Norman B20

Solid Top, Canadian Made, High Gloss Finish, Solid Machine Heads.

Not that boomy which is great because while recording usually the low end needs to be filtered out.

Decent action, nice neck radius, body thickness is perfect for my size, (6 ft 3)

Well built, no finish flaws, no glue separations.

Havent't dealt with the company, no warranty (bought used)

Good value for studio and live (mic-ed), solid tone, rugged build.

I bought this guitar in '93 in Barrie ON. It has, as you have already read a solid top, which was the deciding factor when choosing the guitar. The tuners aren't recognizable (there's a greek delta on the back and they are made in Canada). There aren't many sepcial features but that doesn't bother me. I like a plain guitar.

Most of the time I play I use a pick. This guitar was excellent for that style. I find that it has a rich full sound, but not incredibly loud, not a thin, plastic sound characteristic of laminated tops. It's fairly well balanced, if not a little "trebly". I save 10's for really thick rich guitars but this deserves an 8 just because of the sound the solid top gives.

I have had this guitar for 8 years and it is just now due for a fitting. The action was low, but not so low as to cause buzz. The top has a beautiful fine grain - I love the way it looks. The satin finish is very easily damaged and the pick guard is small and not placed close enough to the soundhole for my playing style so a fair bit of the finish is now missing under the pick guard (an ex-friend's fault, and some wood has been chipped away between the smallest strings and below the last string. I haven't been particularly careful with this guitar and in general, (if we forget the satin finish which I never should have bought) it has stood up very well to my mistreatment.

As I said, I have had this guitar for 8 years and it is only now in need of a fitting. I have never really had problems with playing live with it. I have done so relatively frequently and have never had any problems. I use it frequently outside at campfires etc. and even there have not had problems with the sound or the touch. It is very solid in all respects, except the finish.

I have been playing for about 15 years and had a Seagull 12-string before I bought this instrument. If it were stolen or lost I would buy a similar model by the same company, probably a Seagull artist series or a Norman ST-68. A friend has one and I found it excellent. I know many people with guitars priced between $500-700 Cdn and have never found anything which compares in sound and touch at that price. A Norman B-20 with a Fishman Prefix costs about $700 and will sound as good as a Takamine when plugged, but much better unplugged. Basicall, I love this guitar! For a first guitar or someone who plays very little in public this guitar is an excellent choice. I have recommended this guitar and others from the same company to everyone I know who has bought a guitar.

I have a Norman B-20 made in 98 and it rox. I thas 22 frets but you can't reach those anyways so forget about them, up to the 15th is the best u can do. This guitar gives the greatest acoustic tone and sound I have ever heard.I got a case with it too but that doesn't matter. This gutiar rocks even if it is made in quebec.

It rox. period.

Fit and finish are the greatest, get a high glass if i were you.

yes

I believe this Norman was produced in either '98 or '99 in Canada. It has a solid spruce top, laminate cherry sides and back and rosewood fingerboard and headstock, satin finish. It is a standard dreadnaught with no frills, the pick guard is tortoise shell, the tuners are just plan locking tuners (no distinguishable brand) and it came with a hard case with plush lining. There are really no features, although I am glad it is a solid top and supposedly these things are entirely hand-made from 800 year old trees which have fallen naturally.

I play mostly rhythm...folk, rock, roots. The richness of sound is improving all the time and I would describe it as bright, although the bass is definitely more pronounced than the highs, which I don't really like. It is noisy...the action set up from the factory was too low and I get a lot of fret buzz if I play hard, which I often do. Once I get the action adjusted I'm sure I will enjoy this guitar more and luckily there is plenty of room for adjustment.

The action was comfortably low, but too low because the fret buzz is just awful! But as I said above, there is plenty of room for adjustment which is fine except I have to pay for it. The neck is nice and straight...everything else seems to be fine. I played mine with Satin finish against the same model with lacquer finish and sound difference was amazing. The downside, of course, is that is scratches really easily and is more susceptible to damage due to humidity changes.

The guitar holds it's tune very very well. The only live playing it's seen is in my living room or in the town square with friends and it's always been great. I do have concerns about the finish, though. It is dinged so easily, I worry that it may wear off someday although it hasn't thus far. The neck has lifted a bit from the body and one of the bracings inside has come up a tiny bit resulting in some strange ethereal buzzing. I spoke with a man who builds and repairs guitars and he said this is common with the type of clear glue being used and the satin finish as well. I live in a dry climate, but keep a humidifier in the case with the guitar at all times.

