This group is dedicated to the Weissenborn players around the world.

179 Members, Created 2/15/2011 -

Administrators: Grizz (owner)

Short Review of Twisted Wood Balance Weissenborn

From jonbass on 9/1/2013 1:21:56 AM

I have spent some time with my new Weissenborn so I figured I would post my impressions.

The main reason I ended up getting a Weissie was that i was looking for something quieter than my Beard Reso to practice on.  I think that Twisted Wood popped up on Facebook and I checked them out from there.

I decided to get a solid top Balance series with a pickup installed.  It has a mahogany top and I figured that the ply back and sides would make it a bit more durable as I didn't really want an instrument that i was worrying about.  I haven't used the pickup yet but it is a clean installation.  Once I get around to plugging it in I will post more.

Impressions - 

Sound - I have never owned a weissie before so I didn't really know what to expect when it came to sound beyond what i had heard on the internet.  It turns out that this instrument sounds pretty similar to an acoustic guitar with more presence in the bass and a fairly thin high end.  i have since switched from the D'Addario's it came with to Newtone Alohas (I am hoping to spend some time in Standard dobro tuning although I haven't tried it yet).  The strings have made a difference and have brought out a bit more fullness to the high end.  The top has a very thick coat of varnish on it and i wonder if this keeps the top from moving to its full potential.  It seems a bit strangled.  I would like to hear one without the varnish just out of curiosity.

Finish - The guitar looks good.  There are no rough areas and it has a finish beyond what I would expect from a instrument built in Asia.  The TW logo looks like it has been added on and varnished over and some of that varnish has chipped on the headstock already but this isn't something that affects the instrument.  No big deal to me.

Service - Tom was great.  He responded to my emails and answered all my questions.  I wouldn't hesitate to deal with him again.

Overall - This isn't a handmade boutique instrument but it also doesn't come at the price of a boutique instrument.  The Twisted Wood Balance is a solid well made weissenborn produced in Asia at an affordable price.  It is a good instrument to start on and it will suit me well for practice and traveling.  

6 Comments
	Liz Williams says: 9/1/2013 8:07:59 AM Thanks for this review. It's so helpful to have your impressions. Weissenborns are tough to test drive without buying. I am a little confused though. From Bob Blair's earlier posts, I thought these guitars were Canadian-made, not Chinese. Can one of you clarify, or maybe get Tom to join up and weigh in? It makes me cringe when anyone mentions tuning Aloha strings up to high G. I know those strings are low tension, but that 6th string is still a big gauge to take all the way up to G. I'm probably being overly-conscientious about this. I'd like to know once and for all if it works, so I hope you'll let us know.
	jonbass says: 9/1/2013 1:52:54 PM This is directly from an email "The guitars are handmade overseas, production takes around 4 months for the build and dry time." I believe he does install the pickup and does a setup before he ships them out. I am wondering if he does some of the finishing himself? I will tune it it up to G tuning just for you Liz! ; )
	jonbass says: 9/5/2013 7:23:18 PM Just an update. I have been tuning up to standard G tuning with the Aloha strings with no problem. The unwound strings seem more brittle in this tuning. It definitely exposes the thin top end of this guitar. I wouldn't use this tuning on this guitar for performance because it doesn't sound very good but it works for when I want to practice more quietly. I tune back down when I am done. Do weissenborns typically have weaker high ends?
	Liz Williams says: 9/5/2013 9:16:54 PM Thanks for letting us know about the Aloha strings in high G and the origin of Twisted Wood guitars. I don't know how to answer about whether Weissenborns have weaker high ends. I'd call the high end on my Weissenborns ringy and overtone-rich. Is that what you mean by "weak"?
	jonbass says: 9/7/2013 9:52:32 AM Haha! No, I think that I am comparing the sound to my reso which really has no bearing, I definitely think that the Aloha strings brought a bit more out of the guitar though.
	Liz Williams says: 9/7/2013 3:24:16 PM Yeah, When I play my reso and a Weiss in the same session it takes a little time to hear the Weiss. Those dobros are pretty dang showy-sounding. Scene-stealers.
Post a Comment
You must be logged in and a member of this group to post a comment.

Page: 1  2  3  4  Last