Tell me about your James Goodall guitar...

[jac37656]

I was roaming through a guitar store one afternoon, as we all do, and sat down to play a few acoustics. When I played a Goodall Dreadnought, I was absolutely floored by how great it sounded, and even more so by the Traditional OM model. I absolutely LOVE these instruments, and personally, their sound is so superior that the 3-4K price tag actually seems justified.

I've since played several other wonderful acoustics (Collings, Santa Cruz, even an Olson, etc), but I keep coming back to the Goodalls as the pinnacle of acoutic guitar excellence.

I'd love to hear some thoughts/reviews from lucky Goodall owners out there! Also, thoughts or info about luthiers making acoustics that can compete in sound and playability with Goodalls would be great. :AOK

[texasdave]

I was roaming through a guitar store one afternoon, as we all do, and sat down to play a few acoustics. When I played a Goodall Dreadnought, I was absolutely floored by how great it sounded, and even more so by the Traditional OM model. I absolutely LOVE these instruments, and personally, their sound is so superior that the 3-4K price tag actually seems justified.

I've since played several other wonderful acoustics (Collings, Santa Cruz, even an Olson, etc), but I keep coming back to the Goodalls as the pinnacle of acoutic guitar excellence.

I'd love to hear some thoughts/reviews from lucky Goodall owners out there! Also, thoughts or info about luthiers making acoustics that can compete in sound and playability with Goodalls would be great. :AOK

I have two Goodalls, both exotic rosewoods with Englemann tops... they're one of the few guitars that I'm perfectly happy with light gauge (12-53) strings on... I'm generally too heavy handed for a cedar top, so these are the great alternative...

I also have a few Collings, and they're different instruments than the Goodalls... the Goodalls have great overtones and offer a rich lush sound... the Collings, to generalize, have a more fundamental quality to 'em... so played alone, they may not be perceived as being "as rich or lush" as the Goodalls, however the single notes tend to find their way out of a crowd better if you're playing with someone else. My Collings D3 is like a hammer...I know my solos on it will cut through the mix no matter what else is going on... My other impression, after listening to others play both brands here in the same sitting, is that different playing styles will lend themselves more to one than the other...................... again, that's a generalization, but it should make sense.

Bottom line, I enjoy 'em both. I enjoy one over the other for different things... and a great guitar is a great guitar... and all the builders mentioned in your post have the capability of producing outstanding instruments. Happy hunting!

[K.E.P.]

I had the same kind of experience. I had played several high-end brands of acoustics. I was looking for the perfect blend to me of Taylor and Martin. I walked into a store in Chicago on business and played a few collings, santa cruz, and a goodall. I had never played a goodall before. It was everything that I had imagined "the sound" in my head to be. I didn't have the money that day, but vowed that when I did, a goodall would be the first thing I would buy.

I found one at Martin Music (great store) that sounded every bit as good as the one in Chicago. It's a indian rosewood/master spruce concert jumbo. Since then, I have played many a guitar, and nothing, with the exception of a mcpherson, has even made me think twice.

Great guitars. I have not played a bad one. Even the aloha series are incredible.

KEP

[enharmonic]

I have a Rosewood Standard with a bearclaw spruce top. I love the way it feels, plays, and sounds. It's maturing nicely. Here's a pic.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/robwesterman/Goodall/IMG_0071.jpg

For as nice as the Goodall is, my dream acoustic is still a Huss & Dalton Rosewood Slope D. To me, they're on par with eachother :)

[doc2iron]

Try an Aloha model. For around 2K used, they best most things in that price range.

[Pa'ani]

I have recently acquired a beautiful Goodall Rosewood Concert Jumbo with the rare "Big Goose Spruce" top.
It is a superb sounding as well as superior playing instrument. Literally, it's simply amazing and stunning!
The other instruments that I own, compliments one another quite well.
And they are a Kevin Ryan " Mission Grand " Koa with Cedar Top,
BreedLove Master-Built MJ-22 Jumbo Striped Ebony with Englemann Spruce Top,
Larrivee's D-O3 Mahogany 12 string and an all Koa Parlor guitar.
A couple of Martins D-35 and OOO-18.
They all have a special sound and all are incredible instruments.

[Da5Id]

I've had a Goodall Concert Jumbo for about 3.5 years now. It's has AAA Curly Walnut back and sides with a European Spruce top (some bearclaw). The fingerboard is ebony with a single Goodall symbol at the 12th fret. Curly Maple binding.

Next to perhaps a Ryan that I played in Kevin's shop a few years back, it's the most satisfying guitar I've ever played. Great overtones and a very lively sound that's probably between rosewood and mahogony, but more to the rosewood side. The neck is hands down my favorite of any acoustic I've ever tried; nice and chunky C shape with perfect fret access and string spacing for my hands. Definitely not as cutting or fundamental in tone to a Collings, but for playing solo strumming or fingerpicking the 3-D quality to the sound is pretty intoxicating. Mine is a keeper, last guitar I currently own that I'd sell.

[Den]

The previous posts cover the Goodall story pretty well from my perspective. I searched for at least three years for an acoustic that was really special ... a guitar that would work for both fingerstyle and plectrum from chord work to leads. After playing 100's of guitars from one end of the price spectrum to the other, I finally came home with a Goodall RCJC more than a year ago that still amazes me every time I pick it up.

Great neck and playability, beautiful sustain and a tone that makes so many other guitars sound as thought they're dead to my ears.

As others will probably point out, the orchestral overtones of most Goodalls may be too much for certain tastes, but I have yet to play a guitar I enjoy more. I should add that with a Baggs iMix system (recommended by James Goodall) this guitar sounds great plugged in as well and can be dialed in to work well in a band context.

[stratofied]

My Goodall TROM is one of the best sounding guitars I've ever played. It is a bit different than most traditional OM style guitars but in my opinion it's more versatile. James builds very nice instruments.