Huss and Dalton MJC Custom

2005 Staunton, Virginia made Custom MJC. The MJC is a mid-jumbo cutaway with a slightly shallower body (4 1/2"). It has a solid cedar top (custom) and solid Indian rosewood back and sides. It also has a tortoise pickguard (custom). Bound with rosewood all around, which is just beautiful. It also has a 1 3/4" nut width. Has gold Gotoh tuners with ebony knobs.

I bought this guitar for two things: Fingerstyle folk and contemporary Christian strumming. It does both just amazingly well. The cedar/rosewood combination is stunning. It is about the most responsive guitar I've played. The string almost starts to vibrate before it is plucked. The sound is extremely well balanced, perhaps due to H&D's unique radiused top. The guitar is louder than I would have expected. Due to the cedar and the setup, it is not designed for flatpicking/hard strumming. In its element, it is about as close to perfect as I've found...

This guitar is nearly on par w/ my Collings. The exterior fit/finish is impeccable. There is not a flaw to be found anywhere. The inside fit/finish is nearly perfect, although H&D still hasn't managed to turn out perfection w/ the glue and cut quality on the inside. The action is just perfect, but that is so subjective that I don't think it should be a part of the ratings. Every guitar should be set up for every players style, needs, and environment.

These H&D's are great. They are a solid wood hand made guitar that are fragile by nature. But they are about as good as one will find. It comes with a lifetime warranty.

I've emailed the owners several times with quick and informative responses. Also, I bought the guitar from Steve Miklas at Acoustic Music Works in Pittsburgh. I feel blessed to live in the Pittsburgh area and to have Steve as my pusher..er..uh..dealer! I have been in shops all over the US and Steve is the best. He is knowledgeable, helpful, honest, and just a great guy. He has one of the finest selections of H&D guitars in the world.

I've been playing for 30 years, although I sound like I've been playing for 30 minutes. I traded a Collings D2H and an Alvarez-Yairi WY-1Koa on this guitar. I have a Collings D1A (which is THE one for bluegrass/flatpicking), an Alvarez-Yairi 12 string, and Martin D-18 beater guitar. This MJC ranks with Collings in quality and sound. This is the finest fingerstyle guitar I've had the pleasure of playing, and I own it! If something happened to it, I'd buy another without looking/comparing any more. It is that good!

This is a 2002 model with several upgrades including the Australian Blackwood body. There are no electronics. I must say, this guitar is so light weight if feels almost like holding a piece of balsa wood. And - I know this might be a small thing - it smells terrific. But we don't have guitars to smell 'em, do we? We play 'em! You can go to the Huss and Daltin Web site to find out the specs on this fine instrument (www.hussanddalton.com). This thing is a work of art. The fit, finish, and aesthetics are the finest I have ever seen on an acoustic guitar ..Period.. I wasn't looking for a guitar with electronics, because I use a Schertler DYN-G with all of my acoustics. To me, the most important feature in an instrument is playability, and this one is a 10 all the way.

How can describe this? First of all, I am primarily a fingerpicker but also strum and flatpick. Let me just say that this guitar does all three better than anything I have played, and I've played a few (I also own a Breedlove Ed Gerhard, three Taylors and a Takamine, and they are all nice instruments), but this is the best I've played.. ever.. Beautiful, smooth, articulate up and down the fretboard. You can make it thunder, you can make it sing, you can make it whisper.. You can get lost in the beautiful tone that pours from this instrument. I am really in awe; again, this is the best sounding guitar I've ever played.

I did not get this guitar from the factory, it was a private purchase from the original owner, who kept it in its case for two years and brought it out a few times. It did not have one flaw. And let me tell you, I went over this instrument with a fine tooth comb, carefully looking for anything - anything at all - in the fit and finish. It's perfect. It's more than a fine instrument; it's a work of art. Kudos to the folks at Huss and Dalton. The craftsmanship of these luthiers is truly top-notch. This guitar almost plays itself. In the past, I have heard others talk about a guitar playing like butter, and now I know what they're talking about. The action is like it was tailor-made for me. The finish is visually stunning and the guitar begs to be caressed. Every joint, every inch of binding, every inlay on the fretboard (gorgeous, by the way), is, in a word, perfect. I can not find a single flaw.

As I've said, construction is flawless. Everyhting seems absolutely top notch. Will it withstand live playing? What other way is there to play? Seriously, the guitar is obviusly well-built. I can't say for sure, because it's only two years old, but my guess is that I'll be happily playing it many years from now.

