Seagull S6 mini review

[fazool]

I know these get a lot of respect and are popular guitars.

After my experience I, frankly, can't understand it.

My friend had one that needed a re-solder of the output jack so I took it home to repair for him. I noticed so many corners cut that I came to really hate this guitar.

When I first picked the guitar up I was shocked by how heavy it is. It felt like my old 1970's Yamaha 12 string. Way overbuilt feeling.


Problem 1
The saddle (from the factory) was way too thin and leaned forward significantly. You had to manhandle it while tightening the strings. I ended up making a side shim to partially fix it.

Problem 2
Like any cheap guitar it had low quality soft bridge pins. I had to replace them.

Problem 3
The nut doesn't have any real slot to sit in so it doesn't sit flat under string tension

Problem 4
The tuners are super tight and cheap feeling.

Problem 5 (the big one)
The guitar does not have stained wood with a clear coat. It, instead has a tinted spray paint that simulates stain. My friends hand apparently reacted because the finish (chemically) melted into a lumpy goo. I have never seen anything like this, ever. I ended up sanding it down and now it feels great but shows bare wood from wear and tear. I learned that their finish is super cheap garbage.


This thing isn't even close in quality to my cheap Aria I had or my Ibanez artwood AC240.

I would never recomend one.

Sorry to the folks that love theirs. I found it terrible.

[skyblue314]

Originally Posted by fazool

I know these get a lot of respect and are popular guitars.



After my experience I, frankly, can't understand it.



My friend had one that needed a re-solder of the output jack so I took it home to repair for him. I noticed so many corners cut that I came to really hate this guitar.



When I first picked the guitar up I was shocked by how heavy it is. It felt like my old 1970's Yamaha 12 string. Way overbuilt feeling.





Problem 1

The saddle (from the factory) was way too thin and leaned forward significantly. You had to manhandle it while tightening the strings. I ended up making a side shim to partially fix it.



Problem 2

Like any cheap guitar it had low quality soft bridge pins. I had to replace them.



Problem 3

The nut doesn't have any real slot to sit in so it doesn't sit flat under string tension



Problem 4

The tuners are super tight and cheap feeling.



Problem 5 (the big one)

The guitar does not have stained wood with a clear coat. It, instead has a tinted spray paint that simulates stain. My friends hand apparently reacted because the finish (chemically) melted into a lumpy goo. I have never seen anything like this, ever. I ended up sanding it down and now it feels great but shows bare wood from wear and tear. I learned that their finish is super cheap garbage.





This thing isn't even close in quality to my cheap Aria I had or my Ibanez artwood AC240.



I would never recomend one.



Sorry to the folks that love theirs. I found it terrible.

You forgot to mention the ugly headstock....

[catfish]

I have a Seagull M6 Gloss made in 2004 and I have none of the problems described by the OP.

It is heavy, all right, but I do not consider it as a problem. It sounds very good, this old straight non-scalloped bracing tone.

The top in mine is gorgeous Sitka spruce with nitro finish (b&s are thick poly finish), the nut and tuners are in order, no problems. The original TUSQ saddle was the right thickness, not leaning, but I replaced it with quality bone.

[Dbone]

My wife and I had 2 Seagull guitars as our first guitars together 20+ years ago. I don’t even remember the models they were, but I have fond memories of those guitars.

My only other experience with the Godin group was an electric guitar purchase I made. Horrible experience. Ordered what was supposed to be a factory fresh Strat-like electric guitar from them and it arrived in not so good condition. It and the case were a mess. My suspicion is that the guitar did the rounds at trade shows etc...I was not impressed...I refused the guitar and bought a PRS Silver Sky instead.

[emtsteve]

I have 2 S6 Seagulls, one is a newer (post 2018) model and the second is an older S6 gloss top I just bought, used and in excellent condition. The newer one is OK but doesn't really float my boat. It's heavy, overbuilt, long scale, and sounds good but not much in the way of dynamics. The older gloss top is a whole nother ball game - lighter build, short scale, dynamic, and just a joy to play. Both are cedar over layered cherry.

I haven't experienced any issues with the finish nor the build quality with either one but the newer one is getting sold. I also have an older Folk cedar model that I bought as NOS and it is outstanding as well. I hope the newer S6 I have and the one the OP describes isn't indicative of a different direction for Godin.

[Wellington]

I had an S6 cedar for a couple years, I actually lived it wish I had kept it. Tuners were junk, you're right about the nut, Godins acoustics are all like that that I've seen, it's annoying to try and reglue one because they don't have a proper slot to sit in.
The saddle on mine was a good fit, I never had a problem with the finish, and mine was pre 2012 when they changed to long scale which was nice, but it was lost 2006 so it had an epoxied neck, which is the most bizarre and gut wrenching thing to have STARTED doing in 2006 and are still doing it, everyone else left that practice in like the 80's. It blows my mind.

