Info on this Avalon?: "DADGAD/Amo"

[Doug Young]

Hi. I'm checking out a guitar being sold by Mandolin Brothers. It's a Legacy model, serial L-000453, and it says the model is "DADGAD/Amo". I don't see any info about this model anywhere, and am curious about the history. The mandoweb site has some interesting claims, but I'm just wondering what the real scoop is. Anyone know anything about the "DADGAD/Amo" model?

[stevemac]

Hi Doug, I can chip in here as I was involved in the development of this model. Pretty much everything Mandolin Bros say about this guitar is precise - like them, I can't be sure that it was the number 1 prototype of this model, but it could well be. IN any case, there were only ever a few produced.

The guitar was originally specified by US dealer AcousticMusic.org (hence the "Amo" designation). This dealer simply wanted an Avalon version of Pierre Bensusan's Lowden guitar. The guitar was therefore true to the choice and grade of tonewoods but in an Avalon format which is to say, based on the Avalon L-shape jumbo cutaway, AXE bracing and pin bridge. The neck dimensions, as with Pierre's original guitar, were based on a profile and string spacing dimensions designed by Eric Schoenberg which suits fingerstyle playing - hence the guitar was named 'DADGAD' in a nod to Pierre who is known as the king of dadgad!

Looks like an incredible price for this guitar - the same thing new today would be in excess of $4000.

[Doug Young]

Thanks for the info, Steve! It's a very interesting guitar, and quite different from what I'm used to. It's nice to know the background.

Doug