Wechter Pathmaker

The features of this guitar, which include the Wechter 3-pickup system and rosewood/spruce construction attracted me to it. Timers are usable and the neck has a decent feel.

The sound is what I would expect from a $200 - $300 guitar. Not very full. The sound-hole pickup really adds hum in many situations and the condeser mic feeds back very easily.

This guitar has the worst manufacturing I have ever seen. Went through 2 of them before I sent it back for something else. Both guitars I has exhibited neck/finish issues where the neck meets the body. The second one's neck was not even lined up straight with the sound hole... so bad the magnetic pickup had to be significantly offset.
The binding around the headstock and body of the guitar is horrible. I own a lot of guitars. The Pathmaker 5730 is without exception the worst quality guitar I have ever owned.

I tried using the Pathmaker to gig, but every time I got it somewhere I would have to tune it. Not just a little tuning... half steps. Something is wrong, very wrong. Comes with a gig bag. I was going to get a hard case, but once I played the instrument and had a chance to look it over I decided not to waste my money.

Thought it was great. Sent the first Pathmaker back and Abe himself worked with me on the return. The second guitar they sent me was worse than the first and when I complained nobody from Wechter would respond. When I spoke to Abe he seemed to think I should not have high expectactions of Chinese guitars compared to US made. I have Korean and Mexican guitars that put the Pathmaker to shame.

I have been playing guitar for 24 years and have had quite a few high and low dollar instruments. THIS GUITAR IS HORRIBLE. SHAME ON YOU WECHTER!
If stolen or lost I would have been relieved. In fact, before Sweetwater sound came through to exchange the second guitar for another product I seriously considered smashing it.
This guitar is so flawed that I could not sell it with a good conscience. Looks great, but is a terribly made sub-par instrument.

2006 Pathmaker model 5730. Manufactured in China, with electronics added and setup completed in USA.

Solid spruce top, with laminated rosewood elsewhere. Bound (thin, comfortable) neck, small offset position markers, 3-pickup system.

Preamp layout takes a bit of practice, but the good news is that it's worth learning -- the sounds are all there.

I like the headstock design. It's cosmetically distinctive, but a closer look reveals that it aids in placing the tuner shafts almost perfectly in line with the slots in the nut. The result is straight string pull across the nut, which helps to keep the strings (particularly the wound ones) from binding at the nut when you release a bend. This is a nice touch on a guitar you'll be tempted to play like a true electric; the 5730 does stay in tune remarkably well.

I'm primarily an electric player, but I use the acoustic for solo songwriter things once in a blue moon, as well as for "around the house" and for recording.

Acoustically, the 5730 has a nice overall tone. The lack of shoulders (removed to create the unusual double cutaway) limits the volume somewhat, but not to the point of making this not a "true" acoustic. The designers seem to have been going for a Taylor sound more than a Martin or Gibson. An A/B comparison to my Taylor Big Baby (Taylor's budget 15/16 scale dreadnaught) shows the Taylor to have a little more note separation and "air." The slightly deeper-bodied Wechter still has very good overall balance, with more bass than the Taylor. They're both very good acoustics for recording, particularly strummed parts.

Electrically, the 3-pickup configuration gives you have access to pretty much anything other than a bridge-pickup high-gain sound.
On the subject of gain, there is plenty of gain from the onboard preamp to drive any standard guitar amp. The internal mic will, as others have noted, feed back at anything above a moderate volume.

I've been able to go from a clear, fairly natural acoustic sound (mixing about 1/3 neck magnetic with 2/3 piezo into a solid state PA) to a Ted Nugent "Hibernation" Gibson hollowbody sound (neck pickup thru an overdriven '83 Fender Concert 112.) That skinny neck makes you want to play the 5730 like a Byrdland, and the upper fret access is actually better on the 5730!

One recording option involves recording the acoustic signal with a good mic, while simultaneously sending the pickup signal through a cable to an amp isolated in another room (or a simulator right beside you) for a very unusual type of stereo recording -- two identical performances with both acoustic and electric tonal characteristics.

Here the 5730 shines. The construction is spotless, even internally. There's none of that crap where the bridge plate holes are splintered by a careless drilling operation, no blobs of glue -- everything's clean and straight. The setup is beautiful, and hasn't budged despite the guitar's relative newness (I've had to adjust the Taylor's under-designed, temperamental neck 6 or 7 times since buing it.) It plays in tune, the fretwork is the best I've seen in an Asian guitar, and all in all it has a very high-end vibe for a sub-$600 instrument.

I've seen some reviewers say disquieting things about a couple of trouble spots (especially the bridge plate.) So far so good -- my bridge is solid. Everything else seems to be at least as durable as it needs to be for the long run. I won't rate it, since it's only a few months old. I will say that the general level of attention to detail leads me to conclude that if there was a known problem, the Wechter folks have probably rectified it by the time mine was built.

In making the purchase, I dealt with 2 people at Wechter, plus Simon (the dealer) at Mumbojumbo. My phone calls and emails were all returned, my questions were all answered.

Simon was particularly patient in brokering the transaction. As I'd been unable to find a Wechter to try locally, I had quite a few questions. He answered them all, then went beyond my questions to offer up tips accumulated from his own use of another Wechter model.

Yes, it was a potential sale, rather than a problem, so it's not the full spectrum of "customer service." But: The general vibe I got was that if I do need help with something in the future, both companies seem to be small enough and consciencious enough to respond and take action. I was pretty impressed with the level of access I had to everybody concerned.

I've been playing for 30 years. I have 3 acoustics, about 15 electrics, a mandolin, etc.

I've always preferred (on the infrequent occasions when I actually play somewhere out in the real world) to mic my guitar. But after two straight bad experiences with either the wrong guy on the mixing board, or with the wrong king of mic, I started thinking about getting an acoustic with a pickup. Now I have an acoustic with 3 pickups, and a very good-sounding one at that.

