Simon & Patrick S&P Pro Mahogany

For an acoustic guitar you couldn't ask for anything more, especially given the price. Solid top, solid sides and back, reverse-cut headstalk, spruce binding, beautiful rosewood fretboard, perfectly machined frets, tusq nut, sealed tuners, top quality bracing. The list goes on.


Oh yeah, it comes with this crazy styrofoam case. I'm still not too sure about the case.

I have been playing guitar for several decades and I have never heard anything like this guitar. The resonance and sustain are surprising now that the guitar has 'opened up' (bought in 2004). With the mahogany sides and back it lends itself well to fingerstyle as well as straight out strumming.

It is true that this guitar doesn't project quite as well as the Rosewood version but it makes up for it with a nice clear tone. I guess it depends on your playing style.

I filed the saddle down in order to tweak the action a bit. S&P tend to ship their guitars a little high at the bridge. The tonewoods are nicely matched on the top and back and the binding (as mentioned earlier) really gives the guitar a high-end look. If you have seen the binding on the Larrivee guitars you know what I mean. The mother-of-pearl inlays are also a nice touch.

The guitar is well intonated and it holds its tune consistently. I have had issues with Seagulls in the past (made by the same people). I used to own a Seagull Pro Flame Maple Cutaway and I had a heck of a time getting the high E properly intonated. I guess that was just a lemon.

The finish is nice. I am not a huge fan of satin finishes (old school I guess) so it is nice to have a little extra protection with the high gloss on the S&P. It has a very thin gloss that doesn't have any noticeable effect on the sound.

I have no worries playing this guitar. Part of that is due to the price tag...it wouldn't break the bank to replace it. Seriously though, this guitar is solid.

I have seen some of the older 'La Patrie' finishes crackle a little but they have changed their finishing process since then. I guess only time will tell. So far it still looks great.

I do my own setup and repairs so I have never had to contact them. But hey, they're Canadians, how bad could it be ;)

I have been playing for about 30 years and I have played just about every style you could name. I play mostly fingerstyle these days (although I keep my strat close at hand). I have owned many instruments some great, some not so great. This guitar is my favorite.

I originally went out to pick up a Larrivee D-05 when I came across the S&P. The similarity between the guitars was remarkable. In the end I just couldn't justify spending more than four times the money for essentially the same guitar.

If it was stolen I would likely replace it although I would take a serious look at the Showcase folk rosewood. I have rarely bought the same guitar model twice.

Pretty much covered in the other reviews.

I have had it for 9 years now,the warmness of this guitar continues to blow me away. The sound truly gets better with age (as long as it is being played). I have played with people playing Martins, $3500.00 Lakewood guitars etc and every time the old S&P turns heads.

After 4 years I had it set up by a Luthier. It wasn't bad from the factory, but I suppose like anything else a little maintenance every now again doesn't hurt.
The guitar was pretty much flawless from the day I bought it from my perspective and still is.

This guitar loves to be played, like a dog that loves to fetch. I keep it on a stand in the living room year round, summer,spring, winter and fall. Remarkable how well/long it stays in tune...playing for hours on end or parked on the stand over time.
The finish is very thin, thus the sound quality, there is no pick guard so the finish is wearing,also on the neck, first 5 frets, which is fine from a character point of view with me.
Probably not the the most robusk out there for stumbling around campfires or beach parties but has definately has held its own with me for 9 years.

never needed it

I have been playing for 14 years, this is my only my third guitar and I will never part with it. It's like a member of the family. I would definately have to replace it with the same if anything happened to it propably just for comfort and feel of the S&P guitars. The only other guitars that come close in comfort/feel/ease in playing (for me) are the Seagull Artist series.
I wish it had electronics for an option, it sounds good miked but you have to stay still.
My favorite feature with this guitar is the plainess of its looks, not flashy at all, then the sound takes over..."its not what on the outside that counts, its what is on the inside". Highly recommended brand of instrument.

Year 2000ish model, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides. Nicely finished guitar. No pickguard, i've worn away some of the finish near the soundhole but I've played it everyday for 5 years so no major problem. I've also fitted a fishman pickup which hides discreetly inside with the strap button containing the jack input.
Don't expect features with an acoustic guitar so wont rate this section.

