Garrison Guitars G30-CE

I have had my G-30 CE for a year. It has gold tuners, an inlay (wood)rosette and satin finish with the tortoise shell pick guard. My guitar came with a case, 5 year transferable warranty, owners user manual, truss rod key and the dealer threw in two Garrison electronic tuners. The guitar was perfectly set up when it arrived at the dealer in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (I had ordered mine and saw it come out of the delivery box). The neck was set up with zero relief and was absolutely/perfectly flat and straight. The instrument played beautifully with no buzz. The guitar has a Fishman Classic 4 pickup with volume, brilliance and three band equalizer. It also has Buzz Feiten tuning system. Slightly larger than normal frets. All solid wood all around. Sitka Spruce top, birch sides and back, mahogony neck, rosewood fingerboard, tusc nut, tail piece jack/strap pin. Made in June 2005. Comes with coated, light gauge D'darrio strings.

Very bright throughout and even. The pick up is very nice and sounds great through my Fender Acoustasonic Pro. The Buzz Feiten tuning system is very noticeable and with the exceptional craftsmanship - an E note is an E note wherever you play it on the neck. I will never purchase a guitar without the Buzz Feiten System - it is that noticeable!! With the pick up - and my amp you can get just about any tone you like. Adding a little bass makes the guitar very full - some reverb adds a little air!!. Feed back is not my of a problem however the Fender Acoustasonic amp has two filters and I have used a sound hole cover for no other reason than just to try it. This guitar is a little sensative to poor ground set ups. It has picked up a little hum at certain venues. I usually use some room reverb for clean and either chorus (slow) or slight phaser/reverb for melodic picking. With the cut away it is possible to play to every fret except maybe the 5th and 6th string right at the very highest notes.

All laser cut and no, none, zero flaws. Beautiful top with very tight grains with a touch of golden/redish colour. Birch sides and back have very noticeable grain/swirls. Simply beautiful. The bracing adds a little weight but I use a wider shoulder strap.

I put a front strap button on myself with good instructions from Garrison. The guitar is stable and strong. Is very stable through temperature changes with small changes in tuning noticeable when the humidity changes. I don't take any chances living in Winnipeg (summer/winter plus 35 to minus 35 celsius - (plus 90s to minus 30 F)I use a humidifier in the winter and keep the guitar between 45% and 65% - thats the best I can do in these extremes. Alot of guitars crack up here! The neck is very thin - almost feels like an electric and as such the truss rod is sensitive. I make about a 16th of a turn adjustmant between winter snd summer to keep the neck at "almost" zero relief. I use a backup guitar only because I have one

I ordered my guitar during a period when Garrison was moving their warehouse and it took about two months for delivery - in Canada. It was a bit of a wait but it was worth it. My next guitar will be a Garrison!!!! I had asked Garrison some technical questions before I purchased and they were fast and accurate with their info. They also told me where to get additional information from Fishman. They also replaced the pickup on spec when I first noticed some ground hum at a venue where the electrical setup was not grounded well. The guitar was in the shop overnight. The problem was not in the pickup but with the venue. Quest Musique in Winnipeg and Andre were very, very helpful and professional.

I had alot of time on my hands and looked at 11 or 12 stores and tried about 100 different guitars. (Takamine and Tacoma were nice as well as Laravee). I paid just over $ 1000 CDN. That was my limit and this is probably the nicest, well sounding guitar at that price. It is a very nice guitar to play and sounds more like a $1800-$2000 guitar. The craftsmanship is PERFECT!! I have six other guitars and this is my favorite and I would cry if I lost this one. I've been playing for 36 years.

Standard G30-CE built sometime in 2003. Has the sexiest burl in the wood near the tail of the guitar on the back. Also came with Abalone dots (not standard according to the website). Has Fisman electrics which rock! Everything else is pretty standard good quality hardware. I was attracted to the "high tech" composite frame of this guitar and so far have been very impressed with it's resonance and responsiveness. Only complaint is that it did not come with a front strap button.

I play a wide variety od music from 80's rock to church stuff. I find the 4 band eq coupled with the inherant resonance of the guitar makes it a joy to play in all settings.

Absolutely no complaints. I am mainly an electric player so the neck is a perfect fit for me being similar in dimensions to me telecaster.

