Zager ZAD-50CE

This guitar is amazing. The Zad-50ce is a dreadnought acoustic with a solid spruce top and mahogany back, sides, and neck. The second I took it out what i noticed was the sheer beauty of it. It looked better than many of the high end Martins and Taylors out there.It has 21 frets with a cutaway. Also, the electronics are by Fishman that has an electronic tuner built in. The tuning is really on cue mainly because of the Grover sealed tuning pegs (the same as Martin's, Taylor's, and Gibson's $1500-$3000+ guitars use) but also a lot of it is the way that he teaches you to put the strings on and the way that the nut does not constrict the string, but lets it flow. The controls are a volume control, two kinds of tuning (auto and by notes) with an LCD display, 3-band EQ, and a presence control. An extra plus they put in is the abalone shell inlay around the sound hole, you won't find that on many guitars that cost under $3000. I bought the guitar with a pro molded case that has a humidity/temperature sensor, and the guitar came with an extra pack of Martin strings, two soft large picks, and a random gift, I got a T-shirt but I heard you can also get capos and such.

First of all, this is NOT a Martin copy as some reviews say. Martin prides its sound mostly on the bass end of the EQ, but the Zad 50ce is a happy medium between a very nice full bass and bright, VERY clean, shimmering highs. The guitar is great for any purpose, it is one of the most versatile guitars because of the fullness of this spectrum. My favorite thing about this guitar though goes to Mr. Zager's knowledge of how to brace a guitar. The sound coming out of this guitar is by far the loudest, most dynamic, colorful, clean, downright most beautiful I have ever heard. It made my Ibanez sound like a stick with strings and made many of the around $2000 dollar guitars that I play sound dull and dead. My only qualm is the slight stiffness of the sound, but because it is completely new rather than sitting on a shelf for a long time in a music store, so the wood hasn't aged yet and the stiffness is expected. In most cases even with high end expensive guitars, a guitar wouldn't sound anywhere this good out of the box new.

This guitar plays like my Gibson... and I'm not talking about an acoustic, I play a Les Paul Standard Premium Plus as my main. The Zager plays like an electric guitar with crazy low action. Also, I have to say that every single square millimeter of this guitar is as perfect as humanly possible, and then some. The neck is as straight as an arrow and the contour of the body is just right. The nut slides easily and holds really well. The frets are hand filed and each note played is in perfect tune. The transducer makes the entire guitar come out surprisingly clean out of an amp. Overall, this guitar is perfect in every way, I found no flaws in the finish, the wood actually looked like a golden brown which was a nice cosmetic plus. Again my only qualm is that a better wood like rosewood would be nicer with the spruce top, but the mahogany is great as well.

I would take this guitar and will take this guitar anywhere I go, I would use this guitar without a backup, but then again I try to only buy equipment that I know will last without me worry about it getting destroyed, it's something you do not want to worry about when performing. I would not be surprised if i keep this for the rest of my life as my main acoustic. What else can I say that tops that?

This is another aspect where they shine bright. Send them an email, you get a reply usually under an hour, once I got it back in 10 minutes and that reply was paragraphs long. The warranty on this thing isn't some cheap 3 year protection, it is a LIFETIME warranty. Wow. Also, if you don't like the guitar, you get a 100% money back guarantee, no restocking fees, not even shipping fees, they give you back the money for the shipping back and forth. To show you how much they back-up their guitars, Denny Zager signs every single one on the back and puts his reputation on the line. Also, they lose sleep over the thought of having unhappy costumers. He said this in an email i got back...
"First of all I want you to know that we want our customers happy, and if you are not happy with your guitar we want it back. Our integrity means everything to us and if I have even one customer out there who I think is unhappy with their new guitar I don???t sleep well at night. "

I am an electric guitar player for the most part, but I have been asked to do some acoustic work recently, so I decided to invest in an acoustic guitar that sounded good but was pretty cheap.

My current guitar setup is:
a Gibson Les Paul Standard Premium Plus -> Dunlop Cry Baby -> Xotic Rc Booster -> Visual Sound Route 66 -> Cusack Screamer Fuzz -> Input of Carvin Belair -> Send of Carvin Belair -> Ernie Ball Volume Jr. (connected to Boss TU-2 from tuner output to reduce tone loss because tuners suck a lot of tone) -> Boss DD-5 (connected to a Boss FS-5U from the tempo input for tap tempo) -> Return of Carvin Belair.

I love everything about this guitar, but when I got it, I didn't know what to think of the sound.. then I went to Sam Ash to test it out with others. The highest quality Martin they had was a $2700 HD-15 and it sounded dull compared to the Zager, same thing with a $2900 Taylor, and it definitely has better playability than either one. I'm going to Guitar Center over the weekend to compare some $3000+ guitars with it. Again, if you compare it to anything in its price range, it will make the others sound like sticks with strings attached to them. If it were stolen or lost, I would buy another one on the spot, or try the Zad 80ce but definitely a Zager. But, the greatest thing about this guitar is that all of my descriptions would only truly match with a guitar that is at least $2500, yet you can get this guitar for under $650. It will be hard to find anything of this caliber both tone and playability wise under $2000.

This is a ZAD 50 CE dreadnaught with on board tuner, equalizer, Mahogany back and sides. solid spruce top.

Pros The sound is great, bright seems to put life in the chords and notes. The harmonics is perfect on this guitar.

Cons NONE

The action is the best I have ever seen or played. I have never played a guitar that is so easy to play.
The fit looks as though it is hand made.

I am sure that it will with stand any type of playing. the finish is great. the hardware solid.

THE WARRANTY IS FOR LIFE. DENNY and DENNIS ZAGER HAVE CARVED IT IN STONE. It doesn't get any better than that.

