Norman B20

A standard acoustic, no electrics or frills whatsoever. It has a nice unfinished appearance, with no lacquer as you would expect. Made in Canada from solid spruce top, but with a laminated back and sides. My model did not come with any accessories at all, maybe just my dealer let me down there.

At first this guitar had a great sound, lively and bright without being shrill and having enough bass tones to be well balanced. It was well suited to most styles of play from fingerpicking to heavy strumming. With use however the sound has degraded until after 7 years it is not nice to play, easily beaten by cheaper and newer guitars. The sound now is bassy, but not rich and to get any sparkle or presence from the sound requires frequent string changes. Would have given this a 9 at beginning, but time has taken it's toll.

The setup was great, and has remained so, the wood is great quality, but sensitive to temperature and moisture variations, probably becuse it has a natural finish. The soft wood is also easily dented.

The guitar has been very reliable, but I have been careful with it because of the soft finish.

I have played for 12 years, and would love to say that I would buy another Norman, although I am not sure. Listening to a new Norman in a shop I could be convinced, but memories of how it sounds now may put me off. I compared this to a lot of other guitars in this price range and this sounded better than all of them, I liked the finish but others would be horrified at the thought of it.

Features. Hmmm, well it's basic as some guitars go - but that is not what really matter is it? (more on that later). I believe that these will be future values to collectors - no longer made as 'Norman', this small Quebec luthier company was acquired by the Godin/Seagull conglomerate in the early 2000's...
This is a relatively understated looking, but beautifuly built instrument. Mine is a dreadnought with a matte finish cedar top with laminate cherry back and sides, mahogany neck with 21 frets and a rosewood fret board.
Solid action, sturdy, sealed tuners, nut and saddle are made of Tusq.
Nowadays so many brands are being produced in Asia, making all these guitars with pearl-like inlays and quilted veneer coated plywood tops, that these features shouldn't be used to judge a guitar's worth.
I have installed a B-Band sound board pickup for when I use it on stage.

Now this is where this instrument really shows it's value. I have had SO MANY comments from other guitarists, some of whom had never heard of this guitar maker. I have played over 30 years and a variety of styles and types of music. Is not great tone 90 percent or more of what we search for in a guitar?
This instrument displays lovely clear bass, a prominent mid and nice trebles. Not boomy, yet really projects the sound well,
compare it to the Martin D-16, and has good intonation all the way up the neck.

Action was a bit chunky initially. I understand some instruments had plastic nuts and saddles? - mine has Tusq, a man-made ivory-like material which should show many years of excellent service and enhances the transmitted tone.
As stated earlier, the guitar appears to be very well put together. Now the finish is one "issue" many have described. For me it is a non-issue. I have applied a couple coats of hand-rubbed oil to the cedar top and cherry wood sides/back; just a couple and that's all. I don't want to build up any finish that might disturb the incredible tone of this guitar. If it gets marred or scratched 'Oh well'... this instrument is all about the art and the sound - if down the road I have to get it re-finished then so be it.

Reliability: I can rely on it usually being in tune and always sounding good.
Durability: As stated, the finish is delicate, but the guitar is built well and built to last.

No idea - Godin has a good name, but unsure of support, as I've never dealt with them.

I have quite a number of guitars, electric and acoustic, I love the tone of this guitar...

Bog standard B20, 6 strings, natural finish (looks like bare wood) which feels really nice but dents easily. No pickup, no gig bag, 1 receipt-nothing else

No doubt about the quality of the sound, it definitely rates highly as far as I am concerned. Nice balance to the sound throughout the range without any surprises at either end. When i first got the guitar I was really impressed with it, I had not heard of Norman guitars and for ?250 I thought it had been mislabelled so bought it immediately. Now however, 6 years later, I am less impresswed with it, it is still a nice sound, but no longer as stunning as it once was. I need to restring regularly to keep it sounding bright, but give the strings a while to settle in and lose some tinny edge.

It looked great new, but age and dents acquired through time do show up with the natural finish (no finish). The action is still great, would change the bridge pins though, they get damaged easily changing strings.

It would easily stand up to being played live, I have thought about having mine fitted with a pickup, but with the natural finish and the relative cheapness of decent electro-acoustics I think i can get a better sound out of a different guitar for not a lot more money, and can keep the norman too. It holds its tuning excellently, despite the rather cheap feeling tuners. Durability long term isn't really impressive, the sound has degraded and the body is showing signs of distress, that is without any undue abuse, just normal play.

N/A,

I have been playing for 17 years, and have owned a range of gear, electrics and acoustics and all the accessories. i play strictly acoustic now, it helps concentrate on the technique rather than the effect and fits in better wit family life. I wish I had bought a hard case with this guitar, a gig bag isn't really good enough for something with such a delicate finish. It may have helped preserve the sound quality too.
Overall I can recommend this to most players, whether experienced or not, they are great value for money and will last long enough to let you improve, they are never going to be an investment, but at that price what does it matter. A much better instrument that you normally get for the money.

Made in Canada, this guitar has a solid spruce top with cherrywood back and sides and a satin finish. I purchased mine new around 4 years ago. It is a relatively nice looking guitar, as long as you're not expecting anything too ornate. It has a cream colored binding on the body and I believe the rosette is painted.

