Vietnam Guitars
 

Have any of you out there in AGFland ever tried any guitars from "Antoniosai", in Vietnam? There was just one review on Harmony Central? I'm hoping AGF has more about this line of instruments?

I'm intrigued by a 17 3/4 inch jumbo? It's a solid wood, three piece back, made from Mexican "bocote", with a maple center piece. Top is solid spruce, with bone nut & saddle. The neck is made from maple, with bone pins?

The stock model comes with a cutaway, and rosewood bridge & fretboard, but they tell me if I'll wait two months, they'll build me one without the cutaway, and use ebony for the bridge & board.....

The guitar is festooned with abalone pimpery, and costs about half of what a premium Chinese model would go for. In fact, prior to stumbling upon this, I was going to buy an Eastman AJ817, but this has set my imagination on fire?

You see, I was in Vietnam during the war, and had a guitar built for me there. It was copied from fellow GI's D18, only mine had classical tuning machinery put in sideways! HawHawHaw! It was real crude, but I played it for almost five years, with lots of patching it together because it was unique! It had a big sound.... It finally just fell to pieces.....

I feel like something is coming full circle, buying this Vietnamese box, but figured I'd ask here first? Who knows? Perhaps someone on AGF might save me from myself? HawHawHaw!

Don

Their have been a few posts about this Ebay seller from a few buyers - as a whole its not been good. As i recall thin inlays that fall out so-so sound and construction etc. Id do a search if your at all interested .Flashy inexspensive guitars come to mind, but their not anything id spend my hard earned Cash on.

I own one of their Mandolins simply as I wanted one and it was cheap (I got it for less than £50/$75 including P&P). Sounds pretty good and plays pretty well. I wouldn't be interested in paying much more for their stuff, however I have used some of their premade stuff for my own guitar build which is of fine quality.

yeah when I came across one locally I did some research on the web...there was a LOT of bad stuff about them on line at the time. The outside of the one I saw was beautiful...but a look through the F holes revealed a guitar full of glue drops and some white liquid all over the inside. The frets were extremely poorly finished but the flame maple wood used was very nice...the inlays on some I have seen for sale on the web over here were just too much for me, I guess they appeal to some. I did not buy the one I saw and honestly was glad I didn`t, I`m not saying all Vietnamese guitars are of the same ilk, in fact I know they aren`t `cause I see other brands...Ayers for example.

Wow.. I knew this guy is bad but had no idea how bad until I read the posts from the link above.

I did. The thrill is gone! As I read those complaints, all the romantic notions I had were shattered! I was so smitten by that gaudy 17 3/4 jumbo, covered in pimpery too? Another musical dream down the terlit! On with the search for the perfect $1200 guitar!

I'll probably end up getting an Eastman AJ817 after all? Thanks to my fellow AGFers for the wise counsel!

Don

Hey, Don, if you have your heart set on getting a Vietnamese-made instrument, but want one of professional quality, look into Baden guitars. I played one about a year ago that I thought was a very nice instrument. The guy who owns it lives less than a mile from me here in the foothills of the Chugach Mountains north of Anchorage, Alaska, so it's in a harsh climate yet has held up very nicely.

The prices on the Baden guitars are likely to be significantly higher than these others, but they are much better quality.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

You might actually be pleasantly surprised by the price of some Baden models, if this is anything to go by:

http://www.fineacoustics.com/shop/ca....aspx?catid=19

Like Wade, I was under the impression that they were rather more expensive.

I'd put very little faith in Harmony Central reviews. or on how a guitar looks on first glance (or at all in pictures.)
Ditto the suggestions to look into Baden guitars if interested in a guitar made in Vietmnam.

I may very well be mistaken, but I seem to recall Baden's as being much more expensive when I saw them discussed on this forum. Could very well be wrong...or perhaps their prices have come down?

If I were specifically looking for a Vietnamese guitar, I'd go Ayers. I had a OO that was pretty nice. Unfortunately, it was rosewood which I just don't seem to be able to mesh with, regardless of the maker. The couple Badens I've tried were nothing spectacular and were hard to hold.

Ed

Interesting that their "top of the line" "9" series is koa top and b/s.
Wonder if they are appealing more to the "aesthetic" crowd there.
http://www.ayersguitarsusa.com/09_ay...uitar_koa.html

Interesting. I haven't looked at their stuff for a few years. In some ways, more options and in some less, it seems. It looks like the model I had isn't on the current list. It was a really well made guitar and I doubt their workmanship has gone down.

Ed

Buy American whenever possible.

Unless you want something else.