Johnson JG-D35-CEN Herringbone Dreadnaught

This is Johnson's version of Martin's HD-28. Made in China, probably within the last year or two. It's a dreadnaught with a cutaway. Solid Sitka spruce top (probably B-grade since it has a few small irregularities) with scalloped bracing, laminated mahogany back and sides, herringbone binding and rosette, and rosewood fretboard. Polyurethane finish is very high-gloss. Equipped with an undersaddle pickup and B-band equalizer. Neck has a nice skinny profile that is comparable to an electric guitar. Tuners are die-cast chrome.

It sounds like a well-balanced dreadnaught. The bracing seems pretty heavy-duty, which may account for the bass not being overpowering. Sound is nothing fancy or special, but for some reason it impressed my local luthier and a Martin-playing friend. I've been using it to play old-time folk and bluegrass, and it works fine for those styles. I ran it through my Fender Champ and it sounded much better than I had anticipated.

The setup was surprisingly good. I didn't have to work on the nut at all, which amazed me. After putting 2 shims under the saddle, the action was perfect. I had to file a couple of frets with sharp edges. Bookmatching on the top is decent, but the finish had cracked right along the middle, and an attempt was made to fill it in. My repairman assured me this was only cosmetic and not a structural flaw. Some of the finish along the edges of the fingerboard is a bit sloppy if you look closely, but it's not a big deal.

I haven't used it live yet, but I doubt I'll take a backup when I do. Hardware and finish seem solid enough. My strap has already slipped off the input jack endpin, which does not have a very wide lip (I've seen this on several guitars with input jack endpins). Since I started using a lockstrap washer, it's been fine.

I've never dealt with Johnson. I think the warranty is for 2 years.

I've been playing mostly blues, rock, and metal for 20 years. My guitar collection consists of several electrics and a couple of Ovations. When I joined a folk group a few months ago, the leader told me that my Ovations weren't appropriate (the 12-string apparently has no place in old-time folk music, and the 6-string sounded too brittle). Not knowing how long I would stay in the group, I didn't want to spend too much money on a flatback 6-string acoustic, especially since most non-Ovation acoustic necks are murder on my hands. I can play the Johnson for hours without hurting myself, and it meets with the leader's approval. Everyone's happy! Overall, I'm quite satisfied with my purchase and concur with the person who wrote the other review on Johnson's Herringbone series: I don't know how the company does it. The Chinese children toiling in the sweatshops are obviously doing something right. If it were lost or stolen, I would buy another one. When your main gripe about a <$500 guitar is a strap button, what else can be said?