Before buying my Norman I tried several (probably between 12-15) other guitars and none of them sounded as good as this guitar. The day I bought it, I compared it side by side with a Matin D-28. The two guitars were comparable. For the money, no guitar can touch Godin's acoustics. That being said, There's no 'magic' to it's sound. I've played Taylors that, from the first note, have had rich, deep sound to them. I would describe this guitar's sound as being more dry and one dimensional.

I purchased my guitar from a shop that does a lot of it's own set up work before the guitars even make it to the floor so I don't know whether the action on mine was from them or the factory. The action is a little high for my taste. The other problem I've found with it, is that is doesn't stay in tune and I'm not hard on it when I play it. I've never had an acoustic go out of tune as easily as this one.

The fit and finish when I purchased it were good.

So far this guitar has held up well. My only complaint is that the delicate satin finish has started to wear and rub off on the back but I knew that would happen when I bought it. Other than that it's been a very solid guitar.

I've been playing guitar for more than 20 years and have owned several acoustics, including Ovation, Tacoma, Guild, Takamine and Gibson. Basically I'm an idiot and over the years sold everything else I had and due to financially hard times was forced to buy a $350.00 guitar. When I compare the B-20 to other guitars that I've owned or played, it comes out being just an average guitar. However, when you look at what I paid for it, it's a great value. It goes head to head with Martin (though I'm not much of a Martin fan) and it's head and shoulders above anything else in it's price range. I liked it enough that I've since purchased a Seagull (another Godin guitar). I would buy another Norman.

It's "Handmade" (a very subjective term) in Quebec in Canada (more specifically, La Patrie, a town which supposedly has a massive history in acoustic-guitar making, and Princeville, which I know nothing about). It has no cutaway, and the dreadnought-style body starts at the 12th fret (so anything higher is a little difficult to reach). It has a solid cedar top (Norman have discontinued that particular model though, for a cedar top you'll have to look towards the ST40), and what I guess are most probably laminated rosewood back and sides. I have no idea what the neck and fingerboard woods are.
The finish, as others have said, is pretty much non-exisitant. But at least it feels and looks like wood, in my opinion a heavily-lacquered guitar just ends up looking cheaper. But it is easy to damage. When I bought it, it did has a few scuffs, and I've added a few myself. This is not the guitar for you if you want it looking pristine.
The saddle is both wonderful and terrible; wonderful because it's compensated beatifully, and the guitar plays very 'in tune', all over the neck. However, the composite material used is kinda weak, and string-sized gouges were there when I bought it, and they've worsened since. Maybe it's becuase I use heavy strings (12s, if you're wondering). Anyway, I'll replace it, when I find something that is composite (I do have issues with having bits of animal on my guitar) and tougher.
The scale seems to be about the same as a taylor big baby (15/16 if you;re wondering), and the guitar as a whole is certainly smaller than a full-sized dreadnought. I love this kind of scale, makes playing chords such as B barre much easier, and your fingers seem to just fly around the neck.
The tuners are good. They seem to stay in tune for an acceptable period of time, and don't require much effort to turn (not so much, though, that it is difficult to tune accurately). It also has a surprisingly ugly pickguard.
That's a pretty exhaustive list. So, on the features front, this guitar has what it needs and not much else. There Onto sound...

Rich, complex and mellow. It is absolutely wonderful for fingerpicking, yet doesn't seem to get muddy or indistinct when strumming loud. Even with a pick. Obviously, a Spruce top will sound a little crisper, and will cut through in a band situation far better. However, this just sounds beautiful in comparison. It is not the most powerful sound in the world though. I'd give it a ten, but I'm not it's a sound for everyone.

The action on this guitar is fine, getting a little too high up from the 9th fret onwards, but then continuing to be at a great height for my fingerpicking style (I rest my pinky on the edge of the soundhole, and hold the rest of my fingers and thumbs in a claw-like position).
I'd like to say this guitar is gorgeous. It just looks so... woody. The real wooden rosette is fairly stunning, and the cream of the binding, and the pegs that come with it mix in lovely. Even the cheap-looking pickguard blends in nicely.
It's a little shabby-looking though. There are glue marks all over the place; at the edges ot the pickgaurd, just inside the sounhole, on the neck, even on the body at places. Also, the dot markers are not even slightly parallel to the neck (they are still in vaugely the correct spaces though).
There is no fret buzz, and the general shabbiness does not seem to be affecting the sound or general playability.

The mixture of soft cedar wood, and a general lack of lacquer (hehe- see what I did there?), means this is not the most durable guitar that mankind ever beheld. Bumps and scratches will be inevitable, and, if you're not careful, more serious damage.
Everything seems built to last. There is one problem with the tuners though; if you carry it around in a soft case, you may encounter a completely differently tuned guitar than the one you put in. The tuners move with too little force.
My strap has never come off, which is more than I can say for most guitars. Oh, and I would never bring this to a gig, due to it's fragility, the fact they don;t make them anymore, and the fact that I'd probably cry if it broke.
Then again, everything else aside from the top is solid, and seems built to last.

Asked them where I could get a replacement saddle (by e-mail), the answer was recieved the next day. Which is kinda what you'd expect. A six, then.

An absolute bargin for the price I got it for. Would've been great for the #350 it originally sold for as well. I love it's sound, and playabilty, and everything about it. I'd try to get an ST40, the closest thing in production, if I lost this, or the SP6 from sister brand Simon and Patrick, which was runner up in when I was chose this guitar.