I play a range of styles from blues to folk fingerpicking and acoustic strumming. Seems to handle a range of styles very well.
The sound (as some reviewers have said) is nicely balanced, not too much bass, mid or trebble but a good balance. I have recorded in studios with top quality mics and it sounded beautiful, in fact somebody walking past the door from another studio in the complex came in to ask what guitar it was!

I'd say it's a fairly gentle expressive, sound from this guitar. It has no rudeness to the sound so if your after a blues acoutic for slide (other than a resonator) you'd best go for a loud cheapo mass produced thing (just like the delta guys did with the Harmony and Kay's).

A very neat guitar. Nice understated finish. Frets very tidy and action perfect from the outset. Looks very neat inside.

Played live with this guitar many times and it's held up well. No problems with heat/cold dryness/moisture although I am fairly sensible and don't take it into the shower with me!
Finish is fairly thin though (to enable the body to resonate unhindered) so no studded jackets please.

Never dealt with them and after 5 trouble free years, never will.

I've been playing about 12 years and have tried many an acoustic guitar. This one is up there with the best and will all I'll ever need in the steel strun western acoustic area. Perhaps I could get a Martin or a Taylor but then I'd sound like the rest of the crowd!
No, the S & P will do me until I'm old and my fingers don't work....

I think this guitar was made in 2005. 21 frets. Body: solid Mahogany Back, Top: Solid Spruce, Finish: High Gloss. Rosewood Fingerboard. Looks very great ! (no pickups on this guitar, for that I give it a 9)

Its a real pleasure to play with this baby ! Have great bass and mids, Have a little "dark" sound, but still have great treble. This combination of caracteristics made it sound rich and full. AND FOR THE PRICE IT'S KILLER !!! I've played with a lots of expensive takamine... and this guitar beat them all !!!

The action was too high when I bought it, but a luthier make some little ajustments (for free) before I bring this baby at home... all I have to do after is to oil the fingerboard with lemon oil ! The whole guitar was perfectly made !

Since I just own for a few days I can't comment for this... but I'm sure that this guitar is solid and I'll surely rely on it ! The only things... it doesn't have pickup's and pick guard...

This is a fully recommended guitar for those who don't have so much money to buy a 3000$ Guild !!! It looks great, it sounds great FOR 700 $ !!! If I were stolen I'll buy another right away !

Handmade in Canada. Go Canada! Those guys know wood, and the S&P pro is a great example. Mine was made in 2003, and the top soundboard is a very tight grain spruce with a LOT of silk. This is primarily the reason I got the guitar. Most luthiers will tell you that a tight grain with transverse rays (called "silk" because it looks, well, like spider silk) is really the top shelf wood for a soundboard. The back is solid mahogany, the sides a tri-ply mahogany laminate (horizontal, vertical, horizontal grain). I know a lot of folks hate laminates of all kinds on guitars, however the science behind this kind of construction is important to keep in mind. Laminate sides produce a stiffer, more rigid sound ring on which the top and back vibrate...think of drumheads stretched across a snare drum. It's the same concept behind why a banjo has such great tonal projection. The sides are also more inherently structurally stable and keep the instrument in line better than solid wood sides that can warp and flex over time. As a result the S&P has great tone projection. The stiff "sound ring" produces very clear and ringing highs and the mahogany back rounds out with clear thick lows. I was really very impressed. I also cold-smoke cured the inside of my guitar with clove and cinnamon bark (a pretty technical process - don't try at home) to open up and stablize the wood...plus, now the guitar smells REALLY nice and kind of breathes a soft cinnamon-clove smell when it's played. Anyway, I'm very happy with this guitar and tend to play it more than my Martins. You can hear some tracks with this one at www.shaymus.org

Top notch, really. As mentioned the tri-lam sides result in cannon-like projection and great tonal range from this guitar. The sound of mine is probably a bit more tonally complex than an off the self model because of the cold-smoke curing, but even before I cured the guitar it was a very sweet singer. It's one of those guitars that produce highs that you feel up in your head and lows you feel in your chest. Real nice.

The guitar is not flashy, which I happen to like. It was designed to do one thing, really...and it does that quite well. The lines are clean, woodwork is straight forward, no glue droplets or jagged bits. I did do a little fret polishing when I first brought it home...but that was very minor.

