ethan wallace
I am usually a singer but I have been wanting to get into the electric guitar. I had an old one in the garage from years back but it was very tired and the action was off. It didn’t feel worth investing in, so I decided to treat myself to this on a whim. I’m so glad I did! It’s the ideal first - or second guitar - the build quality is great and it came ready to play out the box. It also came with a strap, a gig bag and an amp cable too so I think great value. The finish is really stylish and nothing about it feels cheap. It’s a telecaster and it has that twangy sound you would expect - I’ve tried to show that in my little demo. As I say I’m more a singer than a player but I can’t wait to keep practicing. I really recommend it if you want a great value guitar.
Campbell R.
Hi, I received my Donner telecaster 2 weeks ago and I was astounded when I unboxed it, it had a beautiful finish, just like the more expensive models and when I tuned up I was delighted see that it stayed in tune after I gave it 5 minutes of steady chord playing, now that's a real measure of endurance for a brand new guitar, I have since ordered the black Les Paul model and I'm really looking forward to delivery!!!
Fabian S.
Bought this guitar for my son and he absolutely loves it. Looks great and the finish is of a very high quality. Sounds fantastic and feels great. Came with a nice padded bag and cord. Also arrived well packaged and before time. It is an excellent guitar for beginners and the excellent customer service from Donner is second to none. Highly recommended.
Peter C.
A superb finish and feel of the neck and fingerboard. Everything worked well out of the box except for some tweaks to the intonation. The cable supplied, works well also. The bag seems a little bit snug but with perseverance protects and allows the reasonable protection required. For such an amazingly low price it has far exceeded my expectations.
allan m.
Arrived safe and sound after changing strings and setting up I like the tone and action on the neck.just need a few pedals next.then possibly another model.
kevin o.
Ordered direct, very fast delivery time.
Bought because i always wanted a tele, this was so cheap i wasn't expecting much. Seems great quality, neck looks straight, tuners will need upgrading in the long run, but liveable for a while. Needed a set up, but most guitars do when bought of the Internet. Hardware seems ok & pickups sound authentic with that tele twang overall a great guitar for £105. A good base for moding
maureen H.
Very pleased with this guitar watch all reviews on you tube
Chris C.
Timely delivered, a joy to play and sounds great. Neck feels better even than my F3nd3r with its satin back and properly-finished frets (no sharps or sprouts and nicely rounded), no gritty feel, but smooth and polished. Finish shows no defects and every part works as expected. Can't put it down! Can't ask for more of a guitar, and at this price...
Anthony B.
This guitar is absolute value for money. Playable straight out of the box the finish is perfect. I am very pleased with my Donna guitar.
Angela Bell
Terrific Telecaster! Was easy to setup perfectly with just new strings and tweaking the intonation and pickup's proximity to the strings. I absolutely love playing this guitar and the looks are stunning! Terrific Telecaster sounds!
Tim Brown
Excellent guitar when it is setup. I've always wanted a snow white T style guitar and Donner doesn't disappoint. I've played many Telecaster guitars over the last 45 years. Some great and some not so great that should have for the money. The guitars from Donner are highly regarded on YouTube and the price performance ratio for what you get is as good as or better than a Squire at twice the price. Donner has a good reputation and stands behind their products which is something else I like.
Darren Bell
I bought the Donner Telecaster in white and I'm really impressed with it. The white color body that I ordered is difficult to find in a reasonably priced guitar so I was really pleased that Donner had this color available. When I unboxed the guitar the finish and build really were very good for a budget guitar. There were no flaws and the guitar itself has a nice neck and body weight. The fret edges were really well dressed with no fret sprout which is common in a lot of other budget guitars but not with this Donner model. I changed the strings and polished the frets and oiled the fretboard and then it was ready to play. The string action is really excellent and I did not have to change the bridge saddles to compensate for the height of the strings nor did I have to adjust the truss rod. This guitar is really ready to play right out of the box! The pickups sound good with a good tonal range between the neck and the bridge. The tuners are better than average. If I would compare this guitar to a Glarry or a Squier Bullet I would say that the Donner is a better guitar in fit, finish, general quality and playability. Overall, I am very impressed with this guitar and may buy the Stratocaster version. Thank you Donner!
Brige Carlin
It arrived early and it is a gem! It has a beautiful look, and the finish is not amateurish at all. The tuners hold up great, and it stays in tune between practice sessions. The satin neck is perfect for moving up and down, and the tone is just what I was hoping for. I have already recommend this incredibly affordable guitar to friends.
Hywel James
I have plenty of guitars but always curious about what is out there. Saw the Donner DTC-100S and thought it would be at least something to test modifications plus a white tele could be nice to have. When received it was well packed and looked very elegant - instead of pure white it is sort of a light cream - very nice. tuned it up, made a minor intonation adjustment and really liked how it played. The neck is comfortable and the pickups while not exactly hot have their own clear voice and are keepers. Now if I want to mod I need to get another one. Even my wife likes it.
jamie Leeson
Very Impressive ! Kudos to Donner for being able to create a beautiful quality guitar and selling it at such a great price. The fit and finish is top notch and absolutely beautiful. The hardware is thick and appears very sturdy for longevity. The fingerboard is smooth with no sharp edges on the frets. The tuners are holding tune very well. The pickups sound strong with good tonal qualities. Nice padded bag and cord included. The action was not bad as it came shipped but the intonation was off. I took it into the shop for a setup. They adjusted the intonation and the action to be faster and put new strings of my choice on. Wow, plays super nice with fast action and in tune throughout the fingerboard. Very happy with this purchase !
