Your take on Garrison guitars

[coldshot]

I also had Garrison G40ce it was one of the first ones to come to oz.

It had a engleman top with mahogany back and sides.It unlike the birch models was very light.

It had a very nice acoustic tone and plugged in i had many compliments.

The only problem i found was with my Garrison the high humidity in Australia caused my guitar to developed neck moving problem which meant i had to have the neck shaved where the neck to body join to get it straight again.

It was my first solid timber guitar and i recently sold it to a friend who always admired the sound.

It is still a very nice guitar and the new owner is very happy.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Juan_Banjovy

A belated thanks to all of you who replied. Interesting stuff. Seems like Garrison had a good idea but maybe didn't refine it to it's full potential.

Well, the guy who came up with the idea and started the company was himself just a kid - if I remember correctly, he came up with the basic concept while he was a college sophomore and had begun making the guitars while in his early 20's.

My feeling about the Garrison instruments is that perhaps the materials available to use for the framework weren't ideal, and as result the design itself is ahead of its time.

With all the strides in materials science being made nowadays, maybe this is an idea that might get revisited twenty years from now with better results.

Because the basic concept behind the construction of Garrison guitars is brilliant. I'm just not sure that the ability to execute it properly is there yet.

Like all those Jules Verne novels written in the 19th Century, which accurately forecast moon landings, but had the aeronauts traveling in a cast iron space projectile....Verne had the right idea, but the materials science of his day wasn't as advanced as it needed to be to achieve any of his visions.


Wade Hampton Miller

[corry]

I have a Garrison guitar, it was and is still the guitar that I go to when I practice or play music. I also have a high end Martin acoustic guitar. I have to say the sound of the Garrison kept me going back to use it over my Martin because of its warm and distinctive tone. I still use my Martin but I still like the Garrison sound. I hope my Garrison will bring me many years of enjoyment. It is a well-made guitar, many people are afraid of trying new ways of making guitar. They think plastic braces are not "pure". To me the sound is EVERYTHING, if I have any ugly guitar but the sounds is good, I would take it. The only thing about this guitar is that it is heavy.
You should try to play one of these and decide for yourself. Mine is just perfect.

[Stephen W.]

Corry, fine first post. Very glad you enjoy your Garrison. As motorcyclists are found of saying; “It’s not WHAT you ride, it’s THAT you ride which counts!” Same goes for guitars.
For the most part though I have to agree with Wade’s comment from five years ago. (Look on the first page of this thread.) I too have found these guitars for the most part rather lack lustre. As a Canadian I really, REALLY wanted to love these guitars. However, the build quality seemed to go from OK thru mediocre to just plain poor. I found the tone of those I tried to be muddy or dull. They lacked clear definition and had no real punch.
This is not meant as a knock on your choice, just my personal perspective. As you’ve stated, it’s your go to guitar over your Martin. You enjoy playing it and that’s what counts. Many people do not like the bowl back Ovation or any of it’s off shoots. But I, like you, fell in love with and still have my first “quality” guitar. An Ovation Elite Standard.
So, play what you like and post what you think.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by corry

I have a Garrison guitar, it was and is still the guitar that I go to when I practice or play music. I also have a high end Martin acoustic guitar. I have to say the sound of the Garrison kept me going back to use it over my Martin because of its warm and distinctive tone. I still use my Martin but I still like the Garrison sound. I hope my Garrison will bring me many years of enjoyment. It is a well-made guitar, many people are afraid of trying new ways of making guitar. They think plastic braces are not "pure". To me the sound is EVERYTHING, if I have any ugly guitar but the sounds is good, I would take it. The only thing about this guitar is that it is heavy.
You should try to play one of these and decide for yourself. Mine is just perfect.

Hi Corry, Welcome to the AGF. I too have a Garrison that I bought used about 5 years ago at Long & McQuade. It's a very nice guitar although it needs a neck reset.

I contacted Gibson twice via emails regarding my guitar (who acquired Garrison). The first time was when I bought the guitar and I just wanted some basic spec info. They replied within a couple of days. I reached out to them a couple of months ago about the neck joint (is it glued, bolted, etc). They wrote back to me a couple of times (just a bolt, no glue).

So, I just wanted to let everyone know that Gibson will respond to your Garrison inquiries should you have any (I was pleasantly surprised).

[AndrewG]

I played both a mahogany and a rosewood Gibson-branded all wood Garrison at my local shop (Manson's in Exeter) some years ago. They were indescribably awful.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

I played both a mahogany and a rosewood Gibson-branded all wood Garrison at my local shop (Manson's in Exeter) some years ago. They were indescribably awful.

Those were not Garrisons. Gibson made their own guitars at the Garrison plant. I think it was the "Songmaker" series.

I agree with you, I played a couple and was unimpressed myself, especially for a > $1k guitar. I've preferred the Garrisons I've played.

[MBE]

I remember playing a lot of these at St. John's Music 10-15 years ago. I really wanted to like them - they were Canadian, and the idea seemed good on paper. While I wouldn't call them bad guitars, I just never found one that spoke to me. It's nice to see the name come up on the AGF though!

[corry]

I have a G10 and like it very much. Lately, I am thinking of getting a classical guitar for some classical finger picking styles, but wife told me to thin down my collection before I can buy another guitar.
I am thinking of trading or selling this for a classical guitar. :-)
The sound of G10 is just amazing, I think it sounds better then many high end Martins that I have tried.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by corry

I have a G10 and like it very much. Lately, I am thinking of getting a classical guitar for some classical finger picking styles, but wife told me to thin down my collection before I can buy another guitar.
I am thinking of trading or selling this for a classical guitar. :-)
The sound of G10 is just amazing, I think it sounds better then many high end Martins that I have tried.

Hi Corry. I guess the question is do you really want to get rid of a guitar you like so much?

[WmRob]

I own a Garrison GD-30 that I purchased from the music store I worked in for several years. The Canadian red cedar top gives the instrument a very mellow tone without being muffled. It sounds awesome thru an amp.

Garrison was purchased by Gibson several years ago for the one-piece top bracing but, typically, Gibson ruined the concept by refusing to utilize the same gluing techniques that Garrison pioneered. Gibson also refuses to honor warranties. One more nail in the coffin for that once great company.

[corry]

I have a G10 and love this guitar. Its sounds is warm and I affraid to say that it might sounds better than many martin guitars.

I am thinking of selling my G10 because I just want to down size. If you are interested in this guitar please email me at mrrkhoi at gmail or call/text me at 858/451/4450.