Zager ZAD-80CE

You can scroll down to read all the features, no need to repeat.
Mine is a 2006 model. I picked it up from a private party. Still had plastic on the pick guard.
Absolutely first rate finish!
On board tuner is very handy for quickly changing to alternate tunings.

Sound : 10
I'm primarily a strummer, fast tempo with a lot of power. Do some
fingerpicking.
Bottom end is pronounced, not boomy.
Upper end is bright, without being tinny.
There is nothing I dislike about this guitar.

There are no flaws.
Fit and finish are first rate.
Set up is perfect, no extra effort required.
Inside is "clean" as expected, no overglue or anything.
Finish is even, not thick in some areas, thin in others.

I play in studio only, so I can't make a qualified remark about "live"
durability.
However, just the other day I accidentally "smacked" the guitar on a heavy duty music stand. I was really ticked off, cause I expected to find a ding. Oh, happy day, no ding.
There is no visible wear after two years of play.

Have had no need for customer support.
Have had random communication with Zager Guitar. They are friendly and
easy to communicate with, and respond quickly.
I'm second owner of this guitar, and I'm treated like I was the original buyer.

I've been playing for about 15 years, primarily acoustic. I currently own over a dozen guitars. I have owned and played a wide variety of
guitars...all the "regular names"...Taylor, Breedlove, Martin, Takamine,etc.

The fit and finish on my Zager is among the best I have ever seen on any guitar I've owned.
The sound is right up there at the top of the pack. I have five acoustics hanging in my studio, at hand, depending on what kind of sound I need. My workhorse is a Takamine AN-10...until now. I find myself reaching for the Zager more and more. I don't want to sound cliche, but it really is easy to play.
Sometimes I put in several sessions per day, and I need a guitar that
works with me. The Zager is effortless to play.
Some might say that my other guitars have set up issues. I would take
exception with that. While I won't call myself a luthier, because I
haven't been to a formal school or served as an apprentice, I'm very
familiar with set up and adjustment. I routinely do my own fret
maintenance, nut and saddle adjustment/replacement, and have even done
neck resets.
If it were lost/stolen/damaged, I would be disappointed and would seek out another.
Wish I had come across Zager Guitars sooner.

This is a 2008 ZAD 80CE, an acoustic/electric dreadnought with a solid cedar top and rosewood sides and back. The electronics are by fishman and include a built in turner. the Rosewood fretboard contains 20 frets, that are extremely well finished. The neck is fast and the strings are set low and slightly wider apart, with no "fret buzz", very easy on the fingers to play as Denny Zager advertises. It has sealed gold Grover tuners and abalone trim around the body and sound hold, very classy. It came with a case, extra strings, picks, allen wrench and a temp/humidity gauge. The finish is transparent, glossy and flawless.

This is my second Zager and just like the first, it has that deep rich sound and clear highs and plugged in it is even more impressive. I've played other acoustic electrics, some far more expensive than the Zager, none sounded better. I generally play Electric Blues, but lately I have been playing (or learning) Bluegrass. This Zager as with my other one, handles both with ease, in fact the Zagers have enabled me to speed up my fingering, and no sore fingers! With the onboard electronics I am able to get a variety of great sounds.

The action is fast and easy, the set up was as close to perfect as you can get. The notes are true where ever you play on the neck. The low strings and the spacing really help in "finger picking" along with easier bar chording.

My first Zager has stood up extremely well gigging, and I have no doubt this one will also. These are quality guitars!! I always gig with a backup as you never know what can happen, but I would feel comfortable with the Zager without one.

When you buy a Zager, whether from Zager or somewhere else, you become part of the Zager family. If you have never dealt with Zager you really don't know what customer support is! They are always there ready to answer a question, give helpful advice etc. The warranty is lifetime!!

I have been playing for over 45 years, and I own a '08 ZAD 50ce, '03 USA Fender Strat, a '01 Gibson Lucille, a '96 USA fender Tele and a '89 Gibson Country Gentleman. As you can see, I am used to playing quality easy playing guitars so for my first acoustic (not counting the stella I had when I was 16) I wanted a quality, great sounding and easy playing one. I have played mid to high range Taylors, Martins, Gibsons ect. After reading some reviews on the Zagers, I decided to try one (if I didn't like it I could ship it back..at THEIR expense) I loved it, the tone ease of play and also the looks! The ZAD 80CE is even one step above the 50CE. There just isn't anything even at twice the price that can compare with it. I would definately replace them, if something happened!!

