Epiphone EF-500RCCE Masterbilt Collection Acoustic-Electric Guitar, Fingerstyle Neck, Natural Satin Review

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(More customer reviews)As a lifelong finger-style guitarist it takes a lot to impress me. Looks, sound, intonation, action, string spacing, the works. I found a factory 2nd EF-500RCCE that had some visual blems, and a pickup only under the saddle (earlier model), but after playing it for 3 hours straight the day it arrived I knew that it was THE guitar I had been looking for.
I have relative pitch so I can really tell when an instrument sounds off-pitch or has audible issues. The intonation all the way up and down the fretboard of the EF-500RCCE is as good as I could ever hope for with ANY guitar. I rarely have to adjust the tuning because it stays in tune day after day after day. I keep it humidified while in its case, and always wipe it down after playing (body, neck, and fretboard/strings).
The EF-500RCCE sounds like a dream; beautiful rich tone, surprisingly decent bass, mids that just fill the air, and higher tones that ring like a bell. Great overall projection with wonderful overtones. Epiphone (Gibson) really nailed this design! On my particular guitar the action was just a little low and the outer ends of the frets needed some smoothing, but these were minor refinements. I can play so much better and faster on this guitar than any other acoustic I've ever played - even a $3500 Martin guitar for finger-style guitarists.
I play this guitar VERY often, and it just keeps sounding better and better. I'll be getting another EF-500RCCE eventually, one that has a nicer fit and finish - and with the E-Sonic2 preamp and pickups. That way I can keep one at home as my studio acoustic.
Note: The nut is advertised as 1.75" wide. It actually measures at 1.70" using a digital caliper.
Also, the wide string spacing at the compensated saddle measures 2.37" - for finger-style guitarists.
Further, the neck contour is not the advertised "V" shape. It's actually more of a "D" shape with a perfect rounded thickness. I find its design to be absolutely perfect for me.
The EF-500RCCE has a neck thickness of .953" on the 5th fret (including strings). For comparison, a Gibson Les Paul Special (circa 2001) measures .905" thick on the 5th fret (with strings). The EF-500RCCE neck, overall, is a little fatter than the Les Paul.
Even at $1000 (street), this guitar is a great value. At this price, though, it's a no-brainer!!

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Art & Lutherie Ami Nylon String Cedar Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)To the eye: It's a great looking guitar for sure, with REAL rosette inlays on a gorgeous cedar top. It would look great hung up on a wall, or sitting in a corner - good since you will not want to put it away, ever.
To the ear: Intonation is dead on, and the tone on this is absolutely even up and down the entire fretboard, with excellent clarity and separation of the individual notes. The parlor size doesn't provide much bass, but it's not tinny at all, and it is much louder than you'd expect. It is not a baby or travel guitar sound, but definitely a real parlor sound with good projection and that tight clarity you would expect.
To the hands: the modern neck has a sort of hybrid feel - with the seeming acres of classical fretboard, but a thinner depth than most old classicals (it has an adjustable truss rod). I generally play steel strings (30 years), but I just can't put this little nylon beauty down (the somewhat thinner neck might be part of it), and it's increased my playing by hours and hours a week. It's a great player for just... playing. In a word: Comfortable.
To the wallet: Handmade in Canada by the same people who make the Seagulls I believe. At $300, I think it's just a ridiculous deal, and a value that can't help but appreciate over time. Buy it, play it for 10 years, sell it for a profit.
To the Devil's Advocate: It does have gold/pearloid tuners. I hate gold hardware and I hate pearloid, so they'll be leaving us soon.... YMMV

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RainSong Hybrid Series H-DR1100N2 Dreadnought acoustic with N2 neck Review

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(More customer reviews)I was at a jam last Sunday night with half a dozen other dreadnoughts pounding away and I was able to cut through lead lines even though I had my H-DR1100N2 strung with relatively wimpy strings (Elixir Polyweb 11's). There were many comments on how nice and big it sounded. I now really appreciate the slightly brighter tone it projects up to the player (I love Polyweb strings for their lack of squeaks, but the dull tone can get annoying when practicing).
My bottom line on the Hybrid: nice conventional looks, no slide out of your lap Ovation effect (all other manufacturer's composite guitars do this), very loud by wooden guitar standards, great tone by wooden guitar standards (traditional RainSong customers will likely prefer the older all graphite models), excellent build quality, so light that other guitarists just want to hold it up to be amazed, a truss rod for us perfectionists, and all the convenience of composite materials (humidity/heat indifference).


