I have to say that I am impressed. While I must admit that I'm a beginner at guitar (I'm a former drummer that can no longer play due to health issues), I learned a lot about guitars from an old band mate. This beginner guitar sounds nice, and is of a better size for me to learn on. I have an old acoustic, but the body is far too large for me.
This guitar arrived a little over an hour ago. No nicks, dings, or cracks on it. Checked the screws on the tuning machines, everything was good. Since the headstock is more of a classical style than a regular acoustic, I took off the steel strings that came on the guitar and replaced them with classical strings (nylon - medium tension). While it's going to take at least a few days for the nylon strings to stretch out enough before they stay in tune, I did get it tuned up for a bit and played a few chords. The guitar sounds wonderful, with a good bit of volume. I think I'll enjoy learning on this guitar.
If you decide to get this guitar and go with nylon strings (which you should), unless you go with 'ball end' strings, you might have to look up how to 'tie' the nylon strings onto the guitar, as some nylon strings that you can get will not come with a ball end. I had helped do this on a guitar decades ago, but needed a refresher course, and found the information online easily enough.
The reason I say you should use nylon strings is because they require less tension than the normal steel strings. Since this guitar does *not* have a truss rod, you want to go with strings that do not need as much tension. Using steel strings can cause problems with the bridge piece (breaking or coming off), the neck (warping), and the tuning pegs. You might be able to get away with using light or super light tension steel strings, but that's your choice. I'm sticking with the nylon strings. They bring out the sound that I want from this guitar. They're also easier to learn with as a beginner, as they don't hurt your fingertips as much. Yes, it will take longer to build up the callouses on the fingertips, but hey...less pain when learning can be a good thing.
But again, for an inexpensive guitar, this one is a good deal. As with any instrument, if you're not sure if you, or the person you get it for, are going to maintain interest in learning the instrument...going with an inexpensive instrument like this is always the best idea.
As for the other bits that come in this package...the picks are good, the case is good enough to keep dust off the guitar, the strap is not all that great, and the tuner is pretty much garbage because the battery cover does not want to stay on (I have another one just like it, and it has the same problem), and the pitch pipe is 'meh'. The main thing you want in this package is the guitar. Just get some better strings, a good tuner (I have a 'Snark' that wasn't expensive), and a decent guitar strap...and you're set.
Ashthorpe 30-inch Beginner Acoustic Guitar Package (Natural), Basic Starter Kit w/Gig Bag, Strings, Strap, Tuner, Picks
4.1 | 6,114 ratings
Price: 49.99
Last update: 07-16-2024
About this item
Perfect beginner guitar: Specially designed for students and teens who are just getting started. This 30-inch, right-handed, acoustic guitar features all the bells and whistles. Designed with 18 smooth frets, 6 steel strings, and easy to hold neck.
Complete starter kit: Entry-level guitar bundle includes 30-inch acoustic guitar, nylon bag, 3 picks (of assorted colors), shoulder strap, digital tuner, an extra set of 6 strings, and an instructional sheet.
High-quality tonewoods: Top, back, and sides are crafted from laminated basswood for versatility and warmth, with a high-gloss finish. Whether playing soft or loud, strumming or flatpicking, this guitar remains responsive and retains its tonal integrity. This guitar is built to last.
Incredible sound: Perfect for musicians-in-the-making, this beginner acoustic guitar features an impressive tone, bright sound, and standout projection. It's waiting to be heard.
Full-size, lightweight guitar: Ideal for learners, this guitar is both small and lightweight, measuring 30" Long x 11" Wide x 2.5" Deep.
Complete starter kit: Entry-level guitar bundle includes 30-inch acoustic guitar, nylon bag, 3 picks (of assorted colors), shoulder strap, digital tuner, an extra set of 6 strings, and an instructional sheet.
High-quality tonewoods: Top, back, and sides are crafted from laminated basswood for versatility and warmth, with a high-gloss finish. Whether playing soft or loud, strumming or flatpicking, this guitar remains responsive and retains its tonal integrity. This guitar is built to last.
