Guitar Review: Orangewood Guitar's First Solid Mahogany Series
Orangewood Guitars' Ava Mahogany is a quality Grand Concert acoustic for the singer-songwriter in all of us.
Orangewood Guitars launched their first-ever series of mahogany guitars - the Highland Mahogany series.
Orangewood's Highland series of guitars have been an attractive meetup of price and quality, providing quality acoustic models at a price many guitarists can afford.
These new additions to the series feature an all solid Mahogany top, back, and sides for a well-balanced and distinctly full tone.
And, speaking of additions (emphasis on the plural), their are two models:
Key Features of the Orangewood Highland Mahogany Series
- Top: Solid Mahogany
- Back / Sides: Solid Mahogany
- Nut / Saddle: TUSQ
- Fingerboard: Ebony
- Tuning Machines: Grover Open-Gear Tuners
- Finish: Natural Satin
- Optional Pickup: LR Baggs Anthem (Live Models)
- Hard case is included with every purchase
- Professionally set up by Orangewood’s expert technicians
- Starting price: $645 ($945 with the LR Baggs Anthem Pickup System)
Review Notes
I personally tried out the Ava (Grand Concert) model and I thought the guitar had a lot going for it.
It has a nice modern look with clean hardware, dark wood finish, and minimal decorations.
It plays well, with a light feel and low action (nice for those who may be more used to electric guitars).
The tone has some clear treble sounds, ideally made for strumming and accompanying vocals. If I had to identify this guitar with a certain musical genre, I'd say it's best suited for pop or singer/songwriter music. It's easy to play and cuts through the mix.
The Ava model doesn't have a cutaway, but you still get good reach up to the 14th fret.
I should also note that the overall construction of the instrument was very clean, though the wood feels a bit thin. Maybe I'm used to some really heavy guitars, but the Ava felt a bit light in my hands.
And while the dark stain on the wood gives it a modern look, it takes away a bit from a truly natural wood look.
I should also mention that the hard shell case for my Ava was misaligned, so it took some pushing and tweaking to get it to close all the way. My other experiences with Orangewood Guitars have been high quality, though, so I'm guessing this was just a fluke.
Where To Buy
Orangewood Guitars is a “digital-first” guitar company so, of course, you can go right to their website and buy the Ava Mahogany (Grand Concert) directly.
Current price: $645.00 USD.
A hard case is included with every purchase.
While we tested the non-amplified version of the Ava, you can also choose to upgrade with the LR Baggs Anthem Pickup system.
About Orangewood Guitars
Orangewood is a digital-first B2C guitar brand based in Los Angeles, California with one simple vision – making quality guitars more affordable and accessible. Officially launched in 2018, Orangewood’s eCommerce-centric distribution model entails a direct-to-consumer price advantage and superior customer experience. We believe that music is the universal language with unparalleled ability to inspire, empower, and transform the world. As a new generation guitar brand, Orangewood’s mission is to revive guitar culture while giving back and supporting music education programs. For additional information about Orangewood, please visit orangewoodguitars.com and follow @orangewoodguitars on social media.