McPherson Sable Guitar

Kindness · #1 09-13-2018, 05:44 PM

Oh my goodness, this just can't be. I have been gone from the forum far too long!!!

Have a listen, this is delicious!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5YrsfPVB_s

David Eastwood · #2 09-13-2018, 05:57 PM

That does sound rather lovely, doesn't it? I'm not a big fan of the McPherson aesthetic - the soundhole really bugs me.

There used to be a McPherson display in the C concourse at the Minneapolis airport, with one of their magnificent wood guitars on show - but that soundhole showed entirely too much of the internal workings, which, frankly, just aren't that good to look at.

I'm sure there's nowhere near as much scaffolding on view inside the CF variant, but biases are biases

It does sound good, though.

kramster · #3 09-13-2018, 06:05 PM

And Kindness probably will be playing one this very day.... just say'n

byudzai · #4 09-14-2018, 02:51 AM

Love my Sable. I barely play anything else.

Kindness · #5 09-14-2018, 07:08 AM

I really like the Sable. I was drawn to the McPherson guitars. Extremely well built and unplugged they played great. Plugged in I honestly did not like them at all.

I liked their smaller bodied guitar as well. Nice mellow sound. I like the rough back and sides no slippage.

Next time Kramster and I get together we will play with the EQ and other settings to see if we can get the tinny sound out of the plugged in sound. I am sure there must be adjustments for this.

slimey · #6 09-15-2018, 10:15 AM

Love it acoustically and it's ease of playing. Likewise I cannot get a decent tone plugged. I bought this as a gig guitar ( back up ) so amplified is important to me.
The guitar is having a Trance Amulet M installed as I type, taking out the McPherson installed disaster, I'll update when I've had a chance to play with the new pick up.

steelvibe · #7 09-15-2018, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimey

The guitar is having a Trance Amulet M installed as I type, taking out the McPherson installed disaster, I'll update when I've had a chance to play with the new pick up.

I've also been pretty impressed with the tone of the Sable unplugged, so you have a pretty nice guitar there. I bet you will love the Amulet. I guess I've not even heard it plugged in. What came in it stock? The L.R. Baggs 9 Volt Element with Volume and Tone Control (Custom EQ’d for McPherson Carbon Guitars)? That is what is in the one I found for sale at Wilcutt Guitars. Baggs is known for pretty good quality stuff so I was just wondering.

Gordon Currie · #8 09-15-2018, 11:39 AM

That miked sound was pretty nice. I need to hear more of those shining examples of CF tone as I embark on my own search.

casualmusic · #9 09-15-2018, 02:05 PM

I like the full and round tone of the equiv McPherson "Kevin Michael" the best amongst the CF I've played. The McPherson "Travel" has a similar nice tone.

(I liked the others too. Composte Acoustics: OX, Cargo; Rainsong: P14, CH-WS, CH-OM, CH-PA; no Emerald yet )

.

Kindness · #10 09-16-2018, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimey

Love it acoustically and it's ease of playing. Likewise I cannot get a decent tone plugged. I bought this as a gig guitar ( back up ) so amplified is important to me.
The guitar is having a Trance Amulet M installed as I type, taking out the McPherson installed disaster, I'll update when I've had a chance to play with the new pick up.

Report back to us on the Trance Amulet M.

Yes, this guitar plugged in is so tinny. I generally have an excellent ear and that's why I love reviewing guitars. LOL but fresh strings are important...ahum...

slimey · #11 09-20-2018, 07:46 PM

I got the Sable back from Marty Reynolds MNLuthier.com today after he installed the Trance Amulet M.
I really like the full acoustic tone of the Sable, to my ears it's almost a natural rather than a synthetic tone, almost woody. Running through a PA the tone was awful and almost impossible to get rid of the Piezo quack or get anything other than a tinny thin tone with the standard installed Element pick up.

Running through a Radial Eng. Tonebone pre Z into the PA with the new Trance Amulet I can now duplicate the acoustic tone of the guitar only amplified. No more quack, full and rich sounding.
As I said in another post I have a gig Sat night and I plan to use the Sable, I'll try to get someone to record at least one song and I'll attach a file.

If you have a Sable and you plug in, get the Trance Amulet into the instrument, you'll not regret it.