Hey everybody, I wanted to take some time today to write a review and possibly start a discussion on the Mitchell MD100-SCE acoustic guitar, which is probably the most surprising instrument I have ever played. I have owned this guitar for way over a year now, so this is not a "honeymoon" review.
I've owned two acoustics, a nicer yamaha that I sold when I was hurting for dough a while back, and this one. I have played Martins, Taylors, and a whole slew of other brands, in almost every price range. Let me give you some background. Last year while temporarily living in Philly, I walked into the area's Guitar Center with three-hundred dollars, intending to buy an acoustic. I was also open to the option of financing a Taylor as I considered the guitar to be an investment, more or less. I was open to anything. So I played and played for an hour and half, and I think the guys in there were started to get pissed off that I was messing around for so long, but I didn't care. Finally I picked up this thing, without even looking at what it was. It was in tune, which was a complete shocker. I strummed a basic G chord and heard beautiful lows, mids, highs, and fresh strings. I played for another minute, and that was it, I was sold. Finally I took a look to see what I had gotten myself into and checked the price tag. $199.99. I bartered with the guy and he threw in a gigbag and I never ever looked back. Now onto the review.
Pros: 1) Nothing, and I MEAN NOTHING, bothers me more than a guitar that doesn't stay in tune. This guitar features what appear to be Grover tuners, sans label. They do not slip whatsoever. The nut looks like a graphite tusq type nut. In short, the guitar stays in tune better than any guitar I have ever played. I have gone months without having to tune it. 2) The sound of the guitar is phenomenal. I have been playing for twelve years and I believe that this guitar EASILY sounds comparatively better than guits 5-6-7 times its price. Each note in a strummed chord is clear, pronounced and articulate. 3) This guitar is a looker! It has a nice solid spruce top and mahogany sides and back, with beautiful cream colored binding and abalone work around the sound-hole and back of the guitar. The fingerboard is very dark rosewood. 4) The action is low but not superlow. This is a subjective thing, some people would call it medium, others low, others even high. I think it's fairly low. Oh and the intonation is perfect, notes are true all the way down the neck.
Cons: 1) Ok here's my main beef with this guitar. The battery for the pickup is impossible to access/change without removing several strings or loosening them 'till they are falling off. Oh and don't try just unscrewing the control panel to pull it out, it won't fit. 2)The pickup is not that great. I've played it both through several amps and through a PA, and it's fine, but nothing to write home about. On the bright side, the input jack is there and so is the harness/EQ. I plan to wire a different pickup in here eventually. 3) The frets are a little weird. They work great with no buzzing or muting, but they just look weird. You'll have to go see the guitar to see what I mean. 4) It's a Mitchell. This doesn't bother me at all, I'm actually proud of it sorta, but you'll have to deal with snobbery from time to time. 5.) I wish it were made here. This guitar was beautifully crafted, but in Indonesia. I don't support labor practices there, but this is the best-sounding instrument i could afford with cash on hand and I just had to make ends meet. 6) The stock strings sucked. I replaced them with nice Martin mediums and the sound of the guitar got even better. 7.) I would prefer a natural wood feel to the neck instead of the slow waxy coating it has. I expected this from a guitar in this range though.
Overall, I am very very happy with this guitar. I am an experienced player and I plan on keeping this "beginner's" instrument for many more years. The only thing about it that is beginner, is its price. She has been through a lot too, I have beaten on it, others have beaten on it, it has spent time in my backseat for weeks, it has been abused at parties, it has fallen over countless times, and so on. The only visible marks are lots of scratches on the pickguard, which you can not see unless you hold it up to the light. It's my understanding that these guitars haven't always been of good quality. I recommend this guitar to anybody who needs a great sounding acoustic on a budget or a beater guitar for your living room. It's not going to compete with the 2,000 Taylors or Martins. I just want to throw in there that I do plan on buying a taylor 310 eventually.
I've owned two acoustics, a nicer yamaha that I sold when I was hurting for dough a while back, and this one. I have played Martins, Taylors, and a whole slew of other brands, in almost every price range. Let me give you some background. Last year while temporarily living in Philly, I walked into the area's Guitar Center with three-hundred dollars, intending to buy an acoustic. I was also open to the option of financing a Taylor as I considered the guitar to be an investment, more or less. I was open to anything. So I played and played for an hour and half, and I think the guys in there were started to get pissed off that I was messing around for so long, but I didn't care. Finally I picked up this thing, without even looking at what it was. It was in tune, which was a complete shocker. I strummed a basic G chord and heard beautiful lows, mids, highs, and fresh strings. I played for another minute, and that was it, I was sold. Finally I took a look to see what I had gotten myself into and checked the price tag. $199.99. I bartered with the guy and he threw in a gigbag and I never ever looked back. Now onto the review.
Pros: 1) Nothing, and I MEAN NOTHING, bothers me more than a guitar that doesn't stay in tune. This guitar features what appear to be Grover tuners, sans label. They do not slip whatsoever. The nut looks like a graphite tusq type nut. In short, the guitar stays in tune better than any guitar I have ever played. I have gone months without having to tune it. 2) The sound of the guitar is phenomenal. I have been playing for twelve years and I believe that this guitar EASILY sounds comparatively better than guits 5-6-7 times its price. Each note in a strummed chord is clear, pronounced and articulate. 3) This guitar is a looker! It has a nice solid spruce top and mahogany sides and back, with beautiful cream colored binding and abalone work around the sound-hole and back of the guitar. The fingerboard is very dark rosewood. 4) The action is low but not superlow. This is a subjective thing, some people would call it medium, others low, others even high. I think it's fairly low. Oh and the intonation is perfect, notes are true all the way down the neck.
Cons: 1) Ok here's my main beef with this guitar. The battery for the pickup is impossible to access/change without removing several strings or loosening them 'till they are falling off. Oh and don't try just unscrewing the control panel to pull it out, it won't fit. 2)The pickup is not that great. I've played it both through several amps and through a PA, and it's fine, but nothing to write home about. On the bright side, the input jack is there and so is the harness/EQ. I plan to wire a different pickup in here eventually. 3) The frets are a little weird. They work great with no buzzing or muting, but they just look weird. You'll have to go see the guitar to see what I mean. 4) It's a Mitchell. This doesn't bother me at all, I'm actually proud of it sorta, but you'll have to deal with snobbery from time to time. 5.) I wish it were made here. This guitar was beautifully crafted, but in Indonesia. I don't support labor practices there, but this is the best-sounding instrument i could afford with cash on hand and I just had to make ends meet. 6) The stock strings sucked. I replaced them with nice Martin mediums and the sound of the guitar got even better. 7.) I would prefer a natural wood feel to the neck instead of the slow waxy coating it has. I expected this from a guitar in this range though.
Overall, I am very very happy with this guitar. I am an experienced player and I plan on keeping this "beginner's" instrument for many more years. The only thing about it that is beginner, is its price. She has been through a lot too, I have beaten on it, others have beaten on it, it has spent time in my backseat for weeks, it has been abused at parties, it has fallen over countless times, and so on. The only visible marks are lots of scratches on the pickguard, which you can not see unless you hold it up to the light. It's my understanding that these guitars haven't always been of good quality. I recommend this guitar to anybody who needs a great sounding acoustic on a budget or a beater guitar for your living room. It's not going to compete with the 2,000 Taylors or Martins. I just want to throw in there that I do plan on buying a taylor 310 eventually.