Would I gig with it without a backup? Yes. And I would watch it like a hawk. This thing beckons you..

I have not dealt directly with Huss and Dalton. From reading the comments of other H&D players - here and elsewhere - I understand that they are great people and more than willing to talk on the phone. But until I actually speak with them, I can not have an opinion here.

I'm 54 years old, been playing a long time. I have other guitars, as I mentioned previously. Also have some electrics and a few amps. If this were lost or stolen I would be broken hearted, and I would not think twice about selling some other gear to get a new one.

2004 MJC Rosewood back and sides, solid master grade spruce top, stingray inlays, waverly gold tuners with ebony buttons, bone nut and compensated bone saddle, mahogany neck

Huss and Dalton amazes me again... after buying a D-RH about a month ago and being very happy with it I decided to go for a fingerpicking model. I had a Taylor 814ce and 714ce LTD that I sold after getting this MJC.. I've also played numerous Martins, other Taylors, Goodalls, Collings, Takamine, and nothing came close.. this MJC has the exact sound I was looking for.. a full in your face sound that has plenty of bass (although not overwhelming the highs), crisp bright highs and is balanced at the same time.. It is very sensitive to how you play it, depending on strum/pick angle and attack you can tone down the bass or make the highs brighter.. I can't say I've been able to do this as well with any other guitar I've played. It has a big sound, what a jumbo is supposed to sound like.. I am extremely pleased with how it sounds.

The finish and fit is excellent, I cant find any flaws in how it was put together.. The action is low and easy to play, I would say as easy to play as a Taylor.. great neck too.. not too thick or thin for me.. It came with medium strings and is still a breeze to fret up and down the neck.

Seems like it is built very well.. it is a light guitar, my D-RH is light too compared to other brands.. however it looks like its solidly built.. I wouldnt expect problems with reliability/durability.

I called customer support a few days after I received the guitar.. I was very surprised and pleased to hear from the two guys that run the company, Mr.Huss and Mr.Dalton answering my questions personally.. cant get better info than from the guys that build your guitar.. they were very nice and helpful. The guitar has a lifetime warranty to the original owner.

I recently sold two Taylors, I've owned several Martins a D-28 and D-35.. a Takamine, Gibsons, PRS, Jackson..Ibanez.. quite a few acoustics and electrics.. If this guitar were stolen I wouldn't think twice about getting another just like it. I can't say the guitar is perfect but its as close to it as I've ever come across.. it sounds just the way I imagine a good jumbo to sound.. plays easily up and down the neck.. the one thing I might change about it is to put maple binding instead of ebony but thats probably available as a custom option... it has cool looking stingray inlays too... a great guitar.. a little expensive.. no buyers remorse here though.

I ?ve had this about a month. A fine hand-crafted instrument made in Virginia in 2003 for the 2004 NAMM show. From the web site: The MJC is a wholly unique instrument that combines the elegant lines and powerful voice of the traditional Jumbo with the playability that contemporary guitarists demand. Go to the web site for a full listing of features, but this thing is really impressive

Model MJC Custom with all solid woods of Bubinga back/sides, 25? radius Sitka spruce top, ebony body binding, 20 fret ebony fretboard with ebony binding and thin white line next to mahogany bolt-on neck, joins body at 14th fret, "half herringbone" black/white purfling and rosette, "Stingray? fingerboard inlay, gold Schaller tuners w/ebony buttons, 1-3/4" width at nut, 20" long body, 16" width (versus the J-200 17?), 4-1/2" depth, 4-3/16" sound hole, 2 ?? at bridge with shaped compensated bone saddle, 25.5" scale. Sunburst and glossy finish and came with no pickguard, but I am getting a clear one. No pickup, had strap button added on treble side of neck heel. Frets are medium size and excellently shaped, fits perfectly into its hard shell case. Neck shape is slight taper from heel to nut, and overall thin and fast. Fretboard has a radius and fits my hands well. Body style appears to be based on Gibson J-185 with Florentine (soft) cutaway. The 25? radius top is supposed to make it stronger so neck reset should be less of an issue over time and the guitar does have a very balanced tone. Rather than copy an exact vintage design, this BMJC seems to have incorporated the best of the modern improvements, especially great intonation throughout the neck and larger frets. Came in a really nice tweed hard shell case ? which I like, as is not the standard ?sunlight absorbing black/how to kill an acoustic guitar? color.

Inside all parts are smooth and sanded with no glue drops visible.

