mymartind35

Wow!! I can get the "Zager" setup for $20 down the street. This guy charges exorbitant prices for doing such a simple thing. The "Duh" factor for that is astounding. Why anyone would pay what he charges, is a mystery to me.

__________________
1979 Martin D-35
1979 Ovation Adamas W597
Ovation Custom Legend 2079 AX CCB
Ovation Pro Series 1773AX Classical
Takamine EG334C Natural
Takamine G406S-VS New Yorker
(also the occasional G.A.S. guitar)

Auriemma

awleblanc,

First... welcome.

Second... As you can see there is a sore spot around here for "Zager" posts. Sorry you found out the hard way. There is plenty of solid info here. Keep reading and keep posting. Your skin will thicken up in time.

Third... It could have been worse, you could have been extolling the virtues of a Zager-ized Ovation! The Captain may have keeled over if you had. While Step and myself would wonder why you would need to do that to a glorious 'O'. (Inside Joke).

__________________
--- Joe ---
Fender: 69 Mustang Comp; 91 Strat Plus
Ovation: 06 1868T; 95 1751; 79 1627 GCA;
PRS: 07 CE22; 08 SE SC; 12 SE Tremonti
11 Gibson LPS Dlx
12 Martin GPCPA4
77 Bradley LPC

stepchildusmc

i shed walrus sized tears when i come across a Zager-ized Ovation on Ebay. odd because i'm such a shallow and in-sensitive person.

awleblanc

Ok, i'm going to go out on a limb here and ask opinions about a Fender Electric Stratocaster Guitar. I'm a little gun shy about asking anything about anything after the replies from my posts in the past. I think that it might be Japan made unlike my original 1960 Strat that I wish I still owned. I thought at the time I sold it I needed a motorcycle more as I was just learning to play. The serial # is V123132 Maybe somebody will know more about it than I do. Thanks

tuxs

This is the acoustic forum, go elsewhere with that question. In fact you would be prime fodder for "The PIT". Cheers

dannyalcatraz

Ask again in the Electric Guitar Forum and you'll probably get a usable answer.

__________________
Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: “Ninety percent of everything is crap.”

Why, yes, I am a lawyer- thanks for asking!

sdear

Well I will through my 3 cents in on the Zager guitars, I bought one a year ago after reading all the hype about how good they were, and I played it a year before I decided to say anything. I bought the ZAD 20, the least expensive model, (the reason they don’t carry them in stores is because you buy them direct from Zager) anyway I absolutely enjoy this guitar more and more every time I play it! It has unbelievable sound, and is an addictive guitar to play just because it sounds so great. It also has a low action, I think it is a 25.5 scale but I promise you will play more because your fingers wont tear up on you, (I still play till my fingers bleed sometimes). The craftsmanship is outstanding as well; I put a lit mirror up inside and found all braces were top grade spruce, scalloped to perfection! I have a friend that plays a Taylor 214, we trade back and forth, his sounds great also, he is a better guitar player than me, and I find him wanting to play mine more.
Every time I have had a question, my email was answered within an hour or two. \

My next guitar is going to be the ZAD 50 acoustic/electric, I hope if anybody is looking for feedback on Zager guitars, that this post may help them.

awleblanc

OK I'm going to jump in here one more time. About the Zager guitar being my best guitar yet, I might add , would I like to own a Martin, you betcha. would I like to own a Taylor, that too. I will say that for roughly half the cost I still say that the Zager is a good guitar especially with me being on S.S. It works well for me. I don't think you could go wrong. Not to say that there are no other good guitars out there.

Mr303

Here's my take on a Zager Baby I recently purchased.
Actual playing time, use and dealing with Zager.com are being judged by me here.

The set up can be done by any good luthier.
I do not make luthier type repairs/work though I am a highly skilled woodworker by trade.

The additional cost for a easy playing setup from my regular luthier will set you back about $120-180 approx. (Basic Setup and fret/bracing work etc similar to Zagerization.)