My guitar is under a two year warranty. Right now the neck and bracing need to be repaired, but I dealt with my retailer and he deals with LaSido for me. They have suggested I have it repaired here in town instead of shipping it off to California and they say they will foot the bill. I haven't done it yet, so I don't know how this will turn out. I am hoping for the best

I have been playing for a few years. And still own my starter guitar (an old Lotus!) I like this guitar, but it has given me more headaches than I had expected. If it were lost or stolen I might buy another, but would more likely replace it with a more expensive guitar with a little more flash! It is visually very plain. I love that it's a solid top and was affordable and I love that I can hear the sound improving every time I play it. I hate the action and that I have to pay to have it fixed, and I hate that if I don't place the strap on just so, I will have a dent in it the next day. I chose this guitar because it was the best sounding guitar and the only solid top in my price range. Admittedly, I have played other B-20's which had better sound but I was impatient. This B-20 had much better sound than the more pricey 64 model, though. I played it against a comparably priced Talkamine which had great sound, but was a laminate and not as well fitted. I played everything except Martins, which I could not even afford to look at at the time. I think for the price of this guitar it's great sounding, but it's always annoying when repairs must be made within a year of purchasing. In all liklihood I will someday pass this guitar down to a friend or relative who wants to begin playing and I'll move on to something of a little higher quality.

Made in Canada, eh! Has a top with a very light finish, which adds to the character of the sound. 22 frets. Not the best looking I suppose, but sound more than makes up for it

This thing sounds incredible! I mean it. It sounds even better than almost every Martin I've ever played in the store. I got a capo with it, so the first thing I played on it was The Sounds of Silence, and holy shit, it sounded EXACTLY like the recording. I couldn't believe it!

The second I got this guitar I was playing it like crazy. It feels great. The only I don't like, and this is probably because of the strings, is that I can't seem to bend them that well. The finish on it is very light, so you can still see the natural wood and everything, but like I said before, this adds to the sound. Looking inside, though, you can tell that this is excellent hand craftsmanship. Long live Canadian instruments!

The light finish makes me worry that this thing will scratch real easily or something..but so far it hasn't been too much of a problem. I'd definately gig without a back-up.

haven't had to deal with them

I've been playing guitar for about 2 years now and have gone through a lot of acoustics, but this one is definately the best sound I've ever heard. I think it even sounds better than all the Martins I've tried out. If it were stolen, I'd buy a Martin and use to to beat the living shit out of the guy who stole it and take it back. The staff at the store were very insistent that I should get this and I have to say, I'm glad they were so pushy. I play good 'ol rock 'n roll and I can't see myself playing anything but this acoustic. Canada rocks!

This is a hand made dreadnaught size acoustic guitar that can be equiped with an under the saddle Fisher pickup and basic EQ (for $200 US you can get a more advance EQ). The top is solid spruce finished with a very thin lacquer (patent formulation by LaSiDo), and the sides and back are laminated cherry wood. The bindings are simple but very well done. The sound hole is rough around the edges, but this adds character to the B-20's appearance. LaSiDo the same company that makes the Seagull and the Godin makes the Norman.

Unplugged the B-20 has a very bright almost elfish tone quality. Each note is rich and is almost equivalent to the more expensive Taylor models. When plugged in, the B-20 has an umbelieveable sound that makes it difficult to believe that this is not a professional quality instrument. I tried my B-20 out on several Fender amps (Acoustic Sr, Princeton Deluxe 112 and Chorus)and was extremely pleased.

The factory set up was great. The tech at the music store said that he has never had any problems with Norman's factory set up. Straight from the factory the action was low and very easy to play. Compared to the Yamaha that I was playing, I felt like I was in heaven. I had to look for the match on the top. The bookends were so well done that I had to get close to the wood to see where they were joined. The B-20 came ready to play straight of the box (of course it had to be tuned).

This is a high quality instrument that will with stand the rigors of live play. The craftsmanship is truly extradinary.

I've emailed the company several times, and they've always responded within 2 weeks. Their responses were direct and friendly. The warranty on the instrument is for 2 years.
I would've given them a 10 if their email reponse was a little quicker.

I tried several other guitars out, surf the web, asked around and read a number of reviews before I bought my B-20. You will be hard pressed to find a hand-made solid top guitar with the B-20's quality and playability for under $500.

This is a 22 fret, solid top acoustic. It has a solid spruce top, cherry sides and back, and a rosewood finger board that's very easy to work with. Being an acoustic, it doesn't have much in the way of features. It's a very simple, minimalist guitar - no glittery scratch plates here!

The sound is this guitars strong point. It has a gorgeous warm sound, and while i was looking for a new acoustic I couldn't find any guitar in this price range that sounded half as good. It's also got a surprisingly good sustain when fitted with new strings. I play pretty much anything on it, blues, rock, country, and it all sounds great (not to be big-headed or anything).

