Joined:
September 2004
Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Got the 2080 this afternoon, and of course, couldn't wait to try it out (in my office). This is just some initial impressions, since I have neither plugged it in or put much needed new strings on it (plus the battery was dead).
Guitar as received from seller was like new as was the case. That part is great. Appearance is very understated, but the texture top makes you realize that there is something better here than the first "all dark" appearance. I guess I wish they had not included the Nike Swoosh on the 12th fret. Do you suppose they receive a promotional fee for each 2080 sold????
First strumming. Tone is more full and louder than the W597, yet lacks the treble or bite that the W597 has. Possibly due to the sound hole configuration. Quite frankly I can't wait to put this beside the 1537 because they sound very similar to me. New strings will probably add a bit. Volume is pretty loud, maybe not to 1537 levels, but exceed the mid-bowel 597. Generally the sound is buttery smooth and a tad bass biased. I like this, but I like the edginess of the W597 too, so now what do I do....
Finger picking, the neck feels a bit fuller to me, even though the specs are the same as the 597. This is good, as I still struggle with touching the high E when playing some chords. The satin neck (hand rubbed maybe?) is much nicer than the urethaned neck on the 1537.
Overall fit and finish only had one real dissappointment...the binding around the top shows a lot of sanding marks, which I would not expect in this $$$ category of guitar. In one location near the neck, the body actually has a small slice into the edge where it looks like someone got carried away with a trimming knife or razor blade. I think it was in manufacture, not the prior owner, but ???
The rest of the guitar, setup, action, frets top etc, are near perfect. I would guess I could drop it by one shim and it would be even lower, but not sure I will do that right away as it really feels pretty good with no buzz.
Can't wait to plug it in....might actually have to drag out an XLR to test this puppy out a bit.
Looking forward to Fugot's impressions if he wins his. |
Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 659
Location: Hiram, Georgia | Thanks for the update JeffryD, I've been looking forward to hearing your impressions on this guitar, and glad you had a smooth transaction, Congrats, keep us posted.
Phil |
2080's
