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Early report. I bought the guitar. The blue isn't as disgusting as I thought it might be. It isn't that great sounding a guitar, it's ok for a beater. The guy has a nice shop in his basement, and is a big fan of Bob Benadetto (the arch top builder). We talked for quite a while and he helped me with music theory and a number of things. So, even if the guitar isn't that good he did a lot for me. Also, it was good to make contact with him and all since he seems capable of doing any repair and lutherie work I may need done in the future.

In external ways, the $100 guitar looks something like what the cheap guitars that many stores sell to kids do. However, once you look inside it and check the woods,etc., and the action it's a much different animal. It's light, but not as light as my BR-40. The action is very good. The sound is more jangly, and I want as much bass as I can get. I don't have a jangly guitar so at least I have one now, if I ever want or need one for that purpose/sound. The Martin "Bluegrass" strings sound pretty good on it

I didn't have a Maple back, and wanted to play on it just to see how it does.

More later, it's not a junker in that sense of the word, but it's not great either. For $100 w/a cheap gig bag it's ok. I think it would be a great guitar for a kid (who didn't want a lot of bass).

BJ

I think what I meant to say is that he knew the guitar wasn't super, but wasn't trying to cheat me either. It was just a constuction project he built (actually built two, one for himself or a student) and with his basement shop full of guitars (loves arch tops, even an old Teisco electric), banjos,keyboards, amps, violins, ukes, teaching library and materials, and whatever, along with a pool table and all sorts of things, his wife wanted him to get rid of some.

He told me he can play about any stringed instrument...

Funny, his wife got him an Esteban last Christmas. Saw it on HSN and because it had all the bling, and even some decor on the back side she thought it was really pretty, etc. Well, he made some alterations, fixed the action and it sounds and plays fairly well, especially for one of those.

He told me story about a guy he works with who saw Esteban on HSN and wanted to buy one and learn to play. He offered to build the guy a decent guitar using materials better than the ones on the "E" and at a better price (wouldn't have to give HSN their cut). The guy said nope, and ordered the "E". Got it and gave up his idea on learning to play a month or so after getting it. He still says it's pretty, likes Estaban and might "get back to it someday".

I had put an ad about my interest in acoustic guitars on the "trading post" segment on the radio station where I work. His wife heard it and told him to call me. The rest, as they say, is history...

He sold it too cheaply to have gotten it all from a kit, but he says he loves Stewart McDonald and gets lots of things from their site.

Would it really be possible to build (using one of their kits) a guitar that would be similar to a D28?