Tofino X (10th Anniversary Limited Edition)

The review of any new guitar suffers from the fact it is new.  Hauling out a lookalike from 1934 or even a high quality import from a half dozen years ago isn't exactly a level playing field.  Maybe it's best to start with the things which are obvious. The Tofino is the only guitar with a wonderfully sleek matte finished neck.  The shape resembles the vintage instrument but it is much, much thinner and comfortably less wide.  Ebony bars are no match for a modern adjustable truss rod.  The square and diamond position markers are vintage copies in a colorful abalone rather than pearl and spaced perfectly to match the light gauge strings.  This attention to detail can be found everywhere on the Tofino.  The Tofino appears to have the thinnest frets of the three instruments. The body shape is not a direct copy of an "auditorium" body style.  The body is notably deeper and slightly more curved.  The tap tones of all three tops fall closest to the fifth string A.  The tops are all carefully chosen.  The vintage top is uniform in color compared with the younger sitka but neither compare to the tight pattern and uniform color of the Tofino.  Is this more of MacKenzie and Marr's legendary high altitude cedar? The finish on the African mahogany is warm and clearly shows the natural beauty of the wood - a real plus.  Despite the larger size, the Tofino appears to be the lightest of the three instruments Almost all aspects of the finish and trim of the Tofino are superior.  The body is bound in curly maple with a tasteful b/w accent while the top and rosette are trimmed in a rich colored shell design that is or resembles Paua abalone. The neck and headstock are also bound in maple.  The tuners are gold Grover Rotomatics.  The headstock size is identical to the other guitar with a simple gold decal. The old guitar came with a pickguard, the Tofino and the other guitar came with an optional guard in the case pocket.  They are pretty well tied for ugly.  My Tofino black guard will make a fine template someday for something nicer. Time to put the rosewood guitar away and see how the mahogany guitars compare.  The strings are heavier on the sitka guitar.  It is loud and every note has a bite.  The lowest two strings don't match either the volume or sustain of the top four.  On the Tofino all six strings are equally well balanced.  The volume and sustain are excellent.  The initial slap of the hard pick doesn't sound percussive, it's musical. The Tofino is beautifully balanced at all volume levels and equally at home with flat or finger style playing.  The neck is the most comfortable shape I own or have ever played.  I'm looking forward to getting out and showing it off.  I can only imagine what the review will say a few hundred songs and a half dozen sets of strings from now.