grumpycoyote
May-17-2010, 12:51am
Heya folks -
Hopefully this hasn't been done to death, but I thought I'd jot down a few notes on my new BR-40T...
The Comparison:
I spent a few weeks playing various tenors including a 20's Regal, a 30's Gibson, all the way up to a new Martin LXM-T. I play a 50's Harmony (usually tuned in 4ths) as regular workhorse, but wanted a sweeter tone and non-floating bridge for my next axe.
All in all the BR stacks up better than expected vs. the others. A solid 7 out of 10. Clearly the Regal and the Gibson and even my Harmony have mojo this thing can't touch - but it beats the snot out of the little LXM and matches other contemporaries that cost 2 and 3x.
Construction: B
From Elderly...
""0" size 14-fret body, solid spruce top, laminated mahogany back & sides, mahogany neck, adjustable truss rod, dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard, bound top, back & fingerboard, ornate peghead inlay, bone saddle & nut, nickel tuners, black pickguard and full gloss finish."
These things are essentially Martin 0-18T knock-offs made in China (or SE Asia) and although slightly over-built by comparison (laminates and a thicker neck) they are pretty close.
It does have an adjustable truss rod (I'm told some older ones do not).
Fit and Finish: B/B+
Nice appointments - decent inlay and tortoise binding. The top wood is solid spruce, mine was a two-piece. It also has a pair of matching small knots up on the shoulders, but I don't mind a bit. The grain is stunning and high contrast (I like that - others don't).
The laminated back and sides are actually very pretty - and it's 'hog on both the inside and the out.
Frets are nicely seated and dressed - non-radiused and clean. Neck is dead straight and although I prefer a satin/oil neck - the gloss works fine.
No excess glue on the inside at all. I dug around with a mirror and a light and it's all clean and well put together.
Bridge is solid, and the pick-guard is adhered well (I hate peeling pick-guards)
Tone: B+
Bone nut and saddle. Size 0 style body.
Currently strung in CGDA with J66's - It's a full mellow tone. Far more of a mahogany sound than the laminate belies. Surprisingly complex tone and decent projection. The sustain is clear and long and well beyond expectations.
I played a solo set in an old church this weekend with nothing but a cheap vocal mic straight to the PA and the BR absolutely blew the doors off the place. Joined by small band it held it's own a rhythm engine and sang out above when I needed it to.
I'll be dropping it to GDAE shortly (with some higher tension strings) and will update after this fact with those details.
Value: A++
This is where the lil' bugger shines. I picked it up at Elderly with a case (Canadian Size 0) and a handful of strings for under $450US shipped.
Compared to the LXM for ~$500 MSRP it is no contest. The BR beats the pants off of it.
If you don't need the case - $360 US. Pound for pound, one hell of a deal.
I'll post a proper video review ASAP this week, but for now here's a little tune I wrote for a friend:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UIzPG3nuhk
Just strumming along in C on this one (I'm not much of a player or singer) - but it should give you some idea of tone. Note that Youtube sucks a lot out of the sound.
:mandosmiley:
Hopefully this hasn't been done to death, but I thought I'd jot down a few notes on my new BR-40T...
The Comparison:
I spent a few weeks playing various tenors including a 20's Regal, a 30's Gibson, all the way up to a new Martin LXM-T. I play a 50's Harmony (usually tuned in 4ths) as regular workhorse, but wanted a sweeter tone and non-floating bridge for my next axe.
All in all the BR stacks up better than expected vs. the others. A solid 7 out of 10. Clearly the Regal and the Gibson and even my Harmony have mojo this thing can't touch - but it beats the snot out of the little LXM and matches other contemporaries that cost 2 and 3x.
Construction: B
From Elderly...
""0" size 14-fret body, solid spruce top, laminated mahogany back & sides, mahogany neck, adjustable truss rod, dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard, bound top, back & fingerboard, ornate peghead inlay, bone saddle & nut, nickel tuners, black pickguard and full gloss finish."
These things are essentially Martin 0-18T knock-offs made in China (or SE Asia) and although slightly over-built by comparison (laminates and a thicker neck) they are pretty close.
It does have an adjustable truss rod (I'm told some older ones do not).
Fit and Finish: B/B+
Nice appointments - decent inlay and tortoise binding. The top wood is solid spruce, mine was a two-piece. It also has a pair of matching small knots up on the shoulders, but I don't mind a bit. The grain is stunning and high contrast (I like that - others don't).
The laminated back and sides are actually very pretty - and it's 'hog on both the inside and the out.
Frets are nicely seated and dressed - non-radiused and clean. Neck is dead straight and although I prefer a satin/oil neck - the gloss works fine.
No excess glue on the inside at all. I dug around with a mirror and a light and it's all clean and well put together.
Bridge is solid, and the pick-guard is adhered well (I hate peeling pick-guards)
Tone: B+
Bone nut and saddle. Size 0 style body.
Currently strung in CGDA with J66's - It's a full mellow tone. Far more of a mahogany sound than the laminate belies. Surprisingly complex tone and decent projection. The sustain is clear and long and well beyond expectations.
I played a solo set in an old church this weekend with nothing but a cheap vocal mic straight to the PA and the BR absolutely blew the doors off the place. Joined by small band it held it's own a rhythm engine and sang out above when I needed it to.
I'll be dropping it to GDAE shortly (with some higher tension strings) and will update after this fact with those details.
Value: A++
This is where the lil' bugger shines. I picked it up at Elderly with a case (Canadian Size 0) and a handful of strings for under $450US shipped.
Compared to the LXM for ~$500 MSRP it is no contest. The BR beats the pants off of it.
If you don't need the case - $360 US. Pound for pound, one hell of a deal.
I'll post a proper video review ASAP this week, but for now here's a little tune I wrote for a friend:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UIzPG3nuhk
Just strumming along in C on this one (I'm not much of a player or singer) - but it should give you some idea of tone. Note that Youtube sucks a lot out of the sound.
:mandosmiley: