zager modified guitars - any comments

Subject: zager modified guitars - any comments
From: Wingman
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 07:49 PM

Saw his ad on Ebay and went to his web site. Considering buying one but would like to hear what more experieced people have to say.......

Subject: RE: zager modified guitars - any comments
From: s&r
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 04:10 AM

This is the site
- am I missing something or is this just a good set-up?

Stu

Subject: RE: zager modified guitars - any comments
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 04:32 AM

Seems like just a good set-up to me, and he probably is very good at what he does.

I was nonetheless a bit troubled by this quote.

"All three areas of the neck are orchestrated together to guarantee very low string heights and even string spacing from side to side."

I don't quite see what Mr Zager is driving at here. I gather that he already refits a replacement nut to widen the string spacing at the nut, but what can he do to alter the string spacing further up the neck without fitting a replacement bridge ?

He can be contacted by email through the site however, so if you are really interested ...

Subject: RE: zager modified guitars - any comments
From: open mike
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 12:11 PM

i don't know about the guitars..
but the guy is from the duo
Zager and Evans who sang the
brave new world/1984-ish
song In The Year 2525
which was a smash hit in 1969.

Subject: RE: zager modified guitars - any comments
From: Grab
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 08:31 AM

So the only development is that he digs out the nut and bridge a bit to lower the action, and files down the frets so that they don't buzz?

One problem with lower frets is that if they get too low, it takes *more* finger pressure to fret a string (frets are worn on my old guitar, and certain notes are tricky). I think these changes may not actually give you much improvement in playability, particularly if you're using medium or heavy strings. And the setup to the nut and bridge, I don't see why anyone half-awake and halfway competent ag guitar couldn't do it themselves with a file.

Graham.

Subject: RE: zager modified guitars - any comments
From: Grateful Ted
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 08:48 AM

One of the worst records ever that bloody 2525, nearly as bad as Dylan's stuff.

Subject: RE: zager modified guitars - any comments
From: PoppaGator
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:51 PM

Unlike Grateful Ted (nice handle, by the way), I *like* Dylan's stuff -- but I concur that 2525 was pure shite.

Subject: RE: zager modified guitars - any comments
From: Cluin
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 08:33 PM

Low frets make bends and other blues techniques harder too. And your fingerboard wears out faster and your callouses get grooved so the notes get muddy.

Subject: RE: zager modified guitars - any comments
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 01:55 PM

I remember this guy was selling his "own personal" Martin on E-bay awile back for an outragious sum. I'm not sure if he ever got it. I do remember the strap button was screwed to some stupid location like the body of the guitar above the neck.

Subject: RE: zager modified guitars - any comments
From: GUEST,Happy Zad owner
Date: 27 Nov 04 - 02:22 PM

I had to bite on one of these recently and can only say from what I read here is no one else has. Zager has their own line now and some very fast thin necks for easy play. Imports, but so are sigma's, epi's etc etc which are fine guitars. I can remember people saying stay away from sigma's a long time ago and my dm-5 still plays clean after 25+ years. Setup on the zagers is right, he knows how to make a guitar sing out with a different bridge and nut added with extra light strings that stay in tune. The biggest problem most have when they buy a guitar is string height and intonation, these guitars are setup for you to play with little to no pain at all and just enjoy the music. The Zad-50 comes with a spruce solid top and for $350.00 is very hard to beat and now after owning one would say at 650.00 would be hard to beat. You can make fun of a headstock name if you want but its not the name that makes the sounds. This company will ship you a guitar and with no questions asked will give you all the money invested back if your not completely happy which includes the shipping cost. I would suggest trying one out and then after you find your going to keep it come back and make a real review on it. http://zagerguitar.com