They're cheap in cost because they're built quick and use their own wood for a lot of them. But overall, I loved it, I miss that unique cedar cherry tone. I also had a S&P cedar that was short scale and pre epoxied neck era, I didn't know that at the time and sold it a few years ago, I had it for 10 years. Regret selling that one too.
Oh well.

[FrankHudson]

My three Seagulls are old, and not only do I not have issues with them, I play them often with pleasure. I bought them all used. They all have their own sound, not the same as some other "benchmark acoustic models," but valid enough for the likes of me.

None of the trio are heavy, and my Folk model in particular doesn't feel overbuilt (though it may be the response of the cedar top fooling me). They all have fairly substantial necks (not for everyone) which I love love love. A great deal of the pleasure these guitars have given me is in those necks, and even Seagull doesn't consistently make that kind of neck now-a-days.

The tuners on all of mine still work as new. I'm sure they've had running changes through the years.

The thin finish isn't everyone's cup of tea. My Seagull Folk was considerably worn when I got it. It now looks like the sort of thing the Fender Custom Shop sells as a "heavy relic" at Custom Shop prices. I can admire a fine piece of woodworking and finishing abstractly, but it's immaterial to me when I'm playing. The modest priced Seagulls are not for those who like that sort of thing. They sell gloss finish models for those that prefer that.

I have no idea what is in my neck joints. It may be the substantial necks, but none of my trio need a reset yet.

I can't tell you what kind of bridge pins are on mine, or any other guitar I own. They seem to do what they're supposed to do.

I've never looked closely at the nuts. Next time I'm in my studio with some time I'll look and consider what you're talking about there. But the fact that I've never considered them may mean they aren't a significant problem, at least in my case.

Models and specs change over the years. I'm sure there are even some "built on Monday" units out there. I myself I have played a number of more modern Seagulls and haven't been inspired to buy them. You might be aghast at mine if you saw or played them, I can't tell. And I'll agree with you that the kind of light finish that was once a Seagull trait is certainly subject to opinion.

[Ed66]

I've come across a number of Seagulls, mostly ones I've owned. I have to say, other than the bridge pins on the base S6, this is contrary to my experience. All high volume guitar companies probably kick out a few dogs from time to time. Sounds like you came across one of them.

[Tannin]

I don't get this fetish people have with acoustic guitars having to be light weight. (a) The extra volume you can get from a light top is pointless 95% of the time as you are either playing in a quiet place or already amplified, and (b) the weight of a guitar body has very little to do with the weight of the top anyway: heavy sides (and in some designs heavy backs as well) are very often a design goal, not remotely a problem. Volume schmolume. Tone is what matters.

As for the epoxy, who cares? In this price range you don't do neck resets as that is not cost effective, and properly built guitars very seldom need them anyway.

We don't see many Seagulls in this part of the world, which is a pity as I always hear nice things about them. I probably wouldn't buy one myself as I'm old enough to be able to afford higher-end instruments, but it would be nice to see more Seagulls this country. (We do see quite a few Godin nylon strung guitars however. Never played one, nylon isn't my thing.)

[jschmitz54]

I’ve tried them at music stores and was not impressed. Yamaha or Alvarez seemed far better to me, ymmv.

[geetaruke]

I have a really sweet late 90s cedar top. Maybe quality control was better at one time? I haven’t played a newer Seagull in many years.

[fazool]

Originally Posted by Tannin

I don't get this fetish people have with acoustic guitars having to be light weight. (a) The extra volume you can get from a light top is pointless 95% of the time as you are either playing in a quiet place or already amplified, and (b) the weight of a guitar body has very little to do with the weight of the top anyway: heavy sides (and in some designs heavy backs as well) are very often a design goal, not remotely a problem. Volume schmolume. Tone is what matters. ...

no one is talking about the weight of the top. When referring to an "overbuilt" or heavy guitar its all the massive wood (bracesm body, etc).

These heavy things make a guitar unresponsive. A light delicate guitar is infinitely more responsive.

Paraphrasing Chris Martin IV "a guitar should be built just on the verge of imploding"

[fazool]

this is the finish on the neck


thats not wear and tear or normal use - that chemically melted.

[Ed66]

That's gruesome, I've heard of string killing sweat, but this is another level I would think Godin might do something about it, although I don't know how old the guitar is. They've always been good (although sometimes a little slow) in resolving any minor questions/issues I've had.

[Wellington]

Originally Posted by fazool

this is the finish on the neck


thats not wear and tear or normal use - that chemically melted.

Wow that's bad, I've heard of that one other time from s Seagull, must be rare, but maybe a very certain type of sweat or something reacts