From the Zager website (Zager.com)

Full Size Dreadnought
Venetian Cutaway Design - lower frets are very accessible
Solid Spruce Top
Rosewood Back & Sides
Grover Sealed Tuning Gears
Built in Transducer
Onboard Equalizer - Fishman Clearwave 50
Guitar Strap Audio Jack
Onboard Electronic Tuner - Part of Fishman equalizer package
Abalone Inlay Rosette
Full Abalone Inlay
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
100% Money Back Guarantee
Lifetime Warranty
Hard case with humidifier

You get alot of guitar for the money.

The guitar sounds great. I compared it to many guitars at my local music store and it sounds better than all others in it's price range. I found the sound comparable to guitars costing $2-3000. I know everyone says that, and you may think this is just Zager hype, but it is soo true.

The sound is rich and full, and harmonics are great. The only reason I did not give the guitar a 10 in this catagory is that I find the high E string to sound a bit thin, compared to the other strings. All the others are perfect. I'm not sure if this is true of all Martin/Sigma dreadnoughts, or it's just my guitar.

As advertised, I found the action close to the nut to be outstanding. Low action and light gauge strings means this is an easy guitar to play.

I did not rate this guitar a 10 because the string height at the saddle I found to be a little high. When I got above the 12th fret, the action was higher than I liked. A freind of mine played it and was amazed by the action, and felt you really couldn't go lower with out buzzing. I am a true fanatic about the string height so I sanded down the saddle a bit and now my action is flawless. No buzzing anywhere.

I've had the guitar for 4 months and it has been rock solid. So far, so good.

Zager really shines here. I had instant response to any emails. I've had no major problems yet but have no reason not to believe their lifetime warranty policy.

This guitar is a fantastic value for the money. It compares to guitars that cost $2-3000. You may find that hard to believe, so my recommendation is to try one. Order one and try it out. You have nothing to lose, since they have 100% money back guarantee and free shipping both ways.

I almost feel guilty because this is such a great guitar for the price. I've never written a testimonial before, because it's very rare to buy a product these days and be blown away. This company over delivers on their promises.

Size Dreadnought
Venetian Cutaway Design - lower frets are very accessible
Solid Spruce Top
Rosewood Back & Sides
Grover Sealed Tuning Gears
Built in Transducer
Onboard Equalizer - Fishman Clearwave 50
Guitar Strap Audio Jack
Onboard Electronic Tuner - Part of Fishman equalizer package
Abalone Inlay Rosette
Full Abalone Inlay
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
100% Money Back Guarantee
Lifetime Warranty
Hard case with humidifier

I'm an amateur guitarist and most of my music is aimed at Christian worship, although I try to learn a few of the old classics as well. Denny Zager, the luthier who designs his guitars and hand modifies every one going out has a super on line course for playing mostly by ear along with solid music fundamentals. I recommend his site:
www.zagerguitars.com to anyone interested in taking their playing to the next level.

This is my SECOND Zager EZ-play. I've owned a Zager ZAD 50CE acoustic electic guitar for about a year. I just got the CE 80 based on the strong 50CE I have. For new out of the box, this guitar has extremely mellow tones, both highs and lows and it's only going to get better. My 50CE's sound has really mellowed in only about a year which is a tribute to the design, materials, and workmanship of the guitar.

The custom x-braced box is specially designed for light gauge strings. I usually use the Martin Darco extra light guage phosphor bronze wound strings (0.010 - 0.047). The strings are easy to play and along with Denny's magic on the fret board, filed frets and overall design, this one is well over 75% easier for me to play than my son's Seagull and Washburn acoustic guitars.

I've played a bit on my amps. I have a small Crate GT15R and the big brother Crate Line 6 amps. Either amp is fine but the electronics really can drive the larger amp with no problem. Once you get the settings right on the amp and the onboard equalizer you're set. I prefer to use the guitar's equalizer and volume control rather that fussing with the amp. For worship music I usually play with "clean" settings but often will use some reverb or solo. I use a wireless pickup system and the guitar sounds so, so, good. You'd think I was playing a Martin D-28, or something in that category. Except my guitar cost about $3000 less :-)

I have NO DISLIKES. Except for most other guitars I've ever played. Not with one of Denny's.

The action is light and so easy to play.

The electonics are the best I've used on an electric acoustic guitar out of the box. I suppose there could be some tweeking but I'm happy with what I have.

There are ABSOLUTELY NO physical flaws. Any guitar luthier will tell you that any guitar of the same manufacturer and model will be a bit different than its brother or sister. Doing a lot of furniture finish work myself, I can attest to how woods will react to stains and finishes.