The 5730's super confortable to play -- thin neck, great upper-fret access, relatively small body. It sounds really good, and is versatile enough to sound good in several different ways. It's not so expensive that I'm afraid to take it out of the house, but its sounds and looks are comparable to more costly models.

I'm very happy with it.

The features have been talked about adequately on this page. Suffice to say the only thing I would have added was a built in tuner. That being said, I got way more than my money's worth with this guitar.

I play at coffee shops and clubs. I tend to use a straight piezo guitar in club and band situations but I'm itching to try this guitar out that way. It works great in "acoustic" environments. Incredibly versatile but I love that its'a rich complex sound while plugged in. I also love the sound unplugged which is what first attracted me to this guitar.

This guitar was perfect off the wall. I wouldn't and didn't change a thing.

This guitar feels durable. I never go without a backup! LOL! But it feels solid.

The man answers his own e-mail!! Nuff said! Haven't needed anything since I bought it.

I've been playing for over 37 years. I have a Washburn D10s, Yamaha, APXT, Matrix Ovation and sundry electric guitars as well. Lost or stolen, I'd cry, seek revenge and get another!! This guitar is a working musicians dream. I've never gotten this rich a sound from any guitar. The fun part is that it's easy. Truly plug n play! I love my other acoustics. Both the Wasburn and the Matrix have rich unplugged sounds. The Yamaha has a powerful plugged in sound. This guitar has both and is comparable to guitars costing twice as much, even just unplugged. I fell in love with this guitar. Pulled it down and loved it's chime and response unplugged. It's timbre is much like a Taylor or Larivee. I spied the mic and said, Oh what the heck, let's hear what she sounds like and I was blown away.

Great features. Read the webpage before buying and you'll know how to make full use of this guitar before you get it shipped to you. I can't think of anything else i'd like other than the second strap button. I did it myself without any problems. I have to knock it down to 9 for the strap button.

Well the sound...wow....what can i say. Put a 399.00 wechter next to a 2800.00 martin and what do you get? A pissed off martin owner! It's so close it's scary...and by the way, when did maple start sounding so rich?

The fit and finish were increadible. I'm TOTALLY impressed. The action was a bit high for my tastes and the bridge seemed to be pealing off ( i noticed another guy mentioned that as well). I called and talked with them and the provided me a return authorization number to get the work done. I emailed pictures and Abe HIMSELF called me back and said he'd fix it, no charge. So for the action problem and the bridge, i am knocking off 2 points. But please keep in mind, the guitar is absolutely perfect otherwise.

when i get it back from Abe, I'll let you know how it stacks up later. While i've played it, aside from the previously mentioned problems, it's been great.

TOP NOTCH. Actually answer their phones, return calls, return emails...offer to fix problems. What more can you ask for?

Overall, all things considerred, it's like the 2nd best guitar/value i've ever owned. They really have crammed a $1500.00 guitar into a $399.00 price tag. Just hope they don't do like mazda did and start jacking prices up when the product becomes popular

Pathmaker 3101 with jet black finish. A complete list of the
features can be found in other reviews. The important feature
for me is the 3-pickup system, which allows blending between
a magnetic pickup, a piezo pickup, and a microphone mounted
inside the body.

I found the 3-pickup controls a bit counter-intuitive. I
expected that I would find 3 sliders, one for each pickup.
Instead there is a slider to blend magnetic/piezo, a knob
for microphone volume, and another volume knob. (There are
also other controls for the electronics, but these are the
ones for controlling the balance between the 3 pickups.)

However, it only takes a few minutes to get used to this
arrangement. The only part I couldn't figure out without
looking at the Wechter web site is that to get microphone
only you turn the second volume know to zero.

I forgot to mention that this guitar is B-stock. The electronics,
fit, and finish were like A-stock, except for a few barely
noticeable finish problems. It would be difficult to get
these problems to show up in a photo.

I was looking for a guitar for playing and recording jazz, both
chord-melody style, and single-note soloing. I was having trouble
with my jazz guitar in getting a good recorded sound.

In the test recordings I've made with this guitar I have been
able to get a very good recorded sound, better than I was able
to do with my jazz guitar (into a Boss BR-864). The versatility
of the 3-pickup system is very handy; I like using about half
piezo when comping, and all or nearly all magnetic pickup when
soloing. In both cases adding a little microphone does give
slight but noticeable airiness, which I like.

I plug my Pathmaker into a Roland Cube 30, and am happy with the
sound. I have not tried plugging it into an acoustic guitar amp.
With the Cube I use the clean (JC-120) setting.

Acoustically, the guitar was not as loud as I expected and has
a somewhat compressed sound. I don't normally play acoustics,
so I can't compare with them. However, compared to my unplugged
jazz box, the sound is more compressed, and no louder. The
compression could be regarded as a plus or minus. When strumming
it helps in getting a smooth and even sound, but some might miss
the dynamic range.

I can see no flaws at all on my Pathmaker, except for the very
minor finish flaws mentioned above that caused the guitar to be
sold as B-stock.

The action of the guitar was a bit higher than I expected, especially
towards the bridge, making the higher frets (which are accessible
because of the guitar's design) not so usable. I was expecting the
neck to play more like an electric, but the action was more like
what I would expect from an acoustic. I plan to take the guitar
in to see if I can get the action lowered a little.

The intonation of the instrument is excellent. It tunes up very
well and is in tune all over the neck.

The guitar seems to be very solid. I would probably feel
comfortable using it on a gig without a backup, but that
wouldn't be very smart, would it??

The web site is very useful. I have not had to deal with
the company for service.

I've been playing for almost 30 years. I currently own
an old, cheap Gibson solidbody, a DeArmond jazz box (Korean),
and a Yamaha AEX-502 semi-hollowbody.

If I lost this guitar I think I would replace it. I love
it's flexibility and the sound I get when I record it.

I was reading about other multi-pickup guitars, like the Carvin
185, but the price was so low on this one that I couldn't resist.
Also, I have no other acoustic guitar and thought this would also
fill a gap there.

