Norman B50

Same as previous reviews, but mine is all wood no electronics. I really like the way it looks, tight, simple and distinct. A beauty in my eyes.

I tried a whole bunch of guitars just around the 600-1000 range at three different stores and this had the sound that i liked the most. It's a tight low bass with commandin volume, with well balanced mids and highs. A loud and bright sound to this guitar. I tried some low end martins and taylors and their sound just wasn't as unique as this one. I play some folk, rock, starting bluegrass and just a variety of different songs, this guitar seems to do well for all of them. If you like a mellow sounding guitar this might not be the best choice, check out the ST68 tho they sounded really nice when I plyed them. This guitar is definatly good for lead guitar because it has that penetrating tone to it(a very nice tone). I recommend trying as many of these guitars as you can because this one was a gem in the pool, some of them didn't sound nearly as nice. Its tight bass will melt your ears.

This guitar was already in perfect setup when I bought it. Extremely smooth to play. I'm still using the stock strings right now and they still sound amazing, but I will switch to other strings later and if it sounds bad i'll update. but i highly doubt it. The quality of the make was pretty tidy and neat, but I think some more expensive guitars win in that field.

I've had this guitar for couple of months now, I take good care of it so I doubt it'll ever break. My friend has a b20 and hes brought it around to campfires and everywhere, all banged and scratched but it STILL sounds amazing. Looks like a solid guitar. I love the finish.

Don't know, never used it yet.

This was an amazing investment, I love it alot. Everyone wants to try it cuz it sounds so nice. When I record with this guitar, the sound is unbelievable. I love the commanding bass from this guitar. Compared to the taylors, martins and others i've tried, Norman definatly has the unique sound that I liked. I highly recommend this guitar to anyone who just wants a sweet sounding guitar to last for life. Been playing for only 5 years guitar, intermediate skills. This is my second guitar, my 1st is washburn wd46s and they both have very different sounds. I don't know if i'll ever buy a taylor or martin just becuase I feel like they aren't worth that amount for the sound you get. Iff anythin, i'll prolly find a custom hand made guitar.

Solid top, flame maple sides, beautiful high gloss finish and handmade in Canada; love the maple leafs around the sound hole!! I bought this guitar for live performance, so I chose one with the Fishman Prefix Pro electronics. I don't put a lot into what things look like (performance is more important), but I have to say, it's a great looking guitar! Then neck though, is kind of an odd colour match to the rest of the guitar, but who cares! We play straight ahead, roots-country/honky-tonk/bluegrass/punk music, so fancy features aren't needed or wanted. Has everything I need.

Just like my Tele, this thing can cut through the sound of the band! I think that the sound of this guitar is it's best feature, I was very suprised when looking for a new guitar and comparing it to other, more expensive models! People have come up and said that they love the sound of this thing and I do too! ONE RECOMMENDATION FOR A BETTER SOUND: go out and get some John Pearse Bluegrass strings!!!!! You'll find an incredable difference. The sound of this guitar suits me and our band, I gave it a 10 but you may want to play the B68 and the B50 to decide which one suits you.

Well, as I've heard from other Norman players, the set-up from the factory can be hit or miss. Mine is pretty good, I've seen worse from Norman; my low E buzzes when plugged in and is louder then the rest of the strings. My bandmate has a Norman that needed more attention than that, I got "lucky" I guess. The recommendation that was given to me: "Norman makes great guitars, but you have to have them properly set up by a pro."

I haven't had this guitar long enough to tell you. As far as a backup, not really, I also use a Tele and a mandolin on stage so if something happened I could just grab one of those. I've heard tell of strap button weakness but nothing yet. The finish seems really good, high gloss but not dampening; impressive.

Haven't had to use any yet for the Norman. I rented a Godin Multiac Steel Duet once (same company), had some questions about the electronics and had no problem getting help. Not much but it's all I've got!

I've only recently started playin an acoustic guitar on stage (played and still play a Tele) as it suites my "singer songwriter mode" in a lot of our new songs. So, my experience with acoustics is limited to playing other peoples Guilds, Fenders, Yamahas, Martins, Larrevees and so on.... When I was looking for a stage acoustic, I had the sound of Larevee/Matin/Taylor in my mind. I just couldn't spend that kind of money on those guitars when this one sounded soooo good! If I lost this guitar, I would definately get another. Other gear I use: Telecaster, Fender Thineline Mandolin, vintage Yamaha red label (no electronics). If the set-up was as good as it could be, I'd have given it a 10/10.