This guitar is simply gorgeous through and through. Denny even adds gold plated Grover tuning nuts to highlight the beautiful finish work on the rosewood back and sides and solid spruce top. That abalone inlay is really a nice touch. You'll find no better finish or craftsmanship on most any acoustic guitar in the $3000 - $6000 range. I know; I've looked at them.

As far as reliability and durability, you'll not find one better suited for casual or professional playing.

All you need to do, as with all guitars, is keep them tuned and change the strings as often as necessary. I change mine a minimum of every couple of weeks.

The strap buttons are solid and in fact, unlike many other guitars, the pickup jack on the guitar is reinforced and counter screwed into the guitar. That's about as solid as you're going to get.

As far as a back up guitar? Well, that's a Zager too, but not because I need one for reliability, it's mainly because I can set the electronics up on the guitars and not have to fiddle with them while playing.

Before I purchased my guitar I emailed and called Zager. Both Denny and his son Dennis Jr. are quite personable. Denny was the "Zager" in the music group "Zager and Evans" who us old timers remember for their hit, "In the Year 2525". He has played, designed and modified guitars since at least 1969, the year I graduated High school.

One of them always gets back with my emails in under 24 hours and if I leave a voice mail and would like to chat, I'll get a phone call when it's convenient for me. Who else will do that? Maybe for a professional rocker, etc. who is sponsored by the guitar manufacturer but what about little old me? I had a problem with a certain brand of guitar which shall go unnamed that I spent hours on the phone, countless emails and even a couple of registered letters, trying to get a bowed neck replaced. To make a long story short. It finally got replaced, at my shipping expense both ways and it never played the same again. It's gone. Good riddance. And I paid about $2,000 for the thing. Never again will I have that problem.

I challenge you to Email the Zagers at mail@zagerguitars.com or call them Toll free 1-800-308-9731. If you have any questions at all they will put your mind to rest, and what do you have to lose? Nothing except maybe a closet full of unused guitars :-)


Zager stands behind their guitars with a 100% satisfaction guarranty with your money back, and LIFETIME warranty as long as you keep the guitar in proper condition and use light gauge strings.

I started playing off and on since about 1968. Stints in the Navy and other jobs that ate up my time kept me from doing much until just a few years ago when I came across Zager guitars when doing some research on the Internet. My son is an accomplished guitarist and he had heard good things about Zager from a few of his guitar playing friends. My other guitar is a Zager ZAD 50CE electric acoustic with the black lacquer finish.

Quite frankly, I didn't really "need" this ZAD 80CE but Denny is retiring from the luthier trade and will concentrate on writing and working on his on-line guitar teaching courses. So, I decided to add the 80CE while they had one. I may have the LAST 80CE unless Denny puts a few more out this year.

My final comment is perhaps a bit subjective but considering the sources, I'll share it with you.

I'm learning fast (at the age of 56) and consider myself competent but we have several very skilled guitarists in our group who love to play my Zager guitars. Among the group is a professional guitarist who has done studio work and who has several "sponsored" guitars. I'll not mention them at his request. Our group has a pretty wide range of instruments with my Zagers being in the bottom tier by price. There are upper end Alvarez, Martin, Taylor, Seagull, Takamine, Guild, Ovation, and Gibson guitars. As far as the players are concerned my guitars are in their league. You can't get a better recommendation than that.

Rosewood back and sides Cedar Front, Nice.

Mellow sound. Take this into a Guitar Room and compare to a 3K Martin or Taylor. Hey he offers a money back guarantee so if you're not not believing the rating for the money spent, buy it, try it, compare it and then if you don???t like it, send it back???his pricing allows the working stiffs
to afford to play a nice instrument.

Action? He's the only one that talks string science. Easy play. Kind of like getting into a great pair of downhill skis. Great skis that are easy to work will make blue skier a black diamond skier...same with Guitars. Having this well crafted guitar will make you a better player, once you've learned to stop choking the instrument and pushing too hard on the strings. If you???re not used to a light touch, it takes some getting used to that you don???t have to press your fingers through the fret board

Top notch electronics. Great finish. Well constructed.

If there was more that a 10 I'd give it.

This is a feature-rich cut-a-way electric (Fishman Clearwave 50) acoustic that sounds as good as any guitar selling for three times the price or more. Cedar top, Rosewood back, sides and fret board abalone inlay binding and rosette tortoise shell pick guard Grover tuners gloss finish scalloped X bracing... you name it, it has it all! And the number ONE feature is the Denny Zager Master Luthier custom nut-bridge-fret board setup that makes this the easiest most comfortable guitar to play!

