A Full Review of the Orangewood Ava Torrefied Spruce Live/The Guitar Breakdown

[@inspirationoverload]

Been building and repairing guitars for 20 years and this is hands down thee best guitar review I have ever seen

[@TheJamison76]

I hope orangewood appreciates this video. If they fix the issues you mentioned they could have a long future.

[@JBearwa]

If you didn’t watch to the very end, this is the reviewers highest scoring guitar in this category at this time. Do not pass by Orangewood because you didn’t watch the end of video. Reconsider because I love my guitar that I have from them (40 years playing experience). According to Orangewood they constantly refocus their product. So some of the design flaws that were on this a year ago may not be there now. They have excellent customer service, so write to them and find out.

[@picksalot1]

The guitar recorded very well in the video, and I liked the way it sounded, full and balanced. I think Driftwood Guitars should do a sound comparison against one of their own guitars so we have a better idea what they're complaining about that the guitar didn't sound very good. Otherwise, we're hearing these guitars in something of a vacuum.

[@shable1436]

Maybe it's his own playing

[@magnuspym]

I also thought it sounded "well balanced" in the video with earbuds in.

[@stellarjayatkins4749]

It sounds “tight”. It doesn’t have the resonance of a well built guitar. Which is fine and perhaps even what you want if you just want a solid and durable instrument that won’t get damaged easily, that you use for camping or outdoor parties. As he explained it’s a very “durable” instrument and that can have a lot of upside. But for someone who wants a high quality musical instrument, it doesn’t fill the role.

[@grimzal214]

​​@@stellarjayatkins4749to be fair it still sounds really full and the lows are surprising, especially for a concert body shape.

[@petercontarino646]

I bought another model and had a similar reaction. It’s boomy and the lower strings don’t articulate well. Ok for cowboy strumming.

[@magnuspym]

This is (IMHO) the best(most thorough) acoustic review online thank you for the destructive tests and analysis.Very valuable information.

[@pcmountaindog]

I picked up an Ava Spruce for $750. At that price for a solid wood guitar with an LR Baggs pickup, and a case, I really can't complain about the tone or a thick top. With a Satin finish that is not too thick. 750 is not a 3000 dollar Martin, Taylor or $1500 dollar Eastman. I just can't complain at this price point. All and all you put out another very good review.

[@_itsmikeroberts_4044]

This guitar breakdown series is incredible. A video on the Larrivee OM-03 or any other Larrivee would be awesome.

[@OldManandtheGHome]

I hope Orangewood takes your review/critique to heart!

[@jonathanbarker6991]

These are the most thorough and even definitive guitar reviews I have seen. Given by a qualified reviewer. I have learnt a lot. Thank you Driftwood. I have a Cort Core All Mahogany OM guitar which was isued in I think 2021 and cost £435. It might be a little cheaper than those you are reviewing but it is an affordable and for me beautiful instrument. Best I suppose for country blues. Might be worth considering for your series. Just a suggestion. Keep up the good work. You are on the side of the guitar player.

[@Manik530]

After watching the other brands break down vids from how I’ve inspected my core I’d also like to see him cut one and hear his review!

[@Living_EDventures]

I bought a Orangewood Mason Live only $380 on sale now $445. I think it sounds more like an expensive guitar. The build quality and set up were spot on as this one was. My younger brother who has been playing for over 30 years liked it so much he is now buying an Orangewood.

[@steverolfeca]

I love that you let the instrument sustain, so we get a sense of whether it has any dead spots or wolf tones…

[@zfxpedals]

These have been the ones I've really been curious about seeing, thank you for your great content and doing an Orangewood guitar

[@pharmerdavid1432]

Interesting what you say about it being "overbuilt", because now - two years later, they are supposedly built very light...? I've heard the mahogany version compared to the spruce, and the mahogany top version sounds sweeter to me, if not quite as loud and punchy - I'll take sweet over loud anytime! I'm considering the "Sage" grand auditorium version with mahogany top and cutaway, just under $600 from Orangewood currently. Maybe I'll go with the Guild D-20 instead (mahogany top dreadnought)? It costs considerably more, but will be with me forever in this life.

[@CharlieBryant]

I’ve seen comment after comment on the interwebs from Orangewood owners who immediately change strings and hear a big difference. I found the same on mine. I took off whatever they came with and put on good old D’Addario EJ16s, and the change was positive. This was on an Ava and an Oliver.

