Kronbauer MJ

Kronbauer Guitars are handbuilt by Canadian luthier Trevor Kronbauer. Only established in 2001, his guitars have developed quite a following among the acoustic community by offering quality custom built guitars at very reasonable prices. The MJ(mini jumbo) is his proprietary and most popular design.

This MJ has a solid spruce top, Indian rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge, wood binding, wood rosette and one piece mahogany neck. All of the woods are of exceptional quality as is the craftmanship. This particular guitar is a base model with no extras at all, it has very little in the way of adornament, with the exception of flame maple binding and a koa rosette. I personally prefer a guitar where the beauty of the wood speaks for itself. Of course because Kronbauers are custom built you can work with the builder on any inlays, features, wood combinations etc, you may want. Kronbauers guitars have a modern, shallow neck profile; which has a flat feel to it and though it takes a while to get used to, it allows your fretting hand to fly across the fingerboard with ease. The guitar has a 1 3/4 nut width and 2 1/4 string spacing at the saddle, perfect for fingerstyle.The mini jumbo is a very comfortable and versatile body shape; though it is a fairly large guitar it's curvacious shape allows it to sit comfortably in your lap. The body size is great for fingerstyle playing; it has amazing balance, sustain and depth, yet you can strum away on it quite happily. The classic combination of rosewood and Spruce make it a great rythm guitar to, with a huge bottom end when driven hard. Kronbauers base model prices have increased since his popularity has grown, however they are still very reasonable and compare with many factory built guitar prices. If you cannot find the sound your looking for in a factory built guitar Kronbauers are worth a look, but there are also many other small builders out there.

Ordering a handbuilt guitar can be a fun and enjoyable process and allows you to work one on one with a luthier. You can select your wood combinations, tinker with sound, your favourite neck profile, adornaments, inlays etc. You also have access to better quality woods and hands on craftmanship, a luthier can build a guitar which suits you and your playing style. Though it's worth mentioning a couple of things; you cannot try before you buy, so in a way you are taking a risk that you won't like the guitar. Many luthiers also have long waiting lists, so if your impatient it might not be for you. You can however find great deals on used handbuilt guitars. Don't have a guitar built thinking it's an investment, they don't tend to hold their value as well as a established factory built guitar brands, of course there a few builders who are an exception to this, but they are few and far between.

Gibson J-50

The Gibson J-50 is the natural finish version(non-sunburst)of the iconic Gibson J-45. This guitar earned the nickname "The Workhorse" as it was an affordable, no-frills, do it all guitar used by many working musicians. The Gibson J-50 has been around since the 1940's so it has stood the test of time, having been played by many famous musicians over the years. It is not currently in the Gibson catalog, probably due to the fact that the suburst finished J-45 is the more popular version. J-50's can still be found in guitar stores at reasonable prices though the vintage models command huge amounts these days.

The Gibson J-50 is a round shouldered Dreadnought built of all solid woods. The guitar features solid mahogany back and sides, solid Sitka spruce top, rosewood fretboard and bridge, simple 4 ply body binding and 3 ply rosette. The tuners are Kluson tuners with white plastic buttons(Gibson has since changed the tuners to Grover romatic tuners)I don't like the look of the Grovers as much but they are an improvment over the Klusons. The guitar has an all gloss finish and comes from the factory with an L.R Baggs under saddle pickup installed. The J-50 is known for it's oversized "Batwing" pickguard, it's the only real visual standout on what is a fairly plain looking guitar.

Gibson build quality is a subject of many debates, some believe they are not up to scratch with other large builders. I believe it's just something you live with if you own a Gibson; minor flaws here and there add a little "Mojo" to a guitar anyway. Though quality has improved since they moved to the Bozeman Montana factory and many Gibson afficianados believe the modern Gibsons are as good as anything the company has produced.

The J-50 has a fairly chunky neck which has an almost baseball bat feel to it; though I do find it comfortable. It has a 24 3/4 inch scale length which means the strings have less tension on them; this makes string bends and general playing easier on the fingers. It features scalloped bracing which gives the guitar a punchy sound, great bass response, tone and projection. Gibsons have a sound and feel which is unique,the guitar has a dry woody tone, sweet highs and deep bass. It is a very versatile guitar accomadating all styles of music from blues, country, ragtime and fingerstyle.

The J-50 still has that vintage vibe that players crave today. Though the guitar is not for everybody, if you prefer the bright sound of many modern acoustics or a guitar with complex, ringing overtones look elsewhere. If your interested in a J-50(J-45) try and play one before you buy; they do vary a lot in sound and make sure they have a fresh set of strings on them. They are not the fanciest looking guitar on the market but as I said they are unique sounding and playing guitars. There is a reason the have been around for 60 plus years.

