Cole Clark Fat Lady

Here goes, and unbiased review...(hmmm)

Basically its a 2003 build, built in melbourne Australia - which gets a bonus point straight away. Its bunya top, back and sides - all solid and using coleClarks's patented bracing idea (how do you explain it - they dont us X bracing, they do it their own way and then 'tune' the guitar by routing the inside). Controls are almost impossible to read! I have perfect sight and struggle to read the controls...however once you know what does what, who reads the label anyway. Your given the standard volume, three phase EQ, and a phaser. This pretty much slides between the piezo pickup and the face sensor (?) that is attached to the top of the guitar near where your forearm would rest. Essentially the piezo grabs the tight treble sounds, and the face sensor is used to get the solid bass notes. The phaser slide lets you mix this up till your happy which allows for a very tight amplified sound that i think is next to perfect (as far as sounding as similar plugged as unplugged. They ship with a good action, elixir strings (which i feel get tired quickly) and grover machine heads. I'll give the fat lady 2 a 9/10 taking into account that it loses a point for the impossible to read pickup labels, but gains a point for being very attractive and made in australia. Should also note that i got a great deal, flightcase, stand, lead, strap, strings included in my purchase deal

I play everything from bluegrass, rock, jazz, and classical. While the sound isn't classical, classical pieces really do sound awesome on the fatlady 2. Mainly its a rock/blues guitar for me, and it dos this perfectly for my liking. That said, The sound is really a take it or leave it. Comparing the sound to my 5K Taylor, I prefer the fat lady2, however that said compared to 5K martin, well its just not quite as good. Not a bad sound, just not the martin sound (but then again, what is).
The fatlady 2 plugged in has a great variety in is sound thanks to the haser slide, and 3 phase EQ, and this is doubled by a great sound unplugged. 10/10 from me.

Everythigng about th Cole Clark Fat Lady 2 is perfect as far as the great action, great sounding pickups, great grover tuners, and great looking bunya top back and sides. Asfor Flaws, well the strings (elixirs) die in rear too fast for me, but they are changeable so its not really a guitar flaw, cole clark could perhaps change string company, but thats easy enough for me todo for them. 9/10 due to the strings.

It isn't old, but so far so good. I do use it in gigs, so probably gets played about 6 hours a week, plus practice time (so maybe another 10 hours a week). A good point to make would be that while i use a taylor, maton and garrison also, I have converted from using the taylor in songwriting sessions to the cole clark, and also moved from using the taylor as the mainstay for gigs, to using the fat lady 2 and then having the taylor as a backup for any string breaks (which has only been one...but kinda my fault). The strap buttons are good, very solid, and another good poin i love about the cole clark is that the bottom strap button doesn't double as the jack input. I find this fantastic. Its in a very similiar style to an electric, plugs in sorta 45o below the button. 9/10 taking into account that it isn't that old yet.

Havent dealt with them really, had he action lowered thinking i might prefer it lower, they did that no quams, I didn't like, it, so they moved it p again no charge too. Most impressed by cole clark really.

Overall the guitar is extremely good value for the dollar. It isn't a martin, but it is up there amongst martin, taylor, maton, dare i say it, gibson. I rate it very highly, and considering the meagre price, it just makes it even greater. It might not sound unbiased, but truly, try these guitars. Everyone should be able to appreciate the fantastic craftman ship.

To answer the questions, gear i have is pretty good quality stuff, I own two taylors, a mrtin, a gibson les paul, two fenders (srat and tele), a maton, a jackson, a prs ce22, my first ever guitar, a yamaha, and my main pride and joy...a custom built acoustic built to my specs by a fantastic former luthier in britain. In the amp department i have amesa boogie rectifier, a laney head and quad, a marshall stack, and a ibanez acoustic amp. Like most seasoned players i have a chain of effects, harmonica, and thousands of picks (and still can't find one often!).

In closing, The coloe clark was chosen as i really felt like it was tuned to suit me. Compared even to my custom acoustic, I rate the cole clark as very good. Please, don't buy it thinking its a replacement for many topshelf guitars, buy it as a good solid workhorse, that sounds and plays like a topshelf guitar (just doesn't have the price, a case, or the solid gold tuners).