Jayne S.-- Larkspur, CA
Posted to the 13th Fret
Hi,
I am an occasional lurker and this is my first post.
First, for all of you who like quick sound bytes: My new kickass Wingert E rocks! For all the rest, a longer description languishes below:
On the Saturday after Thanksgiving (and gosh do I have a lot to be thankful for), I received my new custom Wingert 12 Fret E cutaway, German Spruce/Cocobolo and have been playing it every chance I get!
Visuals first: All gorgeous! Beautiful color and grain in the spruce, and the figure in the cocobolo is deliciously deep. Kathy did a great job of picking out coco for the sides that bring out the highlights in the back. The koa binding ties it all together very nicely along with the luscious color of the neck.
Spice all that up with a sparkly blue/green abalone rosette and top-edged purfling and I get the best of both traditional earth-tone warmth, and contemporary pizzazz!
The ebony headstock (gold Gotoh tuners with ebony buttons) provides the canvas for a lovely MOP inlay of a flying white heron. I requested this design and from just a photo, Jimmi Wingert did an exquisite job of interpreting the image, adding a flowing grace and spirit, the original didn't possess! Kathy's abalone signature and microdot position markers pull all the visual elements together very effectively.
And, now for the sound. WOW! I specifically requested a guitar that I wanted to use predominately as a fingerstyle guitar, but wanted to be able to do some light strumming as well.
From Celtic to Country, Brazilian Jazz to Baroque, and folk songs to fugues (Kathy played the fugue, not me!) this baby handles it all with depth and brilliance. I'm in love with the signature Wingert sound and this guitar delivers it in a balanced and clean tone with plenty of volume and sustain. The trebles simply shimmer!
It is hard to describe, but there is a sparkling quality that is not jangly or brassy or too bright, but just right. Harp-like arrangements sound fantastic - the bell-like tones ringing full and pure. The mids are clear, and the bass notes are like the best bittersweet chocolate fudge sauce: dark, rich and completely satisfying! I love the voice of this guitar and especially as an accompaniment to my voice when I sing!
I have been fortunate to have some talented guitarists play this guitar (Monk, Kay Eskenazi, and of course, Kathy herself) and it has given me, an advanced beginner who is well on my way to intermediate level under the fabulous teaching of Kay, a great appreciation for this instrument and what its capabilities are. I have been amazed by how effortless it is to play.
Kathy took such time and care in shaping the neck and it paid off. My experience of working with her is first rate! We had easy and clear communication and she was very patient with all the times where I obsessed, over-analyzed, or simply didn't have a clue! All her recommendations were on the money, and she is a joy to know.
At first, I thought that due to my relative novice status as a guitar player, I probably had no business having such a high-end instrument custom made for me. But it was the best gift I could have ever given myself.
I am as passionate as ever about playing, learning, and improving, and look forward to exploring the nuances of this phenomenal instrument. And I also look forward to sharing my new beauty with all you 13 Fretters in the area (Fran, Doug, Svea, Brent, Matt, John, Al, Eric, Clarelynn, and anyone else I might be overlooking at the moment.)
I can't recommend Wingert guitars highly enough.
Signed: Jayne (One extremely satisfied customer and grinning-from-ear-to-ear guitar player.)
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