I rated it as a high quality, boutique acoustic, which, among other things, means I don?t want a factory electronics package to limit how I use the instrument. I intend to have it for years and will incorporate the best technology as it becomes available. This kind of instrument is about execution, not lists of bells and whistles.

If it had an electronics package, besides extensive pre-amp and EQ controls, I would want also an onboard tuner - now who has that?

I gave it a 9 as I hate to wrap strings around the post in the middle of a performance string break, give me a locking Sperzel tuner on stage!

: My descriptions of sounds are from the player?s perspective, not the audience?s which can be totally different. I play mostly fingerstyle using fingertips, country rock or jazz with a heavy pick. The sound of this guitar with light pb stings is as hard as a sledgehammer, cuts through the room, mostly fundamental rather than overtones. Reminds me of a cross between a carved jazz arch top and a great Gibson J-45. Bass has more ?thunk or twang? than most Slope D?s I?ve played. For me, a Martin D-28 of EI Rosewood-Sitka, played finger style with fingertips has a real soft and unfocused bass, this B-MJC is the opposite and is clear and articulate. The sound is wonderful for ragtime fingerstyle; blues but I do not think for New Age ?air? where Rosewood seems to rule for me. It is a perfect cutting lead instrument in an ensemble situation. The sound is balanced from e to e and from the 1st to the 17th fret (who plays acoustic much beyond that?). It has a sweet, full sound when finger picked or strummed softly and seems to have no top end when played hard. Very wide dynamic range so that with fingerstyle or plectrum I had to adjust my touch as ?soft? on other guitars is louder on this MJC. Now I can really make the melody stand out from the accompaniment on solo fingerstyle. This is not your best choice for a ?bedroom? acoustic guitar as if you are not careful; you can wake up not only your family, but your neighbors also!

You ask about sustain? Wow this thing is incredible! In my version of a sustain test, if I finger pluck the 5th fret, 2nd string note, E, it still gets sound after 8 seconds, most fine acoustic guitars only last 4-6 seconds. This feature is one that seems to separate the sound of this BMJC from that of a maple-Sitka carved archtop which usually lasts only 2-4 seconds for me.

The dealer got it at the January 2004 NAMM Show as it was the only acoustic he could hear above the surrounding noise as he played it. Very strong mid-range with not much treble shimmer, Goodall-type overtone or bass wash/mud. For acoustics it is a "banjo killer" for sure. With light phosphor bronze strings really has incredible loudness to the player and projection to the audience. I play in small church home groups and have to be careful that I don't overwhelm the singers! It is wonderful to have a guitar that can play in an ensemble without an amp and I love being told to ?play softer? by banjo or mandolin players. The bass player loves it because my sound is entirely out of his way.

Finger picked (mostly fingertip as I usually have little to no fingernail) it is loud and vibrant, more like a Gibson J-45 or Guild dreadnaught for blues. I heard one dealer say it sounds like a Gibson acoustic always wanted to. With a thick pick (Dunlap black nylon 1 mm; Fender Heavy) sounds like a mid-range archtop but without the crisp edge. This guitar does not get muddy with closed chords up the neck ? so Freddy Green/Ranger Doug types look out! Yet it is balanced when you do 3rd fret ? 15th fret ?3rd fret type shifts.

For an acoustic guitar the sound is full and rich, deep and loud, equal to anything I have ever played. If you want Taylor brightness or Martin bass, this does not have it. For what I wanted, it is perfect.

Is same as any high quality, hand-made guitar, flawlessly executed of the best quarter sawn woods. World class, deep into the area of preferences, not quality. The body finish is deep, rich and glossy, the sunburst appears to be a dark brown over an aged/toned Sitka top. The neck finish appears less glossy. The Sitka is of high quality with even lines and lots of rays. Did I say it was beautiful? It?s a real looker with the sunburst and the herringbone edge purfling. The neck is fast and smooth. I have found that necks are not all that critical (every see a classical guitarist or flamenco wail on that wide and thick classical guitar neck?). I like Taylor and old Martin vintage necks also. For the technically minded I can play clean 6 string, 5 fret major scales as 1/16th notes at 125 bpm and with a little work get back to 160 bpm anywhere from the 1st to the 15th fret (Ed Van Halen, Al DeMeola and Phil Keaggy are some of my guitar heroes). I come from the days when the big deal was a super thin, aluminum neck ? and where are they now? This one has a slight taper when viewed from the player?s position from nut to heel, but with the cutaway I can easily access the 17th fret.

