A flattop to play fingerstyle and chord-melody

**StefanoGhirardo** · 03-30-2023, 01:16 PM

I'm thinking of buying a flattop to play fingerstyle and chord-melody, that I want to equip with flat strings (now I have an old acoustic on which I put the TI jazz swing 13-53 and I really like them even if they are not acoustic strings).
After many rounds on the net, considering the need for a 1"3/4 nut width, a cutaway, good playability, a budget of around €1K and not buying it used, I narrowed my search down to (in order of preference): Furch OMc-CM, Furch Gc-CM, Cort Gold A6 Bocote, Guild OM-140CE. I'm not in a hurry, so I hope I can choose by playing them, although in different shops; of course, a hard thing to predict is how guitars which I will try would play with flat strings...
Do you have any advice? Have any of you played one of these guitars?

**John A.** · 03-30-2023, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by StefanoGhirardo

I'm thinking of buying a flattop to play fingerstyle and chord-melody, that I want to equip with flat strings (now I have an old acoustic on which I put the TI jazz swing 13-53 and I really like them even if they are not acoustic strings).
After many rounds on the net, considering the need for a 1"3/4 nut width, a cutaway, good playability, a budget of around €1K and not buying it used, I narrowed my search down to (in order of preference): Furch OMc-CM, Furch Gc-CM, Cort Gold A6 Bocote, Guild OM-140CE. I'm not in a hurry, so I hope I can choose by playing them, although in different shops; of course, a hard thing to predict is how guitars which I will try would play with flat strings...
Do you have any advice? Have any of you played one of these guitars?

I haven't played any of those, so can't comment on them. However, I recently bought an Eastman ac308ce-LTE. It has 1-3/34" nut width. New, they go for around $1200. I got mine used for $800. It's really nice for fingerstyle and chord melody. It has a very rich tone with ton of overtones and prominent mid-range. String-to-string volume is very well balanced. Not hugely loud, but the quality of tone is among the best I've ever heard in a flattop, especially for jazz/chord-melody. I haven't tried flatwounds on it (and don't anticipate doing that).

**mr. beaumont** · 03-30-2023, 02:08 PM

I've done the flatwounds on a flat top thing. It doesn't work (to my ears)

Monels/nickelwounds are cool if you want to get away from the all bass and sparkle of bronze.

I don't have any experience with the guitars on your list, but I will say the 000/OM size is great for jazz playing.

**John A.** · 03-30-2023, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I've done the flatwounds on a flat top thing. It doesn't work (to my ears)

Monels/nickelwounds are cool if you want to get away from the all bass and sparkle of bronze.

I don't have any experience with the guitars on your list, but I will say the 000/OM size is great for jazz playing.

+ 1 on the string comment. Solid nickel rollerwounds might be worth considering, too. There was a discussion about them here a ways back. I'm currently enjoying the sparkle, though, so at least for now Monel rounds and rollers are hypotheticals for me.

Regarding body sizes, the terminology/sizing is not completely standard across builders, but also good for jazz are the Martin 00 size (14.5" body) and Grand Concert (15", like my Eastman or a 12-Series Taylor).

**mr. beaumont** · 03-30-2023, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by John A.

+ 1 on the string comment. Solid nickel rollerwounds might be worth considering, too. There was a discussion about them here a ways back. I'm currently enjoying the sparkle, though, so at least for now Monel rounds and rollers are hypotheticals for me.

Regarding body sizes, the terminology/sizing is not completely standard across builders, but also good for jazz are the Martin 00 size (14.5" body) and Grand Concert (15", like my Eastman or a 12-Series Taylor).

Agreed-- basically, not too big and not too small and you're good to go