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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.

Court from Davidsonville

Fri, 05/29/2020 - 10:41

The Tom Rush Naked Lady

Absolutely love the guitar. It looks and sound amazing. Yesterday, I took it to my guitar tech/luthier for an inspection and set up adjustment and he was floored at how nice the guitar is... he swore it was a $3500 instrument... and he works on high end instruments all day long. So abundant kudos to the MacMarr team!!!

Andrew from Alameda

Mon, 05/18/2020 - 20:48

Opeongo - our OO small body acoustic

Quick review of my Opeongo: Detailed, high-bar construction and materials. Lovely, balanced tones from the surprisingly rich low-end in a parlor instrument, to clear, present mids and highs. Despite the evident attention to visuals, the builders were obviously fiercely listening as they built this instrument. I know, over the top wordy, but these guys deserve some serious praise. Don't you dare tell them, but they could have doubled the price of this guitar and still found an enthusiastic public. Big kudos.

Larry from Toronto

Mon, 05/18/2020 - 16:26

The Tom Rush Naked Lady

To be honest I had never heard of Mackenzie & Marr. I found them quite literally by clicking on a popup ad on one of the news sites I frequent. I was thrilled to learn they were a Canadian guitar manufacturer. I browsed all of the guitar models they had to offer and I kept coming back to the Tom Rush Naked Lady. The rich tone and big sustain really got my attention. Being close to the end of the run only C grade (LPS) guitars were left. That concerned me somewhat so I sent an enquiry to find out exactly what that meant as I wasn't prepared to buy a guitar where that sound would be impaired. I received a reply from John Marr within 24 hours complete with photos of an example and his assurance that guitars graded less than perfect had had some minor repair that in no way impacted the tone or sound of the guitar. I decided I could live with this kind of repair and promptly hit the purchase button. I received my Tom Rush Naked Lady 2 weeks later. It came well packed. To say I am pleased with this guitar would be more than an understatement. The photos and even the videos online don't do this guitar justice. It's really a beautiful guitar with more detailing than can be seen online. Most importantly it has the sound that I was drawn to so much while browsing online. That imperfection? It took me some time to find it and it really is only a minor blemish which speaks volumes for Mackenzie & Marr's quality control. Finally, on the headstock is the logo Mackenzie & Marr Friends since 1958. That really brings a smile to my face as I was born in 1958. Thanks for making such a great guitar!

Larry from Empire, MI

Wed, 04/29/2020 - 08:12

Opeongo - our OO small body acoustic

The Opeongo was exactly what I was looking for in a parlor guitar. Dimensions of the smaller body with 12 frets to the body, combined with a C neck profile, shorter scale length, wider nut width and perfect action to make a pleasurable and comfortable playing experience. Couple this with balance and clarity across the tonal range from treble to mid to bass notes, good projection and nearly non-ending sustain and you have amazing sound from a very versatile instrument. It is well suited for my finger style playing on the couch. I find it also suitable to strum or flat pick a few tunes when I want. There is excellent intonation up the neck. The slotted head stock and simply appointed solid spruce top with solid mahogany back and sides has a very smooth open pore finish which is attractive and lends to a very natural, vintage look and nicely shows the wood grain. I believe the finish will allow the guitar to mature and open up very nicely. And it could be a great heirloom to pass on. I could find no flaws in the fit and finish on this guitar from headstock to fretboard and neck to body and saddle. All the boxes of my criteria were checked off with excellent marks: looks, sound, playability, fit & finish, and value for price. A very nice hardshell case is included. I did some research to find an all solid wood parlor style guitar and could not find any company that came close in price. There is no buyers remorse here. I confidently placed my order. This is truly a real value. I am very appreciative that I learned about MacKenzie & Marr guitars. They live up to their guiding principles. Again, my own research led me to believe this. Everything they say on their web site is true. I like honesty and integrity throughout the entire process from customer service response to delivery of product. I admire that they have chosen to sell their guitars only online, which as they say is “slightly inconvenient.”. To overcome this, they will let you try any of their guitars for a week. If you don’t like it, they will give a full refund including shipping cost. This might alleviate some hesitance to buy without playing. It is confidence on their part. This is a very difficult way to do business in a very competitive market. The product direct to customer savings is real and a much simpler process. There was one other guitar maker I found in the United States that made a similar try it or return it for a full refund including shipping. My research revealed some inaccurate claims and much higher prices. Conclusion is I am pleased and happy with my choice. It does more than hold its own against guitars that cost two to three times more made by a company in Pennsylvania. I know because I own several. Cécile Doo-Kingué is playing an Opeongo in a video on the M & M website. She also has videos on YouTube.