Durable and comfortable. I've had a few knocks on this guitar during shows, but it's held up very well.

I've owned and played many acoustics over the years and developed a curing process for tone woods that I use with all my guitars. Like relationships, some guitars instantly beguile us with their looks and sweet voice, yet for some reason we tire of them and start looking lustfully at other guitars in the shop. Luckily, jilted guitars don't make life miserable when we decide to move on. There are, however, some instruments, like lovers, that we always look back to fondly. In some cases, if we are wise, those instruments are still in our lives. This particular guitar has grown on me in this way. I find it comfortable, responsive, forgiving, and yes, beautiful. I will keep it.

22 Frets I think, Laminated top. No pick guard but I think it looks fine without one and there aren't really any scratches after about a year so mine's fine without one.

Incredibly full tone. Very rich, high ends aren't muddied at all--very crisp. This guitar sounds better every month I play it. I play with .13s and tune down a whole step and man I get rich full bass tones out of this. I play fingerstyle, folk, blues, classic rock, new rock(ish) stuff and this guy sounds great for all of them. I put a Dean Markley soundhole pickup on this the other week and it sounded great coming out of an electric guitar amp.

The action's great -- and adjusts very nicely (I've changed mine more than a couple times). Fit and finish is perfect. There is a slight flaw in the bridge--it almost looks like it wasn't glued right down to the body perfectly but this is seriously minor and hasn't gotten any worse or caused any problems with the action or anything.

Once I was drunk and smacked my poor guitar against a stove handle pretty hard by accident as I was walking by :( I was convinced that the body was done for. To my surprise it only left a small cosmetic gouge on the top. Tough bugger cause I hit it hard. I'd play it in a mosh pit without a backup :)

I play basically every guitar I can get my hands on just to try them out and in the price range i'd take my S&P over anything.

This is the only accoustic i've ever owned but I've played a lot of other guitars in the same price range and NONE of them stack up in my opinion. I've played some Morgans, martins, gibsons, and larivees which I felt were better but to my surprise I like my S&P over some of the martins and larivees I've come across.

This is a 2002 made S&P Mahogany model. The other reviews tell all about the guitar. Solid spruce top, mahogany back, etc. Gold tuners. No pickgaurd. I tune it almost every other time I pick it up. Bought it in Canada.

I think it sounds wonderful. However, it it seems not to have the projection of some cheap guitars(?). Has a bright sound, seems to be getting fuller as time goes by. Almost had it a year now. I would say that I wouldn't trade it for another guitar, except for a Seagull. And the price is about the same for the two, so I really like this one. I am a beginner, and this is my first "real" guitar. I like it!
I play almost everyday, and love the feel of it. It's getting a few bangs frome my carelessness. The top has character, with the lines of the grain.

I didn't get it set up. It seemed fine to me, and I think I gor it shortly after it arrived to the shop. This was the only one, and it sounded good to me.
When I look at it from the bottom bout at a 45 degree angle, I see a dip in the top near the bridge. Well, I don't know, I still play it. It's hardly noticeable, so I just check it on occaison. I don't think it means anything, but I notice it. Maybe if I bang it up more, it won't matter.
The stings seem to be going, but after a year and not changing them, what to expect? There seems to be a couple dull sounding notes at certain frets. Maybe a change is in order?
The neck is very nice, satin smooth. Very fast, even if I'm not.

I believe thia guitar would hold it's ownduring a live gig. I want to do an open mic someday, or even venture into the world of busking! This guitar is perfect!
I had to get an additional strap button put on the neck.
AS I said previously, there was no pickguard with this guitar. They couldn't find one for me, but now I like the look of it without a p/g. It has a certain character. I want to play Blues, and Praise & Worship music with this guitar.

They have a nice website. Haven't dealt with them. I expect they would be prompt, but there is only a year warranty on the guitar anyway so...... .

I've been playing about a year now. I'm making some progress with a variety of styles, and this is one guitar that can handle them all: fingerstyle, flatpicking, rhythm, some lead riffs.
I don't have a favorite feature, or least favorite. I just like this guitar. Some may have a different opinion, but it's a great sounding music box!
If I had it to do all over again, I would buy this guitar. It feels like it just belongs to me.
I am looking at new electric guitars also, and this is still a keeper.
Hope you have a good experience with them as I have.

