Goodall KGC Koa Grand Concert

This is a review for a 1989 (yes, 1989!) KGC Koa Grand Concert made for me personally by James Goodall when he made guitars by himseld when he lived in northern California. It has a solid bookmatched sitka spruce top that has aged to a lovely light honey color and has beautiful silking throughout. the back (bookmatched) and sides are curly Koa of the finest quality and the headstock overlay is also Koa. The binding is rosewood and the neck is mohogany with and ebony fingerboard. It has an LR baggs pickup intalled as the saddle and I use an LR baggs external preamp. The finish is a high gloss and after almost 13 years this guitar is still the most beautiful and best sounding guitar I have every payed. I have played the newer Goodall guitars and they aree fine instrumenst indeed, but mine shinmes a bit above them. why? well, first of all it's mine (eat your heart out) and it was for me by James personally. It has his touch all over it (not that his nerwer ones don't but this is and exceptional guitar). Also, it has aged very gracefully and though it has a few nice dings on it it looks as sweet as the day I bought it. The tuners are gold plated Gotoh's and the plating is rubbing on them naturally. The neck is perfect for fingerstyle - a little wider than Taylor's necks and I like that. The frets are nice and big and I've had mine dressed only once (someone messed it up but I managed to fit them myself). the hardshell cas has also aged well and althouh has a lot of wear on the outside is fully functional. Remember this is a 13 year old guitar!

The sound is all you've heard it to be - perfect like from heaven. It is a finger picker's dream, not a hacker's hayday. You don't need to play this guitar loud - it has plenty of volume unplugged. Perfect tone up and down the neck, good intonation althought I've had to fiddle with the LR Baggs saddle pickup becasue it is softer than bone.

When I got this guitar from James he had set it up himself. Need I say more? No flaws whatsoever. The only thing that needed attention was at the nut - the b string was slightly piched (I have always used D'Addario J-16's at James' original instructions)and I widened the slot just a hair (I am a tinkerer).

Well after 13 years it is as solid as ever. My kids got into it a few times and put the few dings in it but it is none the wors for wear. i keep it locked up at home - it doesn't go out of the hoiuse much only becasue I would die if anything serious happened to it. I have it insured for over $5,000.00. It is a very solid and dependable guitar.

I am a personal friend of James and Jean. They are fine people and outstanding Christian examples. They have always helped me find help with the guitar. I used to live in the high desert and the low humidity caysed my fingerborad to crack, they hooked me up with a superb repair peron in Slat lake City - Intermountain Guitar and banjo - highly recommeded! I would send it to Jmeas in a heartbeat if i needed anything serious done that I could not handle. No one esle will ever touch my guitar again!

I have been playing over 35 years and know this to be the finest instrument I have ever owned. I also have two Martin D-1's (one I made myself), two Carvin electrics (AE185 and a Bolt made from a kit), Ywo yamaha electric guitars an SA 100 and SG 1500(Japan made). But the Goodall is my favorite. If anything happened to it, I would call James and pay him whatevery he asked to make another one personally for me then go to Hawaii to pick it up in person. That's why it is insured. State Farm Insurance has a great musical instrument policy for non-professional players. You can contact me if you like at acalfire@outrageous.net if you have any questions or comments aboiut my review. Submitted by Al Calderone, Winters, CA on December 2, 2002.

This is James Goodalls grand Concert with a new,slightly more rounded body style which started late in 1999.These guitars are built in a climate controlled facility in Hawaii. Some of The other changes are slightly more purfing on the sides,the end of the fingerboard is slightly changed and the bridge and the headstock are also slightly changed.The scale length is 25 1/2in. and the neck is 1 3/4in. at the nut and 2 1/4in. at the bridge.
In my opinion an already great design with great sound has an upgrade in asthetics, all very slight but beautifully and tastefully done.
The Guitar is a 15in. lower bout,Indian Rosewood body with Englemann Spruce soundboard,Abalone rosette and a Mahagony neck with Ebony bridge,fingerboard and peghead overlay. Jame uses no plastics in his guitars and all purfing on the body is tastfully done in wood.
The neck joins the body at the fourtenth fret and has 20 frets total.
The tuners are small schallers with small ebony buttons.
The asthetics are flawless.

The sound that comes out of this Grand Concert is nothing short of amazing, its hard to believe that this is a new guitar.Either fingerpicking or occasional flatpicking the sound is wonderful. The sound is clear and sweet with stunning harmonics and overtones yet when called upon delivers a power unbelievable for a guitar this size. In one word Heavenly!

The set up is great, the neck width (1 3/4in.) is perfect for me. The setup at the bridge with the saddle is great with lots of room for adjustment and the way the string ramps are finished of is only found in custom instruments. The frets are the small frets that i like so much and the intonation is perfect.

The store that I bought this guitar from shipped me a 6 year old grand concert by mistake and while I was waiting for the right guitar to come I had a chance to see the differences and evaluate it. After 6 years there was none of the body movement normally found in the Martins and Martin copies. the neck was still perfectly straight and the saddle had plenty of room for adjustment. These guitars are built for the long term enjoyment of the owner,solidly and without flaw. There is no need to eliminate wood to produce sound as this guitar proves.

I called James and Jean Goodall and spoke with them about ordering a custom guitar and they were very helpful. As far as repair I have no idea and I do not think I ever will have to.I am sure that James stands behind all his instruments.

