The Orangewood Oliver Jr. Mahogany Live is my first guitar. I was originally intent on ordering locally (Godin family, made in Québec), and than a friend (who has been playing ukulele/guitar since he was 3 or 4) talked to me about various brands/models, including Orangewood. Dozens of videos later, I made my mind, made the purchase, and I do not regret it.
Tuning: Although YouTube influencers seem to unbox and find their guitar already in tune, mine had each string about a half-tone too low… but who cares? I have tuned my new guitar only once upon unboxing it (May 24), and it was still in tune 15 days later (June 13) (I have also purchased the guitar accessory kit with tuner, strap, capo, picks/holder, string winder, and find it to be an excellent value for the price). I should note that I play relatively lightly, as I am learning fingerpicking and chords/chord transitions, so it might help the guitar to stay in tune.
Sound: The guitar projects its beautiful, rich sound so well that I do not need to play hard. The action is low, which is great because I have not yet developed calluses on my fingertips, so I can practice 20-minute sessions before my pinky starts hurting from the high E string. Looking forward to being able to play longer sessions and better transition between chords.
Size: I am currently learning my 3-year-old’s and my 5-year-old’s current favourite songs, and I hope that by seeing me learn at 45, it will instill in them the desire to learn to play at a young age. The smaller size of the Oliver Jr. should help both my daughters learn to play it, if they desire so (although the Jr's size is probably a better fit for a 7-year-old), and it will make it easier to bring the guitar on camping trips to play by the campfire.
Pickup/electronics: I chose the Live version. I will need time to improve my playing skills and feel ready to plug into an amplifier to give a live show but, in the meantime, I can plug in an audio interface and record/edit using a digital audio workstation software, and let the creative juices flow.
Mahogany: The wood grain and colour look great. To me, look is less important than sound, but I nonetheless find the rich dark wood more pleasing to my eyes than lighter colours. The guitar definitely looks as great as it sounds.
Shipping and Communications: Ordered on May 23, shipped out of California on May 24, and delivered in Québec on May 29. Customer Service is great, with excellent communications, and my impression is that they care about customer satisfaction. Personally, I would buy again. I hope this review will help others in their decisions.
