Hi Kelvin,
My playing style is a mix of fingerstyle and strumming and between the Grand Auditoriums and the Dreadnoughts, I prefer the Dreadnoughts.
Tonally, dreadnoughts have more girth and low-end response. They have plenty of
overtones, which make them preferable to some for strumming.
Grand Auditoriums, with their tapered waist, smaller body and body-depth, lacks the low-end of a bigger bodied guitar i.e dreadnoughts/jumbo. However, they are much clearer and cleaner due to the tapered waist which helps to control the overtones. That is why some fingerstylists prefer the Grand Auditorium.
And on the other end of the spectrum, the jumbo offer the most bass response and sheer depth.
Dreadnoughts offer me a more versatile option, it can handle fingerstyle and strumming well. I am always of the mind that if you do not know what shape you want, go for a dreadnought because you really cannot go wrong with it.
However, do note that we are speaking in very general and broad terms here.
Ergonomically, dreadnoughts are obviously bigger and bulkier while the Grand Auditoriums are smaller in size - this makes them more comfortable to play with for some, especially the ladies.
With regards to EA1, EA2, EA3 and the likes. The 'E' denotes the series, i.e Elite, which means the guitar has a solid top. The 'A' denotes the size, with 'A' being 'Auditorium'. The number denotes the different combination of wood used in the construction of the guitar. Different tonal woods yield different results, of which is another topic worthy of a length discussion.
My best advise to you, is to go down to the shop itself and try the guitars. Try out the different shapes, and decide on which shape fits you best. Next, try out the different models of the chosen shape and hear the difference between the models. Tone is highly subjective, some people prefer something more trebly and sweet while for others, bass response is the name of the game. Therefore, it is imperative for you to be there and try it out because nobody here on this forum knows you better than yourself. And also, nobody here is going to be playing that guitar you buy - you will be the one playing it, so you have to like how it sounds and how it feels.
I hope I have been of some help.
