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Old 04-25-2020, 02:14 PM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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Default NGD: McPherson Sable Gold Honeycomb + Review

Okay so I've been holding out on you guys (especially Dave!) as I received this guitar on April 16 so I had it for just over a week now. The honeymoon period is over but I wanted to put it through all possible paces, especially before doing a review.

I was surprised that it only took 6 days to come from the U.S. to Northern Canada with all the 'stuff' going on in the world and I was shocked when I got home from work the day it arrived to be greeted by 3 excited kids telling me they think a guitar came. I let the kids rip the box apart and the series of 'shockers' started. The first was the case. The case is a GWW, a brand of case I'm not familiar with but it's a very stunning case. A little heavier than the Hiscox cases that my Emeralds came with but very cool indeed. The next shocker was the actual honeycomb weave on the guitar. I admit seeing the guitar in pics and videos on the internet didn't wow me but in person it's absolutely stunning. No bubbles to be found whatsoever. The overall fit and finish on the guitar is quite remarkable.

My next shocker was the material on the back and sides of the guitar. There's some sort of coating (I have no idea what it is) and it makes the guitar stay in your lap. As a 'squirmy' person this is an added bonus as I had no idea it was on there. I also tested playing standing up and found the same thing, The guitar doesn't move! Inside the case was a nice plethora of trinkets: a McPherson strap, a pack of picks, another saddle, and a feedback buster. The feedback buster to me was a really nice addition for those of us who play out and might end up using it. I think I might send Emerald an email and give them the suggestion as well.

And now the most important parts, at least for me, the tone and playability. The neck really does feel like a Taylor neck. It's fast and sleek and the guitar came setup with really low action and no buzzing at all. It plays really well up and down the fretboard. Regarding tone, there's really no better way I can say this and I know some of you don't like the reference but it really does sound like a wood guitar! They did an awesome job voicing this instrument. I never played a McPherson wood guitar, never even seen one in person but according to the videos I've watched it does have that unmistakable McPherson sound along with a bit of Composite Acoustics growl that I heard in a GX model. I've been doing extensive A/B'ing the Sable against my other guitars during the last week and it holds up well to any of them. In fact I find it hard to put the guitar down it's exactly what I was looking for tone wise.

The guitar shipped with Elixir 80/20 strings so those strings are my reference on this guitar. I tried D'addario nickel bronze and the guitar currently has Elixir phosphor bronze on it and either alloy works well though I do feel the 80/20 is probably the better match and I'll most likely revert back to those later on.

The LR Baggs element (my most hated UST) is supposedly voiced for the Sable and upon plugging in I was greeted with.........the same crappy element sound which I was expecting. I pulled out the pickup system and replaced it with a Schatten HFN and the HFN sounds great in this guitar. I've done a few 'in house' concerts the last couple of nights and I'm very pleased with how it amplifies and this will take over as my main gigging guitar without question.

Well I rambled on enough I think for a first post. I'll end with, this guitar exceeded all my expectations and I'm very thankful to add it to my current lineup. Here's a few pics:

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]
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Old 04-25-2020, 02:25 PM
lgherb lgherb is offline
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Any pics and/or impressions of the cantilevered neck?
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Old 04-25-2020, 02:41 PM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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Originally Posted by lgherb View Post
Any pics and/or impressions of the cantilevered neck?
[IMG][/IMG]

Nice question. The cantilevered neck is a great design and Matt McPherson certainly deserves credit for that and I absolutely love it. If you touch the soundboard after strumming a chord you can really tell it makes a difference. My opinion also, there's no way that neck is moving. It has the perfect amount of relief from the factory.
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Old 04-25-2020, 05:39 PM
jdinco jdinco is offline
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Great job on the review there Luva, I suspect the question is coming, so I will go ahead and ask it, what are your thoughts when compared to the X20 ?
Thanks!
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Old 04-25-2020, 06:02 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Excellent review GuitarLuva. Congratulations on a fine guitar. Also, I want to compliment you on the photos. The lighting shows off the honeycomb very well. With all you said about the sound and playability, the coolest thing is that it will never change. Worry-free music making for lifetimes to come.