I really like the minimal use of plastic, all solid woods, including the binding. Others charge much more for using wood binding. The fret board inlays are well done and the polished, compensated bone saddle is really seductive. Sitka top is stunning with lots of rays. Bubinga has some nice ribbons, beautiful reddish tone but not much figure. Don't know much about bubinga, but if like mahogany, less figuring is supposed to be better for tone. The finish is so shinny it hurts to look at it and all edges are "crisp", a stunning beauty with the vintage Gibson type sunburst top.

H&D came out with a MJ, which has same dimensions except a deeper body for those who want more bass (I play fingerstyle with my fingertips and this has all I need, if I need more, I?ll use different strings). I tend to like smaller body guitars like the OM and Grand Concert, (and of course my Eric Clapton Strat!). This is larger, but when sitting down is not hard to get used to. I would not prefer a deeper body. I tend not to practice on my Martin D-18GE for that reason. I think the narrower waist than a dreadnaught helps.

The bridge string spacing is 2 ?? which is OK but I would have preferred 2 5/16? as I don?t use fingernails or fingerpicks and my fingers are of medium size (I have a friend who plays mandolin with fingers twice my size, don?t know how he does it, but he does and he gets paid for it). I think 2 ?? is a good compromise for me as it is good for fingerstyle yet not so wide you can hear the string spacing with pick strumming especially if you try ?chop? chord styles for which a Gibson 2? bridge is perfect. The nut is 1 ?? which also works for me. I spent years with electrics at 1 5/8? and 1 11/16? at the nut (but didn?t know the sizes), and in the old days, when rock was played mostly on the first 5 frets, it was always hard to ovoid touching other strings. I though it was me rather than the wrong neck width. I don?t play classical guitar but I have new respect from watching a young lady with fingers so small it take two of hers to match mine, and hers are shorter (so was Danny Gatton?s) yet she can absolutely wail at hyperspeed on a 2 1/8? classical nut.

H&D is relatively new so they don?t have guitars 75 years old yet, but I would expect them to last equal or better than the current crop of vintage Gibson?s and Martin?s. With the 25? radius top for strength and the bolt-on neck it should need little maintenance over the years. I love the look of the ebony fingerboard with bound ebony so the side dots really stand out and humidity-induced fret problems should be minimal. As with any quality, solid wood acoustic you do have to manage the humidity. Not plugging it in usually means much greater reliability ? if all the strings broke I could use it as a drum. Not to worry, I do carry extra strings

Sent one email and in 3 weeks it did not get answered - I?ll try again. Asked the dealer to get me a clear pickguard, H&D supplied one in a week. He called them, but for me, during normal working hours that is harder to do, email is better for me. Lifetime warrantee to the original owner. The dealers, Tom and Larry at Acoustic Roots, are fabulous!

H&D is a small shop of less than 10 people. I'd rather have the quality if the dealer can get the support.

This is not your standard steel string acoustic, but for what it does, I have found no equal and it is gorgeous besides. Incredible and controllable dynamic range and well built, better for lead in an ensemble than solo vocal accompaniment (if you use a D-28 as the singer-songwriter standard, but this BMJC works for me as a guy with a ?John Denver? range voice) and has a great Gibson-type rhythm sound. H&D seems to make a great bluegrass, D-28-type dreadnaught; this BMJC is the other side of the world. Also see my review of the H&D OM. This is a ?real? instrument in that you just about can make it do anything within its extensive capabilities (I?d love to hear Phil Keaggy or Martin Taylor play with it a while). I have yet to play a recent (since 1970) Martin or Taylor that had anything close to this kind of dynamic range, nor can few other boutique acoustics touch this particular one either. I love the cutting projection, great intonation throughout the neck and its well-built solidness.

In recent times I have had deep relationships with Martin D-18GE and OM-18 GE, Ovation Elite and Legend, Takamine 1992 Limited, Goodall GC and JC, Bourgeois OMC, SME, Carvin 375, Taylor DDSM, 812, 814, Santa Cruz H and Huss & Dalton OM acoustic guitars and played Ryan and others ? so many great guitars ? so few fingers and so little time! For electrics: Fender, Ibanez, Gibson, Jaros, Hamer, Foster and Roman along with Fender, Carvin, Guytron, Carr, Allesandro, Vox, and Yamaha amps. I play a wide variety of fingerstyle (ragtime, blues, ballads, folk, country) along with rock and jazz. Been playing for about 40 years and now think of guitars and amps as how to fit or fill a sonic pallet, not as an end in itself but a tool to create beauty. This BMJC owns its sonic range!

