last weekend I made a visit in Czech guitar store KytaryCZ and I made audio samples for myself. Including all Furch Pioneers and Little Janes that are “in the game for me”.
I would like to share with you this long video with samples for you who is looking for comparism like this… main purpose is to help me to decide what to buy next and honestly it made just mess in my head what to buy.
Keep in mind I am advanced beginner doing mistakes with budget gear, but I enjoyed playing the instruments… under pressure of camera and people going around.
I have to say all of instruments sounds really BIG and has really great sustain to me which cant be everytime recorded on my microphone.
Fingerstyle playing sounds a little bit silent against strumming with 1,5 pick, but that is just physics… according to me.
Also take note I am mainly fingerstyle player and I picked up a pick after many many months, so my strumming is not that perfect (because fingerstyle is! of course! )
I plan to add time stamps into video and also make one more video with shorter delay in samples, but they all sound pretty… similar to me.
What caught my ear is Furch Little Jane EM version… it was little… better and fitted to me, but price is bigger than on Pioneer.
I got some samples of my guitar and different models too keeping for another video for my own researchment, but I will share if you want.
Hardest question in my head now is… those guitars plays really good. But my Fender CC-60SCE plays good to my ear too.
Do I need to buy those 4-7x more expensive guitars? Is the sound and playability that much times better?
I dont think so… now. Sorry to myself, but I cant spot much difference between 300 dollar and 2000 dollar guitar. Am I broken or?
I can notice little different on someone comparism on YouTube, but they are edditing those samples… and using high end mics for catching that.
I am talking again too much… enjoy!
After listening to samples… this is in the game battle:
I don’t think ya have to.
If your happy with your Fender, I’d continue playing that. Specially if funds are tight.
Specially if you like the way it plays and the way it sounds.
On the other hand. The guitars in your sample all sounded real good to me. Your style of playing worked very well on all of them.
I don’t know Furch models, so that won’t get in the way of my opinion. But I liked the Pioneers.
They all sounded real big and full to me with your playing. What it comes down to for me imho is that cutaway.
I’ve got two acoustics, one with cutaway, one w/o. I never really suspected I’d have much use for a cutaway as mostly acoustic is rhythm, not lead (in my mind). But I find that in the end, I do play up higher on the neck sometimes and that cutaway is very beneficial for that I think.
Ya’ve got a hard choice I think. All them guitars sounded good to me. Ya made a good video of your choices.
Lastly, I kinda believe that when your out trying out some new guitars. You will know when ya got one that is something special to you. You will just know that ‘this’ guitar is the one you need. It will speak to you. And it won’t be a long conversation either. You’ll know near right away.
Last two guitars I got were bought within 20 min. of playing them. I just connected with them right away. And I was right too. I still dig both of them guitars and have no regrets that I got them.
Looks like your having a great time on your search. imho, your doing right. Playing them. I think that really is the way to buy a guitar, as opposed to buying per specs, via the www and never playing before buying. I’ve gone that route once, I like the guitar I got. But I will say, that guitar compared to the ones I played first. Well, I like the ones I played 1st. Ya just get connected.
ymmv.
Have fun on your hunt.
And do keep in mind. Ya don’t have to do anything. Your happy with your Fender.
Main reason for that is sometimes when I am sitting on my couch I feel like it would be little more comfortable with smaller one… and paralel to this I follow Furch brand some time and I really like their making of guitars and it is all solid. I met CEO in personal and watched thousands videos…
Right now I am really thinking about that Pioneer EM, because this combination of wood seemed like something extra to me. I compared it on LJ and Pioneer and Pioneer was much better for me in recordings I made.
Now I need to work on rest of recordings and here I will put my Fender against this favorite so I can fast swap between them and hear difference.
I take it also like…
I dont have kids (yet), I dont smoke/take drugs or paying some debt. I dont play slots and dont eat pizza from Uber every day… I got decent job and I feel like… this guitar cost something that many people “burn” in those habits or “musts” after 2-3 months.
So why shouldnt I buy it?
In the same time yesterday Jarvis from YouTube made really great review for that Pioneer EM and now I have really big thoughts about going from work straight to the store and pick it.
I added one more link to another video where is following same pattern played on Pioneer EM and Fender CC 60 for making my desion better.
Also I think that Pioneer EM will open after daily playing like my Fender and also I would like to change everything for BONE on Pioneer like I have on my Fender.
The honest answer is No. A more expensive guitar will not make you a better guitar player. Skill comes from you not the instrument.
If it were me I’d save the money because there will always be a better guitar out there.
Both these guitars are Furch’s low end models so you will most likely want something better in a year or 2.
Don’t sit on the couch. Get a good guitar stool. You will see a bigger improvement in you playing with better posture than a new guitar.
Hi Michal, I follow your Furch journey for quite a while now and I’m pretty sure you’ll end up with buying one in the end.
I’ve been at a similar point two years ago. I own a Fender CD 60 SCE, which is the dreadnought size to your CC 60 and was looking for a smaller and higher quality guitar for practice.
Whilst comparing the different models of different brands to my Fender, I got aware, how much of a good sounding guitar I had with my Fender, for an amount under € 300.
I visited a guitar store during that time and one of the employees there told me this guitar is crap, every guitar they have in store would be better than mine. The second employee grabbed my guitar and started to play and both of them couldn’t believe how full and balanced it sounded, although I only had 10s as strings on it.
I truly believe, that the Fender is worth every penny.
