Furch Vintage Series OM

andymo · September 2021

Anyone got any experience of these, particularly in comparison to a Martin OM28?

earwighoney · September 2021

Not had a chance to compare them side to side but I came across this video from a while back

andymo · September 2021

Thanks - hadn't seen that one before. The Furch seems pretty impressive for 2/3 of the price. Brighter, more defined and louder to me in this clip. Don't know how much the specs may have changed with the current Vintage range, though.

The Vintage 2 seems to really be a cracking alternative to the big name.

earwighoney · September 2021

andymo said:

Thanks - hadn't seen that one before. The Furch seems pretty impressive for 2/3 of the price. Brighter, more defined and louder to me in this clip. Don't know how much the specs may have changed with the current Vintage range, though.

The Vintage 2 seems to really be a cracking alternative to the big name.

Btw, I was thinking of getting one of those OM's, but everytime I almost gather the funds something else comes along to take away those funds!

I think the difference between the 1 to 3 series are different grades of wood and binding, colour of tuners as well.

Vintage 1 now has open gear tuners. No binding though.

As for the old series (31/33/35) to Vintage, I think the only difference is the new ones have a slightly thinner v profile neck, which is supposed to be more stable. The bracing across all the vintage style guitars is still the same.

Paramount Guitars on YT have a number of Furch OM's and other guitars in the vintage series, worth giving a listen if you have the chance.

andymo · September 2021

Yeah, the 2 series seems to be the most like for like against the Martin. I don’t really care for the bling of the 3 series.

crunchman · September 2021

I'm not up on the latest model ranges, but I have an OM32 that's very good. It's up there with Martin in terms of tone as far as I'm concerned. I'm saying that as someone who likes Martins. I have an HD28V and I used to own an OOO28EC.

earwighoney · September 2021

crunchman said:

I'm not up on the latest model ranges, but I have an OM32 that's very good. It's up there with Martin in terms of tone as far as I'm concerned. I'm saying that as someone who likes Martins. I have an HD28V and I used to own an OOO28EC.

I have a MIC version of the OM32, which I like a lot. It's my most played guitar by quite some margin, I tried replacing it with some more expensive instruments but always came back to it; seems to have the least issues with intonation with the myriad of open tunings I use with it as well.

The vintage Furch guitars are very well made acoustics with a traditional character.

andymo · September 2021

Thanks folks. This is all sounding very positive.

andymo · November 2021

Updating this having played the 2 side by side...Furch is shallower and therefore cosiderably smaller than the Martin. BUT it was louder.

Martin was more woody with a more classic sound but the particular one I played wasn't really inspiring. The Furch was brighter but more metallic sounding. Not a fan of neck binding with the Furch had and the overall finish and look seemed a bit plasticky although well-made.

About £1000 difference in the 2 models but they are definitely not like for like and, therefore, the Furch is not a cheaper alternative if you are looking for the Martin sound.

In the end, I decided both were not for me as neither offered enough difference from guitars I already for fingerpicking and am going to go back on the hunt for a dreadnought after not having one for years for them big strumming days.

bertie · November 2021

bit late to the party ............... but............... I bought an OM33SR - slightly different spec/trim to the V series, the 33 is sort of a V 1.5 - a few years back. Wasnt even looking for a small bodied guitar (already have a Brook) but when I tried it (Intersound in Dursley), man it sang, so resonant and loud for its size......... I bought it there and then. Really really pleased with it - the only small issue I have now is, due to injury, I cant handle the soft V neck profile - Im vexed to get rid of it cos its so bloody good for the ££ - my intention was (pre covid) to get Simon and the boys down at Brook to do a slight re-profile to knock off the V. I will get it done......................eventually

BigPaulie · November 2021

I love the look of these guitars.

Need to get myself to Jimmy Egypt's for a play when they get the dreadnoughts back in stock.

I love the herringbone on the V2, but the inlays and binding are a bit "bling" for my tastes, so I'll probably go for a V1.

earwighoney · November 2021

BigPaulie said:

I love the look of these guitars.

Need to get myself to Jimmy Egypt's for a play when they get the dreadnoughts back in stock.

I love the herringbone on the V2, but the inlays and binding are a bit "bling" for my tastes, so I'll probably go for a V1.