Deborah Toft
Got it in the mail took it out and tuned it. Then played it and it sounded great. I may change the strings but it sounds great and feels great. Wish you made an electric acoustic guitar. Probably gonna get a mandolin next
Jo Jones
I absolutely love this guitar and I’m looking forward to purchasing my next guitar from donner
John Byrne
This blows my mind fast neck stays in tune beautiful finish would buy again! The black one looks pretty cool also!
Frank Witt
I have recently discovered that there are some awesome low-cost guitars out there. After being very pleased with purchases from IYV and Indio, I decided to pull the trigger on a Donner Tele style that kept popping up in my social media pages. Upon receiving the guitar a week later, my first disappointment was that the guitar was black, and not the burst style depicted in the ad. This was probably my fault for not checking my purchase options carefully. Out of the box, this guitar was not nearly as well set up as my other recent low cost purchases. The guitar is currently at my favorite music shop to see if their setup expertise can solve the intonation problems I am having. I'm hoping for good results. On a positive note, I like the looks of the fret board. It is somewhat darker than it appears in my pic. I doubt is it really rosewood or ebony, but it looks like it. I wish Donner would say what it is. It's a bit dry, but I'll fix that when I get the guitar back from the shop.
Sheila Sholanke
It plays great. I love it.
joy stewart
I must say, this Telecaster blew me away for its affordability and quality. After a quick basic setup right out of the box, I was able to get some nice tones and laying some some hard blues and country riffs. Also, you can get a solid metal sound from that bridge pickup. I'm excited to keep working with this bad boy for years to come.
John Senior
The guitar arrived well-packed and after unpacking and after making a few adjustments to suit my playing style it was ready to go. The neck is smooth and very comfortable in my hand. The sound of the guitar is classic “T” style. The bridge is very hot with a lot of “twang” while the neck gives a bassy, jazzy feel. The middle position gives a nice mix of the 2 that is good for rhythm with a little bite.
Gavin Maciver
I'm going to be honest with you this is a perfect guitar for a beginner everything on the guitar was set up to play, but I bought it for a special reason I am a retired woodworker guitar enthusiast and amateur guitar Luther which means I work on guitars.
Isaac Lindley
This guitar is the most bang for your buck guitar! Gladly welcoming it to my collection!
Jon Clements
Donner never fails to provide high-quality instruments and accessories. This tele Is awesome! I also have the Donner Alpha-Cruncher pedal, and the delay is great! I've also bought the Moukey Audio Interface, (just perfect for what I need!), Donner monitor speakers, a Donner drum throne and the Moukey tongue drum. I'm recording them all!
Michael Cooper
I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised at the fit, finish, and sound of the Donner DTC-100S. I had a coupon from a reviewer on YouTube and for $126 shipped with accessories like a decent gig bag, strap, and cable it’s hard to beat the quality for the price. Granted I’m an adult beginner but after a week of practice I really do think I made the best choice of a great guitar on which to learn. Thanks for the great deal on my first guitar Donner!
David Costa
I waited approximately three months for the guitar to come back into stock it was totally worth the wait A beautiful guitar well made and sounds awesome.
Aaron R.
I never doubted buying from Donner top quality guitar, well packaged, delivery times about five days, i am a avid collecter twenty odd guitars, these feel like top end guitars tuned easily straight out of the box, play right away. Gig bag is of really good quality carry it from lessons, and well keep it safe.. So all i can enjoy your purchase you won't be disappointed i have three donner guitars in my Collection and love each and every one of them, you will to when you purchase from them,
peter s.
I like the subtle playability of it. As I have Floyd Rose guitar which is not subtle, the metal guitar is a washburn x40 which x3 more expensive. I think this tele stands shoulder to shoulder with it.
MICHAEL S.
These are amazing guitars and great value for money.
I've slightly modified my DTC-100S to suit my style of playing and fitted my preferred Rotosound strings to all three.
The Bass is awesome with a great sound, the pickups produce a real punch and the setup was pretty much ready to go. The DLP is by far my favourite, it was the first guitar I'd purchased from Donner and I've fell in love with it.
For just over £100 it's a whole lot of guitar for such a low price.
The finish on all three guitars is high quality, the pots and switches are all smooth and the metalwork is good quality and more importantly, adjustable.
Paul T.
I watched a video of a guitar technician who stripped the guitar apart and praise how well it was manufactured especially for the cost. I haven't had much chance to put it through its paces yet as I am just coming back to playing after a long time off from not playing the other guitars that I own. On the whole I am impressed on the overall finish and after tuning up and trying it through my practice amp everything seemed to work as it should.