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Taylor Guitars 655-CE Jumbo 12 String Acoustic Electric Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)I wasn't even really looking for a new 12 string. My current one is 35 yrs old though it was always only just adequate. I first played a Taylor jumbo-style 12 (355) about 10 yrs ago and was taken aback by the huge quality of the sound so when I picked this one up I suspected that I would be pleased. What I did not expect was to be blown away. Maple guitars are typically bright but the pureness of the tone and the level of sustain of this guitar is unmatched by any I have ever played. A friend and fellow guitar player picked it up over the weekend and, without any prompting, said that this was the best 12 string guitar he had ever played and that I had hit a home run. I have to admit that this helped to assuage my guilt over spending the $3K and that my wife heard the comment also quieted the "why did you need another guitar...?" I played at least a other dozen 12 strings the day I bought this guitar (Martins, Guilds, other Taylors, new, used, etc.) but none could match this one for the tone that I love in a great 12. It also sounds pretty good plugged in (though you won't need to). Choosing a guitar is always a personal matter but you will be missing out on a very special instrument if you don't give this one a try. It will be the last one you'll ever need. ps. My other guitars are Martins and Gibsons so I do not have a Taylor bias.

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Taylor SBX1 Solid Body Classic Electric Guitar, White Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this guitar a couple of weeks ago and have given her a little time to settle in and find her place in my world. I was a bit skeptical when I first saw that Taylor was making a solid-body electric guitar. I was in the market for a new guitar and have owned nothing but acoustic guitars for the last 8 years so I figured it was time to get an electric guitar. I hold the belief that for the most part you get what you pay for and knew I wanted to get a guitar that would be with me for a long time. Fender Strats sound awesome but I personally don't like their feel. I'd love a Gibson Les Paul but was already looking at a chunk of change to buy one. I saw that this transparent white beauty was at my local guitar shop and decided that since I was "just looking" anyway, I would give her a try. I was thoroughly impressed. Taylor makes a great guitar. It may be that I come from playing acoustic guitars but I love the neck on this thing. The finish is gorgeous (you really need to see it in person to get the full effect). The pickups cover a broad set of sounds and the sound this thing produces is something I quite enjoy. Taylor makes a case specifically for it that it fits in perfectly with no slop. As of right now I'm just as in love with this thing as I was in the first place. I'd recommend it to anyone. One thing I've always heard about buying a guitar is make sure it feels good to YOU, and for ME this one is "just right".

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Guild GAD-F20 Acoustic Guitar (Natural) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd been looking for an all-solid smaller body guitar. So many sound boxy or cardboardy when they're an 00 or 0 size that I had been searching for some time. Then I ran across the Guild GAD-F20 at a local store that I had gone to to check out the F20's sibling, the M20, which is the same size but all mahogany. I played 'em both, and actually liked 'em both, but the F20 was the one that stuck in my mind. It has a bright but not overbright tone, was louder than a lot of small guitars, with a clean, articulate sound that I associate with Sitka and Mahogany. I went home to decide, and the sound of the F20 was the one that I couldn't stop thinking about, so I went back and got it, and it's been my favorite guitar ever since, even though I own several including a Taylor GC8. Which is a very nice guitar, btw, but I love the feel and sound of my Guild.
BTW, the F20 looks much nicer in person than the pics I've seen of it online. The wood is beautiful, the finish is perfect, and the maple binding glows - I've actually gotten complements on the binding several times. And the hard case is strong, light and fits the guitar tightly so it doesn't move when cased. Even though the nut is 1 11/16", and I usually prefer something a bit wider, it was still comfortable to play.
The Guild GAD-F20 isn't a guitar for those looking for something as loud as a dread. That being said, this is a well-made all-solid smaller guitar with a beautiful finish, nice appointments, and a typical crisp mahogany sound that offers more volume than many near its size. And of course, the F20 is an excellent value, too. The bottom line - if this sounds like what you're looking for, this guitar really delivers.

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Yamaha FGX720SCA - Natural Finish 6-string Acoustic/Electric Cutaway Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)Para aficionados y profesionales, una de las guitarras folk mas versatiles del mercado sobre todo en calidad/precio. No perderás el dinero.