Canadian made solid spruce top with cherry wood back and sides.
Mine has no laquer whatsoever as i believed it would age better than a laquered model.

I bought this guitar as a learner about 12-15 years ago and as a new guitar i thought it had a bright and pleasing sound.
It was not overly expensive and could be left lying about the house while the kids were still small and didnt worry about it being knocked about.
HOWEVER, as the years have passed, the sound has degraded to a HUGE degree.
To me it now sounds like a cereal box with strings on and i honestly believe that this guitar has "died". Something i have never experienced before.
It has no life to it at all, no harmonic content and absolutely no tone or sustain to speak of.
In short IT SUCKS!!!

No issues.

Built like a tank, it has survived the kids beating it up when they were small and shows very little signs of the wear and tear inflicted on it over the years.
I havent even had to have it refretted.
Obviously built to last. (But why would you want it to?)
Real shame about the degradation of the sound quality as i had hoped it would improve as the years went by.

Never dealt with them.

I have been playing on and off for about 15 years and recently bought a custom built Jimmy Moon acoustic on ebay which really showed the sound of my Norman for what it is.
Deeply disappointed by the way this guitars sound has failed to develop, since every other aspect of its construction, durability etc. has been really quite good considering what i paid for it.
If it was stolen or lost, i would be very wary of buying another of this same model and would probably buy a Yamaha LL or similar.

1994 B20 made in La Patrie & Princeville Quebec, Canada. 21 Frets
No Finish. Great guitar, it replaced my Epiphone acoustic when it was stolen. I went out and tested numerous acoustics, none of which lived up to my standards.

The sound on this guitar has matured quite nicely, I look forward to playing it for another 10 years.
For the price, the sound is pretty much unbeatable.

The action wasn't all that great after purchase. After a pro set-up it sounded much better.
There is no finish, but I happen to like it. The color of it has changed over the years though.

Very dependable and I have used it many times without my backup (1978 Yamaha Eterna).

Never needed support...

I've been playing for 15 years now. I've Got a 1978 Yamaha Eterna, 92' Fender Strat, 89' Samick KR570BK and some Les Paul wannabe.
If it were stolen, like my Epiphone, I'd immediately replace it with the head of the person who stole it from me. I'd hunt him/her down like a dog!!
I love the full, rich sound, the bass when playing in my apartment (Has high ceilings).
Great guitar!!

Norman B20(6) made in Canada. Spruce top, cherry wood used in the back and sides, lacquer finish. The one I bought has a beautiful flamed mahogany neck. It has 21 frets and came with fishman classic4 pickups.

Fantastic! I was looking for a guitar that fell in the price range of about RM2,000 (500 USD). But after playing the Maton?s and Taylor?s; everything that fitted my budget sounded like crap. Then a friend asked me to try out the Normans, and it was amazing.
It definitely doesn?t sound a complete as the Maton Messiah but for RM10,000 less there isn?t a comparison. the pickups look cheap so i was also suprised that it sounded really good plugged in.

Overall it was a job well done. The guitars design was kept simple. Nothing fancy from the shape to the detailing. But I love how they allowed the natural beauty of the wood to be shown off.

No matter what brand of guitar you buy there will be the bad apples. in my case So far this guitar has been a gem. It is reliable and when gigging I don?t carry a spare. Even though it is not a high gloss guitar it still looks like new. I play at least 3 hours a day so the guitar is definitely not under used. However a high gloss guitar would definitely be more hardy.

The dealers in Malaysia were great; they were very helpful and very friendly. The guitar comes with a 1 year warranty but from the look of things I don?t think I will get to use the warranty.

Have been playing for more than 10 years. The best thing about this guitar is the sound. If I had not seen the pricetag i would have guessed that it cost a lot more. Have been using a number of laminated top guitars before this. The next guitar I buy will be a Maton messiah.

Canadian-made dreadnaught, solid spruce top, laminate cherry back and sides, tusq bridge. At this price, I give it 9 for having a solid spruce top. Doesn't have a gloss finish and didn't come with a case.

I give it a ten because of the price. Good bass without being boomy, clear highs, excellent note separation. Doesn't have the same warmth or air as my Larrivee, but then the Larrivee costs *11 times* as much. I routinely use both guitars when I perform. I use it for grittier bluegrass and blues styles until I can afford a Gibson J-45 (another much more expensive guitar) Medium gauge strings really improved the sound.

No complaints, again given the price. Gloss finish would have been nice. It certainly isn't as easy to play as a Taylor.

I've been giging with this guitar for 7+ years. I don't pamper it the way I do my Larrivee and on top of that I'm clumsy. It's still in great shape.

Never had any problems

I've been playing guitar for 12+ years. I own a Larrivee D-09, Fender American Deluxe Telecaster and Mesa/Boogie Nomad Amp, Washburn M-3SW/TS Mandolin, Lapatrie Collection classical guitar and a 200 year old fiddle. When I bought this guitar I walked into the store prepared to spend $1200 or so and ended up getting this. I've played a lot of guitars since then and I haven't seen anything I (personaly) liked better for less than $2000. It's a rugged workhorse guitar with a good sound; I'd replace it in a moment if it were stolen or lost. It will eventually be replaced by a Gibson J-45 for giging purposes, after which it will make an excellent "beater" guitar.

