Zager - Is this a good guitar?

http://www.zagerguitar.com/index.php?event=public.guitars.models&model=zad50sunburst&id=3

I've read nothing but good reviews on this guitar and I like Zager's story

Has anyone ever played one?

I bet it is a good guitar,,, but I really think you could get more for your money somewhere else. the ez play modifies , is only a good set-up with a bit wider neck & string spacing, ala Seagull, w/ o set-up. A 50.00 set-up can totally change the playability of a guitar, but when you use a wider neck ,to get more spacing,,, you get a wider neck. Cool for larger hands ,, bad for smaller.
For sound & money , I would check out Blueridge, its a attempt to Tryto duplicate a D-28 or 35. & they are about the same cash as the Zager.
If you not wanting to spend a bunch of money ,,, Seagull has great stuff, a little wider neck & spacing , 3/4" shorter scale than the Martin scale 25 1/2 that so many have. And is a good finger picker, and strummer.
If you just intend to strum,, try the Blueridge , they sound huge , and cant hardly be beat IMHO ,, unless yu are intending to be a hard core ,Travis style picker. & some likethem for that.
I dont know much about uke s but Ive played guitar for over 25 yrs, and what I am saying here isnt just speculation.
Steve

It's a decent import, solid top, laminated back and sides.
Zager does a very nice set up and they do play easy - real easy.
Value for the dollar - you can do better.
But it is a very easy playing guitar.

Guitar forumites like to cut these down - but it's not really the guitar- it is Zager and his sales/operational tactics.
I believe that most of the criticism from guitar guys id from those who have never played a Zager modified
guitar, but are just reacting to his claims and his "niche".

Thanks guys I guess I should of phrased my question better. I was more concerneced with if it really lived up to their claims of being easy to play on. I do have big hands but when I emailed and asked them if the necks are larger and they replied saying the neck size is average, the only thing they do is increase the string spread. I'm just cautious about getting one since the whole website resembles an infomercial lol. I'm just interested in getting one for a beginner/intermediate practice guitar.

I know im repeatin ,, but I bet you would like a Seagull, I have the folk series , I used to have on of those Blueridges I mentioned , when I went to BG jams. But went back to blues.
The only downside , as far as I can see to Seagull , is they arent real loud. I think, it has something to do with the slightly shorter scale & string tension.
all I know is Ive sold other stuff, but still have my Seagull. I even drew on it with marker, so I wouldnt get a wild hair & sell it, Now nobody but me would wanht it.

Swampy Steve said:

I know im repeatin ,, but I bet you would like a Seagull, I have the folk series , I used to have on of those Blueridges I mentioned , when I went to BG jams. But went back to blues.
The only downside , as far as I can see to Seagull , is they arent real loud. I think, it has something to do with the slightly shorter scale & string tension.
all I know is Ive sold other stuff, but still have my Seagull. I even drew on it with marker, so I wouldnt get a wild hair & sell it, Now nobody but me would wanht it.

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LOL what did you draw? is the Seagull similar in ease of play? like are the strings closer to the frets etc.

Pyroknoppix said:

LOL what did you draw? is the Seagull similar in ease of play? like are the strings closer to the frets etc.

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Seagull is easy to play. Neck is big enough it doesnt seemed cramped , I got large hands too & some necks feel fast for leads & stuff ,, but tight for chording. And that tiny bit of length on longer necks,, you can feel , esp. when playing barre chords.
I dont know how long you been playing,,, but the secret to ease of play is ,, strings adjusted as low at nut , as you can go without gettin fret buzzes , or fretting out,, and the bridge being shaved / sanded low enough you dont have to put a bunch of pressure.

Unfortunately,, higher action puts more pressure on the top of guitar & makes it louder & fuller. So a bunch of manufacture , sell them w/ too high action. sound good ,, but too hard to play unless your really needing only volume. i.e strum a G chord , and you go "ahh" sounds good
sorry Im rambling here , just trying to give a complete answer. If your fingers arent used to the string pressure ,, get extra light strings,, they wont sound as full or as loud,, but easier to fret. Get guitar setup, about 30-50 , get totally used to hand pressure & stuff & then in a 6 mo or so,, get light gauge strings. Mediums . IMHO are too heavy , to hard on guitar & fingers. I hope this helps some .

oh I just drew some tribal, just to keep my own craziness in check LOL

ps medium action is what you will eventually want,, but may want a bit of time before you go that way.

thanks swampy! I'm farely new to playing. I've tried to learn in the past off of my sisters guitar she got and never learned. The neck had a cramped feeling to me and it seemed some chords I could never do with my big fingers without buzzing and mutes. I'm in Afghanistan right now and my wife ordered a $150 Epiphone to learn on. I have so much time on my hands here that I really have no excuse for putting it off anymore lol. I kinda got a teacher, a Sgt. here that plays classical and flamenco styles said he'll give me lessons for packs of cigarettes (as if I didn't feel like I was in prison already lol)

Thank You Sir for serving,, you have my respect. You guys keep it safe & possible for us to do the stuff we do everyday,, and sometimes take for granted.
Steve

I just now saw this. Don't buy a Zager guitar. Don't believe a word about the "string science" marketing schlock.

Zager started using the "Sigma by Martin" budget guitars and making a few modifications to them that are nothing more than slight of hand and he sells $200 guitars for over $500 (post modification). The guy is really a con-man and is doing this legally because all of the BS that he uses in the marketing of them.

The guitars are way over-priced for what they actually are and there are many fine instruments in the $200 to $500 range that are far superior. Look at Yamaha guitars in the $200 to $300 range and you cannot go wrong.

I received my Zager acoustic guitar this morning. I will most likely be finishing the review today. It is better sounding than my Epiphone Masterbilt? Sadly, a resounding NO. I recently had my Epiphone Masterbilt 'tweaked' at J. Gravity Strings in St. Louis. (an authorized Gibson, Martin & Fender repair shop) The action is nearly as low as the Zager. But, the sound is MUCH BETTER. The Zager guitar has laminated back & sides vs. solid mahogany on my Epiphone DR-500M.

I play a Zager right now. It is very easy to play, but ANY guitar can be setup in the same manner. So I would say a Zager is NOT worth it.

I only have this one cause it was a hand me down from my brother

If i were you ( and if I had a choice) I would get a Yamaha FG730S. I have heard nothing but great reviews on it, and it only costs about 300. And you can just get it setup after wards at a guitar shop, if it doesn't meet your standards. although the setup should be pretty good right out of the box.

Good luck!