Incredible sound: Perfect for musicians-in-the-making, this beginner acoustic guitar features an impressive tone, bright sound, and standout projection. It's waiting to be heard.
Full-size, lightweight guitar: Ideal for learners, this guitar is both small and lightweight, measuring 30" Long x 11" Wide x 2.5" Deep.
Product information
| Item Weight | 1.82 pounds |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 2.5 x 11 x 30 inches |
| Country of Origin | China |
| ASIN | B099NTD48H |
| Item model number | 21716460 |
| Batteries | 1 CR2 batteries required. (included) |
| Customer Reviews |
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars
6,114 ratings
4.4 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #172 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments) #2 in Acoustic Guitar Beginner Kits |
| Date First Available | July 16, 2021 |
| Back Material | Basswood |
| Body Material | Metal |
| Color Name | Natural |
| Fretboard Material | Basswood |
| Scale Length | 30 Inches |
| String Material | Alloy Steel |
| Top Material | Basswood |
| Neck Material Type | Basswood |
| Number of Strings | 6 |
| Guitar Bridge System | Fixed |
| Size | 30 Inch |
| Battery type | Lithium |
Top reviews from the United States
MacCanine
Not bad at all.
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2022Nimjim52
Nice little guitar for the price.
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2021Amazon Customer
This is a classical guitar. Definitely not an acoustic guitar!
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2021
Amazon Customer
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2021
The frets on the guitar are lower than usual but still very functional. I was expecting to see some rough edges on the frets but they were all very smooth. I was prepared to find at least one dead fret on the guitar but all notes were playable! Fret buzz is a very common problem on budget guitars. I only found 2 notes with minimal fret buzz and that’s really impressive for any guitar under $150. The frets on the guitar were definitely not smooth. Some light buffing with Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser (the one people used to clean pots and pans) took care of the problem easily.
DO NOT use the strings provided because the guitars definitely wasn’t designed to handle the tension from steel core acoustic guitar strings! Acoustic guitars used a different style tuning machine and a different style bridge. The neck of an acoustic guitar usually have a steel truss rod built in too. This is a classical guitar from head to toe and using the acoustic guitar strings provided will only cause MANY unnecessary problems!
The tone of the guitar lacked resonance and projection due to its smaller size and the materials used. However, it still sound fairly decent which was far beyond my expectations for guitars at this price range. The sound is fairly clean and warm. You could improve the sound quality by using high tension nylon core classical guitar strings. High tension guitar strings will sound louder and brighter (at the cost of less sustain). Maybe this is the reason why the seller/importer elected to use steel core acoustic guitar strings at the cost of significantly shorter usable life and potential tuning problems.
The tuning machine on the guitar will do their job. However, 2 of them need their screws hand tightened before they will function properly. Normally a new guitar needs to break in before they would stay in tune. Good guitars will break in within 2 hours and cheaper guitars could take 2-3 days. The guitar I received will go out of tune every 10-15min before I tighten the loose screws on the tuning machine. After the screws were tightened, the guitar will need to be re-tuned on a daily basis for 5 straight days. It took a whole week for the guitar to finally break in and stay in tune. Once the guitar broke in, it held its tune much better than expected.
The tuner it came with worked nicely, The gig bag was not padded and offered no protection for the guitar. But at least it will help keep the dust off. The strap was cheap but functional. The picks seemed very nice and comparable to Fender picks. The pitch pipe was horrible but fun to play with. 5 out of 6 notes were way off! The note for the 1st string was a little high but at least it was close enough to be functional. Once you got a string in tune, you could use that string to tune the rest. I think every beginner should learn how to tune a guitar by ear.
The only complaint I got for this guitar is that the frets weren't marked at the neck. New players will be playing blind until after they got used to it. A very minor problem that could be solved easily.
Images in this review
Courtney Rhodes
Good product for price
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2024Sheree
Youth guitar
Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2024Maternal Optimist
Nice Guitar
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2024