My playing style is best described as eclectic. So far, every song I've played has met or exceeded every one my expectations. And the sound is phenomenal! I've plugged it into a practice amp and the electronics worked great! The sound is crisp and full! I have no dislikes whatsoever!

The action is low with no buzzing and the string spacing is perfect. I won't change any of the factory setup. It's a typical dreadnaught that just cradles down on your leg when sitting and just lies up against your abs and begs to be played. And the finish is first rate; this guitar looks like a million bucks!

Although I've just received it, my Zager looks and feels like it's going to become a family heirloom. All the hardware is top-notch and the finish is rich and deep. I'm confident I can gig this one without backup.

The warranty is life time. My guitar is new but I have two friends that own Zager's and they are completely satisfied with them. One even returned the first unit he purchased after he decided he wanted to upgrade to the 80 series and Zager applied the full purchase price and shipping to the new one. Can't get much better than that!

I'm self taught and have played off and on for over thirty years. Never serious or professional, just love to play along with others and learn something new overtime I do. If this guitar were stolen, I'd find another exactly like it. I love how easy it is to play and that I can play it for long periods of time. But even more, I love the sound quality. You would think I paid three grand for this baby. I was looking at everything from Seagull's to Martins and this one gave me the value of a Seagull with the sound quality of a Martin. I just wish I had more time to play it!

Size Dreadnought
Venetian Cutaway Design
Solid Spruce Top
Rosewood Back & Sides
Grover Sealed Tuning Gears
Built in Transducer
Onboard Equalizer
Guitar Strap Audio Jack
Onboard Electronic Tuner
Abalone Inlay Rosette
Full Abalone Inlay
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
100% Money Back Guarantee
Lifetime Warranty
Hard case with humidifier

Its above my needs for now but I'll grow into it
I'm not using an amp at this time
The guitar has a rich full sound and with with no string buzz.
I like the built in tuner
Have not had it long enough to discover any dislikes

It was set up perfectly with high high action due to the lowered frets.
The bridge is a coustom style bridge
Recieved the guitar in great working order, no complaints here

This guitar with stand the test of time as it is durable, reliable, has a finish like a more expensive guitar and assembled with the utmost care with the craftmanship of the best.
I feel I could depend on this guitar but as with any guitar you need a back up incase of unforseen failures such as a busted string.

I've dealt eith the owners and they were extremly helpful in meeting my needs and anwsering any questions in a timely manner.They are easily excessiable at almost anytime includung late evenings and weekends.
Although I have yet to use the warranty I feel confident I will never have any problems getting a repair if needed.
The warranty is THE BEST in the industry as its a lifetime warranty.Of course the it does not cover abuse.

I'm new to playing but I have played many instruments in my life.
I asked so many question before the sale I thought they may stop anwsering but they always were there to assist me.
I would buy from them again indeed. I love the looks and feel and have no dislikes as of yet. My favorite feature is the hand filed frets as it lower discomfort of my fingers when sliding up and down the neck.
I compared many other guitars and none had the option this on had.
I choose this guitar for its looks and easibility to play.
I feel I have one of the best guitars you can get as, in my opinion , its a masterpiece and an investement that will increase in value.

This is a beautiful instrument. Flawless finish. Big sound that is chrystal clear. The electronics are first class. The action is smooth and fast.

Full size dreadnought with Venetial cutaway design. Solid cedar top, rosewood back and sides, rosewood bridge and fret-board. Gloss finish, built in transducer, onboard equalizer, onboard electronic tuner.

I've been playing for over 35 years and this guitar is as nice as any I've ever played. I've played Martins, Gibsons, Guilds, Takamines, Alvarez, Ovations and Taylors.

I play classic rock, Eagles, Doobies, Bon Jovi, Crosby Still Nash etc. This guitar is perfectly suited for acoustic only or amped up with chorus and reverb.

Rich full sound for leads or rythym. Chrystal clear highs and warm mellow lows.

The guitar came with low action and light strings. This is a finesse instrument. Perfect flawless finish. The look, feel and sound are exactly what you would expect from a high quality instrument.

The electronics, tuners, bridge, neck and pegs all appear to be made out of the best materials and by the best manufacturers. There's is nothing I've found to be a shortcut or second rate in material or workmanship.

Clearly, this instrument can be relied upon without a backup, but I never travel or play with just one instrument.

Full life time warranty. Customer support responds quickly to e-mails and questions. Although I haven't had the need to have any repair or maintenance work done, I have had a number of questions that were resolved immediately.