[@flatline42]

This is a psychotically thorough review. Thank you! I was curious about Orangewoods but now I'm more curious about Driftwood.

[@especiallyabsent]

Base price of $20k and a wait time of two years

[@Bass_city]

Dude what an impressive review! Seriously high quality! Love the way you break down all of the reasons for the scores you give.

[@chasterling237]

Still gonna vote for y'all to do something in the seagull line. Would love to see what they look like on the inside. Would also love to see something by breedlove to coincide with your factory tour video. Love the series! You got me fascinated with the innards of acoustics.

[@jspendleton3898]

Yes, the Seagull S6 would fit perfectly for this series. I second this vote for a Seagull.

[@bfaehnrich]

Yes! I’m looking for a new acoustic and the Seagulls and Breedloves seem to be great value. I would love to hear your thoughts on them!

[@angelg8445]

EASTMAN OR LARRIVEE!

[@MeekDrill]

I just bought myself the Seagull Coastline Momentum 3 days ago for $490 and totally love it. I agree, we need a Seagull breakdown !

[@OldManandtheGHome]

I own their S6 model, basic and no frills and I still love its sound for the price.

[@coreyevans835]

I'm so ready for this video!

[@SaggyPampers11]

This series is amazing!!! Thank you for doing all of this

[@allendean9807]

So i got the mahogany Orangewood left handed acoustic electric. And i love it. For what I’m using it, it records very well, mixes good, and cuts through just fine in a finished mix. Is it a 3k Taylor, or Martin? God no. But is it a serviceable, easy to track acoustic? Yes. For the price, well worth the money, in my opinion.

[@smartmammal9926]

Over the last year or so, I had an Orangewood Oliver. The first had some fret buzz and they replaced immediately. It was a good starter that was easy to play and as I grew, I replaced it, selling it to another beginner. For a $200 guitar, it was great!

[@RJ-vb7gh]

Yup. there's a reason that you can't compare an Orangewood to another guitar in a music store. And frankly it's the sound quality. IMHO Certain Asian countries are great at producing a slick package and big on trademarks or if you prefer the term brands (even if they aren't authentic sometimes). They know what American consumers are looking for and they aim to please and sell. They also know that their products mostly sell because they are cheaper than the competition. So something has to give. Usually it's the quality of the materials you don't see or the workmanship you can't easily inspect. Unfortunately when it cines to musical instruments it's the sound that matters. And you can't get the sound if you don't get all of the details just right. I've only seen and heard a few lower priced Orangewoods, which isn't a fair sample, and those weren't as well set up as yours' they didn't sound bad, but they were far from inspiring.

[@V.Drouin]

Hi, great content as always! A brand I'd like you to try out and review is Godin/Seagull/ all of the Godin related brands. I've always heard they were great quality for the money and all the instruments are made in Quebec, most of them from solid wood. I'd very much like to see your take on them. Thanks and keep up the good work, I'm halfway through the 3000 year old build! Cheers!

[@bigfootisjustreallyshy]

I've been seriously considering buying an Orangewood ever since I saw Rhetts video. They certainly do have an allure to them and even with some of your critiques they still ranked highest out of the intermediate guitars you've tested so far which has just sold me even more I think.

[@damekiyoshk5842]

You should do a video on Graph Tech "Tusq" vs bone (nut, saddle and bridge pins) because I personally prefer tusq but curious to see your reasoning for choosing bone and if there really is a difference tonaly between the two. Loving the content guys!

[@juliachild9377]

When it really comes down to it, I highly doubt that there's a measurable difference between the two.

[@damekiyoshk5842]

@@juliachild9377 Fair enough, I only prefer tusq because of the self lubrication

[@theodorecross7705]

Dude. This has got to be the first honest review of Orangewood I’ve seen. THANK YOU!!!

[@joemcgraw5529]

Wow Keep going with the Awesome reviews very important to get the companies to adjust certain problems and concerns ,it makes a difference to me and very thankful to see you do these reviews in a way that yells the Real story

[@ericpeterson9336]

Best video out there on Orangewood. I have purchased a Hudson Torrified Live because of this video, a solid top and body dreadnought with the LR Baggs system. Your video helped me make my decision as I can only afford so much and it's the only time I will ever be able to purchase a guitar. Thank You

[@guanweihe7614]

Any chance on going back to a bit to the lower end of guitars? Things like the Yamaha FG800 series etc

[@beanwater4542]

i have one and it’s great for the price

[@joumartshoura7652]

your guitar breakdowns are the most valuable service that guitarists can ask for on youtube

[@raytristani]

You should do a full review like this of a driftwood guitar. I know, it would hurt deeply, but I think it would be very interesting, to see how you cope with it, because some of us like to see pain and suffering 🙂

[@Sammywhat]

Nice work gentlemen! This series is MUCH appreciated!! I would love to hear if any of these manufacturers get in touch with you for comment. Cheers!

