Moondog Grand Auditorium

See below for my overall comments - do NOT buy a Moondog guitar....

Key features - onboard electrics that fall off due to "defective" glue .... the day after it was delivered....

When I called to notify the company, they admitted I wasn't the first person who had had the issue and that it was down to a faulty or different type of bonding adhesive. If they were aware of the problem, then it's fair to ask why supply a so called premium quality instrument with something as basically defective as this? My electrics detached themselves overnight after the guitar was left on its stand.

After returning the guitar it was supplied back with the onboard electrics screwed in place..... and the battery left in the case..... which meant having to slacken all the strings off completely to squeeze it back inside..... why not put it back in? It was supplied 1st time with the battery in place.

See below for sound quality ......

Let's take this in 2 halfs - amped up and unplugged...

Unplugged...
Dull, lifeless and lacking in dynamic range. I was told to expect the bass to improve over time due to the guitar being made from primarily from Spruce as opposed to warmer woods. Fair comment. I didn't expect the brightness I am used to with Adamas but my 10 yr old thin body Aria Elecord sounded more alive, despite being built like a brick. Feedback from musical friends with a variety of guitars was similar.

The lack of dynamic range was the biggest shock. One of the key selling points for me of the guitar was the alleged volume and power of the guitar across the entire range. The guitar I was supplied with had a very quick cur-off point in overall volume and was noticeably quieter than my other guitars, with a definite decrease in tone the further up the neck you played. Several picking songs that rely on open chords around the 6th fret were unplayable on the GA due to the lack of sustain on the notes. The sound just disappeared. Same with a capo played here.

Amped....
Muddy, muffled, unbalanced - you name it.
I am sooooo glad I tried amping up the guitar before a performance because it took all of 10 seconds running through my AER on flat tone levels to realise something wasn't right. There was no bass to speak of at all except an unresolved booming from the strings which also caused the sound to distort. A quick switch to my Adamas and Rainsong revealed the signal output from the Schlerman pickup was about 20% of my other guitars. Again, much is made of the transparency and strength of the signal from the Schlerman pickup. I tried all sorts of playing with the tone controls on the AER but couldn't get a sound I liked. To get anywhere near a decent sound level meant really pushing the AER which also brought an increase in background noise. Result? Moondog back in case and I took my old guitar to the gig.

*** NOTE *** When I originally called Moondog to complain about the electrics falling out, I was put through to one of the Luthiers who proceeded to explain to me that he'd investigated the pickup on the guitar and couldn't find any reason why the signal to noise ratio wasn't right. I explained I think he had me confused with someone else because I hadn't even plugged my guitar in yet, which he had. Maybe it was a sign because that's exactly the issue my guitar had when I did plug it in which again raises questions about quality control and taking customer seriously.

When I rang to say I was returning the guitar, I was told it was probably a faulty pickup. I had the same response when I sent a detailed email concerning the nature of the problem. Which again begs the questions, if you've had a guitar returned to you via the post with its electrics hanging loose inside, wouldn't it be prudent to check the pickup etc and check all is well? It didn't even had a battery installed so there was clearly no test done at all.

See above

See above - I sent mine back because within 2 days of having the guitar with me during the 1st week of ownship it had broken twice.

At time of writing, I'm still waiting for my refund...... 6 weeks after sending the guitar back. Despite Moondog offering a 14 day moneyback guarantee.....

After several emails and phone calls to check the progress of my refund, none of which were returned, I finally was told my cheque had been posted Friday 6th June by 1st class post. It's now Wednesday 11th and it's still not here. When I called today I was told the cheque would have to be stopped, someone would call me to assure me it would be with me shortly. I pointed out I'd never had anyone call me before when I've been told this and was told someone would do so. I queried why it couldn't be refunded on my card and was told there was a problem with the machine which is now fixed but they can't action the refund on the card as it's been too long since the original payment was made....

This for me is the killer because it was reading reviews on their site and on Harmony Central that pursuaded me to spend ??700 on an instrument without ever playing it. That and the assurance from Moondog that there would be no problem in honouring the warranty if I didn't get on with the guitar.

I appreciate what the company are trying to do in cutting out the middleman and I'm happy for those are happy with their instruments. For me it's been anything other than enjoyable. Not only have I lost money on the instrument by incurring interest on the card used to purchase the guitar, I still haven't got my money back at time of writing. In addition to the disappointment of the guitar not living up to expectations and having 2 significant problems, it's got more stressful over the past 6 weeks repeatedly trying to get someone to call back and chasing up my refund.

As for me, I would never buy another guitar from them - from either a product and customer service perspective. I'd also think twice about buying any guitar now without having a chance to play it extensively and making sure I had decent support. If you do buy one, good luck and I hope it works out for you. I wish however I'd read a review like the one I've taken the time to write because then I might not be still ??700 out of pocket.

