If you're in Joburg, TOMS Braamfontein has them, they're very nice guitars with a 'big' sound and a clever pickup and bracing system.
My personal preference is Martin guitars, I like the heritage & history behind them, and they have that distinctive sound.
Ultimately it boils down to your personal taste and budget.
:yup: :yup:

matthewchiro wrote: Hi there,

I've been playing a MIJ '62 RI Fender Telecaster with Bigsby, and am missing playing acoustic!

I'm thinking of picking up a Cole Clark - either a FL1 or FL2. Does anyone on here have one and can comment or give any advice? Haven't seen an FL1 but have played an FL2 and FL3 and the FL2 blew me away!

Any other guitars you would recommend before a Cole Clark?

You don't say where you live. IMO Cole Clarks are not for everyone and every application. Plugged in sound is quite good, but unplugged not so good. To my ears.

If you're in the Jo'burg area then pop into Music Connection and check out the Breedlove range (and some others - they have a good range of acoustics).

There was a Larrivee LV05 with Baggs electronics up for sale on Gumtree. A very nice guitar sounding good plugged and unplugged (I should know).

Best value for money in acoustic guitars is a good condition second-hand Taylor Big Baby. Get one of those and if necessary fit a decent pickup system (if you want to play plugged in - if you don't then do bother). They are pretty plain to look at, but the playability and sound trumps more expensive guitars.

Another thing: I just looked at the relevant section of the Cole Clark website "FL1" and "FL2" are ranges of guitars, not specific models. Importantly within each range there are different wood combinations - and the woods do make a difference to the tone. The FL2 range includes - amongst others - blackwood and maple as tone woods. A guitar with blackwood back and sides is going to sound quite different from one with maple back and sides (unless they're talking about laminates rather than solid woods, in which case the differences will not be so great). So if you see an FL2 that looks cool, don't assume that it will sound like another that you played and liked.

Try before you buy! And try the one you are thinking of buying.

I have a Cole Clark FL2 with a spruce top and queensland maple (which is not a maple) back, sides and neck.
I've owned this guitar for two years and it's incredible.
When I bought it, the sound was rather tight, tho withing a day or two it opened up massively.
The Queensland maple is a beautiful light (in colour and mass) wood with subtle to stunning figure. My friend owns a Queensland maple/spruce FL2 as well and his is equally incredible.

I think you'd expect them to be big strum boxes, but this guitar is actually rather soft. Both of my other acoustics are louder when I play them unplugged at the same sort of intensity (I play predominantly finger style), but I can strum the Cole a lot harder than the other two before it starts "clipping" (if guitars can clip).

I really like it for fingerstyle too, as the bass is pretty big. Makes for nice sustaining bass notes at the start of each bar.

The guitar features very interesting bracing and gluing designs. It does not use a kerfed lining or a solid lining to glue the back to the sides, but rather a tiny ridge in the back itself. There is also no strip on the centre seam internally (which worried me).

Another very important consideration is that these guitars have spanish heel neck joints, which means the sides are built into the neck. So neck resets and things like that are impossible.

If you are planning to plug this new guitar in and play it one stage, then the Cole Clark is a good choice for its electronics alone.

Thanks for the feedback! I definitely love the sound of the FL2 but i'm not sure the price they're going for now is worth it... I'd pick up a second hand one in a heart beat but they're just not available.

Thoughts?

What are they selling at now days?
I'd still take my FL2 over any 4 series Taylor or Taylor GPCPA4 , DCPA4 or any in the performer range.
Provided they are within a few grand of those guitars, I'd still take the Cole.

The Fat Ladies are fantastic guitars. But if you want a fantastic acoustic guitar thats definitely world class... http://www.fosterguitarworks.com/ check em out.