Acoustic-Electric Guitars

Of course this guitar does deserve 5 stars – but frankly, how objective can you be when judging a unique, custom-designed model made for you to your own specs? You’d have to judge by yourselves, but I don’t see you being disappointed by Jérôme. This guitar originates in a desire I’d had since 1987 : owning a solid bodyn electric guitar with nylon strings. My inspiration was Gibson’s Chet Atkins CE, which was a real revolution as to amplified classical guitars. But after dreaming and reading a lot about it, you soon find out how Atkins himself had ended up delusioned by the CE. While it featured a real on-stage presence, it also turned out to be very heavy, being a solid body model. Also, the absence of wood vibration (hence a lack of natural-sounding character) was another problem. Today, such issues have been addressed by Godin as well as some American luthiers, but I had met Jérôme Marchand and really wanted to ask him to work on such a project, so we designed a model together. Regarding the body, we kept the concept of a hardwood solid body (AAA African mahogany) with a 5cm width. The shape is that of a classical guitar, but with a cutaway. To reduce the weight, Jérôme suggested to carve 3 chambers in it – plus the part where the electronic parts go. Weighing in at 3.4 kg (approx. 7.5 lbs), it’s only 100g heavier compared with my small Aria Pro II electric guitar. The main binding is made of Indian rosewood, and next to it is a 10mm-wide flame maple, wave-shaped and bevelled sunburst-colored armrest that looks like 3D-ish in a very innovative way. The lower binding is made of flame maple. The bridge is made of satin moiré wood. In the back, a moiré wood backplate protects the electronics. The guitar’s finish is bright and polished. The lower side is flat so as to make things easier when the guitar rests on one’s knee (slightly carving the upper part of the back would have been a good idea for when I play while standing). A violin-like f-hole was carved into the side so as to let the instrument ring naturally, even without an amp. The 1st-choice mahogany neck is equipped with a dual-action trussrod. The fingerboard is made of ebony and features standard markers on the side on the 3rd, 5th, 9th, 12th, 15th and 17th frets. The frets are Jim Dunlop 6130 Vintage Standard. The nut is made of bone and is 47.5mm wide (hence slightly narrower than a classical guitar). The neck and body join using a 6mm-deep tenon and mortise joint at the 14th fret (with a 58-mm width). It feels incredibly sturdy. The head adorns an Indian rosewood veneer and a mother-of-pearl “JM” logo. Tuners are Schaller HG1 with ebony buttons. The guitar’s top is made of AAAA spruce, and its vibration allows for a more natural sound amplification. As usual, Jérôme made a guitar which is not only beautiful but also very playable with a precisely intuned neck which features an ideal width – neither too wide which would be a problem for some pop/rock gestures, nor too narrow which would induce strings to slide out). Sustain is long and the harmonics come naturally. This guitar is very comfortable to play – I’d be curious for the opinion of an experienced classical player. The sound can be amplified using RMC Acoustic Gold Pickups, which are individual pickups for each string which height can be set separately. They offer an enhanced dynamic response and synth tracking, and are very little sensible to feedback. Signal-to-noise ratio is excellent (100 dB S/N). The included preamp is an RMC Poly Drive 4. It is mounted from the inside, which ensures reliability, discretion and a very practical position, close to the right hand. It features a 3-band EQ with selectable mid frequencies (700Hz or 1200Hz) and a DMX feedback reducer. Instrument volume and synth volume settings are also present, with two selectors for remote-switching the synth banks. The synth tracking and dynamic response are excellent. It is compatible with all available guitar synth modules and works with phantom power or a mere 9V battery (which is offset to be more easily accessible). Excellent signal-to-noise ratio (90 dB S/N). The guitar features two sound outputs : a classic jack that allows to directly amplify the instrument’s natural sound, and a 13-pin plug that allows to get into synth equipments (e.g. Roland’s GR55). These outputs are side by side, at 5:00 when looking at the front of the guitar, on a slight cutaway on the side. The sound is very accurate with an impressive sustain. The RMC is so powerful than in spite of their recommendation to use the “high” setting for classical guitars, I set it to “low”. I play on a Jazz Chorus 50, also using the “low” input. This is a nylon-stringed guitar. It sounds perfect for classical music and all genres that come with that kind of sounds (a wide array of genres by the way, depending on the artist’s creativity). But used with an electronic gear that picks up the data through its 13-pin plug, there’s no limit to what it can do! It provides modelled electric guitar sounds on various amps and stacks, and can benefit from all possible effects. It allows string-by-string settings, and so on – but that is something else, not linked with the instrument itself. This guitar’s name is Elbe – a name that comes from Electric Beauty, but LB are also my initials. As to the city of Hamburg...

