Price Paid: yen lots of
Features: 10
1999? serial 2468, made in Tumalo, Oregon Ebony fretboard and bridge, maple neck, sitka spruce top, myrtlewood back and sides, all solid woods. I had a Highlander system put in, piezo and microphone. Concert size with a cutaway. HC case.
Read an article where Norman Blake likes old 00 and 000 size Martins and Gibsons because he thinks the depth is matched to the size of the top, unlike the dreadnaughts. What I like about this guitar is that even though it's a concert size, it has the depth of a jumbo unlike the thin Taylor concerts and auditoriums.
Sound: 9
More of a fingerpicking guitar, not a hard strummer. I'm more of a pick picker and it really sounds great that way. The bass notes ring out like no other acoustic I've ever heard. Balanced sound due to myrtlewood being similar to maple I believe.
Action, Fit, & Finish: 10
Beautiful finish, a hand-made guitar. No flaws that I could see other than teeny teeny minor dings that you would expect to get for a guitar that gets tried out in a guitar shoppe.
Reliability/Durability: N/A
As opposed to dead playing? Seems well made and durable, I do watch that humidity.
Customer Support: 10
Talked to Steve Henderson, the luthier. He returned my call and though the call was on his dime, I thought we could have talked for quite a while. He's one of us.
Overall Rating: 8
8 because for value, you can find cheaper guitars but I forgot the price already, I've always believed if you can afford it and you buy quality, you forget the price. I tried out Martins, Taylors, Lowdens (neck too fat), Seagulls, etc. This guitar is a work of art and has a beautiful sound. I wish it had skilled hands playing it sometimes.
Submitted by Anonymous at 01/12/2000 08:33