What I also found out for me was, that price doesn’t necessarily correlate with what I find satisfying for my ears.
For me, the decision for buying was sound, feeling more comfortable with a smaller guitar body and the nut width of 44,5 for finger picking compared to 43 on the Fender. Also the tone range which is more towards the mids compared to the more bassy Fender. Long story short: my new guitar added some variety and didn’t break the bank.
I guess, during your journey, there will always be changes in preferences and dream guitars and very likely you won’t buy your last guitar now.
I think, if you feel the need to buy one, you won’t go wrong with a quality guitar, you always can sell it.
I wish you good luck on your decision and lots of fun with the new family member.
@stitch This is where it gets interesting… talking about what is low end and what is high end.
For science I tried their Yellow all rosewood solid guitar which is triple the price of Pioneer and I did not find here anything “special”. Maybe all things only for my eyes… but guitar played great of course, but comparing low end and high end… is something I would talk maybe on other brands like Taylor or Martin where you can really see build quality and material is discussable… I hope this would feed me for more years than just 2, but we never know.
In the end on the “dead bed” people tend to worry about things they did not do than things they did.
Guitar stool sounds good, but my couch is “upgraded” by me with few woods so it is not as soft as you could think. Also I got “little bob” I dont know how to say in English. Just a little side stool for couch… written like “bobik”.
@Helen0609 Well… I think I am at the exact same spot. I did some work on my Fender with action and changing everything for bone… now to me competing to much more expensive guitars. If I compare my Fender to Furch it just plays different, both of them sounds great to me…
You mentioned something I did not mention here and that is nut size. Because I am fingerstyle player sometimes I can feel I would use more space than on Fender. Fender has 43mm and Furch has 45mm. Also Furchs neck “slide” much more easy than on my Fender, it has something to do with their finish on that.
Also I like idea of CNR Active and supporting Czech product, because in the end… I am from Czech Republic.
It is really nice of you you know this lot about me and I am just beginner guy with trusty Fender.
Well, firstly I think this is a fun little exercise and thanks for sharing! Your playing sounded great on all the instruments!
Next, both Furch sounded better to me, they both have a fuller low end sound and a rounder tone. That said, I don’t think the Fender sounds bad, just a bit brighter which can be a positive thing but can also be harsh, especially when you stumm which as you noted is not your primary play style.
That said, to spend the money or not… What are you going to do differently with either Furch or the Fender? If something will change when you spend more money then its something to consider… If nothing changes then its just a waste. If they all sound the same, then there is no advantage there. If one is more comfortable to play then there is advantage there.
I am in the market for a new acoustic myself but it is basically a year long journey for me. Not sure if that helps you or not, but I will go to about 5 different stores, 3-5x each and read a lot before make the purchase. Partially it is about the money, but also partially it is about the joy of finding the RIGHT instrument for what I want to do and testing out different things so I know what I am paying for and what I don’t really care about etc. Sometimes the journey is as fun as the destination. There is all the hype in NGD, but there is also a lot of excitement in the prospect of forthcoming NGD. Personally, I’ll stretch out the prospect of NGD because once I get to the end of the journey then I’ll have nothing to look forward to until I start considering NAD or something.
@Svoisine That is also great POV, thank you.
Like I mention during you wrote a message…
There are differences that would be advantages for me. If there is no one I wont care about that and wont make such a big action about that.
Main advantages (I think they are):
smaller body, I feel I would use it for home playing better
wider nut +2mm
all solid guitar with special tone process
CNR Active, reacts to hummidity, it is not my problem, but you can also set action on 12th fret
booster soundport so I can enjoy music a little more than just someone in front of me, it is really more rewarding to player
neck slide because of finish
product of my country with great story
I am sure I forgot something to mention
Well… hunting new gear is really big and exciting journey, but I was thinking about new guitar many months ago and started to save for that… and I got this exact model in my eye since they showed us in Prague last year.
So there comes the question why I just dont buy it when I talk about this like that…
And that is again about my head. If I am worth of new guitar or not.
Even when I mentioned I dont pay anything necessary. This is not about money at all. I just think about a things really hard before I buy them… maybe that is why (knock knock on wood) I am pretty decent in my life status.
BY THE WAY I AM REALLY HAPPY THERE IS GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO I CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS, IT MEANS REALLY A LOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
Hi Michal, I’ve been following your journey for a while now. I wish I could try a Furch here in the United States! I’m fascinated by the Little Jane travel guitars.
You’ve expressed this several times:
I too am an advancing beginner. A main difference between you and me is that I’m older (retired), so I’m in that stage of life where I treat myself. That said: I feel you’ve proven your worth by the amount of thought and effort you’ve put into your research! Don’t rush to a decision, but do be confident in your worthiness of owning any guitar you choose.
In my opinion the bottom line is buy the best guitar you can afford. Life is too short and as I’ve said before to others, there are no pockets in a shroud!
Gotta disagree with this
I could afford a much more expensive guitar than what I have, but feel I’m already punching above my weight. (Although I am enjoying the upgrade from dumpster find… ) @Carreta will be purch’ing a Furch, though. Anyone who makes 20 min comparison videos of how they sound has a belly full of gas. Something’s gotta give…
@brianlarsen@Saintylad Thank you guys.
I am just trying to buy something that fits best to my needs and “soul”. Money is not that much problem… but I cant find more advantages in guitar 4x more expensive than Pioneer right now.
The smaller one is now in my eye for many reasons and in the end… who is saying this is my last guitar. I am not married… yet.
)