[@christopherfast3247]

Would love to see you guys test a Recording King Series 11. All solid woods at a very decent price!

[@Tomtart1]

Now this is an excellent review. Great job guys..

[@whatwouldhousedo5136]

Very informative review format; I doubt many people would go to the lengths of cutting a guitar open! Can you do a Stradivarius please??

[@headinghold]

Even though Furchs make up only a small percentage of guitars here in the U.S., I'd love to see you do a "Guitar Breakdown" of one, if for no other reason than one of their key features is that each guitar top (across their entire line) is individually voiced. Because of your emphasis, and rightfully so, on the importance of a properly voiced top, I would be curious to know if you think this is the real deal or just marketing fluff. Whether their "proprietary voicing process" is legit or not, the Blue Plus G-CM I recently purchased is one of the best guitars I've ever owned. I absolutely love this guitar and at $1199, it was only slightly more than what you paid for the Orangewood and about the same price as the Gibson G-45. Furch's Violet and Indigo series may be more comparable to the PRS, Taylor and Martin that you reviewed.

[@paulheartsongs]

Thank you for the detailed review! The Orangewood sound has never caught my ear.

[@espenbjrkvold5119]

Wow. This was really interesting. I have never looked so closely at any guitar before buying it ever. Thank you for doing this. I would love to see you looking at an Ovation guitar this way.

[@calebbhawkins]

I bought a used Oliver for $120 off Facebook Marketplace. It was nice, but very quiet, I ended up moving it down the line. I have seen a few of the higher end ones selling for $4-500 used as well. I will say the only high end Orangewood I played was used in a store and it already needed a neck reset because the top was so deflected. I REALLY want these guitars to shine, I really want Orangewood to be the underdog brand that working class players with under $1k to spend can get a great tool to make music. But like we saw here… It’s kind of falling short for a few things.

[@johnmcrae3221]

Your videos analyzing guitars are really super. I told a friend about it, and he said you were a real find!!! So this is another great job. Many thanks.

[@juliachild9377]

If you really want to know how thick the finish is, get a thickness gauge. An example of one is the PosiTector 200 B1 (or B3).

[@brettkramer]

I just love your reviews, really appreciate your honesty. We're all looking for those acoustics with, ringing, resonate, sustaining tones that makes the guitar feel like it's alive. Those great guitars seem difficult to find with anything other than handmade instruments.

[@matthewsink1397]

Would love for you to do the Yamaha FGX5. Those guitars have always reviewed very well, but curious to see your more in depth analysis

[@keharris7]

A very thorough review! Thank You! You do a fantastic autopsy of a guitar!

[@billbowers7553]

Love you're reviews. Bought a PRS parlor because of your eview. It was everything you said it was.....

[@jamesdeagle]

Once again, a most professional and thorough guitar review! Thank you! James

[@RealColeFarlow]

The quality of this video is insane. Really really well done.

[@scottsagor674]

I love how each time you do the liquids test you've got new booze... Hats off to your cool shop!

[@ChrisWilliams-cb9kt]

Would like to see you do a PRS Angelus in that price range. Mine definitely had some issues which I’ve sorted but I haven’t cut it in half obviously. Nice content and commentary. Liking the standardised tests. 👍

[@danielswierczynski2001]

I just received the Oliver Model, supposed to be a blem. I see a few light spots on the finish, but that's all. Solid mahogeny top and laminated mahogeny sides and back. I'm impressed that it came perfectly set up and it plays and sounds great. The Oliver is a budget model, but I would certainly step up the a more expensive guitar after seeing the quality of this one. 5 stars.

[@BuffaloC305]

24:18 Interior Build Quality is my favorite part of these videos. It is not very kind to Orangewood's manufacturers, but it does illustrate a good potential for the guitar's construction future. How much extra would it cost for using good wood for bracing? What - $10 a guitar total? $30-50? (doubtful even with all those braces using better wood). And getting the jig to cut the X brace intersection tighter - how much more? "Zero" but it might take the 'fitter' an extra 20-30 seconds... maybe.

