Comins, Sadowsky Comparison

**abelljo** · 03-01-2016, 11:34 PM

Has anyone had experience with these two guitars? They look so similar, that except for the price!

Home | Comins Guitars

https://sadowsky.com/sadowsky-instru...s/semi-hollow/

If I were to buy one today, Id go for the Comins with the spruce top.

**llazarides** · 03-02-2016, 01:05 PM

So I own a Sadowsky SS-15 and a Comins GCS1-ES.

Overall, they're both fantastic guitars, but I think in terms of guitar for dollar, the Comins is a better deal.

If you're comparing build quality, the Sadowsky is the obvious winner; you get what you pay for here. The craftsmanship is beautiful, and the real wood appointments (ebony?) (pickguard, tuning pegs, etc) are a great touch, especially compared to the Comins where the look is similar, but the "wood" is synthetic. I've never played the Sadowsky Semi, but the SS-15 is amazingly comfortable and loud for its size. Sadowskys also have an amazing evenness across the entire fretboard that I haven't experienced in any other jazz-oriented guitar to date (I've played an LS17 as well).

For some reason, I've been playing my Comins more these days; I think I'm gravitating towards a thinner neck. The Sadowsky's neck isn't hefty by any means, but definitely thicker than the Comins. My only gripe is that I wish the Comins had more of an acoustic tone; personal preference, of course. It's still very much a semi-hollow, but to me sometimes lacks the subtle depth of tone you tend to find in something like a 335.

Also, I personally haven't had any issues with mine, but I've heard some complaints of the electronics in the Comins being on the cheap side.

I guess it comes down to budget. I got a nice deal on my SS-15 from a forum member about a year ago; I'm not sure if I would pay full price for a new one, unless it was your only guitar or something. Totally just me though, I'm living on a budget these days

. The Comins is a wonderful deal in my opinion, especially now that they've been out a while and have entered the used market. You can grab one for around 900-1200 (!)

**Woody Sound** · 03-02-2016, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by llazarides

So I own a Sadowsky SS-15 and a Comins GCS1-ES.

For some reason, I've been playing my Comins more these days; I think I'm gravitating towards a thinner neck. The Sadowsky's neck isn't hefty by any means, but definitely thicker than the Comins.

The SS-15 has wider 1-3/4 neck.

**llazarides** · 03-02-2016, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

The SS-15 has wider 1-3/4 neck.

Haha, there ya go, that's probably it!

**abelljo** · 03-02-2016, 02:57 PM

Ok, so the Comins is not real wood and quality questionable and I don't like wide necks, so the Sadowsky is out as well.

Thanks!

**mr. beaumont** · 03-02-2016, 03:02 PM

I know of a couple really great players around the internet who are using the Comins now (Jake Reichbart, who posts here as well, Sam Dunn, a few others), and loving it. Funny, you can't even hear the synthetic wood pickguard in their recordings.

**llazarides** · 03-02-2016, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by abelljo

Ok, so the Comins is not real wood and quality questionable and I don't like wide necks, so the Sadowsky is out as well.

Thanks!

Just so it's clear, when I was talking about synthetic wood, I was only talking about the appointments - volume/tone knob, and tuning pegs. The pick guard is some kind of multi-ply plastic. The rest of the guitar is absolutely real ( and very nice ) wood, haha.

Also, while the quality of the electronics may be questionable, the build quality and overall craftsmanship is still very, very good; especially for the price range.

**Eric Rowland** · 03-02-2016, 04:48 PM

I don't know how the question of electronic and build quality got started, but I used to have a Comins GCS-ES1 spruce top, and have had two Sadowskys (Bruno and LS17), and the Comins is an excellent instrument. Well built, reliable, and plays and sounds good. As has been stated, an excellent value for the money. The other stuff is fairly irrelevant...imho. I gave in to a Collings I35LC so I had to move mine.

**drbhrb** · 03-02-2016, 05:38 PM

Love my Comins GCS-1. I hadn't realized the knobs and tuning keys weren't real wood. They look and feel pretty real not that it really matters. The guitar itself is gorgeous and sounds fantastic. I just can't see what the Sadowsky could offer to justify the price jump but I haven't played one. I don't find anything missing from my Comins.

**Gitfiddler** · 03-02-2016, 07:31 PM

The Comins GCS series are a great value IMHO. It fills a niche that appeals to working musicians, jazz or otherwise. The QC on mine was amazing for the price.

I owned one for a while, but sold it to jump into a more expensive solid body. I loved the tone of the Comins, especially the split coil.

**abelljo** · 03-02-2016, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by llazarides

Just so it's clear, when I was talking about synthetic wood, I was only talking about the appointments - volume/tone knob, and tuning pegs. The pick guard is some kind of multi-ply plastic. The rest of the guitar is absolutely real ( and very nice ) wood, haha.

Also, while the quality of the electronics may be questionable, the build quality and overall craftsmanship is still very, very good; especially for the price range.

Oh, ok. I thought it was synthetic as some builders out there,

Thanks for clarifying.

**Woody Sound** · 03-02-2016, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Funny, you can't even hear the synthetic wood pickguard in their recordings.

**Jabberwocky** · 03-03-2016, 02:22 AM

I took a gander at the SS15 and JH. Are they $5050 and $5100, respectively, now? I recall when the JH was a $3875 guitar.

**sgcim** · 03-03-2016, 03:05 AM

The Comins sounded great on paper, and I was sure it was going to be my next guitar. It took a long time to finally find one in a shop, but I finally found one.
It's a good guitar for the money, but it didn't knock me out.

**llazarides** · 03-03-2016, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

I took a gander at the SS15 and JH. Are they $5050 and $5100, respectively, now? I recall when the JH was a $3875 guitar.

Yeah, it looks like there have been gradual price jumps in the last few years. When I started saving up for the SS-15 a few years ago, that was roughly the range they seemed to be going for new. The SS-15 is super nice, but not $5050 nice imo....Maybe if it had more fancy bling or something...but then again, I'm not into that.

**Woody Sound** · 03-03-2016, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by llazarides

Yeah, it looks like there have been gradual price jumps in the last few years. When I started saving up for the SS-15 a few years ago, that was roughly the range they seemed to be going for new. The SS-15 is super nice, but not $5050 nice imo....Maybe if it had more fancy bling or something...but then again, I'm not into that.

I think he's been steadily raising the price because he's able to - they are still selling. Good for him. Eventually I think it will bottom out, and you'll start to see more used ones on the market at more "reasonable" prices.

**jazzimprov** · 03-03-2016, 11:56 AM

"Sadowskys also have an amazing evenness across the entire fretboard that I haven't experienced in any other jazz- oriented guitar to date"

Yep, really noticeable!!

I felt that right away and have not felt the same thing on other guitars.

Unusual..... .... just even and smooth, almost like there is a 'airy roundness' to the top of the fingerboard.
.....hard to explain

Price up to $5100 for the JH,?

WOW!~! Glad I got mine when I did!.....around $4450 new from Roger not even 2 yrs ago.

Glad I didn't take Rogers advice when he offered to "bang it up a little" for me to break it in!