2021-10-19
Star Rating:
paal from Dollard Des Ormeaux writes:
I love this guitar! It's made with the attention to detail normally seen in custom work; maple binding, a profusion of abalone, and a great, blemish-free finish which allows for the wood grain to scintillate under light. The Western Red Cedar top, often paired by luthiers with one of the several available mahogany woods, (The Tofino X uses the African mahogany, Khaya Ivorensis) gives a warmth of tone and a mid-range punch which is a departure from the boomy, somewhat trebly sound of a Sitka spruce and rosewood instrument (which I still love for playing Bluegrass tunes). This is my first mahogany back and sides, cedar top guitar, and it's a real pleasure to play. (The iconic Martin D-18's made in the seventies used Khaya Ivorensis, and Doc Watson's Gallagher dreadnought was built with the same African mahogany.) I By the way, a high-gloss finish yields a brighter tone, and looks better on stage (and up close too!) than the so-called “satin” finish, which I equate with a mere primer coat. (but if you're playing this guitar, or any guitar, on stage, under lights, remember to first wipe off those smeary-fingered contrails!)When I ordered the Tofino X, I had assumed I'd have to take it to a luthier for a fine-tuning, but this was unnecessary – the set-up is great, right out of the packing box! I play up the neck a lot, and the playability is totally fine the way it is. The neck has an adjustable truss rod, for any future time when and if adjustments are called for. Tonally, the volume is even across the strings, up and down the neck. There's no flat spots. One thing about mahogany back and side construction – it'll fit in with other instruments more easily than, say, a guitar which may turn out to be better for solo work. (However, this point may be less of an issue than, say, with violins, which must be chosen tonally for how they're to be used – orchestral, baroque ensemble, string quartet, or solo.) One thing about cedar topped guitars – one school of thought says that they respond well to light to medium pick action (and finger-picking) but their acoustical ceiling is reached more quickly than a guitar built with topboards of Engelmann, Sitka, or Adirondack spruce – which means harder playing yields more volume than their cedar-top cousins – that being said though, one of the first things I noticed with the Tofino X was how loud it is! Another thing: the instrument case that the Tofino X came in is beautiful! The guitar fits snugly, and the deep maroon plush lining is a pleasure to behold. The latches and hinges all work smoothly, and the case is rigid, light, and strong. Based on the quality of this guitar, I've ordered the Riverboat Dreadnought for a projected January delivery.
One more additional note - The neck feels great, and I'm happy it's not in a gloss finish - varnish can make your hand stick when making fast position changes in a hot room, or in sticky summer weather. Good job here!