[@Notmehimorthem]

This guitar was on my hit list as soon as it came to UK. As you know you can't hear it first as it is mail order. Your review has opened my eyes. So near but so far. Sound is mission critical, if it fails there, it's wall art. Thank you so much. Would like to know your favoured Orangewood

[@brazilianjosh]

It would be interesting to see how the build of these mid range guitars compare to mid range guitars built 20+ years ago.

[@scorpionguitars8190]

Yes! That’s something I’d like to see!! I bet the ones of 20years ago will be much lesser quality

[@almostclement4975]

@@scorpionguitars8190 funny, I think it would be slightly better, 20 years of refining a process to make it cheaper to produce is what I’m thinking.. would definitely be interesting though.

[@scorpionguitars8190]

@@almostclement4975 I guess it’s a 50 / 50 thing, could swing either way... my thinking is these days we get a lot of great quality instruments a lot cheaper than back in yonder as we enjoy the luxury of Morden day cnc and the like. Would be very interested to see though! 👍🏼

[@smokesgtp]

Could go either way. I'd love to see that!

[@Notmehimorthem]

I remember my echo guitar had a hardboard back! Was considered quite good. Midrange were cr#p, cheap was unplayable.

[@MatthewCuda]

100% correct! I love my orangewood mahogany except for the low end. Please listen to this orangewood because we want to love you! I use mine as a stage instrument because they have great playability and good pickup systems.

[@Minotskyi]

the most detailed review I've ever seen. Cutting a guitar and looking inside is really cool and can give a real assessment to any instrument. I would like to see a review of the guitar Cort Gold A6 please)

[@jeichorn63]

Fascinating, especially the view of the inside. Thanks!

[@smeyer7068]

Just subbed to this channel. I've owned a Orangewood, I also convinced my brother to buy one. While I have since sold mine (for the same price I paid for it), it was still a great guitar. My brother does online gigs on his OWG every week and after two years it's still a solid guitar. The plugged in sound is incredible with the Fishman Flex EQ. Bottom line, if this guitar scored higher than the big G brand in this test, that's all anyone really needs to know. Guitars are subjective and while this reviewer may not have liked the sound and had good reason to believe the finish and bracing is the culprit, the acoustic electric OWG's really shine when plugged in. I'm purchasing my second OWG today with the Torrified Spruce top. Thank you Driftwood for the in depth review.

[@thorstenmatadoerle8546]

I like your approach to the object and your explanations why you judge like you do, that means your channel has the best acoustic guitar test and reviews to this date. Thank you and best wishes from Germany

[@davem6043]

I'd love to see a martin 000jr10 !!! Awesome videos guys really enjoying everything you guys do

[@maxmelchert7618]

I’d really be curious to see you guys “breakdown” a Larrivee om-40.

[@JBearwa]

I’m thrilled about the extensive review you guys did! I bought and love the Orangewood jumbo model for $500. Had to buy a case for it as I don’t like using the soft cases. They don’t carry the jumbo model anymore. I absolutely love the rich sound! It is my first jumbo guitar and should have a really rich deep end which it does. From your review I was thrilled to hear all the good qualities that this brand came with. I did get the cheaper pick up but it sounded good from the one time I’ve used it. It is still a higher-quality pick up just not as good as the one you reviewed. The tuner is wonderful. Orangewood is constantly changing some of their models and it sounds like they might be improving from a year ago but like I said, I am thrilled with my Orangewood Jumbo. Excellent customer service. I’ve played over 40 years, so I feel like I have a good ear for the sound, but I know I’m not as good as what your developed professional ear is. I had a professional player friend that instantly wanted the Jumbo model once he played mine. Orangewood has multiple models, so I hope folks out there give them a try.

[@aspergersftw7927]

Echoing the other calls for a Breedlove. I would love to see how they stack up, especially since their factory tour was really impressive

[@anthonyb2334]

I would like to see a Breedlove review as well. I’ve owned MOST of their series, including Discovery, Pursuit. Organic, and the American made Oregon Limited and Legacy. I love the American made for sound, playability and feel. The imports are well made but even the solid wood imports lack “something “. Anyway, great video

[@prouddad6665]

Love the videos. You were impressed with Breedlove's Factory tour...I'd love to see you review a guitar from them. Thanks for all you do.

