Product Description

The all-mahogany cutaway 500 Series 522ce Grand Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar, featuring Expression System 2 acoustic electronics, yields a smooth, balanced, easygoing character that will work well for blues, country and ragtime picking, with the added playing comfort of a short-scale (24-7/8") neck. Distinctive appointments include a black pickguard, ivoroid binding and rosette, and an ivoroid Century fretboard inlay.

Tropical Mahogany
Origin: Central and South America
Mahogany is a good wood to anchor a discussion of tones, as a lot of other wood tones can be described in relation to it. Its essential sonic profile is well represented in the midrange frequencies. Acoustic guitars in general tend to live in the midrange portion of the sound spectrum, but mahogany in particular displays a lot of midrange character. That thick, present midrange sound is sometimes described in guitar circles as meaty, organic or even "chewy" - wherever a player digs in on the fretboard, they're tapping into the core of the harmonic content of what a guitar produces. Those great midrange frequencies produce overtones that stack up and produce bloom, giving the sound extra girth. When one hears the resulting harmonics, the "chewy" tone serves up a big mouthful of midrange. As a popular tonewood for many decades, mahogany has been used on scads of old school acoustic recordings, and that sonic heritage carries across various strains of roots music, from blues to folk to slack key.

Goes well with: A broad range of players and musical styles; people who like a well-balanced tone, nice dynamic range and a healthy serving of overtones. Blues and other rootsy players tend to respond well to mahogany's midrange character. A smaller body mahogany guitar (GC or GA) might appeal to fingerstyle players, whereas more aggressive flatpickers might opt for a mahogany Dreadnought or GS. For versatility, a mahogany GA is a good bet. Because of mahogany's midrange, a player with "dark hands" will tend to sound darker on a mahogany guitar. A bright player will sound slightly less bright.

Expression System 2
The Expression System 2 (ES2) is a revolutionary pickup design that delivers the latest in 's ongoing innovation in acoustic guitar amplification. The heart of the Expression System 2 is 's proprietary behind-the-saddle pickup (patent pending), which features three uniquely positioned and individually calibrated pickup sensors. The location of the sensors enables a more dynamic range of acoustic sound to be captured than ever before. Together with 's custom-designed "professional audio"-grade preamp, this system produces exceptional amplified tone and responsiveness. On stage through a PA, plugged into your favorite acoustic amplifier, or direct into recording software, the Expression System 2 faithfully conveys the voice of your guitar.

Behind the ES2 Design: Rethinking the Piezo Pickup
For decades, piezo-electric transducers have been positioned under the saddle of a guitar based on the long-held belief that the string and top vibration cause the saddle to "bounce" up and down. But 's electronics team, led by developer David Hosler, discovered that the vertical movement is actually heavily restricted, and that the saddle gets "locked down" due to the string tension's downward pressure. That's why a traditional under-saddle pickup with piezo-electric crystals often responds with a sound often characterized as thin, brittle, brash or synthetic, especially with more aggressive playing.

The saddle's natural range of movement as the guitar is being played is actually back and forth like a pendulum. That revelation led 's design team to relocate the crystals from under the saddle to behind it. The new positioning enables the crystals to respond more naturally to the guitar's energy as it is transferred through the saddle. Three pickup sensors are installed behind the saddle, through the bridge, with three tiny Allen screws that calibrate the position of the sensors in relation to the saddle.

Like the original Expression System, the ES2 features the same volume and tone control knobs. The preamp is similar but with a slightly different gain structure. As a result it will be about 25 percent hotter, which is more in line with other pickups. This makes it plug-and-play friendly both for artists and live sound mixers.

All-mahogany body with venetian cutaway Ebony fingerboard with ivoroid Century inlay Expression System 2 electronics Includes case

Enjoy improved tone with ES2 electronics. Order today.

SPECIFICATIONS

500 Series 522ce Grand Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Shape: Grand Concert
Number of Strings: 6
Back/Side Wood: Tropical Mahogany
Scale length: 24-7/8"
Top Wood: Tropical Mahogany
Body Length: 19-1/2"
Electronics: Expression System 2
Body Width: 15"
Cutaway: Venetian
Body Depth: 4-3/8"
Nut & Saddle: Tusq Nut/Micarta Saddle
Neck Width: 1-3/4"
Neck/Heel: Tropical Mahogany
Bracing: Forward Shifted Pattern with Relief Rout
Fretboard Wood: Ebony
Fretboard Inlay: Century
Headstock Overlay: Ebony
Binding: Ivoroid
Bridge Inlay: None
Bridge Pins: Ebony
Tuners: Nickel
Truss Rod Cover: Ebony
Back/Side Finish: Gloss
Top Finish: Gloss
Neck Finish: Satin
Pickguard: Black
Case: Deluxe Hardshell Brown
Number of Frets: 20
Armrest Binding: None
Back Config: 2-Piece No Wedge
Backstrap Wood: None
Backstrap Finish: None
Brand of Strings: Elixir Phosphor Bronze HD Light
Buttons: Nickel
Edge Trim: None
Fingerboard Ext: None
Fretboard Binding: Ivoroid
Heel Cap Binding: Ivoroid
Heel length: 3-1/4"
Peghead Finish: Satin
Peghead Inlay: None
Peghead Binding: Ivoroid
Peghead Logo: Ivoroid

Custom Guitar's Friend Gold Coverage

Gold Coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty to protect your gear from unexpected breakdowns, accidental damage from handling and failures. This plan covers your product for one, two, three or up to five years from your date of purchase, costs just pennies per day and gives you a complete "no-worry" solution for protecting your investment.

Gold Coverage Includes:

Unexpected and unintentional spills, drops and cracks Normal wear and tear Power surges Dust, internal heat and humidity

Other plan features include:

For products over $200, No Lemon Policy applies. If it fails for the same defect 3 times, it is replaced on the 4th breakdown. (Does not apply to failures due to drops, spills, and cracks) For products under $200 experiencing the above failures, a Custom Guitar's Friend gift card will be issued for the full price of the product + tax. Shipping fees covered if required for repair or replacement Plans are transferable in the event merchandise is sold Plans are renewable on new gear

*Limitations and exclusions apply. See terms and conditions for program details

Term for New Gear begins on date of purchase but does not replace the store return policy or manufacturer coverage.