Zager Guitars

[Skyman911]

@Bayvu2, Zager makes fine guitars. Is there anywhere you could try to play one before purchasing? I’ve purchased a couple of guitars before playing them. I sold them both because I didn’t like how they either fit my hands, or how the necks felt. Not sure I’ll buy another guitar without playing it first. Or at least the same model. Some folks go strictly for the sound. I personally think playability is more important.

[Bayvu2]

Thanks Skyman. I am in a pretty rural area. So trying one out would be great, but dont have any places close by. I am sure like most of us, I am always looking at different guitars. Zager caught my eye for what they called very playable guitars. As a beginner, I look for playable over sound. I need another guitar like I need a hole in my head, but always in the market.

I like to keep a guitar out sitting next to my chair, so it is easy for me to grab everyday, so during the humid summer months I have a Carbon Fiber Enya. I started the Journey with a Martin HD28, which I love. I think I am up to 9 in my Gutiarsenal.

[Skyman911]

Lol, I get the guitarsenal comment. I was up to 11 at one time, I’ve thinned the heard down to 5 now. Gotta love the HD-28, different bracing and better sound than the standard D-28. I picked up a Billy Strings D-28 almost a year ago. Same bracing as the HD-28, but with a short scale. Very playable for being a large guitar. Let us know if you pick one up, and what your thoughts are.

[BarbaraM]

I have a Zager Parlor, and love it for both its sound and small size. You can’t find them in a guitar store, they sell direct. I don’t think they are going out of business; the founder, Denny Zager (of “In the Year 2525” fame) is retiring and his son is taking over. (The only thing that is going to be “gone” is the signature of the founder on the back.) They do have a 30 day try-out policy with free shipping both ways if you want to return a model. I had purchased an OM 50 originally as it was smaller than one of their “big” guitars, but even that was too long of a scale length for me and exchanged it for the Parlor, which is “just right” so I call it Goldilocks. The only thing I miss is the 14 frets to the body; the parlor only has 12.

They are fine guitars, well-built, with very good sound. And they are easier to play than, say, my Baby Taylor.

P.S.- Very rarely you will find one on Marketplace; people tend to keep them!

• This reply was modified 2 months ago by  BarbaraM.

[Bayvu2]

Thanks Barbara.

[jorgemac]

They make good guitars . One of the reasons they are easy to play is they are strung up with 11’1 instead of 12’s. I’ve play one of my students Zager guitar it had good tone the setup was spot on.

[jorgemac]

My problem when purchasing another guiar is a space to keep it. I am almost embarrassed embarrassed to mention how many I own. the one truism is you can only play one of them at a time, but I doo rotated sometimes twice a week.

[Bayvu2]

That is true. When I look at buying another guitar, for me sometimes it is an emotional time when I feel I need to jumpstart my playing. I defiantly don’t need it, but I want it. lol. I look at Ovations for sale on Marketplace, and think, that might be neat to try! I am not near any guitar shops and don’t have the ability to try them. I live in the UP of Michigan in a small town of about 300 people.

[David2458]

I own a Zager ZAD900 CE. It is a well built guitar with quality materials. The complaints about Zager is that they mislead customers by giving the impression that they operate a factory in the US where the guitars are built, but they are actually built overseas somewhere. The company is vague about the process but what I gather is the final set up is done by Zager in the US. I have no complaints about my Zager. It plays well and sounds good. I don’t pay much attention to others who have negative views on the company. Most of them have never actually played a Zager.

[Bayvu2]

interesting! Thanks.

[Steven S]

I’ve had the ZAD-900CE/Aura/N for at least a couple of years. I admit I was seduced by the “easy play” advertising — even the inside sticker includes EASY PLAY (I wish it didn’t; kind of like having a nice motorcycle with the label “training wheels included”). And there’s no question that light strings and low action make it RELATIVELY easy to play — though most acoustic guitars can be set up that way. Anyway, my several guitars all have their own use; I bought the Zager for flat-picking, keeping it in standard tuning. Another acoustic is usually in open G, and a Cordoba classical (C5-CE) is always available, just because I love the sound and sensitivity of nylon strings. The Zager really needs to be kept in its case, with some kind of humidity boost. If you’re in a climate of extremes (high humidity down to bone dry air), you’ll likely experience soundboard cracks, as with any other guitar, even if lightly strung. Should your Zager get bone dry, there’s a video on the Zager site about how to revive it. The Zager is heavy, feels “substantial.” The build quality and finish are pretty close to top shelf. Full of electronics, including a built-in tuner. All that said, there’s no reason why a guitar should be considered “good” just because it bears the Zager name. Zager doesn’t build the guitars. Zager imports the guitars, sets them up, and sells them. (Nothing presumptively wrong with imports, which is why I played a Japanese trumpet (Xeno). One of my brothers, a guitar player, lives in Lincoln, NE, home of Zager Guitars, and once called up and asked to visit the business/factory/showroom. It was a quick “nope.” There’s a reason for that. I do also get a bit of bad vibes from the perpetual “retirement”/”act fast!” sale, which understandably makes folks wonder what’s actually going on.

[Bayvu2]

Great information. Thank you.