Seagull Entourage Rustic Mini-Jumbo electro acoustic guitar review

In materials, trim and finish, this 16"-wide, deep-rimmed mini-jumbo is a virtual ringer for the dreadnought. There are minor differences of detail, however. The cedar top is much cleaner and closer-grained (though my reservation about the colour of the bursting still applies), the teardrop pickguard is smaller to match the tighter waist, while for some reason the stain on the back and sides is a shade or two lighter. The similar-profile maple neck (no figuring on the wood this time) earns equal plaudits as a fine player, and the only playing difference involves slightly tighter string spacing at the bridge, due to the path of the strings over the saddle, not any change to the span of the bridge pins, which is the same.
Like many other Seagull electros, the Mini-Jumbo employs a Godin preamp for its powering, in this case the simple EPM Quantum I – and it really is a simple system. The small brass-and-black-finish pewter control plate offers rotaries for volume, treble and bass – and that's it. Rather than bury the battery inaccessibly inside the guitar, there’s a latched compartment conveniently sited on the rim near the endpin socket.
SOUNDS
Considering that its soundbox is as capacious as the dreadnought's, the Mini-Jumbo doesn't possess quite the expected acoustic welly. The dynamics aren't so expansive or resilient. Still, what the guitar might lack in outright punch it makes up for with a smoother, warmer-edged, more fluid tone – something closer to what a cedar top ought to help deliver, and generally more melodious.
Powered up, the Quantum proves pleasantly voiced and clear sounding, with well-tempered mids, so you'll not miss the absence of a midrange control. As uncomplicated as the system is, the EQ does have a quirk in that increasing the bass also adds a lot of gain, so if you

ENTOURAGE RUSTIC DREADNOUGHT
Description: Dreadnought acoustic. Made in Canada
Price: £465 inc. gig bag
Build: Solid cedar top, laminated wild cherry back and sides. Maple neck with 21-fret unbound rosewood fingerboard. Rosewood bridge, Tusq nut and saddle, chrome diecast tuners, bottom strap button
Options: See Mini-Jumbo
Left-handers: No
Finish: Satin Rustic Burst
Scale length: 632mm/24.9"
Neck width:
Nut 43.5mm
12th fret 54mm
Depth of neck:
First fret 20mm
9th fret 22.5mm
String spacing:
Nut 36mm
Bridge 54.5mm
Action as supplied:
12th fret treble 1.6mm
12th fret bass 2.1mm
Max rim depth: 125mm
Max body width: 404mm
Fingerboard radius: 15"
Weight: 2.16kg/4.75lb