Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend w/ Wide Undersaddle Pickup Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this pick up! It sounds great and the microphone is a wonder change! Nothing negative to say! We play Contemporary Christian music. Put this into an Epiphone Jumbo. Installation was not too difficult. Did it myself. Had to drill the hole at the strap button a little larger. I made very little change to my saddle to adjust string height and had to drill a small hole in the bridge.

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Combining the very best of Fishman's popular Acoustic Matrix undersaddle pickup and proprietary Ellipse blending system, the new Ellipse Matrix Blend produces exceptional amplified tone and installs without any major modifications or cosmetic defects to the instrument. The Ellipse Matrix Blend's design features the Acoustic Matrix pickup in a choice of wide, narrow, and split pickup formats. The system is complemented with a high-quality flexible gooseneck condenser mini-microphone to provide enhanced tonal reproduction through blending. Most importantly, the Ellipse Matrix Blend can be discreetly mounted inside the instrument's soundhole for quick, easy access in a way that is virtually 'transparent' to its appearance.

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Washburn WD18SW Acoustic Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)Great Guitar for a reasonable price . This is Clean sounding guitar ,not to mention beautiful. A poor mans Martin . I look for value and this exceeded my expectations .

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Hi-grade Sepele back and sides along with a solid Sepele top give the WD18SW a brilliant, responsive tone. The neck is made of genuine Mahogany with a 20-fret Ebony fingerboard. Grover 18:1 gold-tone tuners insure tuning stability. Final touches include a tortoise color pickguard, Abalone rosette and a uniquely styled Ebony "Butterfly" bridge.Gig Bag Included.

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Martin SWDGT Sustainable Wood Series Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)this guitar is a cannon! huge clear ringing sound. not super boomy like other martins but this guitar is a killer value! buy it, it will love you

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The Martin SWDGT from the Sustainable Wood Series features a solid Sitka spruce top, certified solid cherry wood back and sides, mahogany neck, and a certified katalox bridge and fingerboard. The neck has a low profile shape and an adjustable truss rod. Appointments include pearl dot inlays and a natural satin finish for enhanced tone. Includes deluxe Martin hardshell case ($100 value).

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Yamaha APX900 - Natural Acoustic Electric Cutaway Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)
Why this is a good guitar
Thinline acoustic-electrics are not known for their acoustic tone, but the APX900's tone is acceptable for at-home strumming and practice and even light sing-along duty. It sounds a little dull acoustically and it's not particularly loud, but that's an acceptable compromise to limit feedback when plugged in. The amplified tone is bright--or it can be whatever you want it to be, from dark and thumpy to incisive, from a laid-back tone to jangly with the mids cut and the bass and treble turned up. Like any acoustic-electric, it feeds back if you get in front of the amplifier or your PA speaker, but a provided heavy rubber soundhole plug reduces feedback.
It's hard to find a mid-priced acoustic-electric thinline guitar that doesn't sound thin or brassy, but Yamaha's unique multiple contact pickups sound better than the typical under-saddle piezo pickups found on most competing guitars. The APX900 is especially nice because it has two additional pickups, one on the bass side, one on the treble, each with a level control on the preamp. So you can customize the bass and treble response to your liking. The onboard tuner is accurate and the electronics package is well thought out. The preamp controls adjust through a very wide range of cut and boost.
The materials and finish of the guitar are beautiful--nice woods, deep gloss finish. The plastic soundhole ring is perhaps a little cheesy, but it prevents damage to the edge of the soundhole from enthusiastic picking. The neck is nicely shaped and the cutaway gives access to the higher frets. The gold hardware is pretty, but superfluous.
Why this guitar needs work
I've sampled enough of these guitars to believe that they all come through with essentially the same setup. The strings are too high at the nut and at the bridge and it's impossible to play anything intricate or fast. Most every guitar in this price range has the same flaw because manufacturers won't take the time to do a proper setup and they can't be sure that a low, comfortable action might not wind up too low once the guitar has been shipped, stored, and finally sold. You generally don't find good setup until the price goes over $1000.
I'm fortunate to have the special files to create deeper string grooves for the nut and the tools to lower the height of the bridge saddle. A proper setup on this guitar makes a world of difference in playability, but it needs more: The frets have a matte finish instead of a mirror finish, and they're somewhat flat-topped. Again, this is common in the price range. A guitar repairman can put the proper rounding on the frets and bring them to a high polish, for another major stride in playability.
The final step is to simply throw away the provided strings and replace them with high-quality strings such as Martin MarquisMartin Acoustic String Combo 3 Pack; M2100 Light Marquis Phosphor Bronze, MSP4100 Light Phosphor Bronze and MSP3100 Light 80/20 Bronze or Elixir Elixir Light Nanoweb Acoustic Guitar Strings. The provided strings are touted as anti-rust, but they are draggy, with much friction under your fingers.
With a good setup and strings, the APX900 competes with guitars that cost $400 to $600 more.

