Product: Steve Patience Guitars Grand Concert Cutaway
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
07/15/2008
at
11:11am
by
Mary Anne
Features
:
10
This handmade acoustic of Palo Escrito and Bearclaw Cedar was completed in May of 2008 in Livermore, California. Palo Escrito is a Mexican rosewood. Lighter in weight than Indian Rosewood, it makes the guitar more comfortable to hold. The wood is exceptional with sapwood running down the center of the back. The top is a dense-grained Cedar with a Bearclaw figure. Madagascar Rosewood is on the binding, headplate and tail wedge. The nut and the saddle are bone. The tuners are Gotoh, and the finish is hand-rubbed lacquer. The woods really enhance the elegance of Steve???s grand concert design.
Sound
:
10
The biggest reason to buy handmade... the sound! It has tremendous sustain and great volume. It really sings when finger picked. The separation of tones is definitive, and it has tight note to note balance. The treble is clear, and the bass carries through the passage without muddying.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
The action is low with no buzzing. The finish is very glossy. The details are meticulous. The cutaway design is a very pleasing shape. The wood combinations really complement each other.
There is no strap button. I may add one someday.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
This guitar will be my baby forever. It feels very reliable and durable. I feel so fortunate to have it.
Customer Support
:
10
Very responsive. When you contact Steve, you are contacting the luthier himself. I love knowing exactly where my guitar came from.
Overall Rating
:
10
I have been playing for 2 years. I have two acoustic fenders and a little martin. It was time to accelerate my progress. After a 6 month search, and auditioning a lot of guitars, I stumbled across Steve???s website. If this guitar were lost or stolen, I would have Steve make me another.
Product: Steve Patience Guitars Grand Concert Cutaway
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
07/11/2008
at
09:52pm
by
Steve N
Features
:
10
Solid curly Koa back and sides with solid bearclaw sitka spruce top with a handrubbed nitrocellulose finish. A cutaway design. Chrome Gotoh tuners. The neck appears to be koa with Bloodwood bindings, headstock plate and tailwedge. Ebony fretboard is also bound with Bloodwood. The ebony bridge has a rectangular insert of Bloodwood. The nut and saddle are bone. The guitar was shipped on 03/10/2008. It was made in Livermore, California. There are no electronics whatsoever. Pure acoustic. Serial #0208062
Sound
:
10
The guitar sounds great when finger picked. I have it tuned down a full step. The sustain is great and the tone is warm with excellent tone separation. The guitar is perfectly intonated all the way up the neck.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Factory? No, this guitar was hand made one at a time. The action was measured at 5/64ths - perfect. The guitar has a truss rod. The neck was straight as an arrow. The wood was perfectly matched. The finish was great. I did not detect any flaws.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
This guitar is a keeper. If properly maintained, it should last a lifetime and be something I should be able to pass down to future generations. A real treasure.
Customer Support
:
10
I have contacted the maker only to praise him for his high standards and superior quality of his creation and to ask his opinion as to which pickup he would recommend I install in the guitar. He responded very quickly and politely.
Overall Rating
:
10
I have been a player and collector since the late 70's. There are over 65 personally owned and played guitars in my collection. A combination of acoustic and electric guitars from Ovation, Fender, Guild, Martin, Takamine, Ibanez, Yamaha, Gibson, Washburn, Dean, Giannini, Alvarez, Taylor, Babicz, Epiphone, Breedlove, Carvin, Rainsong, and now a Steve Patience. When asked, how many do you need, I usually answer, "Just one more."