[@pastorkev777]

Two suggestions for guitars to check out: -Recording King RD-328 or RD-318 -Seagull Artist Mosaic or Maritime SWS

[@bartmitcham9697]

Finally a real review of quality! Thanks.

[@jimgaskell1833]

This review is spot on! Orangewood sent free guitars to just about every related music influencer who gave them a flying colors pass. I bought my first Orangewood (Brooklyn live). It’s very playable and I enjoy it. The acoustic tone of it, however lacked in a way I couldn’t put my finger on until I saw this video. Makes perfect sense now. If this guitar was at a music shop were I could test it against others brands I probably would have not chosen it by comparison sounds. The 30 day free trial won me over to keeping it. All the sins in the sound wash out when you plug it in. It has a unique and interesting sound that in some cases is preferable over my higher end guitars.

[@Dhruv-_-0.]

Great review. Just one thought though, some of the guitars sold in high volumes are guitars around the $200 price. Guitars like Fender cd60 v3, Yamaha F-310, Epiphone DR-100, etc. Even then it's rather hard to find review of these. With the quality I've seen here, it will be amazing if you could look into that side of things as well. Maybe if not go for individual ones, you could grab 3-4, and compare/contrast them together in one video.

[@sigfreed11]

Leaderboard reminds of the Top Gear power lap times leaderboard. Love it! Would like to see a magnetic strip and a sharpie though 💁🏻‍♂️

[@DriftwoodGuitars]

And the Stig playing the guitar!

[@robertcapozzoli4049]

I just bought an Orangewood Morgan it is one of the most popular guitars along with the Oliver. Maybe you can do a review on the Morgan guitar which is a solid mahogany top and laminated sides and back. Your review on the Ava was great. Hope you can do the review on the Morgan which is a lower cost but very popular guitar by Orangewood

[@jay_watch]

Love this series, highly interesting and educational. Would love to see you guys review a guitar from LAG. they’re really well built instruments,even at their most affordable end (e.g. LAG Tramontane 70a). Anyways, keep up the great work!

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

I can't wait to see your reviews of the high priced category of acoustics. Sawing a 7 to 10K guitar in half will be a must see event. :)

[@PaulK813]

Would love to see an update on an Orangewood, as they've made changes since this video. I recently bought an Oliver and just peeking inside with a mirror and flashlight, noticed they changed the X brace to use a small wooden cap. Less hiding a bad joint and more actual structure. BTW, I didn't know about that until watching your videos on how you make your guitars! Thanks!

[@mrsmithsmith8418]

I really appreciate this review as it seems 100% legit as the video content creators actually bought this guitar. Many KZbin reviews on these Orangewood guitars are medium to large channels that Orangewood sends the guitars to them based on that channels subscriber count for free. The issue is that if your a small channel that plays acoustic guitars really well as in many years it does not matter to them, only the number of subscribers that channel has. I have no problems per se with inexpensive Chinese made guitars, but I do when I see KZbin channels doing biased reviews over and over again and not talking about defects, all to make the acoustic guitar seem flawless.. And I again like to Thank the guys that are running this KZbin channel as they great ethics on what actual flaws exists on and within.

[@frankie_CALB]

I would love to see you do a “Best Budget” acoustic guitar video. There’s so many to choose from but I think this Orangewood vs Alvarez vs Eastman would be cool.

[@pieceworkstudios]

I really enjoy listening to you and your videos are great. Lil tough to see a beautiful "looking" guitar going through the fall test and getting gutted but thank you for doing that for us 👍

[@SonicSoundofDoom]

What an amazing video, I really appreciate this because I’m considering buying one of their lower priced models. The Echo Live seems to have a much better sound than this one and it’s half the price. But man, I’m amazed at all the work you did for this video. You get a 9/10 ;)

[@JBearwa]

I own and love their jumbo live so I hope you picked up the echo live. If you have, what do you think about it?

[@noelyoung7480]

I'm glad you guy's picked this line of Orangewood's to test. I was thinking about picking one up. Now I'm thinking I'd be better off to save a little longer and go with a Taylor or Martin.

[@crispytech9182]

I luv your honesty on these videos. Keep them coming.

[@joshuamiller8235]

I recently bought the Rey model for $135 and I couldn't be happier with what I got for such little price. It's no Martin, but it plays good, and sounds decent. As a returning player who hasnt played in years, it was exactly what I was looking for and I just dont think you can beat the price for what you get. My only complaint is that the A and D strings seem to ring through more loudly then the other strings, which I assume is attributed to the tuning between the top and back.

