Product: A. Nathan Noel OM-DB
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
12/14/2006
at
01:24pm
by
David Berchtold
Email: dberch<at>mchsi dot com
Features
:
9
Modified OM size: 15 1/2 lower bout, 1 3/4" nut with 2 5/16" spacing at saddle, Grover Sta-Tite tuners, all solid woods, Wenge back and sides, Englemann spruce top. Custom "DBERCH" MOP inlay on headstock, flame maple binding.
Sound
:
10
Verhy balanced with great tone - like rosewood - just a bit dark bass with nice overtones, but woody like mahogany. Great volume and sustain but easy to control with palm muting, and the notes maintain their musicality when muted. Treble notes sound warm, full and clear, but not too shimmery, which I like. It has a slightly unusual mid quality which I???m at a loss to describe, but I find desirable.
Also, a big surprise is how well it maintains its tone and punchiness in drop tunings. The treble strings don't get all swanky like some guitars. Even tuned as low as C, the notes on the bass E string sound full and round.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
Original setup was a bit high. Took it back to Nathan on on the second try he got it perfect. Engelman top is perfectly bookmatched with lots of silking. Perfling is a tasteful bwb and the maple binding is gorgeous. The Wenge back and sides are striking with a color like medium rosewood and really dark highly visible grain lines and patterns. Quality biuld all the way around. Bridge is Nathan's own design, with wings slightly turned toward the upper bout and a nice mild center pointing toward the end.
Overall a great guitar to play. Frets are medium and very smooth with nicely dressed rounded ends, which I like over the beveled method.
Only negative were some scratches on the back where it didn't get buffed quite enough. Or perhaps I put them there, don't know....
Reliability/Durability
:
8
Only had it two months, but it feels solid as a rock, and is standing up well to my rather agresseive playing style (thumbpick and bare fingers). I play blues, folk, roots, rags, and originals and I don't have a light touch : )
Customer Support
:
10
Excellent customer support. A. Nathan Noel is extremely concerde with keeping his customers satsfied.
Overall Rating
:
10
Overall this is a fanatastic guitar that, so far, does everything I've asked of it, and extremely well. Comfortable to play, great setup, and wonderful balanced strong tone with some unique characterists.
Highly recommended!
