Seagull Coastline S6 Burst GT Guitar

Acoustic Guitar

Seagull Coastline S6 Guitar in Cedar Burst Gloss Top - A Popular Classic

The Seagull Coastline S6 GT Guitar is a dreadnought acoustic guitar with a burst finish that exudes the flash of some other acoustic guitars but with earthy colors that retain the natural look of wood. There's just something classic about a sunburst finish on an acoustic guitar, and it has always been a popular choice.

A classic that never goes out of style

Coastline Cedar Burst Gloss Top

There is something classic about a sunburst finish on an acoustic guitar and it has always been a popular choice around here. The burst finish exudes some of the flash of the various brightly colored acoustics that are available these days but does so using earthy colors that retain the natural look of wood. An early version of this guitar looked great with a semi-gloss finish, but the GT version is stunning. The GT is also noteworthy because it delivers its high gloss luster in a Custom Polished finish that is as light as our semi-gloss treatment. This super thin finish allows maximum response in the guitar top which means that it sounds as good as it looks.

Coastline Series

The guitars that make up the Seagull Coastline series represent one of the world's outstanding values in acoustic guitars. The back and sides of the Coastline series models are made from a three-layer lamination of Wild Cherry wood. With a sound that lands somewhere between the mellow tone of a Mahogany guitar and the bright sound of Maple, Wild Cherry has proven itself to be an excellent tone wood. Grown locally, Wild Cherry is also a choice. Coastline series guitars feature very smooth necks made from Silver Leaf Maple.

The Compound Curve Top

The guitar top is the part of the instrument that most affects the sound. It is also the most delicate part of any high quality acoustic guitar. The grade and thickness of the wood used (solid spruce), as well as the bracing structure, have a huge impact on the instrument's sound. The idea of applying an arch or a curve to the top is appealing because the added strength of an arched top should allow for the use of a thinner and more lightly braced top. While this is true, there remains a trade-off in applying a curve to the entire top. The most active part of the top is the area centered on the bridge. Applying a curve to this part of the top restricts movement resulting in a loss of dynamic range. On the other hand, the area of the top above the sound hole moves minimally but is problematic because it tends to sink if the guitar dries out even slightly. This tendency is also encouraged by downward pressure from the fingerboard resting on top of it. The solution is a top that has a compound curve.

Features Seagull's compound curve

In the Seagull Performer's design the top is arched slightly in the area above the sound hole and levels out in the area around the bridge. The compound curve top produces excellent stability in the upper part of the guitar top and the power and projection made possible by leaving the top flat below the sound hole flat. With the weak area above the sound hole stabilized, it is possible to make the rest of the top even more active with a new bracing design that allows unprecedented control over the top vibration. The bracing for the Seagull Performer Cutaway Flame Maple High-Gloss QI Guitar is quarter-sawn spruce, scalloped and carved to conform exactly to the curvature of the tops.

A History of Quality

In 1982 Robert Godin and a few friends produced the first Seagull guitars in the Village of LaPatrie, Quebec. The concept for the Seagull guitar was to take the essential components of the best hand-crafted guitars (such as solid tops and beautiful finishes) and build these features into guitars that could be priced within the reach of working musicians. Of course there is much more to a great guitar than a solid top with a special finish, so we produced this illustrated guide to help you gain some understanding of the basic elements of a great sounding acoustic guitar.

The Seagull story wouldn't be complete without mentioning La Patrie. La Patrie is a small village in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. This is where the first Seagulls were made in the early eighties. Today, La Patrie has a population of about 475 and about half of these people are guitar builders. These folks take a great deal of pride in the guitars they build. Pick one up and you'll see why.

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