2002 Solid Spruce top and solid mahogany back with laminate sides.Canadian made in lapetrie Quebec.Gold plated hardware and hand buffed laquer finish.I'll give an 8 for features because it is lacking a ebony frettboard found in more expensive guitars.Very plain in decorations.

The sound is great for a guitar in this price catagory.It does'nt have the crispnessw and bite of a Larivee or Taylor but at one half the price of a cheap larivee dreadnoaght it does very well.It has a rich bass and a nice bright treble which I find very pleasant.

It has all the qualities of a fine guitar.Nice buffed finish with nice pretty gold plated hardware.The tuning is very smooth and stays in tune well.The action could have been better but the shop I bought it from will set it up free after I decide on the best string gauge.

I have been playing guitar for 30 years and this guitar has the feel of something that will last.The climate in Lapetrie Quebec where this instrument is made has blazing hot summers combined with bone chilling winters.This guitar is a survivor.

Never dealt with them except for a e-mail inquiry which was answered promptly.

I have been playing most of my life.I play mostly finger style.If it was stolen I would probably save my money and buy a Larivee or something of the same quality.I love the bite of those axes.

The other two reviews of this guitar on this site describe the various features quite well. I have nothing to add to those fine descriptions.

Very nice, balanced sound (with seemingly equal resonance and projection of low, mid, and high notes/strings). On the bright side with a pick, but I play a lot with fingerpicking so it's a nice combination.

Good action on the low side which I like, good fit of all components, and the finish is very nice and satiny. Altogether, a very attractive (though not flashy) guitar, which I bought with no pickgard, because I thought it looked so nice without one. I don't play it hard, so don't need the guard.
The only thing I noticed after I bought it is that the top is not made of two equal-sized pieces joined in the middle. Rather, one of the 2 pieces is wider than the other, so the join point is about an inch on one side of center.

My Simon & Patrick has worked very well for me over the last couple of years, since I bought it. It's gone through a couple of winters with no evidence of warping or other aberrations. I usually left in the case, but for the last few months have been leaving it out in the room (been playing it more) and doesn't seem to bother it.

Never had to deal with them for any reason, so no comment.

I traded in an older Gibson ES-125 for the Simon & Patrick. THe Gibson played well, but was cosmetically quite scratched (would have loved to know the history of that one!). I had owned it for about 10 years and loved it, but I also had an Ibanez Joe Pass archtop (a much better guitar than the ES-125) and needed a good acoustic flattop. I looked and tried some Guilds and Gibsons, but when I tried the S&P, I knew it was the guitar for me. I tried a lot of Seagull/S&P guitars that day, working my way up from the low line to the top line. The S&P Pro Mahogany sounded and felt the best to me. Once I had made my mind, the dealer and I agreed on an even trade for the ES-125. I felt a bit sad to part with the old Gibson, but was glad to acquire a fine acoustic, made right in my Canadian backyard. I'm very glad (and proud) to have a chance to communicate my satisfaction with this fine canadian made instrument.

MADE IN 1996 IN QUEBEC, CANADA.IT HAS 21 FRETS. SOLID SPRUCE TOP WITH SCALLOPED BRACING. HAVE INSTALLED DEAN MARKLEY SWEET SPOT UNDER SADDLE. THE BACK IS MADE FROM SOLID MAHOGANY AND THE SIDES ARE MADE FROM A LAMINATE 3 PLY MAHOGANY. THE NECK IS ALSO MAHOGANY. APPOINTMENTS INCLUDE A ROSSETTE AROUND SOUND HOLE, DARK BROWN BINDING AROUND BODY AND NO FRET MARKERS IN THE ROSEWOOD FINGERBOARD.THE FRET MARKERS ARE LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF THE FRETBOARD ONLY. LOW PROFILE ROSEWOOD BRIDGE IS GREAT FOR PLAYERS WHO REST THE HEEL OF THEIR HAND ON THE BRIDGE.I HAVE REPLACED THE TUNERS WITH GROVERS SIMPLY BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE IVORIOD TUNERS LOOKED CHEAP. THE SCALE IS 24 3/4 ...I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT. THE FINISH I BELIEVE IS AN ALCOHOL LAQUER...GLOSS FINISH ON THE BODY AND SATIN ON THE NECK. THE NECK IS BOLTED ON AS YOU CAN SEE THE BOLTS FROM THE INSIDE. THE FACTORY SETUP CAME WITH LIGHT GUAGE STRINGS WHICH I DO NOT USE. I HAD IT SETUP FOR MEDIUM GUAGE STRINGS FOR FLATPICKING. I USE A 3MM BIG STUBBY PICK. OVERALL IT SUITS MY TASTE..ITS PLAIN LOOKING..NO DRESSUPS...JUST GOOD LOOKING WOOD.