I wish this guitar had its second strap button installed at the
factory.

Everyone knows the features by now; basically it's touted as an inexpensive guitar with beaucoup features for the buck spent.

Plugged in, there's a lot of variety depending on how you tweak the three way system. Unplugged, it loses a lot. The plywood top just doesn't do a lot acoustically. Plugged in, it can howl like a banshee if you're too close to the amp.

Everything seemed okay in this category.

Lacking one strap button (will someone please explain what sort of guitar maker deliberately puts only one strap button on their guitar?) is a definite minus. The gig bag was nothing to write home about either.

Never tried them; their web site seems alright -- only excerpts from the stellar reviews given by Guitar Player and Guitar One-- it would have been nice to be able to read the whole reviews. Makes you wonder what they left out. Does the top delaminate?

Been playing 40 plus years. If it had a solid top and a way to mute the soundhole when plugged in, and a second strap button, I might have gone for it. A lot of bang for the buck, but not enough for me to shoot the lock off my wallet.

I have a natural finish Pathmaker Artec HT-TBL, purchased brand-new in 2004. They advertise that although it is manufactured in China, it is finished by Wechter's team of luthiers in Paw Paw Michigan before being shipped out for sale. It has a long and very slim 19-fret neck that is solid mahogany with white plastic binding. It is an acoustic-electric with a 4-inch body constructed of maple with that distinct double-cutaway design. The body is a high-gloss finish and is bound in white plastic that adds to the guitar's cool looks. For this price range, it has a surprisingly diverse set of electronics. There is a bridge pickup, a magnetic pickup at the sound hole, and a microphone set back in the body visible through the sound hole. The controls include volume and mixing switches and are made of a fairly cheap-type of plastic. You need a 9-volt battery in order for it to work. Tuner keys are a sort of light chrome metal no-name variety that appear to be less heavy and durable than more expensive brands (probably the only thing I'd consider replacing on this guitar). It has both the standard 1/4-inch jack and an XLR cable jack. The guitar comes with only one strap button, so you have to purchase and install another one if you are going to play this standing up (not a big deal, but why can't they at least include a spare one so that they match?) The only accessory that comes standard with the guitar is a soft, but relatively durable gig bag. I'd prefer to see a hard-shell case come standard with this guitar.

I play mostly rhythm guitar in a contemporary Christian worship service. We play a variety of folk rock and country-style music. I plug into a 30W Crate acoustic amp which is fed into a mixing board. The sound of this guitar is absolutely fabulous, much fuller and richer than my more expensive Ovation. The various switches on the pickups and microphone give you lots of room to play around with different tones. My only dislike is the sound-hole mike squeaks out with some serious feedback when I get within a few feet of my amp, so I've learned to be more careful where I stand.

Being made in China and all, I was thinking that this guitar would have at least a few visible flaws. Not so! Whether they are hiring good luthiers over there or Wechter's team of experts did a bang-up job, but either way, this guitar is flawless. The fit and finish are just awesome. I went over the entire guitar closely and could not find one problem with it. The set-up is just what I was hoping to get -- nice and low. With regards to playing this guitar, I absolutely love the long and very slim neck, which has the feel of an electric guitar. The weight of the mahogany neck tends to pull the neck down, so I've had to learn to put a bit more pressure on the body of the guitar with my other arm while I'm playing to keep it in an upright and playable position.

I've only been playing live with this for a few months, but in between I've put in a lot of hours in rehearsal. It has been very reliable. Finish remains solid, and it has held together so well that it now has replaced my Ovation as my main acoustic guitar.

No need to call them as of yet.

I've been playing guitar for over 20 years. I have an Ovation Balladeer, and a few electric guitars as well. I really love the feel of this guitar, as well as the looks and the versatility. I'd definitely buy another one if it was lost or stolen.

Chinese made Pathmaker I believe a 2002 model year. The three pickup Artec system.

The features have been adequately described below. This guitar packs a lot of features. I include the extended double cutaway as a "feature."

A well thought out guitar, with many features.

I truly enjoy the sound this guitar makes. Very full and rich. If it loses anything from the extended cutaway of the body I could not tell.

The Artec system works very well in my opinion. The microphone does get somewhat boomy if the level is too high. I like to add just a little bit to the piezo to round out the amplified sound a bit. Also nice that you can plug an XLR cable straight into this guitar.

When I received it, it was set up very nicely. I understand that all of these import "grey market" guitars are set up in Michigan, and I believe it. When I got the guitar it played wonderfully, no buzzes and nice low action.

Minor finish flaws but nothing egregious. Everything looked pretty good to me.

Here is where my problems started. After about 6 months, I noticed that the action seemed to be getting higher, but I could not discern any bowing of the neck. I took it to my apprentice-luthier friend. He examined the guitar and determined that the bridge appeared to be separating from the body. He showed me the situation, and you could fit a medium pick between the body of the guitar and the rear of the bridge.

I then brought the guitar to a true luthier and asked him to repair it. He informed me that when he was in the process of removing the bridge, he noticed that the bridge had actually cracked, and that is why the rear of the bridge appeared to be lifting.

The luthier ordered a bridge from the company, and was charged $15.00 (not bad, but what about the "warranty?"). Unfortunately, the bridge delivered was slightly smaller than the one originally on the guitar, so the luthier had to make accomodation for the smaller bridge (mainly a visual issue). Further, there was also wood damage to the body of the guitar underneath where the bridge sits, so he could not get as secure of a bond as he wished. He therefore would not guarantee the work, and didn't charge me labor as a kind favor.

The luthier said there were other issues which could be addressed, but without spending money well in excess of the value of this guitar (considering the $399 purchase price).

There is a significant possibility I got the "lemon" of the group. All the other reviews seems to rate this guitar very highly. Guess I just got unlucky.

I have e-mailed and discussed the guitar with Abe Wechter, both before and after purchase. He seems like a truly nice person, and very interested in his guitars.

