capirouche « An excellent small guitar that can compete with the big boys »
Published on 04/17/18 at 13:36
Best value:
Excellent
Audience:
Anyone
I was after a second guitar to bring with me everywhere, my primary instrument being a Martin HD-28.
I first took interest in a parlor model (Takamine New Yorker), then a Faith Venus electric acoustic. I soon sold both of them back, as the parlor did not suit me and the Faith, while a good guitar, had the limitations of an entry-level instrument (though the solid wood and preamp which had been changed when I bought it…).
I then turned to the Taylor GS mini or Martin 5-15, now decided to go after a big brand and the quality that comes with it.
Looking for a K.Yairi (especially the GF-1 model), I came across the Maton Mini-diesel EMD-6.
I had never heard of that brand or model before, but to cut all suspense short it turned out to be exactly all I had ever expected in a guitar (and I know I’m not the only one). A quality guitar in a mini format, but nothing that looks ridiculous. The woods are solid, and the mounted preamp is a high-quality model.
The guitar is pleasant to play, the highs are easy to access via the neck/top junction which leaves room to lay the left hand. The pure acoustic sound is very good – of course it doesn’t equal my Martin HD-28’s, both models don’t play in the same league (one is a dreadnought and the other a mini), but the resulting sound is more than fine (better sounding than Faith Venus or Takamine New Yorker for instance). Once plugged in, the result is mindblowing, you would never expect such a “small” guitar to deliver such a big sound. As a rule, playing it hard when it’s unplugged provides a really pleasant result. It’s also very nice and pleasant for fingerpicking.
The neck is the same as a normal guitar, so it implies no learning curve. The smaller size of the guitar makes it nice to play anywhere. It perfectly answers to my expectations, a “big” small guitar, well-built and with a nice sound, a perfect complement for my main guitar.
Plus, it’s really beautiful, the top’s color is great looking.
I bought it with its original case which is also high-quality (mind you – it features pink plush!).
Here are the instrument’s specs:
"AA" solid sitka spruce top
Solid Blackwood back and side
Blackwood neck
Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays
Rosewood bridge
Blackwood headstock
Ivory outer binding
Herringbone inner binding
Vintage Amber Burst satin finish
Gold Grover Rotomatic machine heads
AP5 pickup
Tortoiseshell pickguard with a golden "M"
It now gets sold new for 1666 euros, but I was lucky enough to find it used (which is very rare).
Don’t hesitate to turn to these guitars and this brand which is not so famous, but when you are considering buying a Little Martin, Taylor Baby or GS mini, it can be good to know that for a few more bucks you can get a used yet far superior and really lovely instrument… well, provided you manage to get one of them used, of course!
I was very lucky to find this one, all the more considering that I wasn’t originally after that model. But hey, what can you do against love at first sight...
I first took interest in a parlor model (Takamine New Yorker), then a Faith Venus electric acoustic. I soon sold both of them back, as the parlor did not suit me and the Faith, while a good guitar, had the limitations of an entry-level instrument (though the solid wood and preamp which had been changed when I bought it…).
I then turned to the Taylor GS mini or Martin 5-15, now decided to go after a big brand and the quality that comes with it.
Looking for a K.Yairi (especially the GF-1 model), I came across the Maton Mini-diesel EMD-6.
I had never heard of that brand or model before, but to cut all suspense short it turned out to be exactly all I had ever expected in a guitar (and I know I’m not the only one). A quality guitar in a mini format, but nothing that looks ridiculous. The woods are solid, and the mounted preamp is a high-quality model.
The guitar is pleasant to play, the highs are easy to access via the neck/top junction which leaves room to lay the left hand. The pure acoustic sound is very good – of course it doesn’t equal my Martin HD-28’s, both models don’t play in the same league (one is a dreadnought and the other a mini), but the resulting sound is more than fine (better sounding than Faith Venus or Takamine New Yorker for instance). Once plugged in, the result is mindblowing, you would never expect such a “small” guitar to deliver such a big sound. As a rule, playing it hard when it’s unplugged provides a really pleasant result. It’s also very nice and pleasant for fingerpicking.
The neck is the same as a normal guitar, so it implies no learning curve. The smaller size of the guitar makes it nice to play anywhere. It perfectly answers to my expectations, a “big” small guitar, well-built and with a nice sound, a perfect complement for my main guitar.
Plus, it’s really beautiful, the top’s color is great looking.
I bought it with its original case which is also high-quality (mind you – it features pink plush!).
Here are the instrument’s specs:
"AA" solid sitka spruce top
Solid Blackwood back and side
Blackwood neck
Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays
Rosewood bridge
Blackwood headstock
Ivory outer binding
Herringbone inner binding
Vintage Amber Burst satin finish
Gold Grover Rotomatic machine heads
AP5 pickup
Tortoiseshell pickguard with a golden "M"
It now gets sold new for 1666 euros, but I was lucky enough to find it used (which is very rare).
Don’t hesitate to turn to these guitars and this brand which is not so famous, but when you are considering buying a Little Martin, Taylor Baby or GS mini, it can be good to know that for a few more bucks you can get a used yet far superior and really lovely instrument… well, provided you manage to get one of them used, of course!
I was very lucky to find this one, all the more considering that I wasn’t originally after that model. But hey, what can you do against love at first sight...
