Product: Hohner DR550CE
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
10/02/2009
at
11:27am
by
Alan Ross
Features
:
9
Satin/matte finish; Dreadnaught body with cutaway; Grover 18:1 tuners; ebony fretboard, bridge, and bridge pins with MOP inlays; tusq nut and bridge saddle. Mahogany neck.
Solid cedar top; Solid rosewood back and sides; maple binding on the body and the neck. Beautiful earth-tone, no-frills appearance.
Fishman Classic 4T Blend: 4 Band EQ; Built-in Chromatic Tuner with Mute; Internal Microphone; Sonocore Under-Saddle Pickup.
Does not come with a case, or any other goodies except the little manual for the Fishman EQ system suggestions.
If any Taylor, Gibson, Martin, or Takamine acoustic/electric had a solid cedar top, solid rosewood back and sides, an ebony fretboard, Grover 18:1 tuners, and a Fishman Classic Blend EQ system, what would the price be? Possibly $4,000...
I will mention some of the negatives in a moment, but the one thing Hohner should immediately change is the location of the EQ. It should be on the upper bout of the body closer to the neck; not on the lower bout where your arm can change the settings by rubbing against it. If not for this feature, I'd give it a 10.
Sound
:
10
I play everything from Presley to Poison, Beatles to Green Day.
This is the great thing about this guitar - Great lower end, and warm/bright high end. Cedar top keeps it from being too shimmery and shrill... Warm and emotive. Maybe the solid rosewood back and sides help accomplish this to a small degree.
It sounds loud, warm, and rich when unplugged.
When plugged into my Vetta 2, it is pure joy to hear.
Just do not increase the microphone slide over 1/4, or you'll get booming feedback! I like this better than my Taylors, Gibson, and Takamine.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
Guitar arrived in tune from Hohner factory in Virginia to Oregon!
Perfect matchbook cedar top.
Action a little high for me, but easily playable from the box.
Only flaw was a little bit of stain where the neck meets the soundhole - not seen to an untrained eye.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
Can't see any problems arising from such a solid guitar. In western Oregon, we do not need humidifiers, and most music stores do not ever stock them.
I would not be afraid of gigging with this because it is not expensive like the big name brands. I can treat it like a tool or weapon instead of a fragile museum piece. I'd have no reservations letting others play it, unless they became too abusive.
Customer Support
:
10
OK... Here's the rub. Hohner has not produced a new catalog for their guitars in at least 3 years! If you look at the pics provided by online sellers, it will not match up...
(1) It no longer has the pickguard (I do not want one anyway; the top is more beautiful without it. Hohner said they put an optional pickguard in the box, but they missed putting one in mine.
(2) Mine had the gold tuning keys; not the ebony. Hohner says it was a mistake and is shipping me the ebony keys, and maybe a t-shirt for my trouble.
(3) The placement of the EQ is on the lower bout of the guitar side. Not like pics in earlier catalog, or as on all other Hohner acoustic/electrics.
Hohner reps got in touch with me within 24 hours, and were concerned with making me happy as anew customer.
Overall Rating
:
10
I've been playing since 1980. Seriously and professionally since 1994.
I've owned several Taylors, one Gibson J-185EC, Takamine, Ibanez, Morgan Monroe, etc. Though this is not as beautiful as the other glossy models, it sounds better than most, and costs far less.
Once again, where can you get a solid top cedar with solid rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck, ebony fretboard, maple bound guitar for $600? Put a Martin name on it and you'll pay at least $3,400 more just for a name on the headstock.
I bought this guitar because I woke up one morning realizing the name on a guitar does not matter. It's what it's made of, and how well it's made. Not how it looks at all - only how it sounds.
