Zager ZAD-50

Made 2006
Country Made ? It is made in the place that makes the Sigma Martins.
Solid-Top Spruce
Pickup? did not buy one with a pick up
Back and sides Mahogany
gloss finish
Body style dreadnought
Bridge is Rosewood
Rosewood Fretboard
"Grover" sealed tuning gears
slim -front to back- neck design
hand filed frets
custom made hand carved saddle and nut
scalloped X bracing
Abalone inlay rosette
included extra set of Extra Light Martin Darco Strings, picks, neck wrench, tee shirt, upgraded case (I bought the case seperate, and they upgraded it).
Web instructions about playing, changing strings, ect.
An extra nice would be if they would put in a wipe down cloth instead of a tee, it is a nice tee, but I would be happier with a wipe cloth (-;

How does it suit your music style?
I like to play singer/song writter stlye and this guitar is suiting that.
What amps and effects are you using it with?No Amp
What kind of sounds can the guitar make? How much variety?
The sound is Rich and full when I use only my thumb and fingers, it is bright with a pick. The sound is balanced-the high notes do not die off.
I like that I can play notes and chords cleanly. I like the look of this guitar, it is a Sunburst. I continue to look at it inside and out. I would like an upgrade on the pegs, but I can do that myself, and I wish the dot markers on the frett board where albalone, but it is not neccessary to how the guitar plays, and does not take away from the overall apperance.

the guitar set-up by luthier Denny Zager in Nebraska
it has good action, I am able to play music for the first time. After a week I am already putting togethr my own chord and note arrangments.
the top is well matched.
I am happy with The sunburst finish, which is not "museum grade (like you'd get on a $4000 Martin ), but it is very attractive to look at.
The bridge routing is correct and expertly done by hand.
I am picky about things I buy and I am very happy with this guitar. Sound and play is the most imporatant thing for me.

I belive this guitar would withstand live playing.
Does the hardware seem like it will last? Yes
Are the strap buttons solid? Yes
Is the finish good enough to last? yes
Can you depend on it? so far yes I have been playing it almost non stop, it has not let me down yet.
Would you use it on a gig without a backup?
I do not know if I will be playing gigs, but it puts out a big full sound with a thin pick.

Ok my contact so far has been in asking questions about the ZAD 50, I wanted to know about the woods of the box, and material of the bridge, nut and saddle, and construction and they where very friendly and helpful.
Emails answered in a timely and professional manner.
No repair work needed to date.
It has a lifetime warrenty.

How long have you been playing? Since about March 27 2006
Is there something you wish you had asked before buying this guitar?
No
If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else? Yes
What do you love about it? What is your favorite feature? I love it's sound that when I unpacked it it was still in tune, and it's looks.
What do you hate? I haven't found a thing to hate.
What is your favorite feature?
all the hand set up work that was done by D. Zager, before I recieved it, that has made it playable and good sounding.
Anything you wish it had? Natural string pegs, but that is a minor thing. I am going to this one a 10 as this guitar I believe is a great value for the dollar spent. I did visit guitar shops in Sioux Falls, and the ones they offered in this price did not do anything for me. I had been playing an Aspen with a loose bridge that sounded as good as the ones they had on the floor, in this price range. I brought home books from the Library about guitars, and how they made, and what I should look for. Visited many web sites, like Martin, Gibson and Guild, before I decided to buy the ZAD 50. I choose this as it had a money back offer, so I could try it, I liked the way answered my email, I liked that it is set up in a professional manner, and it is a family opperation. I choose to keep it as I love the way it sounds and plays.

Anything else you'd like to share?

I received the Zager - professionally packaged and delivered. I have not played a guitar since 1980, at that time I had not been able to get past learning a few basic chords. My folks gave me the Aspen for Christmas in 78. They purchased it in a local music store, you know the story? high action, hard to play - thought it was me, and put it away?life happens. I now know setup is the biggest factor in how a guitar plays. I have had my Sunburst ZAD 50 for a few days now and I play it for ?hours? every day ? I cannot leave it alone.

Zad-50 is a standard accoustic guitar and has all the features described in their web site
www.zagerguitar.com

I am a 53 year old who decided to teach himself the guitar. It sounds as good as some of the more expensive guitars that I though of buying, and is better than the $900.00 guitar that I did buy. The more experienced guitar players that I hang out with say that it is every bit as good as some of the big names.

It was in perfect tune straight out of the box. The action is outstanding. The strings are very close to the frets and are easy to play. The finish looks very good for the price I paid for the guitar.

Being a new player, I have not learned to caress the guitar yet. I still try to subdue it and this guitar seems to be able to handle that.

The company has been outstanding so far. If you e-mail with a question or concern they will answer you today and most of the time within a couple of hours. The warranty is a life time warranty.

I have been playing for about 6 months. I also own a Takamine accoustic electric and I truly prefer this Zad-50 to the more expensive Tak. I work on a big city fire department have one station where everyone plays so we get together on Saturday and Sunday shifts to play. It gives them a chance to laugh at my skill level but they do teach me some good technique. I have introduced them to the Zager guitar method and several of them are going to sign up for the online lessons. During these sessions I don't get to play my own Zager guitar because there is always someone else who wants to try it out. These more experienced guys (some have played for 20 plus years) are very impressed with this guitar. In fact, I am thinking of selling my Tak and getting a Zager-80 Accoustic electric.

I had an opportunity to buy a Martin with a flame maple back that was absolutely drop dead beautiful. It only costs $2700.00. When I told my wife that I wanted to buy it she said, "You are not going to spend $2700.00 on a guitar that, I might add, you do not know how to play!" Well when she started throwing that logic stuff around I knew that I might as well go find a less expensive guitar. That is when I got the Tak. It is pretty nice but is difficult to play. Maybe a better description is that it is painful to play. I had seriously looked at the Zager stuff on line but I could not fondle it before I bought it. I like to be able to feel and touch the things that I want to buy. If you read their add it says you can send it back if you don't like it. Now I wish that I had bought it and left the Tak in the store. I would have bought the Zad-80 to start with. To make a long story short, the Zager is not quite as pretty as some of the others but if it was a girl back in high school you would not be embarrassed to take her to the senior prom either. I will bet that you can't tell the difference in the sound quality between a Zager and some of the most expensive guitars. For a new guitar player, this is the guitar you need both for the quality and the price.

Solid spruce top, Mahogany back and sides. Gloss finish, dreadnought body, thin neck, low action with Grover Tuners. Ordered with Zager hard shell molded case which is well built.

Very full, rich sound with good volume. I have yet to find another guitar that matches its sound for anywhere near the price.

When it was received it was tuned a little bit flat but it may have been due to the weather (hot summer) as much as anything else. The action is low and it is a pleasure to play compared to other guitars. Stays in tune quite well. The fit and finish is commendable, no flaws or blemishes to note.

Stays in tune very well which is a good indication of its reliability and durability. To be honest though, I baby all my guitars.

All questions have been answered honestly and quickly in past dealings with Zager. My wife and I made a few inquiries to Denny and Dennis before the ZAD50 was purchased and that is what led to the purchase.

If this were lost or stolen (not likely) I would buy a new Zager without question. It is one of the best guitar values around in my opinion.

Researched this guitar for months- havn't played for 30 years- quit because I just couldn't finger chords well with stubby fingers. Ad for this "EZ Play" guitar caught my eye along with heavy positive reviews here and on ebay. Cynical I was but the hype came without risk as you can return this guitar in 30 days no expense.
Solid top dreadnought, natural spruce, rosewood board, grover tuners. The gimmick is the special set up done by Denny Zager to lower the action, increase sustain and widen the nut slightly.
Came with some picks, wrench, a cool t-shirt and a picture of Denny Zager.