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What a guitar! The newest member of the APX family, the APX900 features top-quality flamed maple back and sides and a solid spruce top. It delivers a rich, mature tone, with a punchy projection and a bright, long-ringing sustain. A lush and tonally versatile amplified repertoire comes of a newly designed 3-Band preamp, whose adjustable mid-band frequency covers a broad 80Hz - 10kHz spectrum. This not only allows control over the midrange but enables reshaping part of the low and high bands in addition to the dedicated bass and treble controls.

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Martin 1-Series OM-1 Orchestra Model Acoustic Guitar Natural Review

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(More customer reviews)I just purchased a Martin OM-1 and I love it...
I am not the guy who can go out and buy a $1k guitar. I have a wife, a mortgage, and refuse to put myself into debt for a guitar. So I saved what some would think isn't a lot of money for a quality acoustic ($650) but it took me a while to save up this much hard earned money from extra income. I wanted a guitar with a wider nut width, and NOT a dreadnought (can't stand the shape of those monsters). I played Breedloves, Takamines, Seagulls, Taylors, Yamahas, Epiphones, and even the Martin X series of guitars. The X series Martins sounded the best to me, but I couldn't get past all the fake wood on those. I played every guitar in the 500-600 price range, and then I found the Martin OM-1. It was $899, but for a limited time it was marked at $680 on Zzounds.com, so my local GuitarCenter did a price match and I got it for about $660 with a hardshell case. Still can't believe it.
Now for the guitar: I love this thing. The tone is great. It's rich, warm and full sounding, and easily compares to some of the upper tier Martins. The action and set-up was nearly perfect, and did I mention the tone? It just sounds phenomenal for the price. I agree, there may be some duds out there, but the one I got sounds great. Some of you may have issues with the neck being Stratabond, but it feels good to me and it's never going to warp or bend. Some people have mentioned the took a fine/soft steel wool to the neck and it makes it glide like butter, but mine is fine as-is for me. This thing stays in tune FOREVER.
I feel very blessed to have gotten this guitar for $250 less than asking price, and it will be my baby for life!

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The 1-Series OM-1 Orchestra Acoustic Guitar is an affordable, solid wood-bodied guitar, backed by Martin's heritage of over 175 years in skilled building excellence and a limited lifetime warranty. Constructed from solid tonewoods including a Sitka spruce top, bookmatched Sapele back and sides, as well as an East Indian Rosewood fingerboard and bridge, the Martin 1-Series OM-1 creates that legendary rich and commanding Martin sound guitarists everywhere have come to know and love. The Martin OM-1 guitar comes equipped with Martin SP strings for great long-lasting tone and sustain, as well as a hardshell case to provide protection and security.Martin has created the 1-Series to deliver legendary Martin quality and tone at a more accessible price.

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Norman Encore B20 High Gloss Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)Our nonprofit, Guitars in the CLassroom, receives donations of guitars for use with the teachers we instruct; among those we receive, Godin provides us with the best guitars from the companies who support us, Kaman, Martin (yes, Martin!), Saga, etc. This B20 just came back from a teacher to whom we had loaned it for her use in the Classroom with her students, as she has now purchased her own - probably not as amazing as this loaner was! When I played it, I was blown away with the power and tone....and the construction detail was superb (and I assume we are getting Blems or 2nds....but I can't tell what the defect might be.) Buy one of these, and revel in what a true large acoustic can do for both group singing and recording. What a sweet guitar! Thanks Godin....
Doug Bowers, Tucson, AZ

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The B20 is the foundation of all the Norman guitars. The solid spruce top and lacquer finish alone distinguish this guitar. The three-layer laminate of cherry wood used in the back and sides of the B20 produces a tone that sounds warmer than maple but brighter than a mahogany guitar. The B20's tone works beautifully for recording and blends nicely when amplified on stage.