I have been playing since the early 1970's. I own a Takamine EF-400S accoustic electric 12 string, a Takamine EG-530SSC, a Gibson Les Paul Custom and a Vintage 1957 Fender Stratocaster.

There were no surprises with the Zager. I got all my questions answered and the guitar is exactly what I expected.

If the guitar were ever lost, stolen or damaged I would definitely buy another, provided they were still being made. This is a high quality musical instrument at a very reasonable price.

This acoustic/electric studio-sized cutaway is, quite simply, beautifully traditional. And true to its hype, it does play easily, making me a more nimble and flexible player than I have been on other instruments. The strings lay close to the frets and are spaced slightly wider than normal for easy clean finger placement without the extra width of a nylon-string classical. The guitar does seem heavier than I'm used to, but since it sits on my thigh, it's really not a problem.

It has the same rich, throaty tone as my Eric Clapton/Martin, which is saying a lot. I've owned it for a week, and it has responded to all my requests, from folk to blues to classic rock.

Perfect factory setup. Everything tight as a drum. The guitar was nearly perfectly tuned when it arrived. The hardware is beautiful, and the strings are so close to the frets you can nearly blow a chord onto them.

I wouldn't use any guitar on a gig without a backup, but that probably has more to do with the possibility of a string fraying or breaking than anything to do with the guitar itself. I've only had it a week, but this instrument seems as if it would stand up to any reasonable use. The finish is very uniform and deep, and everything about the guitar is solid.

Lifetime warranty. Awesome support. My first contact with the Zager company was by email on a Sunday evening, and someone was there. No repairs required yet, but if early experience is an indicator, they will be there when I need them.

I've been playing for 36 years. In addition to the Zager 80CE, I own a Martin/Eric Clapton signature, a Small Martin for travel, and a Cordoba acoustic/electric nylon-string classical guitar. My favorite feature on the Zager is the string positions. My least favorite is the weight. I recommend the Zager line without qualification. The 80CE cost less than half what the Clapton Martin cost, and compares quite favorably.

Dreadnought with cutaway
Solid Cedar Top.
Rosewood Sides and back.
Gold color Grover tuning keys.
Fishman Clearwave 50 Graphic EQ with tuner.
EQ adjustments: Bass, Mid, Treble, Brilliance and volume.
Specially cut nut with wider string placement.
Hand filed bridge that allows for accurate intonation.
Low action.

My only complaint is there is no strap post at the neck area. For that reason alone I give this catagory a rating of 9.

Sound is rich and full and sings with clarity and boatloads of sustain.
Lot's of adjustment for a variety of sounds.
What I dislike about this guitar is that when A/B'd against my 1979 Takamine F-349 it exposed how imperfect the intonation was on the 349.
Seriously, what not to like about this guitar.

Attention to detail (matching grain pattern, binding, fretwork,intonation, low action, and overall finish) are absolutely superb. This is one beautiful guitar. Steller workmanship.

This guitar is new but I do not expect any problems with it now or in the near future. Has Grover tuners and Fishman electronics that should be very reliable. The finish looks deep, lusterous, and seems to be quite tough.

I ordered the specially designed case and glad I did. It is very functional, nice looking, plush lined, sturdy hard shell, locks, and comes with a Humidity/Temperature sensor too.

Customer support is astounding! Second to none. Very friendly and have never failed to answer any question I have posed to them. Do these people ever sleep? I did a lot of research concerning buying a guitar and found that most of those who didn't own a Zager were knocking the guitar badly while those who did own it praised it highly. After reading those negative reports I was concerned that I may have made a huge mistake because of these reports. Let me tell you after bombarding Dennis Zager Jr. with boatloads of questions and concerns he put my mind totally at ease. They offer a 100 % money back guarantee with shipping both ways paid if you are not completely satisfied. Have you ever seen that anywhere else? Also, I read through the 1800+ Ebay feedback replies and they were not 80%, not 90% but 100% Positive. They are a member of the Better Business Bureau with an absolutely clear record.

I have been playing off and on since age 12 (1964). I love this guitar and would not want to loose it. For tone, action, playability, fit, finish and attention to detail in all area's I rate this a ten. As stated previously I wish it had a strap post near the neck. In one of Mr. Zager's videos he explains a very easy way to add the strap post by drilling a small hole in the body near the neck, using a small screw, washer, and wingnut so it should be a no brainer to install it. I guess there was a good reason for them not to have done this in the first place and will ask them out of my curiosity.