Brian Moore Guitars i2.5

5-pin MidiAxeTM MIDI system, contoured body, set-neck construction, mahogany body/premium grade solid quilted maple top with matching headstock, ivoroid binding, 22 fret, 3 piece mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, 24.75" scale 12" radius, gold covered Seymour Duncan humbucker pickups, gold hardware, Sperzel Tuners, Tunomatic bridge with RMC piezo/hex MIDI pickup, controls for mag pickup volume/tone with 3 way blade; synth volume/octave/MIDI out format and piezo volume; stereo jack and MIDI in/out jacks; power for MIDI and Piezo comes from outboard MIDI transformer connected to MIDI out cable. "Handcrafted in Seoul, Korea" is on back of headstock. This guitar is light as a feather -- actually lighter than the bolt-on Parker MidiFly I went into the store to buy. HSC was separate expense.

I play rock of all types and wanted a Les Paul sound. For recording purposes, however, I was looking for a MIDI controller without the hassle of installing an external GK-2 type device. Alternatives that I know about: Parker MIDIfly (quoted @ $1900, too high); Godin (neck/fretboard didn't suit me). The Brian Moore Guitars made in US were perfect from a quality point of view, but too expensive. This Korean-made version, which I only learned about after checking out a Parker, duplicates the Brian More experience in every way, including the sound. If you are after a Les Paul humbucker sound, the i2 has got it. Although I would hesitate to say the sustain is as great as the Les Paul, the tones are right on. Of course, tone in Les Pauls varies, so try it! The piezo is similar to the Parker Fly piezo tone -- something you can work with, but not as nice as the PRS piezo or, better yet, a real acoustic. The MIDI? Well, tracking is the issue here, and it is better than the Roland system I used to have, speed and bass notes track much better. Believe it or not, the system worked perfectly without any MIDI system changes to either the guitar or the E-Mu Vintage Keys module I use.

When I saw this guitar on the wall, I thought it was the US-made Brian Moore. After hours of testing, I'm still at a loss as to how they duplicated the quality of the US-made version a continent away. It's outstanding! Not a buzz, not a blemish. I've purchased many PRS guitars, still own several and measure other guitars' quality by PRS: this has the same right-out-of-the-box perfect condition and set-up. The extensive quality control checklist from the Brewster-quality control people is impressive, leaving nothing to chance.

Too early to tell. The blade switch seems a little flimsy; but the rest of the hardware is definitely built to last. They certainly chose first-rate tuners and pick-ups.

The salesman forgot to give me the MIDI accessories so when I got home and the MIDI didn't work (neither did the piezo), I called Brewster headquarters. They immediately connected me to a tech, who was helpful. Hey, it's encouraging that they didn't put me on hold and didn't ask a zillion questions to get an answer. But, time will tell.

Too many years and too many guitars have turned me fairly gray, but in that inordinate amount of time, I can honestly say I haven't seen too many true "values" in the guitar business. You usually get what you pay for. That makes the i2.5 unqiue: it is the first case of getting MORE than what you paid for. Okay, "Handcrafted in Seoul" may not impress collectors, but the guitar's quality, tone, playability and versatility will impress guitarists. Heck, the gorgeous quilt maple top will even make the purchasers of "10 tops" and "premium plus tops" envious. I'd definitely get another if this was stolen, but best of all, I could actually afford another. I've never seen a better guitar value.