2004 model I think. Made in Canada. 21 frets with a solid spruce top.
Nice neck (Maple I think). I just liked the way it feels, so to me it could be maple or mahogany. Lacquer finish. Nice compensated Tusq saddle. Everything about this guitar is very nice. To me it's an excellent buy for the price. I suggest going to a dealer and trying several of the Norman guitars to find the one that's right for you. They have several models and I noticed they were all very well built and for a solid top guitar that's just a little more than a laminated-top guitar, I consider it money well spent.

Mine is very balanced and the guitar will just sound better with age due to the spruce top. I use 12's on it and it's just right for my ears. Good bottom end and sustain.

The action was a bit high, but my local luthier will just shave the saddle down and it will be great. It's fine for open chords now, but when I want to do some Bles runs it's a little high. But it's an acoustic, not a 1956 Les Paul right? The top and back were pretty well matched and this one was even finsihed better than the one I bought last year. The tuners are fine and hold well. It's obvious the people who built this guitar take pride in their work, or at the very least they have decent quality control in place. I don't know how many times I've walked into a guitar shop and seen guitars just thrown up on the wall and not even set up at all.

I'd never want to use any guitar electric or acoustic without a backup. Anything can happens, and sometimes does. I'd rather be reaching for # 2 than frantically trying to re-string in the middle of a set. It is dependable, but some care has to be taken if one cares about their instrument.

I've never dealt with the factory, but my local dealer has always been top notch in looking after me.

I've never had any problems with an Norman guitars I have owned. That's why I'm a repeat customer.
I've been playing off and on most of my life. Currently in the "on" position :-)
I compared it to Seagull, Art & Lutherie, Washburn, Crafter and Ibanez. They are all fine guitars, but this one just spoke to me with it's sound.
I'd buy another Norman. Next guitar I try from the company may be cedar top, just for a change.

Amazingly garbage material used for saddle that the strings have completely sinked in after only a few months' use.

Incredibly poor quality tuners that need to be tightened and adjusted every two weeks.

A beautiful no finish on this guitar... that's right, they must have used the stuff in the tub of my woodshop class in grade 7. I especially love how this ridiculous finish keeps the guitar so incredible unprotected to the lightest of bumps.

Actually, really, the only good thing about this guitar is its sound. And believe me, when you first play it instore, you definitely fall in love with the range of frequencies it manages.
So distinct. Don't be fooled. It won't last....

THIS GUITAR AGES SO POORLY!

WEEKS after i got the guitar home, it had intonation problems that basically never went away, they only got worse. I later realized this was due to the worst nut job (no pun intended) i have ever seen.
I mean, the nut was warped, coming unglued, placed crookedly, The bozo that built my norman was seriously drunk.

As i said before, the saddle was horribly cut, and made of the worst material. I think it's weaker than plastic. Anyway, the first time i changed the strings, to my surprise, the saddle FELL OUT. The strings were width-deep in the saddle with only a few months of use.

The frets were seriously destroyed from light use (i mean, i only play folk and alternative) before i owned the guitar for a year.

The E (bass) string buzzes constantly. (a guitar tech told me he couldn't understand why...)

The guitar's intonation problem is totally unexplainable, and absolutely irrepairable. Especially the bass E string, and the B string...

The action actually RAISED with age.

Seriously a joke.

you'll want to take it back after 4 months, only you won't know how...... :\

www.normanguitars.com

You'll see what i'm talking about, there is absolutely no way to contact these people. I sent a letter to some executive at godin guitars, i figure that's as close as i'll get. No response yet...

I've been playing two years, as long as i've had this guitar, and compared to the Yamaha FG443s i've owned for the same amount of time (which is supposed to be a comparable model) makes norman look like a joke.

If i can't get the guitar replaced worth my while... I will seriously not jokingly use it as fire wood, and watch it burn strings and all as i drink and weep.

NEVER BUY THIS GUITAR! EVER!

6 string...
Read other reviews, since it is pretty well covered.
Mine is a left-handed, this is the best feature for me! Also it is done in Quebec, bonjour les francophones. I will be able to get a good turlute!

Super!
This guitar sounds very, very good! I cannot compare to Martin or taylor, because I never could try one left-handed, but what I can say is that I had a 200-300$ Dread 10 years ago, and I really had an aversion for Folk guitar since this time.
I'm a Spanish guitar player.
This guitar just sounds incredible! Surely due to the solid top it has.
It really changed my mind on folk guitars now.
It has a very well balanced sound, the intonation is perfect, it is not too Bright, the Bass are not too boomy, the middle are just fine.
I can play everything with this guitar, blues, jazz, fingerpicking, chords, Brassens, even classical!

The action is perfect! a really easy guitar to play.
I really like the natural aspect of the guitar. It looks like a "macrobiotic" guitar!

It is fine, but as every guitars, you need to take care of it.
If you want to clean this guitar, never use a was or an oil on the top, it will damage the sound.
I have been told to use windows cleaner (but not directly spray it on the guitar)

This is the best guitar you could buy in this price range. <500$
Nothing comes even close of it. Merci mes amis du Quebec!

2003 Norman B20(6) see www.normanguitars.com if you want to see the features/woods/whatever list. Didn't come with a case but I bought a very good one ($75 Canadian) to go with it.