This guitar is finished very simply but looks and feels amazing. It is a grand auditorium with grover tuners fitted to a very impressive looking head stock. Complete with 14 frets to the body, a solid top, free fibreglass case and best of all the Schertler bluestick with onboard E.Q. What more can you ask for.

I have no particular favorite style when it comes to playing acoustic guitar so I needed an instrument to cover every avenue and after taking sound advice from Tim Nicolai at Moondog chose this guitar which produces a well balanced sound unplugged which can only improve further with time, however when plugged in has honestly blown me away with tone and the versatility of the Bluestick and Eq could not possibly be found on any other guitar at this value.

Any guitar coming via mail order requires a full setup from a specialist.......OR so I thought until I recieved this! It played beautifully the minute it left the case.
The jack input was however a little loose, and after speaking to Moondog to inform them of this they agreed to collect the guitar and tighten this immediatley and return it to me within 3 days!!!! however as this was only a case of tightening a nut I chose to do this myself as I could'nt bare to be without this guitar.. ever!!

I have only has this guitar about 4 weeks and can honestly say it is built to an excellent standard and feels like it will last forever. The grover tuners I know from previous are the best tuners for the job, all of this is really irrelevant as the guitar comes with a life time guarantee!!!!!
I am gigging with this guitar already and I have never taken a spare once. The gold plated strings fitted on this guitar have been on four 4 wks now and still have perfect intination and tone even after recieving some heavy use!

The second day I had the guitar I broke a string, as these are gold plated I didnt have a replacement and didnt want to stick on a normal phospher bronze string so I called Moondog to order a new set. They sent the new set along with a replacement string next day FOC!!
From start to finish the service, advice and expertise is excellent. I would never feel uncomfortable in calling them for any problems.
Again there is no warranty issue... It's a life time Guarantee.

I have been playing guitar for 12 years and have played more than 400 gigs. My first love was electric guitar however I always had a desire for my ??3000 Taylor or Martin. This guitar is as good if not better in my opinion. If it was stolen tomorrow I would by it again, no hessitations. I love its shape and sound plugged or unplugged, I love the finish and quality and the fact you can feel the grain of the timber in your hands, I love the plant on arm rest ( great idea! )
I LOVE THE PRICE ??695!!! If you are buying an acoustic you MUST try this guitar. With 14 days trial you can't loose.

The Moondog is constructed with the very finest Solid Spruce combined with Back and sides of sandwiched Rosewood, Balsa and Carbon Fibre mesh. This allows the archback strutless form.

The style is Grand Auditorium and it is available in a natural oiled finish.

There are 14 frets to the body but the cutout allows easy access to all 21 frets.

The guitar comes complete with a high quality fiberglass case which you can order in a range of colours.

There is a Schertler Bluestick pick up and Active EQ built in with a standard 1/4 inch jack socket in the strap button.

I used to play electric guitar in bands when I was younger but stopped playing (like a fool) when I was in my 30's. When I decided to take up guitar again I wanted to learn finger picking as well as strumming away with a plectrum. The Grand Auditorium has a slightly wider neck, which is perfect for a finger picking style, especially if you have fingers like sausages and are hopeless to start with! The sound of this guitar is fantastic being rich and warm with great balance across all strings.

The set up from the factory was great. The only flaw I found was that I needed to replace the strings as my guitar had been in the showroom, but then I got a great deal on price as a result!

I would personally have liked a lower action but that's the penalty from swapping from electric to acoustic. Now I have played it for a while this is no longer an issue.

The only other comment is that in line with most acoustic guitars the Grand Auditorium only has one strap button.

I have yet to take this guitar out to any gigs. Not because the guitar is not up to it but because I'm not!

Everything on the guitar seems rock solid and with the great case I can see no issues with gigging this anywhere.

Customer support from Moondog is fantastic. I tried out another of their guitars (the Spirit cutaway) before I bought the Grand Auditorium. There was nothing wrong with the Spirit but it had a standard neck and I wanted a wider neck. As good as their word there was no problem in returning this (Moondog arranged a courier collection from my home address)and they also dropped off the Grand Auditorium at the same time even though it was more expensive and I had not paid the difference at that point!

I also mentioned on the phone to them later that it could have done with the second strap button. It turned up in the post the following day with fitting instructions.

On the website Moondog claim that this guitar which costs ??695 is comparable to guitars worth up to ??2,500! Can't see a problem with this claim. For a handmade guitar this has to be the best value out there now.

This is not just my opinion, I have shown the guitar to two guitar teachers I know. Both were blown away with the way the guitar played and the value it represented. One a die hard Taylor fan said it was very similar to his beloved Taylor's but considerably less expensive. He is recommending it to other students. The other teacher is likely to make a purchase himself.

