drofluf said:

brucegill said:

I think I read that they have joined up with Eastman for Europe distribution very recently

And also a “budget” line. Bourgeois designed but built in Eastman’s Far East factory.

Interesting. What model?

Don’t know I’m afraid but there’s an announcement here https://bourgeoisguitars.net/our-news/an-important-message-from-dana-bourgeois/

mgaw · January 2020

dean111music said:

Would you guys suggest, trying loads of guitars in shops out to then find what brand/model you like. Then look on the second hand market? Seems like a lot of travelling and potentially going to try guitars and them not being what you imagined.

yep...you need to sit down and play as many as possible, find the sounds you like and the neck carve etc then you will be that bit closer...tbh I have played a few Bourgeois and I must have been unlucky cos I wasn't impressed at all, same with the Huss and Daltons...ymmv of course as others have.

Maybe don't get stuck on a "brand" just find a guitar you feel comfortable playing and you like the sound of.

I have a preston Thompson dread which is a pure bluegrass machine with the highish action that goes with the territory...it aint the easiest to play but it sounds great so I compromise

artiebear · January 2020

Having looked for one of these for some time, I got hold of this Bourgeois Soloist 3 or 4 years ago. It is a lovely guitar to play, having a really rich full tone veering more towards vintage rather than modern brighter guitars, This one has an Italian Spruce top and Maccasar Ebony back and sides, though being the flagship model they still offer Brazilian r/w. The build quality is excellent along with a very comfy neck profile. As one would expect, it's a very responsive guitar. I really like the tone of this wood combo which is something a bit different to my other guitars.

<a href="https://imgur.com/anM5Mkm"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/anM5Mkm.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/z6Z40xB"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/z6Z40xB.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

ToneControl · January 2020

dean111music said:

Would you guys suggest, trying loads of guitars in shops out to then find what brand/model you like. Then look on the second hand market? Seems like a lot of travelling and potentially going to try guitars and them not being what you imagined.

you have 2 easier options, and you can do both, as I have:

visit shops with large stocks of different Brands: TNAG, Brighton Acoustic Music Co, Coda, etc. You need to know if you like the Goodall / Santa Cruz sounds, Bourgeois, Lowden, Avalon. You might like Martin and Gibson but personally I find they aren't as good for the same cash as the small workshop boutique brands.
Buy used guitars from ebay after researching the normal sale price, so that you can resell if you don't gel with the guitar

brucegill · January 2020

dean111music said:

Would you guys suggest, trying loads of guitars in shops out to then find what brand/model you like. Then look on the second hand market? Seems like a lot of travelling and potentially going to try guitars and them not being what you imagined.

Got to get out there and try loads of different stuff. I gas’d for a Collings for ages, finally bought one and it just wasn’t right for me. I should have tried loads of different makes and models and then slowly narrowed it down. The Collings was new and I took a big hit selling it.

I’ve ended up with a couple of Lowden and love them, they were NEVER even on my radar, always figured they wouldn’t be for me, but the two I have are as close to keepers as I’ve ever had in all my time playing.

Every time I’ve found stuff I like in the YouTube, they never work out for me.

dean111music · January 2020

mgaw said:

dean111music said:

Would you guys suggest, trying loads of guitars in shops out to then find what brand/model you like. Then look on the second hand market? Seems like a lot of travelling and potentially going to try guitars and them not being what you imagined.

yep...you need to sit down and play as many as possible, find the sounds you like and the neck carve etc then you will be that bit closer...tbh I have played a few Bourgeois and I must have been unlucky cos I wasn't impressed at all, same with the Huss and Daltons...ymmv of course as others have.

Maybe don't get stuck on a "brand" just find a guitar you feel comfortable playing and you like the sound of.

I have a preston Thompson dread which is a pure bluegrass machine with the highish action that goes with the territory...it aint the easiest to play but it sounds great so I compromised

dean111music · January 2020

ToneControl said:

dean111music said:

Would you guys suggest, trying loads of guitars in shops out to then find what brand/model you like. Then look on the second hand market? Seems like a lot of travelling and potentially going to try guitars and them not being what you imagined.

you have 2 easier options, and you can do both, as I have:
visit shops with large stocks of different Brands: TNAG, Brighton Acoustic Music Co, Coda, etc. You need to know if you like the Goodall / Santa Cruz sounds, Bourgeois, Lowden, Avalon. You might like Martin and Gibson but personally I find they aren't as good for the same cash as the small workshop boutique brands.
Buy used guitars from ebay after researching the normal sale price, so that you can resell if you don't gel with the guitar

Thank you everyone these are great ways of choosing the right guitar.

