BLUE AND BROWN
Looking like a delta styled blues axe or vintage strummer, the Brownstone features a smaller top bout and overall smaller body design. With a Sitka spruce top with mahogany neck, back and sides the Brownstone has been finished in a brown satin finish that gives the guitar a rootsy look and feel. Set off nicely against the creamy white binding on both the body and neck, the retro-ish looking headstock design ties in well accompanied by a set of TonePro tuners with white buttons. Although a smaller body instrument, the neck actually feels slightly bigger than average with a wider C type feel. Just enough to give some extra girth without completely slowing you down.
TONES
Whilst it does have a swampy down home look to it, don’t get stuck on the Brownstone as just a blues machine. It’s clear and mid rangey, and it can handle big open chords and strumming as well as licks all over the fretboard. The slightly wider neck might also lend itself to some slide action if you’re such a player. The Brownstone projects quite well and gives quite a lot of volume for its reduced size. Good for blues, country, rock, folk and plenty more. Also a nice option if you want a focussed type sound for recordings and the like.
I FOUGHT THE LOAR, AND THE LOAR WON
As a small bodied acoustic the Brownstone definitely looks the part – rootsy and raw with a tip of the hat to the golden days of the 20s and 30s. Comfortable as a Sunday strumming guitar or some more involved picking, making it easy to belt out a range of styles and should also appeal to range of age groups and abilities. Furthermore, it holds up admirably in the tone department. Mid-priced instruments that pack some oomph into not a lot of dollars, good stuff indeed.
For more info on The Loar products, visit www.dynamicmusic.com.au.