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Aria AP-STD2 Parlour Acoustic Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this guitar online purely on the basis of the excellent reputation Aria company has built for themselves over the years in the guitar manufacturing industry.
I did feel unsure initially in deciding to buy this guitar without first playing it.
But my fears were removed when I took it out of the box and strumed the guitar. This little fella has great volumne, tone and fretboard playability that is second to maybe another Aria.
I use this guitar to play jazz and it has all the attributes that a jazz guitarist need to bring out some creativity. It is a very versatile guitar for folk , blues , jazz etc.
I highly recommend this parlor guitar for those who want a small bodied guitar with great tone and projection.Keep up your excellent work Aria.

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Taylor Guitars K24ce Grand Auditorium Acoustic Electric Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)When it comes to pristine works of art such as this Taylor K24ce guitar, the price tag is rather meaningless. Guitar construction, sound quality, tone, depth, resonance, playability, setup, electronics interface, and any other aspect you can possibly imagine are all impossibly perfect. One of my favorite things to do with this guitar is to simply take it out of the case and become intoxicated by the smell of the Hawaiian koa wood for a while!!
This guitar is to musical instruments, what Bianca Beauchamp is to feminine beauty. Try your local Guitar Center. If you lay down cash $$$, they will knock a few hundred dollars off the price. I got mine for about $3,700 in a triumphant Wayne's World moment!!


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Washburn Southwestern Series D46SPK Acoustic Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)This is my first new guitar. Its great and plays really nicely. i did not want to spend a fortune on a guitar and liked the look of this model. I realised that it was a guitar built to a price but i was still very impressed by its playability. I have made a few improvements. I had it professionally set up with a bone saddle and nut and replaced the strings with elixir lights, also replaced the pins with ebony. This whole process cost another $200 but boy was it worth it. Has a soft Martin like sound now with really nice highs. the action is great and I can recommend having any new guitar like this set up professionally with these few changes. Had a friend who plays well and owns a D28 around for tea. He played this guitar all night and was seriously impressed. The extra work has made this guitar sound fantastic and its deffinatly a keeper. Its also incredibly beautiful. With just these few changes has made a mediocre bargain basement laminate a real gem.

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Taylor Guitars 210e, Dreadnought, Solid Sitka Spruce Top, Rosewood Back/Sides, ES-T Review

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(More customer reviews)It is TAYLOR. So nearly nothing left to say. I am a beginner with experience of no more than 5 guitars. At first I am afraid of the rumor that Taylor has high action. After try it myself in a store, what they say is a little exaggerated. the only catch is that 210e is a dreadnought type, so the treble is not as bright as you think. need some work on electric part if you want the brightness of treble. Better to choose a cutaway guitar at this point, however 1-2 hundred more bucks need to place. gorgeous for both un-plugged and plugged-in. i feel like i could even be down on my knees for this baby when it goes in my arms.

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With Taylor's new ES-T under-saddle transducer, this affordably-priced, solid-top Dreadnought can be plugged-in to add a new dimension to your Taylor tone.



The Taylor 200 Series The 200 Series redefines what a mid-priced guitar can be. A satin, solid Sitka spruce top meets gorgeous Indian rosewood laminate back and sides, delivering an experience of sight, sound and touch that's unmistakably Taylor. Plug in with the optional Taylor electronics and take your performance to the stage with confidence.
Sitka Spruce Top Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) grows in a coastal "pocket" from Northern California to Alaska. This dense, straight-grained wood has the highest strength and elasticity-to-weight ratio among available tonewoods, an attribute that makes it an ideal material not only for our soundboards, but for our internal bracing, as well. Sitka produces a slightly brighter tone than does Engelmann.
Indian Rosewood Laminate Back/Sides Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) is coveted by players and guitar builders alike for its dark, luxurious coloration, which ranges from brown to purple to rose to black, and for tonal characteristics that include a strong bass response and long sustain. It remains the most popular tonewood used in the making of high-quality acoustic guitars.
Dreadnought Body ShapeThe original Dreadnought acoustic guitar appeared early in the 20th Century, and its no-frills, no-nonsense shape made it a logical namesake of the huge battleships of that day. Most subsequent Dreadnoughts, including Taylor's, have been derivative of that early design. In 1997, however, Bob Taylor re-designed the Taylor Dreadnought by softening the curves at the top and bottom and generally refining its overall shape. In 2003, gloss-finish Dreadnoughts also underwent bracing refinements that substantially increased their overall volume and bass response, without sacrificing Taylor's signature balance and clarity. Dreadnought six-strings shine as "plectrum" or "rhythm" guitars because they respond well to flatpicking or light-to-heavy strumming.
ES-T Pickup Inspired by Taylor's Expression System technology, the Expression System Transducer, or ES-T, is a single-source, under-saddle transducer with individual elements for each string. (The ES-T was originally called the ES Element, but the name was changed to avoid confusion with another product.) The ES-T has an onboard preamp and the same active controls found on the full Expression System. Featuring a custom-voiced EQ and dynamic response, the system is powered by a 9-volt battery, with a battery life LED power indicator (which is lit when the battery is being used). The pickup also has a Phase switch for feedback control, which is located on the preamp board inside the soundhole.
Chrome-Plate Tuners Taylor Tuners continue the industry-leading 18:1 gear ratio that they've been using, yet yield even greater precision with the help of a manufacturing process that employs the same gear-cutting machines used by Swiss watchmakers. The more precisely-machined gears virtually eliminate the slight "slop", or slack, typical among tuners, which makes it even easier for Taylor owners to get--and stay--in tune. Taylor Tuners also feature an elegant aesthetic touch, with the Taylor logo cleanly etched on the back.

