Simon & Patrick Pro Quilted Maple

This is the 1996 version of the Simon & Patrick Pro Quilted Maple model. In 1996, it wasn't called Pro Quilted Maple, but simply "Quilted Maple," but the specs are nearly identical. Solid spruce top with a solid quilted maple back, and laminated quilted maple sides. I believe the neck is rosewood, but I could be mistaken. Dreadnought body with 20 frets, 14 of which are easily within reach. It came with the LR Baggs Piezo Active Pickup, which sounds fine, but I don't plug in too often, as I like the sound of the guitar when it is not amplified. The finish is hand-rubbed semi-glossy, which is very nice. The finish is certainly of the best things about this guitar, since it looks beautiful, offers protection, but still allows the wood to widen over time, resulting in better tone. The only complaint I have about this guitar is the tuning pegs. On the 1996 model, they are a cheap plastic type of pegs, which I don't understand because everything else about this guitar is so nice. The pegs don't stay in tune too well, which is why they were replaced with Grovers, which do the job nicely. Also, there is no pickguard on this guitar, which in my opinion, makes the guitar look nicer, but for those players who are extremely agressive, this could prove to be a problem. Of course, you can always slap on one yourself if you choose.

The sound out of this guitar is really nice. Simon & Patrick have been often compared to high-end martins, in terms of sound. I didn't believe it until I tried it. The trebles really ring out nicely out of this guitar. The bass doesn't scream, but it does the trick nicely. It is a rich, bright sound overall, and considering the previous owner didn't play the guitar much, this guitar can be considered new, and still needs to be broken in. I am positive that in the ensuing years, this guitar will sound only better than it already does. I play with both a flatpick and my fingers, so my style varies, but this guitar I use mainly for fingerpicking, and light, more mellow songs. My Guild D-35 is the guitar I use to jam out on and play more bluesy stuff....this guitar is suited towards Paul Simon material, not Stevie Ray Vaughan. I use John Pearse 12 guages, which I feel, sound the best for fingerpicking.

This is truly a beautiful guitar. The action is low, but it has an adjustable truss rod if you choose it to be higher. It came to me low, and it fits my style well. The pickups are fine, but again, I don't plug in too much when I play acoustic. Cosmetically, this is such a piece of art. The quilted maple backs and sides are amazingly well constructed, the finish of the spruce top is exquisite, and the overall construction of the bridge and neck are beautiful. The nut that came with this guitar isn't the best, and this is my only complaint about the guitar in this category. I will have it replaced with a deeper bone nut in the future to get a better sound. I think the factory nut is too shallow, which may contribute to my tuning problems. The bracing on the insides is excellent too, giving you great projection.

It's hard to say how durable this guitar is. It is EXTREMELY light...even with active pickups, it is such a light guitar. It is built well though, and it seemed like the newer S&P models were a bit heavier when I played them. However, if you don't beat this baby up, I'm sure it would last awhile. This guitar IS my backup to my D-35, so I guess I would never gig without both of these guitars there, since I use both of them for different sounds. Just be careful with your gear, and you won't be disappointed.

They took a little while to respond, but when I had inquiries about the guitar, they were helpful and answered all my questions. Don't know about warranty or any of that stuff, but their website is alright if you want to check it out.

I have played for five years now, which is not too long, but it is a hobby, not a profession. This is a wonderful guitar to have for a long time because it will age over time, and it's simple beauty is something that I think even the higher end Martins lack. It's sound is really great for a variety of things, and it's hardshell case will protect it for life. I play electric through a japanese strat through a modded ts-9, to a 99 fender twin, but I am thinking about going mainly acoustic. I own a NY classical guitar, a Takamine EG-240, and a Guild D-35 as well. My Guild and this Simon and Patrick are my two main guitars, and with these two, I can get just about any sound I need. My only complaints about this guitar when I bought it, were the tuners, and the nut. I'm sure when replaced, the guitar will sound even better. If it were stolen or lost, I would probably buy the newer model of the same guitar, since it comes with better tuners and a stronger nut, but this guitar is really incredible. It sounds as good as medium-end Martins, it looks better than high-end Martins, and it costs less than both. What more could you ask for? For the price, S&P are the best guitars on the market.