I picked up my Norman B50 at Steves music, Ottawa. I wanted my new guitar to have plugability, So I got it with a pickup, and an internal mic, and its designed with a cross fader. very interesting set up because you can lean more to the mic for a deeper sound, and fade more to the pickup for a brighter twangy sound.
It has some awesome Mapleleaf inlays around the soundhole, (VIVE LE CANADA!) I really like the look of it overall, simple yet attractive.

Sound wise, The B50 in my opinion dosnt have a warm sound, it's a very higher end cut through the air punch. so if you're at a party, and you want to stand out among your friends rocking beside you, the B50 would be an excellent choice :P.

If you like full rich sounding guitars, throw a mini pillow in your B50's sound hole, or look somewhere else.

but if you're looking for exactly that - a cut through the air *Lead guitar* sound. this one is for you.

I have a bit of beef with this section.

I first got it about 3 months ago, at first it sounded great, but the action must have lowered, because the e string was buzzing quite a bit after the first week. I quickly fixed that problem, simply by raising the action a touch. it still buzzes, but I dont want to raise the action so much it would change the pitch of the string when I play a chord because of tension on touch.

This is the start of my problems. (roughly 3 weeks after I got it)

-Sexy looking finish though

First off I want to say I play fairly hard, X punk member, and I play a lot of hard rock, punk, and even some emo. like I said earlyer after about 3 weeks of ownage. I was starting to notice that tuning the guitar was becoming more and more of a chore, it just wouldnt sound right anymore. I tune by ear and eventually it became such a hassle that I downloaded a tuning program, and put it to the test, turns out that the strings pitch was changing the lower I went down the neck!, by the 8'th fret it was about 3/4's a pitch off. (see customer support for the rest of the story)

STEVES MUSIC, OTTAWA - CANADA
I decide to bring it back to the store, to see what they thought. the guy at the counter said "yeah give me 20 min with it",
so 20 min later I come back and he says "Good as new!" Baffled, I take it, and play a few chords, and its still out of tune. What would happen is: If you play all strings open, it sounds tuned but when you play a chord it would be out of tune, obviously the neck is warped or maybe the saddle needs repair. at any rate, I've been without it for over a week now,they claim they will fix it. but its never done when I call.
and today, I call in right before close, to see the status, and he says: "All it needed was new strings" NEW STRINGS? is he on crack?

Steves Music has a 1 year warranty on everything in the store
However it seems to be a little sloppy.
So far I have yet to receive good customer service from them.

I decided to search the internet, maybe the B50 is known for warped necks. So far all I have found are schools of very satisfied customers. Out of all the guitars Norman makes, I think it's safe to say that defective products are unavoidable.

I've been playing guitar for 9 years now. I've played on a lot of acoustics, electrics, and my dads custom yamaha acoustic is well over 25 years old now, and its never ever had any neck warping problems. I am a little dissapointed with my run in with this guitar, I hope that Steves will exchange it, I am planning on going for another B50 based on the wide customer satisfaction I have seen all over the internet.

thanks for reading.

Bought a 2003 B50, classic dread, spruce top, flame maple back and sides. No wires in mine, just wood, wood, wood, and strings. This guitar, like all Normans, is really nothing to look at. Philosophy at Norman is they' re happy spending the time and money on anything that will produce a great sound, and of course, inlays, snazzy pick guards, etc.. are all sacrificed for the cause. The finish on these guitars is second to none. Beautiful glossy finish on mine, but without that feeling like your playing through a plastic shield. I only scored this an 8 as there really aren't many features on mine, except of course a sound I'll put up against anything, for any price.

Rich, Full. Testament is anyone who picks up my guitar loves it after about 30 seconds. Enough said!!!!

Set up probably a little high from factory, but who's isn't. Had some bad experiences with my first B50 getting it set up by an "expert". I think he was a "lutheran", not a guitar guy. Anyways, won't touch this one for a few years till it settles. Finish, beautiful. Fit, perfect.

Too early to say, but in true Norman fashion, this guitar will be a gem in twenty years. Every Norman I know thats been around is just perfect. Built to last.

Godin, LaSiDo, Best customer service BAR none. Score 11 if I could.

Pick one up and you won't believe price/sound quality ratio. Love the understated look of these guitars, and c'mon, there made right outside my door here in Quebec. Check one out. If you can't afford the B50, try a 20 or even and 18. There all good.