Morgan CCM

Morgan Guitars are a small company based out of Vancouver Canada. David Iannone started Morgan Guitars in 1985, he previously worked for Larrivee Guitars and his guitars do share some design elements with Larrivee’s. However Morgan’s are built on a much smaller scale; maybe around a 150 guitars a year with a much more hands on approach. The Morgan CCM (Concert cutaway mahogany) is beautiful handmade guitar which features a Venetian (sharp) cutaway. A visually striking guitar which also sounds and plays superbly. If you are familiar with Larrivee’s you may notice a similarity between the Larrivee L body shape and the Morgan Concert.

Morgan guitars feature beautiful tonewoods, this particular guitar features a creamy white high grade Engelmann spruce top, beautifully figured Honduran mahogany back and sides, flamed koa body binding, ebony fretboard and bridge. The guitar has 14 frets to the body with a 1 ¾ nut width and 25.5 inch scale; Morgan’s have a unique headstock design with Gotoh tuners, Ivaroid tuner buttons and abalone engraved logo. Pick this guitar up and the first thing you noticed is how lightweight it is. The guitar is gorgeous to look at and craftsmanship is top notch. This body style is probably one of the most versatile around able to handle all styles of music with ease. It sounds loud when strummed but also has the ability to handle delicate fingerstyle playing; the combination of Engelmann and mahogany produces a guitar which is responsive to a light touch.

The sound is clean, crisp and very complex. So whether you’re a strummer or fingerstylist this guitar can handle it all. Access to the upper frets is made easy due to the beautifully crafted Venetian cutaway, the guitars low action and comfortable neck allows your fretting hand to move effortlessly across the fretboard, the guitar is a joy to play and sounds beautiful.

If you are in need of a versatile acoustic but want something different from a high production factory guitar then Morgan’s are worth a look. With their beautiful craftsmanship, numerous wood choices and available unique inlay designs there is something on offer for every discerning guitarist.

Larrivee OM-03R

The Larrivee OM-03R is part of the Larrivee 03-series line. This line offers high quality guitars with fewer bells and whistles than on their higher end models. However they offer an exceptional value; these guitars feature all solid wood, excellent tone, playability and superb fit and finish. So the OM-03R is larrivees take on the classic OM(Orchestra model) body shape.

This body size for me and many others is the most comfortable, it just sits so comfortably in your lap due to it's narrower waist and shorter body length. If you are a slightly smaller person it's an excellent choice, but it has also become the choice of guitar for many styles of music, fingerstylist's in particular like OM sized guitars.

The OM-03R features all solid woods, solid rosewood back and sides, solid Sitka spruce top, one piece mahogany neck with hand fitted dove tail neck joint, ebony fretboard and bridge. It's not a fancy guitar by any means but the quality of wood is excellent and I personally prefer my money being invested in a great sounding and playing guitar with excellent materials, rather than one with gaudy inlays everywhere. The nut width is 1 3/4 with a standard 25.5 scale length.

The 03-series come with a flat satin finish instead of the more costly gloss finish found on the higher end models. Many people believe the satin finish guitars sound better out of the box, as the guitar doesn't take as long to open as a gloss finished guitar. I agree and actually prefer a satin finish on my guitars.

The guitar as with most Larrivee's has a very balanced sound, no strings dominate at all, it also has the complexities of a considerably more expensive guitar. It has a nice deep bass, sweet mids and clear trebles, it's quite loud for it's size, though it's no dreadnought it can easily handle medium strumming. I think fingerstylist will love this guitar, it's responsive to a light touch, the neck is smooth and fast. The string spacing makes moving around the frets a breeze. One minor peeve I have with Larrives is I do find the fret ends to be a little sharp.

So who would be interested in a Larrivee OM-03R? Well anybody looking for a quality guitar that won't burn a hole in your pocket. If you don't need the booming sound of a dreadnought and would like a guitar with a more comfortable, intimate body size. A guitar which also gives you the sound quality of a more expensive acoustic.

At this price point it is certainly one of the best deals on the market. If rosewood isn't your thing then they also offer a sapele model which is slightly cheaper and has more of a mahogany sound to it. Go check one out.

Larrivee D-05

The Larrivee D-05 is a mahogany dreadnought, the guitar I am reviewing was built in 2001, please note that the current D-05 models have a couple of minor differences. This particular guitar was my very first decent acoustic I had previously been playing all laminate Fender acoustic. Buying your first really good guitar can be quite daunting; there are so many different brands, models and tone woods. I went out and played as many models as I could before purchasing my D-05, yes I researched on the internet but there is no substitute for getting a guitar in your own hands.

So the Larrivee D-05 as mentioned is the mahogany dreadnought offering from the Canadian company. Larrivee uses a unique bracing pattern called symmetrical parabolic bracing; traditional dreadnoughts in particular are known for having a deep sometimes overpowering bass, Larrivee solved this with their own unique design, building a guitar which is very balanced. The guitar features solid Honduran mahogany back , sides and neck, a solid Sitka spruce top, one piece mahogany neck with dove tail neck joint, ebony fretboard and bridge and Canadian maple binding. It is a very plain guitar with just wood binding, abalone rosette and an ivoroid bound fret board with microdot markers. I like the clean look, my guitar has an all gloss finish whereas the newer models feature a satin finished neck. Looking over the guitar you see that the craftsmanship is excellent, Larrivee’s are known for their excellent wood and this guitar was no exception, Larrivee does not stain their mahogany like many companies do.