This guitar is by far the best guitar I have ever played, This includes my Gibson Hummingbird, or my Fender Stratocaster. I have played Martins, Epiphones, Washburns, Gretch. I would pick a Zager guitar over any other brand.

I did considerable research on buying a guitar. I'm a beginner and I was looking for a guitar that is easy to play and is manufactured with quality. Upon receipt of my Zaeger, I found the finish to be flawless. The wood used in the manufacture of my guitar is beautiful and it also included a hard case with a humidifier!

Like I said, I'm a beginner that has only been playing for about 4 months in-between school at night and work during the day. My guitar has a rich sound that is great. I had my music instructor look at and play my Zager and he even commented on how great the guitar was, and couldn't believe the price; nor the "no questions asked" return policy and lifetime warranty. Try getting that from other major manufacturers?

My Zager came completely set up right out of the box. I could find no flaws with anything on the guitar. This attests to the quality and care used in the construction and set-up of the guitar; as well as the care in packing and shipping the guitar. I'm completely happy.

I don't know about withstanding live playing, because it will be a long time to get to that level; however, I think my Zager will last as long as I can play it!

I haven't found it necessary to have any repairs made; however, I converse with Mr. Zager's corporation via emails and alway, I repeat always get a quick and helpful response. When I was looking for a guitar, I chatted with Mr. Zager personally several times via email about what I wanted to do with a guitar, my skill level, and finances. At no time did he pressure me to purchase his product, and I believe that he would have been happy if I hadn't purchase one of his guitars, because it's about playing and making the customer happy.

Like I said, I'm a beginner only playing for a few months. I'm 49 and have never had any musical experience; but I love playing my Zager. I also have a Gibson Les Paul Swamp Ash, a First Act electric (yeah, it came with the VW). I can find no faults with the Zager at all and I'm impressed by workmanship and quality. I chose the Zager because of the ease of which it plays. I'm completely happy withthis product and would purchase another one if I were to ever need another guitar.

has a nice fishman pickup vary will made looks just like a Martin.

Sound is Befutiful real value.

Looks Great easy on fingers the way Denny Zager has it set up.

Just got it last night, it has alife time warranty, and they treated me more than fairly.

Dennis Zager is the best he whent out of his way to make shure that i was happy, even though I made a mastike and ordered the wrong guitar he made it right.

Just started playing will be taking the Zager Music lessons on line.

- EZ-Play Modified
- Full size Dreadnought
- Solid Spruce Top
- Mahogany Back & Sides
- Rosewood Bridge
- Rosewood Fret-Board
- Gloss Finish
- Scalloped X-bracing
- Hand carved custom nut
- Hand carved custom saddle
- Hand filed frets
- Sealed Grover Tuning Gears
- Abalone inlay rosette
- Tortoise shell pick guard

How does it suit your music style
ACOUSTIC
Is it noisy? no fret buzz at all
Rich Full Bright sound

How well was the guitar set-up at the factory? excellent

Properly bookmatched top? yes

Did the guitar contain any flaws? yes there are small spots on each side of the nut where the finish is chipped and the binding was still kinda rough on the bottom front

Will this guitar withstand live playing? YES
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? NOT SURE
Are the strap buttons solid? ONLY 1 STRAP BUTTON
Can you depend on it? YES
Would you use it on a gig without a backup? YES

Customer Support
Ever try and get it repaired? NO

How long is the warranty?...LIFETIME
If you've dealt with the company, how helpful/friendly were they? AWSOME DENNY JR. IS A NICE GUY ON THE BALL AND VERY PROFESSIONAL

How long have you been playing? 30 + YEARS

What other gear do you own? FENDER,MESA BOOGIE,MARSHALL,GIBSON,ATLAS,SUZUKI

Is there something you wish you had asked before buying this guitar? NO

If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again YES

What do you love about it? EVERYTHING!IT IS LIKE HAVING A MAGIC WAND IT PLAYS LIKE BUTTER AND YOU CAN WRITE AWSOME SONGS AND IT IS REALLY NICE TO PLAY

Did you compare it to other guitars? NO


Why did you choose this one? BECAUSE I LIKE THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL IT IS HARD TO FIND GOOD QUALITY NOW DAYS! AND OF COURSE THE PRICE IS UNBEATABLE..

all the features you will need to get the job done right

bright full sound. this is the best acoustic guitar I have ever played.

perfect set up still smells like glue...

I will be playing this guitar everyday for at least 30 more years

awsome family owned business with excellent comunication skills!

Overall Rating 10+++

My guitar is beautiful! Fun to play and easy to tune. I've started about one year ago when my grandad gave me one like his. I'm getting better every week.

Sounds better than my friends Martin guitar. Like the deep sound and ability to chord as a beginner.

Everything matched and works easy to tune with the string adjustments and built in tuner.

I have taken good care of it, and it looks like new. It holds its tuning for a long time after the first adjustments with new strings

It has a warranty, but don't know anything about it. I really like their reply when I send them a teaching question.

one year of playing. I just love it and would not buy any other kind

I have a black transparent dreadnought with Grover tuners, raised frets, and hardside case by Zager. It is equipped with built in tuner and pickup system/equalizer.

Sound quality is excellent, with tone that competitive with top end Guild and Martin guitars I have used. Tone is rich, deep, and flexible. Absolutely one of the easiest guitars I have ever picked up.

Prompt delivery and condition was perfect. All joints tight, tuners solid, and finish flawless.

The guitar is great for group sessions, and with the pickup can easily compete for sound quality with anything it comes up against. I've used it for the past 3 years, and it is very stable in various temps/humidity condtions and shows no flaws in any area.

Lifetime warranty, never had to test it to date. I have submitted questions regarding their included video teaching programming and found them to be extraordinarily cooperative and helpful. Seems like they really like to be in the business and show it with service and response times.