When do you plan to get one.

There has been a few minor (or a significant) update to the new V1's.

First one - Closed gear tuners have been replaced by open gear Chrome Gotoh Se700's.

Second one - a few V1's with Mahogany back and sides.

There's also the new anti bacterial finish, no idea what that is though.

If you are a fan of closed gear tuners, I'd recommend looking for an older stock model.

andymo said:

Updating this having played the 2 side by side...Furch is shallower and therefore cosiderably smaller than the Martin. BUT it was louder.

Martin was more woody with a more classic sound but the particular one I played wasn't really inspiring. The Furch was brighter but more metallic sounding. Not a fan of neck binding with the Furch had and the overall finish and look seemed a bit plasticky although well-made.

About £1000 difference in the 2 models but they are definitely not like for like and, therefore, the Furch is not a cheaper alternative if you are looking for the Martin sound.

In the end, I decided both were not for me as neither offered enough difference from guitars I already for fingerpicking and am going to go back on the hunt for a dreadnought after not having one for years for them big strumming days.

Thanks for your thoughts.

An interesting comparison, and I think it's a reminder the means to best judge an instrument is to have it front of you.

If you don't mind me asking what instruments do you already have for fingerpicking and what dreads do you have in consideration?

bertie · November 2021

see if you can find an older OM33SR, as I alluded to in my post they sit sort of 1/2 way between the V1 and V2 spec/appointment wise.

FWIW - I use a Brook Tamar, the Furch and a Tanglewood TW73 parlor............... no specific one for any specific style

BigPaulie · November 2021

earwighoney said:

BigPaulie said:

I love the look of these guitars.

Need to get myself to Jimmy Egypt's for a play when they get the dreadnoughts back in stock.

I love the herringbone on the V2, but the inlays and binding are a bit "bling" for my tastes, so I'll probably go for a V1.

When do you plan to get one.

There has been a few minor (or a significant) update to the new V1's.

First one - Closed gear tuners have been replaced by open gear Chrome Gotoh Se700's.
Second one - a few V1's with Mahogany back and sides.

There's also the new anti bacterial finish, no idea what that is though.

If you are a fan of closed gear tuners, I'd recommend looking for an older stock model.

Thanks for the heads up. I didn't realise they were changing the specs.
It's definitely the SR I'll be looking at and I don't have a preference for tuners as long as they work.

andymo · November 2021

earwighoney said:

BigPaulie said:

I love the look of these guitars.

Need to get myself to Jimmy Egypt's for a play when they get the dreadnoughts back in stock.

I love the herringbone on the V2, but the inlays and binding are a bit "bling" for my tastes, so I'll probably go for a V1.

When do you plan to get one.

There has been a few minor (or a significant) update to the new V1's.

First one - Closed gear tuners have been replaced by open gear Chrome Gotoh Se700's.
Second one - a few V1's with Mahogany back and sides.

There's also the new anti bacterial finish, no idea what that is though.

If you are a fan of closed gear tuners, I'd recommend looking for an older stock model.

andymo said:

Updating this having played the 2 side by side...Furch is shallower and therefore cosiderably smaller than the Martin. BUT it was louder.

Martin was more woody with a more classic sound but the particular one I played wasn't really inspiring. The Furch was brighter but more metallic sounding. Not a fan of neck binding with the Furch had and the overall finish and look seemed a bit plasticky although well-made.

About £1000 difference in the 2 models but they are definitely not like for like and, therefore, the Furch is not a cheaper alternative if you are looking for the Martin sound.

In the end, I decided both were not for me as neither offered enough difference from guitars I already for fingerpicking and am going to go back on the hunt for a dreadnought after not having one for years for them big strumming days.

Thanks for your thoughts.

An interesting comparison, and I think it's a reminder the means to best judge an instrument is to have it front of you.

If you don't mind me asking what instruments do you already have for fingerpicking and what dreads do you have in consideration?

I have a Lowden F32 which is louder than the Furch and Martin but obviously a different thing altogether. It has a much fuller, articulate sound when picked but I'm not overly keen on the strumming side of it. I was reminded just how good it was for finger play when trying the others and was hoping for an all-rounder but it wasn't to be.

Seriously tempted by Atkin and a D37 is being tried ASAP

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