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Martin OM28-V Vintage Reissue Acoustic Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)The Vintage Series has sold well because of the uniformity of quality that has marked this series. The OM 28V has soft and beautiful tone and sustain. Balance between bass and treble is amazing and the vesatility shows in blues as well as the volume needed for bluegrass. This guitar does it all. The aging toner darkens with the impact of UV from light and goes vintage within a few years.

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Martin OM-28V Orchestra ModelEveryone from Eric Clapton to Sting to Johnny Lang has played a Martin guitar, and professionals and amateurs alike know the bright sparkle and deep, resonant tone that Martin guitars have become famous for, from the most high end acoustics to the Backpacker.Carefully hand-selected tonewoods, master craftsmanship and beautiful finishes and styles make Martin acoustics a class all their own, and must be played to be believed. Martin sets the standard for acoustic guitars, and since 1833 has been a leader in guitar innovation and craftsmanship.

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Martin 000-15 M Review

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(More customer reviews)Sometimes less is more, as in the case with Martin's 000-15m. This is a bare bones auditorium size guitar which rests comfortably in the players' arms. The shape and look give it a vintage quality right off the workshop floor. The fretboard is wider than dreadnought size guitars, which makes fingerstyle playing very smooth. The sound is what makes this guitar such a winner though: clear, rich, and bright, with overtones galore. I got mine without a pick-up, so if I intend to record with it I'll use a mic.

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Exceptional tone, exciting playability and classic Martin good looks. The Martin 00015M Acoustic Guitar looks like it came right out of the history books and it delivers a sound for the ages. In its 175-year history, Martin has set more guitar design trends than can be counted. The company still embraces design techniques introduced many years ago to create their guitars' timeless tone.The Martin 00015M offers a perfect blend of vintage features and modern technology to create an acoustic guitar of exceptional tone, playability and classic Martin good looks. Back, sides and top are bookmatched solid genuine mahogany with A-frame Sitka Spruce X-bracing and a traditional maple bridge-plate. The 14-fret neck—also genuine mahogany—is joined with an East Indian rosewood fingerboard and headplate. The traditional rosewood belly-bridge is fitted with a bone saddle, and the nut is fashioned from bone as well.The Martin 000-15M is embellished with a dark mahogany stain and a satin lacquer finish. The end result is a guitar of beauty and simplicity with a warm, rich mahogany voice. Body size: 000-14 Fret Top: Solid genuine mahogany Rosette: Single ring Back material: Solid genuine mahogany Side material: Solid genuine mahogany Binding: None Neck shape: Modified Low Oval Headstock: Solid/Standard Taper Scale length: 25-3/8'' Fingerboard width at nut: 1-11/16'' Bridge material: Solid East Indian Rosewood Bridge style: Belly Tuning machines: Nickel open-geared with butterbean knobs Pickguard: Delmar tortoise color Case: 330 Hardshell

