Czech vs Irish

[ptack]

Can anyone tell me the major differences between the Czech made Gold Series, and the Irish made Gold?

Ptack

[JB]

Firstly, there were only about 150'ish Czech Gold's made, nearly all of those went to the US market.

The Czech models had an upgraded rosette (abalone) but had the same bracing pattern as the Irish Gold's and were also hand built from solid woods, excellent guitars for the money.

JB

[ptack]

forgive my ignorance, but are the czech ones still handmade, and is there a quality and or tonal difference?

Ptack

[JB]

Yes the Czech Gold's were hand made, there will be some tonal differences between the two, same for all guitars.

[drmar120]

A year ago I had both a Czech A201c and an Irish A201. I got the Czech guitar earlier in the year, but never bonded with it. The Irish instrument (as I've written here before) was sweeter sounding and more responsive. The Czech guitar was perfectly OK, but not in the Irish instrument's class. Ironically, the used Irish guitar cost me $300 less than the new Czech. Just a lucky Craigslist find on my part.

[Jimbo]

Yes the Czech Gold's were hand made, there will be some tonal differences between the two, same for all guitars.

Even the difference between two guitars of the same model can be pronounced. I've bought a L25 redwood recently that had to be returned because of a problem with the back joint. There happened to be another one the same in stock so they sent that out rather than have me wait for the repair. I have to say, there is a difference in the sound of the two. The older one was more "fat" and the newer one is tighter and more even sounding across the spectrum.