Norman B20 CW

Canadian electro acoustic guitar preamp and Fishman Cutaway

UTILIZATION

Very enjoyable to play. It has a very warm, ideal for rhythmic folk rock.
I use it mostly plugged. Our sound engineer spends very little time on it in balance. Settings or nearly straight and it sounds!

SOUNDS

I use the songs and festive songs rather primarily for the rhythm. Nothing to say, it's super efficient. I have no amp on stage. It passse by a DI. amateur solo and crystal clear sound go your way.

OVERALL OPINION

I have 4 years. I love this guitar. I see very little Norman store, too bad. For the rhythmic value, is the top. I got it for under 800 euros at the time. I tried the Takamine in the same price, nothing to see.
I do it again the same purchase with their eyes closed!

Canadian guitar, hand made in Quebec.
22 Frets, Fishman Classic 4T preamp (3-band EQ & volume + brightness) with built-in tuner, cutaway.
The handle is rather flat. Nothing to see, for example, with the sleeves "triangular" Martin & Co or the sleeves Gibson. It is closer to a handle Jackson ... Clean finish, good looks and if indeed you like guitars "natural wood", not varnished.

UTILIZATION

The neck is super nice, polished bare wood, it slides very well. The access is facilitated by the sharp cutaway, but hey, it's still a folk, eh ... The guitar is very well balanced, does not move, and play it really is a pleasure (I tested a 12-string Takamine 523SC12 which, for example, prided himself squarely in the nose, it was boring and tiring). Following is a Dreadnought, so if you prefer the Jumbo, well ergonomics is bound to be modified ...
I have used pluggée that store, do not yet have in my amp (I bought it for accompaniment to the song at first), and it sounded fabulous. In pure acoustic, it sounds awfully good. It is warm, accurate and "full", with still highly crystalline treble (although the type of rope play a lot of the sounds here).

SOUNDS

I bought it to accompany me on my many evenings singing "like, playing us a little something" that end in cattle improvised ... The huge advantage that I find this scraper is its ability to swing round very serious, full and warm, clear and sharp, crystal and metal I like. The sound is very precise, without being cold, and has a magnitude completely bluffing (especially for a guitar of this price). Ultimately, this scraper is very versatile and does the job every time. Whether on pieces bluesy or country or folk rhythm fast, she said this and never betray.

OVERALL OPINION

I tried for 12 strings (Takamine, Fender, Seagull, Ovation ...), and a lot of 6 strings (Cort, Martin, Takamine, Ovation, Epiphone ...), finally to fall in love this Norman. I hesitated a lot, especially with a DX1E Martin, who also had a hyper bass sound, very beautiful, very full. But Martin was € 200 more, no cutaway, no tuner, and Norman sounded really as good (with more treble can be. The difference between the Canadian and the U.S. probably ...). I did not have long to me, but I did a lot of stores to fall back each time on this guitar. I love the sound, the handle, the disconcerting ease of play, and how it filled the room's acoustics even (this is not a 12-string, but it's not far). If I had to find a fault (and again), it might be the wood to very marked veins resulting in a rather unusual look (I would have preferred more of the woods "smooth"). But hey, it's really history of split hairs, eh ...

Finally, a very good note, then, because I find this guitar really impressive, for a great price / quality ratio. For less than € 700, you have a beautiful skyscraper, which sounds to death with a cutaway, a preamp Fishman, a tuner and a great game comfort: what more?

Not enough experience to know if I would do without hesitation that choice, but if, like most folk guitars quality, the sound grows over time, I think it will be a big yes!