I have played since my teens (too long ago to count). I absolutely believe this is an ideal product, which I would replace with another one should it be lost/stolen. Loved it so much, I have since purchased two more exactly like it for my teenage granddaughters. They too love the guitar and its ease of compression on the frets for smaller fingers. The onboard tuner feature makes their use markedly easier, and therefore gets much more playing time that otherwise. I very much support this guitar and its quality of workmanship and tone.

After searching all of my local guitar stores, I was surprised to find just what I was looking for online. This guitar has features that I had not seen before in a full size dreadnought cutaway. It has everything that you would expect from an excellently designed machine, like Solid Spruce top, Rosewood fretboard and bridge, Sealed Grover tuning gears, Mahogany back and sides with Abalone inlay rosette and a clear gloss finish. It also has an onboard electronic tuner that works like it was designed by a guitar player, as well as equalizer and transducer. What really sets this apart is the EZ-Play set-up that gives it the best action that I have ever played. It also came with extra Martin strings a neck adjustment tool and some cool promo stuff and a 100percent money back guarantee. It also has compleate online video support.

My playing style is with Full Major Chords and flatpicking each string or full stroke dampning. The sound that I can now get with my A, F, E , Dm and others that used to end up killing my fingers is now gone, and I mean gone! The way that this guitar stays in tune and the resonation is amazing. It sounds even better than it did on the web demonstration by master luthier, Denny Zager. I have been using Martin strings for years, but not the ones that came on this guitar. I have now re-strung all of my guitars with the same, and they all sound better, but not as good is my Zager.

The set-up is perfect (I have never heard even one buzz) from action so low that it's hard to belive. It did arrive with the Tortoise shell pick guard not totally bonded along the bottom edge (an easy fix), but I couldn't bear to send it back and be without it, even for a few days, so I fixed it myself.

I live in California and leave my guitars outside of the case on stands next to my couch for easy grab and play. When I got the guitar the weather was cold and wet outside, now it is hot and dry. I am lucky enough that inside my home stays very even temped, and my othe guitars have shown no signs of cracking or warping, and I trust that this one will do the same. The price was very good, but this is not a cheap guitar. I was not surprised to find a top strap button missing because of the reviews that I had read before purchase, but again, an easy fix. This has become my main playing guitar, and when I go to play, it goes with me.

Absolutly the best customer service since Polaroid. When I e-mailed a question late in the day, it was answered within the hour. This guitar also comes with a lifetime warranty and with the web support that came with the guitar (like how to care for and even re-string) was an added bonus. When I ordered the guitar by phone it was like talking to a new friend.

I would have never recomended buying a guitar sight unseen, until I did it myself with this guitar. I have been playing since the late 60's and have had standing ovations after performing my own tunes. I own analog and digital recording gear as well as 6 other guitars, a banjo and alot of music stuff that I've collected over the years. I can honestly say that if my house was on fire, I would grab my Zager first over my beloved Gibson, Ovation and even my Simon Patric 12 string. I have never written a review before, but I would like to share my good words for anyone that would love a beautiful sounding and looking guitar but can't afford to spend thousands of dollars, to check-out the Zager Guitar website. I bought mine on sale!

I purchased A ZAD-50 dreadnought cut away in black from Dennis Zager on 7-17-07.
The guitar came in three days from ordering and I have played it continully since. It is a beautiful guitar with turquoise around the sound hole. It is African mahohany back and sides with a solid spruce top.
It has an active Fishman pickup with a built in tuner. And uses Grover tuners.

The guitar is light weight compared to my Guild and my Fender acoustics.

The guitar plays really well, fingering is a breeze a little better than my Guild CO-1C
and my Fender DG-31, the sound is bright and crisp and clear.
It fits really well with my finder picking style as well as when I strum with my light pick on fast songs,

The action came from Zager low and easy to play compared to my Guild that I had to take in and have the nut filed down to lower the strings.
The built in tuner is fast and easy to use. I cannot find anything out of order with this guitar.

The finish seems to be as good as my fender DG-31 finish and I/ve had that guitar for seven years and it is fine.
The strap buttons are solid and the ;hardware is strong, I willnot hesitate to use this guitar at live gigs and plan on using it this week.

So far Dennis Zager Jr. has answered my e-mails and even caught and corrected an ordering error before I could tell them about it. This guitar has a life time warranty and if I hadn't been happy with it I could have returned it for a full refund no questions asked. And they would have paid for shipping!

I have a Guild CO-1C and a Fender DG-31. I have had other guitars, an Egmond and an Ibanez maple acoustic and this guitar is as good as any of them in sound and in quality consruction.

I have been playing guitar for 35 years and have been look for a guitar company like Zager guitar for a long time.
I chose this guitar because I wanted that kind of sound that it has which I heard on the web site video and I like black.
I would like to trade my Guild Guitar for two more Zager guitars I want the ZAD-80 CE and I would love to have a ZAD custom Koa if they ever would make one.

I just recently (about a month & a half ago) purchased a Zager
ZAD-50CE Acoustic/Electric guitar, from Zager guitars in the good ol' USA! It is a beautifully crafted cutaway style box with a solid spruce top & what looks like high-quality mahogany back, sides & neck, with very a smoothly finish-sanded rosewood fretboard. I purchased the smaller body (than my Martin D28) for more personal comfort. The mother of pearl style inlay is quite elegant. It has a full 20-fret easily playable neck, with frets that don't create havoc for the fingertips -- a great feature for those beginning guitar!

My ZAD-50CE has a built in tuner, making the task of bringing it to pitch a breeze -- I've often dropped electronic tuners, having to reassemble them before using them. I've even lost one or two. The built-in tuner also makes it impossible to "forget" unless you forgat the guitar :) It has a built-in pick-up with a 3-band equalizer (tone controls) and volume control. All these features use (including the tuner) a single 9-volt battery. There is a small red LED (Light Emitting Diode) to indicate when the battery is low & needs to be changed. Changing it is easier than changing a light bulb!

