| Build Quality: |  |
| Hardware: |  |
| Sound: | |
| Value: | |
| Average: | |
Pros:
- Great Design
- Interesting, bright Sound
- Great Bridge
Cons:
- A bit of string buzz
- Tuning Stability Issues
There are a lot of bass guitars out there claiming to be some of the, if not the, best looking bass guitars on the market. I mean look at the outlandish Boulder Creek EBR3-N4F whose manufacturers claim it looks amazing. It doesn’t look bad, but honestly, finding it to be the most handsome instrument out there is not an easy thing to do. Thankfully there are actual handsome instruments out there, such as the Michael Kelly MKDF4SKB, which provides the player with a whole lot of rustic class in terms of design. Let us take a closer look at this marvelous-looking guitar.
Body Quality
The body of this acoustic bass guitar is designed in the spirit of many guitars that already exist on the market. And yet the design feels fresh despite how often it is used. The grand auditorium shape of the Michael Kelly MKDF4SKB allows it to have a powerful projection volume, while also avoiding the problems that dreadnought-shaped guitars usually have. The guitar has an interesting color scheme that concentrates on flaunting the grain of the quilted maple below the paint. The resulting look is both rustic and classy, something that can be highly enjoyed by blues players, or other musicians who enjoy good-looking guitars.
The top and sides of the guitar are constructed out of quilted maple. This seemingly strange choice of tonewood for an acoustic bass guitar starts to work in the favor of the guitar’s sound the moment you start playing it though. The quilted maple produces an interesting level of resonance with the mid and higher tones that the bass guitar has to offer, while the low tones are balanced out by the grand concert-style body. The maple itself is incredibly sturdy and promises to be able to last a long time after you acquire it for the first time. The guitar is relatively light, especially considering the fact that it is made entirely out of maple.
The neck of the guitar is constructed out of maple as well, though not quilted. This is a traditional choice among both acoustic and electric guitars, so don’t act surprised reading about how this guitar is entirely a large piece of maple. The hardwood is highly resistant to warping, breaking and taking most kinds of denting and scratching damage, which means a promise of a long life for the guitar. The neck is set into the body, as is to be expected. The fingerboard of the guitar is made out of rosewood, has a beautiful inlay design, and frets to help you keep track of where you finger is located.
Hardware
The guitar comes with a fairly standard, rosewood bridge. The action you get out of the bridge is comparable to many more expensive bridges. The string stability is great, so that you will not have a problem with it. The additional low tone resonance thanks to the rosewood used is definitely welcome, as it further balances the sound of the guitar.
The nut of the guitar is made out of average-quality synthetic material. This means that sometimes you will have a little more string buzz than is optimal when you play, though it is not something to worry too much about.
The tuning machine of the guitar is Chromecast and works well with the overall design of the guitar. The tuning stability could do a little better.
Michael Kelly MKDF4SKB Sound
The sound of the guitar feels a little more unique among the acoustic bass guitars. The overwhelming prevalence of maple in the body of the guitar means that the sound produced by it feels bright and very energetic. The high and midtones are especially expressive, while the low tones feel a little more neglected. Though thanks to the rosewood bridge and the grand concert body, this is not a detail that is either too noticeable or too bothersome.
Conclusion
This is a great and relatively affordable acoustic bass guitar. It provides the player with a unique feeling sound that is bright and very energetic, while also looking incredibly handsome and being fun to own.
Click here to find out more about Michael Kelly MKDF4SKB.
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