Zager zad50ce Review

Kenton McGlone < kentonmcglone@comcast.net >
Model: zad50ce

How did you hear about this brand?

I heard about Zager guitars when I accidently stumbled onto your website, and started to read all of the reviews. They looked nice, and well built, and upon reading the Harmony Central reviews which I put a lot of stock in, I became intrigued. Many of the players (buyers of Zager guitars) were older players such as myself (I play for my own enjoyment), and they loved them, so I had to look into it. The more I read, the more interest I had in playing one. The old vets of vintage guitars can't all be wrong about Zagers!

How does this guitar compare with your old guitar, other guitars, or guitars you've tried in stores?

My old Guild (G37) is a classic guitar with deep rich tones, and the Zager isn't near as deep with the bass, but it's overall brightness of sound is clean and full. It is easier to play on the lower 9 frets, but is not quite as easy on the barre chords higher up (I don't know if my saddle is a little too high, as friends have taken notice of the high saddle). I should call to ask. It plays well overall, and sounds excellent, so I find myself playing for long periods of time. (And enjoying it!)

What's your favorite part about this guitar?

The overall outstanding craftsmanship in which it was made. The care to detail, and it's beautiful finish and look. I had an issue with the sitka spruce (cosmetic grain of the wood), and at first did not like it. Denny Jr. was very up front with me and gave me every option with the guitar (keep and play it for awhile, send back for refund, wait for exchange, etc...). It was excellent advice as the marks have grown on me, and I look at it totally differently now. I find myself staring at it's beauty and uniqueness, and I have to put a plug in for the beautiful abalone detailing! The sound is also excellent, so that is why I can't see myself letting this one go.

If you didn't know the price of this guitar what would you estimate the price to be?
I'm not much of a price guy, but easily twice the cost, and that is why this guitar was such a fantastic find (and deal). I did play some Taylors that were easy to play and did sound good (twice the cost) , as were some of the lower end Martins, but the ZAD50CE is right there with them in my humble estimation.

How would you rate customer support?

Excellent would be the rating, as I have had nothing but positive transactions with Denny and whoever is emailing back. The before mentioned issue was so well handled by Denny as he totally understood where I was coming from. He gave me every option to handle it, whereas another company wouldn't go there in most cases. I am a proud owner of a guitar that is extremely well built, in which the manufacturer stands 100 percent behind, and will be more than willing to help out if there is a problem. What more do I want?
Would you recommend this guitar to others…if so why?

Very much so. For the very reasons mentioned and answered before this question. Outstanding craftsmanship (hard to find nowadays!), high end quality, excellent customer support, and excellent sound. All good reasons to do business with you!

Additional comments:

Thanks for being so affordable, and great to do business with, and for the great product. My only wish is to put gold Grover's on because I love gold with the light browns of the African Mahoghany, and the saddle issue which may need to be resolved? I measured the height of the strings at the 12th fret and it is 3/16" and almost 4/16" (1/4") at the last fret? It plays well, and sounds great.....so? I also feel as many others did, that the case is great. It is a nice case for the money, and looks great, not to mention the humidity reader! Thanks again for everything.

Zager EZ-Play ZAD-50 Review by Mnilesdc

Purchased From: Zager Guitar

Features:

- EZ-Play Modified - Full size Dreadnought - Solid Spruce Top - Mahogany Back & Sides - Rosewood Bridge - Rosewood Fret-Board - Gloss Finish - Scalloped X-bracing - Hand carved custom nut - Hand carved custom saddle - Hand filed frets - Sealed Grover Tuning Gears - Abalone inlay rosette - Genuine "Martin" Strings - 100% money back guarantee - Lifetime warranty

Action, Fit, & Finish:

-Beautiful, smooth, glossy finish -Perfect fit -It was in tune right out of the box - this surprised me -Since this instrument came by UPS I inspected it with a fine tooth comb and could find no flaws - it was packaged beautifully to prevent damage

Sound Quality:

-No string rattle/buzz -Very full, deep, rich sound -No electronics in this model

Reliability/Durability:

-This guitar is very well made and finished and it appears it would withstand live playing with no problem -I have only had this guitar for a few days so only time will tell but I will say the numerous testimonials I have heard from other owners of these guitars was a major influence on my decision to purchase a Zager guitar

Customer Support:

-Communication was excellent, I would email a question about the guitar I was interested in and typically had an email reply within the hour and usually within 30 minutes -I had the option of calling them directly and speaking with them but email just worked better into my schedule -I emailed Dennis and told him which guitar I wanted and he said he would send it out the next morning after Denny gave it a final check to make sure everything was perfect, the transaction was quick and flawless -Most companies in this country could take a lesson or two from Zager Guitar regarding customer satisfaction

Overall Rating:

-This guitar is beautiful and sounds great. The fit and finish is outstanding and what is really great is it is so easy to play. The Zager Company manufactures their guitars with the strings closer to the frets so you do not need to use as much pressure on the string to play a note. You can check out that info on their website at Zagerguitar.com. -I know the previous sentence sounds like a commercial for Zager but I very rarely will rave about a product but I just could not pass this one up. -Oh yes, just one more thing, not only did I receive my guitar but the Zager Company included another set of high quality strings, a t-shirt, a numbered certificate and a guitar stand and I thought I was just getting the guitar. Talk about value - there you go.

