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MacPherson Guitars – MacLester – Guitar Review

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MacPherson Guitars – MacLester – Guitar Review

This review was submitted by Guitar Jar contributor: Emile Pliskin

I’ve always been a Les Paul player – I have owned and toured many. But I have always suffered with the usual issues; tuning stability etc.

…the extended 25.5inch scale length improves tuning stability greatly which is an issue i have always had with Gibson’s…

MacPherson Guitars - MacLesterWorking in a guitar shop, I came into work one day to find something new; a MacPherson guitars Maclester. A Les Paul style guitar that Dan MacPherson had custom built for Chris Taylor of Eddie and the Hotrods back in 1998.

Shortly after picking up the guitar and playing it, I went to visit Dan and bought it.

Features:

  • Body: Poplar
  • Top: Tropical Olive
  • Back: Mahogany Veneer
  • Neck: 5ply, Maple / American black walnut
  • Binding: Maple / American black walnut
  • Fretboard: Pau Ferro
  • Scale length: 25.5inch
  • Pickups: Coil tapped Seymour Duncan’s

Ease of use:

The hand carved 5ply neck feels amazing! It’s well weighted, not too heavy (I have gigged it for a few 2 hour+ sets and it was just as comfortable at the end as at the beginning) and hangs perfectly on a strap.

Great access all the way to the 22nd fret, thanks to the slightly deeper cutaway!

Also the extended 25.5inch scale length (compared to a standard Les Paul) improves tuning stability greatly which is an issue i have always had with Gibson’s.

I rehearse and gig with various bands every week, so I play the MacLester for around 10-11 hours a week (not including practicing) and find it extremely comfortable and feels just right!

Sound Quality:

The Maclester is incredibly resonant which gives it great tone and sustain. Acoustically it is loud and rings beautifully! Which to me are the signs of an amazing guitar.

The Coil tapped Duncan’s make it extremely versatile, which is perfect for me as I play for a few different bands and need a lot of different tones to hand.

Reliability:

Well, even though I have only had the MacLester for less than a year, it’s a 13 year old guitar and has been toured all over the world by its previous owner, but from looking at it and playing it, it could have been made yesterday.

It’s still all the original wiring (as with the rest of the guitar all done by Dan MacPherson himself) and I have had no problems to report!

Gig after gig, it has never let me down!

Overall Rating:

After owning and using the MacLester I’m glad to say I can never go back!

The build quality and play-ability are amazing, it looks great too, MacPherson definitely has a flare for style and design of guitars, best looking Les Paul I’ve ever seen for sure thanks to lots of subtle little design features!

Can’t wait to see what he makes next!

This review was submitted by Guitar Jar contributor: Emile Pliskin

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