I'm giving it a 10 because this category really isn't a good fit for an acoustic guitar.

Wonderful! WONDERFUL!!! This is a great, great "pick of the litter" guitar. Not only are Norman's very good guitars for the money but this one is, as I just said, the pick of the litter. While at the store I played the whole Norman line while a friend (who is a better acoustic guitarist) listened from across the room (they had about 15 Norman's) and this one stood out from the rest. We liked the sound better than more expensive Norman's and toward the end I started playing it back and fourth with very expensive guitars from other manufacturers and it STILL stood out.

I have already recorded with it (guitar and voice) and it sounds great. I'm still using the stock strings (something I have never done in the past) cus it sounds so great.

I'm normally an electric guitarist and don't normally like acoustics? because they just don't feel comfortable to me. And this one does have that same, less than comfortable, feeling that I get when I play any acoustic guitar. Only this sounds so good that I keep playing.

Set-up was "spot on". While there were no flaws there is a blurry slightly discolored knot in the wood that looks like a flaw just as you look down at the body of the guitar from a playing position. I suspect that it was enough to put off people who wanted a glorious looking wood grain. But I want sound and am glad that they passed it by if they did.

It's only been three weeks but I have seen no warning flags as far as this stuff goes.

Have been playing for over 30 years. I have three electrics and one early 70's Fender acoustic that is now going to be my "beater" guitar. I would rush to replace this guitar but doubt if I could find another this nice. Love's -- It's all about sound and this one is great. My criteria with this purchase was "If I was going to record and had my pick of any instrument this is the one I would select". Hate's -- I don't like the feel of acoustic guitars and nothing is going to fix that. I am not a golden ear connoisseur but I feel that this guitar is the equal of Martin's that are three times it's price. I played a lot of guitars before buying this one. Just about everything that I could lay my hands on at a lot of different stores.

Anything else to share? I wish I could have practiced the guitar during all the time that I spent looking for guitars -- I'd be a much better player!

I bought my B20(6) in 1999. As other people have mentioned already, it's a pretty basic dreadnought. No features. My model was a "factory second". These models are designated by the "F" added to the serial number behind the headstock and the "FS" stamped on the label in the soundhole. Wasn't sure why this model was a factory second...but now I have my supicions.... I'm giving this guitar a 9 just because you don't need all kinds of frills on an acoustic and it's bargain at this price with a solid spruce top.

Great sound. Clear, with plenty of attack. Not exactly "warm", but it does have enough bass. Obviously, putting heavier strings on helps with the low end. I don't think it suits finger pickers too well. It sounds a bit thin when fingerpicking. But with a pick it can be very loud. This guitar projects well while strumming and flat picking.

Action is great especially for an acoustic. The neck is pretty thin and it's easy to move around on. One thing that's great is the intonation. I've never had a problem when using a capo, the intonation is great each time.

This has been a great guitar, however it developped a crack in the top after about 2 years. The crack starts under the bridge near the high E string and follows the grain until the binding. A second crack has also started near the A string and has only made it 1/3 of the way to the binding. At first I blamed the fact that my apartment was really dry (I mean really dry), but then another crack started forming from the soundhole to the fingerboard. This new one is in line with the first one. I don't think that this is the reason why they labelled this one a Factory Second, but I'm beginning to wonder. Despite all this, the guitar still sounds great with no vibrations from the cracks. When the humidity rises, the cracks almost disappear.

Never bothered calling Norman/Godin/Lasido. Bought this at Steve's Music and Montreal, and why would I even try to get service from those clowns?

This guitar is still a great deal. If you decide to get the B20 with the soft finish, make sure you keep an eye on the temperature and humidity around the guitar. I'm looking for a replacement, and I'm still considering a Norman, except this time with a gloss finish!

Its a plain jane acoustic dreadnought, but I guess material could be a feature. The solid top is very, very nice spruce. The rosewood bridge and finger board also appear to be of excellent quality. The tortoise shell pick-guard is very attractive. The cherry laminate back and sides don't look too shabby, but the are laminate. Mahogony neck, nice no-name tuners.

The sound is fairly bright, and louder than most acoustic guitars I've played. The brightness makes it better for fingerpicking than most dreadnoughts, it almost sounds like a grand concert. Strumming sounds good as well, but also a little on the bright side. Sound is a very subjective thing. I have an 18 year old solid top Fender F210 that has a much deeper more dreadnoughty timbre to it. I can't say either is obviously better. I guess it depends on what sound you are trying to produce. The volume on the Norman is impressive. I have to agree with many of the posts. This guitar sounds too good for the price.

This guitar was a second due to a finish flaw on the upper side of the guitar. I knew about it before I bought it, how else would I have gotten it for $200? Other than the flaw, it's perfect, and very pretty. The saddle required some work when I got it. The treble side of the saddle was too thick. The high E was actually higher than the low E. It's compensated for each individual string so it wasn't just a matter of flipping it over. I had to attack each individual string's section of the saddle for the G, B and E and reprofile them. It wasn't difficult, just time consuming. The action is excellent now, very comfortable, no buzzes. The "satin" finish looks like no finish at all, I like it. The whole minimalist look of the instrument is really very nice.

I've only had it 3 months. The initial impression, though is that it feels very solid.

