Garrison Guitars G50

year made was 2003 with solid sitka spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides. Top is gloss sides and back are satin. neck is solid mahogany. I'm not sure if the fingerboard and bridge are rosewood or ebony but have sent an email to company to find out. This is a G50 E with fishman electronics. Case is hardshell which fits excellent.

This guitar sounds real nice. it is full bodied with warm rich tones. I have been learning to finger pick over the last several months and this guitar sounds great with a light or heavy touch. I have fun just stumming it. fingerpicks sound good on it also. The sound of this guitar compares to if not better than the Taylors I've played.

This guitar has the Buzz Feiten tuning sytem which would cost anywhere from $139 to $250 US if installed in the after market. It simply allows one to be in tune anywhere in the neck. I bought mine used but I am pretty sure that this is the factory setup. The action is a little high for me but will have it lowered. I asked Garrison if lowering the action would effect the tuning system and they said no.

Never played it live. It feels and appears to be a well built instrument so other than humidity I don't forsee any problems. However, I wouldn't hesitate to take this with me on a trip or use it for a gig without a backup but it is always nice to have a plan B.

I have sent a couple of emails with questions to Garrison and received a warm, friendly response within a day or so. The warranty is as the other reviews.

I have been playing off and on for 40 years. I have played many kinds of guitars. Although, mostly electric. I have a Strat, a Samick Royale RL3, a National polychrome tricone and a Goldtone Paul Beard Signature resonator. If The G50 E were stolen I would be angry and hurt and would look to replace it. I chose this guitar because of the unique bracing system the outstanding value and all the positive reviews I read. also, the fishman electronics sound really good.

2003 Model G-50E

Dreadnaught design...Acoustic/Electric. Fishman Active Pickup. 3-way. Engleman front/top, Rosewood sides and back, Mohogany Neck, ebony fingerboard, Satin Finish, Gold Tuners. Glass composite bracing system. Buzz Feiten intonation. Well fit Hard Shell Case. Very nice looking guitar, but not much in the way of frilly inlay if that is your bag.

I don't know if an Acoustic Guitar could sound much better. This is what sold me on the Garrison guitar to begin with. I am a finger picker and this thing fits me like a glove. I had been researching higher end guitars, mostly Taylors, Gibsons, and Martins, trying out a variety of models when I stumbled into a shop and decided to pick up a Garrison, which I had never heard of. I picked up a C-50E and immediately the big full woody sound grabbed me. It has a rich and warm and sound throughout. Not what I would call bright, but lively and pure with great sustain which has improved since then. Intonation is perfect. I thought about buying it on the spot but with the $1500 price tag at that particular shop and my inability to haggle the shop owner under $1299, I decided to check ebay and see what I could find and was able to get this one for half the retail price.

An awful lot of bang for the buck as far as sound and playability go. Overall.. It simply beat out the much more expensive Gibson Emmylou Harris signature model and Taylor-510CE that I was torn between purchasing before testing the G-50 out.

Set up was a bit high, but not sure that is how it came from the factory since I bought it used. With a little lowering and one turn tightening the rod the action is now as smooth as silk. This guitar is just a joy to play. Being Garrison isn't well known you can get a slightly used one dirt CHEAP, which is like stealing! It has the craftmanship of any highend guitar that I have played on. It is a bit heavy due to the bracing system, but it makes it feel rock solid. Well bookmatched top. Properly routed Bridge. No finish flaws.

Finish was fine on this model. I will however note that I later bought a second Garrison, a used 2002 G-50CE (Cutaway) and that one had gloss finish, and it had some hairline cracks on the back, but it was a factory second that I bought for $500. This cutaway model doesn't sound quite as good as the dreadnought, setup was not very good... high and loose, but again, it is a cutaway and a factory second, and I am pretty sure that I just got what I paid for.

Well, I have had the G-50E for 11 months and have managed to put one very slight blemish on the front below the bridge but it didn't penetrate through the finish. Seems to take a minor bangs and bumps without a problem, but I haven't tried to hit anyone over the head with it yet so I am not quite 100% sure. :) Stays in tune. Only performed live with it twice. No problems whatsoever. I am however trying to figure out the best location for the front strap button. Came with one on the rear but you will have to have one installed on the front if you want one. Again, seems rock solid and I wouldn't have any problems gigging with it without a backup.

