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other than visiting the workshop, you could contact them and ask if any shows are planned near you, or if any artist-endorsers are near you.
In reality though, most of the guitars they sell are very similar to the long-standing Lowden models they used to make, so you can probably work out which ones suit you just by trying Lowdens.
I tried some Lowdens in London recently, and equivalent-model Avalons are still extremely similar
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It's worth a trip to http://www.theacousticmusicco.co.uk/ in Brighton to try out many Pro level guitars and most likely discover, like me, that many £4k-£6k guitars don't match your ears or style at all, but that some are magical
You'd have to be the judge about whether you'd feel comfortable burning up their time trying guitars above your target price range, perhaps as a possible future customer
The same principles would apply trying lots of cheaper brands too, but it's more complicated - since there are more factors varying: which Chinese-made brands are good, which models are priced higher because of the brand name, which ones aren't set up well since the shop is not as bothered with cheaper guitars, which wood compromises are advisable, etc
I'd say trying a large number of brands that are well-set-up, in a quiet room is the ideal approach
Frailers in Runcorn has enough used good acoustics to cover some of the price ranges
I've always found them excellent for fingerpicking, the half dozen or so I've played.
I suppose the essence is that they are voiced very differently from American (and by that, I really mean 'Martin') guitars. Their attack seems very soft and their dynamics seem more compressed - not that they are quiet - just a very different tone/dynamic...
It may be that if I spent longer with one that I'd grow to appreciate it - but a few minutes at a time in music shops has never made me think 'I need this'....
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Took about 6 years to get my finger out of my arse/find a nice 000M on eBay but I did and love it. The plan is to build up a repertoire of acoustic songs and later in life, let a bigger Martin/Gibson-of-whatever find me.
Good luck with the journey.
I very nearly put in a rash bid for the Fylde Alchemist on eBay earlier...
https://vimeo.com/153425629
One UK maker springs to mind - Nigel Forster - makes wonderful guitars in that vein.
Oh forget the 'DADGAD' bit, it'll play just as well in any tuning
and his gigging model -
thing about guitars in this league (Ensor / Forster etc) ya need them to feel like a musical instrument - i.e. an extension of yourself - not jusy sound great - so ya need to play 'em.
just saying.
oh - for reference I've put up a tune on the 'music' page here
£2700 new, £2k used I assume
Each have amazing overtones that are intoxicating
Also Santa Cruz are also great, and Bourgeois
Picking up many others in shops I have not found any to match these (for me) from brands like McIlroy (surprisingly), Martin, Brook, Eggle, Taylor, Larrivee, Gibson
more avalon
Some makers just get the whole ‘feel’ thing right, e.g. Lowden, a unaddressed reason they're so popular.
Neck shape ’n depth, f/board radius and string spacing - both ends, overall size ’n shape - all aspects have to suite u.
I consider these to be equally as important as the s-o-u-n-d, and possibly more so, depending on what u’r demands as a player are.
I often see vid’s of guys with the latest fav ‘on steroids’ acoustics and they seem to be overwhelmed by such instruments, they seem reduced to playing new ageie mood music - mesmerized by the abundance of response and sustain. To play anything mildly complex and at speed u have to have a very well developed string damping technique (both hands) to control the amount of information these things throw out otherwise it becomes a jangling dissonant mess.
Just a thought that such instruments may dictate the type of music that generally played on them, more is less ?.
Heres a great vid of how to ‘control’ such a guitar -
I've been round in so many circles trying to make the 'perfect' decision here, but obviously that's impossible.
I decided that something less than a huge armful, and probably long/normal scale length, and Rosewood was most likely to hit the sweet spot.
I've just done a deal on the phone for a used OM-style (although not a Martin) guitar. Was pretty expensive but was from a dealer so worst case it can go back if I hate it, although I expect/hope to love it.
Look out for NAGD thread on Tuesday all being well...
Anyone played any Sanden guitars?
http://livemusicshop.co.uk/?product=avalon-a200c-acoustic-hand-built-ireland ;
Surprisingly big difference between my preference (fingerstyle) and the price tags.
They have a lovely selection, and awesome zero-pressure staff, and make cuppas.
I tried:
I spent 2 hours playing them all (!) - was a fantastic time. I ended up with 3 very different guitars on stand in front of me and frankly could be very happy with any of them, but they are so different! The lucky 3 were:
- Brook Tamar in Spruce top and American Red Gum back and sides.
- Toon Lansdown just like the one here http://www.stevetoon.co.uk/lansdown.html ;
- Used 000-28EC
Brook Tamar : really light instrument, and Red Gum is a light but very figured wood. I preferred this wood combination to the Walnut or Rosewood b&s because the latter 2 were *much* softer in the low end - a flat picked low E was far less strong on those than on the Red Gum. It's a guitar that responds really well to light strums with finger or pick, as well as to a bit of my hamfisted fingerpicking, but you can also give it a bit of cowboy chords with a flatpick too and it still sounds really nicely balanced. Downside here is that it's technically out of my price range by a few hundred quid. I'd definitely consider finding a way to address that though.Toon Lansdown : this one was a wildcard really - it's the only one I hadn't asked to have a go on - the guy stuck in in my hands. You can see from the link it's neither one thing nor another shape-wise - the upper bouts are small, but it's still a little fuller overall than the 00 Atkin for example. It's much fuller sounding than the 00 though, a really nicely balanced sound, to the point where it was the one where I found myself listening to myself play rather than listen out for the sound of the instrument, if that makes any sense. It's beautifully made (a finger under the top revealed the feel of a very deliberately double-peaked sculpted brace) and the adornments are perfectly understated - a thin abalone rosette and wood elsewhere. They had it up at 2k and said that they could probably do something with that. I'm not sure if I can shake the challenge of resale value on an instrument nobody has heard of though (not that I set out to have resale value as a thing, but you know). Doubtless a great guitar.
00028-EC : this is the mojo one for me, not because it's the EC one, just because it has that classic look, nice darkened spruce top, lovely slim body, and again, that classic timeless look. It's a used commission sale and has the basic version of the Baggs Anthemn pickup installed. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has played one of these, because one thing that struck me about it was how quiet it was. It's an extremely even sound, and much mellower than the others I tried, and that made for a very easy playing experience overall - particularly with fingers the wider spacing, flatter-feeling board, and the very level response made for a lovely experience - but all at a markedly lower volume than everything else - or maybe it just seemed that way because it was much warmer, both in the bass and top. The strings didn't seem brand new (but were on some of the others s perhaps that's partly it? Or is this how they are? I also wondered if having the pickup fitted might have had an effect. I did get continually drawn back to it though - like I say the mojo was strong and the prominently V'd neck was actually very welcoming and only took minutes to get used to.
Anyway there we are - my mini review of my afternoon out.
The collection of my faulty Larrivée is happening on Monday so I should get my refund Tuesday-ish. I may go back with fresh ears and try those 3 again then.
Interested in any thoughts from you chaps
cheers
Tim