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The size and format are the same as a J45, but the features differ: The top is made of solid Sitka spruce Back and sides in solid walnut - the back is especially beautiful Maple neck, rosewood fingerboard and walnut bridge Mini Grover tuners LR Baggs Element pickup & preamp The guitar looks simple, except for an abalone circle around the soundhole. I find the pickguard rather ugly. The bridge is rather small and seems lost in the middle of such a big body, let’s hope that it’s sturdy. I got this guitar almost new, as its original buyer had only had it for weeks before he decided to trade it for a Larrivée I owned. The guitar’s action is a bit high, but the neck is straight and the slight V profile suits me well. The instrument sounds powerful, with nice lows and highs that are both present and smooth, so far I found the mids quite discrete. In the past, I used to own a 1973 J45 (not so good), a 1990 J200 (which sounded great with a pick), but I chose this J15 for its walnut construction and I’m satisfied by it as I now only play using my fingers and this instrument reacts very well to fingerstyle play. The LRBaggs is rather basic but does the job, as long as it’s associated with a goor amp or preamp. Value-for-money is rather good, and building quality is flawless.

That’s an incredible guitar : great manufacturing quality, handmade wood work, playing comfort, touch and comfort of the neck, sound and harmonics, great vibes… The sound’s power is incredible (Zakk Wylde plays in acoustic on a DY-61, which is a DY-62 without a cutaway – knowing the man, that says a lot as to the way it sounds!). The quality of the woods used is exceptional, no Taylor, Martin or Gibson could compare, they’d almost seem made out of plastic. As a former owner of Taylor and Martin guitars (who has also used many Gibsons), all I can say is that this is – by far! – one of the best guitars I’ve ever laid my hands on (I’ve been playing for 25 years now), second only perhaps to a Lakewood D-14 which I still miss. Just to let you know, the top and label are signed by Kazuo Yairi himself (there’s a Youtube video where you can see how he selected the tops for his guitars). In brief, Alvarez Yairi and K. Yairi (all guitars being manufactured in the same Japanese factory), not to be confused with Alvarez which now manufactures its products in China, is a very underestimated brand, and it really deserves a guitarist’s fullest attention. I recommend it, with no reserve!

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 essentially play bossa and jazz standards, plugged on a SR Technology Jam 100 (a great amp by the way), and this guitar is perfect for this register. Great wood, flawless construction, no problem with the finish either, the frets don't grip or anything (I've had some reasons to be disappointed with the finishes of "made in China" guitars in the past but not here , Yamaha's quality control know their job). The neck is pleasant for an electric guitar player (48mm at nut). The action was originally set a bit high, but slightly sanding the saddle allowed to solve it easily. The guitar sounds good unplugged, with a well-balanced sound but an average projection as the body is slightly narrower compared with a standard classical guitar. Once plugged, the preamp is really great, both powerful and allowing a very precise modulation of the sound with no risk to induce a feedback (the two sensors under the bridge work marvel and sound way more natural than a standard piezo). I'm very satidfied with this purchase, and I think I'll keep this guitar for a long time.

So.. I've had a few thinline guitars before and smaller bodied guitars that I generally liked the tone of but mostly played because the shape allowed it to sit somewhere you couldn't with a Jumbo or Dreadnaught. Well.. I've always liked Takamine and Cedar top that Glen Hansard plays gives me a strange excitement we'll say. So I have an S34c Jasmine by Takamine that appears to be from 2000 and it has been a great balanced and loud guitar perhaps lacking in subtlety but doing the big strummer thing so well that it's hard to deny. Well the TS-97C fills in the stuff the Big Girl doesn't do so well. As it turns out I have 12-53 on the s34c NEX which is 25.5" and 11-49 on the 25-3/8" FXC and I keep the bigger one Eb and drop C# while keeping the FXC in E standard and drop D. For a 30 year old guitar it's in great shape. I did have to spend some time rehydrating the wood with it clamped up to a neck and bridge level jig. It all went seamlessly and the guitar barely needed setup with new bone nut and saddle. The things they say about Cedar top guitars are all true. It breaks up early and is very touch sensitive. It records beautifully and has some indescribable tonal quality that you only get on stunning guitars. A current Takamine equivalent is $2000 and this little guitar speaks of why. For a 1992 Jasmine by Takamine it has no right to be this good. I'd gladly challenge a Taylor or Martin to a time war. If you find one keep it. These are lifetime guitars when setup right.

