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.
The Canadian Songwriter
This is the best purchase I have ever made the sound truly resonates with that Taylor & Martin quality!! beautiful deep tone with crisp high note clarity that only comes from high quality instrument. I have had it for a week now and just can't put it down. I do plug it in but I love the barefoot acoustic sound even better. 2 Thumbs Up on this one!! on price, sound & workmanship "I noticed my friends had a hint of jealousy", You know the feeling "DAM I want that" with the tight lip anchous look & mmm how much? thing going on. I was a little skeptical at first because of the size and weight, I am use to my 12 string Takamine big body guitar but found it to be more comfortable, more volume, more tone and clarity. I'll would never give up my Takamine, and now my M&M songwriter for its bluegrass picking sound. You will be pleased great purchase. Cheers...
Reveiwed by: phillw53
on 11/14/2014 - 15:11 Opeongo OO
My experience with Mackenzie and Marr started with a pre-order of the Opeongo followed by an agonizing wait. Within a couple days after the guitars arrived in Canada, I met John Marr briefly to pick mine up. He was very flexible scheduling a pickup, just so I wouldn't have to wait an extra day. My first impression was that the case was quite nice. It feels quite robust, is nicely lined on the interior and has a small storage space on the inside. It came with a little key, although it's not a unique key - the 'lock' can be turned with any thin flat object. Visually, the guitar is great. The design, materials and worksmanship are impeccable. The satin finish feels and looks wonderful and is nearly flawless. I say nearly because only by running my fingers over the entire guitar did I find 2 deviations so small that they could only be felt, not seen. The design and finish of the headstock is my favourite part of the guitar. I am not a particularly experienced or adept guitar player, but the moment I picked up the guitar I felt a huge difference. The neck is very comfortable for me - both while playing bar chords and fingerpicking. The action feels good as well - it is very easy to play. This is due in part to the light D'Addario strings that came with the guitar, which definitely sound like a good match. The tone of the guitar is where it really starts to shine. The sound can range from laid-back and smooth when fingerpicking lightly, to vibrant when plucked more aggressively. The sustain is impressive and the and the sound is very rich. While letting an open string ring I could readily pick out individual overtones. Each string can pick up the vibrations from the others and ring slightly, further enriching the tone. The richness in the mid-range is especially appealing to me. I can definitely verify the claim that you can hear the "True Wood" when playing this guitar. The intonation is good. It stays in tune reasonably well - I expect it will improve as the strings are further broken in and the guitar continues to get acclimated to its new environment. The tuners used are very good and comfortable to use as well thanks to the integration on the slotted headstock. Conclusion: I am very happy with the guitar and the service from Mackenzie and Marr. In my hands the Opeongo sounds very good, in the hands of a better guitar player I bet it'll sing.
The Canadian Songwriter
Just starting but loving my Songwriter, sounds great, lots of volume and easy to play ,, a lot of guitar for the price :) :)
Reveiwed by: nick1249fanning
on 11/29/2013 - 14:07 The Tom Rush Signature Dreadnought
Got my all purpose guitar now!
I really like the way the Lady plays (but did not want to lug her to parties and risk damage) so I thought the signature might be a good lug around. I don't know what the poor thing went through on the way to Texas but when I tuned it up the strings buzzed like a bee hive. Since the warehouse that ships in the U.S. seems to be located in the New York area I figured maybe Tom got thirsty on the way down here. The humidity is running between 55 and 60 here so I left the case open for a few days, tuned and all is well. I chose the Rosewood option to keep as close to the sound of the Lady as possible, it plays like the Lady (nice action - no need for a setup) and sounds as close as can be to the Lady (a little different but still sweet, perhaps just the difference found between any two guitars). The only thing I might change is the tuners, I really like the locking tuners on the Lady. They look to be Grover 502G's, so maybe a trip to the luthier in a few months. I'm a happy camper now, have a sweet guitar I can take to parties, and the Lady for less hectic times; and while I would be upset if someone harmed Tom, I would'nt feel the need to break their fingers. Saving 25 percent made it perfect...
