Crafter guitars - any experiences?

[Tech Player]

http://www.crafterguitars.com/gallery_acoustic/gallery_images/d8_12_n_large.jpg

I've never posted on this section before. I'm still not ready, but bought my daughter a Crafter D8 12N yesterday for a good price; I sold some car tires and felt like the exact amount of proceeds should go to a new guitar, nothing in mind, just the price, taxes in; had to be blessed and facilitated by the Holy Spirit, and not a penny more.

I find the guitar to be wonderful. Sound is great, and really, really live & big, while the instrument is not cumbersome at all. Extremely comfortable.

I think it is really pretty, and everything it should be, with all details, technology and craftsmanship. Has D'Addarios, sounds lovely IMO.

Solid cedar top, handmade in Korea. Beautiful, with abalone that we like too. I am so blown away with playability, projection and tone!

We could sell it though we just got it, new and beautiful, for an affordable sum too, around here; FWIW they leave us to meet others' needs.

As Christmas is a time to share, & the 12's are rare! People are calling, from previous guitar offerings that have served & satisfied them.

We don't have to advertise that we might have a few guitars, reputation good, old or new, set up & polished too.

The testimony for Christ goes out with the guitar, if we sell to facilitate a need, and then? It only takes a spark.

We'll buy another, hand pick another purrty one, but just if the price is right.

I can't do pictures of this particular one yet here, must go out and get a life.rofl

But I will seriously look for stock photo. They are primarily in the Euro market.

This, by the way, I explain as a blessing and praise Jesus, it's nice to share.

Sorry again for being long, great buy IMO, and really nice for anyone?:guitar7:

http://www.crafterguitars.com/gallery_acoustic/12strings_series_main.php

[stephen]

I'm really happy for you that yopu found a good Crafter 12 string. Congratulations!

The only experience I have had with Crafter guitars, is the countless times I have tried them out, only to walk away disapointed.

They look like such wonderfully built guitars, not just from a distance, but close up too: No excess glue, well done binding, flawless looking finishes, very handsome in appearance as well.

But alas, every one of the dozens of dozens or so I have tried over the many years, has disappointed me.

My major complaint is that the sound projection is greatly lacking. It just seems as if a wet towel is laying over the top of the guitar, and the sound is "choked-off" and lifeless. Too me, an acoustic has to have vibrancy and great projection, maintaining a great acoustic fullness, the type of thing that makes a great acoustic: the ability to be the sole instrument in a performance. As an example, I had a great Sigma (Martin's cheaper line), that was acopy of there D15 (all mahogany), and that guitar was FANTASTIC! Great projection, earthy/woody tone, and yet still a great acoustic brilliance too it. It was so phenoenal, I judge all acoustics by the standard that it set for me, and I have come across a few that have met that standard, but not one of them where a Crafter, and sadly, a Crafter does not even enter into the ballpark as far as that goes.

I'm sorry that this was not a good report from my point of view, but it is just that: My point of view, so you should take it as a grain of salt, because while it is my two cents werth, its only worth half of that, due to inflation. rofl Hey, I crack myself up, thats all that matters.

[Tech Player]

Thanks Stephen. The guitar is advertised in the paper for sale by us, as I said, but we don't expect to sell - something about socio-economic depression around here, and most people think of a guitar as being $25 -
$50 used, or $69.99 new? But it is my daughter's, to replace her 1966 Gibson which she was kind to sell for a reasonable sum, and to sell the Crafter next to compensate her very slightly (if we took the Gibby to Elderly's in Michigan, she may have got a couple of thousand more, and we need it!).

In the review dep't again, the guitar is excellent, far exceeding our expectations. I believe we will end up keeping it, with around $300 invested.

First, it is loud enough to play without an amplifier, and it has no pickup. Still, it's easy for us to put an under-saddle PIEZO in, without a pre-amp, can shape the sound downline if wanted.

Quality and feel are premium and the sound is an exciting, elevating, bright and full experience. It is also boomy, and resonant, together with being bright and balanced.

It plays effortlessly, and my fingers are all cut and dried out now, split from scraping ice from vehicles, and shoveling snow.

There's a little more. This line was introduced in 2004 and is imported by a friend of mine, who generally buys guitar companies, and also makes and exports our well-known Made In Canada hardshell cases, for a variety of stringed instruments.

4 years ago, I was talking to an engineer in the lutherie and electic pickup business, he was not allowed to say if he worked for SD/California or PRS. He had just returned from China, making a deal to have US-designed pickups outsourced.

He toured many factories and told me and others that there was a fabulous line of Chinese acoustics coming down the pipe. He wasn't allowed to release the name again, but gave the hints that he was present at the factory when Yamaha's were rolling off the conveyors, then Epiphones, and was about to leave when he was beckoned to see what was next. He said, we'd know them if & when they got here because they are like Taylors. I truly, not naively or with some blind wish, conclude that this is what he was talking about. Take it with a grain of salt, it's not a Taylor, just a copy or a clone.

I'm amazed and delighted with it, and the other Crafters I tried right here when there was a transition between the hand-built model (or maybe they were prototypes), going into mass production, all within the timeframe mentioned.

Having played the hand-builts personally, then grabbing handfuls of the assembly line models, I was still kind of blown away with what was happening, and at such low prices!

God willing, I will be looking at, and appraising another new line of handbuilts in Canada, this Summer and am looking forward to it.:)

P.S. I'll put personal pics in later, as soon as I get the time and opportunity.

[Tech Player]

Thar' she be now! The new (budget) dreadnaught yacht. I actually thought that Crafter's site stock photo had disappeared itself - it seems to come and go.

Well, I even got 'er plugged in. Fantastic. Liking it very much. Very smooth sailing, on all 12 cylinders. My 2:2cents:

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