Haven't dealt with Customer service other than to register the guitars... but did recieve immediate feedback after doing so.

It really is a fantastic value. The guidelines here say to not overly praise and to be critical. Well, what can I say. Not much to criticize unless you like a lot of inlay and cool looking visual effects, which I don't care about. The only problem that I have is that my father (Steel Guitar HOF'er PeeWee Whitewing) and I are always wrestling over whose house the G-50E spends the night at, which is why I bought the G-50CE later. :) He's a heck of a finger picker and loves it. If something happens to this one, you can bet I will purchase another.

Mine is a slightly used 2004 lefty G50 dreadnought with no electronics. It is an all solid wood guitar, which was a real big factor in my book. Sitka top, East Indian Rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck, ebony fretboard, nice inlaid wood rosette, abalone fret inlays, Tusq bridge and nut. Gloss top, satin back and sides, black kerfing. Nice looking gold plated tuners, very smooth and they stay put. It is a gorgeous instrument. Smells good. Mine came with an excellent fitting factory hard shell case. Buzz Feiten intonation is a nice feature-can I really tell any difference?-and it stays in tune. As for the carbon fiber integrated active bracing system, being a structral engineer with experience with composites I felt that this was an excellent application of that technology which completely makes sense. It also makes for a very unique guitar that I'm not afraid to take anywhere. I like that. For this price point, there's nothing that comes close in features.

Features aside, sound and tone were the primary factors in my purchase. The Garrison simply sounds incredible. Very rich, very full, a truly unique balanced sound. Deep lows, clear mids, ringing highs. Fabulous tone. Sustains forever. Loses nothing when driven hard. The active bracing makes the whole body resonate, you can feel it when you play it, like nothing else out there. It's just pure goodness. I find myself strumming away for sheer pleasure. I played this against a Taylor 410, Martin DX and D18 and a Larravee D3. The Garrison blew them all away. I play blues and rock, and this guitar makes me sound better than I am.

Set up as received was high for my taste, had it lowered slightly and now it plays great. Finish is flawless and beautiful. A detailed look at the general fit revealed a very minor glue line on one side of the neck joint. During my set-up the luthier pointed out that around the first 4 frets the neck has a very slight dip on the high side while the low side is straight in the same location. He said this is no big deal, and without him showing me I couldn't easily see it. But I'll keep my eye on it to be sure. Overall I found the quality to be consistent with or superior to others in this price range.

To new to really tell yet, but the thing seems rock solid. I joke that it feels like a guitar that you can kill with. I plan to take it anywhere I want to play. I do wonder how the carbon fiber bracing will react over many years with the tone woods....from a technical standpoint there should be no problems, but time will tell if it complements or detracts from the sound.

Original owner ordered it in late April, received it in early June. I bought it in September. Five year transferrable warranty (for a used instrument!) helped make my decision. I emailed Garrison a few times with questions and got great responses within a day or two. Seemed helpful and freindly.

I am an intermediate hobbyist electric blues player (Strat) that has recently gotten more into acoustic playing. This was my first 'real' acoustic guitar, my previous being a decent entry level Fender San Miguel that did nothing for me. I did lots of research on acoustics, taked to alot of people, and played as many different solid top sub $1K guitars as I could find (not easy for a lefty). Never heard of Garrison before this. I tried Seagull, Tacoma, Larivee, Guild, Alverez, Martin and Taylor. This is the one for me. I love the incredible sound, and the uniqueness of the instrument. It's not made offshore, and the frugal man in me really likes the value. I wish that an OM or OOO body size were avaiable. My guitar buddies rib me about playing something without hand scalloped wood bracing, something not from the earth...however, why not save a tree? And without carbon, wouldn't the basis for life on earth be impossible?