THE SOUND IS FULL, BIG BOTTOM END. MORE THAN YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM MOHOGANY. GOOD FLATPICKING BLUEGRASS GUITAR. STANDS UP TO ANY MARTIN I'VE PLAYED AND I HAVE ONE AS MY SECOND GUITAR. MY ONLY DISLIKE OF THE SOUND IS ON A MICROPHONE IT CAN BE A BIT BOOMY.

THE ACTION WAS SETUP FOR MY PLAYING STYLE AND STRING GUAGE..ITS GREAT. I INSTALLED THE PICKUP MYSELF. I WAS A LITTLE HESITANT TO PUT A PICKUP UNDER THE SADDLE THINKING IT WOULD AFFECT THE SOUND BUT I HEAR NO DIFFERENCE. THE TOP MAY OR MAY NOT BE BOOKMATCHED I CANNOT SEE ANY DIFFERENCE MYSELF.

THE GUITAR HAD A SLIGHT BUZZ DURING THE DRY WINTER BUT CORRECTED ITSELF WITH A HUMIDIFIER AND A MOVE TO A DIFFERENT ROOM IN MY HOUSE. THE TOP SEEMS TO BE KIND OF SOFT AND ACCEPTS DENTS EASILY IN CASE YOUR A LITTLE CARELESS WITH IT.

I'VE CONTACTED S&P A COUPLE OF TIMES LOOKING FOR INFO AND THEY SEEM TO BE HELPFUL ENOUGH

IVE BEEN PLAYING FOR 17 YEARS. MOSTLY BLUEGRASS FLATPICKING FOR THE LAST 8 YEARS. SOME ELECTRIC GUITAR, BASS , AND DRUMS BEFORE THAT.I RECOMMEND THIS GUITAR TO ANYONE WHO WANTS QUALITY ACOUSTIC SOUND AND DOESNT WANT TO TAKE A MORTGAGE ON A GUITAR.

I'm not certain what year mine was manufactured, but I'm pretty sure it was 1996. It was originally purchased in 1996, and the first two digits of the serial number are 96. I bought it used in the summer of 1997. Guitars from Simon and Patrick Luthier are hand made in Quebec, Canada. The company is related to Seagull Guitars and Godin Guitars and shares many of the same materials and design philosophies of the two larger companies. Of the acoustic guitars (Godin make electric and electric/acoustic), I guess Seagull is more mass market, while Simon & Patrick models tend to be higher end. That being said, both Seagull and Simon & Patrick seem to have a great reputation for building a quality instrument at a reasonable price. I haven't heard much about Godin guitars.
Having bought it in a pawn shop, I didn't even know what materials my S&P was made of until after the purchase. I got most of my information from the Seagull web site (www.lasido.com), which unfortunately has little or no information about the Simon & Patrick line. It's my understanding that Simon and Patrick are the sons of the company founder, Robert Godin. The top is solid spruce. The back, neck, and sides are made of mahogany - hardly a surprise considering the model name. According to the web site, the neck is Hunduras Mahogany. It doesn't specify what type of mahogany is used on the back and sides. The back is solid wood in two pieces with a seem running up the middle. The sides are a laminate. The fingerboard and bridge are Indian rosewood. I'm not sure what the nut and saddle are, but they sure aren't plastic. It might be bone. There is no pickguard.
The fingerboard is a little bit wider than my acoustic Fender 200SX, but the neck seems a little thinner. Both guitars have very low action. Overall, I have an easier time getting barre chords on the S&P. There are twenty one frets, but no cutaway on my model so you can't really use them all. The neck widens into the heel at the twelfth fret and meets the body at the fourteenth fret. The eleventh fret is the highest at which I can hold a full barre chord. I can get further on individual strings or a chord which uses only the treble strings, but I rarely play that far up the fingerboard anyway.
In terms of looks, it is beautiful in its simplicity. There is a rosette around the sound hole, but no fancy peghead or mother-of-pearl inlays on the fingerboard (fret positions are marked with small dots at frets # 3,5,7,9,12,14,16). The finish allows the grain of the wood to show through quite nicely. My friends who don't play guitar look at it as being pretty but plain, while the guitar players view it more as understated elegance. I'm not one that seeks to glorify my guitar by comparing it to a more prestigious name, but it does seem to be compared to a Martin more than any other make. Suffice it to say that I am very happy with the look and the sound of my S&P.
My S&P Pro Mahogany did not come with a pickup, but I think factory installed pickups are available on other models.

