Mason Live

Upon receiving the instrument, I was confident I had acquired a thoughtfully designed guitar. My primary goal was to find an affordable model that could withstand the demands of live performance, particularly for returning to an open tuning on stage. Consistently playing my instrument at night led to discomfort in my fingers, prompting me to consider solutions to alleviate this issue. One effective method was to change the strings regularly. I experimented with various options, including trying high-quality Elixir strings, which can provide a smoother playing experience and reduce finger fatigue.
Certain adjustments, such as truss rod tuning and fingerboard dressing, may not address the underlying issue of an improperly set neck. This situation reflects a trend where some companies prioritize cost over quality by utilizing inexpensive overseas production and misleading assurance regarding quality control before shipping to customers. Eight months later, it went to the pawnshop. It is still up for sale in their shop; I feel terrible. If you are new to guitar and having a difficult time with your guitar, seek advice from a professional.

I waited a year before writing this review because I wanted to give the guitar time to settle and adjust to the climate in my area. Initial reactions are that the guitar looks beautiful - the wood is bright, the gold trim pops well, the detail around the sound hole is a nice touch, and the leaf fret markers are obviously beautiful. Visually, my review is five stars. It plays well on the hands - the action isn't too high and the spacing up and down the neck is good.

Beyond that, I have some issues with the guitar. Tonally, I've found the sound has always been a little "clangy," and the bottom tends to fall out (even after trying different string types). I've trouble getting it to hold its tuning for too long. Additionally, the nut has always seemed a little low and from the beginning has resulted in some string rattling if I strummed even a little too hard, and the frets wore down incredibly quickly just exacerbating the issue as time has gone on.

Overall, I wouldn't say I "dislike" this guitar but I wouldn't spend this amount of money on it again. For a $500 purchase price, I felt disappointed by the out-of-the-box quality level, and have had to put a lot of work into it after only a year.

Materials and construction quality are excellent. The setup is extraordinarily well done. I have no idea how they can do all this for the price! The Fishman pickup performs extremely well, although given the option I would have paid a little extra for the Flex Blend version that uses mic + piezo. I feel that would be a good way to maximize the capture of the wonderful tonal qualities of the Mason without the price bump that the Anthem gives to the premium models.

I really like this guitar. Rich and soft sound. I highly recommend this guitar. When I received the first guitar, it had a small defect, and the company very easily and quickly replaced it with a new one. I am very pleased. Thank you Orangewood.

My grandson was extremely pleased and looking forward to taking lessons