No electronics, but I hear that the strap button on the butt of the guitar is easily removed for "future electronics" as the company puts it. Looking forward to trying this out with my Dean Markley. I think everyone else has covered everything there, I have to say I like the MOP dots on the fretboard and bridge pins, as well as the marquetry/inlay on the rossette. The TUSQ nut and bridge are also a nice feature, I'm new to this material, but it seems very strong. I'm a little disappointed in the lack of inlay on the headstock -- I'd assume that the flagship guitar for Garrison would have more inlay, but that's about all that is missing.

Like butter. The resonance goes on and on and on... you just have to play one to know. I shopped around before I bought this and I chose this, not only over the other Garrison guitars (it truly is the best of the series), but over a Martin, those beautiful Bluderidges, Seagull, Taylor, Ovation, and Yamaha. The sound of this guitar is mellow and smooth, not too bright, not too muffled. Good for picking and strumming.

No problems here. A few tiny inconsistencies in the rosette and on one bridge pin, but otherwise it's all good.

Not sure yet, everything seems super solid, but I'll have to get back on this one.

I haven't had to contact them yet, but I know they are available and ready to serve. The 5 year transferable warranty is aweseom (make sure you keep your receipt though). I saw Chris Griffiths (the designer of these) responding to posts about Garrisons on a message board, if that's not customer service, I don't know what is.

I'm nervous what my purist friends will say about the glass resin bracing, but other than that I'm thrilled with it. Can't beat the value. I got mine for $800 flat, out the door; but that was without a case.. I'll have to order one from the factory later when I can afford it.

No Laminates!!! An extremely important factor in my Garrison purchase. Solid Spruce top. Solid Rosewood sides/back. Mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard. The attention to detail, without the "in-your-face" show-offiness, lets you play it without worrying about the cosmetics being blemished. After a good second look, you realize how beautifully crafted this instrument is. The Fishman pickup is very quiet, even plugged directly into the house board.

Unplugged, the g50 takes you home (think Gibson J45), with a notable low-end rattle and a pristine high end ring, which combined WILL send shivers through both arms. The bracing invites more, the harder you strum. Plug it in and you can see how Fishman was the choice for Garrison's electronics. Extremely quiet, even through a Marshall half-stack. (I couldn't resist trying this). The Eq doesn't need much tinkering to get a true sound. Tons of headroom, with plenty of volume.

The set-up was exactly as I asked. Mine is set with fairly high action with D'addario Exp 12's, and I don't feel the need to change it at all. They will set up the action to your specifications without hassle. The top is bookmatched well enough that the imperfections in the grain are almost mirror imaged towards the outside fo the front. Very pleasing to the eye. I've scanned every inch, and found only one very minor bubble in the finish, next to the binding close to your armpit area of the guitar. No excess glue whatsoever. The fretwork is immaculate, with zero noise from anywhere on the neck.

I havn't gigged with it yet, but right out of the case, you can see that it is a road warrior. I would have no qualms about taking it on the road without an emergency backup. Plugged in at home, I moved the cable around the jack without so much as a hiccup. I have no reason to think there would be unwanted noise when playing live.

They've upped the warrenty from 5 years to lifetime, transferable. The online registration was very user friendly. The salesperson went beyond the call of duty to describe this guitar. I purchased it without hearing or seeing it, and my trust was rewarded. Point of note: My guitar wasn't even built when I ordered it. This still blows my mind.

I have no need to ever buy another 6 string acoustic. I have two other acoustics, but they will either collect dust of will be sold. Everytime I take this guitar out of the case, it shows me something new in the tone. The low end is maybe not as full of life as a Martin D-28, it's hard to tell, but the ring is slightly more jubilant. I would put it up against a Gibson J45 any day, and come out the winner in tone and playability. I can't think of a guitar in this price range that could even come close. You'd thing that being the "flagship" model, the G50 would come equipped with a little fancier presentation; but I'm glad it doesn't. I say let the sound of this instrument say it all. It has a lot to say.