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My musical style is a folk-country style--flatpicked alternating between strumming and arpeggiated chords. The guitar is well-made from a construction standpoint. No loose joins or bracing. No sloppy glue spots. It has a jumbo body with a solid spruce top and maple back and sides. It has a matte finish. It also features an undersaddle pickup and preamp. The volume and tone controls are located inside the soundhole. The bag which holds the 9-volt battery is attached to the neck block inside the body of the guitar. It has minimal cosmetic appointments. There is no binding on the fretboard and inlays are imitation pearl dots. The pickup/preamp is virtually useless. It feeds back at very low volumes. And no amount of EQ seems to be able to tame either the feedback or the piezo "quack." Acoustically, the tone is not much better. It lacks the chime-like quality which should be the signature tone of a 12-string. It sounds more like a 6-string run through a chorus pedal. At first I thought this might be due to the strings being old. But a change to fresh strings did not improve the sound. The tuners are another problem. In a guitar of this price range--one should expect at least sealed clones of Grovers or Gotohs--but these seem to be revisiting the early covered tuners made by Waverly or Kluson. They do not turn smoothly and getting an exact tuning, even with a strobe, is time consuming. I've only regretted purchasing a 12-string a few times in my life and this is one of the purchases I've regretted.

I’m 54, and been playing since I was 11/12. Up till now, I’ve never written a guitar review, having never felt the need. Guitars are like women. Some are great, others not so great and just plain bad. It depends on you, and the chemistry that exists in the middle somewhere. Guitar chemistry exists between the player’s psychology, his hands, the strings, how the guitar is set up, amplification and effects etc. Sometimes it’s difficult to define precisely what makes a guitar work for you. It approximates in some ways to what the Japanese term ‘kansei.’ I picked up this Takamine EAN15C a couple of nights ago from kijij. The guy was asking $450 Canadian for it and I bargained him down to $400. It had lain in the hard shell case pretty much unused, for the major part of it’s ten years. Strings were dead and I was thinking that maybe the seller had never changed them. The fretboard was as dry as any I’d seen in quite a while, and he didn’t have an amp so I couldn’t check out the electronics. The guitar had no major dings, or breaks, the neck was straight, and the intonation was almost perfect. Minor mother of pearl inlay missing from the saddle. The action was pretty good and worked fine for my big thick fingers  First thing I did was get the strings off. I wish I’d taken pictures at the start. Fretboard was cleaned with a damp cloth and warm water. I’m never too liberal with fretboard cleaner/oils but this one looked as if it would benefit from it. I gave it one coat which soaked right in at the and the following morning gave it another dose. This really brought the thing back to life. I polished the frets which had become very dull. They had virtually no wear to speak of and came up really well. The whole body of the guitar was cleaned off and polished up with some lemon oil and then I restrung it with Elixir Lights (12s). First strum of this Takamine with new strings just blew me away. It sounded great. Not too much top. Warm and clear tones which just ring out. I put a new battery in the box and plugged it into my Ibanez Troubador TA35, acoustic amp. This thing was singing like a bird. The best word to describe this guitar is simply “expressive.” It just provides so much expression and the pick up seems to capture the most subtle nuances of hammer ons/offs and slides to great effect. My other acoustic 6 strings guitars are Tacomas (DR14C & DR20) , both of which cost me at least twice as much as this Tak. Nothing I’ve come across previously has compared favorably (for my playing and style), with the Tacomas. Build quality, tone, (acoustic and amped), weight and balance and overall feels are very similar to my Tacoma DR14.. I’ve owned Taylors and Martins which are inferior to this Takamine. Recently traded a Faith Venus electric-acoustic which sounded incredible amplified. This EAN15C sounds even better amplified than the Faith with it’s Shadow system. I’m delighted with it, and think that I got a great deal at $400 CAD. It’s not very often that I feel like I should go back and give the guy some more money. This is obviously the older model, as the TAN15C has the tube pick up installed. I can’t compare this guitar with that model as I’ve never played one, but this Takamine stands up proud with every acoustic guitar that I’ve ever played or owned. It’s an outstanding guitar either for use with a pick, or for finger picking. It’s solid, durable and the quality of the workmanship is evident in the detail.

