ZAD20 Zager Guitar Review

Acoustic Guitar Review - zad20

Harry Q <****ry@yahoo.com>
Model: zad20

How did you hear about this brand?
I came upon Zager Guitars purely by accident. I had been considering a new guitar for some time and came across a Martin retail store demo available on Ebay. It seemed like a good deal and I actually placed the order for it, but being New Year's weekend, the order did not get processed right away. When I went to the website the next day to "look at it again", by chance I saw the Ebay ad for the Zager ZAD20 series guitars and started looking at them more closely. The more I read, the more intrigued I got. After reading the many testimonials - and of the complete satisfaction guarantee - I cancelled my Martin guitar order and, on leap of faith, went for the ZAD20 Natural.

How does this guitar compare with your old guitar, other guitars, or guitars you've tried in stores?
Out of the box, the first thing I noticed was the quality of the case - solid, well made, truly protective, well worth the price. Out of the case the guitar was impressive! Construction was precise, clean and of high quality. I actually scrutinized the guitar for imperfections of any kind and found NOTHING! The finish was gorgeous - comparable to what I've seen in the most pricey guitars I've drooled over but could not afford. When I started playing, I was floored! The sound - crisp, full, rich, BIG! The playability - I never played so "clean", with so much less effort! Compared to my 31 year old (now cracked) Ovation Balladeer - and the many $800+ guitars that I've tried out over the years - the sound and the playability of the ZAD20 was strickingly superior. I was in Memphis several years ago and tried out a few guitars in the Gibson Factory Store after taking a tour of the factory. I almost bought one of the "low end" acoustics (for around $700)and am glad I didn't. Beside the fact that the low end models had not been manufactured in the factory I had just toured, in hindsight the finish was not nearly as meticulous as the ZAD20, the sound of the ZAD is fuller and richer, and the playability of ZAD20 is, at least for me and my style, far superior.

What's your favorite part about this guitar?
What I love the most about my new ZAD20 is the sound and the playability. I have been playing at an intermediate level for over 30 years, and have played friends' instruments, tried out many guitars in various stores, not to mention all those years of playing my Ovation( which, incidently, never sounded as good as the ZAD20, even when it was new). The tone, the fullness, and the sustain, and the amazing playability of this ZAD20 surpass everything else I have played. The look and finish of the guitar top it all off and result in a complete instrument that can be played and displayed with confidence and pride.

If you didn't know the price of this guitar what would you estimate the price to be?
Having had some exposure over the years to several high-end guitars, if I had seen and played the ZAD20 without any prior knowledge, I would have estimated its price to be at least around $1000. This instrument sets a new bar for the definition of "value".

How would you rate customer support?
I have had this guitar for almost one month and have had no issues that required customer support. However, if the quick reply to my email to Denny Zager to express my initial safisfaction is any indication, I suspect that any issues would be addressed equally expediently.

Would you recommend this guitar to others…if so why?
I would, without hesitation, recommend this guitar to anyone who has either a serious desire to learn, or anyone who has been playing and is looking for an upgrade. Many new students might be tempted to purchase what may appear to be an inexpensive, "descent", beginner guitar, only to be discouraged by an instrument that is hard to play, does not hold tune very well, and does not even sound very rewarding. Do it right from the start! The ZAD20 is a tremendous value. If you then find that playing guitar is not for you - for whatever reason that I could not imagine - then at least you can confidently rule out that it was not the instrument itself that contributed to that decision. For someone who has been playing and is looking for a step up, all I can say is, "Get a Zager!" When you receive it, everything you already love about playing guitar will most certainly be magnified.

Additional comments:
I am already looking forward to the prospect of upgrading... My daughter seems to be showing a serious interest in learning guitar. If that interest pans out, I will have no choice but to give her the best opportunity for success by offering her my ZAD20, and looking to a ZAD80 for myself.

Acoustic Guitar Review - zad20

other zager guitars

More Reviews