Having tried many acoustics in the $200 to $600 range(Martins, Alverez), the sound rates at the top. The sound is bright, bell-like on the higher strings. Bass notes are resonate, but not too boomy. The light guage strings cannot be attacked too hard as the super low action will slightly buzz and you lose the timber. If you are comfortable playing fingerpick style or a delicate pick you are rewarded with sound that is pretty and vibrant which the box projects well. Because the guitar really is "EZ play" your chords are clearer with less muffling on adjacent strings. Maybe this is why the sound is a stand out.

Set up was dead on. Arrived in tune in December and really hasn't gotten out of tune since. Smelled of a recent polish. Zager signs the guitar inconspicuously on the back, but this can be removed.

3 months later no problems: finish is durable,resisting my attempts scuff it up with shirt buttons and wristwatch. The guitar is lighter than other acoustics I've owned and doesn't convey that "built like a tank" sensibility, but the workmanship appears better than mass produced so time will tell.

Lifetime warranty-havn't had to test it out. If you get one please note that if you want to return a nondefective guitar, it has to have the protective film still on the pick guard, so keep it on for the first 30 days. The Zagers were easy to contact with questions via email.

Been playing (?) 30 + years sproradically. Own Yamaha and noname acoustic, a Squire tele and US strat. When I showed the guitar to my teacher he played and raved about it. Told me to show it to the store owner who in turn disparaged the guitar (polished turd). It appears that because Zager only sells direct and not through stores there is a lot of so called experts in the business putting the instrument down. I was cynical that a guitar in this price range could be all that is claimed, but the ZAD 50 is the rare product that delivers on the hype. If you are an expierenced player the sound is likely to please. Student level players will have noticeably less difficulty fingering chords. Tried to initially buy used on ebay but the used Zagers sell close to what the new go for-this speaks to something about this item. I would buy again if lost/stolen but would be tempted to try their more pricey mahoganay top model.

Made by Denny Zager, in USA. Dreadnought, steel string.
Solid spruce top.
Case includes humidifier.
Beautiful instrument!

Far surpassed my expectations. Clear, full sound.

Great low action, very comfortable to play.
No flaws at all.

Feels great - solid, good weight. Look forward to playing this guitar for many years.

Extremely helpful in answering all my questions as I considered the purchase. Shipping was very prompt, guitar arrived in perfect condition only 4 days after I ordered it.

Have been playing for 20 years. Own classical and flamenco models as well. This is the first steel string acoustic I've owned.
Would definitely purchase another one, and will recommend these guitars and this company to others.

The ZAD-50 is a full sized dreadnaught that has a solid spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides, and a rosewood fretboard. The nut and saddle were modified to lower the action and create more string separation

I play a little blues, rock and roll, classic rock, and progressive country. This guitar has an excellent bright sound that is real hard to find for the price I paid ($395). I have yet to find any dislikes.

This guitar was set up by Mr. Zager using his "string science". I have a Washburn that I paid to have the action lowered and the ZAD-50's is very similar. The wider spacing from nut and saddle modifications works really well for me.
The guitar has a beautiful glossy finish with no apparent flaws.

I haven't had the guitar long enough to know about any durability issues, but it seems to be a real quality product.

Are you kidding? 100% money back guarantee including shipping. The Zagers (Dennis and Denny) take a lot of pide in their work and truly want you to be happy with their product. I have only contacted them a couple of times, but had a very quick and informative response each time.

I've been playing guitar for about 20 years now and have a Les Paul custom Lite, American Stratocaster, and a Washburn WD20S. Figuring I had nothing to use with the guaruntee, I had the guitar delivered and compared the ZAD-50 with as many guitars as I could in the price range. Nothing even came close.

Bright sound

Action was fantastic, playability is excellent, no flaws, beautiful guitar

strong reliability and durability, built to last

This is perhaps the most responsive and friendliest company I have dealt with regardless of the product. Lifetime warranty. Can I give it a 10+?

