Check out the newest news, views, lessons and more for Fender lovers -- FenderRocks.com

freespoken · June 17th, 2012, 10:42 AM

OK, I was looking for a cheap travel guitar that isn't going to make me cry if it gets dinged up or crushed by an airline. Was at a GC last weekend and tried out a Seagull Parlor Acoustic listing at $359. For the money it sounded pretty good.

I just ordered one via Musiciansfriend with the father's day discount for $305 and am looking forward to it arriving and doing some string experimentation on it.

Anyone have any experience with this model?

themick · June 17th, 2012, 03:22 PM

I tried one at GC a few months ago, and found it wasn't too bad.

fender62custom · June 17th, 2012, 04:24 PM

Congrats!!!! enjoy!!!

drmilktruck · June 17th, 2012, 04:31 PM

Seagull makes a nice guitar!

polishbroadcast · June 17th, 2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freespoken

OK, I was looking for a cheap travel guitar that isn't going to make me cry if it gets dinged up or crushed by an airline. Was at a GC last weekend and tried out a Seagull Parlor Acoustic listing at $359. For the money it sounded pretty good.

I just ordered one via Musiciansfriend with the father's day discount for $305 and am looking forward to it arriving and doing some string experimentation on it.

Anyone have any experience with this model?

Yes. I did the same thing as you: looked into (and bought / sold) a few travel guitars, but ultimately bought the Seagull. It is really well made, the neck is nice and beefy, and it sounds wonderful. I have coated 13's on it and it is very happy. It sits in its case for long periods without being played but stays in tune just fine. If you have ever played a Seagull before you know they are made really well and sound just as good.

I had it professionally set up and the guy lowered the bridge a bunch so the action is as nice as my other archtops so i love playing it at home or travelling.

I asked about taking guitars on a plane on JazzGuitar.be and posted my experience there. The short version is: you can easily gate-check your guitar with no fee and little fuss. Musical instruments are those special exceptions you can gate-check, like strollers.

freespoken · June 17th, 2012, 07:40 PM

I just haven't played a travel guitar that I've liked. The seagull parlor is a smaller guitar but still had a full sound...and the price is reasonable. Looking forward to a living room comparison to my nice acoustics. Id like to find a good gig bag to fit it, but it looks like seagull only makes a hard case for it.

Tony65x55 · June 18th, 2012, 02:04 AM

I play a Seagull S6, both for fun and in the studio. It's a fine guitar and sounds great.

Crowcaster · June 18th, 2012, 07:18 AM

I have a Seagull "Entourage" .... it's a great guitar. Both well constructed and great sound.

calvin lee · June 18th, 2012, 11:08 AM

i love small bodied acoustics, and this is a real nice one. good choice.

MTurner · June 18th, 2012, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony65x55

I play a Seagull S6, both for fun and in the studio. It's a fine guitar and sounds great.

I am in the market for an acoustic, after I raise some money by selling some stuff (what that will be is yet TBD). I keep hearing about how great Seagulls are, and that's certainly the price range I am liable to be able to afford. But I tried one a couple of years ago and was underwhelmed. Perhaps I just played a poor example of the breed. And poor as my playing is now, I'd come closer to being able to get decent sound out of any guitar now than I could then. I should try them again, for sure.

You always hear about how easily damaged the finish on a Seagull is. Has that been your experience?

polishbroadcast · June 18th, 2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTurner

You always hear about how easily damaged the finish on a Seagull is. Has that been your experience?

Seagulls are really well made and should be priced 2x's what they are. They tend to be a little darker in tone but in a good way.

Yes the finish is easily damaged. The top is very old cedar (at least on the model i have) which is soft and you can dent it with your nail. My Seagull 12 string has a ton of pick scrapes and dings but it never bothered me.

This is probably out of the scope of discussion for this board, but Eastman makes great guitars too (flat top and archtop) and you can find a lot of buzz about them over at the Acoustic Guitar Forum (many for sale as well).

Poppatwang · June 19th, 2012, 07:32 PM

I got the B-Squad Art Lutherie "Ami" parlor for travel. You can scare up a gig bag in that size. I detune it a step below concert pitch & it sounds huge. I bought a second one to leave in high string or "Nashville"' tuning for recording and general fun.

stevo · June 19th, 2012, 08:31 PM

Plays nice, sounds decent, easy on the wallet and very solid.

senojnad · June 19th, 2012, 09:04 PM

I don't own one, but I've played a few Seagull guitars -- all very nice instruments. Very good quality workmanship, very nice tone..... Excellent guitars, especially in their price range.

freespoken · June 24th, 2012, 11:22 AM

Funny thing happened on the way to pick up a gig bag for my Seagull.....

The store didn't have a suitable gig bag, but had a Little Martin LX1 that I made the mistake of picking up and trying. I'd tried a few travel guitars before and was never very impressed. Even the Taylor GS Mini didn't do it for me. For some reason this Little Martin really grabbed me for it's size/tone/portability. Not a guitar meant for loud strumming, but for normal picking/playing...it really has a great tone and easy neck.

The owner let me trade in an old hard case for a guitar I no longer have...got a good deal on the Martin...but now a new problem....

Anyone need a nice...very little used Seagull Parlor?

ishtar · June 24th, 2012, 11:59 AM

Had an S6 that was a nice cedar guitar.

MTurner · June 24th, 2012, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polishbroadcast

This is probably out of the scope of discussion for this board, but Eastman makes great guitars too (flat top and archtop) and you can find a lot of buzz about them over at the Acoustic Guitar Forum (many for sale as well).

Thanks for the info. I went over to the Acoustic Guitar Forum, and elsewhere, and you are right - Eastmans are getting lots of love.

It's upsetting that I have to be looking for an acoustic, since I already have one I like/liked. Sometime when you are bored and have nothing better to do, ask me how to destroy a guitar with its truss rod in one easy step.

stevo · June 24th, 2012, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTurner

Thanks for the info. I went over to the Acoustic Guitar Forum, and elsewhere, and you are right - Eastmans are getting lots of love.

It's upsetting that I have to be looking for an acoustic, since I already have one I like/liked. Sometime when you are bored and have nothing better to do, ask me how to destroy a guitar with its truss rod in one easy step.

How do you destroy a guitar with it's truss rod in one easy step?

MTurner · June 24th, 2012, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevo

How do you destroy a guitar with it's truss rod in one easy step?

It's eeeaaaasssyy.

Step one - let your ignorance be your guide to lowering a guitar's action. That's all there is to it.

Superficial knowledge of how truss rods work and what they do; reading just enough on the internet to convince you that you can lower a guitar's action significantly using just the truss rod; ignoring the truss rod's stiffness when you turn it - and keep on turning - are all you need to set you on the path to twisted necks, separating fretboards, bad tone, limited playability, and expenditures of hard-earned money for a replacement guitar.

I don't recommend it.

freespoken · June 24th, 2012, 07:59 PM

Now you've got me paranoid about adjusting my truss rods. Or perhaps I was just lucky the first few times with my ignorance.... About truss rods that is....