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Martin DCX1E Acoustic-Electric Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)I own a Martin DCX1E, and like it pretty well. It plays well and has a 'Martin-like' sound. Why do I say 'Martin-like'? Because the body and sides are not wood. They are made of a laminate, not unlike formica. I know, that sounds cheap, but it actually has turned out to be pretty successful for me, and apparently for Martin. It is tough stuff. The top of the guitar is solid Sitka spruce, which is as it should be on a higher-end guitar. So how does it sound? Because they use Martin bracing and a solid top, the instrument sounds pretty much like a Martin, but because of the laminate back and sides, the guitar has noticably less volume than an all wood guitar. The sound is still good, just a little quieter than you would expect. It does retain the resonant low end which characterizes Martins. This IS an acoustic/electric, and if you play it electrically, the lack of acoustic volume is not an issue. The guitar has a piezo pickup under the bridge (pretty standard for A/E guitars), which is mated to a Fishman EQ/preamp, which sounds good through a regular amp, and even better (Wow!)through a PA (use a DI box, though). If you are playing electrically, you may have feedback problems. If so, get a Planet Waves Screeching Halt sound hole plug. Now, here's some other stuff. The neck and the action are pretty good, although I had an action job done by a luthier to make it better. The neck is a little different, too, in that it is laminated. Some people pooh pooh this, but I like the looks, and have never had any problem with it. So, if you get this guitar, I think you will like it..........except for one thing.........After a year and a half, my frets wore out big time. In 45 years of playing, I have NEVER worn out the frets on any guitar, or even come close. Yahdah, yahdah, I won't bother repeating the whole story. Suffice to say, Martin denied that their guitar had a problem, and would not stand behind their product. My luthier, who is "THE" luthier in a city of 2M people, confirmed to me that Martin will not honor their warranty for any fret issues. It would have been nice to know that up front, and frankly, I would not have bought the guitar if I had known that, since a fret job cost me $400. Considering that I paid $700 for the Martin, I could have bought one hell of a guitar for $1,100. You'd think with all the Martin-playing people who espouse social causes and the rights of the down-trodden underclasses, that Martin might have a conscience, too. Forget it. Martin is just another big company, like the rest of them. I wonder how long it will take them to scream bloody murder and make Amazon take this review down? Until then, Rock On ya'all.

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The DCX1E Mahogany Acoustic-Electric Guitar gives you the full, sweet sound of a Martin acoustic with a cutaway for ease of playing. Fishman Classic 4 Sonicore electronics make it stage and studio friendly, and its price won't break your back. Solid spruce top with A-frame X-bracing, HPL sides and back, inlaid Boltaron rosette, black Micarta fretboard. Limited lifetime warranty. Martin DCX1E Acoustic-Electric Guitar Features: 14-fret dreadnought cutaway body Solid spruce top HPL back and sides Limited lifetime warranty Martin DCX1E Acoustic-Electric Guitar Includes: limited lifetime warranty

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Martin D-28 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Natural Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought my Martin D-28 in 1972. I have a Guild 12 and a Stetson 1928 Parlor. I played my Martin D-28 semi-professionally from 1976-1991.
Being of the age that my Martin D-28 is it does not have a truss rod. Never-the-less, it rings like Christmas bells in the philharmonic. I do feel the need to have the neck reset. The newer ones, I believe, have the rod so my problem will not be yours. (The action on mine is a little more difficult after all this time and travel)
The D-28 is a wonder. It is so very true to all types of music. BlueGrass, rock, jazz. CF Martin had his stuff together on this one as it has lasted for decades + and been lauded by all the stars of the aforementioned types of various groups that have needed and used an acoustic guitar.
Construction is superb. Woods are superb. Mine is Brazilian Rosewood and German spruce top. Ebony finger board and saddle. I will have it buried with me to keep it close.
If you are looking for a sweet and life long friend, this is it as to instruments. Not as fancy as some Martins but the sound more than makes up for its basic look. Strum an E or A chord on this or finger pick or knock yourself out and watch your audience perk up. The sound of the Martin D-28 is individual to other guitars. I can pick a D-28 out of a sound track most every time.
Just a sweet and dependable friend. Buy a really good case to protect it.


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Martin D-28 DreadnoughtSince its introduction in 1931, the Martin D-28 has remained the standard by which all large-bodied, steel stringed acoustic guitars are measured. The large "Dreadnought" sized body, originated by Frank H. Martin and Oliver Hunt in 1916, is named for a class of large British battleship and was considered a radical departure from small parlor-sized guitars of the period. Today, it is the most widely imitated guitar model in the world.The body of the D-28, built extra wide and deep, utilizes select East Indian rosewood for back and sides, and straight-grained Sitka spruce for the top. The neck is hand-carved from genuine mahogany; the fingerboard and bridge are genuine ebony. It is this combination of materials and body dimensions, as well as the Martin originated X-brace system, that produces the renowned "D-28 sound" -- warm, deep bass response coupled with a strong, clear-as-a-bell treble. The D-28 is particularly well suited to bluegrass and country music styles requiring loud, powerful rhythm accompaniment. The original Dreadnought -- and still the best.