Don't get me wrong; the Martin is a great sounding flat top, but I must admit, the Zager is so close it is difficult to discern the difference in sound. My Martin is physically larger so the lower tones seem to have more "presence," but otherwise, the sound quality is quite evenly matched... and the Martin's may be exceeded a bit at the mid-upper range. The lower tones are full-bodied & rich, while the mis & uppers are pleasingly bright -- all of them exhibiting full clarity, whether through an amplifier or 'open air.'

For me, there is nothing that I don't like about it!

The playability (sp?) is incredible, to say the least, as I thought my 1979 D28 (Martin) played very easily. The Zager is at least a couple orders of magnitude easier -- and I'm being quite conservative in my estimate. It requires far less pressure to fret for a clean sound than does my Martin.

I purposely purchased one that ended up with a slightly flawed sanding (below the finish), and it was clearly advertised as such. There are several available with minor flaws at discounted prices, but I would have still been very satisfied had I paid 3 times the amount I paid!

Very durable; well-built. High gloss durable finish. Strap button is quite solid. It has great quality sealed Grover tuners -- very easy to use! It can easily stand alone or accompany other instruments as lead or backup!

The warranty is a lifetime one, in writing. They were quite friendly, helpful & from a 30-year Coast Guard vet, above & beyond the call of duty! In fact, when they did not have the particular guitar I had chosen, available, they offered me a more costly one (with close to the same features), AAAND... they threw in a hard shell case (Martin) that was NOT originally included ALL for the same price (without even increasing the flat shipping rate). The value is easily TRIPLE that of what I paid!

Granted, I may be a novice to some: but I've played guitar, banjo, autoharp, mandolin, mandola and a bit of fiddle since starting in the early 1980's, and I know good sound. But it does not take much experience to compare the playing ease of the Zager against others. Looking back, had I owned a Zager when starting, it would have allowed me to enjoy learning to play the guitar much more. And practicing would not have seemed so arduous. Doc Watson is one of my favorite artists, and I'm quite partial to his styles of music & playing -- the Zager excells in the presentation of these kinds of playing & sounds, whether simple folk, jazz or bluegrass. I use it to play the older traditional hymns in the retirement homes & the sound is more than sufficient for such a venue. They enjoy it very much. Price stated below included shipping.

I ordered the guitar, got it within a couple of days. And, it arrived IN TUNE!

Not sure where made - I'll guess in Nebraska where they're located, but, it plays exactly like they said it would so it didn't matter to me.

Go to their website if you want to see what I got and the frets and the electronics, etc...

This area is looking for features, etc....and I'm not really the guy to answer that question.

It has 3 slides for Eq/balance/etc...and tuner....and that's really all I needed it for to do open mic nights.

I'm a folk guy and have played some outdoors by the water and, it sounds real good.

I

Action - as advertised - LOW. Easy to play.

Bar Chords are easy.

Finish - fine - not something I'm really taking note of but it's all black and it looked great when I got it.

I havent noticed any heavy wear and tear and I play just about every day.

I got the guitar in like March of 2006 and sounds great and stays in tune.

I don't have a backup in general and don't play like a pro- musician; so i cant say. i do know that it sounds good when it's plugged in. I got it for open mic nights....it's all black...I need to learn Johnny Cash songs now.

Strap buttons are solid....they only install the strap button at the bottom of the guitar and it acts as the plug in for your cable.

The company is small and I have NEVER ended up in a situation where they didn't respond within 24 hours.

If they don't respond within 4 hours that's a surprise.

They're communication is excellent. Before you buy and after you buy.

And htey are nice ppl.

For what I paid and what it does and when I played other guitars in Guitar Center....I got a high end value buying the zager.

I'd do it again.

This isn't a guitar with a ton of features but what the guitar has is what I wanted and I like it very much. I've attached a list from the manufacturers website.

- EZ-Play Modified
- Full size Dreadnought
- Venetian Cutaway Design
- Solid Spruce Top
- Mahogany Back & Sides
- Rosewood Bridge
- Rosewood Fret-Board
- Gloss Finish
- Built in Transducer
- Onboard Equalizer
- Onboard Electronic Tuner
- Scalloped X-bracing
- Hand carved custom nut
- Hand carved custom saddle
- Hand filed frets
- Sealed Grover Tuning Gears
- Abalone inlay rosette
- Tortoise shell pick guard
- Genuine "Martin" Strings
- 100% money back guarantee
- Lifetime warranty

I played a lot of guitars (Martin, Taylor, etc.) before I ordered the Zager. I didn't get to hear the Zager except on the Internet but I was confident that I could send it back, with all shipping fees refunded if I didn't like it. The Zager didn't dissappoint. There is a WOW factor with the sound. The tone is so smooth, so deep, so rich, so bright, so balanced. I love it. It makes an ordinary chord sound inspired. I've done a sound comparison with my friend's Martins and it is hard to say which sounds better, and I got it for 1/2 of the cost of the least expensive Martin that I liked.

The set up is great.
This is the easiest to play acoustic guitar that I've ever picked up in the 15 years I've been playing. It is similar to the easy action of an electric guitar. I can't do full bends as easily as on an electric but other than that it's just as easy.

I haven't had it more than a month, so this isn't a category I'm ready to comment on. The number rating reflects my hopes rather than my experience.

I've sent a few emails with questions that have been promptly,courteously, thoroughly answered. That plus their money back if unsatified with guitar and lifetime guarantee make me feel confident in my purchase.

If it were stolen or lost, I would buy it again.
My guitar friends think I scored. I definitely do too. I've been playing it a lot and it keeps pulling me back to play more.