This is a solid body guitar that sounds like an acoustic guitar. It works well for any playing style. The workmanship is impeccable. I have rather small hands and the neck is what I would consider mid-sized. It has an active pickup located in the bridge. The EQ consists of volume and tone control. This is one of my favorite guitars due to the nature of the sound, unlike any other guitar. It works well with any music genre. Unfortunately, they are no longer made as Chet Atkins left Gibson shortly thereafter and returned to Gretsch.

Made in China 20 Frets Pinless bridge Has Ovation OP4B pickup/pre-amp. Set Neck UTILIZATION I find this has a wonderful sound. I've always been impressed with Ovation's deep-bowl 12-strings. They are the perfect marriage of science and art. They project well with clearly articulated notes across the spectrum. The lows are not muddy and the highs sparkle without sounding tinny. Because this is a non-cutaway body, one does not have easy access to the upper frets. I do not see this as a problem since I very seldom play higher than the seventh fret. SOUNDS I primarily play this as an acoustic, but occasionally run it through a sound board when gigging. If I am using my soundboard, I run it through a Zoom A2 pedal, and then into a dual i/o DI box and from there, into a Peavey XR1212P, using two of the channels and panning one full left and the other full right to take advantage of the stereo FX. Usually I try for a clean sound, but occasionally will use delay and/or flanging/phasing. This combination is perfect for a sound I prefer to call "Psychedelic Country Gospel." OVERALL OPINION Features I like most: the sound, the electronics, the pinless bridge, the deep bowl, non-cutaway body design. This has no features I dislike. I've been playing guitar for over 40 years and 12-string for over 35 of those years. In that time I've owned six other 12-strings and tried over two dozen others ranging from high-end models by Taylor, Guild, and Martin, to intermediate-priced offerings from Conn, Alvarez, Guild, and Ovation, to student-priced models such as Ibanez, Dean, Fender, Yamaha, Samick, and Epiphone. The only other guitars I've played which match this for sound were a Guild F-412 and an Ovation AA35 . Knowing what I know now, I would still buy this guitar without any regrets.

This is a great solidwood guitar, it has a small body and it's shaped to fit the player, ES is not work of art but it gives a great tone on PA or Mixer, only machines are cheap, if you set the new ones, you got a good guitar to play with! Value of the guitar is 300-500$, but you can find it cheap because the people do not know how good it is..I have had a guitars from 50$ to 8000$, i still have Taylor koa 24ce dlx and 814ce dlx, Martin D35, yamaha cpx15 and some other guitars..and i play 35 years so i know what i 'am talking about...this guitar is ten times better what you can buy nowdays in Stores for this kind of money...Cheers!

https://youtu.be/MpYnJU6uUbo Was in the market for a new baritone acoustic electric as I had owned an Alvarez Yairi YB70 a couple of years ago, but sold a couple of weeks after purchase, as it was too difficult to play, (jumbo body, and carpal tunnel syndrome started in my fingers). I was sad to sell it, but still had hoped to eventually find a replacement. I was happy to see that Taylor came out with a 6 and 8 stringed edition, and although I loved how they sounded and felt, they were way out of my price range now. Typically, my rule of thumb had always been, try a really top of the line instrument and then try the less expensive models to see how they feel in your hands and to your ears. To my amazement, I saw a variety of reviews of the Ibanez AE255BT, with favorable results. I had only wished I could have tried it myself. Then, last Saturday, I went to my local Sam Ash store in Charlotte, NC, and there it was, in the acoustic room, at the very end cap. And the price tag said “close out price” of $499. I tried it for about an hour and purchased it accordingly. Acoustically, even toned, and comfortable against the body. Plugged in, through a Fender Acoustic 100 amp, it has great lows and mids and chiming highs. Everything worked well for me. Given that I learned later on that Ibanez decided to change the designs of this baritone and use Okoume back & Okoume sides, compared to their original Ovangkol back & Ovangkol sides, as well as a Katalox fretboard over their previous Cultured Maple variety. If you have the chance to find this guitar, try it and buy it.