Seagull M6 Gloss - Mahogany & Spruce Acoustic

2000 Model. Hand Made in Canada. 14 Frets. This is a solid spruce top with mahogany back, sides and neck. Finish is gloss.

For the price the sound is excellent. It does'nt sound as good as the infamous Martin D-28 but it definitely holds it own. The volume is about average. It has a bright sound that is very full. I love the sound of this guitar. Some of the higher frets buzz a little if you bang on it but it can be corrected with a setup. It really sounds like a 1000.00 guitar. Honestly. It has a tight, very solid sound, not tinny or shallow like most of the guitars in this price range. It really speaks to me.

The factory set up was very good. Seagull usually sets up their guitars very low but that is how I like them. Action is good however there is a slight buzz on some of the strings. Construction is excellent. Seagull has very high standards on their guitars and it definitely shows. I cannot find any flaws with the construction or finish and believe me I have looked carefully. I admire the beauty of the guitar. It is very simple but the simplicity is what makes it shine. Top quality woods. They are bookmatched to a T. Seagull has it to a science. Completely satified with the construction.

Everything seems to be built with quality. But, really only time will tell if it is going to go the distance.I really don't forsee any problems with the reliability.

I have been playing for about 7 years. This is the only acoustic I own. If it was stolen I would definitely buy another.For the price,sound, construction, and looks, it can't be beat. If you look at any guitar at this price range you will not find anything that sounds better or is built with more quality. You have to remember that Seagulls are handmade in Canada, not made in Korea, China, Mexico, or Taiwan.

My Seagull M6 Gloss acoustic is a Year 2000 model made in La Patrie, Quebec, Canada, by the same folks who make Simon & Patrick, Norman, Art & Lutherie and La Patrie acoustic guitars and Godin electric guitars. It is Dreadnought size, with a slightly slimmer upper bout. It has 14 frets above the body and 21 frets total. The frets are a medium width nickel silver. The top is bookmatched solid spruce, with an ultra thin high gloss finish of eight coats of lacquer. The M6 is also available for $50 less with a satin lacquer finish. I did not get the LR Baggs electronics which are available for all Seagull models. The sides and back are made of a special laminate with two layers of solid Mahogany around a single layer of solid Cherry. The neck is Mahogany, and the fingerboard and bridge are Rosewood. The nut is 1.8 inches (1 13/16 inces) wide. The scale is 24.84 inches. The tuners are a high ratio (15:1) sealed design with the Seagull emblem and small, contoured "butterbean" style chrome buttons. The saddle is Micarta, a synthetic material, shaped to provide precise tuning compensation for each string. The top, body and peghead have a high gloss lacquer finish and the neck has a satin semi-gloss finish. My M6 came in Seagull's custom fitted wooden case.

One of the greatest influences in acoustic guitars is the Martin D-18 Mahogany sound. Many players prefer Mahogany's sweet, clear voice to the warmer, darker voice of Rosewood. The Seagull M6 Gloss is clearly patterned on the D-18. The upper bout is slightly slimmer, which reduces the tendency toward boomy bass. A layer of Cherry has been added to the Mahogany body to slightly brighten the treble. The result is a guitar that sounds good played softly with fingerpicking, or louder under medium flatpicking. The Bass is deep and solid, without boominess. The treble is clear and bright, without the tin like "twang" of a Gibson. Each string can be clearly heard. The M6 has excellent sustain and full, woody resonance. Chords have layers of harmonics, complexity and shimmer. The M6 is the rare dreadnought that has enough balance and clarity on individual notes to play melody, or fingerpick, yet still produces full, rich chords when flatpicking. It blends the best characteristics of a Dreadnought and a 000-size acoustic. Its overall personality is somewhere between the sometimes overly warm Martin sound and the sometimes overly bright Taylor sound. The sound of the M6 Gloss is ideal for the person who wants to play both melody and chords, fingerstyle and with picks, and wants to do it ALL with just ONE guitar. Today, I compared the M6 with two smaller and cheaper Seagulls that I have. There was a strong family resemblance in their sound. The "Seagull" sound causes each string to be clearly heard, provides a sweetness of tone, and a "musical", "singing" voice. The Seagull "singing" quality is something I have not heard in any other brand of guitar selling for under $500. The 1.8 inch wide nut is slightly wider than most Martins, which aids fingerpicking. The 24.84 inch scale makes chording a bit easier. Martin uses the 1.8 inch nut and 24.84 scale on the $3,000 Eric Clapton 000-28EC model. The Seagull M6 is a "ten" not just in its price range, it is a "ten" compared to a Martin or a Taylor. Its "playability" and sound can hold its own even when compared with a fine guitar, such as the 000-size Eric Clapton Martin.

I installed 12-53 Phosphor Bronze strings as Seagull suggests, and the action was perfect. The neck was set up to be very flat, with low action; exactly right for fingerpicking and medium flatpicking. The top and body have Seagull's ultra thin, eight coat high gloss lacquer finish which provides a clear view of the grain of the Spruce top, which includes both lateral silking and some "butterfly" wing patterns. These variations might upset some folks; I think they show off the unique character of the wood. The frets were perfectly polished, and the entire guitar shows the highest level of workmanship. My other three Seagulls are much plainer looking, a style that I like. The high gloss finish of the M6 Gloss makes it look much more expensive than it is, and this polished look should appeal to people who play in public. The neck has a duller, satin finish, which is noticeable to the player, but not to an audience. It has an attractive Rosette and dark tortise color pickguard. Our friends in Canada should be very proud of the excellent guitars being made in La Patrie, Quebec.

It is as sturdy as a light weight solid top acoustic guitar can be. The strap button is firmly attached. The high gloss finish provides some protection for the wood. The very well made plywood case gives it good protection for travel by car. All solid top acoustic guitars are somewhat fragile. This guitar will outlast me if I remember to provide the care that every fine acoustic instrument deserves.

LaSiDo provides an informative website at www.seagullguitars.com and answers e-mail within two or three business days. Their customer service rep offered me some very good advice regarding another Seagull that I have. When I needed a new saddle for a Seagull, they mailed me one at no charge. My new Seagull has a two year factory warranty. Seagull has a reputation for being very supportive and helpful, even for customers whose guitar is not covered by warranty.

I have recently begun playing guitar again after a thirty year break. I am learning songs from my misspent youth, (Dylan, Beatles, etc.) so I am mostly strumming basic chords at the top five frets. I have learned that a good guitar both sounds better and plays more easily than a not so good guitar. A nice sounding guitar encourages me to play more, even when I get frustrated with my clumsy fingers. I have a small Seagull Ami Parlor guitar, with a Robert Johnson bluesy sound, a Seagull Parlor with Nylon strings for a classical sound, a Seagull Folk, which has exceptional balance, and now the M6 Gloss, which is best suited for flat picking and chords, although it sounds good in any style of playing. I was looking at Martins in the $800 to $2,000 range. The M6 plays as easily as the Martins, and sounds as good or better than most of the Martins I played. The fact that the M6 sells for $315 to $400 at elderly.com and pbmusic.com makes it a "best buy" compared with a Martin D-16GT at $800. If you like the sound of spruce and mahogany guitars, you need to try the M6 from Seagull.