The only issue for owning a Moondog guitar is that you are going to find it very hard to find any reviews of them in the regular music press. This is because they only advertise on line and do not sell through music stores. If you live in the UK it is well worth trying one given that they offer a money back guarantee if you are not happy. You have nothing to lose and a lot of guitar to gain.

Solid Spruce AAA top
Back and sides Indian rosewood composite with Balsa and Carbon Fibre
Arch back design with no rear struts rw/bw/cf/bw/rw
Mahogany neck
Rosewood Bridge
Ebony Fingerboard
Bone Nut and Saddle
45mm nut
14 fret neck
fitted with Optima gold strings as standard
Schertler Bluestick pick up and Active EQ
Natural Oiled finish
Maple Binding
MOP inlay
A rosewood soundbar on the upper bout. To stop contact between the soundboard and the right hand/arm
Fibreglass custom case

Firstly, I need to clarify my style and needs for a guitar. My style is a fairly broad "church", ranging from the primitave guitar styles of Fahey and Kottke to traditional folk song to Irish tunes to slide guitar. Throw in a bit of ragtime, jazz and some more contemporanious styles and the odd dalliance with a morris dance side, you will get some idea.

The environment that I play in is equally diverse. From home to solo gigs to band gigs in various combinations of acoustic an amplified to playing in sessions often dominated by free reed instrumentsand i mentioned the morris dance stuff right. So "impossibly" I required a guitar to meet all my needs. I never for one moment thought I might come close to finding something that could work for me.

I first came across this instrument via ebay followed swiftly by the Moondog Guitars website. After a few conversations and a lot of patience from the Moondog people, I took the plunge.

So, what can I say about this...? Well... firstly, it's loud! Bleedin loud. So loud in fact that I managed to be heard over a bank of melodeons in a session whilst picking. Ridiculous I know but true. I have only ever managed to achieve this with a resonator before. However, the sound quality and subtlety suffers with such beasts!

Not only does the Grand Auditorium have the volume but it has the tonality too. A great voice for a relitively inexpensive HANDMADE guitar. Yes, I did say handmade. It certainly competes with my Fylde and outplays my Taylors. In fact it outplayed everything in the session that evening. Having said that, such is the balance, I have found it practically impossible to overplay this guitar. Be it in a session thrash or a hard picking tune, there is no acoustic dissonance at all!

The next acid test would happen a few days later at a band gig. Plugged in with the custom Schertler pickup system produces a sound that I have sought for over 30 years on a stage. A true acoustic guitar sound at volume without a microphone. Absolutely Stonking! So this is what plug and play should sound like. For the first time, I had total control and a pure acoustic sound.

As good as other high end pickup systems are, they all bring there own paint jobs to the party. It is a sound I had steared away from but with the built in Schertler, I am a convert. Pure, resonant, beautiful!

Playing it at home, exploring the playability of the instrument in a non jobbing environment is also a joy. It came almost perfectly set up. OK Lets get real here. No mail order guitar will be perfect on delivery but this was close.

Dislikes?

Well... I felt that the bridge was too thick so I will take a couple of mil off to increase the break angle on the bass strings. Having said that, Tim (Mr Moondog) says that the newer models now have a thinner bridge... sigh... I should have waited.

I am a zero fret fan so would have liked to have one here, but hey i can live with that.

Likes

I love the understated look, The oil finish is something I would expect to find on a ??5 grand boutique guitar not an ??800 one but then I wouldnt expect to find the pickup system in there either... and then there is the custom fibreglass case.

if I could give it 12 here I would

The guitar was set up well, I played it out the next day and I was totally confident with it. It was brilliant.

Its construction was near perfect. As I said before, I feel the bridge is too thick but the newer models have thinner bridges.

I cant get over the quality of the finish, it is truely a beautiful looking instrument

-1 for the bridge

Will this guitar withstand live playing? YES, absolutely!

Does the hardware seem like it will last? YES

Is the finish good enough to last, or does it seem thin and easy to wear off with lots of playing? An oil finish is never as hard wearing as nitro but I prefer it and am careful. However I got this as a jobbing guitar too. It will always look great even with the odd ding.

Can you depend on it? It feels solid, so I think this is dependible.

Would you use it on a gig without a backup? I already have done!

How long is the warranty?
Warranty for the rest of my life! How good is that?

Tim and the crew at Moondog were great. No hard sale. They listened to what I was looking for. They are also proper musicians which should be a requisite in any guitar manufacturer.

If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else? yes
Anything you wish it had? zero fret

Is this really the finest guitar under ??4000? You know, I really wouldn't want to bet against it. And when you include the case and the Schertler pickup system... all for less than ??700... dont be daft!

SIMPLY ASTOUNDING

This has fulfiled practically all my needs in my varied playing styles and environments