I have been a Martin,Larivee and Lowden dealer and have owned abot 60 new and used acoustic guitars of all kinds.I was amember of ASIA
( the association of stringed instrument artisans)and built 5 flattop and one archtop guitar.I have played guitar for about 25 years but by no means am I a great guitarist. I do love to play when I can and appreciate a guitar that begs you to play it.Having been as close as I have to the guitar building community makes me appreciate fine craftmanship,beautiful wood and lovely small details as well as complex and beautiful sound. This guitar has it all!

Made May 2000. I just received delivery of it. This was a custom order: solid quilted mahagony sides and back Master Grade AAAA; Solid Engleman Master grade AAAA top; Ebony tuner keys. Other features: maple binding, fretboardn and headstock trim, solid black ebony fingerboard, abalone rosette and Goodall logo in headstock; 1 3/4" neck. Gloss finish except back of neck, which is satin finish. Also, bone saddle and nut. The Grand Concert is between a Martin 0000 and 000 size, but with James Goodall special shape and bracing. 14 frets to the body. Very clean and precise looking guitar. Very comfortable to play.

I have owned Taylor's, Martin's and Collings. The Collings I owned was an awesome dreadnaught, so I can't really compare the Goodall to it. But, there is no comparison to taylor's and Martin's. Taylor's are coll looking, but don't even come close to the sound of this baby. Martin's are more bassy, with less mid range. This guitar is absolutely got it all, great balance between highs and lows, but the mid range is just totally awesome. On the bass side, it reminds me of a Martin, but not as muddy - very clear, powerful and precise. Considering the size of this instrument, I was expecting a smaller, more "woodie" sound, but this guitat has it all. It can be delicately played and ooze class. But, if you want it loud and boomy, it is frightening how loud this guitar can be. It is loud enough to be used as a Bluegrass flat pickers axe, but it really leands itself more to a fingerpicker's delight.

It came from the factory was a standard set up. The action is great, but I prefer it a little lower, which won't be hard to do by shaving the bridge down. It has a neck more silar to a tayor than a Martin, very easy to use in barre chords, as well as for picking.

It was made in Hawaii. I live in the Midwest, so care will be taken to humidify it. I have seen Goodall's that are over 5 years old and they seem to hold up well. Today's guitars (high end) should all hold up if proper care by the owner is used. I would use in a gig without a backup. Time will tell how it holds up.

I personally spoke to the owners before and during the guitar making process. They asked me allot of questions about the style of playing, what I wanted in sound, sustain, harmonic's etc. After several discussions they made a recommendation to me concerning the style and wood to be used. This guitar was not mass produced, it was truly custom made and was made to fit my needs. If you called Martin or taylor or Gibson, you are told to select from the catologue, or go to the Custom Shoppe, but there you are limited to their limitations.

I have been playing for over 30 years. I have owned over 15 high end acoustics, and this is truly the best finger pickering guitar I have ever played. I am left handed and it is very hard to come by really great sounding axes. This one is an exception, but what I have been told and seen, it is not an exception for Goodall to produce excetional guitars, time and time again. James Goodall truly has a love affair in making exceptional instruments, a true artisian. If stolen or lost, I would not think twice about ordering another one.

1996 James Goodall Koa Grand Concert. Hand made on the Big Island in Hawaii. Flamed Koa back and sides, Engelmann spruce top, Mahogany neck, curly Maple binding, heel cover and back stripe, Ebony fretboard and bridge,headstock overlay,tuner buttons, bridge pins (with Abalone inserts)and truss rod cover. Abalone rosette. Bone nut and saddle, clear pickguard.(Which, if plastic, is the only plastic thing on the whole instrument...)Schaller tuning machines, 1 3/4" at nut, 20 frets,25.4" scale. No electronics. No cutaway. Came with hardshell Harptone case.

This is by far the most stunning sounding instrument I have ever played, regardless of size. The bass is amazing for a small-bodied instrument, the mids and trebles are nothing short of astounding. But the most impressive thing about this guitar is the balance and projection. While I play primarily fingerstyle, this guitar will withstand some pretty serious flatpicking and definitely has the "oomph" to cut through and over some fairly heavy duty dreadnoughts... I have never had an instrument of this magnitude and I feel it will challenge me to continue to become a more accomplished player.

This instrument was purchased sight unseen, sound unheard, based on recommendation of a trusted friend. It is 2.5 years old, previously owned and in almost perfect shape. It has a few hairline finish cracks, which do not affect tone at all...The action, setup, construction quality is all absolutely above reproach. I have never seen such attention to detail as James Goodall lavishes on his instruments. Even the interior of this instrument is spotless. No glue overruns, sawdust, etc.

James takes extreme pride in "overbuilding" his instruments. He uses techniques which others have forgotten, such as Benade's hinge. He does not split, shave or scallop his braces, but instead uses full strength beams. This guitar is extremely solid. However, it is so beautiful, it would not definitely not be left out for friends to play ccasually nor taken out just anywhere.

As this instrument was previously owned, there was no "warranty". However, I have contacted James and Jean Goodall via email on numerous occasions, even prior to purchasing a Goodall guitar, and have always gotten timely, helpful responses. I have no doubt, that even without the original puchasers warranty, that they would honor their customer. A truly wonderful experience working with them.

I have been playing guitar off and on for the past 35 years. Mostly off for the last 20 or so, due to family and job commitments. However, I am back with a vengeance and currently have a Taylor 514ce, a Sigma DM-2 (my beater), a Baby Taylor (mahogany top) and a Fender American Standard Strat.
I have played most every instrument Taylor and Martin make, a number of Lowdens, Breedloves, Larrivees, etc. and while they all make marvelous instruments, the Goodall I now own just does it for me.