Product: Suzuki 9514
Price Paid: 400 (Uk Pounds) used
Submitted
10/19/2005
at
02:15pm
by
John
Features
:
10
Early 70's Japanese made copy of the Maccaferri grande bouche (D shaped soundhole) acoustic jazz guitar. 12 frets to body, with cutaway, spruce top, rosewood sides, superb rosewood fingerboard with large radius. Has a zero fret (which I now think should be mandatory on all guitars!) Should have had an extended fretboard out over the sound hole (see any picture of a Mac) but previous owner had butchered it to fit a soundhole pickup! Mahogany neck with slot head (like a classical) and an archtop type bridge and tailpiece. Wide neck - like a classical guitar, but with steel strings.
Sound
:
10
Has a good jazz tone - not too heav on the bass, with a real Django twang if you use a heavy pick near the bridge that really cuts through any other acoustic that is playing alongside it. The rosewood I mostly play fingerstyle and a little jazz, so the wide spaced strings are just right for my fat fingers. The thing I love most about this guitar is the sound it makes when played softly - with a rich middle and high end, and the big D soundhole directing the sound back to the player, it is wonderfully balanced and a delight to practice on in aquiet room. Not suited for bashing out chords in a sing song.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
I got it second hand, and it had been well et up - better action than any acoustic I have ever played. The finish is excellent, beautiful binding and bookmatched back, and all the wood is good quality.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
It has lasted 30 years or so, and the previous owner gigged it regularly with a jazz band - I see no reason why t should not go on for another 30.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Not applicable - the Nagoya Kis Suzuki plant stopped making them 20 years ago.
Overall Rating
:
10
Playing 25 years, have had two dozen guitars, half a dozen amps. Currently reduced to one electric (Shergold) one Bass (Shergold) and four acoustics - this one and another Suzuki, an old Eko and a Taylor. If I lost this one I would certainly hunt one down again - it is a special sound, that only a D hole Maccaferri type can make, and this one sounds as good as several hand mades and high price Mac copies I have played (and a heck of a lot better than many sub #1000.00 ones that I tried out before I bought this) If you want that Django twang there is no good alternative.
