Legend MJV-602 Rosewood-Spruce, Mini-Jumbo Cutaway Reviews 5

Cripple Creek Music in Ashland, Oregon, sells a product of mine called Googalies which is a high end guitar cloth (www.googalies.com/guitars/. Each time I go there to take them more cloths I play the best, brightest and newest of their outstanding selection. I didn't go in to buy a guitar. I have too many already, ( at least so say my business partners). However, this mini-jumbo cutaway Legend jumped into my hands and really took me by surprise. I have never felt or heard such liquidity in any guitar and I own a number of incredible ones (Taylors, Les Pauls, Martins, Takamine including the LTD98, etc) which my tech, Steve Spalding, always makes better each time he does his magic on them. As far as value I realize that the 2400 bucks I paid is not cheap but certain instruments are worth that kind of money and frankly I would have paid considerably more for this particular instrument. It was logically irresistible.

The action is extremely low and fast for an acoustic with this kind of robust sound. No buzzes even on firm attack. This thing is primo in every way. It is elegant in its rich simplicity and the playability is unmatched by any acoustic guitar I have yet touched. The sound resonates for an unusually long time allowing for sustained chords and bell-like hammerings that are nearly impossible on most other even high end acoustic guitars. The intonnation is perfect to the 20th fret. This is a special guitar no doubt set up for the NAMM show to impress but I think the guys at Legend have a solid and remarkable game plan as well as a profound talent that will bring ultra high end instruments within the fiscal reach of a lot more people.

E string was a little tenuous on hard picking but easily overcome by moving back slightly toward the saddle. Problem there was solved when the Fishman was replaced by a B-Band and a new saddle was cut. Can't find any other area to criticize except I wish Legend built a lot more of them. Check out their website at www.legendguitar.com

Absolutely beautiful with abalone resette and shell dots. Dark Indian rosewood with tortoise binding on neck and body. Beautifully darker spruce top. Incredibly fast neck and perfect intonnation. Completely hand made. Dovetail joint neck with a really accurate (and thus user friendly) truss rod. A functionally perfect work of art with sound to match. The grover tuners are tight and accurate with plenty of gearing to fine tune.

All in all the Legend MJV-602 combines the gracefully impressive looks of a high end instrument with the rugged playability of a true road worthy design. I have never played a faster acoustic neck or found better intonnation - period. And after the B-Band went in, I am quite simply blown away by the amplified power and liquidity that is preserved for the audience. You will find Legends at top guitar dealers. Play one: Especially you fingerpickers. You will be absolutely amazed.

Doug Kennedy rated this unit 5 on 2003-01-28.

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