Product: Paragon MJ
Price Paid: US $1375 used
Submitted
07/14/2004
at
12:55pm
by
Anonymous
Features
:
9
Sitka Spruce top, Rosewood Back and Sides, Gloss Finish, 3 Piece Mahogany Neck, modified V shape, 1.75" nut, Ebony Fretboard, Bridge, and Headstock. Cocobolo binding. Abalone Rosette. Scallopped bracing, X-Pattern. 14 Frets clear. Gotoh 510 Gold Tuners.
Sound
:
10
This guitar is a fingerpicker's delight. The sound is balanced and responsive, with powerful projection. It is also a surprisingly nice guitar for flat picking, although the action is not set up for hard strumming. I cannot overemphasize how well this instrument projects.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
The build quality is just what you would expect from a small shop like Paragon. Luthiers Mark Vantaa and Rob Bustos got their start working for Larrivee before setting out on their own. They custom build these instruments by hand according to the features selected by the buyer. A well known local luthier thoroughly examined this guitar inside and out and found the build quality to be top notch. The guitar is extremely light, which helps it's responsiveness. The hand scallopped bracing is beautifully sanded. The finish is impecable, and the top and back woods are beatifully matched. The tuners are a joy to operate, nice ratios, easy to tune. This body size is very easy to hold since the body is thinner than a dreadnaught and the lower bout is not nearly as large as a full size jumbo. Although the guitar is larger than the OM size typically favored by fingerstylists, it is still very comfortable to hold. I was not sure whether I would like the modified-V style neck, however it is extremely comfortable and easy to play.
Reliability/Durability
:
9
"Boutique" instruments owe their responsiveness to their relatively light bracing. This is a quality built instrument which should hold together over time. As with any acoustic, proper humidification is the key. The tuning on this guitar is extremely accurate and reliable.
Customer Support
:
10
I contacted Rob Bustos to ask him about this used instrument and he was extremely helpful and quick to respond. He is even honoring the lifetime warranty because the guitar was barely used.
Overall Rating
:
10
I stumbled upon this guitar while perusing ebay. Paragon is a relatively new brand which I has been getting rave reviews on the HC Acoustic Guitar Forum. Used Paragons are a bargain since these guitars are not widely known. Even for the new price, this guitar is a bargain, since it is priced below what you would pay for other, more familiar "boutique" brands such as Collings, Santa Cruz, Huss and Dalton, Foggy Bottom, to name a just a few. The outstanding responsiveness and light action of this guitar make it ideally suited for fingerpicking, however it also performs perfectly well when played with a flatpick. The tone is woodier, more "open", and balanced more toward the mids and trebles than my '75 Martin D35. Two very different instruments which are designed for completely different styles of playing.