Unfortunately, when I informed Mr. Wechter about the issues I had with the bridge, I was informed that the problems with my guitar were not covered by the warranty. Apparently I lived in a region that was too humid, and this voided the warranty. Therefore, I got no "warranty" for the problems I had with my guitar.

I like many things about this guitar, and obviously I was very disappointed in the problems I had with mine. I enjoy the extended cutaway and the 3 pick-up system. I do think this guitar was very well designed. Unfortunately, it seems I got a grey market lemon.

The features of the Wechter Pathmaker (I have the 3120 Ovankol model) are well-documented on this page. Rather than give yet another laundry list, I will say that this is the most well-conceived acoustic electric I have played, especially for the price. This guitar is very versatile tonally with the electronics, and the neck joint is the most solid I've ever seen on an acoustic. Whereas my old guitar (an Alvarez Yairi WY-1) feels fragile, this one feels solid, like I could smash something with it.

Acoustically, this is a great guitar. I prefer smaller-bodied guitars tonally to dreadnaughts. This guitar delivers. Electically, I can get a very nice tone, which is the foundation of my sound in <a href="www.freakwitch.net">Freakwitch</a>. The condenser mic isn't of much use, I've found; though it does at a subtle "air" to the amplified sound that can easily become mud. I haven't yet tried using the built-in mic for recording. This guitar is a joy to play live. The sound is consistent across the board, from open bass strings to fretted strings in the upper registers.

The stock action was a bit too high for my taste. I originally hired a luthier to lower the saddle, but he lowered it too far and I got some serious fret buzz. So I got a blank bone saddle and some 150-grit sandpaper, and made a new saddle myself (yes I was looking for a new skill/hobby). Now it plays great. The guitar is set up very nicely, just the saddle was too high, which is largely a matter of taste. The action is wonderfully consistent across the board. This is the best playing acoustic I've ever played. Just amazing for the money.

Also, the stock strings absolutely sucked. Just dreadful. $3 Darcos that I had lying around were a huge improvement, until I could get to the store. Now I have my Elixir Nanoweb Custom Lights on there, and it is a dream. So while it wasn't perfect out of the box, it was pretty easy to get it there.

I've only had the guitar for a month, but anticipate no major problems. This guitar is solid as a rock, by far the most solid-feeling acoustic I've ever played. The neck joint is amazing, and really has to be seen/felt to be fully grokked/understood. It almost feels like an electric neck/neck joint, with an acoustic body attached. This is definitely superior engineering. Kudos to Abe Wechter and his workers in Michigan and China for delivering an amazing guitar at an amazing price.

One minor thing: the nut came unglued, but a drop of superglue gel fixed it. Though this was a minor issue, it keeps the rating at a 9 rather than a 10.

Superior service. I've had many email exchanges with them, including replies and setup advice from Abe Wechter himself. The guitar has a lifetime warranty. This is as good as it gets, service-wise. This is a small company doing the right thing. I just like the vibe of this company.

The <A href="http://www.wechterguitars.com/models/model-3120.htm">Wechter Pathmaker 3120</a> ovankol guitar is an amazing value for the money. It would still be a great instrument and a superior value at double or even triple the price. I look forward to playing them live and in the studio for years to come. If it was stolen or damaged I'd replace it in heartbeat. As soon as my budget allows, I plan to get another one as a backup. This guitar has become a cornerstone of my sound.

New Wechter Pathmaker, 3103 (transparent blue), made in China but set up at the Wechter factory in Paw Paw, Michigan. Laminated spruce top and maple sides. Artec electronics with piezo, magnetic soundhole pickup, and internal condenser mic. Dreadnaught dimensions, but it feels smaller because the rear of the guitar doesn't get as wide as a D-18. Sealed no-name tuners, look like Schallers, work smoothly. Rosewood board, fairly small frets, well dressed. Neck is fast, like an electric, and the unique double cutaway design gives you access to the high frets. You can play blues at the 15th fret (i.e. you can play the 19th fret without interfrence from the body or the heel). Comes with a nice padded gig bag.

I play folk, country/rock, alternative, rock, blues, etc. I've got a nice '60's D-18 and a nice '60's J-50, but I wanted to play acoustic live, and I didn't want to put electronics in these old guitars. I read the Guitar Player review, and this seemed likely to fill the bill. Guitar Player said that the acoustic tone was "prosaic" because of the laminated top. It is true that the tone is less complex than the Martin or the Gibson. I find it rather sweet and appealing, and for playing live through an amp, a little simplicity can be a good thing, and save you from boomy bass and feedback problems. The three pickup options give you quite a variety of sounds and approaches. There is a three band eq, a slider that blends from all piezo to all mag pickup, and anywhere in between, and a volume control for the mic. There is also a sharpness control which I don't quite understand yet. I find that just a little bit of the mic adds some reality and air to the piezo sound. The mag pickup can be noisy around flourescent lights or computer monitors, so maybe the shielding isn't quite as strong as it could be. Like with a Strat, sometimes you have to align yourself carefully to get rid of the noise.

The action on my guitar is very nice, smooth, easy to play, no stiffness. The intonation is quite good, and there are no buzzes or high frets. The fret work is quite good. I played another Pathmaker on which the low E fretted slightly sharp, and the tone was a little compressed, so there is some variation. That one needed a little bit of setup work, but so do most new guitars. Fit and finish are quite good, especialy for the price.

It looks reliable in terms of hardware and finish. It doesn't have a second strap button, but there are instructions on the website for installing one. I haven't used it live yet, but I would take it without a backup. Of course, for me, playing live means playing at a coffee house for fun.

As someone else noted, Abe Wechter answers his own email. I had a question about the strings (it comes with Dean Markley Alchemy light gauge)and I got a personal response. According to the website, it has a lifetime warranty. It seems to be a family business run by good people.

