Post by dobro on Aug 31, 2016 16:58:48 GMT
Hello from Norway!
I've now had my Fylde Alexander for a good month, and thought I should try to say something about it. In short: It's a great guitar, and is for the time being my go-to.
Fit and finish: Nothing to declare, it's all good, with a shiny laquer and top-notch materials. Both the cedar top and sapele back and sides look great, and the Gothos work very well. Frets are perfectly smooth.
Playability: I have a 1965 J 45 (with the narrow neck) and a 2011 D35 , which also sports a relatively thin neck, so the slight V on this neck, and the wider taper down the fretboard took a little time getting used to. Also, the almost flat fingerboard radius was a challenge for me, but now I feel I have adapted and doing fine. I've always been good at adapting to different necks, but this one took some time. I also feel that the action is a tiny bit on the high side, and I'm uncertain how to go about with this. Any advice? Also, the zero fret felt a bit higher than a "normal" nut, but I'm not quite sure about this.
Sound: This is were the guitar really shines. It's loud, warm and lush. Compared to my (now sold) Lowden O 10 (cedar/hog) this guitar also takes a pick in a great way, and even powerful strumming doesn't seem to break it up. So, to me, it feels like a great allrounder. The only question mark I have, is that the guitar has a kind of omph (woofy sound) especially on the F# played on the fourth fret of the D string, and also on the same note on the A-string. It's like the whole guitar resonates in a different way on this note (and to a certain degree on the G on the d-string fifth fret), and with a shorter sustain. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not, and a sign of a very responsive guitar, but it tips the balance a bit. My Martin D35 has this trait to a very slight degree, but it's much more accentuated on this guitar. Feel free to comment on this.
Oh well, in spite of these small misgivings, I still think it's the best guitar I've ever owned, and I'm chuffed so far. I will try to post some (lousy) pictures afterwards, and will also eventually try to put out a sound clip.
Regards,
John
I've now had my Fylde Alexander for a good month, and thought I should try to say something about it. In short: It's a great guitar, and is for the time being my go-to.
Fit and finish: Nothing to declare, it's all good, with a shiny laquer and top-notch materials. Both the cedar top and sapele back and sides look great, and the Gothos work very well. Frets are perfectly smooth.
Playability: I have a 1965 J 45 (with the narrow neck) and a 2011 D35 , which also sports a relatively thin neck, so the slight V on this neck, and the wider taper down the fretboard took a little time getting used to. Also, the almost flat fingerboard radius was a challenge for me, but now I feel I have adapted and doing fine. I've always been good at adapting to different necks, but this one took some time. I also feel that the action is a tiny bit on the high side, and I'm uncertain how to go about with this. Any advice? Also, the zero fret felt a bit higher than a "normal" nut, but I'm not quite sure about this.
Sound: This is were the guitar really shines. It's loud, warm and lush. Compared to my (now sold) Lowden O 10 (cedar/hog) this guitar also takes a pick in a great way, and even powerful strumming doesn't seem to break it up. So, to me, it feels like a great allrounder. The only question mark I have, is that the guitar has a kind of omph (woofy sound) especially on the F# played on the fourth fret of the D string, and also on the same note on the A-string. It's like the whole guitar resonates in a different way on this note (and to a certain degree on the G on the d-string fifth fret), and with a shorter sustain. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not, and a sign of a very responsive guitar, but it tips the balance a bit. My Martin D35 has this trait to a very slight degree, but it's much more accentuated on this guitar. Feel free to comment on this.
Oh well, in spite of these small misgivings, I still think it's the best guitar I've ever owned, and I'm chuffed so far. I will try to post some (lousy) pictures afterwards, and will also eventually try to put out a sound clip.
Regards,
John
Jo whoever he is.