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Taylor Guitars 310ce Dreadnought Acoustic Electric Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)This guitar is amazing. It is very crisp and bright so it is great for finger picking. Taylor is the new premier guitar maker. I was going to get a Gibson but they don't have different size necks. The neck on a Taylor, which is real ebony, is not even glued on so a repair guy can change the angle in ten minutes. Also the fretboard and neck continue up into the body, intead of the neck stopping and the fretboard resting on the body. When a neck bends it caused a bump at the 14 fret. Taylor has fixed this problem. Their pickup is the best. Research it before you spend money. The 300 series is the cheapest line with the expression system (yeah!!) A mint vintage Gibson is worth 100,000 and that is why they are not changing there technology. But there is better technology nowadays. Why not use it. The finish on a Taylor is UV cured in ten minutes. This shaves 3 days and a bit of money off the cost of the guitar. The wood doesn't warp in those three days. Also, the finish only has ten minutes to sink into the pores. I think that has something to do with the tone. I own the 314ce and it's bright tone is great for finger picking and strumming. The dreadnaught is supposed to be better for pure strumming. The best guitars for tone are supposed to be Gibson, Martin, Taylor and Takamine and all have a pretty large list of pro players but Taylor is taking off. Look at the list on there website. There are some other good one out there. This guitar is too sweet though. I never feel the need to review almost anythng but I am going to copy this and paste it on the other Taylor guitars, not just the 314ce. --pickup, neck finish and TONE!

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The 310ce a true performer's workhorse, combining technology and craftsmanship with understated style. A Venetian cutaway adds dimension to classic Dreadnought styling, while the tone of Sapele is faithfully amplified via the Taylor Expression System. Crisp, black binding flanks the satin-finish Sapele back and sides and glossy Sitka spruce top, and then continues up the fretboard.

Taylor's DreadnoughtThe 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.

A Venitian cutaway in the 310ce Dreadnought body allows better access to the upper frets. In the past, many players moving to acoustic guitars grew accustomed to the cutaways on their electric guitars, while others simply like the freedom of movement into the upper register that a cutaway allows. Now, cutaways are favored as much for their decorative appeal as for their function.
Features ebony wood fretboard and bridge and Venetian cutaway.

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Martin LX1 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)I actually purchased the LX1E from Sam Ash. The electronics (if you use them) are well worth the roughly $50 price increase. I bought this guitar for my son, for his 18th birthday. He will be going off to college next year, and I thought it would make a great dorm guitar. With the travel (he's looking at being around 2,000 miles from) - it seemed like it would be a convenient size.

I own two high-end Martins and he usually plays one of them...that he's pretty much claimed as his own, but he admits he would be a little nervous about it in a dorm (at least at first). We test drove the Little Martin and the Baby Taylor. Both are excellent 3/4 size guitars. As most reviews state, we found the Martin to have a warmer tone and the Taylor to have a brighter tone. Both of us prefer what we consider to be the richer tone of the Martin so I went with the Little Martin. The sound for such a small guitar is amazing. The joints, seams and finish are excellent. It looks and feels like a quality instrument. My son loves the action, feel and sound. It has become his guitar of choice - he plays it at church instead of the full-size Martin he was playing. It's also just a lot of fun to play. For the price, the quality and sound is beyond what you would expect.
I would recommend this guitar for guitarists who travel, players who are small in stature, and/or those who want a cheaper, but still good-sounding guitar to knock around with.

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The Martin LX1 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar is a great small travel and beginning student guitar. It has a solid Sitka spruce soundboard atop the small, modified 0-14 body to guarantee tight, rich tone. solid East Indian rosewood fretboard and bridge, 23" scale, Stratabond modified low-oval neck, and Martin's patented mortise/tenon neck joint. Gotoh nickel tuners.