B50 12 string, solid spruce top, maple back and sides. Mahogony head and neck with rosewood fretboard. Canadian maple-leaf inlay around soundhole. Fitted with a fishman prefix pro pickup. chrome pegs.
As a solo singer/guitarist the features met my requirements. It would have been nice to have seen a button for the front guitar strap but, that would've been too good. Came with a case which is always a good thing, and i managed some new strings a nd a tuner out of the dealer! Drive a hard bargain us Brits! Paid just under $500 half the price what you'd pay in Britain.

As a Fingerstyle guitarist playing mostly pop/folk (j. Taylor, Tracy Chapman, Simon+Garf) the 12 string was a bit of a challenge, however when i had the bass strings reversed so i could pluck them first, the guitar really began to shine. I have a Takamine en10c which i've had for some years which doesen't come a close second to the b50 for sound unplugged. Played through my Behringer amp with Yamaha e12s speakers the sound was unbelievably full with the bass to die for. The fishman was a joy with the graphic and the notch control added a wonderful warmth. So much control over the sound. I bought the guitar whilst on holiday in Toronto, and initialy opted for a Ovation Balladeer 12string. When I auditioned the B50 (along with Martin's And Takamine 12strings) it blew me away! A hand built guitar, half the price and twice the sound awesome!

The action here was a bit high for my liking (which most new guitars are) but i've never bought a guitar that was right for me. The neck was wide enough to accomodate the 12strings and my fingers seemed to fall onto them without any adjustments. When the action was lowered the saddle needed to be skimmed down ever so slightly to clear the strings! Strange? The finish was good and the wood was flawless.

I've used this guitar for over a year now whilst gigging 2-3 times a week. It still looks as good as the day i bought it givr=e or take the wood maturing to a darker colour. The guitar is always kept in the case it came supplied with so doesen't get knocked about at home.
On stage there's only me sat on a stool so other musicians don't come into the equasion. The fishman pickup is doing a terrific job and still sounds as warm and mellow. No dust interference yet.
I still use the Takamine for more intricate numbers ,but notice the sound difference straight away. A B50 six string might be on the cards if i ever return to Canada!

Haven't had the pleasure!

Been playing over 10yrs now and although i'm not a conessueor of guitars, this one knocked spots of the others i tried in the shop.
Your ears are the best judge of the guitars not the brand or the shine. I had never heard of Norman guitars until i walked in the shop that day, but would already consider trading the Takamine 6string for a B50 six. The sound of this guitar when amplified (and accoustic) was the clincher for me.

Manufactured 2001 in Canada; B50 (6) 6-string; Solid spruce top, Maple (not flamed) sides and back; mahogany neck and head; rosewood fingerboard; chrome tuners; gloss finish on body; patterned coloured purfling round soundhole; dreadnought body; neck quite thin; Fishman Prefix onboard pre-amp with volume knob, treble, bass, contour, frequency sliders, battery condition LED.

As soon as I discovered it in the shop, I could tell that this was a guitarist's guitar. Even though the strings were old and dead, it stood out from the crowd of Takamines and Epiphones by a head and shoulders. I play folk-rock, mostly flatpicking but some fingerstyle. I was looking for a backup guitar and also to use when I need a different tuning in performance. Having a standby guitar in an alternative tuning is much better than having to retune and detune a number of times in a performance. This instrument has powerful bass, but is not quite so strong at the top. This may be my perception because I have a Taylor 714 which has a BIG sound. However, the Taylor has been played for five years and has matured, which is what I expect the Norman to do over time. It still sounds very good indeed with my Martin SP phosphor bronze 12 - 54 light strings.
It is through the amp that this guitar really shines. The sound is superb (I use a Marshall AS100D acoustic combo). Very rich and mellifluous, with lots of character. It sounds like a very expensive guitar and is a tiny bit more characterful through the amp than my Taylor. There is good control with the Fishman Prefix pre-amp. I have used it with delay, chorus and reverb effects and it sounds very pro.

I like a low action on the fretboard, but it was set a little too low to bring out the sweetest sound. (This is unusual, as very often one finds the action set too high on new guitars). The neck was spot on but the saddle seemed to be set too low in the bridge. So I undid the strings, took off the saddle and placed a strip of an old credit card under the Prefix. That did the trick and the action is now perfect. I can detect no particular flaws in the workmanship of the guitar. The gloss finish of the maple is very clean and impressive looking. The spruce top has already aged a lovely golden colour, which makes an interesting contrast to the relative whiteness of the maple on the sides and back.

The high-gloss finish should protect the box nicely. It feels like a solid instrument designed to lug around gigs on a regular basis. (I still always keep my guitars in hard cases.)

The warranty is two years from the manufacturer. I have no comment on customer support as I have not had to invoke it.

