Product: Tama 3560S
Price Paid: 165 (#)
Submitted
11/23/2005
at
10:54am
by
dobrodave
Email: dobrodave<at>hotmail dot com
Features
:
10
Very similar to the 3560N but according to the salesman in the shop, he said the 's' meant solid top. Beautiful solid Sitka Spruce top, with Jacaranda rosewood back and sides. Gold machines, Ebony fretboard, Ebony bridge, tortoishell pickguard, abalone binding to back, sides and front (as in Martin D45) Abalone markers up the neck. Slim neck with superb action from new. mahogany one piece neck, still as straight as the day I bought it.
Sound
:
10
I play flat picked and fingerstye and it seems to work equally well for both. Sounds like a cross between a top end Martin and a big bodied Lowden O35. Rich and full all the way up the neck with superb balance accross the strings. Superb for flatpicking or fingerpicking, or just having a strum. I have fitted a Martin undersaddle pickup to it which sounds good. Sounde great when I bought it and its only getting better.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
Low action and very playable from new in 1972. Finish is excellent and even the inside finish (through the soundhole) is top class too. Bookmatched timber and superb quality workmanship throughout. No problems with bracing or frets, still got the original ones fitted. I must say thought that the case it came with was pathetic, and I bought a Martin case virtually straight away and its fitted like a glove. Don't know if the case should be included in the review, but it was part of the overall package.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
A little bit of wear on the machine heads, but you would expect this after over 30 years of playing. The sitkas spruce top is a gorgeous honey colour now. I have played live gigs for the last 33 years in a variety of bands from Country, Rock, Bluegrass to Folk it seems to like it all.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Never needed to use it.
Overall Rating
:
10
I've been playing guitar for 43 years and I don't think I'll ever be able to find a better guitar. If it was stolen I would never be able to replace it as I have never seen another one advertised anywhere. I was asked to swap this guitar for a Martin D35 a few months after I bought it, I am so glad I didn't swap. D35's are ten a penny and I could buy one anywhere. Not so with my Tama, it's a rare jem.
