Applause AA-15 12-String

Made in the '70's?? 12-string acoustic, aluminum fretboard with 20 aluminum frets (molded into the board), regular scale, plastic faux wood neck/headstock with (plastic or metal?) cover over entire headstock, plastic nut, bookmatched spruce top, open tuners. Body is almost dreadnaught-sized, with the deep Ovation-style back (or ?bowl,? however you want to call it), and the top is still glossy. It was drilled for electronics by a previous owner but they are absent now. Doesn?t affect sound or playability, but I may add them one day. It came without a case.

I'll rate it a 7 because it isn't all wood and has OEM tuners; however, the wood top is nice and everything put together makes a nice package. How many features do you need on an acoustic?

I just re-strung it and it sounds great with a fresh set of strings. Not as full-bodied as a good dreadnaught (like my other acoustic) but not thin sounding either. It?s nice and bright, and produces lots of volume. Strumming with a paper-thin pick provides plenty of loudness; credit the twelve strings I suppose.

I love that 12-string sound. Full of harmonics and resonance. This guitar has great sustain and projects well.

The action on this instrument is the lowest I?ve ever seen on a 12-string. It plays wonderfully without buzzing. That?s actually why I bought it. The neck is perfectly straight with barely a hint of bow?even tuned to concert pitch. Setup is perfect.

Most acoustics have a straight, solid bridge-piece and this one is no exception. Some have shaped, molded bridge pieces that help with intonation, but this one does not. Even still, the intonation is almost spot-on. It actually is for several of the strings (at the 12th fret) and only a couple others are just slightly sharp, but only marginally. Most impressive, considering this was a lower quality version of the upscale Ovation line.

I?d guess this guitar was mfg. in the 70?s, but it shows virtually no wear on the frets. The top has good-looking wood grain and is very glossy, but finish cracks run lengthwise up and down the soundboard. They are spread out across the entire face in ?? to 1-1/2? intervals. Also, the dot inlays have long since fallen out. You could say that it is ?showing its age,? but this adds character IMO. I can live without the inlays, and since the top is still glossy I can live with the cracks.

The tuning hardware is in great shape. They aren?t rusting, and the chrome isn?t pitting or deteriorating. The finish on the fretboard is in good shape as well. On well-used Applause guitars it is usually worn away or peeling up, exposing the aluminum underneath. Not so on this one. Additionally, the strings run through the bridge parallel to how they run the length of the instrument, exposing the ball-ends on the bottom of the bridge. This is contrary to most others which require them to go inside the body and are held by plastic posts or plugs. This made stringing it much easier, not to mention more secure.

I don?t like where the front strap button was placed (under the neck joint, vs. above it for a right-handed player). Now I need an excessively long strap to play it standing and keep it at a comfortable height. But that's only a small gripe.

While I was cleaning it, the pick guard/sound hole border came off because the glue had worn out. This revealed some bright wood grain underneath that hadn?t been discolored by the sun, and was kinda neat to look at. 15 minutes later, after gluing it back on with two-part epoxy, all was well again.

This thing is without a doubt rock-solid. I?ve pulled on the neck, pressed on the soundboard, no creaking, cracking or other noises whatsoever. Neck isn?t warped and it never will?it?s aluminum and plastic faux wood. Once the frets wear out it will become a wall decoration but that won?t be for another 20 years or so. A buddy of mine has an old Applause 6-string acoustic he plays all the time and although really worn, it?s still worth picking up to play. The frets on this one are like new, so it has many, many years of life left.

Get this: for a 20-30+ year-old acoustic guitar, the soundboard isn?t obscenely warped!! Go look at a brand-new Jay Turser acoustic and see how much it is warped right from the factory?and only with six strings. On this guitar it is only very slight?otherwise it?s virtually flat?and it?s a twelve string! That?s another reason why I bought it.

Kaman music is still around but I see no need for assistance with this thing ever. Not sure if I can get parts for it, then again, I don?t think I?ll ever need any. No opinion for now.

I?ve been playing for almost seven years. I?ve owned a variety of guitars, amps and basses. Currently I own a Peavey TL-5 bass, Acoustic 370 bass head, Hohner G3T guitar, Fender 10-watt practice amp, Lyle six-string acoustic (Gibson Dove replica--plays and sounds better IMO) and this Applause acoustic.

My favorite features are the low action, straight neck and durability. I have always wanted a 12-string acoustic and have been somewhat interested in the Ovation style of rounded, plastic bodies, so I guess I?ve satisfied my G.A.S. craving in this area.

I would like to add electronics to it one day, other than that it?s not missing anything except better playing skill on my part. I?ve come close to buying other 12-strings in the past but none were the deal that this one was. If stolen I would keep my eyes open for another.

You can check out a picture of one if you search for Applause guitars in Yahoo?s Groups.