This guitar is very good value. The price could lead you to believe that it is a mediocre instrument. However, I played a Martin alongside of it and was hard pressed to tell the difference. My Taylor has the edge over it when played unplugged, but that could be the five years of playing difference between them. Through the amp, the Norman sounds fantastic.
I have been playing for 35 years and am very fussy about my guitars, so this must be good! My favorite features are the ease with which it can be played, the powerful bass, and the clean sound through an amp.
If it ever disappeared, I would certainly look for one again. But they are very hard to find in Europe. Hardly anyone has heard of Norman, although there are some in France.
The bottom line is that I now have two guitars with which I am very happy and I call them Norman Taylor!

purchased in 1974 - John Belone music in London Ontario - $ 475 1974 dollars
I am the original owner
21 frets - heelless neck
solid top, no pickup accoustic
dreadnought body

perfect for my musical style - former rocker - the heeless neck makes fooling around with many rock/blues lead styles a lot of fun plus it has the rich full sound for finger picking.
I like everything about the guitar. It has been through a tremendous alot like huge singalongs at my university residence outside in the winter being played by a ardox spike for extra volume. I take very good care of it now. Early on it seemed difficult to keep in tune but not any more. I have noticed that it sounds much better in the last 5 years.

action is great
I am not too concerned with the finish the flaws there are from time alone and some battle wounds.

got to give it a 10. It already has lasted.

Never needed it

mine was supposedly made in 1965... it is handmade, 21 frets, made in good 'ol Canada, solid top (I believe Spruce), mahogany neck, and rosewood bridge... not sure the config of the pickup, has volume and tone controls and sounds great through a soft amp...

I have big hands, so I love the neck... it is very wide... gives me a playability I had difficulty finding before after playing a seagull (daughter company) and several yamaha's... a good friend of mine (who taught me to play) also had a B50 and I fell in love with it... was very lucky to find mine...

lost a point, just cause the pickup has had a couple of wiring problems...

I can't begin to describe how much I LOVE this guitar... I saw another review here, which compared the sound to Martins, Taks, etc. - and he is bang on... I've played a d-45, and though it has a clearer tone, cannot match the resonating bass tones of my Norman... such a rich and full sound... it suits my style well, I like to play a lot of blues/folk... this is a fantastic f***ing guitar...

couple of complaints I had with the guitar, I had to spend a couple of bucks to get the tress rod/action adjusted... small price to pay, however, I think the guy I bought it from was fooling around with it a bit... also had to get the bridge filed...

I suspect these "flaws" were not really flaws, but the actions of someone who really didn't know what he was doing... the poor guy didn't know what he had, the $80 or so dollars I had to pay to get this work done was a small price after paying $400 (CAD) for this gem...

I find the lacquer on the neck a bit "gummy"... but an occasional light grazing with a fine emery cloth takes care if it nicely...

this is a solid guitar... curiously, it is much heavier than my friend's Norman, I'd be interested to know if all of this model were handmade, and from the same materials...

this rig is a friggin' tank.

haven't had to deal with company... and since the guitar is over 35 years old, I'm guessing the warranty is up ;)... I don't suspect I will need a warranty...

been playing guitar for about 9 years, and I have yet to play a nicer guitar... I've played a Martin d-18, 2 d-28s and a d-45, a Gibson SJ-200, a couple of Taks, dozens of Yamahas, a couple of nice Washburns, and numerous others in guitar shops... I'd probably trade in my Norman for the Gibson or the d-45... barring that...

In summary... I've recently hit some hard times, I sold my cd player, my dvd player, my computer, my tv, etc. to make ends meet... I'd eat kd and tomato soup before I'd sell my B50.

Rant out.

This is my first guitar so I can't really compair it but what I can say is that it sounds great. I got it as a birthday gift about 4 years ago from Jett Landry Music in Sudbury Ontario, Canada. It has 21 frets and a solid top. This guitar came without a pickup. Im not sure of what type of wood it's made of but it looks great. I found that the neck was a little wide compaired to others that I've played. Also the first few frets seemed far apart. Both of these made it a little hard to play at first. However, it makes playing any other guitar seem easy. I'm not sure if it was included but it came with a stand and case.

I love it!!! Nice deep sound when playing the blues.

Although it was given to me as a gift, I was still able to choose the guitar I wanted. The sound was the deciding factor even though I looked at differnt and more expensive models. The only complaint that I have about the setup is that the strings seem to sit a little high from the neck.