Tony
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Old 04-25-2020, 06:06 PM
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Very nice review! Very cool looking guitar. I would like to see a nylon version (in my dreams).
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Old 04-25-2020, 07:08 PM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdinaz View Post
Great job on the review there Luva, I suspect the question is coming, so I will go ahead and ask it, what are your thoughts when compared to the X20 ?
Thanks!
Thanks John and yes I did expect that question to come sooner or later. I really love the look of the X20. Compared to all of Emerald's offerings I think it's the sexiest looking body shape in their lineup. It always took the back seat to the X30 for me though and we never really bonded properly as much as I tried. Compared to the Sable, since they're close to the same size, I would say they're both around the same volume wise. My wife thinks the Sable is a little louder but it's close enough not to ponder over it. Without elaborating too much I'm really digging that cantilevered neck on the Sable and its overall tone is very pleasing even compared to every other guitar that I currently own. Either way though I'm just one person and my preferences might not be the same as everyone else's.

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Originally Posted by tbeltrans View Post
Excellent review GuitarLuva. Congratulations on a fine guitar. Also, I want to compliment you on the photos. The lighting shows off the honeycomb very well. With all you said about the sound and playability, the coolest thing is that it will never change. Worry-free music making for lifetimes to come.

Tony
Thanks Tony and what can I say you were right on every aspect of the Sable. It really is a stellar instrument. Regarding the photos I'm certainly no Kramster and no photo can do it proper justice to how nice it actually looks in person!

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Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
Very nice review! Very cool looking guitar. I would like to see a nylon version (in my dreams).
Thanks Evan and hey ya just never know what plans they have in store!
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Old 04-25-2020, 07:25 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GuitarLuva View Post
Thanks John and yes I did expect that question to come sooner or later. I really love the look of the X20. Compared to all of Emerald's offerings I think it's the sexiest looking body shape in their lineup. It always took the back seat to the X30 for me though and we never really bonded properly as much as I tried. Compared to the Sable, since they're close to the same size, I would say they're both around the same volume wise. My wife thinks the Sable is a little louder but it's close enough not to ponder over it. Without elaborating too much I'm really digging that cantilevered neck on the Sable and its overall tone is very pleasing even compared to every other guitar that I currently own. Either way though I'm just one person and my preferences might not be the same as everyone else's.



Thanks Tony and what can I say you were right on every aspect of the Sable. It really is a stellar instrument. Regarding the photos I'm certainly no Kramster and no photo can do it proper justice to how nice it actually looks in person!



Thanks Evan and hey ya just never know what plans they have in store!
Kudos, GuitarLuva, for how you answered the X20 compared to the Sable. I am sure they are both great instruments. You left plenty of room for both guitars - that is definitely class.

Tony
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Old 04-25-2020, 07:44 PM
kramster kramster is offline
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Great write up..I love my Sable... and now I gotta do what you did with the pickup.
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Old 04-25-2020, 09:04 PM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tbeltrans View Post
Kudos, GuitarLuva, for how you answered the X20 compared to the Sable. I am sure they are both great instruments. You left plenty of room for both guitars - that is definitely class.

Tony
Tony you're too kind thanks again. You're absolutely right they're both great and one can't go wrong either way.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kramster View Post
Great write up..I love my Sable... and now I gotta do what you did with the pickup.
Thanks Mr. K. To reiterate I think the HFN sounds great in the Sable. I put an ebony shim in there to compensate for the height of the element+elastomer until I get a new saddle. I was talking to Justin from McPherson and had him so intrigued about the HFN that he wanted me to send the guitar to them and they would fit a new saddle for free just so they could hear it. A nice gesture but that means I would be without the guitar for far too long! I promised him that I would do a short demo in the future and share it. I also promised people on here long ago that I would do an X20 vs X30 video so I will still do that one first whenever I get around to it.
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Old 04-25-2020, 09:13 PM
Dbone Dbone is offline
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Very nice! Something special about these guitars.
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Old 04-25-2020, 11:11 PM
jefrobie jefrobie is offline
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Mine should be here Monday. Honeycomb w/gold except I had them change out element for anthem Sl as well as black buttons on the tuners.
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Old 04-25-2020, 11:25 PM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dbone View Post
Very nice! Something special about these guitars.
Agreed. Can't believe this one fell under my radar for so long.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jefrobie View Post
Mine should be here Monday. Honeycomb w/gold except I had them change out element for anthem Sl as well as black buttons on the tuners.
I hope you enjoy yours as much as I'm enjoying mine. The Anthem SL is definitely better than the element for sure, though, it still uses the element which IME inhibits a little volume and tone.
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Old 04-26-2020, 05:32 AM
jonfields45 jonfields45 is offline
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Did you try an IR with the factory Element before installing the HFN?
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Old 04-26-2020, 05:49 AM
Frettingflyer Frettingflyer is offline
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Congrats Luva, I really enjoy my “base” model Sable and know you will too. Looks great with the weave and as said above, nice photo’s.
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