The Seagull Entourage Rustic CW QI is a Canadian-made acoustic electric guitar that’s perfect for practicing at home or performing with. This is a very versatile guitar to have in your collection that won’t break the bank.
Check out Cecilia Arambulo’s Seagull Entourage Rustic review and discover why it’s been her favorite guitar for the best part of a decade.
| Factor | Rating |
| 👀 Looks | 4 |
| 🛠️ Build quality | 5 |
| 😃 Playability | 4 |
| 🎵 Sound | 5 |
| 💰 Value for Money | 5 |
| Overall | 23/25 |
Seagull Entourage Rustic Review: The specs
Guitar players of all levels will appreciate the build quality of the Seagull Entourage Rustic as well as its signature sound.
The low string tension and the 24.84” scale length makes it very comfortable for beginners to play. They might also find that they won’t need to upgrade the guitar for a long time because it has an excellent sound for the price.
This is the guitar in my collection that I’ve owned for the longest time and it has only sounded better over time. The solid cedar top has opened up beautifully, and I’ve yet to find a high-end acoustic that I could justify buying after I got it.
- Pressure Tested Solid Cedar Top
- Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
- ”Rustic” Sunburst Finish
- Canadian Wild Cherry Back and Sides
- Double Function Truss Rod
Features:
- Solid Cedar top and Wild Cherry back and sides
- Popular Dreadnought body shape
- Delivers a rich, mellow tone suitable for various styles
- ”Rustic” sunburst finish for an attractive appearance
Additional details:
- Slightly smaller and narrower than typical Dreadnought shape acoustic guitars
- Produces a warm and balanced tone without unwanted boom
- Pressure-tested solid Cedar top provides clear highs and crisp articulation
- Canadian Wild Cherry body offers a dark and full-sounding midrange
- Innovative Double Function Truss Rod for easy adjustment of under- and over-bowed necks
Body and Bridge:
- Body: Dreadnought
- Top: Select Pressure Tested Solid Cedar
- Back & Sides: Canadian Wild Cherry
- Bridge: Rosewood
- Saddle: Compensated Tusq® by GraphTech
- Finish: Semi-Gloss Custom Polished Finish
- Colour: ”Rustic” Sunburst Finish with cream binding
Neck and Fingerboard:
- Neck: Silver Leaf Maple
- Neck Construction: Integrated Set Neck
- Truss Rod: Double Function
- Fingerboard: Rosewood
- Nut: Compensated Tusq® by GraphTech
Electronics
- Godin EPM Quantum I electronics system
- Highly responsive saddle transducer
- 2-band EQ
- Digital tuner.
Looks: 4/5
I’m not usually a fan of sunburst acoustic guitars. To me, they tend to look tacky and distracting. But I found this one to be tastefully designed.
On this guitar, the manufacturer opted for a dark brown burst tone. This gives it a more subtle, tasteful look. There’s cream double binding on the front and the back of the Seagull Entourage Rustic, which is a nice relief from the brown tones.
Seagull guitars are known for their controversial headstock shape, which looks unusual compared to other acoustic guitars. It’s shaped in a way that positions the tuners optimally – to decrease string pulling on the nut of the guitar. I don’t mind this headstock shape since it could be responsible for the low string tension on the guitar. Other people might find it unattractive though.
Overall, the guitar looks great, and I have no complaints.
Build Quality: 5/5
The maple neck feels great and is more solid than most guitar necks. The back and sides of the guitar are also very durable. I haven’t gotten any scratches on the back and sides of it for the 10 years I’ve had it.
A cedar top is often softer compared to a solid sitka spruce top though, so players will have to be extra careful here. I’ve managed to avoid scratches from picking, but I’ve accidentally bumped the top a few times which always left a mark. Other than that, my Seagull Entourage Rustic doesn’t look like it’s 10 years old.
The Godin QI electronics include a built-in pickup system. This sounds pretty decent to me. I’m not too familiar with pickups on acoustic electric guitars since I don’t tend to use them. The built-in tuner is super convenient.
Playability: 4/5
The guitar feels fairly easy for me to hold with a few adjustments on my lap. The dreadnought size is not going to be comfortable for everyone, but I can manage.
I get the feeling that the neck is a little heavy (perhaps because of the maple?), but it’s not something that bothers me while I play.
The finish of the neck makes it a breeze to go up and down the fretboard. I also love that the cutaway gives me access to the higher frets. It showcases the beautiful high notes on this guitar.
The action on this guitar was good right out of the box, and the low tension of the strings made it a delight to play.
Sound: 5/5
This is where the Seagull Entourage Rustic truly shines. The unique combination of tonewoods here creates a well-balanced, unforgettable sound.
The warmth of the cedar top and the brightness of the maple neck come together to create something really special. The best way I could describe the tone is that it’s both beautiful and haunting.
I purchased this guitar after researching practically every guitar that could fit my budget at the time. I kept coming back to the Entourage because of that amazing sound.
The high notes are clear and have a beautiful sustain. The bass notes aren’t as pronounced as they tend to be on other dreadnoughts, but the Entourage makes up for it with a rich-sounding midrange. It definitely has a unique sound signature that you’ll have to hear in person to understand.
Another great thing about this guitar is that it has excellent headroom. I can strum it as loud as I need to, and it always sounds great. It also projects sound well, which makes it sound like a far more expensive guitar.
This guitar is perfect for both strumming chords and fingerstyle playing, which I do equal amounts of.
Value for Money: 5/5
In 2013, I paid $450 CAD for this guitar at my local music store Long & McQuade. The retail price for it now is $949 CAD – that’s around $700-800 USD. I bought it for a very good price back then, but the price they sell it now is still reasonable. At that price, you’ll be paying for a high-quality, sustainably sourced guitar that’s made in Canada.
It’s great value for money because you won’t need to buy a far more expensive acoustic guitar. I find that a lot of the popular high-end acoustics just aren’t worth the money.
If this is too expensive for you then check out our round-up of best acoustic guitars under $500.
Overall Thoughts on the Seagull Entourage Rustic
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Seagull Entourage Rustic to any player who wants a high-quality acoustic guitar that also sounds great.
I can see this acoustic guitar lasting me for 20, 30 years because of how it’s stood the test of time so far. Of course, a cedar top will always be more delicate, so I recommend buying a hard-shell case for this one.
This isn’t the type of guitar you can take anywhere or travel with. I suggest getting a travel guitar for that. I would even hesitate to take it to a gig – but that’s just me!
What this guitar excels in is sound quality. This is an ideal guitar to practice, play, and record songs with. With the low string tension and the enticing sounds you get from it, you won’t need much more encouragement to pick up this guitar and play.
Want to discover more acoustic guitars? Then check out our list of best acoustic guitar brands or 12 best acoustic guitars.