Linn Sondek
Published on 06/08/13 at 03:03
Made in the USA Custom Shop in Bozeman, Montana.
All solid:
Sitka spruce-
-Indian rosewood back and sides
-Mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard
-Ebony bridge
-Bone nut
This beauty is equipped with high-end preamps Fishman Ellipse Aura.
The finish is amazing perfection. Besides the quality of wood used, the magnificent spruce table that shows its regular and tight veins bending work brooks no criticism. The key inlays are the most beautiful I've ever seen. The rose has a beautiful decoration. Different pearls sparkle in sunlight or artificial. The frets have a fitting and polishing again perfect.
My copy has a beautiful Sunburst.
UTILIZATION
The neck is a dream. I thought I had the sublime touch with that of my Ovation Custom Legend but I changed my mind: this Songwriter has the most comfortable and easy to handle game I had the opportunity to hold. The passage of the thumb is over we can more easily and fingers glide over the key without any resistance. Guitar lightweight, it boasts excellent ergonomics. The rather deep body causes no discomfort sitting game. The balance is just perfect. It is one with the guitar. Without cutaway, access to acute problem from the 15 th box but it does not bother me at all, I'll never farther on an acoustic and I preferred this model to entire body, already having to acoustic cutaway.
SOUNDS
So the sounds? And say that I am satisfied is an understatement! It sounds fantastically. In acoustics, it offers a large volume and we feel it vibrate all the table and all his back when playing seated. A feeling that I had forgotten my hand for a long time, playing only on Ovation. This physical relationship with the back of the instrument has an indefinable magic but include many guitarists. Depth of sound is in no way inferior to the projection: even if the guitar is new, the quality of wood, clean technology to Gibson Dam, this is all you get a full, majestic tone and a perfect balance of frequencies .
Once connected, the time has come to look at the pre-amp. Ellipse Aura has a unique feature: it has 4 "images" (or pre-sets, if you prefer) that correspond to a particular guitar sound recorded with different microphones: Neumann M147 Neumann U87, Schoeps and Shure SM57 CMC64G . Software downloadable from the Fishman site provides other images and insert them into the memories of the four pre-amp via the USB port that it has. Which is perfect with these images is that the sonic character of the Songwriter remains intact while providing specific to each different color images. It is possible to mix the sound of an image with the purely electro sound of the guitar, resulting in a number of combinations and almost infinite subtleties. Indeed, the mixing is done via a cursor déplassant horizontally, with a longer stroke, thereby allowing a multitude of positions. These four presets suit me and I find them really successful: at no point was natural and never loses it sounds digital. In "normal" position-cursor to the far left-alone mic picks up and we can say that we get, more or less, amplification of acoustic sound with respect praiseworthy. First two shapes are available, called Natural I and Natural II: they occur at low frequencies in order to "smooth" sound. The appointment also: a Phase switch, anti feedback and, of course, a volume.
The position of the pre-amp range from the one to which we are accustomed. It is not located on the upper splint but the immediate and upper entrance of the rosette. We can thus act more quickly to a setting because everything falls under the fingertip. It is of course correctly identify the various sliders and switches, but once used, it becomes a breeze as e make adjustments or changes in the bank 4 images Thurs Ergonomics is more than well thought out.
The Songwriter Deluxe Custom sounds beautifully in all conditions. In acoustics, it is a pure delight: sound full, balanced, perfectly defined, each note resonates with intelligibility. Amplified in a context, it has five basic sounds (the normal sound of the microphone and the 4 images) which are added the nuances in the different settings available. The preamp Fishman Ellipse Aura is really stunning.
AWhen, yes, there is indeed a Gibson acoustic sound like there is a sound élecrique Gibson, Les Paul sound especially. The big brands have, for the most part, the privilege to offer a sound identity that is both strong and unique. Gibson gives a typed yet versatile sound: in this we can say that there is a magic Gibson. The Songwriter (and I say any model Songwriter) is characterized by a particular grain, strong character and I find sublime. What expressiveness! What range of shades under the fingers! What answer and what balance! This is the guitar of superlatives. And Gibson is even stronger because the brand offers beautiful instruments, aesthetics and superb succeeded where others only in the same price range, not ofer as guitars to the appearance of more basic. This is certain: a Martin, it sounds but it seems to hold in hand a guitar aesthetically not differ in any of the low end. And in this price range, it is reasonable to require the exceptional ALL levels.
Everything is possible with this guitar through a superlative playability, acoustic sound of staggering beauty and complete versatility electro.
OVERALL OPINION
It was a time that I was considering buying a high-end electro-acoustic. I made a multitude of shops and tried many models. But always remaining in a U.S.. In this price range Gibson, rival are all found: Guild, Martin and Taylor. These brands are great but you have to make a choice! The Martins have not excited me their rustic appearance and aesthetically poor (we do not notice in the middle of Chinese guitars € 100) is not at the height of an instrument of this price, and played on three models the action too high did not help, it's the least we can say the test. Guild D55 is excellent acoustics and the icing on the cake, very nice but the handle has not convinced me more than the mail. Regarding Taylor, I could not test models in the same price range, so difficult to be objective (if we can be in sound material), although, I will do the same observation as for Martin guitars here very good acoustic qualities but nothing comes out from an aesthetic point of view, to entry-level model. And then came the Gibson Songwriter! The charming opera immediately and yet I tried the Studio and Deluxe models (all). So I took the risk (not huge, you still have to admit) to control the Custon and I'm not disappointed.
Finally, I would say that this is the most beautiful guitar and my little collection of everything I owned and seen. I'm crazy for this unique model in all respects.