Only had the guitar for 3 months. Very happy so far.

Never had to deal with them. Their website is pretty informative though.

I have been playing for 15 years. The only other acoustics I have owned where an old Maton Classical (I wish I still owned it) and an Ovation 12 string (don't even think about owning one). Do yourself a favour, buy a Garrison!!!

Made in Canada, should be somewhere in 2003, considering I have own it for a few days before this post. Comes with Fishman Classic 4 EQ. Never tried Taylor and Martins before, hence I cannot comment on how it compares to them at the same price range. But I believe that G30 would probably thrash them, considered at this price range, neither rival companies offer solid wood for back, just laminate.

Good combination of Stika Spruce front and Birch back. Really very playable neck. Tried some high end Corts, they simply cannot project the sound. Good tuners, stay in tune well. Also comes with a nice hard case. Best value at this price range.

I am an intermediate player, mostly play Christian music and alternative rock. The sound is very rich and full and the guitar vibrates as a whole unit, producing a very balance sound. Pretty bright to me, maybe it is the D'Addario EXP strings, I prefer Elixir though.

Immaculate finishing. Beautiful wood, nicely bookmatched. Garrison really took great effort in the workmanship. I'm not very much into inlays that sort of stuff, I prefer a neat simple guitar that plays well. Action was too high for me though, I'm going to get them real low, as its very hard to do any bar chords now. A good peep inside the soundhole revealed neat wiring of the pickup/electronics.

9, if I'm picky, but it deserves a 10. Really.

This guitar will withstand live/gigging. The hardware should last. Finishing wise, I cannot be sure it will last as I'm only 18. I'll post it 20 years later? If you take care and baby it, it will take care of you.

No straps buttons, I'm installing one as I don't like tying a strap to the headstock, too cumbersome in my opinion.

I can depend on it for events etc.. It is a well-built guitar with fibreglass bracings and kerfings after all. Using without a backup? Well, I'm saving up for a G20/30 12-CE as a backup as I believe its better to have a backup, you never know what will happen.

9, lack of strap buttons.

Have not deal with Garrison yet. Heard that it is a great company. The shop I purchased offers great service and pricing.. =)

5 years transferable warranty.

Been playing electric guitar for around 1 year plus, acoustic 3 years and 1 year of classical guitar. If it was lost, I'll mourn for it and be darn upset for sometime to come. Then I'll save up for a G50-CE. But I like it alot really. Amazing guitar.

Compared it to Corts (high ends), Seagulls, Taylors and Ibanez. It sounds better than all to me, and comes with a nice hard case. That settled it.

Made in Canada, around 2002. It's got a solid Sitka Spruce top with Birch neck, sides and back. Fishman electronics built in. High Gloss, cutaway. Comes with a very good Garrison hardshell case.

The best sounding guitar in the store to my ears. Chords can ring out loud or sweep gently. A great assortment of available lead tones, bright clean acoustic, to scrunchy blues.

I like the no frills look alot. They have a very pretty laid in rossette now, but I've got an earlier model with the laser engraved rossette, which I like better for its simplicity. The action is very good, a little high compared to the electrics I've gotten used to, but it seems appropritate to let the strings ring out and get played hard if need be. I've not seen any finish flaws at all.

It feels heavier than other acoustics I've tried. Seems solid. I've not used it on gigs yet, just playing around the house, but I have a sense it will be fine.

I bought this from E. M. Shorts in Kansas. Had it shipped to my home. Good people there, no problems with the order.

I've been playin guitar since the Beatles. Grew up learning on a big acoustic, then spent the middle years on electrics. I don't think I could find a better guitar for the money.

Interesting choice of tonewoods, with great marriage of Birch and Spruce. Great sound plugged or unplugged, and wonderfully sensitive to the touch. Good neck, but factory set up was a little less than desired. Once locally set up, even more of this guitars potential was realised.

Good feel and balance. Good fit and finish throughout. Electronics took some getting used to when compared to my Australian Maton AP-5, but once sorted for our sound rig, no problems.

Guitar has good playability, and records well for comtemporary acoustic rock.

Perfect fit for my style. Compements 12 string / bass in our trio perfectly. Great cutthrough (when needed), but sensitive when played as lead instrument.

