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p90fool · July 2023

Ok it was a week or two ago actually, but I've been busy.
Due to needing a new roof I've had to sell my Gibson J35 among other things, but luckily it went to a great guy who's also a good player, who will gig it far more than I ever did.

Consequently I needed a gigging electro which wasn't as fragile or valuable, and I also wanted to go smaller, as full-size acoustics are playing havoc with my arthritic hands due to playing angles.

Behold, the £199 Hartwood Villanelle, a 14-fret parlour with a pretty good sounding Fishman preamp. It's cheap, sounds great and has instantly become the guitar I grab first when working at home.
I loved my Gibson, but this just feels less precious, more throw in a gigbag and go.

The fretwork is great as is the intonation, it just needed a tiny fettle of the nut slots.

munckee · July 2023

Nice looking guitar. Is it solid spruce top and laminate mahogany back and sides?

DiscoStu · July 2023

Nice, that

Soupman · July 2023

Looks the business. Fishman pre-amp too!

p90fool · July 2023

munckee said:

Nice looking guitar. Is it solid spruce top and laminate mahogany back and sides?

It is, and it projects really well.

I've just checked the spec and see Gear4music have bunged an extra 30 quid on the price sometime in the last two weeks.

jellyroll · July 2023

As the owner of several stupidly expensive guitars, I really don’t want to hear about guitars that sound great for £199 ☹️

But congrats anyway

lovestrat74 · July 2023

That looks great! What's the neck profile like?

ElectricXII · July 2023

It looks great. I love the vintage vibe.

bertie · July 2023

well done on two levels

#1 on a nice acoustic

#2 its not a fucking dreadnought

thomasross20 · July 2023

Lol at not a dreadnought

Yes, looks great!

ICBM · July 2023

Very cool - and it probably sounds, and almost certainly plays, better than the guitars which inspired it.

Kittyfrisk · July 2023

Nice, although from the front it looks as if it is still in a case...

How anyone can make a nice looking, good sounding guitar that also has £50 of electronics in for that price, is beyond me.
Enjoy.

Mellish · July 2023

@p90fool £199??

Solid top, intonation good, sounds good, plays well...can't be anything but a winner.

Have fun with it

grayn · July 2023

Sweet guitar. Glad it sounds as good as it looks.

Yorkie · July 2023

Wife bought me a Parlour guitar for Christmas. Short scale, comfortable neck and huge sound (for the size). I am a little guy, so it’s a much better fit than a Dreadnought.

Congratulations on your spectacular new Parlour.

thermionic · July 2023

The Thinking Man’s Gretsch Jim Dandy (looks like better woods).

Smellyfingers · July 2023

Apologies for being a downer but it looks so good and is so well specced for £200 or even £250, you have to ask wether there might be a short cut somewhere. Maybe that does not in fact exist, but it would be my first or second thought.

p90fool · July 2023

Well damn, I'll have a look inside and get back to you

Soupman · July 2023

As @Kittyfrisk said, at first glance that double light binding makes it look as though it's still in it's case!
Looks good though. Would love to hear it.

thermionic · July 2023

Smellyfingers said:

Apologies for being a downer but it looks so good and is so well specced for £200 or even £250, you have to ask wether there might be a short cut somewhere. Maybe that does not in fact exist, but it would be my first or second thought.

£200 far eastern guitars are often fantastic quality. I bought a Loar (albeit ten years ago) for £200 that’s really well made - bone nut & saddle, lovely grain on the woods, and well set up from the box. A couple of people I know have Tanglewoods that cost £120 & £180 - both great guitars that are played a lot by their owners. The shortcut on those is a Micarta fretboard - but Gibson Les Paul Customs had the same fretboard material for years.

Yorkie · July 2023

At £200, designed here & made in the far east I would expect to find a decent quality guitar?

DavidR · July 2023

Congrats @p90fool That looks fun.

Message here is finding a stunner no longer equates to price in 2023. We have such a choice of instruments and manufacturers that it is an achievable aim, with research and shopping around, to find great guitars downmarket.

HerbieTheRadDorklift · July 2023

I see the acoustic black version is on sale for £140...

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Hartwood-Villanelle-Parlour-Acoustic-Guitar-Satin-Black/2G38

BahHumbug · August 2023

Purdy! I hope it’s still fun a month or so in.

guitarjack66 · August 2023

I picked up a used Jim Dandy once but it felt almost 'plastic' like rather than wood. I wasn't impressed at all.

stickyfiddle · August 2023

Lovely! I missed this first time around.

Though i take umbrage at @Berties "boo dreadnoughts" sentiment, I do love a little mahogany parlor almost as much

WafflesOnHorseback · August 2023

Really like the look of that! Nice one.

guitarjack66 · August 2023

Kokte_Hender said:

guitarjack66 said:

I picked up a used Jim Dandy once but it felt almost 'plastic' like rather than wood. I wasn't impressed at all.

Who asked?

Its a forum with an exchange of views,both positive and negative,on a variety of guitar related subjects. My experience is as valid as others and their positive ones. It helps with balance as we all have different styles and tendencies when it comes to choosing,buying and playing our instruments.

p90fool · August 2023

Kokte_Hender said:

guitarjack66 said:

I picked up a used Jim Dandy once but it felt almost 'plastic' like rather than wood. I wasn't impressed at all.

Who asked?

Well I'm the OP and the Jim Dandy was on my shortlist before I bought this one, so I find it interesting to discuss similar guitars.

Not just interesting in fact, it's essential to me as my location means I buy everything online and rely a lot on the opinions of long standing members here.

Anyway, thanks @guitarjack66 it sounds like I dodged a bullet.

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