Acoustic Guitar Review from Steve Giordano - Guitarist with MS

Zager Modified Martin DM1 Review

 Martin DM1

I bought it off the Zager website after reviewing this guitar for awhile. I wanted another Sigma, but a black one. This was the guitar I was looking for. I paid $545.00 plus $45 for shipping.

I own several other Sigmas and I like the design and the black finish of this Sigma. The string height/alignment, the playability of the fretboard is wonderful making the guitar easy to play, not working your hands/fingers into fatigue. The tone/sound is great and I will probably use this guitar alot in recording.

I do not have any complaints.

The guitar is first inspected by Zager to make sure no defects are present and I do not see any in mine. This is a quality guitar at an affordable price.

Everyone who sees and plays this Sigma DM-1B likes it. My guitarist son is really taken by the way it plays and feels, and he owns a major brand box guitar that cost him nearly $800---but he likes this Sigma better than his box. Zager provided a quality instrument and service and are quick to answer any email concerning their products/service. I am well pleased!

Zager ZAD-80CE OM Guitar Reviews

Features:

The features of this guitar are top quality. It has enclosed gold-plated grover tuners, Fishman amp, abalone around the sound hole and the outer edge as well as a cedar solid top, with laminated rosewood back and sides. The amp also has a built in tuner that you can even use unplugged.

Action, Fit, & Finish:

This is one beautiful guitar. I have a neighbor across the street that has a Martin that he has had for quite a few years and has a $2000 Takamine that he has purchased most recently that said his takamine doesn't look as good as this Zager Guitar.

Sound Quality:

The sound is very warm and articulate on each string. In other words, the sound is not muddy or unclear. The way the guitar has been modified through the shaving of the braces under the top, allows the guitar to be much more resonant than it could otherwise. The sound just has an unbelievable sustain.

Reliability/Durability:

Because everything on this guitar is top quality and it has a lifetime guarantee, I don't foresee any problems.

Customer Support:

Most correspondence with this company has resulted in contact with the owner of this company, or his son. Most replies have been within the hour. I have never had to wait more than one day to hear back on an issue. This company is more than fair and will go above and beyond what they have to in order to satisfy a customer.

Overall Rating:

I have been a singer and musician on keyboard, saxaphone etc. for many years although not professionally. I use my talents for the Lord in the ministry. I have been working on becoming accomplished in fingerstyle guitar for several years so I know what sounds good. My neighbor across the street with the $2000 Takamine thinks this guitar in a store would easily cost me at least $2000 dollars. I know I was in a guitar center just last week in Tallahassee, Fl, and I didn't see any guitar in their showcase room that I thought was any prettier.

Zager ZAD 50CE Review By Gene Dowell

Features : 9
9.5 actually - I just watched the Olympics. No perfect scores allowed. Really, this is a very well appointed instrument with Grover tuners, the electronics work great and everything needed is right where it needs to be. So many other manufacturers place the electronics towards the neck where they can't accessed when playing. The Zager guitar is well thought out and expertly installed
Sound : 10
Before selecting this guitar I tried every major brand including Martin, Taklamakan, Taylor, Alvaraz and Larivee. This guitar sounds every bit as good as the Taylor 414 for less than a third of the price. Playing straight in the board it sounds beautiful. Alot of control with the EQ. I have a Genz Benz El Diablo that is set for my Anderson Cobra. The Zager Guitars is absolutely stunning through this amp, even though I have the clean channel set slightly dirty. The EQ and presence controls allow me to move from a browner blues tone to a bright big country jumbo and to the sweet little dreadnought it is.
Action, Fit, & Finish : 10
To heck with the Olympics! This is like an old Marshall amp, turn it up to an 11! I have owned and played 100's of guitars over the last 30 years and this one plays like a dream! It is fast and true accross the entire neck. Intonation is perfect. Really. I am not kidding. Perfect. Not a sour note anywhere. Really. I am not exaggerating. Perfect!
Reliability/Durability : No Opinion
Ask me in 20 years because I am sure I will still be playing this guitar
Customer Support : 10
This really again should be an 11. Tell me any other company where you can communicate directly with the man who does the work. Responses within minutes, not hours, not days. Lifetime Warranty. What more can I say?
Overall Rating : 10
I think I've said it all above. What equipment have I owned? Just out of the list a 1953 Tele, 67 Start, Les Pauls including a Black Beauty, 3 Ovations including the USA Custom Elite that the Zager replaced, Martins, Alvarez, just to name a few. This is really a sweet guitar. In my opinion if you want value for your money (and as a professional musician on a limited budget that is really, really important) this is THE acoustic electric dreadnought to own. The word is going get out on these at some point and when it does their value is going to increase. I'm not selling mine though. You will have to find a way to get your own.