Reveiwed by: cgchris77546
on 03/24/2013 - 14:46 I really like the way the Lady plays (but did not want to lug her to parties and risk damage) so I thought the signature might be a good lug around. I don't know what the poor thing went through on the way to Texas but when I tuned it up the strings buzzed like a bee hive. Since the warehouse that ships in the U.S. seems to be located in the New York area I figured maybe Tom got thirsty on the way down here. The humidity is running between 55 and 60 here so I left the case open for a few days, tuned and all is well. I chose the Rosewood option to keep as close to the sound of the Lady as possible, it plays like the Lady (nice action - no need for a setup) and sounds as close as can be to the Lady (a little different but still sweet, perhaps just the difference found between any two guitars). The only thing I might change is the tuners, I really like the locking tuners on the Lady. They look to be Grover 502G's, so maybe a trip to the luthier in a few months. I'm a happy camper now, have a sweet guitar I can take to parties, and the Lady for less hectic times; and while I would be upset if someone harmed Tom, I would'nt feel the need to break their fingers. Saving 25 percent made it perfect...
The Tom Rush Naked Lady
I bought my Ian Tyson model a year ago; so it did not take too much of a leap of faith to order a Naked Lady last week. Naked Lady #14 arrived here in Texas today and is nestled beside Ian and between my D28 and D18. She plays smooth and mellow and is a true beauty. Now I am going to have real problems deciding which to play they are all great. Congrats Mac and Marr you have done yourselves proud. The addition of the safety neck strap in the case is a nice touch. I have never dumped a guitar picking up a case that was not fastened - but I have seen it happen to others.
Reveiwed by: cgchris77546
on 01/10/2013 - 20:02 The Tom Rush Naked Lady
John and I worked together in a past life and I knew about him starting his guitar shop. As my skills were being upgraded, I thought an upgrade to my guitars were in order. Immediately short listing the Gibson Hummingbird or a 700 series Taylor, I remembered John. Looked him and decided to give his guitars a try...and probably the best decision I made. I picked up a Tom Rush Limited Ed. in Rosewood and an Ian Tyson Limited Ed. Both these guitars are INCREDIBLE! The finish outstanding but the sound is where you really appreciate them. The TR Rosewood feels like a very expensive guitar and booms with equivalent confidence while the Ian Tyson is crisp and a delight to strum. I know you have to take a leap of faith here but in using this review, trust that it's one you need to take. The guitars are worth every penny. John's hand's on service is truly outstanding. He is passionate about his guitars and it shows in their craftsmanship. Only the best woods are used in every Mac & Marr and they shine whether you strum or finger pick. I'm not the greatest guitarist but I sound 10 times better than I did last week! Thanks John and thanks Mac & Marr guitars! Again, Incredible! Wow!
Reveiwed by: seanlefebvre
on 01/07/2013 - 12:04 The Tom Rush Signature Dreadnought
Well I did it again. I own the #3 Naked lady….I have been playing it so much (just an amateur that loves the sound of a guitar and folk music, but has absolutely no talent) that I now have regrown the callouses on the fingers of my left hand (had them when younger, but me and the guitar drifted apart for a while. Wife kids, Navy, second careers and Life will do that to ya)….Trying to figure out the other day who would get the Lady when I go. My kids (I’m 66) all said that I have to leave the Lady to my grandson...make it a family heirloom…..my daughter, who I wanted to give it to and who is a musician has a daughter (age 8) that wants pop-pop to teach her to play. So now I need a guitar that I can give to her when she is older so that we can all play togther. Problem solved. Today I bought another of the best guitars around…I wanted the best as it too will be passed to grandkids with love. See ya in Boston! Pete
Reveiwed by: pharmatuk
on 11/15/2012 - 10:46 The Tom Rush Naked Lady
