# Looking for an orchestra model with cutaway and...



## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

As it is not easy to find guitars meeting my requirements amongst the multitple websites, I guess it is the best place to get interesting suggestions, so that I can more specifically look for these models.
I almost loosing my mind and patience.

May you could help about Takamine, Ibanez or else, since I do not know these brands.
Note : I already looked for Martin OMC, Larrivée OMV and LV, Taylors ce series 4 and 5 and Seagull.

So I am looking for 
an orchestra model 
with a cutaway and 
at least 1 3/4 in. nut width, 
solid wood, 
preferably mahogany back and sides, 
top does not really matter.

Many thanks guys !


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

What you are calling and orchestra is usually designated as an OM or Folk size, a little smaller than a dreadnought. Is this the size you are looking for?

I would suggest looking at Alvarez, Eastman, Ibanez and Washburn. The latter two have not been known to make very good acoustics in the past but have really stepped up the quality of their offerings in the past few years. If you want to try these out, you might have to drive into Montreal to find them. I don't know how good the selection is in Levi/Quebec City.

It would also help to know what your budget is.

Here are some links that may help you.

Instruments - Alvarez Guitars
Acoustic - Orchestra
Acoustics - AEG | Ibanez guitars
Washburn Acoustic Guitars


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Like Steadly mentioned... Eastman

Acoustic - Grand Auditorium

Acoustic - Orchestra


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

What's your budget? You might consider a custom builder.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Thanks guys !

I unfortunately forgot to mention I want 0,012 string gauge.

I am looking for something smaller than a dreadnough (avoiding 0,013 string gauge) for fingerstyle (acoustic blues)

I do not want to go as high as 3k$ but I am currently downsizing my herd and may sell more if I find one similar to one I already have.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

With that budget, you should end up with a very fine guitar. A top of the line Eastman or Alvarez/Yairi is easily in that budget and they are priced way below what someone would expect for that kind of quality.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

12s are the standard on almost all acoustics, unless otherwise specified (in my case though 11-52s)


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

@jdto picked up a nice smaller bodied custom build at a really good price. Canadian made, to boot. They may have something that fits the bill.


https://www.guitarscanada.com/index.php?threads/ngd-halcyon-nl-00-walnut-and-lutz.198329/


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

High/Deaf said:


> @jdto picked up a nice smaller bodied custom build at a really good price. Canadian made, to boot. They may have something that fits the bill.
> 
> 
> https://www.guitarscanada.com/index.php?threads/ngd-halcyon-nl-00-walnut-and-lutz.198329/


Ed Bond of Halcyon Guitars could make you a small body guitar with a cutaway that would blow away almost anything you'd get off the rack in a similar price range, IMHO. 

I just played mine this morning for a bit before coming into the office and was reminded, yet again, how good it sounds. It is lightly built and you can get it to explode with sound or whisper depending on how hard you play it. I don't play much fingerstyle, but a guy at a jam I was at a couple of weeks ago played some fingerstyle blues on it and it sounded great. It usually sounds even better when other people play it than when I do 

His base model is made with Khaya back and sides (aka "African mahogany"), although you could pay for an upgrade to South American mahogany if you wanted. I don't know if there would be a huge sonic difference. I went with walnut on mine and I really love the sound. He also uses Lutz spruce a lot, which is a naturally occurring hybrid of white and Sitka spruce that grows in BC and Alaska, apparently. I don't know if this is typical of the wood, but it seems to have a lot of headroom, yet a nice articulation for fingerstyle. You could also go for Sitka or Engleman in his base price. At $1599 base for a guitar of this quality, you'd be hard-pressed to find better. 

Here's a good video of his SJ (Small Jumbo) Cutaway model played fingerstyle.


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

You don't like the offerings from Larrivee that fit what you're looking for?


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

gtrguy said:


> You don't like the offerings from Larrivee that fit what you're looking for?


I love Larrivées as I already own a fantastic (and rare) L-03koa as well as an OM-09.
I mentioned that list because, I did not wish you guys to waste your time suggesting models I already looked at.

I think of my quest in "cutaway land" as a timely moment to open my mind to models I do not already know.

Thanks again guys !


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Made some researches...
Eastman AC 522 CE appears great.
Found no dealer in Quebec on Eastman website but Long and McQuade, but they have no Eastman guitars !
I found a canadian dealer on reverb, Tundra... Bob's website is not working...
Anyone know another canadian Eastman dealer ?


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

mawmow said:


> Made some researches...
> Eastman AC 522 CE appears great.
> Found no dealer in Quebec on Eastman website but Long and McQuade, but they have no Eastman guitars !
> I found a canadian dealer on reverb, Tundra... Bob's website is not working...
> Anyone know another canadian Eastman dealer ?


