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Pros:
- Unique and distinctive design
- Dimensional and versatile sound
- Great build quality
Cons:
- Not for everyone
When I was a child, I used to dream about having a guitar and playing it. But I was always told that I was too small for that and I would not be able to handle an instrument. Then I grew up a bit and somehow forgot about that dream – I started getting into other things and music became an escape, not something I aspired towards. It wasn’t until my sister started taking guitar lessons that I became interested in this instrument once again. I would steal her guitar when she’d come back home and practice with online tutorials and lessons. I can’t even tell you how much I struggled.
It was a really painful process for me but, as time passed by, it started to turn into an enjoyable journey. Once one part of the struggle ended, the other section began: it was time for me to choose my own guitar. At that point, I was still a beginner, so I was looking for something really simple. I just want to tell you that I know what you feel if you’re a novice and want to buy a guitar that will work for you and make the learning process a bit easier.
Today I’m going to introduce Seagull Coastline S6 – a starter acoustic guitar that is a joy to play. Let’s break down its properties and find out together, what it has up its sleeves!
Build
The fact that a guitar is suitable for beginners doesn’t mean that it should have crappy quality. The truth is, even novices require something decent in order to be able to learn to play accurately. How would they be able to discern what’s right or wrong if the sound of the guitar is odd itself? Durability is an important factor, as well. Of course, you’ll grow out of your first guitar eventually, but that doesn’t mean that it should be so weak that it won’t even be able to withstand daily trips to your teacher. That’s why it’s always an amazing thing to have options, such as Seagull Coastline S6. This relatively affordable guitar has wonderful quality for its price. Its top is made from solid Sitka spruce. That means that the most important part of the instrument is created from solid, durable wood. The back and sides are crafted from laminate wild cherry. They are rugged and complete the sound beautifully. The design is typical – nothing to write home about. Yet this simplicity is one of the reasons why this fella is one of the best beginner acoustic guitars!
Let’s not forget the neck and fretboard. The former is built with mahogany, while the latter is made from rosewood. Surprisingly, these two are extremely well-made – you won’t notice rough edges and spiky ends, and neither will you have any trouble moving along the neck. This means that the annoying process of learning your first chords and riffs can become slightly easier with the help of Coastline S6. Since it’s a dreadnought, the scale length is typically – 25.5 inches. It might be too big for kids or smaller-bodied individuals, yet average players will get used to it quite easily. In short, build materials and playability are superb here!
Hardware
It wouldn’t be fair to expect high-end hardware from a guitar that isn’t in the expensive range. That’s something we tend to forget – the majority of the instruments perform according to their price (sometimes even better) and that’s what our expectations should be based on. It’s always better to keep them low and be surprised, then wait for something that can’t be there. With that being said, Seagull still managed to incorporate top-notch hardware while constructing Coastline S6.
The tusq is the material the brand went for while crafting both nut and saddle. This material has proven to be rugged and durable and is always a perfect accompaniment for the strings. The nut width is 1.8 inches, which brings it to a wider side. It can be a double-edged sword because it gives you more space between the strings but it’s a pain in the neck for those who have smaller hands. The bridge is made from rosewood – once again, an amazing material for the purpose of this piece. Tuning machines are decent, as well, since they tune your guitar easily and make sure it stays that way for a long time. The headstock has a typical Seagull design, which means it’s sleek, beautiful and convenient.
Seagull S6 Sound
You know why we always break down the construction of guitars? – because each and every element impacts its sound in one way or another. If you paid attention, you’ll remember that Seagull Coastline S6 has a solid spruce top. That means that the brand went for a bright wood that would be able to add a touch of sparkle to the whole sound. But they also knew that they couldn’t get overboard, so they decided to balance it out with laminate wild cherry back and sides. By doing so, they managed to keep that brightness to a perfect level – you won’t be able to hear any squeaky noises here. Wild cherry added some warmth to the tone and gave it an extra dimension. As you can see, S6 is all about the balance!
As expected from a dreadnought, this guitar is capable of creating powerful, loud sound without getting muddy or losing the definition of individual notes. Do whatever you want with it – it will be able to respond!
Conclusion
As much as I’d love to give you some hope and tell you that choosing your first guitar is an easy task, I just can’t lie to you. But we’re always here for you. We make sure you have detailed information about various options, and Seagull Coastline S6 is just one of them. It’s one of the best beginner acoustic guitars you can get, and even though it’s a bit more expensive than its rivals, it’s worth it, trust me. Good luck!
