NGD: McPherson Sable Standard + Review

[Winzzy]

I guess it is Sable season around here.

Almost a year ago I got to try a McPherson Sable in person and fell in love with both the feel and the sound of the guitar. I made up my mind that day I was getting one. Months passed and I finally saved up enough to snag one today. It really is a dream.

To give you an idea of where I am coming from, I played an Alverez-Yari for over a decade then toyed around with Taylors and Martin's for a bit before discovering RainSong guitars. I played a RainSong for a long time then got a chance to try some emeralds and bought an X7 (old model). I thought that I would get an X20 for my full size but am glad I played the sable on a whim.

So here are my thoughts on the Sable.

It is an incredibly comfortable guitar to play. Small enough to fit in your arms easily, but with a sound that doesn't sound boxy like other smaller guitars.

The neck is great, not thick or thin but with a great carve. My hand always hurts if I play my X7 to long but the McPherson neck reminds me of Fender's Soft V neck I like so much. It's still a bit early to tell but I just played for two hours straight and don't feel any pain yet. Neck shape is of course an individual preference but this neck is different from both RainSong and Emerald's necks.

The sound is just so satisfying. Like I said before it is never boxy or "toy like" and is very warm. Sounds great finger picked or strummed hard. One of my frustrations with wood guitars is they rarely handle both extremes perfectly but I think the sable does.

If I had to compare the sable to RainSongs I would say it sounds more like a wood guitar but with amazing resonance.

Compared to the Emeralds it has soft highs and more pronounced mids.

I haven't gotten a chance to try it plugged in so can't speak to that yet.

If I had to say anything it would be that I fully intend to have this guitar until I am dead and gone.

Fantastic guitar.

[Dbone]

BOOM

Another happy customer. Congrats!

They look and sound so sweet.

[jdinco]

It truly is Sable season ! How many does it take to make a coat? Nevermind Congrats on a fine guitar! I hope to get to play one sometime soon.

[kramster]

Nice buy..you done good!!.. videos... photos... you know the drill!!

[Winzzy]

I will get them up eventually, got to put the guitar down long enough to find my camera first 😂

Originally Posted by kramster

Nice buy..you done good!!.. videos... photos... you know the drill!!

[kramster]

Originally Posted by Winzzy

I will get them up eventually, got to put the guitar down long enough to find my camera first 😂

That is a good excuse ... for now. Cool you got to try one like a year ago ... and in AZ of all places...

[tbeltrans]

Congrats on your new Sable. Seems like a lot of Sable activity around these days. Maybe that is our reaction to COVID-19 - get a nearly indestructible guitar.

I wouldn't worry about pictures. Unlike Emeralds, a Sable looks like any other Sable other than minor appointments such as the gold package or basket weave top or honeycomb top.

You made some interesting comments comparing the sound of the Sable to Rainsong and Emerald. Again, a class act by pointing differences in the sound without any one being necessarily superior to another. It is certainly all good.

Tony

[Winzzy]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

You made some interesting comments comparing the sound of the Sable to Rainsong and Emerald. Again, a class act by pointing differences in the sound without any one being necessarily superior to another. It is certainly all good.

We live in an age where we are spoiled with so many good choices regarding guitars. I certainly think that each brand has a unique sound and feel and just like neck carves people need to take time and try as many as they can.


"The Ultimate Rule ought to be: 'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's *****in'; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's ****ty. The more your musical experience, the easier it is to define for yourself what you like and what you don't like."
Frank Zappa

[GuitarLuva]

Wowzers the Sable club is growing! Congratulations I hope you enjoy it for years to come they're great guitars.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by Winzzy

We live in an age where we are spoiled with so many good choices regarding guitars. I certainly think that each brand has a unique sound and feel and just like neck carves people need to take time and try as many as they can.


"The Ultimate Rule ought to be: 'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's *****in'; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's ****ty. The more your musical experience, the easier it is to define for yourself what you like and what you don't like."
Frank Zappa

I had to google that quote to get the whole thing because the first word *** out is one I had not heard since the 1960s. Given that it is a Frank Zappa quote, that makes sense. It is certainly proved true in these forums from time to time.

Tony

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by GuitarLuva

Wowzers the Sable club is growing! Congratulations I hope you enjoy it for years to come they're great guitars.

This is fun, but I don't really understand why the seemingly sudden interest in acquiring a Sable. I mean, they are great guitars and have come up on relatively rare occasions here, but suddenly there is a lot of Sable action. Glad to see it, since they are excellent examples of what can be done with carbon fiber.

Tony

[Frettingflyer]

Winnzy, congrats on a great acquisition. I took a similar path to you, starting with Rainsong, and getting a X20 then a Blackbird Lucky13 and found the Sable. I actually never cared for the looks of the Sable, but like you, picked one up on a whim and then had to have one and got one later on. Also like you, I found I had fretting hand pain when playing the Emerald too long, so I had to move on from an otherwise awesome instrument. I have had my Sable a while now and don’t see it going anywhere! FWIW, I have not had any hand pain playing Sable and hope you have the same experience. Enjoy.

[GuitarLuva]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

This is fun, but I don't really understand why the seemingly sudden interest in acquiring a Sable. I mean, they are great guitars and have come up on relatively rare occasions here, but suddenly there is a lot of Sable action. Glad to see it, since they are excellent examples of what can be done with carbon fiber.

Tony

Yeah I agree it''s a little odd. Looks like Martingitdave started the recent trend!

[kramster]

Originally Posted by GuitarLuva

Looks like Martingitdave started the recent trend!

A bit of a trouble maker.. our kinda trouble!

[Winzzy]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

This is fun, but I don't really understand why the seemingly sudden interest in acquiring a Sable. I mean, they are great guitars and have come up on relatively rare occasions here, but suddenly there is a lot of Sable action. Glad to see it, since they are excellent examples of what can be done with carbon fiber.

Tony

Well for me personally it's not really a sudden interest at all but the actual fruition of a long dreamed for guitar. That being said it is a little funny that I got my around the same time as the others.