Everyone deserves the best possible acoustic guitar his budget can allow. It should be tough and beautiful, without ever undermining the quality of the sound that the guitar produces.
Take good care of it and such an acoustic guitar can accompany you for many years as you explore the many wonders of guitar playing. One of the best acoustic guitars on the market today is the Echo Torrefied Spruce Live. In this review, we’re going to take a look this fascinating guitar, and ultimately answer the question – is it worth buying?
Contents
Pros
- Produces well-defined, beautiful, and clear tones
- Seamless and solid construction of the guitar top
- Includes a revolutionary electronic EQ system with built-in tuner
- Excellent quality craftsmanship with an elegant vintage look
- Comes with a premium quality gig bag
Cons
- Quite pricey
- Pickguard does not come as a standard feature
Design and Construction
The Echo Live comes with a dreadnought shape and features different species of wood for its construction.
The back and sides of the guitar feature layered Pau Ferro. It is a tonewood with excellent sonic characteristics. It is almost similar to rosewood, except that Pau Ferro is harder and comes in a lighter shade. This gives the Echo Live exceptional strength that can easily translate into exceptional durability.
The guitar top features torrefied Sitka spruce. Torrefaction gives wood remarkable strength, especially against the elements. It is more resistant to environmental changes, such as humidity, atmospheric pressures, and temperatures. Such a feature allows the Echo Live to demand only the most basic of guitar care and maintenance. It also comes with a UV-cured gloss to help improve the top’s strength and durability.
The C-shaped neck comes with solid mahogany. It provides exceptional support for the fretboard that is home to the 25.5-inch scale. The bridge also features ebony, while the saddle and nut are fashioned from bone.
The Echo Live measures 41-11/16 inches from the edge of the body to the tip of the headstock. The body measures 19-7/8 inches long and 4-11/16 inches deep. The upper bout is 11-3/8 inches, the middle bout is 10 and ½ inches, and the lower bout comes in at 15-3/8 inches.
Playability and Performance
The width of the neck is just right for average players. Guitar players with small hands may find it challenging to hold the neck in a comfortable manner. The section of the neck where it meets the headstock is narrow enough for most open chord guitar playing. Fingerings nearer the body may tax certain types of fingers.
The unique scalloped X bracing of the Echo Live also improves the overall performance of the guitar. You get richer and warmer tones straight out of the packaging.
There is also a built-in guitar tuner that can help simplify the process of tuning this guitar.
Sound
One of the main advantages of having a torrefied guitar top is the amazing sound quality the guitar produces straight out of the box. Torrefaction, rectification, or tempering hastens the speed of aging of wooden guitar tops. Acoustic guitars(if they have the right kind of wood) produce more beautiful sounds as it ages. Torrefaction reduces the number of years needed to produce a very beautiful guitar sound in just several hours.
This is very evident in the Echo Live. The quality of its sound is comparable to other much pricier guitars in the market today. The sound is full and rich. The use of spruce also lends the Echo Live a sweeter and smoother tone than other acoustic guitars on the market.
The tone is not overly bright. It is just right. Since Echo Live also uses Sitka spruce, one can always expect the harmonics to be clear and crisp. You can rely on the Echo Live to give you warm and clear tones.
It is also worth noting that Echo Live comes with some awesome electronics. The Fishman Flex Plus-T EQ system provides exceptional control for both the tone and volume of the guitar. The system further improves the quality of the sound, while giving you enough leeway to tweak the settings according to your preferences.
Overall, the sound that the Echo Live produces never disappoints.
Verdict
You can never go wrong with the Echo Torrefied Spruce Live acoustic-electric guitar.
It is a beautiful string instrument that belies its natural toughness against the elements.
This is a guitar that can have you playing the most amazing songs straight from purchase, no breaking-in required. With the built-in EQ system and guitar tuner, this is one guitar that is more than ready than you will ever be.
We recommend the Echo Torrefied Spruce Live for anyone who wants a great-sounding guitar with exceptional build-quality that is priced competitively. You may opt for more expensive & well-known guitars, but this guitar from Orangewood is here to compete.
Also Read: Honest Orangewood Guitars Review (Top Picks)