Overall, I'm very impressed with this instrument. It's definitely got great bang for the buck. I was looking to retire my old fender F210LH, which plays fine, but will need a fret job soon from being played so much over the last 18 years. The Norman fresh out of the box is at least equal, but quite different in sound quality, which is pretty good when competing with an 18 year old solid top. This is my every day player for the last 2 months now. I can't say I hate anything about it. I wish I had more to compare it to, so I could give you a better idea. I leaned very heavily on the reviews here at harmony central to chose this guitar. Being a lefty, you don't get much opportunity to sample guitars at shops. What few lefties there are tend to be total crap. I was in Manhattan about 5 years ago and played some very lefty guitars ther, but all of the good ones were an arm and a leg. I owe harmony central and the folks that wrote the preceding reviews a big thank you. This is an excellent guitar.

To me, an acoustic needs only one thing: good tone. THe Norman B20 has a beautiful satin lacquer finish on everything,from the solid Sitka spruce top to the 3-ply cherry back and sides to the Honduras mahogany neck. The woods are gorgeous- the one I have has some figuring on the top which makes it really distinctive looking. While the absence of abalone inlays, neck and head binding, and a high-gloss finish might deter some players, I think that's what makes the Norman B20 so stuning. The tortoise shell pickguard, bound body, rosette design, and unique wood color (cherry) make it what it is. Understated, but elegant is how I would describe the way this guitar looks. However, while the B20 has everything you need, per ce, mine doesn't have any form of transducer onboard. This doesn't bother me though; what bothers me is the artificial, plasticy sound of piezo pickups. :-) I would rather mic the guitar or use a soundhole pickup (which sounds a lot warmer than an under the saddle transducer).

This guitar is about as close as many people (including me) will be able to come to the ideal acoustic sound. The spruce top and hard cherry back and sides combine to make a bright sound (especially with the 80/20 bronze strings I just intalled today), but still with plenty of punchy (not boomy) lows and blossoming mids. The guitar isn't especially loud (my all-plywood Ibanez PF-4 is actually a little louder) but the rich tone more than makes up for it. In regards to versatility, I can't think of a style that the B20 wouldn't work well for.

Every note rings clearly in barre chords all the way up the neck (even the 10th fret G chord on which my Ibanez buzzes like those cars with really loud bass). The finish is satin, but it still seems as durable as a gloss finish. The action is almost perfect. The only problem is some minor buzzing when you hit the low strings really hard (pretty much unavoidable if you don't want to spend over $2000).

The B20 feels really solid, and like I said the finish should last forever. I don't think anything could ever go wrong with it unless I drop it from about 10 feet or something.

I can't really say- I haven't had to deal with them (and I'm sure I never will).

This guitar is pretty much all I will ever need in the way of acoustics. the only reaon I would want another one is if I want something gaudy or a 12-string. It seems to me that now that Samick is making all these guitars with pearl inlays and quilted tops that these features can't be used to judge a guitar's worth at all. Hell, I think some of these Asian guitars look downright cheap. For example I would rather wear clothes that look decent and aren't too flashy. I would not want to wear a cheap fur coat, or purple velvet pants. People like me will buy a Norman, people who wear fur coats and velvet pants can have their $400-trying-to-look-like-$4000-but-really-sound-like-$40 guitars.

Made in Canada. Solid top and laminated sides and back, I believe. Dreadnought style guitar with a set neck. Sealed tuners. Nut and saddle are made of Tusq (immitation bone). No electronics on my guitar.
Can't really complain about the "features" - it has everything a simple acoustic should have.

Nice, rich sound. I haven't played a myriad of acoustics, but this guitar blows away other similar models by far. I think part of it has to do with the finish, which is strong and doesn't impede the wood's vibrations, like other finishes can. ie - I played a Yamaha with very similar features. The Norman made the Yamaha sound like a $30 Stella!!!

The set-up was mediocre, I had it redone. Well, it also didn't help that I had a go at doing it myself, which made it 100 times worse! The wood is beautiful, except for one flaw. I can't complain too much however, since I did buy a factory second - more on that in the "overall rating" section...

Looks well constructed. I don't play in clubs or anything, but the guitar feels very sturdy. If you do plan on playing live, I would suggest a set of replacement tuners (Grovers or something). The stock tuners aren't bad but don't seem to put up with hard playing like a good set of replacements would.

For the price, it's grrreeeaaatttt!!!
Good sound, good construction. Best of all, it's made in Canada.
My guitar is a "Factory Second" - that means that there's a flaw in the finish - but no other defects that would comprimise playability. I got the guitar $50 cheaper just because of this!!! I'm not even quite certain what the flaw is.
Concerning the price: don't be discouraged to pay a bit more that what I've stated. I believe I saved alot because I live relatively near the LaSiDo factory, which I think saved me (and the dealer) a bundle on shipping.
It's a great guitar for the price.

$800.00 WITH HARD SHELL CASE, MODEL-B20 12 STRING, SERIAL# 01215270, 22 FRET NECK SCALE, PURCHASED MAY 2002, MADE IN CANADA. THE TOP IS NON-LACQUERED FINISH, WHICH I FEEL ALLOWS THE GRAIN TO EXUBERATE ITS TRUE NATURAL APPEARANCE. THE MUSIC STORE ADDED A FISHMAN STRAP KNOB, 1/4" BRIDGE PICKUP. MARTIN MARQUIS ACOUSTIC PHOSPHOR, EXTRA LIGHT GAUGE M2600 (12) STRINGS.

