Product: Walden Guitars D560T
Price Paid: USD 100
Submitted
07/26/2006
at
11:39pm
by
zenpiper
Features
:
9
Solid spruce top, laminated rosewood back and sides. I think the fretboard is rosewood also. Nice frets, clean design. Modest in appearance. Micarta nut and saddle (needs a luthier's attention). No pickups. New guitar.
Sound
:
10
I got this instrument on eBay as a play-out guitar. It was a B-stock or "used" guitar because there were/are some minor blemishes on the back, but it was new and otherwise perfect.
I cannot tell you how impressed I am with this Chinese-made guitar. It is very well made; tight and resonant. The bracing seems to be scalloped, forward-shifted X braces, which allows the top more freedom to resonate. As well, the finish is thin and matte (no heavy gloss, thank goodness) so the guitar is very responsive. It will open up over time, but, for a new out-of-the-box guitar, it's a honey.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
This guitar needs a set up. I think for inexpensive guitars it is just easier for the factory to leave the nut and saddle high. But a page to the buyer, encouraging a professional set-up, might be helpful to those who do not know about such imporant things. The woods are good. Top is solid spruce - quite thin; the back and sides are laminated rosewood. The sound is very fine.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
This guitar is well-made and solid as a tank. It was recommended to me by a luthier who has played and fixed just about every guitar brand there is. As a play out guitar, or a beginning instrument, there is nothing even close to this Walden. I replaced the awful Walden pickguard with a Martin (brand) pickguard and now the guitar looks very good. I suggest removing the Walden pickguard in any event since it's enormous and probably dampens the sound. A gun-style hairdryer works well and the p.g. just peels off without a squeak.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
No idea. I don't anticipate ever needing them.
Overall Rating
:
10
I have played for 40 years. My standard guitar is a 92 Martin J-40 (which has been customized); I also have a Crafter parlor guitar, a Yamaha classical G-240 and a Squire telecaster (for rare recording uses). I recently sold an Indiana Syracuse guitar (OK, but not great) and a Crafter D-8 (quite good, but not much bass) on eBay and got this nice Walden (new!) for a song. It's the best deal I ever got on a guitar.