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Taylor Guitars 614ce Grand Auditorium Acoustic Electric Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this guitar from a local retailer. I sat down and played EVERY high end acoustic guitar in the store, and quite a few lower models. This guitar is absolutely hands down the winner! The neck plays like a dream, set up perfectly at the factory. The action was set kind of low, but there was zero fret buzz! The sound that came out of this thing blew me away, a beautiful combination of high end and low end with a projection that made every note absolutely clear and concise. This guitar has enough natural volume that it could be mistaken for being plugged in when it is not! Whether you play finger style or pick style you will fall in love with this guitar. The only other guitar that compares in sound with this one is a high end Martin, but that is where it ends, the Martins are borderline unplayable compared to the Taylor. If you ever played a Martin you know what I am talking about, beautiful sound, play like crap. This Taylor rules the roost. Plug in to your amp with this and you get a super clear sounding angels from heaven sound.I have owned many acoustics over the last twenty five years, Gibson, Fender, Takamine, Seagull, Ovation. All those guitars always left me chasing a sound I could not find. I have had this Taylor for almost two years now, and I have nothing bad to say about this guitar. Go play one yourself, and compare. I guarantee you will agree.

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A signature quality of Big Leaf maple--besides its crisp, bright tone--is its ability to cut through on stage. As a result, you'll find many of Taylor's 600 Series guitars in live performances easily holding their own with the rest of the band. The bold sounds of Big Leaf maple and Sitka spruce are further enhanced by the 614ce Grand Auditorium body design in this acoustic/electric standout.

Taylor's Grand Auditorium ShapeThe Grand Auditorium was the first guitar shape designed from scratch by Bob Taylor. It was unveiled to commemorate the company's 20th Anniversary in 1994, and since then it has more than lived up to its promise. Although the GA has the width and depth of a Dreadnought, its narrower waist gives it the appearance of a smaller instrument, adds treble "zing" across the guitars tonal spectrum, sharpens the definition of individual notes, and also enables it to rest comfortably in the lap. Because Taylor removed mass from the width of the GAs braces, the guitar top moves faster, resulting in a snappy, bell-like tone. The GA is designed to be a strong fingerpicking guitar that also can handle medium strumming, and is exceptionally versatile.

A Venetian cutaway in the 614ce Grand Auditorium body allows better access to the upper frets. In the past, many players moving to acoustic guitars grew accustomed to the cutaways on their electric guitars, while others simply like the freedom of movement into the upper register that a cutaway allows. Now, cutaways are favored as much for their decorative appeal as for their function.
Solid sitka spruce top is joined with big leaf maple sides and back for a crisp, bright tone able to hold its own in live performances.

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Takamine G Series EG340SC Cutaway Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar, Natural Review

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(More customer reviews)First off... I'm not a great guitar player and don't know everything about guitars.
With that said, I really like this guitar. The sound is amazing and the craftmanship is fantastic. For my birthday I received Takamine G Series 340C Acoustic-Electric Guitar which my family had purchased from Long and McCuade (In canada). I went up there to see if they would price match amazons price of 275 for it and they told me that was below their cost... so I returned the guitar and went to buy it on amazon. (I loved the sound of the guitar as well... but the 340SC does sound much nicer). I decided to upgrade to the 340SC model since it was very cheap on amazon as well 327(still below orginal purchase price of the 340C). Long story short... I would recommend both guitars but for $50 difference the 340SC was an easy choice.
I like the gold tuners but they might not be for everyone. They seem to be holding the tune very well. The rosewood, spruc and mahogany is very sharp looking all with really nice grain lines. I really like the abalone dot inlays and the abalone rosette. One difference visually between the 340C and the 340SC is the the top bind stripe (around the edge of the spruce ... on top), for the 340C it was abalone while the 340SC is 3 alternating black and white lines... ~1/8" thick.
I love the built in tuner. Works like a charm... it simply displays a letter for the chord it hears with either a ^ or v to indicate to tune up or down... when in tune they both appear. Since it shows a letter for the chord I found it quite useful in remembering bar chord positions. I have not pluged into an amp yet and tested out the equilizer. It has a low battery light... and the screen is easy to see even in the dark or bright lights.
I also purchased Guardian Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Case (Fiberglass, Dark Grey) and the guitar fits perfectly into the case.
I am planning on taking the guitar to a technician for a proper setup since the 340C came with a smaller amount of play between the strings and the frets than the 340SC.
I was very worried about purchasing a guitar on amazon but it was all for nothing. Shipping was fantastic, signature required. It was shipped in the orginal guitar box placed into another over sized box filled with shipping peanuts (a full big garbage bag full). I purchased it from Gear 1 Music.
Overall for the price I paid I could not be any happier with this guitar. I hope this helps... if not check out this YouTube Review: [...]

