Morgan Monroe M-KOA-1

M-Koa Dreadnought All Laminate guitar. Grover tuners, bone nut and saddle, abalone rosette, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, aged creme binding, satin open grained finish, 1-11/16 nut width.
purchased new in 2009 came with EXP 11 gauge strings, alligator style hard shell case with Hygrometer, clip-on tuner.

Very nice sound indeed. Warm with very good volume and projection, good base, yet quite articulate. Works equally well flat picked or finger style.

When received the guitar looked very, very good. Finish was first rate, frets nicely dressed, great grain on all surfaces of the guitar, no obvious flaws that I could detect. The M-Koa seemed very well made. The set up was a little high and the strings were slightly corroded and felt rough. After three weeks the guitar was taken in for 13 gauge strings and to be professionally set up.

While the guitar was being re-strung with 13 gauge strings, the neck "let go" and broke into two pieces, just at the nut, and down the neck. The luthier that was working on the guitar is very experienced (almost 20 years) and was very upset. He offered to repair the neck, but I felt the distributer should do the repair. The guitar was returned to the SHS. After the guitar was examined by their tech, they felt the guitar had been dropped in its case. It had not. There were no marks or visible damage on the guitar of any kind. To their credit, they did re-glue the neck and fill the damage and re-finish the damaged part of the neck. The repair was quite good considering the damage, but it is very visible.

The response from the distributer (SHS) was prompt and polite, however they did imply that I was lying. They were honorable and repaired the guitar. The repair was done quite well, reasonably quickly and returned in a timely fashion.

I am 55 years old and novice guitar player, only a year or so, but I play everyday (most days several hours) I love guitars and playing them. I own a dozen guitars including a Larivee OM-10, Alvarez MD 60, an USA made Ovation Elite, a Gibson Les Paul Studio, a Blade Strat, a Minarik Lotus, a VeeLah acoustic, a Korean Made Jazz guitar and a couple of others. I have been around players and guitars all my life. The M-koa will now be my party guitar.
I had intended to buy a Morgan Monroe "Blues 32", but will purchase a Loar LH 200 instead.

Solid KOa top/sides/back. Natural finish, Dreadnought, Grover tuners,
w/case & humidifier. Bone nut and saddle.

Good for fingerstlye. Fairly loud, good mid and highs, acceptable bottom end. Very good articulation. Brighter than a Martin as expected, though also warmer.

Looks to be very well made, it is a very nice looking guitar. Good setup for fingerstyle. Stays in tune better than my Martin or Breedlove.

Have something like 15 guitars, Martins, Breedlove, Epiphone, Gibsons, PRS, Fenders etc. This a lot of Guitar for the money. Has some features you don't see on $1500.00 guitars. Very nice deluxe case.