All marks and scraches are total my fault. All I recommend is not to play while sitting in a lawn chair or lean it against a rock fire place... : (

I've been playing on and off for the last 5-6 years. Mainly Blues and Country Music. I once owned a Peavy Electronic guitar and amp but really couldn't play anything at the time so I sold it. If it were lost or stolen I would buy the same. Once again the sound is the best that I've heard. So good that it makes up for the other small details.

This B50 came without a pickup, unlike the other submissions..but I put a fishman in it a little while after I got it. The materials were stated in the other submissions, so I won't repeat..but I will say that it is canadian made, and a very "full" guitar in the physical sense.

I like to play Jars of Clay (not Flood style though), sixpence, Oasis etc. I cant brag enough about the sound on this. I have tried lots of acoustics out, and this Norman has more depth to it than any other I have tried. It gives you a very full, crisp and deep sound unplugged. It is all the better plugged in, with a nice warm sounding amp. I play through a Peavy classic 50.

I got the guitar as a gift from a friend (nice huh) and so I cant say if it was adjusted differently from factory settings or not. I think that the action is just a tad bit high. It stays in tune pretty well and the finish is nicely done.

The wood seems to be sturdy and of good quality and there are solid strap buttons. I have nicked it up a little bit, but it seems to take it pretty well. It is the only guitar I use when I gig, and I would say that it is very dependable.

I have been playing for about 6 years and I also have a very sweet sounding gretsch 57 Jetfire as my electric (which doesnt stay in tune too well and needs a little work, that's why I dont gig with it). I dont use a lot of effects with this Norman, I run through a Boss ME-30 and use mainly just the reverb and Chorus on it. Overall it is a stellar guitar.

Made in canada, 1999. 21 frets, with a solid spruce top. Comes with Fishman Prefix pick-up, 3 way (bass, contour, treble) and frequency selector. Lacquer finish on body is excellent, the wood looks darn great. Pick-up plate finally other than black (amber/red). Neck is a satin-smooth finish, perfect size and your hand glides real nice. Brand new strings, tuned once and never reworked them in 4 days, and played a lot, so the tuners seem great.

It suits exactly my music style of acoustic & finger picking, (a la Michael Hedges). It sounds strong and full, with all the strings giving out as strongly as all the others. All the sounds come out equally as strong, wether on a low or a high string. Using D'addario lights. The sound is something like bright, with a strong, rich and full push to project. In the store, I've tried 1500$ Martins, Takamines, etc. I always came back to this one. Best acoustic sound money can buy, in my opinion. The pickup is clean, and does ample justice to the natural acoustics of the guitar.

The top is perfectly adjusted, the string height is well balanced over the fretboead and basically has no flaws I can see. Neck is satin finish, with no flaws.

With its sound and pickup, this guitar was made to perform and be heard. I take good care of my guitars, and this one should last me many years if not for life. Theneck seems rock-solid with the hardware I see inside. I keep it in the case whenever I'm not playing, though it will have do live through some gigs and outside weather conditions sometimes. I would definitely use it without a backup (except for a battery for the pickup).

Been playing for 15 years, also have a Lys (bye bye Lys...) from the same neck of the woods (Lapatrie, Quebec). Electric Ricky (model 480). I just bought it, and had ample time to shop, so I would buy another one tomorrow if it were lost or stolen.

It's an acoustic, so it doesn't have any fancy schmancy features. solid cedar top, 21 frets, natural high gloss finish. Made in Canada by the same company as Seagulls and Godins

Well, it doesn't really suit my musical style, which is more electric type stuff, but it is an awesome sounding acoustic, especially for the price. It has a very rich and full sound, which is cool.

Well, everything is great. Only problem was a tiny unnoticeable blob of varnish on the front, at the "bottom" of the guitar(if it was standing up) but that's why i got a good price on it. I don't know what kind of tuners it has, but once the strings are stretched out, it stays in tune well. I only give it an 8 because of the varnish thing

all the stuff is pretty durable, except that I'm too rough with it, and i forgot to put the humidifier in it for almost a week, and it got a crack in the top, which isn't a big deal for me. And there are a bunch of scratches on it from me picking like a madman,and other places from getting banged around too roughly

Never dealt with the company, but it has a 2 year warranty i believe. Also, i emailed Godin for a catalog (same company) and got it within a week. I plan to buy an electric soon, I'm gonna get a Godin LG

I compared it to some other acoustics, and this was it for the money I could spend (mes parents payed half) If it were stolen (how would I lose it) I probably wouldn't be able to find another one, but I would just buy a Godin LG and forget about it