Own a Martin, Hoffner, and Yamaha as well- the Zager is the best of the lot and the value is fantastic. Recently spent at day at the Martin factory playing demos. The Zager ZAD 50 competes with any of them, when you factor in the price, there is no competititon. I'm happy with the Zager

The Zad-50 from Zager Guitar is the is a Quality guitar do let all these other remarks fool you i have done some research and the guitars the some people are bad mouthing from zager anr not even guitars that they offer. let me say that the tone and playablity or super this is the best guitar that i have ever played an playing it is such a blast.It has a Solid Spruce top gloss blavk finnishe mohogany sides and back with seald grover tuners
Chirs S
memphis tn

THe tone on Zager guitars is extrodanary

The action in low so there is no more sore fingers and hands after playing for hours. The finish is pristen not a single blemmish any where

I have only had the guitar for a few days but is seem to be very well made and solid

The coustomer supoet you get From Zager is top of the line. They actually care about the people they sell to and want to make sure that every on that buys there guitars are happy wiht the product and let me tell you i know 3 people that have them and they are all happy with the sevice they got and still continue to recive for denny and dennis zager

I have been playing for a few years and i have an ovation that i have played on and of the ZAD 50 i would chose over the ovation any day. If it were stole or lost you can bet you bottom dollar that i would buy another one.i have no hate for this guitar it is beautiful and has an excellent sound

- Full size dreadnought
- Solid spruce top
- Mahogany back & sides
- Sealed "Grover" Tuning Gears
- Abalone inlay rosette
- Tortoise shell pick guard
- Gloss finish
- Hand carved custom nut
- Hand carved custom saddle
- Hand filed frets
- Scalloped X-bracing
- Rosewood fret-board
- Rosewood bridge
- Genuine "Martin" strings
- Zager EZ-Play Modified

Great sound, rivals Martin.

Action, fit and finish are outstanding, none better.

Materials are of the highest grade and will last a lifetime if properly cared for like any guitar should be.

Outstanding could not ask for more. - Lifetime warranty
- 100% money back guarantee

Just learning had given up with other guitars from sore fingers, this guitar eliminated that problem. I would buy again without question.

Guitar was made in 2005. It's a dreadnought body style. I have to say that after playing around 20 guitars in price ranges between $500 to $3,500, it sounds better than any guitar under the $1,500 price tag. I am amazed at the quality of the gloss finish, playability (Zager easy Play system) and the inceredible sound. It's spruce with mahogany back and sides and sounds just as good as the Martin D-18 in my opinion.

I play only Christian praise and worship music for which it sounds great. It's non-electric although I would consider buying one of their electric accoustics. It's the brightness (sound of spruce and mahogany) that attracted me to the guitar. The sound is also rich and full.

The action is incredible. Everything is algned properly and all parts in top shape. No flaws of any kind visible. Very good quality woods fret material and saddle.

I'm a fairly new guitar player and don't perform live, but I would have no reservations about using it in a session. That's not why I bought it though. It comes with only one strap button, which I would not count on. I would have strap buttons professionally installed.

Company is great. I had a little string buzz problem when I got it and they told me what to do and it worked. People are extremely friendly and quick on the response time if sending email.

I used to play a little when I was around 12-15. I stopped and started playing again about 2 months ago. I play at least 4 hours a day since right now I have the time. I definitely would buy it again, especially since I started out with a Big Baby Taylor which sounds like crap compared to this one. I love everything about it accept the strings it comes with and the fact that the strap buttons need replacing. I can easily say that it beats out the Taylors, Fender, Ibanez, Gibson and Marting guitars that I played and had a professional musician play for me at the Guitar Center in Nashville, TN. under the $1,500 price ranges. Great product for the money. Some day I would love to have a custom guitar, but I don't know exactly what I want until I hear more guitars and play longer. This company lives up to what it says. I couldn't be happier with my purchase.