Mitchell MD-100S Excellent, Soft, $125.00
Many companies sprang up in Japan and other Asian countries starting in the late '60s making quality copies of popular American guitars for the folk/rock music market of the time, frequently the same models under a number of different names. The “Mitchell” company has been marketing entry to mid-level copies of the best American models since the 1990s, according to The Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide. The Mitchell MD100S is similar in appearance to many models which list at $1400 and up at a fraction of the cost.
This guitar apparently has a solid spruce X-braced top [thus the “S”] and mahogany back, sides, and neck in a high gloss finish. I’m assuming that a guitar in this price range has laminated mahogany; if I’m wrong, somebody will get an even better deal. The 14/20-fret rosewood finger board has pearl dots and ends with a mahogany and black veneer headstock, the Mitchell logo, and had enclosed chrome tuners [which unfortunately have been pirated by a previous owner]. The rosewood bridge has black pegs and a compensated saddle, while the pick guard is black in the traditional teardrop pattern. It has multi-stripe body binding on the top and back, a multi-striped black and white rosette, and the neck is bound in white (with black position markers) as well. On the whole, it has many visual characteristics of the expensive American models of which it is no doubt a copy, and is really a sharp-looking guitar.
The MD100S is a full-sized dreadnought, affording plenty of power and volume. The dimensions are 40 1/2" long, 11 3/8" wide at the upper bout, and a full 4 ¾” deep and 15 3/8” wide at the lower bout. The scale length is 25-1/2" and the width of the nut is 1-11/16". The top, back, and sides are in beautiful condition, high gloss with hardly a mark on them; it looks virtually unplayed except for a ding in the top lower bout—and the missing tuners.
The included vintage chip board case is far from new-looking. There is tape on the edges of the top, and multiple worn and torn places. However, the handle and all the hardware work perfectly. It offers light weight and convenience, but you may want more substantial protection for this cool guitar sooner or later.
The buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower forty-eight states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have tried to give an accurate and thorough description of this guitar and case. Therefore, its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy this guitar; I will respond within 24 hours.
Thank you for your interest in this cool instrument.
P.S. While I don’t usually quote online reviews, I can’t resist passing along these enthusiastic comments from another Mitchell MD100S owner:
OMG!! This instrument was AWESOME! Beautiful fit and finish. From what I can see, good solid construction and good bracing….She frets very well and the neck is actually rather fast. It is comfortable to fret up and down and with proper strings on it and a small investment for a proper set up that even the big name axes often need when new this beast is just unbelievable. It is a full size dreadnaught and isn't a small guitar at all, so if you're looking for a ooo sized or parlor guitar this is not it. The sound is in a word, Beautiful. Nice bass and bottom end that has plenty of boom and sustain as a dreadnaught is expected to have. Mid Range and Treble are sweet and full with a lot of well balanced sustain that you can fully feel expressing itself through the back and belly of this nice axe. It adapts very well to finger picking and if you want to use a pick and drive this guitar hard it seems to eat it up with gusto. A mean machine for blue grass pickers for sure…: quality looks, construction, and design. Very playable, awesome sound, projection and sustain. Well under $500... what the devil isn't to like? Just try one and enjoy it. For the price you will be awed if you're a beginning player or an old hand.
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.