Richness in sound...definitely good quality "sprucey" in nature (I really like spruce sound). I liked to interaction of birch and spruce, and as I mentioned above, is a good balance for the spruce / Queensland Maple in my Mation 12.

Buzz F. tuning sysem lives up to its name. Great balance across G / D, and playable without worry as far up the neck as I'm likey to wander.

Set up ex factory was iffy. Local luthier came to rescue here. Local agent made right noises but never contacted me after enquiry. In the end local dealer got things sorted out.

I persevered because I thought that this particular guitar was special. I still do.

Great live. Holds tune well, aith machines giving good feel. Strap button on body only (had my dealer fit one at heeh of neck). I feel that this could be a standard fit, as 1. I don't like strapping to the top of the neck, and 2. the Garrison headstock is unique and will not take a comfortable tie off (personal opinion only).

Time will tell, but I believe that this guitar will go the distance.

Warranty is 5 years (tranferrable). The company seems to be customer focused (but their web site has been static for a while). Local agents made right noises but didn't return calls, but support from my dealer as always was brilliant.

I've been playing for 30 years. I've just turned 50, have a day job and play Friday nights with a couple of similar minded (and aged) friends. I have a Maton EM425.12 string (great guitar)and a Senator Bass.

I was looking for a good complimentary 6 string for our "sound" and the G30 was it. Unlike any other guitar purcase in my life, this one took no time at all...I played it and said "this is the one".

The G30-CE is an all solid wood (spruce top, Canadian birch back and sides with a mahogany neck / rosewood fret board) guitar. It was made this Fall in St. John's Newfoundland, Canada and comes with a hardshell case. It's a dreadnaught with a cutaway for better access to the higher frets, and has a Fishman piezo pickup with built in "Classic 4" preamp with controls for: volume, treble, bass and mid EQ and brilliance. Like all Garrison guitars, it features a glass fiber neck block and integrated bracing system. This makes it lighter and stronger, more stable than the usual wood bracing. The neck (mahogany is new this Fall) is bolted on, easy to ply and a comfortable shape for my hand, more Taylor than Martin and similat to Seagull but not as narrow. It features the buzz feiten tunning system (improves tunning up the whole length of the neck) and has TUSQ nut and saddle. The finish is satin and the recommended string gauge is 12 to 53 (light acoustics).

Both plugged and unplugged, this guitar sounds great. Full rich tones but with a crisp definition. I plan to use it to play in DADGAD and it sounds particularly fine. Some dreadnaughts lose their definition and get muddy in DADGAD, but I find the combo of the birch body and the spruce top keep the tone from clogging up. I finger pick and strum and play leads with a pick. This guitar handles it all!

The guitar arrived from the retailler set up and ready to play. I special ordered it so I knew what I was getting, I'd played some other models before buying. It was in tune and ready to play right out of the case. It was set up very nicely, no difficulty to play right away. The wood looks very good, nicely bookmatched. This new model now has a nice rosewood veneer on the headstock and a vastly nicer looking inlay arround the sound hole. Older ones had some sort of laser burned design that didn't have the look of the new inlay. The only thing I don't like all that much is the finish. It's a flat, satin one and it shows some rub marks where it was applied. However, given the price point and the fact that this will be a working guitar, it's a minor point. Everything else is perfect, especially amazing considering the very good price. You can pay more to get a lot less.

Just guessing here, haven't owned it long enough to know. It all seems rugged enough to last. Everything is good and solid and looks and feels dependable. I'd use it on a gig without a backup.

Garrison Guitars have a 5 year transferable warranty, another good selling point. They seemed easy to talk to when I was doing my research. The local retailler Saltwater Sounds, Paul McGraw)was very helpful and, as a guitar player himself, was pleased with the company and really excited to be carrying their product. He was very helpfull.

I've been playing for 35 years and I own both acoustic and electric guitars, amps, etc. I have a Godin LGX electric and a hand made Marc Beneteau OM size acoustic, plus two other factory made acoustics. This guitar is among the best I've played. I was looking at Yamahas, Takamines and Seagull guitars but chose this one. It's Canadian made, has tons of great features and has an amazing price point for all you get. I only wish it had a second strap buton at the neck hee, but what acoustic ever does? It blows its competion out of the water. I love the whole package and I'd buy it again, in a flash, if it were ever stolen.