The guitar gives a rich, full sound with lots of resonance. I find it's fairly bright (enough for my tastes) with Dean Markley light strings. While I realize that most people are too polite to put down another man's guitar unless it's total crap, I've never heard anything but glowing praise for this one. It's almost good enough to make up for my incompetence playing it (ha-ha).
My primary musical interest is country, but I also play a surprisingly wide variety of styles in my church choir. We've been known to go from folk to baroque to calypso in the same service. Whether picking arpeggios or strumming chords, I always use my fingers rather than a pick. This is perfectly suited to the S&P Pro Mahogany, which does not come with a pickguard. I am a little wary of friends playing it with a pick (for fear of scratching the finish), but most of them are hopelessly dependent on those little pieces of plastic.
As a rhythm guitar player, I spend most of my time in the lower frets. For the purpose of this review, I pushed myself up the neck to see how it sounded. Individual strings still maintained a full sound with plenty of overtones except the low E string which seemed to run out of room to resonate. At the twelfth fret, the sixth string sounded somewhat dull and lifeless compared to the same note on the fourth string/second fret. The strings are getting a little old, but I think it is mainly a factor of string gauge and vibrating length. Like I said, the other strings sounded great at the higher frets. Playing chords, I think they sound better in the lower frets than the higher frets and that's where I'm more comfortable playing. If you often play high up the fingerboard, you would probably want to try a cutaway model anyway and that design would inherently have different sound characteristics.

I bought it used (but apparently not used much). I think it's essentially a factory setup. The action is very low on this guitar, and that's exactly how I like it. Fit and finish are excellent. The tuners work smoothly and accurately. Fret placement is accurate. The top is not bookmatched but due to the fine, parallel grain you would have to look closely to tell. The back is not bookmatched either and has a visible seem up the middle, but the grain of the wood is quite beautiful.

Everything seems fine here. The strap button (there's only one) is metal and is screwed into the side as opposed to the plastic button which sometimes pops out of my Fender acoustic. I do tend to baby my instrument, and I'm not going to bash it around just to tell you guys how well it stands up. There was a brief period where the strings developed an annoying buzz. I took it to a luthier who said it was probably just the wood settling down after its second winter and I shouldn't be too anxious to start making adjustments to the neck. He was right, and the problem disappeared of its own accord within a couple of weeks.

Never had any reason to contact Simon & Patrick.

At the full retail price (roughly $500 Canadian), the S&P Pro Mahogany from Simon and Patrick Luthier is an excellent value. I don't know where else you could get such a great sounding guitar for that price, particularly when considering it's handmade in Canada in relatively low volume rather than mass produced in the far east. I have toyed with the idea of making my own guitar at some point in the future, mainly for the enjoyment of playing something I crafted myself. I built a mountain dulcimer this year (1998) under the guidance of an experienced luthier. He and I both agree that I could not build a guitar this good for anything close to that price. The fact that I bought this guitar for $250 including a hardshell case ranks this as one of the finest purchases I've ever made. The guitar was barely used and the case didn't have a scratch. I'm just as happy with it now as I was when I purchased it last year, and I plan on keeping it for a lifetime. While I may buy or build a different style in the future (like a twelve string or an archtop), this is not a guitar that I will ever trade in for "something better". Although I'd never even heard of this company before buying this guitar, I wholeheartedly recommend Simon & Patrick to anyone that can find a store that sells them. If you can't find them, I've heard that the Seagull line also represents an excellent buy for your buck and they are more widely available.