I've been playing since about 1966. This guitar is unique because of the innovative neck joint which allows the double cutaway and the extremely easy access to the higher frets. It's almost like an acoustic SG. I haven't used it live yet, but I think I'd buy another if it got stolen. There are lots of acoustic-electrics, but there isn't any other guitar like this in terms of design and electronics, especially for the money. I've been using a G&L ASAT to play lead behind a folksinger, and this will allow me to have a more appropriate acoustic sound, but still play all the way up the neck.

This is in addition to my previous review :

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Please note that this guitar needs plenty of humidity in dry winter indoor climate. The frets are not burried beneath the binding enough and can be sharp and stick out a bit from the edge if the neck shrinks a little . So keep humidified. Just one more note that this guitar wont sound better w/ age . Laminate top guitars ussually sound worse w/ age as the layers tend to get a little looser.

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This is in addition to my previous review. I may have neglected to mention a few things 1) the frets on my Chinese Wechter are not very far burried beneath the neck binding and will stick out and be sharp if this guitar isnt well humidified in the drier winter weather. 2) a laminate top guitar will tend to sound worse over time as the layers loosen a bit.3) I do wish they made this guitar with a little better fret job / workmanship , solid top for maybe ,$100 more and maybe more adult colors. One more note : I dont find the inside mic that usefull as it just tends to be boomy. A mic really sounds much better placed above the strings near the soundhole side of the fretboard.

Built in Asia, setup in Wechter's Paw Paw, MI shop. Scale Length
25 1/2". 22 frets, unique double cutaway design provides access to the 19th. Spruce laminated top, maple back & sides. Transparent blue finish. Hand Scalloped Braces. Rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Bone nut & saddle. Chrome sealed tuners. ARTEC HT-TBL Triphonic System includes piezo, magnetic coil and condenser microphone (with active preamp to control it all). Gig bag included.

Suits my acoustic folk/rock/funk/pop style just fine.

Excellent factory setup. Had to adjust one pole on the magnetic coil pickup to taste.

Use it all the time without backup without worry. Can't say the same about most of my other instruments.

Abe Wechter answers his own email, an utter rarity in any business. His answers to my questions prior to purchase were definitely a factor in making a final decision. His responses after purchase have been both insightful & just plain friendly. He appears to be sincerely interested in each customer's experience and places high importance on customer service.

This guitar rocks! I played it for about 6 hours the first night, switching between pickups, blending, listening for differences between XLR and 1/4", with and without phantom power, etc. Then I moved on to the real test & main reason I wanted to try the Pathmaker: live performance.

I LOVE IT! I?ve used the Pathmaker for 20 live shows in the past two months and haven?t had any reason to use another guitar. The action & playability are among the best I've ever experienced. It really says something to me when a builder can setup a guitar, put it through shipping several times and the instrument completely retains its integrity. This guitar was ready to play, without flaw, right out of the box. The folks in Paw Paw do a great job and their attention to detail really shows.

I have played on Tacoma, Washburn, Taylor, Gibson, Martin, Takamine, Fender, Yamaha and various handmade custom instruments. I have never played a guitar in this price range that was of such high quality and just so much fun to play! Abe Wechter is a GENIUS. At $400 I'm thinking of getting a complete set of Pathmakers (blue, red, black, natural) to color coordinate with stage outfits. Of course, my wife might find that a bit excessive.

The patented double-cutaway design is just as cool as it looks. I can play licks on this guitar that were previously possible only on a solid body electric. The neck shape & fretboard are comfortable as well as fast. During my first night with the guitar I realized that the design & action combined with the coil pickup make for a great solid-body stand-in. During more than one live show I have switched off the piezo & mic, kicked some fuzz into my effects and surprised the audience with electric sounds on my crazy blue acoustic!

The ARTEC Triphonic Blender System works as advertised, but it takes some practice to get the most out of it. If nothing else you?ll have a lot of fun discovering the best combination of piezo, magnetic coil, and condenser mic for a given space. For clean acoustic sound I?ve been tending toward a blend of 60/40 coil/piezo, with about 10%-30% condenser mixed in for a natural low end boost. In fact, I like that combined tone so much I?ve been playing with the EQ completely flat. ARTEC electronics are on the low end of the price scale, but so far I?m really impressed with the amount of quality vs cost on the HT-TBL unit. I tried a Pathmaker equipped with the Fishman Prefix, and although it sounded perfectly fine I really prefer the performance I?m getting from the ARTEC unit. I also really like having the choice of 1/4" vs XLR outputs. When possible I always go with the XLR output, either direct to the PA or via a Behringer DI-100 (depending on grounding & noise issues).

An unplugged acoustic player is one thing this guitar should not be considered for. It suffers from the same stiff soundboard issues common with laminate tops. It?s likely to improve with age, but I?m not terribly concerned about it. I bought the guitar for live ?plugged in? performances, a task for which it truly excels. The Pathmaker also makes for a great recording guitar when you don?t want to bother with microphone placement around a solid top instrument. With the coil and mic you can get rid of that buzzy ?direct piezo? sound that tends to befoul recording with in-line acoustic-electrics.

The included gig bag is a nice touch; however, the quality on this particular bag isn?t very high. The zippers tend to pop open or jam on a regular basis. After fighting with those zippers for a month, I finally ditched the bag and put my Pathmaker in a nice hardshell dreadnought case. Any such will do, although Wechter does have a custom case for the Pathmaker available on their website.

The coated strings that were included played and sounded fine, but I like it even better with my usual choice (D?Addario Custom Light Phosphor Bronze).

Overall the Wechter 3100 series Pathmaker is

Wow! Such a great guitar for the price! Tons of features - excellent, excellent value. I really like the extended fingerboard access. Great pickups too. Mine has a 3-pickup Artec system with both standard and XLR jacks. Wish they had a second strap button on the neck. Gig bag is very nice, with lots of padding.

I play lots of styles mostly acoustic but I like to plug in and turn up the volume too sometimes. I was worried about the bass response from the double cut body. Actually the acoustic balance is just about perfect. Very loud, with deep bass and clear treble.

Totally unexpected how good the setup was. I didn't expect such a smooth playing guitar. They do all the setup in their shop in Michigan and it shows. There were a few dings in the finish but real minor. I bought a transparent blue finish.

