Denny Zager Modified Guitars.....

66strummer · #1 06-08-2008, 08:36 PM

Anyone w/ experience and knowledge of this luthier and his work? I have seen some of his "modified" guitars listed on Ebay from 1 seller anyways. Is a guitar that he's worked on (set up, etc...) worth a lot more than it normally would be? Sounds like he's top notch and been around for quite awhile. I'm just not real familiar with him obviously

.... Anyone bought a guitar he's worked on?

ljguitar · #2 06-08-2008, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 66strummer

Anyone w/ experience and knowledge of this luthier and his work? I have seen some of his "modified" guitars listed on Ebay from 1 seller anyways. Is a guitar that he's worked on (set up, etc...) worth a lot more than it normally would be? Sounds like he's top notch and been around for quite awhile. I'm just not real familiar with him obviously

.... Anyone bought a guitar he's worked on?

Hi 66S...
While his setups are fine, they cost far more than if you were to just buy a guitar and take it to a tech and have a good setup done to the guitar and the results will be the same.

Jeff D · #3 06-08-2008, 09:26 PM

I own a ZAD-50 and I will tell you that it sounds no better and to me at least I think it sounds worse than my friends art and lutherie dreadnought which costs half the price. His guitar is also set up about the same and that was right off the shelf. With a hair of sanding the saddle the action would be absolutely perfect. I say don't bother with his guitars. They are cheaply made and the string science or whatever he is calling it these days is no better than a good set up on any other guitar.

66strummer · #4 06-08-2008, 09:32 PM

Thanks guys. It's funny because the guitar I have seen running for weeks is a Blueridge BR-60CE. I dont understand why you would have a lower end guitar like that set up by a high end luthier

. Dont get me wrong. I own a BR-60AS and love it. Just seems weird. Not something I'm interested in. Just curious about. The auction has run several times.

banpreso · #5 06-08-2008, 10:31 PM

zager is not a high end luther (ala kevin ryan). he used to be a pro musician, and now sells zager guitars. he over self promotes quite a bit, so don't take his words at face value

66strummer · #6 06-09-2008, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff D

I own a ZAD-50 and I will tell you that it sounds no better and to me at least I think it sounds worse than my friends art and lutherie dreadnought which costs half the price. His guitar is also set up about the same and that was right off the shelf. With a hair of sanding the saddle the action would be absolutely perfect. I say don't bother with his guitars. They are cheaply made and the string science or whatever he is calling it these days is no better than a good set up on any other guitar.

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A ZAD-50....... Would that be an Aria AD-50 set up by this guy? Just a guess. Or is that an Art and Luthrie model #? Sounds like he's more hype than anything. Sorry to hear that

.

Jeff M · #7 06-09-2008, 02:16 AM

Zager imports inexepensive custom built guitars, does a set up on them (which several folks here have posted some complaints about), and charges more than a good set up at a pro shop would cost.
He also neglects to mention the fact that whatever set up he sends his guitars out with will no longer optimal once the guitar settles into it's new home thousands of miles away (the case with every guitar).

He is the master of hype, the PT Barnum of the guitar world.
There is no "String Science".

Save your money. Get a better guitar for the same amount of money and have it set up at the shop you buy it from. Good shops will do the initial set up for free.

bmgbluz · #8 06-09-2008, 07:44 AM

A good set up should not cost an arm or a leg. Although Pleking is considered to be the best, I have played several pleke'd guitars that need attention. Its all overblown. $60 bucks from a guy that knows what he's doing is better than $350 from a computer or an egomainiac. Just my 2cents

Jeff M · #9 06-09-2008, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 66strummer

__________________________________________________ _______________

A ZAD-50....... Would that be an Aria AD-50 set up by this guy? Just a guess. Or is that an Art and Luthrie model #? Sounds like he's more hype than anything. Sorry to hear that

.

Nope. Zagers aren't Art and Lutherie guitars.

Not sure what they are, but they aren't A & L.

Jeff D · #10 06-09-2008, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 66strummer

A ZAD-50....... Would that be an Aria AD-50 set up by this guy? Just a guess. Or is that an Art and Luthrie model #? Sounds like he's more hype than anything. Sorry to hear that

.

No it's not an a&l. He says it's made by martin but I don't think I believe him. I asked him if the guitar was made of solid wood and he said yes. Later, about a year later, I learned the back and sides are laminate. I just don't trust the guy. Getting rid of it though soon

66strummer · #11 06-09-2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff D

No it's not an a&l. He says it's made by martin but I don't think I believe him. I asked him if the guitar was made of solid wood and he said yes. Later, about a year later, I learned the back and sides are laminate. I just don't trust the guy. Getting rid of it though soon

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I asked that cuz I remembered seeing a name brand guitar that he had set up and he just added the Z to the model #. I cant remember what guitar it was now. Hey, Lets start a Zager Guitar Forum

.....NOT.

edman · #12 06-09-2008, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 66strummer

__________________________________________________ _______________

A ZAD-50....... Would that be an Aria AD-50 set up by this guy? Just a guess. Or is that an Art and Luthrie model #? Sounds like he's more hype than anything. Sorry to hear that

.

Originally he sold Sigma guitars with his "string science" or "Easy play" system. Martin owned the Sigma brand. Sigma guitars were imports no better than any other import big name guitar. Martin did away with the Sigma brand last year. It is rumored that Denny has his Zager ZAD guitars built by the same foreign company that built Sigma guitars.

Jeff M · #13 06-09-2008, 03:35 PM

I wish I could still link to one of the first eBay auctions Zager had about 5 or 6 years back.

The hype was absolutely amazing.
Selling a Martin Sigma with the;

" PATENTED (BTW, it's not ) AMAZING ZAGER STRING SCIENCE!!
Saddle cut by DENNY ZAGER!!
When he took his guitar into a well known guitar company whose name begins with an "M", the folks there COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!! Said they'd NEVER SEEN A GUITAR PLAY SO EASILY!!"

Starting bid? $10,000.00.

I can't really do the add justice. You had to see it to believe it.

Man oh man. Did the folks over at the Martin forum have fun with THAT one.

RP · #14 06-09-2008, 05:07 PM

Who knows? Maybe in the year 2525, his work will be better appreciated...................

66strummer · #15 06-09-2008, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrporter

Who knows? Maybe in the year 2525, his work will be better appreciated...................

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I hate to say it. But by the sounds of this thread, it will probably take THAT LONG...

. Sorry Denny. I didn't know

.