I'm a huge fan of Furch guitars and personally think they deliver far better value AND sound than some of the "bigger" names. I've never actually owned a Furch until this one though.
Before deciding on this model I did a lot of research. I knew I wanted an OM size. I tested lots of guitars from friends and in several different stores. Furch was the one manufacturer that always stood out as something special to my ears, even when comparing with far more expensive models from the "big" brands. I never got the chance to test THIS particular model though because no local dealer had them in stock or could get one in the foreseeable future. I'm a generally a big fan of spruce+rosewood so I took a chance when I saw Thomann had one in stock.
It has fulfilled all my expectations. Of course it will need some time to develop it's true character but I'm now on approximately 40-50 hours and it's starting to shine already.
The guitar wasn't 100% perfect out of the box though so lets get the negative stuff out of the way first.
The setup was great except for one thing: The saddle was ridiculously high. Pretty much unplayable. I had to shave off almost 2 mm off the saddle to get a comfortable action. Of course I understand that acoustic guitars may have to be delivered with a slightly high saddle to take changes in humidity into account but I've never seen an acoustic guitar in this price range delivered with such an exceptionally high saddle. If this is a deliberate choice by Furch, fine but any potential buyers should know that they either have to sort this out themselves of bring the guitar to a luthier. If this was simply a case of poor QC... well that's not really acceptable in this price range.
I also found the radius of the saddle a bit weird at first. It has a much smaller radius (more curved) than the fingerboard. I know different manufacturers have different approaches to this but this one really stood out as a bit unusual. It feels fine to me when playing the guitar though so I guess Furch know what they're doing. Still, it might be a good idea to try before you buy as it's a bit of a hassle to change the radius of a compensated saddle if you don't happen to like it.
There was also a VERY slight cosmetic flaw where the neck heel meets the body but nothing that really bothers me.
The guitar has a pretty severe dead spot on the open G-string. It's not unusual for top quality guitars to have a dead spot around this area (in fact it's more or less to be expected) but I've usually found it to be one or two semi-tones below. Having a dead open G felt slightly annoying at first but it's not a big deal when actually playing the guitar.
Apart from these minor complaints I'm extremely happy with this guitar.
Other than the minor cosmetic flaw I mentioned above the fit and finish is top class. The craftsmanship is absolutely superb. Excellent fretwork, top quality hardware. Perfect fretwork, perfect fret edges. Absolutely beautiful.
The sound is already very good and I expect it to just get better and better with more use. In fact I expect it to be exceptional.
The neck feels very nice although there is a somewhat bulky feel to the profile that I needed some time getting used to. To be honest I don't think it's a perfect fit for my hands but that's always a risk when buying a guitar untested and I've already started to adapt to it.
The guitar is very lightly built, which I always think is a good sign. It's very lively and resonant. Surprisingly loud for an OM.
The included Hiscox case is top quality. It great to get a case that's actually strong enough for transport rather than the flimsy stuff you seem even on some far more expensive guitars. The case is also very light and actually has a comfortable handle! Great choice by Furch.
The included accessories include adjustment tools, extra ebony bridge pins and a metal shim for the saddle which may prove useful as an emergency quick fix IF the top should move too much with unexpected changing temperatures/humidity (although I will probably rather make another saddle for if this becomes necessary). So far the guitar has been exceptionally stable. During the brief time I've owned it, in the transition from winter to spring, the humidity has already changed from around 25-30% to around 40% and I've not had to adjust anything at all. Everything looks good so far (but I've kept it humidified inside the case when needed).
About the saddle... Both the saddle and the nut are TUSQ. I've never been a huge fan of TUSQ before. I always found it a bit dull sounding compared to bone. But in this guitar it sounds absolutely wonderful. In fact, I'm worried that the guitar may become too bright and brittle sounding if I make a bone nut/saddle for it. I probably won't bother (but of course this may change when the tone keeps developing).
I highly recommend this guitar but be aware that you will most likely have to perform some minor work on the saddle to get acceptable action. I have to admit, this was a disappointment when I first opened the case but after the setup was taken care of I've been extremely happy with it. I really look forward to hearing how the tone will develop over the coming months (and years!),
