Wechter Guitar Owners Club...yep those things!

[twintwelve]

I love my Wechter Pathmaker 3101 with the three-way pickup system. It has a soundhole pickup, an internal mic, and a piezo undersaddle bridge pickup. I have replaced the undersaddle pickup with a JJ Electronics bridge plate 3 sensor pickup, which plugged into the controls on the guitar, and sounds brilliant! It is a great sounding, flexible, system, and the guitar is a slick playing unit as well. It can be powered by phantom power thru it's XLR input. Played through my Fishman Performer acoustic amp, or straight into my PA, it is a powerful, flexible system for inspiring live acoustic performance (Kinda thin, unplugged tho....). Let's see yours!!
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[LGOberean]

I'm in. I've had my Wechter Nashville-tuned about a year. I'm a little embarrassed to say I have no pictures of my own. I take lousy pictures, so I tend not to try. Maybe someday I'll get the wife's help in photographing this baby. In the meantime, here are some pics borrowed from the Internet of a 2012 NV-5413E, very much like mine.

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This is a parlor sized guitar. Mine has the solid cedar top, rosewood b&s, cream bound body and neck, striped ebony fretboard. No cutaway, but with Fishman Presys + electronics. And it has XLR and 1/4" outputs.

Of course the premise behind this guitar is that it is designed for the Nashville tuning. The nut is cut correctly for the string diameters. The neck is set up for relief of a tension with the lighter gauge of strings for the Nashville tuning. The top is thin and lightly braced (with less string tension, a thicker top and heavier bracing aren't necessary). All of this translates into a top that really resonates, and sound that just shimmers.

Additionally, the frets are set up with the Plek pro system, so playability is great and intonation is perfect.

I'm very pleased with this guitar. I actually bought two. The first was w/o electronics, and I loved it. But when Sweetwater had the one with Fishman eletronics on sale, I bought that one and gave my acoustic version to a good friend.

 

[dporto]

I've got one of their travel acoustics - I don't remember the model off hand...Spruce top mahogany back/sides, built in pickup/tuner. Awesome little guitar!

 

[LGOberean]

dporto, some pics would be great.

BTW, does anyone know what's up with Wechter Guitars? At wechterguitars.com, there's nothing but a logo page showing up. I've tried different links about certain models, tried the home/index page, etc., and nothing.

Also, Sweetwater seems to not have them available anymore. At one time, Sweetwater was the principal distributor for Wechter. Then a week or so back, all Wechter models seemed to be on closeout, and now when I search Sweetwater for a particular model, it's "no longer available."

Anybody know an official word on the subject?

 

[LGOberean]

Update. Still trying to find out what's up with Wechter Guitars.

Checked Sweetwater.com, and they have a Clearance sale on Wechter guitars.

And now when I go to wechterguitars.com, it re-directs to http://abrahamwechter.com, showing only 3 high end guitars: a Florentine Nylon and a Florentine Steel (both $6,500 base price, w/ options extra) and "Our Lady," a guitar custom built for John McLaughlin.

Seems to me like these are indicators that the Wechter budget/midrange MiC guitars are not being made any more. Anyone have some more info on the subject?

 

[LGOberean]

I guess I should have read the bio page on Abraham Wechter's new site instead of just checking out the custom guitars. He shares a timeline of his life and guitars, including his "next step" of leaving Wechter Guitars and moving to China to open a custom shop. Read about it here:

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[dporto]

"In January of 2013 I took the next step, leaving the corporation that still carries my name"

It seems like the company and product are still out there - perhaps just tidying up the details before re-launching the line...?

 

[LGOberean]

Well, I hope you're right. But, as I pointed out previously, the URL for wechterguitars.com is not active; it brings up nothing but a logo page, with no word of...well, anything, let alone an announcement saying that they will re-launch on xyz date.

