Review: Furch Blue Deluxe SW

You might not know Furch Guitars yet, but this Czech Republic builder has been operating for over 40 years, gaining a reputation for serious, high-quality acoustics. On the <<VG>> test bench is their Blue Deluxe SW model, displaying their grand-auditorium cutaway shape. 

The basic specifications include a Sitka spruce top with black walnut back and sides – as a nice touch, the black walnut is echoed in a double rosette ring. The fingerboard and bridge are both ebony, and there’s a Tusq nut (1.75 inch width) and compensated saddle. Details include small pearl-dot inlays and unique linear markers on the fingerboard side.

The Blue Deluxe has other features to grab players’ attentions, such as the Bevel Duo of comfort cuts. You’ll find this cut not only on the front-lower bout, but also the top of the back curve, where an acoustic sits under your arm. Their craftsmen also tune each acoustic’s top with a voicing process, to achieve the best tone in the finished instrument. There’s also a surprisingly amount of tech within the neck. Not only a dual-action truss rod, but it’s encased in a carbon casing to keep the neck from moving.

Now, strum a chord on the Blue Deluxe SW. Even though it’s a cutaway, the tone is remarkably clear and balanced. No muddy frequencies or tinny top-end. It has an open-pore finish, with just a thin layer of varnish to help acoustic’s tone achieve depth and full nuance. You’ll also notice the setup, which is super fast and low, which points to Furch’s attention to detail. They call this neck profile a soft V shape and, in hand, has a shallow depth and surprisingly quick feel.

All told, the Blue Deluxe SW is a surprise winner. It’s built to premium specifications with a fast neck and that balanced, even tone – again, often hard to capture in a cutaway.

Author: Pete Prown