Members lab928 Posted December 8, 2003 Members Share Posted December 8, 2003 I have been reading this forum for a while and I keep reading great things about Art & Lutherie being a great low-end guitar. I looking for an inexpensive parlor and was interested in the A&L Ami. Does anyone have any experience with this guitar? Any other brands you would recommend? Also, I don't have an A&L dealer anywhere close to me - does anyone know of a good dealer that also sells online? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Preacher Will Posted December 8, 2003 Members Share Posted December 8, 2003 Originally posted by lab928 I have been reading this forum for a while and I keep reading great things about Art & Lutherie being a great low-end guitar. I looking for an inexpensive parlor and was interested in the A&L Ami. Does anyone have any experience with this guitar? Any other brands you would recommend? Also, I don't have an A&L dealer anywhere close to me - does anyone know of a good dealer that also sells online? Thanks. I'm not familiar with the Ami, but I do own an A&L Cedar. Very nice guitar for the money. Good tone, warm and mellow, and it plays as nicely as my Taylor (took some tweaking but I got it there). The top, as with all cedars, is quite soft and easily scratched. Mine looks nasty after a couple of years of heavy abuse. But I still play it just about every day. It doesn't have the dead-on tonal accuracy of a higher end guitar, but then, what sub-$300 guitar does? Still, I think they are an excellent choice and good value. The Preacher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted December 9, 2003 Members Share Posted December 9, 2003 I've played some A&L's, but not the Ami guitars...yet. The last one I played was the Folk model. It's made of all laminates...but DAMN it sounded good. I already have the solid-topped Seagull version, but the A&L was so good that I almost bought it! They're that good. You can also check out the Seagull Grande. It's a bit bigger than the Ami, but still a parlor guitar. I don't think Seagull sells anything online. They used to, but I haven't been able to find anything since, really. I'm sure they're out there. You'll just have to scour google a little bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grotto Posted December 12, 2003 Members Share Posted December 12, 2003 Like the others I have a cedar, but I love it, and I also love that I did not have to spend $600-$750 which is what I would have to spend to get something of equivalent sound. They are not the best, but the sound is really nice, and it is a great deal. I got mine for 190 at Steves in Toronto. I play mostly electric, but this guitar makes me want to play lots of acoustic, and it has made me a happy player.Grotto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PapaTom Posted December 12, 2003 Members Share Posted December 12, 2003 Can't beat the A & L solid cedar top guitars for the price. Just as a side note, the laminate A & L's are the best laminate guitars that I've played. Thought seriously about getting one for those days when the humidity is around 20% in my place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dean Posted December 12, 2003 Members Share Posted December 12, 2003 You should also give Norman a try. The Godin company makes A&L's, Normans, Seagulls, etc. Norman has a fantatic laminate top guitar, B15, for about 280 CAN or 210 US !!! This guitar is solid. I think you can get the B15 with a sunburst finish too. The next step up is a B20, with a solid spruce top for about 330 CAN (~250US). I'm pretty sure the Norman's are of a "higher end" than A&L's, and so on for the Seagull's relative to the Normans. I just sold my Norman B20 'cuz I bought a Martin - I wish I kept it because it's a perfect "2nd" guitar. With Normans you won't be disappointed. YOu can also get a B20 with a gloss top and cut-away if you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PapaTom Posted December 12, 2003 Members Share Posted December 12, 2003 I've heard great things about Normans. Hard to find though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spijk Posted December 12, 2003 Members Share Posted December 12, 2003 When I walked into the American Guitar Shop Berlin, I thought someone from the 30s must have forgotten his old guitar there. This real cheap Ami provides a great blues fingerpicking sound. Highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted December 13, 2003 Members Share Posted December 13, 2003 Originally posted by PapaTom as a side note, the laminate A & L's are the best laminate guitars that I've played. Thought seriously about getting one for those days when the humidity is around 20% in my place. Yup. It's pretty amazing that they can make a laminate-top guitar sound as good as they do. If I were a touring musician who was playing in places with wild temperature/humidity changes, I'd get an A&L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bigmo66 Posted December 13, 2003 Members Share Posted December 13, 2003 I have no experience with a A&L parlor, but if it sounds anything like a Seagull parlor, I'd look elsewhere. I played 2 and they sounded like shoeboxes. Dead as a doornail and a tiny sound as well. NOTHING like a Larrivee parlor. I have however played several full size Seagulls and 1 A&L that sounded fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members contact Posted December 13, 2003 Members Share Posted December 13, 2003 The Ami is an amazing little guitar - great for finger picking, lead riffs (or efforts at such in my case), and especially blues picked or fingered. Sounds like a guitar from the 30s -only a REAL good one! Great volume. Also strums sweetly when strummed lightly. Neck plays great (nut width on mine is 1.75 - I have heard that some are narrower). 12 fret. Open rack tuners (didnt like these at first but they have worked just fine). From the factory the action was WAY high but I have set it up and it plays nice now. I may try a bone saddle and nut in it soon. I have even considered getting one to experiment with shaving braces lightly to go for a little more bass. The soundhole would have to be enlarged for my hands but that is supposed to enhance the treble and give more volume. A little more volume and my late night sessions on the couch with it could wake the neighbors. I dont want to mess with this sweet little black one yet though until I have experimented with another one first. I have never had a guitar that was so much fun to play. I frequently sit down with this guitar and before I know it have played 2 or 3 hours without even realizing it. SOME fun! Perfect size for playing anywhere. I have the black model and with its brown accents I think it is a great looking little guitar.These are sometimes advertised as "kids" guitars. This would make a good guitar for a kid learning as a serious student, but make no mistake this is a seriously good guitar for anyone. I have another Larrivee on its way to me and am considering selling the Ami (to please the Director of Finances in my house) but every time I think I might I pick it up and realize that would be a very dificult thing to do. Besides it will be easy to hide from the Director... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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