Neck feels rock solid. No problems to report. I do wish they would put a strap button on the neck though...

These guys really know their guitars. I called the factory before buying and they answered all my questions about the double cutaway. They said it is set up with light gauge strings. No special polish needed. I talked to Abe himself!

I also looked at Tacoma, Takamine, Godin, and Breedlove very seriously before I decided what the heck, with a 45 day return policy from Musicians Friend, how can I go wrong? I couldn't be more pleased with my decision. I want one of the US made Wechters now. Gotta start saving though...

Double cutaway ,trasparent red finish, maple body/neck , 3 pickup system can get better acoustic sound. Laminate top. 25 1/2 " scale. No name die cast tuners that work fine . No strap button , gig bag.

Sounds pretty good acousticaly for a laminate top guitar ,I think better than average sounds can be gotten from this ax electricaly. I havnt experimented with it that much yet.

Well , I think they set these and other guitars up to be on the safe side , they dont want to take a chance and maybe have a buzzing fret ect. so the action was rather high for my liking. I own a set of nut files so I filed the nut grooves down a little more( a delicate operation)so the guitar would play effortlessly at the first frets. Then I sanded down the bridge saddle from the bottom about an 1/8 of an inch. The guitar now plays like a dream and sounds much better as well with the strings now being closer to the soundhole. I have to do this with every acoustic guitar I get. The workmanship on this guitar I would say is pretty good. A little sloppy here and there . The nut was a little sloppy , frets a little sloppy , looks a little sloppy inside. Where neck binding ends near soundhole was a little sloppy and uneven , face of headstock is painted black and you can see the unfilled wood under the paint. Not a huge deal , but a little cheap looking. I would like to see maybe a peice of black laminate with a little mother of pearl on the headstock face instead . I think the guitar should come with a strap button on the underside of the horn intead of this needing to be a customer installed option. Workmanship wasnt quite as immaculate as some of the squier electrics from Korea. I would also like to see this guitar come in some more adult colors like a vintage sunburst , wine red , natural(i think it comes in this but not at musicians friend). The blue , red and black are nice but sort of teenage colors. The gig bag that comes with the guitar is ok but a little cheap seeming.

Seems ok , The gig bag probablly wont last that long. Its vinal and seems to tear easily.

Abe Wechter emailed me quickly with answers to some questions I had and then posted them to his column. Dont really know about getting something repaired , seems like they would be helpful. I think the warranty is pretty good , i forget what it is.

Been playin a long time , If i had a trust fund , I might buy a more expensive 3 pickup guitar , but without the trust fund , I would probablly buy it again. I also have a solidtop/rosewood sigma single cutaway that is very nice. The workmanship on it is flawless , but of course it doesnt have 3 pickups and isnt as unique looking as the Wechter.

this review is given for the made in china pathfinder with the artec preamp installed. guitar is a very shinny black. has the mic, undersaddle and crossbeam sound hole pickup system. came with # 12 long lasting strings installed but they are not elixer brand. this pathfind is made of maple back and sides and a spruce top. tuners are groverlike no names. because of the pickup system I give it a ten in this cat. came with a nice gigbag.

I have read reports on this guitar that it sounds as good as anything made by the bigger manufacturers but this is only true plugged in. this guitar is able get get any sound plugged in because of the three pickup system na d it sounds good its self, but unplugged it compares favorably to the top end takamines{1000.00 plus} but not above that level. I have owned a top end 614 taylor with the same woods as this one and the taylor beats this one in sound all the way,{unplugged} so did my 1999.00 koa alvarez and so did my d40 guild made in 1980. this one sounds a bitthin in comparison. lacking the warmth of the all wood taylor or guild or alvarez. it also does not compare in unplugged sound to a 1000 dollar tak 444 that I have played twice in the past 2 weeks unplugged of course nor is it as pretty to look at. the tak was and is my first choice as a stage guitar and it plays as well as this one. but costs almost three times as much, the taylor costs 2600.00 after the price breaks.

guitar was well set up but I don't like the rough strings that were installed. elixers would have made this guitar play even better then it does but I suspect they cost at least 5.00 bucks more a set. well my guitar was not perfect as I can see lines in the guitar where the wood braces runs beneath the top. that worried me a bit and I considered sending it back to musicians friend, but I don't think its going to be a problem and I hate sending it back because I need it now ,not next month. frets and neck are perfect.

I do belive it to be a dependable guitar but it is lite and I would be careful with it. I banged my taylor so hard on a upright bass setting in the dark that I just knew it was cracked but it never left so much as a small ding. that was one tough guitar. this one isn't but with care it should be fine. I like the fact that its lite because I lug several guitars around to my shows which answers the question would I use it without backup also.

well before I recieved the guitar I wrote wechter and asked "what strings were coming on the guitar" and Abe himself wrote me back and was very gracious and polite, wanting to help answer questions and all. I liked that a lot as it tells me something about his commitment to his poduct line. I do feel that a manual should have been included or they might put one on the website to be downloaded since I cannot see where the neck would be adjusted unless its under the soundhole pickup. also I don't see as well as I used to and I would have liked to see a blow-up of the preamp funtions.

I have been playing 22 years and play mostly electric, strat / roland synth in a gosple band that is going pro doing all sorts of songs. an eclectic mix to be sure.
I have owned a bunch of acoustics over those years and even more electrics. I really like the pickup system in this guitar and its stage presence. just about everyone who see's it has something to say. its not in the catagory of "just another guitar" that's for sure.
I tried to rate this guitar fairly but let me say that I just don't know who else makes a guitar that sounds this good{and it does sound good}just not a good as an all wood taylor or martin or some gibsons but they all cost way past a thousand dollars.

who else makes a guitar that plays this well. not very many acoustics play this well but a lot has changed and I find that they are getting better. taylor, martin, gibson and a host of others{takamine} play quite well but again most cost over 1000.00 .
I have to hand it to Abe and his staff on this fine production of a guitar that sounds fantastic and versitile plugged in, plays like a dream and is different in looks, is lite and easy to carry comes with long lasting strings and great support and still costs less them 500.00. I got mine for 399.00 shiped free for MF. get yours while the price is down because no doubt they will go up shorly.