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR 30 YEARS AND HAVE ALWAYS WANTED A 12 STRING GUITAR, BUT I HAVE TRIED VARIOUS MODELS AND HAVE FOUND THEM CUMBERSOME AND HARD TO PLAY. I PLAY MANY DIFFERENT STYLES, ROCK, JAZZ, BLUES, SOME FOLK STYLE AND EVEN MODERN STYLE OF GRUNGE. I USE A PEAVEY 212 SPECIAL AND A 4X12 CABINET FOR EXTRA PUNCH. I USE AN ART SGX2000 GUITAR PROCESSOR. ALTHOUGH THE NATURAL SOUND OF A 12 STRING DOESN'T REQUIRE TO MUCH EFFECT I'LL USE A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF DELAY. THE SOUND IS ABSOLUTELY WARM, FULL AND BRIGHT. WHEN PLAYING THE GUITAR IT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE ONE WITH THE GUITAR.

THE STRING ACTION IS PERFECT TO THE TOUCH AND ALLOWS FOR LONG PLAYING TIME. I CAN STILL BEND THE STRINGS AND PERFORM HAMMER-ON'S AND PULL OFFS WITH LITTLE EFFORT. SO FAR AS I CAN TELL THERE ARE NO MISALIGNED BRACINGS. THE WOOD IS MAPLE BACK, ASH TOP WITH ROSEWOOD NECK. A FISHMAN PICK UP WAS ADDED TO ENHANCE THE SOUND AMPLIFICATION, PERFECT CHOICE.

DUE TO THE FINISH NOT BEING HIGHLY POLISHED OR LACQUERED I MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO SCRATCH IT. AS FAR AS A GIG, I WILL BE PLAYING THIS GUITAR FOR ALONG TIME IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, IN PARKS, INSIDE & OUTSIDE. I DIDN'T PURCHASE THIS TO SIT IN A CASE OR STAY AT HOME. THE HARDWARE IS NEW BUT SEEMS DURABLE ENOUGHT TO LAST FOR A LONG TIME. IF NOT I'LL LET YOU KNOW FOR SURE. MY CURRENT FENDER ACOUSTIC (1980), WENT WITH ME TO DESERT STORM, HAS A BUZZING NOISE WHILE HOLDING A "F" CHORD, FRET OUT PROBLEMS ON THE 12TH WITH THE 1ST STRING, BUT I STILL PLAY IT (OLD SENTIMENTAL REASONS I GUESS). OLD HABITS ARE HARD TO BREAK. BUT NOW THIS NORMAN 12 STRING WILL BE MY NUMBER ONE!

NO NEED TO USE THEM AT THIS POINT.

BEEN PLAYING SINCE THE AGE OF 9. NOW 42YEARS OLD. I OWN A GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM STUDIO GUITAR, FENDER ACOUSTIC GEMINI II, TAMA ROCKSTAR DRUMS 10 PIECE WITH ZILDJIAN CYMBALS, IBANEZ 4 STRING BASS GUITAR, PLUS A STUDIO FULL OF EQUIPMENT...

This guitar was made in 2001 and has a solid Spruce Top with Cherry sides and back. The neck is solid Mahogany and has a dreadnought body. It has very solid action, and the tuners have been remarkable thus far. It keeps in tune for extended periods...very solid.

This guitar sounds beautiful! It has a rich, deep sound that complements my acoustic folk flavored style. I play a lot of old American folk songs, Woody Guthrie, Merle Travis, etc. I compared it to the Martin D-16, which I was considering, and for less than half the cost of the Martin, the sound was very comprable.

The guitar was set up well, although I did have the action tightened a bit to taste. The guitar was well put together...excellent finish. The wood work is simply gorgeous...hand crafted.

Have only had it for a month..so far so good. I would take it on gigs without reservation. The finish, according to several local pros, will last well and actually become more refined as body oil gets absorbed.

Haven't had to contact them...

I have been playing for about 5 years. I also have a beater guitar, a Hohner, that I take on outdoor ventures. I would definitely get another Norman if this were stolen. Truly, this was a bargain.

Plain looking, straight clear lacker that had yellowed with years.
Have added a cheap pick-up with no sound control (1984).

This guitar has been in hell...wasn't really taken good care of.Camping boosing pubs Brasseries etc. But new strings (extra-light gage) bring back its luster. Good sound for folk song, the greatest for fiddle accomp. It really has a heart.

One of the string tuner, it became loose after 2 years.
The bridge split up 5 years ago. Changed it myself, and it didn't make any difference to the sound.

It surely is good...if you take good care of it. Even though the things old and a little rattlelish, It's following me at every gig. No backup necessary with this guitar. (Played in a college course this morning and was great. Kids were impress)

That's a problem, I find. Even though any luthier can make the reperations that someone needs, fact is it would be nice to be able to get info or else from the factory...the maker.

I've been playing for little over 30 yrs and I know one thing. You just can't go wrong with any of the Norman Guitars. Because you get your moneyworth out of them guitars. Comparing any guitars is something I find tough because it depends on taste and budget and more of each and every individual.

