Just ordered a Farida OT-22 from Elderly.

[Lesbark Wagmore]

Originally Posted by roylor4

Would you mind sharing your impressions after you receive it? I am looking for a 00 and the wide neck farida checks many of my boxes.

I will, but now I have to wait.

When I ordered it was "Out of Stock/expected arrival Oct. 20." It's since been changed to "Out of Stock/expected arrival date unknown."

Waiting is hard!

[lowrider]

Sorry to hear that. I was wanting a Farrida but I was afraid to order something that I couldn't even try one like it and I chickened out. Hope that the wait makes it more sweet when it gets there.

[Lesbark Wagmore]

Originally Posted by Lesbark Wagmore

Waiting is hard!

"I quite understand that these things happen. Probably meant to make us more spiritual."--P. G. Wodehouse

[Looburst]

Well they've had a pretty steady run of these go out the door over the past year and it seems when they get more in, they last a day or three at best. I know Elderly is trying to get these particular guitars into other stores, but if this is going to happen, they're going to have to kick up the production a bit. I'm thrilled to own one of the first offerings of these good little boxes. After owning it now for over a year, the only thing I would change is the low profile C neck shape but that's probably what others like about them. I would want a beefier neck profile on one.

[Lesbark Wagmore]

Originally Posted by Looburst

As an aside, the original LG2s that Gibson first offered in the early 1940s had what would've been closer to the 1 3/4 nut width that you got, frankly. I know this because I own two, one from 1943 and another from 1944. They are slightly heavier than these Faridas are. Those Gibson BIG necks would make up the difference in weight. Width and shape of these Faridas are identical in every other way however.

Thanks for the info Looburst.

If a guy with two early 40's LG2s can be happy to play a Farida, that says a lot. More evidence for the golden-age-of-budget-guitars theory.

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by Lesbark Wagmore

Thanks for the info Looburst.

If a guy with two early 40's LG2s can be happy to play a Farida, that says a lot. More evidence for the golden-age-of-budget-guitars theory.

I'm dying to get my hands on a Farida after everything I've heard about them. I've gotta give mention to another alternative too, my The Loar LH200 impresses me every time I play it.

[Looburst]

Hey Lesbark, You will love it! I have tinkered around vintage instruments for over thirty years and really couldn't believe this little gem when it arrived. While the neck is a much more general user friendly low "C" size, in thickness, the guitar itself is very light and extremely player ready. Being a perfect short scale, I think it out plays and sounds better than any current Gibson LG2s, which costs BTW, a whopping $1200. to $1500. Also it would be competitive against current J45s as well. You should not be disappointed.

Hey Mick, they are great little boxes that don't sound little at all. I use D'Addario NB strings on mine, 12-53, and they really bring out that vintage sound, with a really nice bass response. And yes the "THUMP" does exist on these, if you use the right strings. I have played the LH 200 by The Loar, this Farida OT22 does have that Gibson LG2 vibe and sound to it.

[db25364]

Has anybody compared the solid vs the laminated back and sides versions (OT25 vs OT22)?

[fnesnor]

Originally Posted by db25364

Has anybody compared the solid vs the laminated back and sides versions (OT25 vs OT22)?

I played both of those plus the rosewood models while at Elderly’s this summer. Don’t think there was much difference between the lam hog and solid hog. I am thinking the solid wood may open up more over time. They are great sounding guitars and if I didn’t already own a great L-00 I would have come home wth the OT25.

[Looburst]

I didn't but a friend, who's opinion I highly value, played all of them while he was there last year, then he phoned me and said to buy the OT22 because there wasn't enough of a difference versus the higher price tags for the solid b&s models. I wish I could play mine for you in person to show how much it has opened up in this past year.

[db25364]

Well, so now I am trying to decide between the Farida and the Eastman 00. Any thoughts on the difference between the Farida and Eastman sound and quality?

[tdaim]

Congrats for ordering !
I just ordered one yesterday as well. I've been waiting for Farida OT-22 to come. Just like you, I'd like it to be my travel guitar(in a gigbag, no hardcase needed, to get the total traveling weight down). It's said that it's light enough. Claimed it arrives on 11,20, 2017.It'd be very good if it comes by the end of the month.

[tdaim]

Originally Posted by db25364

Well, so now I am trying to decide between the Farida and the Eastman 00. Any thoughts on the difference between the Farida and Eastman sound and quality?

I just got an Eastman E10 OOSS(mine has 20 year old Adi top), looks and sounds terrific. I intended to buy it as my travel guitar. But it weighs a bit too much, reads 2.2kg ! just as heavy as my Martin HD-28(a KK mini pickup included !), unbelievably heavy. I guess this may be because it has a bit fatter neck profile. Its neck has a tapered shape(like those of vintage small bodied), i.e. the higher frets, the fatter profile. Besides, African mahogany(most of Eastmans use) is maybe heavier than genuine mahogany. This is why I've gotta get another small bodied sunburst one as my travel guitar, that's Farida OT-22 sunburst. However, I'll keep this Eastman E10 OOSS(with 20 year old Adi top) as one of my guitar collection.

Eastman E10 OOSS, to my ears, sounds a bit fatter than Gibson L-00(as Eastman E10 OOSS's prototype, at least partly). very good. It‘s elaborate, high quality. But I wonder how this batch of Farida OT-22 will sound compared with Gibson LG-2(as Farida OT-22's prototype, at least partly).

[Looburst]

I will tell you that my OT22, from the first year batch, is a light weight guitar. Probably the lightest weight guitar I regularly play. Weight is almost exactly the same as my 1967 LG1, but the Farida OT22 doesn't have the dried out old wood. They must've used an old Gibson lg2 as a model, when building these. Or maybe Stan Werbin sent them one. Who knows but they certainly nailed the look, feel and sound.

[Looburst]

Here is a brief video of the Farida OT22, showing how rich it sounds after a year of playing almost daily.