Beautiful inlay,spruce top, mahogany black,easy to use built in electronics, quality fret board

Sound is big and clean. Sounds as good as or better then guitars costing 3x4 times as much.

Beautiful black finish, looks great with all the accents,If there is a flaw in the finish, I still haven't found it.

Had this guitar for approx 2 yrs and still holding up like new. Never failed me yet

Always answered email A.S.A.P both before and after I purchased there product. They seem to always be willing to help with any questions.

Very happy with this guitar. Its easy playing. great sound. You certainly get your monies worth. If I had to, I would purchase from Zager again...

SPRUCE TOP , MOHOGANY SIDES, FISHMAN ELECTRONICS ,BEAUTIFUL INLAY
AROUND SOUND HOLE . FROM THE HEARTLAND OF NEBRASKA , GROVER TUNERS,
MARTIN STRINGS, EASILY THE THE BEST INSTRUMENT , FEATURES-WISE I'VE
EVER OWNED,VERY FEW FRILLS ,ENTRY LEVEL, BUT OUT PERFORMS MOST INSTRUMENTS I'VE PLAYED UNDER A GRAND !!!

ACOUSTIC - ELECTRIC , SOUNDS AMAZING EITHER WAY YOU APPROACH IT !AS A
SINGER-SONGWRITER WITH NEARLY 400 ORIGINAL TUNES, THIS BAD BOY SINGS
WITH AN ARTICULATION AND CRARITY UNRIVALED. I PLAY VARIOUS FORM OF ROCK ,BLUES ,& FOLK , AND THIS INSTRUMENT MAJESTICALLY RISES TO ALL
OCCASSIONS.

NEVER HAVE I HAD AN INSTRUMENT SET UP WITH SUCH ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
THE ACTION IS QUITE SUPERIOR AND THE FINISH IS JOHNNY CASH BLACK .
BECAUSE OF FINANCES AVAILABLE AT CHRISTMAS TIME, I SOUGHT OUT A DISCOUNTED MODEL WITH A COUPLE BLEMISHES, THESE AER MINISCULE IN CONTRAST TO THE HIGH QUALITY FEATURES , ACTION, OVER-ALL VALUE, &
BELL - LIKE QUALITY OF TONE THIS AMAZING INSTRUMENT DELIVERS !

THIS INSTRUMENT HAS BEEN ROAD TESTED BY MYSELF IN OVER 50 OPEN - MICS
THROUGHOUT CINCINATI & NORTHERN KY.IT PLAYS WELL, HANDLES NICE,AND
ARTICULATES WITH THE BEST OF THEM, VERY DEPENDABLE , NO BACK - UP
NECESSARY .
S

EVERY QUESTION I'VE POSED HAS BEEN ADDRESSED PROMPTLY & EFFICIENTLY
BY THE CO. WARRANTED FOR LIFE, AS A TRUE QUALITY INSTRUMENT SHOULD BE,
MONEY BACK GARANTEE, IF YOU'RE NOT THRILLED, COME ON , IT DOESN'T GET
ANY BETTER THAN THAT !!

GREATEST INVESTMENT I'VE EVER MADE IN MYSELF ! BEEN PLAYING SINCE 1972
AND IF I HAD THE MONEY, I'D BUY ANOTHER ONE. BEST TONE, PLAYABILITY,&
ARTICULATION I'VE EVER PLAYED.HECK WITH ONLY 2 BASIC MODELS YOU CAN'T
GO WRONG.!!!

Beautiful, flawless satin finish with built-in digital tuner. This guitar also comes with sealed Grover tuners, a rosewood fretboard, gorgeous inlay around the soundhole along with Denny Zager's famous "string science". The sunburst finish is stunning and the custom luthier work supplied by Mr. Zager rivals guitars costing thousands of dollars.

The guitar is bright with crisp tones and is very pleasing to play unplugged or plugged into your favorite amplifier. I currently am using a Roland MicroCube set to Acoustic with a little Delay for a very rich, earthy, auditorium sound effect. Overall, an excellent choice for any style of music... Currently, I use mine for folk and blues.

Absolutely dead-on, perfect set-up by Dennis Zager utilizing his string science system. No other guitar (including my Martin) comes close to the set-up including the ultra-low action without string buzz and perfect intonation. Every detail of the guitar is absolutely flawless.

Evereything about this guitar merits a "10" and could easily be gigged without the concern for a back-up. Despite whatever you may be currently playing, this will quickly become your favorite guitar.

Dennis Zager stands behind every guitar he sells 100% and Dennis Jr. offers quick, reliable answers to all inquiries. Customer service is the very best that I have ever dealt with for any product. They will absolutely go far beyond expectations to gain your trust and business.

I favorably would compare this guitar to Taylors and Martins but it has much better playability. I would definitely purchase another Zager, probably the ZAD-80CE in the future.

I bought the black 50CE, it is extraordinarily beautiful.

The Zager sound if for those who play warm sounding, beautiful pieces. If you want to bang on your guitar (and there is a role for that) then buy a Martin. I have a Martin HD-35 and my Zager. There are times when I prefer my Zager and times when I prefer my Martin, depending mainly on how hard I want to play. I would say the Zager is not inferior at all - just different

This is why I HIGHLY recommend Zager guitars. He is totally honest and totally committed to delivering the perfect guitar for you. I am a physician and I know what it means to have a sense of calling in your career. It seems that he is more interested in delivering what you really want and need than he is in making a buck. I told him I wanted to return the ZAD 80 rosewood because I didn't like all the abalone and he was completely supportive of that. Then I ordered another one and cancelled it a day later. He wasn't at all annoyed (even if he had been, I would have understood). You can trust this guy, and that's what matters

I have been playing off and on for 15 years, varying with the strictures of a demanding career. I wish I had gotten this guitar 15 years ago. I actually gave one to my nephew just knowing what a difference it would make for him. There is no better guitar for someone starting out. That said, you never outgrow this guitar. The sound in some ways is the most beautiful I have ever played, again, depending on your style. But if you decide it isn't your style he lets you return it.

gloss finish
dreadnought/cutaway
grover tuners
thin neck,rosewood fretboard
made 2006,USA
solid spruce top
mahogany back and sides

It suits my music style just fine (rock,southern rock,and country).
I play it unplugged-very good sound,good highs mids and bass.
The mids and highs are bright.

