"Any problem you can't solve with a good guitar is either unsolvable or isn't a problem."
- Anonymous
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So I'd like to take this moment to introduce my Seagull Entourage Rustic acoustic guitar. Figured if I'm gonna be doing an ergonomics analysis, it should be on an object I can actually test, right?
Right-o. Onwards!
1. Safety
It's a little hard for something like a guitar to become a weapon of destruction, but people are always strangely able to manipulate the most harmless objects into a court case. The Seagull's wooden body is strong and stiff, a hard surface that is capable of smashing into body parts. However, wood is wood, and the possibility of hitting the surface too hard could result in a huge splintering of material into ultra-thin, hard and sharp miniature skewers. Perhaps the biggest danger lies in the strings, which are capable of snapping at any moment (especially during a tuning or restringing session). Otherwise, the metal strings and frets can cause nothing more than a little roughening of fingertips during play. This usually results in the formation of callouses, which are normal for any serious guitarist.
2. Comfort
The curved shape of the Seagull allows it to rest comfortably on either leg when playing, as well as providing a smooth edge on which to rest an arm while strumming or plucking the strings. The neck is of average width and allows the player to wrap their entire hand around without straining any muscles. Also, this guitar has an unusually slim headstock (where the tuning knobs are), which makes the tuning process slightly easier to complete because each knob is easy to locate. The also-unusual positioning of the tuning knobs parallel, rather than perpendicular, to the headstock allows the player more leverage for tuning difficult strings. The finish is also a smooth natural wood rather than lacquer, and thus doesn't cause an uncomfortable stickiness or difficulty sliding up and down the neck after long sessions of play.
3. Ease of Use
This wouldn't be a particularly good guitar for a beginning guitarist, but for one that knows what he or she is doing, the Seagull is perfect. Beginners who haven't yet developed the finger strength or calloused fingertips of a seasoned musician will find it difficult to combat the high action (how far the strings are lifted up off of the fretboard), and may become frustrated. This also hinders their ability to "bar" chords, the act of using a single finger to hold down all six strings at once. Otherwise, it isn't too hard to get a good sound out of this guitar. The tuning knobs are also friendly and twist smoothly, providing very little resistance. Ball-end strings may be used, which makes it easier to re-string the guitar alone, without having to bring it to a shop. In addition, younger players may have some difficulty with the bulkiness of a full-size guitar.
4. Performance and Productivity
With a top of solid cedar, neck of silver-leaf maple, and sides of red wild cherry wood, this Seagull guitar is practically made for the fingerstyle guitarist. The maple neck shows itself in the bright ringing mid to high tones; especially in the middle tones, maple wood provides a "bite" that sings out loud and clear without being sharp or brittle. The cedar top causes a little bit of muddying among lower tones, but at the same time, generates a warm and mellow feel for any song played and is the perfect balance to counteract the brighter high tones. Finally, the wild cherry is the balancer -- with traits of both maple and cedar, it forms the back and sides of this guitar to give it an overall intermediate sound, with defined, booming bass notes and clear, crisp high tones. These qualities make it great as a performance guitar, and the range of volume it produces also makes it a good instrument to play when relaxing at home.
5. Aesthetics
Finally, aesthetics. The majority of the guitar is made up of a varied brown palette, ranging from the dark shade of the fretboard to the beige, almost yellow bands that form a bezel around its body. The top features a gradient "burst," fitting for a guitar deemed "Rustic," that gradually goes from a dark to light brown from out to in. Even the copper-colored strings match the brown theme. The only deviations would be the characteristic black of the pickguard, as well as the silver of the tuning knobs. Furthermore, the curves of the body are reflected throughout the headstock and the rosette that surrounds the soundhole, providing consistency. The Seagull is also laterally symmetrical, with exception of the tuning knobs whose positions may be changed constantly. Overall, the guitar itself gives off a very mellow feel that matches its tone when played.
And that's that, I guess. Now.. time for a jam session.