I went to a shop to buy my first decent acoustic 10 years ago, only tried a couple and settled with a Maton 808 artist. Has been great but defiantly taste and playing style has changed. I'll get out there to try a a bunch

woody · January 2020

I currently own a bourgeois custom om(adi/madi)it is the third bourgeois I have owned and the best imho.ive also owned goodall, collings,santa cruz and huss&dalton.. All great brands as well.Of the 3 bourgeois I've owned two were excellent,the om custom and jomc.. the db signature oo was a very dead and unresponsive guitar for some reason.If you can try before you buy, or else pick.up an ebay bargain as tone control said. The tom doerr I bought on ebay for £1500 is the best acoustic I've ever owned.

jellyroll · January 2020

They vary. I had an OMC - beautiful sweet tone...but no projection.

stuartryanmusic · January 2020

^ This is very true, I've played some that I thought would be absolute canons and then turned out to be almost whisper quiet. Another thing to consider is what you are going to play on it so do you want a modern, brighter tone or something warmer/softer more vintage. Play as many as you can and you'll start getting used to the 'house sound' of each of these builders. I had a Collings OM2H for years that I loved for a while then started to find it a bit 'hard' sounding then finally decided the nut width was too narrow. Don't discount nut widths too - what feels okay in a shop for 30 mins may become a real hassle down the line. Find out the nut width before you start playing something then decide if it's right, too narrow or too wide

dean111music · January 2020

stuartryanmusic said:

^ This is very true, I've played some that I thought would be absolute canons and then turned out to be almost whisper quiet. Another thing to consider is what you are going to play on it so do you want a modern, brighter tone or something warmer/softer more vintage. Play as many as you can and you'll start getting used to the 'house sound' of each of these builders. I had a Collings OM2H for years that I loved for a while then started to find it a bit 'hard' sounding then finally decided the nut width was too narrow. Don't discount nut widths too - what feels okay in a shop for 30 mins may become a real hassle down the line. Find out the nut width before you start playing something then decide if it's right, too narrow or too wide

My Maton is 44mm nut and I think any less would be really hard to play.

45mm I would think will be easier still.

dean111music · January 2020

M

Ben_McCarthy · January 2020

I did play a Madagascan RW/Adi OM custom which was absolutely superb, but as many have commented some miss the mark for me. Unfortunately I couldnt justify £6k at the time. I think like any brand/luthier it’s just finding the right one for you. I would echo @stuartryanmusic go used and play as many as you can. If you’re happy to spend 7k then it’s worth wasting a few trips on the motorway for a second hand bargain.

tomajoha · January 2020

I had a slope D, their version of a J45. It was stiff and dull. If was looking at this end of the market my money would go on a Santa Cruz - sublime guitars

earwighoney · January 2020

Ben_McCarthy said:

I did play a Madagascan RW/Adi OM custom which was absolutely superb, but as many have commented some miss the mark for me. Unfortunately I couldnt justify £6k at the time. I think like any brand/luthier it’s just finding the right one for you. I would echo @stuartryanmusic go used and play as many as you can. If you’re happy to spend 7k then it’s worth wasting a few trips on the motorway for a second hand bargain.

Was that the one which was in Ivor Mairant's?

I played it as well.

A majestic instrument if ever.

Ben_McCarthy · January 2020

earwighoney said:

Ben_McCarthy said:

I did play a Madagascan RW/Adi OM custom which was absolutely superb, but as many have commented some miss the mark for me. Unfortunately I couldnt justify £6k at the time. I think like any brand/luthier it’s just finding the right one for you. I would echo @stuartryanmusic go used and play as many as you can. If you’re happy to spend 7k then it’s worth wasting a few trips on the motorway for a second hand bargain.

Was that the one which was in Ivor Mairant's?

I played it as well.

A majestic instrument if ever.

It was in Guitarguitar in Epsom probably 3-4 years ago. I often think about that one but there really was no way of getting that kind of money together at the time.

I think there may have been a little run of them about because I haven’t seen any since. It also had Koa binding which was very classy.

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