I had heard about these guitars, being as I am a great Rush fan since 1967, but I was reluctant to buy a guitar about which I knew little and which was made in faraway places. As luck would have it, Tom recently came to my hometown of Sebastopol, CA for a show, and I took my family and my employees and their families. During the show he played and talked a bit about the Naked Lady, and he was kind enough to let me fondle it a little after the show. Seeing my reaction, my wife (bless her heart) said as follows: "You have to have one of those. The next day I ordered one, and two weeks later I had it in hand. Very few things you order these days are as good as you hope, but this one is better. Beginning with the case, which has a very luxurious feel as well as an interior security strap and a combination lock, this guitar exceeded all my expectations. First, it's ridiculously pretty, and not just for the flawless inlay. The cedar top has a warm look and a nice even grain, while the herringbone trim blends nicely with the dark binding, which is a relief for those of us who are sick to death of seeing herringbone on everything.and the straight-grained rosewood back is perfectly book-matched, with a herringbone strip down the center. . The pearl/wood/pearl rosette is clean and classic. The headstock is simple and clean with just the name and slogan inlaid. The gold tuners have simple black knobs and string locks; I've never used locking tuners before, and I can't imagine why not. They're amazingly handy. The sound is the most surprising feature; I expected it to have tight quality that you so often find in a new guitar. It's easy to see how some playing time will open it up nicely, but make no mistake: it's ready to go right out of the box. The Anthem sound system is well known, and it works just as expected. I like my guitars with a slightly greater string width, and the neck has plenty of room to widen it a bit without having the strings too close to the edges. I had that done, and was delighted with the result. I was both surprised and pleased with the quality of the fit and finish. I've been a Martin snob for a very long time, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this guitar to anyone. In fact, it's one of those rare things that is making me think about buying a second one...just in case anything happens to mine. That's how much I like it.
Reveiwed by: fgdesq9
on 11/11/2012 - 18:43 The Tom Rush Naked Lady
John, Received the "Lady" a few days ago signed by Tom. It was a bit of a hassle for him but he was very accomidating and is a great guy. The guitar is awesome. The woods are very nice, The unbound fretboard is how I like them, the tuners are tight and the pickup is great as it has tone control as well as volume. We had a contest between the Lady and a 1948 Gibson J45, a 1953 J50, and a 1969 Texan FT79N Epiphone. The Texan is the same model Tom had that he lost in the house fire that was the original "Naked Lady" although I think his was a bit older. I played mostly my rendition of "Rockport Sunday" for the contest. I play it reasonably well. I had a freind visiting from Colorado who said the Lady won hands down. My wife preferred the tone of the Gibson's but said the interaction between the strings the Lady has is every bit as interesting, just different. The tone being different but great. The playability is as good as any acoustic I have played. It is a great pleasure to play. The inlay looks great. I don't know anything about inlays but I sure like this one. I have been enjoying fingerpicking this "Lady". No pun intended.
Reveiwed by: jackson5
on 10/12/2012 - 16:14 The Tom Rush Naked Lady
I now own Naked Lady #3. I’ve been playing on and off since 1961 and have owned a number of guitars classic and “steel stringed” (Martin & Taylor). I have not played with any regularity for a number of years even though I often dream of playing like some of my heroes…. I saw Tome Rush a couple of winters ago at the Barns of Wolftrap and fell back in love with his music…it was mellow, poignant and spoke to my heart. He like most thing in my life, got better with age! My wife and I liked his music so much we are traveling from Virginia in December to attend his 50th anniversary concert in Boston. To help with funding for his concert, I submitted a donated to get his Naked Lady guitar from his website, but as the internet had it, my bid never made it and someone else took my “lady”. On Tom’s advice I contacted the folks at MacKenzie & Marr Guitars. I was reluctant initially to discuss buying the guitar when I was told that it came from Communist China……”I really hate all the cheap junk that comes from there that you get in Wal-Mart and Costco”, I told them…after some discussions and a description of how the guitars are made, I backed off from my stance and paid my money and bought Naked Lady #3. I love my lady. I and now back playing the guitar again…I spend some amount of time each morning holding her and relearning to play (while my wife gets ready for work). I am even getting calluses back on my fingers. My lady is truly a beautiful piece of work (similar to my wife of 43 years). I own both a Taylor and a Martin guitar, and this lady fingers the easiest of all. Her sound is wonderful and such; it makes an old picker/plucker like me, look and sound like I know what I’m doing and that I can really make music. The finish is gorgeous, the wood grain unmatched, the tuning mechanisms smooth as silk. I will say it again, I love my lady and so glad I bought this “piece of junk from Communist China”. See ya in Boston!
Reveiwed by: pharmatuk
on 08/24/2012 - 13:52 