In Germany they call it 'Die kwahl der wahl' and in proper English it is probably 'The agony of choice', because out of the hundreds of guitars we have in our store, which one should you choose? To save you some agony, we've made it a Challenge: Coen and Milo only get ten minutes, and they have to choose one, yes, just ONE, guitar that doesn't cost more than 2.000 euros..
The choice of Coen: Furch Vintage 2 OM Sitka Rosewood
Price: 1.899 euro
This Orchestra Model (OM) effortlessly ticks off Coen's wish list:
- beautiful looks,
- great playability,
- and of course it sounds fantastic.
The Czech company Furch has been delivering quality acoustic guitars for many years now and is conquering the hands and hearts of more and more guitarists. This one is a great example of their craftmanship. Classic looks, with a beautiful 'herringbone' decoration. But don’t let the classic looks fool you, because this guitar is filled with clever modern technology. Like a thin, strong, home-developed varnish and a unique reinforced heel between the body and the neck. That results in a solid instrument that will last for more than a lifetime!
The choice of Milo: Eastman E8D TC Thermo Cured
Price: 1.499 euros
Milo is looking for a bigger and more vintage sound and focuses mainly on dreadnoughts. Some models are beautiful in the low end, others strong in the more compact sounding midrange. For someone with a harder attack, that can be a perfect match, but Milo is looking for the complete package: Full low end, warm midrange and clear high end. This one from Eastman has all that, probably thanks to a special treatment of the spruce top. They go into a kind of oven, which makes them dry faster and that often gives a more open sound to a guitar that tends towards vintage. The result: a powerhouse with a great price!
Other candidates
It was a very close call for these two, because there were several guitars that made the two Fellows seriously doubt their decision. So here are five acoustic guitars that almost made it.
Martin 00015M
Price: 1.749 euro
Coen held it for a long time and Milo also had trouble putting it back: this classic. Because that is what the 15 series from Martin has become. And rightly so, because this line has a very unique character. Made entirely of mahogany and therefore sounds sweet and warm, but at the same time with enough bite to pierce through the mix wonderfully. Fingerstyle, chord strumming, it is really all possible on this feather-light friend of everyone. We try to keep them in stock, but they are usually sold out again very quickly.
Adrian Farmer D-Style Classic 2017
Price: 1.990 euro
Second hand or pre-loved guitars are a great way to get more guitar for less money. If a guitar is played and well looked after they will only sound better. Take this one from Adrian Farmer. He works in our workshop and a few times a year he also builds complete instruments under his own name. With a clear nod to the American classics, he offers a lot of guitar for little money. If Milo had had a little more time, he might have picked this one, after all.
Eastman AC 522 CE Goldburst
Price: 1.749
An unimaginable amount of modern luxury at this price point, like a beveled armrest, an extra sound hole, so you can hear yourself playing much better, beautiful inlays, sublime tonewoods and a subtle sunburst: this Eastman has it all and there is more. Because there is a lot to choose from the AC series for less than 2.000 euros. Absolute high-end guitars.
Furch Blue G-CM Grand Auditorium
Price: 998 euro
Well within budget, because for less than 1,000 euros you can buy this great all-rounder. The model is a Grand Auditorium and that is exactly between an OM and a dreadnought. A classic combination of a mahogany/cedar sound box provide a balanced sound that you can go in all directions with and all that packaged in a beautiful natural look without unnecessary 'bling'. Top guitar! Also available with a 'cutaway'.
Gibson G45 Studio
Price: 937 euro
Milo picked it up briefly and missed some warm midrange compared to the Eastman, but we still like to recommend this model. Because for less than 1,000 euros you can buy a real Gibson made of solid wood that is also slightly smaller in size than the standard models. Handy, light, wonderfully playable with beautiful, understated looks and a nice dry sound that suits some singer-songwriters better than the big sound of a dreadnought.
