MacKenzie & Marr Guitar Owners' Reviews

2021-11-17There are few dreadnaught guitars which are not simply banjo killers.  Joni had one.  So did Judy, but they are rarities.  With most the tone is just not tame or well balanced.  For accompaniment, they are not the best choice for a singer/songwriter. C.F.'s favorite guitar was a 00.  There were many nice old J model Gibsons like Buffy's but these smaller guitars, like the 00, didn't respond well to being redesigned for heavier strings.  The Martin F/M/J/0000 is a good choice but it tends to err to being overbuilt and somewhat undersized.  The old Martin F guitars which were converted to flattops were deeper with VERY rounded backs. If you sing and play well, the question becomes "where do I find a guitar which can accompany my voice?" The Tyson MacKenzie and Marr answers that question very forcefully. Pretty is nice.  If bling make you or audience happy, the Tyson is an elegant 40 style pearl guitar with an exceptional rosette.  Too bad the audience can't see the sides and back of Bolivian rosewood!  The sapwood back center may not please everyone.  Mine is a skunk, not a chevron this time and it is beautiful!  The top is wood it die for. The Venetian cutaway is something new to me.  I really can play up there?  Yes! The neck is familiar, comfortable, matte finished for speed and topped with open gear pegs - a favorite, The sound is authoritative but not overpowering.  It flatpicks beautifully and fingerpicks easily.  It doesn't BOOM but could hold it's own in any setting. I wonder why I am waiting for my Riverboat?  There are still banjoes prowling the world.  I can sing duets and trios but fo being alone with a mic, I'll take the Tyson.

2021-11-17I'm an experienced player, home studio owner, producer and singer songwriter. Over the 50 years I've been seriously engaged with these activities, I've played a wide variety of guitars and I own a variety of acoustics that cost me anywhere from $80 to $4,000. Guitars strike me as a personal choice, I'm not sure what I can say that will help anyone decide, but I can tell you why the Algonquin 12 works for me. 1) It works for my voice. I can sing what I've previously written and it will effortlessly support my voice. The only other acoustic guitar that I have that works as well is a six-string Goodall that cost me $4,000, used. 2) It inspires me to write. When I play it, I find a wide variety of intriguing sounds that lead me in new directions and because it supports my voice, I'm able to easily follow up on what I'm hearing by singing against this new palette. 3) It records extremely well. Acoustic guitars can be difficult - either too "boomy" or lacking in body. This guitar makes it easy. Again, the only other guitar I have in this category is the Goodall. 4) It's easy to play. It has a clear voice, stays in tune, has easy action and is way less temperamental that the other 12 strings I've owned or played. I'm so used to working harder on an acoustic 12 string, particularly on the Martin 12 string this instrument replaced, that it took me a couple of minutes to find my bearings. 5) I can stop looking for a new 12-string. About 45 years or so ago I played a Martin 12 string that I couldn't afford, the memory of which became the yardstick against which all other 12 strings have been measured. With the Algonquin 12 I've finally put that ghost to rest. To everyone who made this possible, please accept my sincere thanks. One more thing - John was wonderful to work with when the shipping company mangled my well packed guitar. Guitars are personal and hard to recommend, but good service is easy. I've never had someone on the other end of the phone show the level of care and respect for my emotional well-being as John did. If you are worried about after sales service, I can ease your mind on that count.

2021-11-16Wonderful addition to my collection. Vibrant sound, readily tunable, easy to hold seated or standing. I am enjoying its ringing tones changing the sound of old favourites.

2021-10-19I 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!