Quote:
Originally Posted by jdto
I like the sound of this guitar and have liked a few other walnut guitars I've tried (Gibson J-15s and a Taylor or Larrivee, I think). Generally, I find EIR a bit dark (muddy?) and "zingy" for my taste, though it always depends on the guitar. I've played Eastman, Gibson, Martin and Taylor guitars comparing the EIR to mahogany and that has been my experience. My preference is definitely toward the sound of mahogany in most cases with those guitars.
This NL-00 of mine is a sweet-sounding guitar. It's got plenty of bass for a small body and it's really nice to sing with. It doesn't quite have the cutting power of my Eastman E6om, perhaps due to that same warm tone and prominent bass, but it can get loud when you want it to. I enjoy the tone of this one so much, I ordered my AJ with the same woods. It will obviously be a louder, more projecting guitar, as AJs are. I think the walnut gives some of the overtone content of rosewood, but not the mud and zing I hear from a lot of rosewood guitars. Ed has described it to me as being somewhere in the middle of the rosewood/mahogany spectrum and that sounds about right to me.
That said, I'm speaking from a sample size of one. This is the only Halcyon NL-00 I've played and I haven't played one with other woods, so it's tough to get a frame of reference.
Subjectively, I love it  |
Great review! I've also heard that Walnut is somewhere between EIR and Mahogany. Might have to give it a shot instead.
Nice call on the AJ. That's what I'm been leaning toward as a next guitar. I'm been considering cedar over EIR, but not dead set on it yet.