Wechter Pathmaker : 2003 (made in china, set-up in Michigan)

The Wechter Pathmaker is a double cutaway acoustic-electric. The pick-ups are a three-way mic-piezo-magnetic that can be mixed together to very nice effect. Art-tec HT-TBL

The woods used are maple back and sides with a spruce top. I believe that the top is laminated, but I can't tell because the tone is quite nice. The finish is gloss blue with white binding.

The frets are medium sized and clean. The nut and saddle are bone.

Very nice padded gig bag. Loads of straps and pockets.

Hard to find a nicer guitar in this price range.

I use the Wechter for open-mic solo performances. Nothing too fancy, so tone is important to me. I plug directly into the PA system with very little reverb.

Acoustically the tone is somewhat warm and articulate. Meaning that it is not mushy or tinny. A nice split between those extremes. Not as warm as some very expensive guitars I have played, but it sure beats anything in the same class.(Beats an mid-range ovation in my opinion)

Plugged in, it is really nice. The ability to mix the three signals is useful. The piezo is bright. The magnet is a warm single coil sound. The mic adds nice resonance that the others miss. However, the mic can cause feedback live, so the volume may need to be dropped under high amplification. Overall, I'd say it is excellent.

The good and the bad:

Good: The set-up was excellent. Nearly perfect. No buzz or dead spots anywhere on the neck. The neck is very strat-like and has great acess (as you would expect) all the way up. Very very good.

The construction is unique and well done in general. The inside is clean with an interesting scaloped bracing pattern. The head is a cool shape and clean. The tuners are good, not brand-name as far as I could see, but I have had no proplem keeping it in tune.

The Bad: Well, some of the details were less than perfect. A small glue stain at the neck joint on the binding. Some discoloration of the bone saddle (Natural to the bone, or a stain, I don't know). One of the dot inlays on the neck was slightly raised. (Not enough to affect the playing at all, but annoying anyway. I fixed it with a little careful sandpaper and dremel work). I guess I am being petty, but those were the main imperfections.

I have been playing mine only for a month or so now. I have seen no indications that it will not be very reliable, but honestly I will know in time.

It seems rugged and well put together. I'd rate it higher, but I have not had it that long.

These people will actually answer your questions via e-mail. I had some concerns about tone before buying one. They directed me to a dealer and answered my in-depth questions.

I have played for about 5 years. My previous acoustic was a hand-made yamaha. It is now in the closet.

The playability is the best aspect of this guitar. The amplified tone is next. The uniqueness of the design brings a lot of attention. That is cool too.

I recently purchased a Wechter Pathmaker acoustic guitar from Musician?s Friend. I was skeptical, as anyone should be, of several things before buying it. For one, the brand new model had just been introduced for the first time through the online retailer. Secondly, it is never a really good idea to buy anything sight unseen, and the guitar was an import, and quality, I was sure, was going to be an issue. Thirdly, and most importantly, I?m primarily an electric player and I need an acoustic that will give me the warmth and volume of a real, full-bodied instrument without sacrificing playability and range.

Needless to say I had all kinds of questions. Unfortunately I couldn?t weasel much information out of the Friends because it was such a new guitar. I decided to email the manufacturer with my questions. To my amazement, Abe Wechter, the guitar?s designer himself, emailed me back with answers to everything I had asked and more. He assured me that even though the guitars are manufactured overseas each and every one is set up and fine-tuned in his shop, to his exacting standards, by him or his assistant before they?re sent to Musician?s Friend. His partner emailed me as well, describing the tone to me as best he could. Their confidence in the instrument was contagious. They were more like people giddy and excited to share a secret than like salesmen.

Well, I decided to take advantage of the kindness of the guys at Musician?s Friend and their 45 day, no questions asked, no brain, no pain, trial period, and try the guitar out for myself since I couldn?t find a review on it anywhere on the internet.

At $399.00 from Musician?s Friend, the guitar was shipped to me for free with a very nice, more than adequately protective gig bag with backpack straps and everything else I could need. The guitar was beautiful. I was stunned by the guitar?s finish, the binding on the neck, the front, and the back of the body, the uniqueness of its shape, and the versatility of the electronics. This is the ONLY three way blended pickup system on any acoustic in its price range, period. There is a magnetic pickup in the sound hole nearest the neck, a piezo in the bridge, and a microphone right in the middle of the sound hole under the strings, and all three may be blended at will. There is a three band EQ and a phase switch to cut potential feedback. The guitar has ?? and XLR outs that can be used independently. The guitar can even be phantom powered through its XLR jack.
It fits in a standard dreadnaught case but has an incredibly unique dual-cutaway with 19 frets completely clear of the body and the most solid neck joint I?ve ever seen.

So I was there looking at it, thinking to myself, ?Yeah, but how does it feel?? I put it over my knee and gave it the infamous strum test. To quote Neo, ?Whoa!? The notes resonated all through me, every single one distinct and clear. The guitar was loud, warm and clear as a bell. I felt inspiration flowing from the first chord. Ok, yeah, it sounded great when I played an E major chord, but when I exploded into scales, arpeggios, two-handed tapping, and legato phrases the guitar not only retained its definition, but seemed to come alive like a supercar does when you push it up to its real potential. It seemed to beg not to be put down.

The action is incredible. It is VERY low and VERY consistent all the way to the 22nd fret, which, by the way, is more accessible than on most solid-body electrics. I knew immediately that I had found the guitar for me.

