MacKenzie & Marr Guitar Owner Reviews

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MacKenzie & Marr Guitar Owners' Reviews

Please note: We publish all reviews exactly as they are submitted. Occasionally we may correct an obvious typo but that's it. The opinions you read are the owner's own words.
2023-08-10
Star Rating: 
4
Niley from Wichita Falls writes:
Attractive, well-made instrument. Playability is about 3-star. I’m comparing against Furch, Martin and Taylor, all more playable, but still head and shoulders above Zager whose comparable product is a bit higher priced. Hard to replace an old Furch or Martin, but for the money M&M delivers a nice product.
2023-08-09
Star Rating: 
5
Brian from Lanark writes:
I have owned several high end guitars - Martin, Taylor, and Gibson - in my lifetime but my new Riverboat Dread is one of the best. The quality of the workmenship, the tone and the neck action are all superb and something you find rarely, even with comparably priced and higher priced instruments. My compliments to Mackenzie Marr for delivering on an exellent guitar.
2023-07-18
Star Rating: 
5
Richard from Conesus writes:
My Ian Tyson Inspiration is an incredible instrument! I have played for over 40 years and own/have owned guitars from many of the top guitar manufacturers: Gibson, Martin, Taylor, Fender, Rickenbacker, etc. This Mackenzie and Marr guitar is the equal of the finest of those guitars and superior to many of them. Tone, playability, craftsmanship, attention to detail are hard to believe in a guitar in this price range. My dad, rest his soul, used to say, “If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is, steer clear of it”. Well Dad, sorry, it’s not the case this time. This guitar exceeds all expectations and is even more aesthetically beautiful than the pictures from the website. Wow!
2023-07-11
Star Rating: 
5
BRENDAN from MORPETH writes:
I purchased a guitar from Mackenzie Marr a year and a half ago, but sadly had to return it. The dimensions of the guitar did not suit my playing style. I returned it, with no hassel. This time around I did a little more homework and ordered a small palour guitar, the Opeongo OO. The guitar is exactly to spec and arrived well packaged and in a beautiful hard shell case. I love the look and feel of this guitar. A lot of sound from a small package. The neck is a little wider than what I am used to. It kinda' reminds me of an old Norman I learned to play on. The 12 fret neck is a unique experience and does make playing bar chords a little bit easier as your position over the guitar changes. I have noticed that the tuning keys become quite loose when the string tension lessons. However, they are Grover tuners and there should be a simple answer to that one. The open head stock does seem to transmit some sound as well, which was new learning for me. I like that the pick guard is optional, as I am not a hard strummer and the appearance of the guitar is a lot more authentic without it. I have owned Taylors, Martins and Guilds...some have worked well, others have moved on. But, I will be keeping this Mackenzie Marr parlour guitar. Thanks for your interest.
2023-06-29
Star Rating: 
5
Graham from Kelowna writes:
Hi I had no problems getting it the high e string broke as soon as I played it when I need new strings I'm going put a 11 gauge set of strings on wondering if it might change the sound I didn't put the pick guard on Hopefully I turn it into a Willie Nelson guitar
2023-06-28
Star Rating: 
5
Kirk from Queen Creek writes:
I will admit, I was hesitant to purchase the Algonquin 12 string, but I really wanted a high-quality instrument without paying 3k for it. After doing some research, and reading reviews, it seemed that these guitars fit that description. Even though I wasn’t certain of that, the guarantee made it worth the try. So, I have to say, I was not only more than impressed with this guitar, it actually far exceeded my expectations. First of all, the wood is absolutely beautiful. I love to just look at it. But secondly, it is wonderful to play, and sounds amazing. I am actually thinking of selling my Taylor six string and buying the Dionisio. If it is even close to the 12 string, it will easily rival my Taylor at essentially half the price. I hope more people discover this company, and the wonderful instruments they make. I am a fan.
2023-06-28
Star Rating: 
5
Alex from Chatham writes:
The Dionisio X fit the description of the guitar I was looking for and the price seemed very reasonable. I had some reservations about buying a guitar without having the ability to try it out first, but M and M’s 7 day return policy convinced me to give it a try. I was also concerned about shipping an instrument through UPS. However, the guitar arrived with the hard case well padded and bubble wrapped inside a cardboard box. The instrument itself was snug within the hard case and the headstock was held firmly with foam padding. The guitar is a fine piece of work with beautiful straight grain on the cedar top and top quality woods. The abalone accents set it off nicely. The guitar is a joy to play and has a rich warm tone. I would certainly recommend this guitar to anyone looking for a very nice cedar top at a reasonable price.
2023-06-25
Star Rating: 
4
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
2023-06-05
Star Rating: 
5
Keith from Southgate writes:
I find this guitar like you advertised IT is Great....Super Happy with my guitar....
2023-06-05
Star Rating: 
5
John from Benbrook writes:
Didn't know what to expect but thought the price was very good so I purchased the Riverboat Dread. Can't remember when I have been so pleased with a guitar. The only thing I had to do was tune it and play it. Right out of the box the action was perfect. Can't remember last time I bought a guitar and that happened. I would tell anyone that might be looking at it; Go for it. Oh, and the tone is warm and pleasant to hear. After I played this guitar for awhile I put it down and for kicks picked up one of my Martin's. Oh my gosh! What can I say. While I love my Martin's, This dreadnaught will get a whole lot of playing time. The sound of the Riverboat Dread is that good in my opinion. At least to my ear. Thanks for producing such a fine instrument.

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