2023-06-25
Star Rating:
Steven from Coquitlam writes:
At $1500 this guitar represents exceptional value. The quality of the wood is nice. The craftsmanship is really very good. The sound is balanced, and the guitar seems to resonate much longer than I would have expected. There are lovely and complex harmonics that make it a joy to play and listen to. The sound is very clean and clear. This guitar is built to last. It is SOLID! Everything seems to be overbuilt compared to most other 12’s I considered in this price range. With the light strings that it came with, one could expect this guitar would be passed down to grandchildren and beyond. The gloss lacquer shows well but is perhaps too thick, and I think might mute the guitar a bit. The electronics are top notch and more than compensate for the lower overall volume that light strings and a heavier build deliver. The bottom end is also a bit lacking. I expected more bass response out of a jumbo body, but again – the electronics can compensate for that.
My guitar came with a beautiful heartwood strip down the centre of the back, but no heartwood on the sides. It should be noted to future buyers considering this guitar – ‘Bolivian Rosewood’ is actually Pau Ferro… had I known this before purchasing, I would have bought something else. Knowing this after the fact, I have a new appreciation for another tonewood that until now I though was reserved for entry level fingerboards. Maccassar Ebony is not as black as true ebony - looks more like rosewood to me, but nice none the less. Is the top ‘AAA’ Sitka? Hmmm… it is nice, and does have some nice figuring, but the figuring is not consistent across the entire top and does not have the visual depth that triple ‘aaa’ typically does. The top on my Larrivee D-05 it is far superior (although it was hand-picked by Jean Jr. for me and may be in a class of its own).
Carefully check your headstock before you decide it will not stay in tune. Initially I struggled tuning this thing, wondering why the b would go out of tune every time I tuned the e… During set up at M&M, one of the high e strings was intertwined with a b string… seems there is not much room up there to route the stings properly.
The pegs in the saddle could be spaced better. I would prefer the second-row strings didn’t contact the front row pegs. Plastic binding? Canadian Maple would be a tasteful and cost-effective improvement. A binding on the finger board would be a nice touch as well. A vintage-inspired tortoiseshell pickguard was mentioned in the marketing description but absent from the case. A clear plastic one was included instead.
The strap button is not in the position indicted on the website but run into the heel at the back of the guitar, making it impossible to keep a strap attached there. It will definitely require replacement with a strap lock.
Am I being a bit too picky? Perhaps. But when the marketing description suggests it is worth $4,200… I thought I would point out why it would not sell at that price. I should not be able to find fault with anything at all on a $4K guitar. A 7-day trial really isn’t enough time to bond with a guitar and it took a few months for me to really get familiar with it. I understand that a longer trial makes it too difficult to accept a return, so I went into this assuming I would keep it and just accept my purchase. I may buy one of the others I looked at in the same price range for comparison. That said, the Algonquin 12 does provide more value than the $1,500 asked for one.Steve