Yes, The Twelfth Fret in Toronto. If you are interested in a better price, though, I have been looking at Eastman and you'll almost always do better in the USA, even with the exchange. There are some sponsors on AGF that will give you a better than advertised price if you are a member and the members there will tell you the best places to deal with. Shipping is free with the US and you could have it delivered to the border and then skip across and pick it up. As an example, I was looking at an Eastman AR372. I can save at least $200.00 if I buy it in the US.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Well, The Twelfth Fret do not have...
I could find some at Twigg in Quebec...
If not, somewhere else in Ontario... I could try directly from the company...
But I would try a Martin OMCPA4 (same price range?) locally before pushing any further...
Alvarez Masterworks still in line though.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

At last, after trying Martins (OMC15ME, GPC15ME, GPCPA4) and Taylors (312ce, 322ce, 324ce, 414ce, 524ce), Seagull Performer and Eastman AC 122 ce, I bought the Eastman which is great and the least expensive... to get to my course. 
I will possibly also get the very nice burst version of Seagull Performer or Martin OMCPA4. ;-)

Thanks for your kind help guys.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Martin and Larrivee are the first ones I'd look for. You couldn't find any, or you just didn't like them?


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

mawmow said:


> At last, after trying Martins (OMC15ME, GPC15ME, GPCPA4) and Taylors (312ce, 322ce, 324ce, 414ce, 524ce), Seagull Performer and Eastman 122, I bought the Eastman which is great and the least expensive... to get to my course.
> I will possibly also get the very nice burst version of Seagull Performer or Martin OMCPA4. ;-)
> 
> Thanks for your kind help guys.


May I ask where you got the Eastman?


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Sure you may ! ;-)
Twigg musique on Charest... (downtown, accross the street from former Gendreau Musique).
Twigg website is presently off, but Eastman co. name them as official dealer, so took a chance...
The seller kindly tweaked the truss rod right away (and offers a full year service).

Only knew the name... they are devoted to winds, but sell a bunch of books and many strings as well (guitars, violins, cello and so on...)

ADD ON : oops ! Forget to mention it is in downtown... Quebec City ! Sorry !


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

butterknucket said:


> Martin and Larrivee are the first ones I'd look for. You couldn't find any, or you just didn't like them?


I already own some Taylors and Martin... but none with cutaway.The local store is also well stuffed with these. But as I was kindly suggested nice low cost fine guitars and I need one to bring to my weekly course during cold winter, I do not want to get there with a pricey guitar...
Thanks for your kind suggestion.


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## qantor (Nov 19, 2014)

so


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

mawmow said:


> Sure you may ! ;-)
> Twigg musique on Charest... (downtown, accross the street from former Gendreau Musique).
> Twigg website is presently off, but Eastman co. name them as official dealer, so took a chance...
> The seller kindly tweaked the truss rod right away (and offers a full year service).
> ...


Thanks, Mawmow. I'll be rolling through there on Sunday so I might get a chance to stop in for an hour and check out some of their stock. It looks like it will only be about 20 minutes out of my way (from Hwy. 40). 

BTW, we are going to need some pics and a review on your new guitar..


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Charest IS Highway 40 since Charest ouest became Highway 40.

***Twigg is closed on Sunday.



qantor said:


> so


???


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

mawmow said:


> Charest IS Highway 40 since Charest ouest became Highway 40.
> 
> ***Twigg is closed on Sunday.
> 
> ...


The address I have is 1230 St. Hubert. Is there a different location or have they moved? Okay, forget about this post. I see they have a location in Montreal and Quebec City. I thought you had to drive to Montreal to get it but they had one in your backyard. That was very fortunate.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

mawmow said:


> I already own some Taylors and Martin... but none with cutaway.The local store is also well stuffed with these. But as I was kindly suggested nice low cost fine guitars and I need one to bring to my weekly course during cold winter, I do not want to get there with a pricey guitar...
> Thanks for your kind suggestion.


Just off the top of my head. 

Entourage Autumn Burst CH CW A/E


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

I know this isn't what you described, but I'm a bit of an acoustic snob and I tried one of these a few months ago and was extremely impressed, especially for the money. 

Entourage Grand Natural A/E

If I found myself doing a lot of travel gigs again, I would get one in a heartbeat.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Thanks @betterknucket.
I am not sure Entourage has a 1,8" nut width.
I will look at that for sure.
Thanks again ;-)

Add on : they have 1,72 nut width...


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## qantor (Nov 19, 2014)

mawmow said:


> Charest IS Highway 40 since Charest ouest became Highway 40.
> 
> ***Twigg is closed on Sunday.
> 
> ...


Hi, sorry for the « so »… wrong message and wrong post. But if that can help you, I encountered the same problem as you. I needed a good guitar to go to my guitar courses during harsh winter temperature. I didn’t want to bring there some costly acoustics. I’ve decided to go with the Simon & Patrick Folk Woodland Pro. I know it’s not a CW but the nut width is 1.7” just like the Seagull Artist Studio Concert Hall I used to own at that time.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Even though the Eastman AC122ce is a killer, my nights were hauted by the little Seagull Performer sunburst.
"Well, you know how to ease you night sleep" said the wife. So did I go to LM again... to see another guy actually trying the haunting little monster on my nights ! I wandered in the store for a while... and happened to explain my trouble to another seller. Finally, the guy bought the Seagull. Well, I explained my case and asked as a favor to try the guitar again... we laughed and the guy kindly handed the guitar ro me while he would complete his transaction.
In the meanwhile, the seller had made some research and offered to fetch another one from another store or order a brand new one in its box.So, a Seagull performer ce should get in this week !


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

I would also look at Stonebridge/Furch

Magasin de musique Nantel - Avec pan coupé / Furch G20CMC - Millenium 20 Grand Auditorium


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