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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

1687.0. "Norman Acoustics" by WOTVAX::MACKENZIER () Mon Feb 19 1990 15:26

Anybody out there had any experience of Norman acoustic guitars? 
They're hand made in Canada by a guy called Jean-Claude Norman. 
They seem to have a weird kind of construction in that the neck 
appears to be bolted on. Not a la Strat, but a glued block of 
wood inside the sound box bolted into the heel of the neck. It's 
not visible from the outside.

They seem well-enough finished but I'm not convinced of the 
sound. It seems a bit muted and the spruce top doesn't seem to 
want to work to push the sound out. It's a B20 model.

Any thoughts?

cheers,

Ross

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1687.18*)BOXTOP::SKIMon Feb 19 1990 16:113
    Didn't Anthony Perkins play a Norman?

1687.2ZYDECO::MCABEEles haricotsMon Feb 19 1990 21:058
>< Note 1687.1 by BOXTOP::SKI >
>                                    -< 8*) >-
>
>
>    Didn't Anthony Perkins play a Norman?

YUK! YUK!!!  How long did you wait to use that one?

1687.3OK but....POLAR::PENNYbrother can you take me baaaack....Tue Feb 20 1990 10:544
    I have played Norman guitars before. (Not owned, just played). I found
    them to be very "stiff" sounding. They're pleasent mind you, but I
    would keep looking as you're bound to find a better sounding/playing
    axe out there somewhere. Just my humble opinion.      dep
1687.4other makes being consideredWOTVAX::MACKENZIERTue Feb 20 1990 12:1414
re .1

What a beezer! I nearly ended myself!

re .3

I've decided that maybe I do need to look around a bit more. I'm 
now considering a Herman or maybe even a Larson. I looked at the 
Newmans but I thought the pricing was a bit MAD.

cheers

Ross

1687.5one Norman owner's viewpointVOGON::REEVENicht neues im Westen What a RemarqueTue Feb 20 1990 13:0818
      About ten years ago, I bought a Norman as my first acoustic guitar.
      The main reason was that, as I lived in Canada, it was a much
      better price than the imported axes. I really enjoyed it and felt
      that, for the money, it was hard to beat. Just after I got it, I
      spent a week at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop and people there
      thought that it was a good value guitar. However, I wouldn't rate
      it as a top notch one, like the Larrivees, for example. One thing
      was that the wood was all natural, i.e. no imitation rosewood back
      and sides. At that time, this was pretty unusual. So, if the price
      is good, I would go for it. Also, they were made not far from where
      my parents lived, so I figured I was helping the local economy as
      well!

      At that time, all Normans were apparently hand made. I don't know
      if this is still true.

      Cheers,
      Tim