NGD - MacKenzie & Marr Opeongo
The Opeongo arrived this week, delivered in a well-packaged box with no issues. This is only the second time I’ve chanced buying a guitar online rather than taking it on a road-test first. I’ve got a week to decide whether to send it back or not. So far, I think it’s going to be staying here.
I am familiar with 00 and parlour-style guitars. As you likely know, these terms are somewhat imprecise and can be confusing. The picture on the M&M website is helpful - maybe this will help a bit more: This instrument is bigger than the somewhat skinny parlours that mimic the originals of a century ago. I have a parlour from the Godin Company that is smaller than the Opeongo. On the other hand, when put up against a 12-fret Grand Concert Taylor 522 I have, it is somewhat smaller.
Other than a 1967 Guild I own, I have no other steel-string guitar that is this light. I’m convinced that is part of the reason the Opeongo has the volume it does. The fit and finish were impeccable, including all glued spots, internal bracing, and the fit on the dovetail. The set-up was just fine to my liking. The action is medium-low, and the fretboard, frets and intonation were what you’d expect from a well-made acoustic. The purfling and edges look a bit fragile as the wood lacks a binding on the top edges. (The spruce top, rated as AAA, really is top-notch regarding grain and appearance. I would have liked to see that protected more with a substantial binding.
The guitar smells very new, and the sound is typical of an instrument with new wood and new strings, perhaps a bit on the harsh or high side to the discriminating ear or when put up against a guitar with a few years on it to open up. The lows, mids and highs are already well-balanced, and I suspect the sound will mellow as the guitar begins to mature a bit more. Strings are D’Addario Exp, which may also influence the sound. I’ve played it up against several of my guitars, and John Marr is right – this thing really does have more projection and more low-end than one would expect from an instrument this size. Balance, neck, etc. are all perfect for a fingerstyle player. Truss-rod adjustment is from the inside, so no truss-rod cover. No wrench came with it, but it looks like it uses a typical Allen wrench like you probably already have. (No adjustment of that was needed, by the way.) Tuners are open 18:1 Grovers. It comes with a detached pickguard you can apply if that’s your thing. They also threw in an extra bridge pin in case you lose one when you’re changing strings, I guess. The pins look to be ebony. The locking arch-top hard case is nicely done with the M&M brand stenciled on the outside. Since it’s included in the price, that’s worth considering in regard to bang for your buck. I did not order the Baggs Anthem pickup. I guess I could get them to send me one for installation later.
Without mentioning other brands, if you read John Marr’s history of the development of the Opeongo carefully and then do a little web search of the Monterrey area, you’ll find a 00 online that looks quite similar in trim and dimensions (other than a ¼ inch difference in scale length) for a few thousand more from a boutique company; I suspect the objective was to come close to that company’s 00 model. And I think that’s the bottom line here. For a lot more money, you can probably get a better 00 instrument, but when you compare this guitar to similarly priced 00 options, I think you’ll agree this is a heck of a value.
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04-27-2019, 04:23 PM
