Hi, Everyone:

I just got my hands on a Rigel A-Natural. To get it, I sold my Breedlove OF, which I liked, and used the funds to make an even financial swap.

My first impression after putting a fresh set of J75s on it and playing it for a bit tonight is that I really like it. I wasn't sure what to expect as I have not played many Rigels and certainly have not played any for a lengthy amount of time.

The tone is robust on the low end and fairly piercing on the high end. There is some woofiness to the chop, which I was not expecting based on some reviews I have read. In comparison to the Breedlove OF it definitely has a more complex tone and more volume. The volume in particular is a nice surprise. I figured it would have a nice tone but would be about as loud as the Breedlove OF. It is louder for sure. Also, the Rigel's dryer, louder tone will be better for bluegrass than the Breedlove's smooth, quieter tone.

The Rigel is not quite as easy to play as the Breedlove, but it is easier to play than the nice Weber I used to own, and I could tell right away what people mean when they praise the playability of a Rigel. I also was using the J75s, which I was in the habit of doing with my Breedlove to get more volume, but the Rigel doesn't need them. I am going to scale down to the J74s the next time I change strings.

Being 10 years old, the Rigel has some character. I think the tone has a nice 10 year sound to it. Strumming an open G chord has a humming, ringing effect that I really like. To go along with what I think is a mature tone, there are some visual blemishes that add to the character of the Rigel. Ideally, I'd like to send it to Pete to clean it up, maybe reseat the bridge, look over the tuners, swap out the tailpiece, cut a new bone nut, etc.

That's all for now. I'll keep you posted if there is anything new to report.

Kevin