All solid:
Sitka spruce-
-Indian rosewood back and sides
-Mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard
-Ebony bridge
-Bone nut
This beauty is equipped with high-end preamps Fishman Ellipse Aura.
The finish is amazing perfection. Besides the quality of wood used, the magnificent spruce table that shows its regular and tight veins bending work brooks no criticism. The key inlays are the most beautiful I've ever seen. The rose has a beautiful decoration. Different pearls sparkle in sunlight or artificial. The frets have a fitting and polishing again perfect.
My copy has a beautiful Sunburst.
UTILIZATION
The neck is a dream. I thought I had the sublime touch with that of my Ovation Custom Legend but I changed my mind: this Songwriter has the most comfortable and easy to handle game I had the opportunity to hold. The passage of the thumb is over we can more easily and fingers glide over the key without any resistance. Guitar lightweight, it boasts excellent ergonomics. The rather deep body causes no discomfort sitting game. The balance is just perfect. It is one with the guitar. Without cutaway, access to acute problem from the 15 th box but it does not bother me at all, I'll never farther on an acoustic and I preferred this model to entire body, already having to acoustic cutaway.
SOUNDS
So the sounds? And say that I am satisfied is an understatement! It sounds fantastically. In acoustics, it offers a large volume and we feel it vibrate all the table and all his back when playing seated. A feeling that I had forgotten my hand for a long time, playing only on Ovation. This physical relationship with the back of the instrument has an indefinable magic but include many guitarists. Depth of sound is in no way inferior to the projection: even if the guitar is new, the quality of wood, clean technology to Gibson Dam, this is all you get a full, majestic tone and a perfect balance of frequencies .
Once connected, the time has come to look at the pre-amp. Ellipse Aura has a unique feature: it has 4 "images" (or pre-sets, if you prefer) that correspond to a particular guitar sound recorded with different microphones: Neumann M147 Neumann U87, Schoeps and Shure SM57 CMC64G . Software downloadable from the Fishman site provides other images and insert them into the memories of the four pre-amp via the USB port that it has. Which is perfect with these images is that the sonic character of the Songwriter remains intact while providing specific to each different color images. It is possible to mix the sound of an image with the purely electro sound of the guitar, resulting in a number of combinations and almost infinite subtleties. Indeed, the mixing is done via a cursor déplassant horizontally, with a longer stroke, thereby allowing a multitude of positions. These four presets suit me and I find them really successful: at no point was natural and never loses it sounds digital. In "normal" position-cursor to the far left-alone mic picks up and we can say that we get, more or less, amplification of acoustic sound with respect praiseworthy. First two shapes are available, called Natural I and Natural II: they occur at low frequencies in order to "smooth" sound. The appointment also: a Phase switch, anti feedback and, of course, a volume.
The position of the pre-amp range from the one to which we are accustomed. It is not located on the upper splint but the immediate and upper entrance of the rosette. We can thus act more quickly to a setting because everything falls under the fingertip. It is of course correctly identify the various sliders and switches, but once used, it becomes a breeze as e make adjustments or changes in the bank 4 images Thurs Ergonomics is more than well thought out.
The Songwriter Deluxe Custom sounds beautifully in all conditions. In acoustics, it is a pure delight: sound full, balanced, perfectly defined, each note resonates with intelligibility. Amplified in a context, it has five basic sounds (the normal sound of the microphone and the 4 images) which are added the nuances in the different settings available. The preamp Fishman Ellipse Aura is really stunning.
AWhen, yes, there is indeed a Gibson acoustic sound like there is a sound élecrique Gibson, Les Paul sound especially. The big brands have, for the most part, the privilege to offer a sound identity that is both strong and unique. Gibson gives a typed yet versatile sound: in this we can say that there is a magic Gibson. The Songwriter (and I say any model Songwriter) is characterized by a particular grain, strong character and I find sublime. What expressiveness! What range of shades under the fingers! What answer and what balance! This is the guitar of superlatives. And Gibson is even stronger because the brand offers beautiful instruments, aesthetics and superb succeeded where others only in the same price range, not ofer as guitars to the appearance of more basic. This is certain: a Martin, it sounds but it seems to hold in hand a guitar aesthetically not differ in any of the low end. And in this price range, it is reasonable to require the exceptional ALL levels.
Everything is possible with this guitar through a superlative playability, acoustic sound of staggering beauty and complete versatility electro.
OVERALL OPINION
It was a time that I was considering buying a high-end electro-acoustic. I made a multitude of shops and tried many models. But always remaining in a U.S.. In this price range Gibson, rival are all found: Guild, Martin and Taylor. These brands are great but you have to make a choice! The Martins have not excited me their rustic appearance and aesthetically poor (we do not notice in the middle of Chinese guitars € 100) is not at the height of an instrument of this price, and played on three models the action too high did not help, it's the least we can say the test. Guild D55 is excellent acoustics and the icing on the cake, very nice but the handle has not convinced me more than the mail. Regarding Taylor, I could not test models in the same price range, so difficult to be objective (if we can be in sound material), although, I will do the same observation as for Martin guitars here very good acoustic qualities but nothing comes out from an aesthetic point of view, to entry-level model. And then came the Gibson Songwriter! The charming opera immediately and yet I tried the Studio and Deluxe models (all). So I took the risk (not huge, you still have to admit) to control the Custon and I'm not disappointed.
Finally, I would say that this is the most beautiful guitar and my little collection of everything I owned and seen. I'm crazy for this unique model in all respects.