Goodall

Having represented James Goodall’s guitars since the early 1990s, we can attest to the fact that his instruments are truly some of the finest guitars available.  His skill and artistry as a woodworker are readily evident when one considers the precise and tasteful construction of a Goodall guitar, where the natural beauty of the wood is the focus and nary a piece of plastic can be found.  More significantly, the voice of a Goodall guitar is an articulate shimmering display of acoustic dimension. In many respects, James’ approach to shaping the guitar’s sound exemplifies what we often describe as a “contemporary voicing.”  In short, “contemporary voicing” alludes to an emphasis on qualities that would be desirable for modern fingerstyle and melodic applications, including:  quick response, even balance, clear string separation, and sharp/brilliant note definition. 

In his early days, Goodall honed his skills alongside the likes of Bob Taylor and Larry Breedlove in the American Dream workshop (which eventually morphed into Taylor Guitars, and otherwise spawned the Breedlove and Deering brands).  Given their association in the formative years, it is perhaps not too surprising that the guitars produced by James Goodall, Bob Taylor, and Larry Breedlove exhibit similar focus on contemporary voicing and innovative design elements.  Yet, of the three makers, Goodall most faithfully stayed the course of the small production shop. His shop in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii eventually reached a production capacity of hundreds of guitars a year; but, following the closure of the Hawaiian shop in 2006, James now builds exclusively with his son, Luke, producing approximately eight guitars a month.  Due to his small production approach, Goodall was able to distill and refine the elements of this contemporary voicing championed by the now major manufacturers like Taylor and Breedlove.  As a result, his instruments offer the player all of the clarity and precision inherent in this modern approach to voicing, but with an enhanced degree of responsiveness, dimension and overall presence.

For those players seeking a high degree of acoustic refinement as well as profound depth and breadth in a guitar’s voice, this Goodall Jumbo would undoubtedly be a top contender. Apart from the undeniable visual appeal, this KJ’s stunning AAAA Koa back and sides (a $2500 upgrade) provide an extra degree of crispness to the edge of the note, thereby bolstering the clarity of this guitar’s pianistic low end.  Meanwhile, though Koa is generally associated with brighter tone wood varietals, it is known to generate additional warmth and color, especially in the midrange.  This additional midrange presence is welcome in the context of a larger guitar, where midrange frequencies can be more scooped or less prominent.   Likewise, the AAA Sitka top is a very fitting choice for this KJ, as the general stiffness of Sitka generates excellent clarity, sustain, and headroom. Yet, being more flexible than some stiffer spruces (e.g., Adirondack), Sitka yields an appealing (be it subtle) “played-in” response in the context of a guitar with an extra large soundboard template.  In turn, this subtle infusion of warmth and lushness in an otherwise crispy jumbo recipe rounds out the voice just enough to make the guitar equally appealing as a rhythm instrument as it is a melodic one.  Thus, whether you are strumming cowboy chords or playing intricate alternative tuning instrumentals, this KJ has a commanding presence and incredible dimension that will both delight and inspire.

Condition:

It is clear that this wonderful Koa Jumbo was well-loved over the years, in that its owner was concerned with its maintenance but was also not afraid to actually use the instrument as it was intended! Thus, with perhaps the exception of a repaired crack in the headstock veneer (situated to the treble side of the truss rod cover, measuring 20 mm), any wear on this guitar can genuinely be described as “honest wear.”   Along that line, while there are a good number of minor points of wear to note, it is fortunately the case that none of this wear is truly glaring or significant.

The majority of the top wear is concentrated on bass side, where we note a few shallow dents. The largest of these is situated towards the lower bout and measures approximately 5mm in diameter, while the two smaller dents are located closer to the waist and measure about 2mm in diameter.  One can also detect a faint scratch running diagonally in front of bass side bridge foot, and also some faint impressions on the top along edge of lower bout.  On the back of the guitar, we note a quite a number of deeper pinhead-sized dings, as well as a few longer and deeper dents/scars—this wear is seemingly concentrated in the center of the back, running from the upper waist towards the heelcap. Fortunately, none of this back wear is through the finish and it is not immediately obvious until captured in the right light, but it is a little more apparent than any wear elsewhere on the guitar. Finally, in addition to the repaired crack in the headstock veneer mentioned above, there are some other light finish scratches and swirls on headstock veneer.  Otherwise, this guitar has no playability or structural issues to report; however, it should be noted that a K&K Pure Mini passive pickup (with volume control) and a gold strap button have been added.   VERY GOOD condition.

• Super Jumbo Body Size
• AAA Sitka Spruce Top
• Spruce X-Bracing with Rosewood Bridgeplate
• AAAA Flamed Koa Back and Sides
• Figured Maple Binding, Backstrip, Endpiece, and Heelcap
• 5-Ply Fiber Top Purfling
• 3-Ply Fiber Back and Side Purfling
• 11-Ply Fiber and Abalone Rosette with Single-Ply Outer Ring
• Gloss Body Finish
• Mahogany Neck with C Shape Carve
• Ebony Fingerboard
• Abalone Slotted Diamond Fingerboard Inlays
• Ebony Fingerboard Binding
• Ebony Headstock Veneer with Gloss Finish
• Abalone “G” Headstock Logo with Mother of Pearl Wings
• Satin Neck Finish
• Ebony Belly Bridge
• Gold Gotoh Delta Series Tuners with Ebony Buttons
• Clear Pickguard
• Bone Nut
• Bone Saddle
• 1 3/4” Nut Width
• 25 1/2” Scale Length
• Original TKL Double Arch Case
• K&K Pure Mini Pickup (with Volume Control) Installed
• Gold Strap Button Installed