I have tried them all in my 18 years of playing, and I?ve owned several, without ever getting it quite right. I really don?t like to make comparisons with other brands, but heck, it?s a good reference point for those who, like me, dare to buy things online. I did not want to buy an Ovation. Their feel is quite fine for an electric player, but their acoustic tone is far too weak and tinny to me, and their plugged in tone is just too flat and emotionless. I could not buy a Taylor. Their feel and tone are wonderful, but their price tags give me continence problems. The tone of the Wechter Pathmaker is every bit as good as all of the Taylors I?ve tried, if not warmer and more distinct, and the feel and playability rival that of my American made, pre-Gibson, Steinberger GM1-TA electric. The electronics afford it such diversity of plugged-in color that I haven?t even begun to explore the possibilities.

I had to put it up to the final, ultimate test: the wife test. I married well. My wife encourages me to pursue my art and had already told me to get an acoustic, but she does have an opinion about tone. Her brother is a professional classical guitarist and she knows how a guitar should sound and feel. She fell in love with it immediately. She will not allow me to return it. I quote, ?You?ve finally found the one for you, so NO, you will not return it!?

I have never enjoyed a more serendipitous purchase experience. Musician?s Friend gave me the best customer service I have ever received from any music store, and Abe Wechter made the perfect acoustic guitar for me. I trust that a multitude of other guitarists, acoustic and electric players alike, will love it as much as I do. It is the best of both worlds.

I name all of my guitars, and I called my Pathmaker ?Hannibal?, ?Hannibal Wechter?. It seemed only right since it eats all the other guitars for lunch!

My Wechter is the 26th one ever made by Abe and his team. I was told this via e-mail by Mr. Wechter himself! I treasure this double cutaway with cedar top and rosewood sides - all solid of course. Besides the unique design, the craftsmanship is supurb on this guitar. The features are modest with a single abalone strip rosette around the soundhole, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, chrome tuners and offset pearldots on the fretboard. The pickguard is thcik and has that custom shop, hand made feel. Everything about this guitar feels like it was made by hand in a small factory. My only concern with the design, however, is the lack of any binding around the body and neck. The cedar is a soft wood and already I see marks and dents forming around the edge. I suspect that this will continue on in the years to come. I hear that the new elite models have binding around the body as a standard feature. I wish I had it on mine.

I love the sound and resonance of this guitar. It reminds me of a Tacoma I had which had the cedar top and the rosewood sides as well. The size of this pathnaker is similar to Tacoma's chief guitars - sort of 3/4 size. I bought it knowing that it wasn't going to produce as much sound as a regular dreadnought or jumbo - I bought it primarily as a plug in stage guitar. Did I say that the sound plugged in is awesome?! The Fihsman prefix pro is a great tool - I even like it better than the blend due to the feedback I got using the latter on one of my other guitars. The prefix pro gives the warm sounding pathmaker a very live, crisp and bright sound - the combination of the Wechter woods and the Fishman electronics make a great pairing!

Like the other pathanmaker reviews, mine has that unique Abe Wechter action - it really feels like a smooth electric guitar neck. I'm able to play things I never thought I could on an acoustic with this pathmaker! The engineering of integrating the neck into the body of the guitar is something worth securing a patent over. I've owned a couple of Guilds before this, and their necks don't come even close to Wechter's design.

I think that owning a cedar top will require greater care on my part. Spruce is denser and so resists a lot more abuse than cedar - and so I feel as though I will need to be delicate with this guitar. With that said, the guitar feels solid and weightier than it appears - and I can appreciate this. Other guitars by Gibson and Santa Cruz feel too light in my opinion. Their featherweight feel makes me think of structural weakness. But this pathmaker feels solid and tight - really a work of art.

Excellent support. It's so surprising to be dealing with the man himself - Abe Wechter. He personally replied to two or three of my emails and was very helpful in helping me with my questions. I have full confidence that if anything ever need repairing that his company would attend to my needs. This is what a company should be like!

As I stated earlier, I own a variety of guitars - a jumbo Guild, a Larrivee, and a strat. Adding this Wechter Pathmaker to my arsenal is a real joy. I look forward to the flexibility it will offer me playing in my ministry. I refer fondly to this guitar as an acoustic SG given it's unique design - and I will continue enjoying this guitar in years to come.

This is the first production guitar from renowned luthier Abe Wechter. It's designed to have the tone of an acoustic, but the feel and playability of an electric. All models have a distinctive double cutaway design (yes, an acoustic double cutaway) that allows access all the way up the neck. I believe all models also have an under-the-bridge pickup.
I have seen this model in quite a variety of wood combinations and finishes. Mine has a solid cedar top, solid mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. It has a very nicely executed high gloss finish.

The Wechter may not be for everybody, because it is essentially a compromise guitar. It does not necessarily have the best acoustic tone in the world, although it is certainly competitive with other acoustics in its price range. The tone is on the bright side, with good note separation, although a tad muddy when strummed. It has a fairly distinct voice for fingerstyle, a nice plus for what is essentially a dreadnaught-sized body.

Okay, here's where the Wechter knocks your socks off...
I've never played a guitar that felt like the Wechter. It has a slender neck, fast action, and firm, take-control feel of the best electrics. The sound, however, is distinctly woody and acoustic. This guitar just feels great.
Fit and finish are exceptional-- beautiful wood, offset abalone rosette, wood binding. This is a great looking guitar, although the double cutaway does give it sort of a bizarre look that some people might not go for (I didn't really go for it at first, but it grew on me.)

It seems like a sturdily built guitar, and the finish is quite good. It withstands the rigors of home playing and very occasional gigging quite well.

Never had to deal with the company.

I've been playing guitar for almost 25 years, although it's alway been primarily a hobby. I own a lot of guitars, but I think the Wechter is a keeper, mostly because it is so unique. I have since played a rosewood-and-spruce Wechter, and found the tone somewhat more pleasing-- so if I had it to do over again, I would probably buy that combo instead of cedar/mahogany. Tonewood is, of course, a matter of personal taste.
Overall, the best thing about this guitar is the way it feels in your hands when you play it. It just feels rock solid, and your hands move effortlessly over the neck. It's a great guitar to play live.