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Pathmaker™ 3000 Series wins "1 Award" from Guitar One Magazine
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"A depth and complexity of sound that outshines almost any other self-contained amplified acoustic."
Guitar One Magazine, January 2004 |
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December 2, 2003 - Guitar One magazine honored Wechter Pathmaker™ 3000 Series with its distinguished "1 Award" in the January 2004 issue.
Wechter Pathmaker 3135
Blazing A New Trail
Guitar One Magazine Associate Editor Douglas Baldwin writes: "Abe Wechter is one of an elite group of luthiers who have chosen to rethink the steel-string guitar. Apparently he’s thinking pretty clearly, as his hand-built instruments have been played by the likes of John McLaughlin, Al DiMeola, and Steve Howe, among others. Wechter is also a champion of the working musician, now forfeiting a comfortable income as a “collector’s luthier” in favor of producing the Pathmaker. Assembled in China, each guitar receives hours of setup and electronics installation at Abe’s shop in Michigan."
Power to the people
The Pathmaker 3135 is the top of the 3100 series (available for as low as $399.95, with deluxe gig bag). It easily merits attention for its bold double-cutaway and handsome appointments. The cutaway design provides ample support for the neck-body joint with a 3/4” wood laminate within the cutaway contour, as wide and deep as the guitar’s shoulders. The overall look is that of a custom-shop box. The lacewood sides and back are stunning, the three-dimensional flame enhanced by the delicate lacquer finish.
The Pathmaker 3135 plays cleanly and elegantly. The neck arrived dead straight, the action was textbook perfect. Jumping way up the neck, as in the music figure below, you find more access to the upper frets than on many cutaway electrics. The 3135 has a well-balanced acoustic tone, thanks to Abe’s training his craftsmen in proper brace shaving and top voicing. The laminated top lacks some of the thump and midrange complexity that a solid-topped acoustic might deliver, but its road stability will be appreciated.
Three Paths to Amplified Perfection
If the radical construction weren’t enough to place the 3135 above its price peers, the three-pickup amplification system incorporates a piezo saddle pickup, a magnetic soundhole pickup, and a condenser microphone into a simple preamped system that can be mixed at your fingertips. The mono output feeds both 1/4” and XLR output jacks. Plugged into a Carvin RC210 amp, it exhibited an impressive range of subtle coloration. The piezo is clear and free of the nervous tone that plagues lesser systems. The magnetic pickup adds a warmer, rounder sound with a pleasant low midrange and bass emphasis. But the secret weapon is the microphone, mounted on an adjustable mini-gooseneck. Position it properly (close to the surface, angled slightly towards the bass strings), mix it to taste with the other two pickups, and you’ll be rewarded with a depth and complexity of sound that outshines almost any other self-contained amplified acoustic at any price. For wisely using the available Asian workforce for innovation rather than imitation, and for seriously addressing the needs of the working musician, the Wechter Pathmaker receives a “1 Award.”
Features: Body Concert-sized with spruce top, lacewood sides and back, rosewood bridge, sealed die-cast tuners Neck Mahogany with rosewood fretboard, 25 1/2” scale length, 22 frets Pickups HT-TBL electronics with piezo/magnetic/mic transducers and sliders for mic level, mic sharpness, magnetic/piezo mix, treble, middle, and bass; rotary knob for magnetic/piezo output; LEDs for power source (9V battery or 48V phantom power via XLR); phase inverter switch Price $699.95, deluxe soft case included
All Review Excerpts © 2004 Guitar One Magazine. Used by permission. |
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