The G50 is a Rosewood body/fingerboard with Engleman Spruce top and a mahogony neck. Tuners look like Grovers and the gold plate adds a touch of class. Electronics are active Fishman and sounded great on a blonde Fender at the store. Hookup is through a clever strap button. The composite glass, active bracing adds some weight, but balance is good. The compromise seems to payoff with a very resonant body and neck. The guitar uses the Buzz Feiten intonation system which is a bit of a mystery, but octaves are perfect and the thing stays in tune. The guitar come with a custom fitted hard shell case. All from Canada which is great.

This guitar has a rich, warm sound and fairly purrs in your hands. A good choice for fingerpicking or flatpicking. The action is low and string effects are easy to come by and predictable. The occasional harmonic sounds great. I haven't found any edginess anywhere on the neck.

The guitar is solidly built and seems like it will hold up for the long term. Nonething fancy, but all the parts fit together nicely. The spruce top is not perfectly bookmatched, but it adds some personality. The gloss finish is nice and even with no visible bubbles or thin spots. Appointments and inlay are well done, but a guitar of this quality should have some abolone and a better signature.

I don't perform and put alot of wear and tear on a guitar. However the guitar feels solid and durable.

Prepurchase contact was good. Email responses were same or next day. Supplied documentation was sketchy, especially on the Buzz Feiten system. These folks seem homey and passionate about their product. Sort of like the experience you would expect to have with other high end makers like Taylor and Martin.

I have been playing for about 25 years and have owned several acoustics and electrics. I am replacing an old Ibanez that had an unfortuate encounter with my wife's cats. I decided to upgrade and looked at Takamine, Taylor, Seagull and Martin. It took my about a month to decide, but I didn't hear about Garrison until the end. As soon as I played it, I knew it was the one.

Solid Wood guitar with active bracing system. You can actually feel the entire body vibrate when you play. Buzz Feiten Tuning System keeps the guitar in tune all over the neck, intonation was perfect. Tusq bridge pins which will soon be replaced with EZ Peg Bridge pins. Good tuners. Solid tight fitting guitar case.

Very rich tone. Nice, tight bass and very resonate highs. Guitar will sustain as long as you need it to. Guitar stays in tune everywhere. Great for strumming, each string rings out clearly and each note is clearly articulated and can be distinguished from the rest of it's chordal brotheran at any volume.
Guitar is very bright, due to new strings and new guitar/wood. Will darken/mellow with age.
G-50 sounds better than my Taylor 710 and my Martin D-35. Compared it to my friends Taylor 755 (Jumbo) and it is louder.
I play mostly classic rock and blues. But this guitar can play any style.

Factory set up was flawless. No adjustments were needed even after delivery from Canada. Neck was straight. Wood was polished and clean. Small amount of visible glue at the neck joint. And some rattling in the body from broken off pieces of the bracing. Probably from rough handling during shipping. Otherwise the action was comfortable and played well. The neck reminds me of Taylor necks, thin and easy to play.

Tuners seem solid. Neck appears tough. Finish is clean and well polished. I would gig without a replacement.

Answers email in one day. Can call with any questions even before you buy the guitar. It has a 5 year transferable warranty. Can't beat that.

Solid top guitar with this much tone and volume. Awesome use of technology. Great tuning and intonation. Compared to Taylor, Guild, Martin and Morgan. This is the best value for guitars in the Northeast.

I bought a G50 last year and can't put it down. All solid wood construction spruce top, indian rosewood side and back, mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard. The bracing system was developed by Garrison is made of glass composites. I looked at a Martin that was around the same price but it was made from laminated woods some components were even particle boards.

The rosewood sides and back combined with the spruce top make this guitar sound AWESOME REALLY full and bright. I tried some upper end Martins and the Garrison blew them out of the water. The resonance that comes from the solid wood as well as the Garrisons active bracing system make it the best sounding acoustic that I have played.

Setup was perfect, this is the first new guitar that I have ever bought so it is hard to compare... but it is awesome.

Everything is rock solid

Company is great I live in Newfoundland so I am close to the company but they seem great

This is a beautiful guitar I like the sound as well as the appearance. The only thing I would have liked would have been inlayed perfling(sp?) around the soundhole. The Garrison guitars have lasered designs around the soundhole it looks o.k. but I would have liked some mother of pear or something.