Goodall Rosewood Standard
When I first heard of Goodall guitars, I wasn’t too into the boutique guitar scene. The ultimate acoustic guitar for me was a 7-series Taylor as many worship leaders can attest to. Goodall guitars, like Collings, Bourgeois, Huss & Dalton, MacPherson, and Santa Cruz are all names that I had kind of just brushed aside. “These guys make great guitars but they are out of reach for people like me,” I thought to myself. “They’re nice, but no one really knows about them.” Yes, Taylor and Martin crank out more guitars in one day than most of these boutiques do in a year but that’s just how it is when man goes up against machine in the acoustic guitar building world.
Granted, Taylor and Martin have come a long way in the practice of mass manufacturing quality, high-end guitars but when it comes down to it, both builders will probably admit that a well-crafted, hand-built guitar by a talented luthier has some sort of magic built in. Minute details like ideal bracing patterns, wood selection, and wood thickness vary by guitar due to the unique character of them.
James Goodall is, and has been, building some amazing sounding guitars. He recently moved back to Northern California and closed his shop in Hawaii. Scaling from about 15 employees to 3 (him, his son, and his wife), James will continue to build in May but on a much smaller level. So now, more than ever, I feel very fortunate to even own a Goodall guitar. Not only is she a beauty, but she makes me smile a bit on the inside every time I pick her up to strum around.
Without further delay, here’s the specs and the pictures:
1995 Goodall Rosewood Standard
Rosewood back and sides
Sitka Spruce top
Ebony fingerboard with diamond inlays
Abalone rosette
Schaller tuners
Flamed Koa binding
Mahogany neck
