I've been playing guitar since 1964, professionally since the early 70s and I'm still playing today. I have owned many guitars...some no name, some big name, and they all make good and bad. In the last number of years, with aging shoulders I have found the smaller body guitars like 000's and OM's to be more comfortable. I bought a Martin 000 and used it regularly on stage for a couple of years. Having an eye for "bling" , when I saw the Tofino X I was intrigued so I read the reviews on it and decided to buy one. Here are my thoughts. First on the downside. Communication with the company could have been better...delivery took longer than I thought it would, but some of that is where I live. I requested the action be set a certain way, as it was advertised, and that isn't the way it came. I brought it to my guitar guy and he did a set up on it. The frets also needed to be dressed and the edges filed, but I've also had much more expensive guitars that needed that right out of the box too. (Remember what I said about good and bad.) I use light stings too...10-47, so not unexpectedly the smaller body guitar doesn't have a big booming sound, but I would have been shocked if it did. Final little disappointment is the tiny print on the inside which says "made in China". I have never associated "quality" with chinese made guitars, but more in that in a minute. I could be mistaken, but I don't think this is a fact that Mackenzie and Marr advertise. Pros...regardless of where this guitar was made, the workmanship is extremely good... actually as good as I've ever seen. Salute to the Chinese Luther. I'm still getting used to the L.R. Baggs Anthem, but that's not the guitar. This is a hard guitar to put down. While not overly loud, it has an absolutely gorgeous tone. Very warm and extremely well balanced. I have since sold my Martin as frankly it's not in the same league with the Tofino X. Depending on how I make out with the L.R. Baggs set up I may or may not use this guitar on stage, but it is the guitar I pick up first...every time. I also own a Taylor T5, Godin A6 Ultra and 2 Adamas, one custom made, and a couple of Gretsch's. At the end of the day, the Tofino X will be my "keeper"...and it was only $1600.00 delivered! All things considered, It's a 5 star guitar.

We can all go down rabbit holes with our research and I kept coming back to the site and debating which model was right to try. I decided on the Tofino and was blown away by the packaging, the quality of the case and the first impression upon opening. I have been lucky to have had some high dollar instruments over the years from the names we all know and I can say that the set up out of the box was every bit as good and in some cases, far better than the more recognized brands. We had a couple small issues that were resolved, promptly and professionally in such a refreshing manner that my head is still spinning. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed at twice this price point and even higher with the attention to detail and the beauty of the instrument before it is even played. I have a high end instrument from a company that begins with a "T" and it is exquisite but at the end of the day, I most often reach for my Tofino. John Marr's personal outreach with my minor issues made me feel that I was part of the family - Pull the trigger.

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!

I've had my Tofino X for a couple of months now, and it's truly a superb instrument. I would have responded sooner, but the only time I've put it down is to swap it out with my Ian Tyson, which I bought a little over a year ago. This is in fact my third Mackenzie and Marr guitar, counting the Opeongo I bought for a friend. Actually, I emailed John awhile back and asked him to talk me out of buying the Tofino, since I'm an average player at best, and knew I didn't need another fine, handcrafted instrument. Thankfully, he declined to do so. I can't say enough about it. The balance, the clarity, the intonation, the materials and workmanship are all without compare. I almost feel bad about leaving my Taylors in their cases. since I retired, I have a little "nest" on my sofa, with the Tofino to my right, the Ian Tyson to my left, and my music stand, tuner, picks and capo right in front. Some days I barely get up. These guitars make me a better player than I am. If I have any regret, it's that I didn't spring for the pickup on this one, and that I didn't find out about M&M sooner. If you play, and care about sound and playability, get you one of these.