Zager ZAD-50CE OM

Purchased From: Zager Guitars

Review By: Robert Ramon

Features:

smaller body mahogany cutaway with spruce top, sealed Grover tuners, gloss finish, built in electronics system w/equalizer and electronic tuner, abalone inlay around sound hole

Action, Fit, & Finish:

Finish is beautiful, guitar looks flawless. They really paid attention to detail and it shows. Action is amazingly easy without the buzzing that can occur when strings are lowered too far.

Sound Quality:

The smaller body doesn't have the booming bass of a dreadnought, but the natural overall sound is surprisingly rich and full. Highs are crisp and clean, great for fingerpicking. Through a simple cube amplifier with light effects, the guitar sounds great, very lyrical and melodious.

Reliability/Durability:

The ZAD has held up very well after a year and a half of owning the guitar and of constant playing. The craftsmanship is of such high quality, I'm sure it will continue to get better with age. One hardware issue to mention (see customer support section).

Customer Support:

The electronics system malfunctioned recently, causing a crackling noise and eventually cutting out altogether. Guitar repairman recommended contacting Zager company to find out the brand so I could buy a new one. Zager's customer service is the best; not only do they have a 100% money back guarantee if you're not happy with the instrument, they replaced the whole electronics system for me after a year at no cost. If there were an 11 rating on your scale, I would definitely give it.

Overall Rating:

I also own a beautiful rich-voiced Taylor 810 dreadnought which I've had for nearly twenty years. After being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis five years ago, I found it more and more difficult to play my Taylor for very long without difficulty. My ZAD is so easy to play because of the low action, I often play for 2-3 hours at a time with no stiffness or hand fatigue. I have to confess, I hardly touch my Taylor any more! I couldn't be happier with my guitar. Not only is it a beauty; it has a wonderful tone, sound even better amplified, and you won't find better customer service anywhere. I tell all my friends about Zager Guitar.

Zager zad80ce Guitar Review

Justin Schulz
Model: zad80ce

How did you hear about this brand?

I was searching online for a new guitar and ran across Zager. I would buy something that I had tried in a local shop if I found the same thing at a better price, but was initially sceptical at trying a guitar I had never played. But after reading all the great reviews, especially the ones from players with much more training and skill than I have, I was persuaded to give Zager a try. Am I ever glad I did.

How does this guitar compare with your old guitar, other guitars, or guitars you've tried in stores?

I played a number of guitars in the the $2000-3000 range. This one easily matches those. The only guitar I tried that was about equal was $2300 without electronics; and I did not find one that I thought was distinctly better until I tried one from a small luthier that cost $5500. I loved this guitar so much that I decisded to sell my Martin D-21 (with Brazilian rosewood back and sides) that I had played for over 35 years. Brand new, my ZAD80CE had much better sound than the D-21 with thousands of hours of playing on it. And it was so much easier to play! I was able to sell the D-21 for more than twice what I paid for the ZAD80CE.

What's your favorite part about this guitar?

I love the playability and the sound. Great, even volume from bass through treble. Lovely tone. The ZAD80 is much easier to play than the Martin D-21 I played for 35 years.

If you didn't know the price of this guitar what would you estimate the price to be?
If I walked into a guitar or music store and tried this guitar without knowing anything about it, I would guess that its retail price was $1900-2300. This guitar is really a great value, bringing wonderful quality to those who might avoid $2000 guitars.

How would you rate customer support?

Superb. Friendly, prompt, and eager to make it a pleasant experience, almost like being in a small, personal luthier's shop.

Would you recommend this guitar to others…if so why?

I heartily recommend Zager guitars! While it can seem a little odd to try a guitar without playing it first, the no-questions-asked-we'll-pay-the-return-shipping-if-you-don't-like-it policy makes this a true no risk way of getting wonderful instruments at a great price.

Additional comments:

I play for friends, including a retired music professor, Charlie. Charlie never commented on my Martin or my Guild 12-string, but the first time he saw and listened to my ZAD80CE he commented on both the appearance and sound quality.