Model comp between Seagull Artist and Norman Studio

Finding a new Seagull Artist in a store is very rare. In my area finding a new Norman would be the equivalent of finding Bigfoot riding the Loch Ness monster!

I didn't even know they still made Norman guitars. www.normanguitars.com/specs.html

More than likely Seagulls and Normans are made in the same factory, they just look a little different.

Here's a new one for sale. reverb.com/item/5637103-norman-studio-st40-cw-gt-presys-acoustic-electric-guitar-031351

This one says new.  reverb.com/item/10884958-norman-st40-studio-folk-w-case

I'm one who likes the Seagull folk size. The folks are the same depth as the dreads. I think the CH size is thinner.

I just remember telling my guitar store guy when I was A/B'ing a bunch that I didn't understand why they came out with the CHs, aside from looks, because they sounded pretty much exactly like the Folks.  I was too slow to even consider that they would phase out the Folks.  All I could think at the time was, "Isn't having these two body styles a bit redundant?  They feel, sound and play exactly the same, the only diff is the looks."

I couldn't really decide at the time if one looked better than the other.

The CHs are thinner, yes.  But they're also slightly bigger in other dimensions so volume etc seems to be a wash between the two shapes.

I understand the thin guitar body thing.  A friend of mine had a thin body Yamaha that sounded horrible.  Very thin.  But, (and I guess this is overstating the obvious) not all acoustics are built the same.

I'm assuming you're asking cuz you want to order one online or something? If not, I encourage you to go test a bunch of folks and CHs, as many as you can and just see for yourself.  You might hate the CHs, or you might just love them.  Who knows?

But if the case is that you can't test any and have to order online, looks and slight difference in feel aside, the tone, volume and clarity was, to me anyways, kinda freaky in how they were almost exactly the same.  I had a really hard time telling them apart when all things were equal (meaning woods, model series etc).

Makes me wonder now if that was tested in the design stages and done on purpose knowing the CHs were gonna replace the folks down the road.

I don't think you'll be disappointed. I'm a dread guy, but my first "real" nice guitar was an Artist Mosaic Folk QII way back about 10 or 12 years ago.  That thing was amazing.  Most will say a folk cedar/hog guitar is best for fingerstyle as that's where it shines the most, and they'd be correct, but, I am and have always been a fairly aggressive strummer/singer mainly and I loved that guitar strummed.

It might "growl" a bit when strummed hard, but to me, that was a good thing.  LOL.

I've had a few guitars with the Fishman Presys in them as well and it did just fine on stage.  I really had no complaints.

So, congrats in advance!  Remember the "code" of the Cabin!  We love to see pics of the new arrivals so we always say,......."Pics or it didn't happen!"   

My problem isn't with the body, it's with the neck. Concert Halls have long scales, which puts them in a completely different category that I like to call, "Other People's Guitars."