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The Takamine acoustic-electric EG340SC dreadnought guitar has the traditional look and big sound that flatpickers and singers prize. Featuring a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, and a cutaway body style that provides greater fretboard access. The easy-to-use on-board TP4T preamp features a 3-band graphic EQ and a built-in tuner to let you perform in any setting. Aesthetic touches include gold tuners, abalone fingerboard inlays, and a natural gloss finish. The EG340SC represents great Takamine quality and value in an acoustic-electric guitar.Takamine G Series EG340SC Cutaway Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar Features: Body Shape: Dreadnought Cutaway Top: Solid Spruce Back: Mahogany Sides: Mahogany Fingerboard: Rosewood Fingerboard: Abalone dots Rosette: Abalone Tuners: Gold Finish: Gloss natural Electronics: TP4T preamp with built-in tuner

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Takamine EG341SC Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar, Gloss Black Review

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(More customer reviews)I have just recently bought this EG341SC and it is definatley the best playing guitar I own. I have been playing for 28 years and this guitar rates up there in the top 5 acoustic guitars. Great action, sound and clarity. Definatley a must for your collection.

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The G Series EG341SC has a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides. The dreadnought body style gives you a big sound with more volume and power and its cutaway gives you complete fretboard acccess. Beautifully styled in a black gloss finish with pearl tuners. The built-in TP4T is an easy to use preamp featuring a 3-band graphic EQ, and a built in tuner. Takamine guitars offer craftsmanship aimed at enabling musical artistry and are an exceptionally good value.Takamine EG341SC Acoustic-Electric Guitar Features: Body Shape: Dreadnought Cutaway Finish: Gloss Black Top: Solid Spruce Inlays: Snowflakes Back: Mahogany Sides: Mahogany Fingerboard: Rosewood Electronics: TP4T Preamp

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Taylor Guitars Baby Taylor, BT2, Mahogany, Natural Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A PERSONAL OPINION. The Taylor BT2 is a really nice guitar. I did not say The Taylor BT2 is a really nice little guitar. Why? We could talk about guitar size, shape, wood type, action, nut size, and acoustics but it is easier to just say, this guitar is very easy to play and sounds much bigger than it really is. I bought this guitar to carry to parties and family gatherings (I'm the lease musically talented in my family but I got guts) as I was getting tired of toting my big Ovation back and fourth. This little guitar with the big voice was just what I was looking for. Fact is, I messed around trying to buy a used Baby Taylor off eBay and found this guitar sells for $220 to $305 USED. Shoot, I bought a new one for $299. This is a very nice guitar and I am sure the model BT1 is good too; I just like mahogany better than spruce. I recommend this Baby Taylor to anyone as a first guitar or as in my case, a second.

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An alternate version of the original Baby Taylor substitutes a solid mahogany top, giving this 3/4-size Dreadnought a dark, attractive complexion and a mid-range boost.


The Baby Taylor Series The Baby Taylor is the ultimate travel companion, delivering volume and tone that surprise for its diminutive dimensions. At three-quarters the size of a full-sized guitar, the Baby Taylor lives for the road. It also loves little hands, which makes it an irresistible choice for kids taking lessons. Available with either a solid spruce or solid mahogany top.
Tropical American Mahogany Top Mahogany is supple enough to make excellent, responsive bodies, yet sufficiently strong and stable to use in necks. Mahogany produces a bright, clear tone, with a unique balance that yields an expressive dynamic range in response to even the lightest touch. This makes Taylor's 500 Series guitars especially popular with fingerstyle guitarists and blues players, and it gives this particular Baby Taylor great looks and a more pronounced mid-range.
Sapele Laminate Back/Sides This exceptional, mahogany-like wood grows throughout the tropical rain forests of Nigeria and the Ivory Coast of Africa. Ever since we introduced it in 1998, its legion of fans has grown exponentially. As a tonewood, it's denser and harder than mahogany, so it has a crisper, clearer, brighter, "pop"-ier sound than its more familiar counterpart. Loud and robust, with a lovely ribboned grain, sapele has been used by Spanish guitar makers for many years.
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.
Varnish FinishA durable varnish finish offers protection, good looks, and a smooth feel to the touch. The spruce top's beauty shines right through.

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