Product: Alden Dorchester 12 string
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
12/23/2007
at
09:07pm
by
ted sorvino
Email: tedsorvino at yahoo<dot>com
Features
:
8
Excellent finish like a real archtop. More like Epi Joe Pass. Great headstock (very strong even for a 12 string). Good machineheads. OK bridge with an interesting saddle idea for intonation tuning. And practical way of passing the 12 strings through the bridge. Something they could have done better but still it works fine. Not a lot of mother of pearl on the fretboard more like a dot one and good wood. Maple I bet. All an all it looks as a guitar 2-3 times its price
Sound
:
10
The pickups is the best feature of this guitar. Nothing comes closer to the design of a rickenbacker than these nice soap bars. Very 60s and trebly in the bridge. Very good rhythm results in the middle position and great bass runs or melodic slow notes in the neck. Add on top four very versatile (2 tone- 2 volume) good quality knob controllers and you have an amazing palette of very exciting classic sounds plus some novelties. 12 string jazzy sounds. And yes...It's beyond competition for a cheap rickie alternative because even if the body is much fatter it's
still a great hollow body with great pick ups on it. I think with 2 f hole plugs (or...tape...) feedback will be avoided even in high volumes.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
The set up was very well made by the factory. It needed some little intonation and action changes but still really good. And I have to admit that even if I tune down 1 tone I don't think it would have any problem to a standard E even if I wouldn't leave the guitar tuned high for a long time. It's a twelve string after all.....The finish is great. The electronics awesome so ....ALL GOOD
Reliability/Durability
:
8
I can't tell since it's too early but it looks as really friendly instrument to tame. Very easy to play and as in any archtop case it looks PRECIOUS. Hopefully it will last but it's up to me as well...Isn't it?
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Who really cares.....I bought a guitar not a digital camera.....I bet any good tech or luthier can fix anything.
Overall Rating
:
10
I will say this. Even if it doesn't look like a rickie ( I take rickenbacker 360-12 etc. as a reference point since all 12 string electrics would like to be one ) It can sound quite similar- AND so excellently different, it's much heavier to hold and much easier to play since the fretboard is quite larger. I think it's a great alternative for the money and much better than a lot of other more expensive guitars. The sound is the real highlight and the feel of the guitar and I think these are the areas that really matter. Thumps up to ALDEN. Soon it will cost much more.....I BET
