Despite being distributed in 60 countries and receiving the “All-time best-selling acoustic guitars in the UK” award by the Music Industry Awards, Tanglewood brand isn’t a household name in the US. But that may change now that the UK-based brand of guitars made in Indonesia and China are being…
A luxurious, modern OM from the Lone Star state
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This top-of-the-line guitar seems aimed toward a more refined, fingerpicking-based audience.
With both the WL-S and the WL-S Deluxe, Waterloo has borrowed an old form as the template for brilliant new guitars that are awesome by any yardstick.
If I hadn’t had their spec sheets in front of me, I might not have known that a pair of new Taylor guitars were affordable instruments. The new Taylor Academy 10e dreadnought and 12e Grand Concert each sell for well under a grand with a deluxe padded gig bag. Both…
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The guitar inside the case—the OM1A T—is a force to be reckoned with. It’s beautifully crafted and, though newly built, has a mature sound and a phenomenal responsiveness.
C.F. Martin & Co. has added three new models to its popular 16 Series.
Butch Boswell, a self-proclaimed “wood junkie,” is taking his 20 years of guitar repair skills and putting them toward building one-of-a-kind instruments that cater to his clients’ individual needs. Boswell builds guitars in small batches of two or three instruments at a time at his shop in Bend, Oregon.
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The Batson Americana is visually striking: The ebony fretboard, bridge, and tailpiece make a beautiful, chocolate-hued center line against the vanilla-shaded, solid Sitka spruce top; and the light-colored, solid mahogany back and sides have a honey-hued, koa-like sheen.
The 712e 12-fret, a member of the newly refreshed 700 Series, is Taylor’s most recent variation on the Grand Concert platform. And it’s one sweet guita
There is a certain familiarity to the Martin GPC15ME—the rustic charm of all mahogany guitars that have a log-cabin-type appeal can inspire a gutbucket response.
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The latest in Maine luthier Dana Bourgeois’ line of fine steel-string guitars, the L-DBO is an incredibly playable tribute to prewar flattops like the Gibson L-00.
The real pleasure of Ovation's 50th Anniversary Limited-Edition Elite is its sound. The guitar is equipped with the company’s proprietary OP Pro Studio preamp and OCP1 high-output pickup.
The instrument has all the hallmarks of a great 000: a brilliant, piano-like response and a sound that’s distributed evenly across the frequency spectrum.
Even though the M-20 is relatively unadorned—no binding, nor abalone nor mother-of-pearl inlays except in the “Guild” insignia on the head stock—its build is apparent in the quality of the woods, fret dressing, bone nut and saddle, and set up.
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At first glance, the Michael Kelly Forte Port might seem like nothing special. After all, it has laminated sapele back and sides, a two-piece mahogany neck, a nylon nut, black ply binding, and a sticker price of just $299.
This diminutive, slope-shouldered beauty has a warm and lively voice and is extremely responsive. It’s got a surprising amount of volume and projection for its size.
PRS’s Angelus SE A30E has got a lot going for it: top-notch playability and an agreeable voice that reproduces well thanks to its high-quality electronics.
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This 14-fret Orchestra cutaway model—a total winner for the price—has an easy playability and a tight, focused sound that lends itself equally well to strumming and fingerpicking.
The 00L-17 sounds every bit as awesome as it feels. It’s got a lovely, uncluttered sound, heavy on fundamentals but with shimmering overtones and a nice natural reverb. The string-to-string balance is excellent, as are the projection and sustain. It’s definitely a more powerful instrument than would be expected of one of its size and scale length.
The Cybele was designed by Andrew White, a luthier known to experiment with body shapes, bracing patterns, and the like.
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This new guitar has perfect intonation and a voice that’s warmer and richer than those of the vintage instruments that inspired the Plainsman Double 0.
The 00-15E’s mahogany soundboard isn’t as excitable as spruce, but the guitar is responsive whether I’m playing gently or digging in with a pick. Single-note lines and complex chords alike are clear and brilliant up and down the neck.
This guitar would make a no-brainer for an electric player looking for a comfortable acoustic
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The earthy koa soundboard on Ovation's Celebrity Standard Plus is a perfect match for the guitar's patented synthetic bowl-shaped body.
