[Saguache]

Hi Teach,
Good to hear you're looking at the McIlroy, but they are hard to come by used as most owners luv the ones they have. They have increased in price, low new base now is $3500, lotsa wood options kick it up pretty quick. This past summer I made contact with a US dealer about a purchase and was informed it would be a year and a half out, bummer. However he called Dermot and they had a cancelled build opening and I got my AS-15 in 3 months. Only did a head plate cover in ebony and it came to my door for $4100. I chose the A [shape of all models] S [small size] because Dermot is the only factory builder useing Brazilian mahogany, considered the best of the mahoganys and the 00 deep model is considered his best design by many. Top wood is cedar which is condusive to a light touch fingerstyle. 45mm nut is approx 1 3/4" and 57mm is approx 2 1/4" string spacing for fingerstyle. Check those numbers on used models you might find, you might want different too. Models and wood choice will get you a guitar that's excellant for either fingerstyle or strumming. The bracing is said to give the guitars it's "Celtic" sound and although I haven't played the larger models I don't hear that from my AS-15. I think string choice makes a difference, but that's my feeling about that. It's deffinately not a Nick Lucas sound though. The neck shape is a mellow V and slim, quality of fit & finish is excellant and the finish is Nitro satin, no more fingerprints!. I've equiped mine with the K&K PureMini system and it sounds great setup flat, straight into my AER. Guys talk about never letting go of certain guitars and I feel that way about my li'l Irish hog. Good luck on you search.