Product: Morgan Monroe MND-1 The Natural
Price Paid: US $110.00
Submitted
08/27/2005
at
11:43pm
by
Canon Alberic
Features
:
9
Korean (not as good a American or Japanese, but better than Chinese or Indonesian!) made, standard dreadnaught shape.
20 frets
Solid spruce top (gloss finish), Bubinga laminate back and sides, rosewood neck, headstock, bridge and fretboard.
Gold "no-name" tuners
Bound body, neck and headstock
This guitar is now discontinued, but it normally retailed for about $260.00
Sound
:
8
I bought this as another "camping" (read: "beater" guitar) on the spur of the moment when I walked into a local shop and they had 3 of them that they were "closing out". The sound is bright and crisp and actually unexpectedly loud. Okay, it doesn't sound like my Taylor, but it cost 1/10th as much! I'd say it's actually a bit louder than my Seagull (although not as balanced) and brighter than my Art & Lutherie (my other camping guitar).
I mostly just strum chords and sing (badly!), along with a little flatpicking, and I was very pleasantly surprised by how nice this thing actually plays, especially for the price.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
7
The appearance was the 2nd thing that caught my eye (after the sale price tag!). Pretty darned impressive for a low-end guitar. The binding is quite nice, the spruce top is pretty (decently bookmatched) and the headstock and back/sides are quite attractive.
I found the action to be much better than most inexpensive guitars... the strings actually weren't 6 inches off of the fretboard. I found it very playable, especially after putting good (John Pearse, NOT Elixers!) strings on it.
Okay, it's a cheap guitar... the fretboard could be a little nicer (althought the fret wires were set well), and there are a few very minor cosmetic flaws, but you really have to look for them.
Finally, while the tuners are cheap, the gold finish is a very cool plus, and looks great on this guitar!
Reliability/Durability
:
7
I've only had it for a few months, but it seems pretty durable. I only play for myself and friends, so the gigging thing is not applicable, but for my purposes, it's just fine.
Finally, since it was cheap, who cares if it's not the most durable axe out there?
Customer Support
:
9
The guitar has a lifetime warranty. It isn't on their website any more (discontinued), but when I emailed them, they were very nice, and got back to me right away with more details/information.
Overall Rating
:
8
I've only been playing for a couple of years, but I wish I'd come across this one before I purchased my 1st acoustic (bottom-end Yamaha), this one sounds and plays much better!
I also own a Taylor 415, a Seagull S6+ Spruce, an Art & Lutherie (all laminated) "Wild Cherry" and an Alvarez 12 string.
The music shop also had a "Montana" guitar for the same price... absolutely no comparison! This one is far nicer. Were it lost/stolen or broken, I probably wouldn't replace it, especially since you can't buy these anymore. Too bad- Morgan Monroe had a really nice product here.
Product: Morgan Monroe MND-1 The Natural
Price Paid: US $259.00
Submitted
03/04/2002
at
10:43am
by
Tim Grossner
Email: tg<at>cityscape dot net
Features
:
9
Made in Korea
20 frets
Solid spruce top
Body is Bubinga(aka African Rosewood), both back and sides.
Rosewood fingerboard and bridge, neck and headstock
Gold plated tuners
Fully bound body, neck, and headstock.
Sound
:
9
I am VERY new to guitar, but it sounds rich and sweet. No harsh tones or buzzing unless fretting isnt solid, which doesnt happen often. The string action is low and easy to frett without buzzing.
I love the lower tones, though I have heard stronger guitars cosint 3x as much.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
Factory set is perfect for my playing
No flaws I can see.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
Hardware is top notch. Minute adjustments cause instant change in tone. Tuning stays true through much playing time.
Customer Support
:
9
Never had to deal with them, though the guitar has a LIFETIME warranty from manufacturer defects.
Overall Rating
:
10
WONDERFUL guitar for a beginner who wants quality without spending a small fortune on a Martin, Tacoma or some other fabulously expensive guitar. I believe the tone and quality equal/surpass guitars from Alvarez, Ibanez, and others without the cost. Several friends of mine who are much more experienced say it sounds as good as expensive Takamines or other similar rigs.