MacKenzie & Marr Guitar Owners' Reviews

2023-07-11I 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.

2023-06-28I 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.

2023-06-25At $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

2023-06-05Didn'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.