Art & Lutherie Ami Cedar Antique Burst Acoustic Guitar

It speaks so readily -- it just wants to be played! The tone and projection astound me. I have a 12-string Seagull dreadnaught (same company) that I love and which makes a huge and glorious sound. This little bitty parlor guitar not only holds its own in such company, it sings! The quality of intonation, clarity, playability, materials, readiness to speak (responsiveness), and workmanship is remarkable and rare! Comparable guitars would run easily 2x - 3x the price! This little guitar is a peach! (It could lose the cheesy plastic appliqué rosette. Shame on Godin for stooping to shoddiness in a material. Quite a mistake!)

UPDATE: So I bought this a few years ago. I've mistreated her often, played her hard, and forgot to put it away... plenty. She still sings. Mine sustains and resonates an A,.... forever. The action has risen noticeably over the years, but not unplayable by any means. When you play it, it emits the most awesome Cedar aroma... from it's top. Too bad this guitar is unavailable.Real honest to goodness wood. NOT made in China. Fretboard rosewood is beautifully finished with open pores. Satin finish isn't perfect, but the thing is gorgeous so it doesn't matter. Put it next to your favorite chair and you won't be able to resist playing it. Oh, and the cedar aroma is out of this world.The sound is rich and full and will fill a small room quite nicely. Out of the box, the action was on the high side but certainly playable.The only thing I'm not a fan of is the applique rosette around the sound hole. Art and Lutherie claim it's there, like rosettes typically are, to strengthen the wood around the hole which, if it was a problem, you'd think they could have done something on the inside of the hole so no one would see it. In any event, I'm still thrilled with the purchase.

Very cheaply made! I thought it was going to be wayyy better than it was. Had it sent back right away. I could buy same made gutair in kid section of walmart!

This guitar exceeds my expectations. It is smaller than regular size acoustic guitar, but has full sound. Quality is is also excellent. Guitar was packaged well and arrived undamaged. Also, to my surprise came with a nice soft case, which I was not expecting.

I've had this guitar for many years and the more I play it the more I appreciate it's unique role among the many guitars I own. This is a fabulous parlor guitar. It has a unique voice harkening back a hundred years ago. It does what it was made to do. It has a wonderfully loud presence for it's size and has a nice action. Now, it's not the very finest high end guitar ever constructed but for its price point, it was never intended to be. Very easy to finger pick or strum. Set your "way-back" machine for the turn of the last century, pick this little jewel up, and let it transport you to a simpler time.Now, ...... That being said, the finish on the back of mine, after receiving a bit of "belt rash" peeled away in the area. More of a surface paint, I'm afraid.The pillock that gave this a single star or those that refer to it as a "kids" guitar do need to shop at Walmart for their quality instrument.

beautiful Sound!! Loud and gorgeous guitar. I haven't had an issue with the plastic rosette ring, but I'm a finger picker, not a strummer.

Hi! After watching Slash, Izzy, and Duff (Gn'R), B.B. King, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford, Prince, and so many more play various guitars, I decided to go for it. I was going to learn to play drums, as Steven Adler (see Steven Adler Rock Drumming DVD) and Sheila E are my favorites, but I decided to start with acoustic guitar instead after watching Slash playing acoustic guitar with Myles Kennedy playing acoustic guitar and singing in such a low voice ( [...]). I will learn to play drums in a few years, after I can play this guitar!Not knowing anything about guitars except that I decided to go acoustic, I saw someone in the industry on PBS playing and e-mailed him. He wrote back and suggested some guitar stores in my area. Going into the first store, it was intimidating because of the hundreds of guitars hanging on the wall. The guitar manager admitted that he was new and didn't even know who B.B. King and Lucille were. He told me to pick a guitar that looked cool as most little boys will play longer if they look cool. Huh? I wanted a guitar with a great sound and I'm a woman! I left without a guitar but knowing acoustic was the right choice for me. So a few days later I went to the second store that was suggested. There was a customer (man) in the acoustic section of the store that was playing a double-zero acoustic guitar and then a triple-zero acoustic guitar. I started asking him questions and learned that he had been playing for 35 years. I asked him a lot of questions, as the store personnel were busy with other customers. He was so kind to help this newbie.After a while the manager came in and recommended a few guitars and I tried strumming them. The sound that came out of the A&L guitar that I was holding was amazing! I asked the man playing the triple-zero guitar if he would play the A&L Folk Cedar Antique Burst that I was strumming, as it was more in my budget area. It was considerably less costly than the guitar shown here. He made my guitar sing! It was amazing. For some reason, when this A&L came off the wall, I knew it was going to make an amazing sound! I am hopeful that in a few years, I'll be able to make this A&L sing like the customer who was helping me.Since I am just starting out and my budget was small and totally blown, I am learning to play by watching DVDs from the library. Can any of you professionals recommend DVD's that I should be watching and learning? Of course I will continue to watch Slash play because he is so talented and his soul just pours out of his guitars!If I can learn to play a guitar, Slash should sing, right? He said that he can sing well. I'm waiting to hear him sing. How about "What a Wonderful World", "Welcome to the Jungle" or "Lovely Rita" for his first effort! :)Thank you A&L for the most beautiful sound in a guitar in my price range.