Mahogany and Sitka is one of my favorite wood combinations it produces a bright but balanced sound with sparkling highs, clear mids and a strong but not booming bass. I always enjoyed playing finger style on this guitar, Larrivee’s have a comfortable neck though its profile is a little on the chunky side, with a nut width of 1 11/16. It’s a jack of all trades guitar, not hugely loud for a dreadnought, so if you’re a hardcore strummer or bluegrasser it might not have the presence or bass response you want.

Larrivee’s are some of the best value guitars on the market; the wood and build quality is exceptionally good. If the 05-series guitars are a little out of your price range it’s worth checking out the cheaper 03-series. Nearly the same guitar but with simpler appointments, all satin finishes and sapele back and sides instead of the more expensive and increasingly rare South American mahogany. The D-05 is definitely worth a look if you’re looking for a mid priced mahogany dreadnought.

Walden G2070

The Walden G2070 is an auditorium sized guitar, as with all Walden’s it is designed in the USA and built in China. The G2070 is part of Walden’s Supanatura Line. The guitar is built primarily for the finger stylist and certainly doesn’t disappoint.

The guitar features a solid cedar top, solid African mahogany back and sides, rosewood fingerboard and bridge with rosewood bridge pins (a nice touch) and a bone nut and saddle. The one piece mahogany neck features Walden’s 2-way adjustable truss rod which allows you to adjust the guitars string height to your own preference, this allows the guitar to have terrific playability. A wood rosette and bindings, gold tuners with tortoise shell buttons trim out the guitar nicely, giving it a sparse but clean, modern look.

Pickup the guitar and it sits very comfortably in your lap, the neck is thin, fast and very easy to navigate with a 1 3/4 nut width. Look over the guitar and the craftsmanship is excellent, I couldn’t find a single flaw on mine. The all satin finish combined with the cedar top give the guitar a mellow but aged sound right out of the box. The G2070 also features “Pre-war” scalloped X-bracing which in addition to adding strength, it allows the guitars top the vibrate more in-turn producing more bass. The 25.6 scale is slightly longer than a standard scale, making it a great guitar for alternate tunings. The Walden guitar is amazingly responsive to a light touch, complex fingerstyle pieces are a breeze, the ultra low profile neck make changes smooth and swift. The guitar has an open airy sound with rich bass and clear trebles. It can handle strumming but brakes up when over driven, if primarily a strummer you may want to look at the companies dreadnought offerings.

I personally feel there is not a better fingerstyle guitar on the market at this price point; the price, features, build quality, sound and playability match guitars costing much, much more. So in the market for a high quality fingerstyle guitar, but don’t want to spend a bundle? The Walden G2070 might just be what you’re looking for.

Baden d-style mahogany

The Baden d-style is the Baden Company’s dreadnought design. Though it looks like a very modern design it certainly has a traditional sound. As with all Baden’s it is handbuilt at the Ayers factory in Vietnam.

The Baden is handbuilt with all solid woods: solid African mahogany back and sides, solid Sitka spruce top, one piece mahogany neck, rosewood fret board and bridge. The one piece mahogany necks are hand carved and the bone saddles are hand shaped. Baden guitars are not flashy, no intricate inlays or abalone anywhere on this guitar. The quality of woods and clean design make for an attractive guitar, obviously Baden’s focus is on building a guitar from quality materials rather spending money on over the top inlays.

Baden’s are some of the easiest playing acoustics around, the hand carved neck has a very comfortable shape, combined with the satin finished makes for easy, smooth playing. The neck width is 1 ¾ and with the low fast action makes complex finger style, chord shapes and leads easy to play. The sound of this guitar is impressive; whatever preconceived notion you had about the guitar from its appearance soon disappears after the first strum. The guitar sounds as if it has already opened up, the top is very responsive; notes just jump off the guitar with very little effort, even my bare fingerpicking brought about a lively, responsive tone. I found it to be very evenly balanced across the strings with a nice clear treble which complimented the bass and midrange. I set the guitar up with medium gauge d’addario EJ17 strings but the guitar plays so easily you would hardly know the difference between medium and lights.

The Baden d-style would be perfect for a do it all guitar, but I think giving it that tag only would be an injustice. A finger stylist would be as happy with it as would a strummer or blues guitarist. The d-style is available with the Fishman Ellipse Aura system which is a very natural sounding pickup. I particularly like that pickup as it is concealed in the sound hole which means there is no ugly hole cut in the side of the guitar. Rosewood is the other back and side’s option and European spruce is the other top wood option. The Baden’s unique design will catch your eye, but don’t judge a book by its cover, sit down with one for a few minutes, you will be glad you did.