The guitar plays well,and sounds as good as the other small travel guitars I have auditioned. (Martin LX1, Taylor, Mitchell, Rogue, Yamaha). Yes I played a lot of "travel" guitars the last year or two.

Customer service has been great with fast response from Dennis Jr.

Overall this guitar performs much better than I expected it to.

Fit finish are nice and tight with good attention to details.

There is nothing really standout about the overall guitar but the setup is what you're paying for ultimately. (That and Denny's reputation and tech expertise.)

Denny Zager does not appear as a certified luthier on any reputable site so his claim of luthiery mastery is suspect.
He is a very good tech at this point but he is not a trained luthier even though he claims "luthier" status.

Though I can't confirm it I think that Zagers are set up by other techs but Denny does the last Quality Control before shipping.

I really wanted to hate this guitar when I got it since there is so much bad being said on guitar forums but that hasn't been the case.

MY opinion is that this is a less costly guitar with a very good set up done to it.
The overall product results in a fine guitar for everyday use.

Again, I really wanted to hate this guitar but that hasn't happened.

THere is a lot of hype on the website which is a bit off putting. (Like Steven Segal is a musician I admire!?) Since they will refund all money and pay for shipping there's not much to loose.
I really didn't think it would be worthwhile to try one out....now I own it and like it.

Oh and please don't call me a shill since you better be ready to back that statement up with facts.

I am stating my opinion that I have formed since actually using the guitar in question.

It seems that opinions about Zagers are like A**holes everybody's got one.

Unless you actually test drive the guitar your opinion should be judged as suspect since you have no valid actual context about the guitar or how it functions for you.

My Zager turns out to be a nice guitar that is a good addition to my guitar library.

These are my honest actual impressions of the guitar after I have used it hard for a week now.

Captaincranky

Dear Mr. 303:

Nobody here, (at least not to my knowledge, and recently), has said anything bad about Zager Guitars. None of the regulars in this forum even own one.

You're the first person to even be forthright about the relative quality of the instruments themselves.

Judging by the cost of the guitars, they're from an Asian OEM. Which one, I've not a clue, nor do I feel the need to do any research.

There any many fine OEMs, Cort, Crafter (possibly), Samick, and others. There is no question than you can get some very good guitars, and way more "bang for your buck", than in an American made instrument. Even Guild's low end pieces are MIC. People seem to swoon over them. And don't get me started on the Canadian guitar conglomerate, "Godin".

What everybody objects to, and vehemently, is Mr. Zager's bullshit and hype.

A snippet I find particularly offensive is Zager sitting in front of a pile of boxes with giant "USA"(s) on the side. What does that even mean..???

If a player, for whatever reason, doesn't want to or can't, deal with setup issues on his or her own, then perhaps an instrument that has been, "Zagerized", is just the ticket.

Most times Zager owners blast into town seemingly zombiefied, brainwashed, and spouting nothing but Zager platitudes. For all intents and purposes, it seems like they've been indoctrinated into a cult.

I think they've kicked the Hari Krishas out of the airports, and true Zager-Krishnas should expect no better treatment here....

Your cost for a setup estimate seems a bit high. It's reasonable enough I suppose if it includes the final step, which is fret leveling. However, setting neck relief, action height, and the correct depth of the top nut grooves, will give you 90% of the results, and people that have a little bit of mechanical and woodworking savvy, should be able to do those things, in the comfort of their own home, for just pennies.

All that said, if you're happy with your new guitar, we're happy with it. Many people make choices that contradict those of someone else. After the buying is done, all that needs to be accomplished is the new owners satisfaction and happiness. It's what making music, and the point of these discussions are all about.

Happy New Guitar Day!

Mr303

Cap'n?

Have you ever played one?

Captaincranky

No, never felt the need. For me, Mr. Zager's act is so off putting as to preclude any interest on my part in playing one.