Joseph from Poplar, WI

Tue, 04/14/2020 - 00:00

Opeongo - our OO small body acoustic

Thanks to Mackenzie and Marr, for this Opeongo guitar. When I opened the case it asked to be picked up like a baby, ha. And thanks for safely servicing the order in these unusual days of isolation. I think Opeongo and I will become great friends as we become acquainted. She is a beauty and I love the simple design, and smooth open pore look and homey feel with character and soul in tone to boot. I must say that you have built a winner and I feel fortunate to have found such an instrument at this price point. Keep sharing fine craftsmanship and art and the gift you have in building fine instruments, with service and info you readily offer in quick response. Thanks you guys.

Mark from Phoenixville, PA

Mon, 04/13/2020 - 00:00

Opeongo - our OO small body acoustic

I'm not in the habit of leaving reviews - but I'm going to make an exception for the M&M Opeongo. This guitar sings the moment you open the case. It's got a rich low end harmonic, an engaging mid-range and a ringing, non-pitchy high-end. It's light, but its voice carries well. The design and construction are superlative--but it isn't a piece of art masquerading as a guitar. Now - it took a couple of hours to get used to the neck width at the nut, I'd have liked a slightly darker tone on the top and the strap button at the base of the neck seems unnecessary - but these are inconsequential things. Just take it from me - the Opeongo is the real deal.

Curtis from Centuria

Fri, 04/10/2020 - 00:00

The Grand Manan Slope Shoulder Dreadnought

I've played on and off for the past 45 years and own a half dozen other guitars but I always wanted a slope shoulder dreadnought. There are of course others for sale out there but none that I could find that had the specs this one has at this price. So I figured I'd order this one, give it a try and send it back if I wasn't impressed enough to keep it. I'd be out $50 but that's the chance you take. When I received it, I removed it from the shipping box so that I could inspect it for damage,and then let it stay in the case until the next morning. After opening the case and taking the guitar out I was pretty impressed with the case and what a tight fit to the guitar it has. Nice! Much better fit than the original case that came with my 70's J50. After tuning and playing for a few minutes it was obvious that neck adjustments were needed. The neck had no relief and the saddle needed to be lowered a bit. There was an annoying B string buzz that was still there after proper relief was added to the neck but a little nut sauce took care of that. I checked all frets with a fret rocker and all were perfect. Nut string height was perfect too. I don't consider any of this unusual and didn't take long to take care. The Manan plays and sounds good and the Grover turners work very smooth. The Anthem pickup I ordered with it is the best acoustic pickup I've used and really brings out the voice & sustain this guitar has with just a small amount of volume. The guitar sounds good on it's own but the pickup is impressive. I inspected the inside with a lighted mirror and found it clean of sloppy gluing and all bracing seemed tight. Also, the appointments and workmanship on the Grand Manan are not done justice in the photos on the M&M website. This guitar is beautiful in a reserved sort of way. The sound hole rosette and bindings are outstanding. John, keep things the way they are now. As I said recently, you guitars speak for themselves. My 2c,

Brent from Escondito, CA

Sat, 02/29/2020 - 00:00

The Grand Manan Slope Shoulder Dreadnought

Absolutely love the guitar. It looks and sound amazing. Yesterday, I took it to my guitar tech/luthier for an inspection and set up adjustment and he was floored at how nice the guitar is... he swore it was a $3500 instrument... and he works on high end instruments all day long.

Myla from Virginia Beach

Thu, 01/30/2020 - 15:09

The Tom Rush Naked Lady

This beautiful guitar has an easy action and great sound. It’s a delight to play!

Bruce from West Boylston

Thu, 01/16/2020 - 11:44

The Ian Tyson Inspiration Acoustic Guitar

I already own a few acoustic guitars (Guild, Martin, Alvarez, Fender, Cordoba), but I was thinking about maybe getting a Taylor, after playing a couple at a songwriting workshop last year. So I started looking around. Then I somehow heard about Mackenzie and Marr and decided to try one of their Ian Tyson models based on good reviews, watching a few videos, and very attractive pricing. I received the guitar four days ago, and I really love it. First of all, the woods, the finish, the design, and the construction are all beautiful (even the case is quite nice). The sound is full and rich, with a good balance of highs and lows, not “boomy,” and great for both fingerpicking and full strumming. It was ready to play out of the box with no adjustments needed. The neck has a great feel and I like that the back of it has a smooth semi-matte finish, not shiny lacquer. I got the pickup option thanks to a special promo but I haven’t tried it yet (I will soon). I don’t play out much these days but I like to have a pickup available and it might be useful for recording (I like that it didn’t require cutting any holes in the body). All in all, one of the best Christmas presents I ever gave myself. A really wonderful instrument.

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An Important Note Regarding Porch Pirates

When we ship a guitar we always send it with instructions to the courier that a signature MUST be obtained at the time of delivery. If no one is home to sign for the carton, it will not be left. We do this to ensure that your guitar does not fall into the hands of porch pirates (or other nefarious characters such as bass players or drummers).

UPDATE - We've learned that during the COVID-19 crisis FedEx is sometimes leaving cartons with no signature. Please follow the tracking number we provide to make sure you know when your guitar arrives.

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