The guitar was well set-up.
The action is good,it could possibly be lower, but it plays well.
The guitar contained no flaws that I could see.
The strings being spaced just a little father apart is a big plus.

I would say you could depend on this guitar although I did not buy it to perform with.
The hardware seems like it would last.

I've needed no repairs, but the guitar has a lifetime warranty, and any time I've talked with the Zager company, they were nothing but friendly and helpful.

I've been playing for 35 years.
Other equipment I own: Seagul acoustic, Alvarez acoustic, Hohner acoustic, Kingston acoustic, Harmony acoustic, Fernandez electric.
If it was lost, I would buy another Zager.
I guess the main thing I liked about this guitar is the risk-free purchase, and the lifetime warranty.

Zager EZ-Play Modified: Lowering the strings closer to the fret board, widening the stance of the strings, modifying the saddle, bridge, neck and nut--The result is a guitar that is 50% easier to play with a sound that rivals guitars costing 5 times the price.

Full Size Dreadnought
Venetian Cutaway Design
Solid Spruce Top
Mahogany Back & Sides
Rosewood bridge
Rosewood fret-board
Gloss Finish
Built in Transducer
Onboard Equalizer
Onboard Electronic Tuner
Scalloped X-bracing
Hand-Carved Custom Nut
Hand-Carved Custom Saddle
Hand filed frets
Hand filed frets
Sealed Grover Tuning Gears
Abalone Inlay Rosette
Tortoise Shell Pickguard
Genuine "Martin" Strings
100% money back guarantee
Lifetime warranty

I LOVE the EZ-Play Zager ZAD-50CE Acoustic Electric guitar. I LOVE the matching case. The latches on the case open and close freely. The humidity gauge is a nice attribute and it reads 79 degrees with 60% humidity--that is with my air conditioner set to 77 degrees in the apartment. Both the guitar and case are extremely light weight. I have a generic case for my Martin D16A, but is must be twice or three times as heavy as your Zager case.

I do not own an amplifier right now, so I cannot judge the sound from the built in transducer and onboard equalizer. However, I can attest that the onboard electronic tuner is fantastic, as well as the acoustics of the guitar, which rivals my 1989 Martin D16A!

I just spent the past 45 minutes messing around with the guitar and it is hard to put it down.

I am a huge Roy Clark fan, so I try to play some of his riffs that I
learned off many of Mr. Clark's 40+ LPs I own from his career in the 1960s through 1990s when he was recording on a regular basis.
"Yesterday when I was Young," "Alabama Jubilee," and "Under the Double Eagle" sound fantastic on the guitar. I also play bluegrass music, so the EZ-Play Zager ZAD-50CE Acoustic Electric clearly holds its own against my 1989 Martin D16A made of ash wood.

I better watch out, as I might end up owning one of each model that Denny Zager sells!

Factory set-up is incredible! The action is low, extremely easy playablility--just as the manufacturer presents the product to be.

Construction and finish are as advertised--superb!

This guitar will withstand playing live in an unplugged environement and works magnificently with any amateur bluegrass jam session.

The hardware is identical to that used on my Martin D16A--Grover tuners are awesome and the instrument stays in tune.

One strap button is included--I am going to install a strap button their the neck.

As a former corporate banking business support employee, I know customer service relations is as important as the product you sell. So I sincerely wish to thank Dennis Zager, Jr. so much for the recent excellent customer service correspondences and personal support provided to me.

I am playing guitar since 1987, banjo since 1999, and mandolin since 2006. I own a 1989 Martin D16A guitar, 1999 Deering Calico and 2006 Deering Golden Era banjos.

The newest addition to my instrument collection is the EZ-Play Zager ZAD-50CE Acoustic Electric. I love this instrument so much that I just placed an order for another Zager model guitar, the EZ-Play Zager ZAD-50 OM Acoustic guitar. I expect to receive this instrument within the 5-7 days and I will be posting a review on this model soon.

The finish on my guitar is a glossed black finish- VERY nicely done. It is an acoustic electric.
Sealed Grover Tuners
Custom Thin Neck
Fishman pickup
Extra strings and picks
Solid spruce top
Graphic equalizer
Volume controls plus built in LED tuner
Rosewood bridge
Mahogany back and sides

The guitar is perfect for my needs. The EZ play design makes it fit m hands a bit better- I have thicker than average fingers.
I have no tused it as an electric yet.
The sound is very rich- it's bright, with a pleasant resonance, with no unnatural ring.

The guitar arrived with the strings close to being tuned already. It was ready to play almost immediately. Alignment, and fit, were right on the money. At this point (4 weeks in) I've discovered no flaws.

My only concern, and it is minor, is that the tuners do not quite seem as tight as I would expect, but it has held tuning well. The hardware feels tight and strong, and the finish is very well done. Because there is no front button for the strap, I cannot rate that feature. I do feel I could depend on it in any situation.

I have had VERY fast replies when I contacted the company, and a great willingness to discuss the guitar or to obtain information.

I learned to play when I was a boy, in the mid-1960s. I still have my old Fender guitar and bass (vintage 1968 and 1972) and a 1967 Fender Bassman (in need of repair.)