You know, here we have some "one hit wonder" from four decades ago trading on his "fame" claiming that "Zagerization" is any thing other than a standard procedural guitar setup. Erstwhile, sitting in front of a stack of boxes with "USA" stamped on them, when you know full well the instruments are Asian.

Enough with the fraud and BS. I may be missing out on the most glorious musical experience of my life, but I sincerely doubt it.

Everybody that buys a Zager guitar feels compelled to come here and "spread the gospel". That just sounds like religious fanaticism, with hard core cult overtones.

I start to wonder how many accounts Denny Zager has at UG, and if we should ban him for that. In any case every "effusively happy Zager owner" that comes here, just sounds like a shill, nothing more.

The best advice I can give you, is to put your cover of, "In the Year 2525", on YouTube, and use that as a pulpit to further "the Lord's work". You'll likely meet people whose values are more pliant, and whose personalities are more susceptible to hype.

In the meantime, I believe I did congratulate you on your new guitar, and wished you well with it. That's about it for me. It wasn't enough for you? Oh well.


And BTW, next time you come blasting into town spouting your nonsense about "anuses, opinions, anatomy, and ownership", I'll just report the post, and not give you the courtesy of a reply.

stepchildusmc

i confess, i haven't tried a zager either. i've tried a few Luna guitars and found them severely lacking in tone and quality. Lunas seem to have a much higher reputation than zagers in every circle/forum i've read. with that being the yardstick by which i measure the zagers, i'm probably never going to try one.
i actually had a conversation with a music shop owner this weekend( you're buddy Dennis at AG cranky... talkin' me into another) and Zagers came up( from this thread actually) i had an even larger enlightenment about them. what it really boiled down to was " if they are so good, why do Estebans outsell them?".
i'm not even close to an expert on guitars( heck, i'm an Ovation fan) but i know enough to step around a pile of poop when i see it on the sidewalk.

Mr303

Capn
I was a first timer here. Now I am an ex UG forum member after this post.

You threatened to report me for asking you a simple reasonable question.

You all but call me ignorant about how a guitar is setup and worked on without knowing anything about my background or skills.

You berate me because my opinion does not mesh with your experiences or ideas.
Enjoy the Capn folks!
Hopefully he is not a good representative for UG forum

Captaincranky

Oh you don't have to worry about that. I've been written off as an insane curmudgeon long ago.. My face have never even come close to being on a UG poster.

With that said, if you're really new here, why not start your own thread, instead of dredging up the most contentious topic in the forum.

To recap, this is your quote. You came looking for an argument, you got one.

And since you're spouting all this crap about how I'm a poor representative for UG. Why don't you shut your yap about your stinking Zager guitar, and answer some questions, or try to help somebody else?

Because all you're doing now, is digging up bones, and congratulating yourself for your purchasing acumen, at the pity party you just threw yourself.

All these "My Zager guitar is the best guitar ever threads", sound alike to me. And that is like some cult member who has bought into Denny Zager's self created mythology. Frankly, I'm mystified that it hasn't yet evolved to the point the spaceship will be taking you to the Zager home planet.

Somebody comes careening into the forum with a Zager guitar, , and everything has to stop to patronize them for it. I'd rather spend my time trying to help someone out with an issue, a problem, or concern, than going down this road again.

Like I said before, I've already wished you good luck and well being with your new instrument.

That doesn't mean I need to hear any more about it, try one myself, and I'm certainly not buying one.

So, "Happy New Guitar Day". Live long and prosper! Welcome to UG.

Now pull up a keyboard, and show us you're not just another annoying shill.

Another gem of yours; As opposed to what? Sitting around a campfire listening to you play "In the Year 2525"....

azledon

You can lead a horse but you cant tuna fish.

Captaincranky

I've heard that stated as, "you can tuna piano, but you can't make a horse drink".

stepchildusmc

hmm... J Geils mis-quotes ?? "thats not a bowling ball ! that's my wife !!""

Captaincranky

You sure that's not Jimmy Durante paraphrased?

Sic, "That's no banana, that's my nose"!