Not sure what year it was made. It was made in Canada by the same company that makes Seagull and Godin. Mine came with a spruce top and a maple back and sides. Most reviews that I have seen and people I have talked to have different wood of the back and sides. It has a Fishman pick up in it. It has a satin finish. I wasn't sure I liked the finish at first, however all the compliments I got changed my mind.

The tone on it is a little bright when flat picking. It is perfect for finger picking. The sound is much more full. Sounds great with Elixir strings.

The action on this guitar is the best feature I think. Everyone who plays it falls in love with the feel. I't is a great guitar for someone just starting out. Most starter guitars have action that is an inch off the neck. This feels good and won't discourage the beginner. I wish I could give it an 11 rating

I would say that overall the guitar has held up well.. I'v had it a year with no problems. Well built guitar...

I've not had to contact the company for warranty issues. However I tried to contact them as to why they don't put more information about the Norman on their web-site. It is treated like the step child. All e-mail is answered via automated server. They say they are to busy. I feel that you should never be to busy to talk to your customers.....

For the money this is the best. It is a hand made guitar with great sound and action for under $500.00USD. It cannot be beat. If you are one of those people that have to have a name brand guitar like Gibson, Taylor, or Guild this is not the guitar for you. If you tell People you have a Norman they look at you like you have a booger hanging out of your nose. Then they play it and feel and hear the quality.
For the new player or for a good second guitar this is it.

a simple looking but beautifuly put together instrument. matt finish spruce top with laminate cherry back and sides. mahogany fretboard with 21 frets and a mahogany/ rosewood fret board/ neck (i think).
looks plain. machine heads are some non specific brand but work smoothly hand built in Canada, same family as Godin, Seagull, Simon Patrick.

sounds to me are good, nice percussive bass, a forward mid range and a sweet treble. likes to be picked and yet again it just sings out when you hammer out those big open chords. i have played some top end accoustics and this matches them at the least. the wide neck takes getting used to if you are used to playing an electric but persevere. it has a lovely response all the way up the neck.

set up was good, action is medium to low but no buzzes! the plastic nut and saddle make for near perfect intonation to my ears. the only gripe is that the nut is not perfectly flush to the neck and there is a tiny but visible join miss-match in the binding below the heel of the neck.

like any thing, if you look after this guitar it should last forever. build quality looks good and solid. it is a great busking/ gigging instrument.the satin finish will need some maintainance with a good quality bees wax to keep it in trim.

warranty is 2 years. no probs so far.

been playing 20 years, i own a les paul delux and a laney linebacker 65. various pedals.
i wish i'd asked for a cah dicount.
if it was nicked i'd be very upset, i'd have to buy another.
i chose this guitar because it sounded, felt and played the best, compared to more expensive fender, washburn, gretch, simon and patrick ,epiphone, tanglewood, takamine.

Let me be simple. There are lots of detail reviews. There are only standard features in this guitar. No excessess and no lacks. Just nice.

When it's new, it's just like most other guitars. But one you season it with the sound waves penetrating tru its wood grains, you will hear the difference. The difference is clear.

Just perfect. Nothing more you could ask for. If you love the nature of wood, then you will swoon over this baby.

Playing it for over a year. No cracks or wobble. Only that the top is not lacquered (for a darn good reason), just be careful. Do not put your power drill next to it.

Have not tried them yet.

I have a Kapok (?), Yamaha and Suzuki. (No Honda yet). I am a true Asian but I dare say that we should leave the making of guitars to the west. They somehow bring the best out of wood and steel. This Canadian baby is a privilege to own.

I received this as a gift in July 2000. So, I'd assume it was manufactured in "99" or "00". This beauty is blonde. When I first saw it I wasn't crazy about the color. I picture an acoustic guitar as a rosewood body with a light top. It only took a few weeks to love the color. As far as other features, I like the pick guard. It's not real big, so you see more of the top.

I've only been playing for one year. So, it sounds great to me. My teacher who's played for thirty years and has played many guitars loves the sounds. Usually once a month or so he'll use it during my lesson, and it sounds great.

This guitar has been flawless since I got it. No buzzing, flaws in the finish or nicks at all. The top and back are a perfect bookmatch. As I said, this is my first guitar and knew nothing of guitars. So I thought they were one piece of wood until I was informed that it wasn't.

I play this beauty every day. I have only changed the strings a few times and it looks like it did the day I got it.

I've had no reason to contact them. I believe the warranty is for two years.

In the past year I've gone to music stores and played Gibsons, Martins and Taylors. I prefer my Norman to all of them but the Eric Clapton Martin and the 800 series Taylor. I just recently bought a Simon and Patrick Folk Pro. Norman and S&P are sister companies. I'm spoiled. I'll keep paying a few hundred dollars to play a great guitar verses thousands to play a name.

my giutar was made in canada in 1993-1994 i think,thats what it says inside the body.its a 6 string left hand that i have strung up left handed.... works really nice......

i play rythym most of the time, has a nice fat,thick sound that i love

its acoustic so it cannot be set up too many different ways. no pickups but i do ocassionally use a dean markely pickup..

stays in tune for 4 hrs of hard country playing,cannot argue with that

never had a bit of trouble,a friend gave it to me so i` dont know if there is a warranty

had it for 5 years never any trouble, wouldnt trade NORMA,for anything