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Guild GAD-M20 Acoustic Guitar Natural w/ Deluxe Case Review

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(More customer reviews)This is really a great guitar for someone who wants to check out a small bodied guitar or for someone looking to get into acoustic and being used to electric instruments. This guitar is all real wood. No particle board or laminates. Great for finger style guitar. It has a very balanced sound as is typical of instruments this size. This is not really a guitar for bluegrass flatpickers as they usually go for dreadnaughts. Personally, those guitars are too big for me and very "boomy."
I got mine new for 499.99 Great deal !!
I play this guitar daily and I have had it for over a year now. Other acoustics I have had were sold on ebay.

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Recording King Classic Series II OOO-Style Acoustic Guitar (Mahogany) Review

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(More customer reviews)Excellent Price! It just needed a basic set up like most guitars, consisting of lowering saddle a bit and some nut filing. That made the action perfect and custom to my liking. Before this I had tried and tested guitars in the $1000 - $$1500 range. If you are hard pressed for cash, this is the answer!

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Recording King Gospel Songstress Acoustic Dreadnaught Guitar (Mahogany) Review

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(More customer reviews)I received a brand new recording king rdc-26 today.
1) strings were very rusty
2) bone saddle were rusty (i'm guessing from the strings)
3) There was no pick guard.
4) The Tone Was Way Off
5) The Sound was very terrible.
6) When I turned the truss rodd the neck started to make cracking noise all over the neck.
7) I was turning the truss rodd very very slowly to loose the tension.
8) The neck was cracking all through out the neck.
9) Yea I'm upset.
10) I've put in a return order.

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Martin D-35 Dreadnought Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)again played by the greats
johnny cash and elvis
list goes on
everything about this guitar is perfect
i consider this the mercedes of all guitars


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Yamaha L Series LL6 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar with Case Tinted Natural Review

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(More customer reviews)These Chinese made beauties truly uphold the Yamaha tradition of tone and build quality and for under $600. This is the tried and true recipe of Englemen spruce over rosewood back and sides with a perfectly rendered mahogany neck. These guitars (according to the dealer) undergo the Yamaha "Acoustic Equilibrium Process". The sound is deep and full with a great ringing top end and chords in all positions intonate wonderfully. In open tunings the resonance and tone colors just expand even more. I installed a K&K Pure Western Mini undersaddle transducer so i could plug in ,and again ,i can't say enough about how satisfying the tone and feel is. Equally rewarding either strummed or played fingerstyle, this guitar has what I would rate as an above average amount of natural dynamic volume range and doesn't get overly compressed when pushed hard.Intonation also remains consistent with capoing. The bottom line here is that for the price, this is an exceptional instrument. My how times have changed........

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Recording King Classic Series I OOO-Style Acoustic Guitar (Mahogany) Review

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(More customer reviews)Just a quick review...I received this guitar as a Christmas gift. I really can't say enough nice things about it. Solid spruce top and a nut and saddle made out of real bone. I am not sure how, given the low price, that they can make any money on this thing. I am really enjoying playing this guitar. One thing I noticed right out of the box is the fact that the set up on the guitar was excellent (the string height to the fret board, the feel of the neck all felt great.) Someone is paying attention to those little things. As it is an OOO-sized guitar it will not have the heavy bass response that a dreadnought sized guitar provides but the mid-ranges just jump out of this guitar! I am just amazed at what you get for the price. I can only imagine what the higher priced recording king models sound like - they have to be really nice (maybe for next Christmas!).

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