Wayne Estep's Page

Here's a link to the Coastline Cedar Folk :

http://www.seagullguitars.com/productcoastfolk.htm

and a pic:

You were debating between a dread and a folk, right?  I don't have a folk sized steel-string, but that could be my next (long down the road? - lol) purchase.  I have a Cordoba C5 classical, however, and the size is supposed to be comparable to a Seagull (or Godin) folk sized guitar.  I am primarily a fingerstyle player - in fact, just started playing more with a pick than I ever have before since I purchased my Craviola 12-string.  But the size of the folk/classical is extremely comfortable to play, especially for extended periods.  I am 6'1", about 215 or so, and can comfortably hold a dread (my Performer), but I will say that the narrower-bodied classical (the Coastline folk is .4" narrower than the dread) is more comfortable to play.

Go play and see, my friend!  Oh, and before you buy, just another thought - 12 fretters are supposed to be better for fingerstyle than 14 fretters - but all Seagulls are 14 fretters.  Here's something from Taylor guitars about this:

Well, at least that's what they say...here's more:

Wayne ...

The nut width on your Recording King is 1.75 and the nut width on your Entourage is 1.72 which may explain your percieved greater degree of comfort on the RK, although that's not a huge amount of difference.  Of course, you get 1.8 inch nut on pretty much all the Seagull models from the S-6 on up and that really does provide a good bit of extra space. 

In my experience and from what I've read and been told, dreadnoughts were originally designed to achieve greater volume to be able to compete with banjos and mandolins.  However, if volume is not what you're after, then you'd probably find the Mini-jumbo configuation more physically comfortable to play. 

Unfortunately, the reasonably priced Entourage Mini-Jumbo still has the 1.72 nut, so you have to step way up in cost to the Maritime model to get the MJ style with 1.8 inch nut. 

If the price of the Maritime is an obstacle, you really cannot go wrong with the good old stand-by Seagull S-6 Original dreadnought.  Great sound, great playability for fingerstyle, and very affordable.

Hope this helps some.

Jud

Hope I'm not stepping into something where my input was not wanted. but...

If you play primarily fingerstyle, the folks and mini-jumbos are supposed to be more geared toward that style of play - if more of a strummer/flatpicker, the dread is more ideal.  If you play with more of a mixture of styles, then go with whatever is more comfortable for you, and "feels" right...

Just MHO...