And Sweetwater.com has closed out their stock and are no longer carrying the Wechter brand. If the Wechter company (sans Abe Wechter now) is just re-grouping to re-launch, why would their principal distributor quit the brand and close out all remaining stock?

 

[dporto]

I did a little more research after I posted last, and it looks like they might be gone for good. It's just strange that AW mentions "The Corporation that still carries my name"...ya never know...

 

[LGOberean]

Yeah, but then again he made that statement in January. It looks as though "the corporation that still carries [Wechter's] name" decided not to go on without him.

I've been looking on the Internet to see who still has new Wechter guitars for sale. Amazon has 3 models in stock, though they only have one left of the Elite Parlor a/e. They have an undisclosed number of Maple Lake and Nashville-tuned models left. If anyone is even considering the Nashville, I'd say jump on it now before they're gone. I love mine.

Oh, and there are also some eBay sellers that say they have new Wechters for sale. Caveat emptor.

Now as for buying used, there are more options. The aforementioned eBay has sellers listing used models. Last I looked, Elderly had one, and GC had six.

 

[intro]

Wechter Pathmaker "Silk and Steel" Owners?

Are there any owners of the Wechter "Silk and Steel" Model out there?
I recently acquired "The 653rd One". I'd like to know more about it (other than what my ears are telling me!).

 

[Obsessed]

My wife has the 1710 "travel" model for about four years now. Great sound for the size and much better than it's competition (Martin and Taylor) at the time. The scale length is too short for me to play, but the tone is fantastic. Just read about him leaving. A shame if you ask me. Obviously more to the story.

 

[intro]

Yeah...

Quite a bit to the story, I think. But He answered an E-mail about two weeks ago and he's not EVEN done making guitars. In fact, he mentioned the possibility of again producing some Pathmakers. Mine is the finest guitar I've ever owned.
I know there were less than 50 of these ever made, which makes it the rarest thing of any kind that I've ever owned, let alone a guitar.

 

[creativejedi]

My Wechter Pathmaker Thinline

Just found this beauty on eBay recently, didn't even know they existed. So glad this group is here, let's keep it going! This guitar sounds every bit as good as it looks onstage. Glad to hear Mr. Wechter is thinking of making more Pathmakers.

 

[LGOberean]

Congrats on that score, creativejedi.

I agree, I'd like to see this thread continue. It's been a while since I've read anything on Wechter post Sweetwater days, but I read that he was still making guitars, just more high end/custom ones. I still love my Nashville-tuned Wechter. I gig with it occasionally, and play it all the time at home. And one of these days I'll take my own pics!

 

[Obsessed]

I've always wanted to try out a Pathmaker. Creativejedi found a gorgeous one. Congrats.

When my wife was looking for a shorter scale acoustic, I remember watching a cool video of Abraham Wechter chatting about guitar construction philosophy. It must be valid, since the 1710 kind of blows you away with how much projection it can make for it's size.

 

[creativejedi]

Curious about Nashville tuned Wechter

Thanks for the reply, LGOberean. I have visited AW's new site, and he is making some very elaborate instruments. I'm very curious about the Nashville-tuned Wechter. Love to see pics of yours. Gonna keep my eyes peeled for a chance to try one out. And actually, if I ever see another Pathmaker Thinline, I will buy it just to be sure I always have one as they will probably be harder and harder to find over the coming years!

 

[intro]

Nashville Tuning

I bought a Nashville Tuned Wechter just yesterday on E-Bay. There's one left.
I tuned my Blue Ridge Dread to "Half-Nashville" and I like it so much that I'll leave it there! As posted earlier, I found an American-Made Pathmaker "Silk and Steel" model in a pawn shop about three weeks ago.Less than 50 were ever made.

 

[intro]

More Info?

@creativejedi

Is that one of his original American ones, or can you tell how old it is? Looks AMAZING! Quite the lucky find!

 

[creativejedi]

Silk and Steel

Intro, I really want that guitar! That is just beautiful! Let me know when you get tired of it!