Seagull S6 Original Burnt Umber Presys

Die Seagull war eine von mehreren Gitarren, die ich getestet habe, da ich mit meinen dicken Fingern auf der Suche nach einer Westerngitarre war, die mit einem etwas breiterem Sattel daherkommt. Die Maße sind für mich wunderbar, sie lässt sich fluffig spielen, ist sauber verarbeitet, kommt aus Kanada, sieht super aus und klingt dabei auch noch großartig! Vor allem Strumming kommt sehr gut, aber auch leise Gute-Nacht-Lieder funktionieren.. ;) Den Klang würde ich als ausgewogen, kräftig und differenziert bezeichnen. Ich kann sie wärmstens empfehlen. Lediglich das integrierte Stimmgerät des Godin Tonabnehmers, der sonst eine saubere Arbeit verrichtet, hat mich nicht so überzeugt. Da bleibe ich doch bei meinem Stimmgerät.

Ein Instrumentenkauf ist immer eine Sache des persönlichen Geschmacks. Coronabedingt hätte ich aber zum Zeitpunkt des Kaufs nicht in Musikgeschäfte fahren können, um live Gitarren anzutesten. Also hatte ich es gewagt, eine Gitarre allein aufgrund der Beschreibung zu kaufen. Allerdings besitze ich eine Folkgitarre von der Schwestermarke Art&Lutherie, mit der ich sehr zufrieden bin.
Zuvor habe ich eine Dreadtnought-Gitarre von einer anderen Marke wieder abgestoßen, weil ich sowohl vom Klang der Gitarre, wie auch vom Tonabnehmer unzufrieden (Abnahme sehr leise) war.
Anders bei der S6. Die Gitarre war schon vom Hersteller sehr gut verpackt; genauso von Thomann. Ebenso war sie gut vorgestimmt. Nach dem Auspacken musste ich die Gitarre so gut wie nicht nachstimmen. Das hat mich sehr überrascht. Als ich die Gitarre an den Verstärker anschloss, musste ich ihn erstmal runter drehen, da er noch auf die alte Gitarre eingestellt war. Allein schon für den Tonabnehmer war die Gitarre ihr Geld wert. Auch entspricht der Klang voll meinen Ansprüchen bzw. Erwartungen an eine gute Westerngitarre.
Ich spiele hauptsächlich im kirchlichen Bereich, begleite also meine Gemeindeglieder beim gemeinsamen Gesang.
Es mag nicht für alle wichtig sein: für mich war ein Kaufkriterien unter mehreren die Auswahl der verbauten Hölzer (keine Tropenhölzer!).

The Seagull S6 range was one I had been researching, looking at, and pondering purchasing for a while. After months of deliberation - and a couple of months waiting for stock - I went ahead and ordered it, without playing it once. Yup, without previously trying it in a store or whatever. Such is my trust in Thomann, in the thriving online community too, that I gave it a go. And I have never looked back.

Only had it in my presence for a couple of weeks at the time of writing and it's been a wonderful addition to my small collection. My previous guitar was a cheap, cheerful Fender CD60SE, so this Seagull was quite the step up. The overall build quality is actually incredible; it's smooth, no nips or cuts, no signs of shoddy workmanship at all. You could even smell the wood still.

The burnt umber finish is matt and smooth, and will doubtlessly improve with time and age. Some reviews elsewhere stated that the wood is soft. However, I have found that this is not the case at all. I can use my capo with ease, play as tough as I want, and really use it as I want to. The wider nut is taking a bit of time for me to get used to, and that's been a little bit of a challenge, but I'll get there. (For reference: I only play for about 20-30 mins a day, maybe every other day, as I have a small kid to feed, change nappies, get to sleep, and then not awaken with my playing!)

The sound of the guitar is quite mid-heavy, not that I think that's a bad thing. It was the sound I was going for. In terms of sound, I have read that amplified the guitar is quite bass-heavy, which may be the case. If that's so, I don't see that as a negative; and for the few times I do play live (fewer now with COVID part of our lives) I'd tend towards playing into a microphone anyway.

There is only really one small criticism or piece of negativity I have about the guitar, and it doesn't really relate to any one company per se, and it is this: the action is a little high for me. It somehow feels a little hard to play. Could be the string gauge (it is shipped with mediums, so 12/13s, and I am more accustomed to 10/11 custom lights EJ26 Daddario or extra-light 10 Fenders), or it could be that the action needs lowering a tiny amount at the nut or with a small truss rod adjustment. Not sure what it is, but it certainly feels somehow more clunky(?) to play. Hard to describe. It's a personal thing for sure, but one which I do think warrants a tune up at the luthier. So I am a little frustrated with that, as I guess I expected a better setup, and will now have to pay to have it set up in the way I desire. Then again, guitars react to so many things, atmospheric and otherwise, that maybe this would have been necessary anyway. Still, I was left with a mild sour taste after spending a lot on the guitar to then add this cost on too, plus the cost of a decent case. It meant the overall price of the guitar is therefore really 20% more than I budgeted for, which is certainly my problem to an extent. Then again, the setup does feel high and a little stiff, and I do think more could have been done to perhaps remedy that.

Overall though, I absolutely love this guitar and will never get rid of it. Oh, and if you are worried about getting a guitar that's been shipped internationally (from Canada to Germany, and then Germany to Sweden in this case) really do not fear. The box was well-padded, complete with this inflatable airbag to protect the guitar. Was actually kind of cool. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another and already have some ideas for my next order.