[@ducdanjou7885]

This is such a great series. Thank you.

[@mikepj1025]

SEAGULL!!! SEAGULL!! SEAGULL!! North American “hand made”. I love them. Would love to get your specific test results. Seagull Maritime is a very modest but excellent acoustic.

[@kwaktak]

I would really like to see you do a satin Larrivee. After having seen this, I see many parallels with my legacy Canadian-made OM-03R which has a very similar finish and construction.

[@martinfrog768]

🐸Thanks for the nice review of this instrument. I do own an Orangewood Parlor guitar which cost about $200 as shipped. The only alteration is a K&K Pickup which works remarkably well giving equal and accurate tone when plugged into an acoustic preamp. These guitars are an excellent choice for student guitars, knock-around guitars or just one that can be left on a stand in a studio as an "Idea Guitar" which is how I use mine.

[@halfabee]

In the UK I purchased a fender paramount OS Guitar brand new for £300. Solid Spruce top and solid mahogany sides. This Orange wood cost 763.52 Pound Changed the strings to phosphorus Bronze which brought it to life.

[@PhillRS]

did you get a L.R baggs pickup with it? And a hardcase?

[@kurtdavidson9808]

Well I am one of those persons who purchased a Orangewood Guitar. I had been watching a lot of reviews and It was always four or five guitars in the same price range. Honestly Orangewood never came out exactly on top but at the end of the day they always said surprisingly enough that they are a really good value. My Orangewood through my small amp sounds fairy good. Keep in mind I am a beginner as far as playing but have been trying to read and learn about guitars for the past year or so. I will say this. You mentioned that Orangewood emailed you and stayed in touch and checked on you with tips on how to care for your instrument. I spent $900.00 with Orangewood and they have never emailed me not one time. Until I reached out to them. I changed the strings from the Earnie Ball med/light to the Elixer/ med light. Could not play it. After three days I had to remove the Elixers. But I’m sure that happens with a lot of guitars. They are set up with as pacific string. Anyway the action in not correct ( way to high) so that definitely has to be corrected. I need some advice on what is a good buy in the $1500 range. Obviously I don’t have the knowledge to seek the perfect guitar for myself. Thanks

[@Living_EDventures]

I Spent $380 on a Mason Live 3 weeks ago and have got four emails from them since purchasing it. Three had to do with shipping and one was congratulating me on my purchase. Mine was perfect out of the box besides a simple tuning. To me it sounds better than the Martin I bought for a couple hundred dollars more and it is solid wood not some type of plastic. I'm impressed myself. I have heard hit and miss things though so they probably do have occasional mishaps.

[@brushstroke3733]

Have you tried replacing the bridge saddle with a bone saddle? You can get one and do it yourself for about $10 plus the price of sandpaper and a tile to use as a flat surface. Try that. You can lower the action yourself this way, and also change the sound. The TUSQ saddle is great, but it also has a sharp, brittle kind of sound. Bone sounds much warmer, smoother. And it's cheaper. The most important thing is to match the radius of your old saddle, and make sure you order one that is long and wide enough to fill the slot.

[@1777DK]

I seems very becoming to me, that the usual "boom", that mid- to large size acoustic guitars often have, is not pressent. The balance between high and low end seems pretty good to me.

[@picksalot1]

Yeah. I liked the way the guitar sounded, full and balanced. Driftwood Guitars should do a sound comparison against one of their own guitars so we have a better idea what they're complaining about.

[@melich_5]

Please review a Harley Benton Like the CLD 41, it looks like a premium martin guitar for 300 euros but i want to know if it's also as good as it looks

[@a.krawion1872]

I personally really disliked it when I tried one.

[@TitoFrito]

Fantastic review as always,, thank you so much. 👍

[@TheSisrob]

