Product: Antoniotsai Charming
Price Paid: US $450 + 100 shipping
Submitted
07/04/2006
at
07:25am
by
Paul Wolters
Features
:
7
Said to be handmade in Taiwan in 2004. 14 fret neck, cut-out flattop body. Said to be all solid woods, spruce top, rosewood (?) back and sides. Mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard. Closed seperate tuners with brown plastic tuning knobs. Reasonable but not sturdy case included, little oversized so the seller filled the case with many larger and smaller pieces polystyreen foam. Headstock, fingerboard and back superfluously inlaid with mop as well as the purfling on top all around the body contour and around the soundhole. I must say the inlay work is very nice, especially on the back this is very tastful. The guitar came with a 1.5 inch crack in the top near the edge of the lower bout, won't affect the sound too much I think.
Sound
:
5
he sound is medeocre, not very bassy, highs not bright. Buzzy in many places. The string hight should be higher at the nut as well as at the bridge to avoid touching some of the frets which were of a different hight in several positions. Form of the neck is ok.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
3
Factory set-up non-existant, not possible to play the guitar without a few rattles. The action was fine, not too low, but nevertheless it touched several frets. Wood of the top looks nice, non-natural glossy finish, a little too orange to my taste. Laquers sprayed also on top of the bridge. Some frets sticking out. When looking at the top from the side it appears the top is not level anymore but wrapped, giving the soundhole a sort of 8 shape. As far as I can remember this was not the case when I bought it but has developed like this within one year.
Reliability/Durability
:
2
The guitar is not playable as it is. So it will not withstand live playing nor would it be useful as a reserve guitar for a gig.The neck and action, frets, nut and bridge should be adjusted to make it playable if at all possible. The finish looks good.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Warranty is non existant although sold with warranty. Contact with seller very difficult too say the least. BEWARE!
Overall Rating
:
2
I have been playing the guitar since 1960, and since 1976 in a band with many international gigs and tours. I wish I had seen and played the guitar before ordering it, but there is only a mail order sale possible with promised but non-existant service. Then, also, with this kind of guitar, I should have bought it at least used, not new, because many troubles developed during the first year, warping etc... I love the inlay on the back, I hate almost everything else.