The build quality of this guitar is astounding. The action is perfect, and just a glance inside the body will show you the workmanship that's gone into the guitar. I'm trying to think of something critical to say about it, but to be honest, the only thing I can think of is that on the surface of the wood top, there is a slight upset in the grain which is mirrored on both sides. But it's just a characteristic of my guitar, so I don't mind!

I've never had any problems with this guitar, but then I've always been one to cherish my instruments. It's definately reliable enough to use on stage, and who could resist showing off a sound like this? I've played this just about everywhere. On beaches, fields, misty mountain tops...

Never needed to deal with Norman, but it does come with a 5 year warranty.

I've had this guitar for about a year and a half, and I love it. It's matured perfectly because I play it so much. I've just bought myself a PRS Standard, and although it's a beautiful guitar, I still play my Norman more. If it got lost or stolen, I'd either replace it, or hunt down the person who stole it and torture them severely. While I was looking for an acoustic, I tried loads of guitars. The only one I picked up that sounded better was a #2000 Clapton signature Martin, which I very quickly put back on the shelf.

Handmade Dreadnought from our Friends in Canada. You know the Lasido people. (Seagull, Godin etc.)
Great guitar for the Money. Factory setup was excellent. The neck is very comfortable (for my hands). Solid spruce top, laminated cherry sides and back.
Very well put together, but this guitar is all about it's playablity and sound not about looks. Don't get me wrong it looks good too just kind of plain jane.

Projects real nicely. The tone is full and even. Bass and Treble come through with equal clarity. It is just a pleasure to play. There isn't any buzzy that I could find. Even with fairly low action.

The action is very smooth it is one of the easiest Acoustic I've ever played. I tried several other Guitars some that were much more expensive and I'll tell you what this one just felt right, price excluded.

Brand new, It came with a hard shell case. I'm not a giging musician so it will live in it's case when I'm not playing it at home, so durablity shouldn't be a factor.

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I've been playing for a few years. I expect to have this guitar for quite a while and to play it quite often, actually I'm looking forward to it. This guitar replaces the Ibanez AW 50 I have. I only bought it a few months ago. I'll keep the Ibanez as a travel / camping guitar. After I played a Norman I knew the Ibanez was soon to be replaced. I would have bought this first.... Live and Learn.

Dreadnought acoustic with laminated top, blonde satin finish, bolt on neck. Neck is thin and wide, think Tele here. Plays like an electric too. No binding - unfinished edges and crappy tuning gears - great because you can see where they cut the corners, not hidden away somewhere. I'll knock down this rating due the tuners, but at the price level it's a moot point. It's got a body, neck and strings, what more do you need in an acoustic ? Priced and feature like an entry level guitar but ... This is a working musicians axe Made in Canada. See Seagull, etc I installed my own Barcus Berry Insider with end pin jack.

That's the Norman's forte. It has a very balanced sound. The sound people love this guitar. Played straight acoustic, it doesn't have the rich bass of an old Gibson. I use D'addario Bluegrass strings on one and either silk & steel (good for one week) or light guage on the second for finger picking. (only cause I have it) Strange that the Norman can sound even being beat for bluegrass yet still be responsive with light strings for diddling. The guitar projects forwards well, but is weaker for the picker than some. e.g. in comparison with a Martin

Guitar was set-up great from the factory. This is testing my memory now. It's been 20 years.

My Norman has been "ridden hard and hung uo wet" over 20 years of jamming and gigging. I that time the problems I can recall include: 1. bridge lifted a few years ago and had to be re glued 2. replaced the nut 3. $#%^&&%# cheap tuning gears broke. I replaced the works with a set of Gotohs. Work great, tune well. Any good replacements would probably do here. I would suggest that if anyone finds one of these, the first thing to do would be to replace the tuning gears. 4. Pick guard is lifting 5 Finish lifted off in places where my bug-dope lathered arm stuck to it during one spring outdoor gig about 15 years ago. Muskol and laquer do not mix !! well actually they do, too well. I used it without a back up for years. Bought a second that was lonely and forlorn at a yard sale as a backup up. Used it for a few nights while I took my time fixing the bridge and replacing the tuners on #1.

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Been playing over 30 years (still lot to learn tho) Own other Norman B20 and some electrics including Tele. All have very similar necks so I feel right at home. Would I buy another one ? I did. If it were lost or stolen I'd be up the creek, cause I dont think they make the bolt on necks any more. I'd definitely give the new Normans a good look. Anything I'd like to have was a single cut-away and a more natural sounding pickup.