I have absolutely NO regrets about my choice. I researched for weeks before buying this guitar, and was pleased at what I received. If I were to have to replace it, I would buy another in a flash- this ia a beautiful guitar, even more so when you consider the price. I saw more expensive guitars in stores locally that were inferior to this.

It is pretty much designed as I wanted it. I'd planned on the acoustic only ZAD50, but they had a "back of the storeroom" unit for a deep discount, so I was able to get the 50CE, in perfect shape, for a deep discount because it was a year or so old. If there is anything about it that is less than perfect, I haven't found it (in reference to the discount status.)

I am VERY pleased with the value and quality.

Has black glossy finish.I inspected closely and cannot find a flaw.
body is full size cutaway w/ hand fitted saddle and nut. action is low EZ play and I'm loving it. Top is solid spruce. Also has equalizer and electronic tuner.
Too many features to list. You should go to their web site to get full info.

Sound is great.Resonates rich and mellow. I also have a Gibson LP studio model and the Zager sounds every bit as good.

Have only had this guitar for a few days but it seems perfect.

Don't know yet but looks to very well built and a good value for the price.

Have not needed service but my e-mail questions are all answered within hours. (sometimes minutes)

I've only been playing a few months.My other guitar is a Gibson LP and I love both of them. Hardly know which to play first. I would definately buy another Zager again (and might soon if my wife would let me have a smaller model for travel).
I have never met Denny Zager but if you listen to him and watch him work with his students and talk about his products on his videos you cannot help but be impressed with his dedication and desire to put out quality.

Sunburst cutaway with electronics
Sealed Grover Tuners
Custom Thin Neck
Hard case, extra strings and picks
Built 02-07
Solid spruce top
Graffic equalizer and volume controls plus built in LED tuner
Fishman pickup
Rosewood bridge and neck with mahogany back and sides

I play mostly country and gospel music and the Zager's bright tone works well with it. When I plug it into my Peavy TransTube Amp I can adjust the tone with equalizer to the type of music I am playing..very cool feature. This guitar produces a full bright sound when unplugged and can be adjusted to many tones when plugged in. Very nice sound....much like my Takamine.

Out of the box this guitar is fantastic. Very little tuning needed and the action was perfect. The fit and finish were flawless as was the bookmatched top. I tried out many guitars at local dealers in the past week and none of them were set up or finished better than the Zager....in fact most were inferior.

I have six guitars....but I will play the Zager at this weekend's gig. It appears to be well made and solid. Plus....it has a LIFETIME warranty.

I have not had any warranty issues with the company, but I have had some questions. I emailed Denny Zager Jr. and he responded within the hour on all questions. Very friendly and helpful folks.

I have played guitar for 35 years and have owned several brands. I currently own a Takamine, Epiphone, Fender and Yamaha which range from acoustic to electric.

I would buy this guitar again as it has all the features I was looking for. My Takamine is getting road weary so I looked at replacing it with another...but was unimpressed with the new ones. I liked the higher end Martins over the rest, but disliked the price. I am glad I took the "risk" of ordering a Zager without trying it. I would highly recommend this guitar as it plays like a much more expensive Martin.

EZ-Play Modified by Denny Zager, Full size Dreadnought with Venetian Cutaway Design. Solid Spruce Top with Mahogany Back & Sides. Rosewood Bridge and Rosewood Fret-Board. Transparent Gloss Finish. Built in Transducer, Onboard Equalizer, and Onboard Electronic Tuner. Scalloped X-bracing. Hand carved custom nut and hand carved custom saddle. Hand filed frets (as part of EZ Play setup. Sealed Grover Tuning Gears. Abalone inlay rosette. Tortoise shell pick guard. Genuine "Martin" Strings. Includes Zager Guitar 100% money back guarantee and lifetime warranty.

The sound of this guitar is quite amazing for a guitar in this price range. I have owned and played many accoustic guitars over my 30 years of playing, and this one compares to models six or seven times the price. The sound is full and bright and it is comparable to the more expensive brands on the market.

The action is the biggest selling point on this guitar. The EZ-Play modifications really make the action on the guitar feel tremendous. I typically play a fender strat with really low action, and switching over to the Zager to play the accoustic/electric cause me no discomfort whatsover. It is very easy to play, and I think the modifications are quite innovative. I assume given enough time and experience a luthier could set up ANY guitar like this, but Denny has it down to a science, and the results on his guitars prove it. Fit and finish on the guitar when it arrived were impeccable.

Live playing will not be a problem. The guitar is extremely well built and the finish seems very durable. The bottom strap/jack is very solid. There is no top strap button when the guitar arrives, but a qualified technician can add one to Zager's specs and should also be solid. All in all a very dependable guitar.

Zager Guitar is a family business and it shows. The are not a faceless corporation. They care about their customers. Can't beat the Lifetime Warranty and 100 percent Money Back Guarantee!

If you don't like the guitar, they will pick it up and take it back and refund every penny of your guitar including shipping BOTH ways! There is zero risk associated with this purchase! Better still, the guitar is warranteed for life should anything happen.

Their customer service is extremely responsive on both the phone and e-mail, often responding within minutes of an e-mail. While I haven't had any problems since my purchase, all my questions were answered promptly and personally.

I've been playing for over 30 years, I own several guitars from Fenders, to Ricks, Takamine, Gibsons, etc. If the guitar was stolen I would definitely get another. This guitar is ten times easier to play than my high end Takamine accoustic electric. You have nothing to lose with the money-back guarantee... so it's definitely a great purchase.