Great video series; seriously makes informed decisions possible! I just grabbed an Orangewood Oliver Jr. Live from the “almost perfect” sale; and for $200, it seems to be just what i wanted; a decent-to-play little lug around. I played it out (all finger style, plugged in) Friday night and my peeps were blown away by the bang-for-the-buck. Outdoors, on a muggy Michigan night, the thing had been in my posession about 30hrs.. it is embarrassingly better than any low-end Mitchell and Yamaha (such as are laying around the house.) It’s far livlier than my Simon and Patrick Songsmith, which was my go-to songwriting guitar before I got a Breedlove Organics Artista series. While the Breedlove has a lot going on, it had more issues out of box than the Orangewood and had to be exchanged once (big chip out visible (to player) in the soundhole) and the second one that replaced it has a nut spacing issue. The finish color variation between these two Breedloves was obvious and disappointing. The tone and playability on the Brewdloves were ridiculously far apart as well with a second being much better, so serendipity wins. Oliver Jr. got a truss rod tweak and that’s that, oob. The “imperfect” aspect of the guitar I received appears to be that B string bridge pin hole was drilled or driven a tad deep. I’m quite sure that if it presents an issue i can fix that; so far, no obvious issue. It’s my second Orangewood (other is Hugo model; a baritone acoustic.) I am no guitar snob, I generally judge them by feel and vibe as much as sound, and I have played lots of well known guitars that I would not pay asking price for; they were soul-less slabs of pricey finery. I think I am someone who is going to have to go handmade or vintage to be truly happy, I mean, thrilled and moved to tears, by a guitar. (Case in point; a Martin C.) That said, I am enjoying this little Oliver Jr. more than I can say. I don’t have to worry one bit about what happens to it, and yet it makes me very happy. It may end up one of those rubber bridged little funky mods. In fact, that’s what I had in mind when I got it. But then again, I might get another guitar for that purpose, because this one’s delighting me rn. I sincerely hope that Orangewood works on the issues you have identified here, a little bit tighter and careful construction and a better applied finish, because I’m in line waiting for that to happen and to plop down $800-$1,000 for one of their super-well-thought-out guitars. Orangewood? Ya listening? ❤

[@brant3948]

love these videos. I would love to see a follow up video to this one, where you try to put the guitar back together.... kind of a "hardest guitar repair ever" video, just for fun!

[@ScootinIsLife]

I bought the Orangewood Dana , A 3/4 scale parlor style guitar. Very pleased !

[@ardumus]

Thanks for this! I appreciate seeing the insides of these guitars.

[@wastingtime]

Really enjoy these video, very interesting to see how well the inner bracing is put together, would love to see it done on a Japanese manufacturer and/or some of the Indonesian built guitars.

[@craigwilliams6145]

Very enjoyable guys. One thing though. The carbide ball drop was right above the end block on this guitar whereas the other guitars were much closer to the bridge. Perhaps there is nowhere for the energy to go but into deformation. Just asking?

[@BobPerrone]

Ha! I noticed that too!

[@Lionelj]

Thanks for this in-depth analysis - super helpful

[@schreds8882]

A year after I purchased my Orangewood Morgan, the neck separated only being held on by the glue between the fretboard and the body. Today, I decided to see if I could remove the neck. Clearly, it's not worth paying a luthier to fix. Removing the neck was as easy as heating up a putty knife and sliding it under the fretboard. The whole neck came out with just some wiggling. It looks like the heel separated when the one part that was glued tore out. When I pulled the neck, there were a few spots of glue stain on the neck heel but none in the neck pocket, so no glue was holding the heel in place and there were 3 shims on the treble side and 2 on the bass side. The heel joint was not your normal wedge shape either. More of a blob shape so that explains the shims. The pocket is reasonably well cut but it doesn't matter because the heel is a travesty. Fortunately, I have some mahogany that I can use to shape the heel part of the joint and hopefully make a better, more secure join. I'm not a luthier so this will be ugly. 😂

[@paulgoulet8343]

Thanks for this comprehensive review of the Orangewood Ava. Your review was spot on as far as I'm concerned. I tried two of these guitars and sent them both back to Orangewood. I would agree that this guitar looks great and the features are awesome. However, I was so disappointed with the tone and some ringing/buzzing sounds. I bought the spruce top and then the mahogany model but it was the same flat tone and loud ringing sounds that turned me off. I wanted to try this guitar because of my experience with another Orangewood model called the Oliver. The Oliver is less than $200 and it plays and sounds great, I was so impressed with the quality and sound of it, I assumed the higher models would be even better. I think your assessment that the Ava is overbuilt is probably correct.

[@ZachariahConnor]

Bummer that the braces, finish, and top were not optimized further to sound better. On the other hand, this seems like one of the most durable solid wood guitars yet.

[@mburtondavis]

Never actually thought about the finish affecting the resonance of the wood. Huh, I learned something today.

[@dreilacadin]

Hoping for a breakdown video of a Cort Gold O8 as well! awesome series!