GUITAR TEST HOMESTEAD OCTOBER 2017

Homestead test

Homestead GAC Odd one out

In the upper bracket of acoustic guitars established the customizing option. A client may the box this guitar sounds exuberant HOMESTEAD GAC select a letter of his or her own choice and responsive, with a beautiful RECOMMENDED PRICE: € 2250,- names such as Martin, Gibson and Taylor predominate. to be inlaid in the logo on the guitar’s sustain. There’s a built-in Fishman (incl. Case) The more expensive standard models of these brands headstock and – at extra cost – can pick-up of the Ellipse Matrix Blend COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: determine nature and shape of the type. This is a combination of a piezo The Netherlands/Indonesia MODEL: Grand Auditorium- now face some serious contenders: the guitars of the inlays in the head and fretboard. pick-up in the bridge and a micro- guitar with cutaway Dutch Homestead brand. In addition, basic specs of the guitar phone that is mounted on a flexible TOP: solid AAA Adirondack can be varied: different lacquer (e.g. gooseneck in the body. Apart from a spruce SIDES AND BACK: solid sunburst), closed (instead of slotted) volume control the mixer in the sound- Javanese rosewood he Homestead brand as rare Adirondack spruce for the headstock, with or without cutaway, hole also has a ‘blend’ control to mix NECK: Mahogany name derives from the guitar tops that is being imported different type of pick-up etc. both the signals from the microphone FRETBOARD: Ebony Dutch town of Heemstede, from the USA, each and every model and the pick-up. The result is a natu- BRIDGE INLAY: Bone Construction TOPNUT/WIDTH: home to founder Robin faithfully being built to Dutch designs. ral and transparent amplified sound. Bone/44.45 mm van de Poll’s company. The formal launch of the brand was However, before we start dreaming FRETS: 20 A couple of years ago celebrated in a festive way in the of our own custom model let’s first Conclusion SCALE: 650 mm ELECTRONICS: Fishman Van de Poll – through an intermediary Indonesian Embassy in The Hague on have a good look at the starting We do agree with George Kooymans: T Matrix Blend – established business relations with a May 11th, 2017. George Kooymans, point of same: one of the four basic the first impression is definitely super WEIGHT: 2,12 kg family company of luthiers in the town lead guitar player of Dutch stargroup models. The Certificate of Authen- fine. Meticulous finish, beautiful DISTRIBUTOR: of Bandung on West Java, Indonesia. Golden Earring, was presented with ticity indicates that our test example materials, magnificent playability Homestead Guitars, ials Heemstede, The Netherlands, This contact quickly blossomed into a Homestead guitar emblazoned with has been manufactured on April 15, and impressive sound. Moreover, Phone. +31 23 5431750 Martin GPCPA4 a close co-operation, in which guitars the stork figure that graces the 2017, as number 7 in the grand-au- each Homestead guitar may be WEBSITE: Taylor 614 CC homestead-guitars.com Gibson J-45C are being handcrafted from the finest The Hague coat of arms and Henny ditorium-with-cutaway series. Hence tailored to your personal taste with locally harvested tone woods as well Vrienten, famous Dutch composer the name: GAC. What first catches a variety of options. The latter, your and bass guitar player, was presented the attention is the slotted headstock personal taste, is of course the with a baritone model. Prominent instead of the closed one which we decisive factor when it comes to Dutch troubadour Boudewijn de Groot, usually find on this type of guitar. more expensive guitars. Then again, who also owns a Homestead guitar, The top is of a deep, warm colour, acoustic guitar players tend to be was also present: as it is, together the the edge of the body and rosette have suitably traditionally orientated. three of them make up the theatre been stylishly decorated with abalone Don Everly once remarked that it is an group ‘Vreemde Kostgangers’ and the guitar definitely boasts a established fact that there are (‘Odd Men Out’). George Kooymans very own personality because scratch ‘Gibson-families’ and ‘Martin- said his first impression with regard to plate and fretboard bindings have families’. Could there be room for a the guitar was “definitely super fine”. been left out. For the tops choice AAA different sound? Our advice: if your Adirondack spruce from the U.S.A. is budget allows it, go and try out a A personalized guitar being selected in The Netherlands, Homestead guitar. And do listen to Homestead abides by two principles. while Javanese rosewood makes up guitars of the big brands that are Firstly, each and every guitar is being for the sides and backs. The neck has way more expensive. Then decide for built from the best materials availa- been crafted from a single piece of yourself. And in case you should do a ble and secondly, the guitars may be mahogany, Macassar ebony makes up little saving first before you can buy customized to the exact demands of for fretboard and bridge. your Homestead guitar, there’s also the customer. Basic models represent time to consider which type of inlay variations on the shapes that have Sound you’d like… become classics within the realm of Just as well, we now would like to the steel-stringed acoustic guitar. know how the guitar plays and sounds. Four types are available: a grand au- The GAC boasts an impressive HOMESTEAD GAC ditorium with cutaway (GAC), an OM volume, with a warm timbre. As far model, a dreadnought and a variation as balance with regard to low, high CONCLUSION on the GAC with a sharper Florentine and mid is concerned the sound ■ PROCLAIMS: cutaway. Unique in this price range is is perfectly proportioned. Right out of Formidable guitar at a relatively low price

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