- Sunburst with Gloss Finish
- Full Size Dreadnought
- Venetian cutaway with scalloped X-bracing
- Rosewood Bridge/Neck/Fretboard
- Hand filed (small) frets
- Solid Spruce Top
- Sealed Grover Tuning Gears
- Mahogany Back & Sides
- Hand carved custom nut & saddle
- Abalone inlay rosette
- Tortoise shell pick guard, not fancy, but more than adequate
- Built in transducer under bridge
- Quality onbord electronc tuner, w/volume knob & equalizer
- Genuine "Martin" Strings, plus an extra set

I've owned/played a number of acoustic guitars over the last 35 years, including an Alvarez DY 56 acoustic with stereo pickups that was gorgeous, but too cumbersome to adjust on stage. The East Coast Casuals band I play with shares a Takamine EG531SSC acoustic at our gigs; its definately a workhorse. The Tak plays well and sounds great amplified, but doesn't sound as well when practicing unplugged. So I've been looking around for a while. I decided to invest in a Zager guitar (ZAD-50CE) because it compares favorably with high-priced acoustic-electrics.

I've owned the ZAD-50CE now for over a little over a month now and this guitar is everything Zager said it would be!

To reduce an acoustic feedback problem I(as with with any acoustic), I've ordered a 'cocobolo wood' sculptured soundhole damper from the Lute Hole Co. (Thanks Danny Zager Jr., I didn't know these dampers existed! Then again I didn't know Zager Guitars existed two months ago either!) Unlike the solid rubber plug we use to dampen the Takamini, the classy looking Lute Hole units come in three levels of damping, and one model provides variable damping. All are a bit pricy, but I'll pay the money if it saves the fullness and clarity of tone.

- Action is fast, especially with the Martin light strings.
- "EZ-Play" Modified so it was flawless right out of the box.
- I got an even better deal by buying a discounted guitar with two minor finish cracks around the battery compartment and a blemished guitar case; I could not determine where the blemish was??

Only time will tell if the guitar will stand up, but since Zager Guitar has been around since 1969, Zager uses the same manufacturer as Martin Guitars and have a lifetime warantee, its a good bet these guitars will stand up over time. The guitar has been reliable for the last month and I would not expect it to develop a problem we could not overcome. We always have a backup.

- Tracking number allowed monitoring of delivery
- Zager will pay for return shipping if unsatisfied with guitar
- Lifetime warranty
- Responded to two emails on seperate weekends within 24 hours
- Provided valuable link to soundhole damping (Lute Hole Co.)
- Web site video instructions are a tremendous asset to users
- I had to install the neck-side strap button, but the location to install it was covered in one of Mr. Zager's instructional videos. Good thing he covered it, the balance point was not obvious.

I didn't want to spent a great deal of money on an accoustic-electric because the guitar is going to get a lot of use and accidents, even theft, could occur and I would regret damaging/losing a high-priced guitar. The ZAD is a worthy instrument. It has gorgeous looks, is extremely easy to play, and has all the full, clear tone I'm looking for. I purchased it because there was no risk, as Zager would take it back and pay for shipping both ways if I didn't like it.

OK, the ZAD-50CE is not a Martin or Taylor guitar, but I'm here to say it sounds and plays as good as any I've tried at the music stores.

Dave Arpin
ECC Band
Sprague, CT

The ZAD50CE is a solid spruce top, mahgany back and sides acoustic electric.
The doby is fully bound with the ivoroid bindings as is the neck and heel plate. The fingerboard is rosewood as is the bridge. Dreadnaught size with the venetian cutaway. Tuners are non locking, but are a fully enclosed grover type which have excellent accuracy.
The neck is mahogany with a nice c shape very similar to the old Fender style necks of the 60's and 70's. They are wider and a real nice, comfortable grip. This allows for extended play without tiring your hand.

The sound with mahogany back and sides will project the mids and highs, but does not forget the lows.They are criso annd clean. It's a balanced sound with not too much of one over the other as you will find is some other guitars costing a lot more. The electronics bring the guitar to wherever you want it to be with the 3-band EQ. There is a presence sliding control which I equate to an oral exciter for vocals. It will add to the EQ'd sound by giving it more clarity than it already has, which is pretty sizable. You can play and get a nice mellow sound when fingerpicking but not loose the sustain or richness. When flatpicking, the real nature of the guitar comes out and produces a sound that a lot of us look for in units costing 3 to 5 times more.

The setup of the guitar was very similar to how I set up my electrics and better acoustics. The action was pleasantly low without buzz, and at the 12th fret, the action was still very low.
The intonation was perfect and the neck was straight with very liitle(I mean insignificant relief) I love my guitars to have a straight neck. Some folks think that some relief is very mportant, but my feeling is that if you take care of the nut and saddle properly, relief is a secondary issue.
Everything on the guitar has an excellent finish and no gaps anywhere. No Flaws.
You can go out and gig with it or use it in the studio. You will be proud to be seen with it. The appearance is totally professional.

The finish is equal to my $3- 4,000 units and I feel it will last a long time. The hardware is solid as is everythig else.
I would use this as my first AE at a job.

The company went over and above what they could have. The example I submit is that I have around 10 -15 high line acoustics. On one of most expensive ones, the ivoroid neck heel cover was cracked when I opened it. I immediately called the mfg. and was told to take it to a luthier or repair with no guarantee of reimbursement.
With Zager, I ordered the unit w/o a case as I have some extra hardshell dreadnaught cases. The unit was to be sent with a gig bag -
they emailed and said they would ship it in a hard molded case for no extra charge since they ran out of gig bags! They did what they said. There aren't too many companies that do that anymore. They also have a money back guarantee. You can't beat that!

I have been playing now for over 35 years and have owned and played Gibson, Guild, Martin, Larivee, Yiari, Takamine pro line, and some others I can't remember. This guitar will hold it's own with these I just mentioned, and blow away a lot of the others. Tonally, aesthetically, playability, you name it, it's there. I will be purchasing another and my friends will too.