Now I play mostly in church from leading large worship services to small home groups and solo fingerstyle performances. This is my ?I don?t need to carry no stinking amp? acoustic. I got plenty others if I need to plug in ? my current fav is a stunning koa-topped, Carvin AC375 with 1 ?? at the nut, 2 3/16 at the bridge. I don?t know if this is love, but I sure am impressed and glad I got this thing ? way to go H&D! In the same church situations my next choice would be my Bourgeois Martin Simpson European (Mahogany-Cedar) or my Martin D-18 GE (Mahogany-Adirondack) but both would be second best to this BMJC. My Ovation Elite is in a similar tonal range acoustically but what is a Yugo compared to a BMW! I see this as a performance or blues guitar, not an intimate or songwriting guitar ? but then didn?t the Beatles do wonders with those old Gibson?s? When I can?t use the BMJC with a microphone, I would go with the Carvin AC375 as it has a small body, light weight, good string spacing and so far all under string saddle transducers (UST) sound close enough to be the same to me. Plugged in I am playing the pre-amp, cable, direct box, EQ, amp-speakers, and hall acoustics, not the acoustics in the guitar.

If stolen I would get another if I could. My favorite used to be Martin, then I found out how to use dynamic range. If you cannot afford a vintage Martin, look at these newer boutique guitars. More to this sonic range, I love a good soundiung Gibson, they are just so hard to find! I don't have enough time to sift through Gibsons to look for ones that could try to come close.

Bottom line, for the money in this sonic range no one is even close!

My H&D MJC came with a master grade cedar top, East Indian rosewood back and sides, ebony body and neck binding, rope (half herringbone) top purfling, herringbone rosette, gold Grover tuners with ebony pegs, 16 inch lower bout, 4.5 inch depth, mahogany one piece neck, ebony peghead with H&D logo in paua abalone shell, stingray pearl inlays on ebony fretboard, bone saddle and nut, and 25.4 inch scale length. Strung with Elixir medium light strings.

Deep, rich bass response, full and ringing mid-range, and clear bell-like highs with sustain that seems to last forever. Intonation is absolutely perfect. Highly suitable for fingerpicking, but loves to be flatpicked. Volume is thunderous.

True master-grade fit and finish inside and out. There are absolutely no flaws in the fit and finish of this instrument. The appearance is better than any other guitar that I've owned including a limited edition Martin 1935 special. The action is low but no buzzing at any position on the fret board. I liken the appearance of this guitar to a classic depression-era style dressed in a fine tuxedo because of the ebony and white trim used throughout the guitar.

Have spoken directly with the luthiers at Huss and Dalton, and they have been very helpful. No warranty work as yet as the guitar is new. Comes with a life time warranty.

Absolutely one of the finest guitars that I have owned and worth every penny. Looked carefully at Olson SJ, Ryan Mission, Omega MJ, and a Martin OM42PS before deciding upon this instrument, and I could not be more pleased with the decision.

Small jumbo cutaway. Radiused sitka top finished black with a beautiful violin-amber burst around bridge area. Clear pickguard, half-herringbone border and rosette. Mahogany back and sides that are finished in burgundy. Bone nut and fully compensated saddle. Stingray inlays on an ebony fretboard. The bridge, pins, headstock face plate and buttons on the gold Scallers are all ebony, as well as the binding. I could not believe this guitar when I saw it. Amazing.

Huge. Bright. Balanced. Clear. Punchy. Overtones like no other guitar I've played. It's a fingerstyle guitar, and has a very light body and thin, extremely well-voiced top. Loud. Takes drop tunings VERY well. I've A/B'd this with lots of high-end guitars, and it blows away comparative instruments by Goodall, Santa Cruz and Collings. I guess I got lucky. ;)

Okay, this may be my only gripe. I wanted to raise the action a little, but I found that the truss rod was fully slack already; it's perfect for fingerstyle, though. Flawless construction- a perfect piece.

Sturdy, despite its light weight. Bolt-on neck, lifetime warranty. Definitely a player's guitar, but I don't like leaving the house with it. It's me baby.

Lifetime warranty.

I've been shopping for a nice acoustic for a long time. I had a 000 or OM in mind- a recording guitar. When I found this, though, I was floored. I had to have it. This is easily my favorite guitar I've ever owned. A portable Steinway and a bargain with all the features. Even their standard D has wood binding and a radiused top. These guys, these are the guys.