Bee C.
Guitar arrived in good time and condition. All ok apart from the string action was too high. Will need attention.
Lévis A.
Very satisfied, very well finished instrument.
I can recommend it without reservation.
Sergio R.
Delivery was quick, well wrapped in its box. To be fair for the price it's a pretty good piece of kit.
Brendan B.
I collect guitars, so bought this Dt100 to see what it was like, it's a great guitar playable out of the box, I did change the tuners,pickups and bridge saddles,I now have a 500 euro guitar. If you are thinking of buying this guitar do it.
Martin F.
Great little package. Looks and sounds fantastic . Great price too.
francois p.
Very fast delivery
John F.
My first ever Telecaster and what a beauty. Great action from the box and hardly ever needs re-tuning. Really pleased with the sounds and amazed that they sell at such a bargain price. Highly recommended.
Ami
this is such a beautiful electric guitar. I love the pearl white color and the brassy neck. great quality sound for a beginner or even more advanced player. at such a low price I didn't think I'd get this quality.
Chesterrr
Such a nice electronic guitar for beginners. Warm sound, clean, no buzzing. The design is like a fender telecaster, easy looking. The package comes exactly as described. Guitar strap, travel bag... the fret is easy to press, doesn’t hurt my fingers.
Richard Shifflett
So impressed with this guitar! I have many high-end guitars and bought this out of curiosity and wow it’s nice. It needed some setup but all guitars do when they are new. The fretboard needed some fretboard conditioning as wood was dry but again all new guitars do. I did change the strings and added a little glue to the string ferrules on the backside of the guitar because they didn’t sit tight in the body. Take a little time to set it up and Make this guitar your own or take it to a guitar shop for setting up and you will not be disappointed!
Nina F.
My husband loved it. It is a guitar that he has wanted for a long time
Stephen D.
I’m learning the guitar and did not want to spend lots of money on a guitar which might not get used much. I saw this guitar reviewed on YouTube and all the reviews I watched were positive. I went on to the Donner website and saw they were having a Donner day sale with the guitar reduced by 40%. This brought the price down from £105 to £63. I ordered the guitar at 12-01 a.m. when the sale opened in case they sold out quickly. The guitar arrived after 4 or 5 days. In the box was the T style guitar, a padded bag, a strap, a cable and some bits and pieces to go with the guitar.
The guitar finish looks great, no faults or blemishes on the surface. The set up of the guitar, in the opinion of a novice, needed no adjustments. The neck has a smooth finish and the frets feel quality with none sticking out to catch your hands. I tuned the guitar easily, the tuners work great. All the electrics, pick ups, switch, knobs all work and feel quality. At the price of £105 it is a bargain, but it’s a steal if you can get it in a sale.
The padded guitar bag also feels high quality.
Great beginners guitar.
Nick Barnett
So, this review is centered around Donner's consistency in manufacturing and quality. Lower priced guitars can be hit or miss when it comes to quality, and construction, so I wanted to do a review to outline the consistency I see in their products, having now owned 2 guitars and a number of pedals.
First, as I said, this review is after my second donner DTC-100 purchase. I seriously liked the first so much, I wanted to have a second as a base that I could mod. While it's a great guitar out of the box, for the price, I think it's also a great low cost base to mod a guitar to be uniquely yours.
Positives for both guitars:
The setup of each was playable right out of the box. Action was nice at 1.5mm at the high E and closer to 2mm at the low E.
Fret ends were in good shape compared to many other guitars I've played out of the box. These ones didn't snag your fingers as you played. You didn't feel sharpness up and down the neck.
Intonation was good out of the box and didn't need any adjustment with the stock strings and action.
Finish was perfect on each one. I have a a sunburst and a black finish one and they're both gorgeous.
Both guitars came with a surprisingly decent gig bag (better looking than the cheaper version that I've seen on some reviews of other donner guitars), a nice woven strap with the Donner logo impressed on the ends, decent right angle cable, and allen wrenches to adjust the neck and saddles.
Differences/negatives between each guitar:
The nut on the first guitar had excess nut material hanging off from when the nut was cut. Not a huge deal to clean up, but the 2nd guitar came with a perfectly cut and dressed nut.
Both guitars had a few loose saddle screws upon arrival. Not a hard fix if you know what you look for, but might be a concern for a new player that hears buzzing but doesn't know where to track it down.
I noticed a tiny bit of play in the tuners on both guitars, but they seem to hold tune ok. The 2nd guitar has one stiff tuner, but that's the guitar I'll end up modding in time, so I'm not too worried about it.
Both guitars had noticeably gritty frets and dry fret boards. Plan to do a quick polish on the frets and oil the fretboard and you're good to go.
The first guitar had unbranded tuners and neck plate, while the second guitar had what looks like screenprinted donner labeling on the tuners and neck plate. It's a nice upgrade over the blank elements of the first, even if they may naturally wear off in time.
Overall, I continue to be impressed with Donner's gear, whether it's these great guitars for the money, or their affordable guitar pedals. Donner is solid on my go-to list of quality, low cost products guitar gear.
Westley A. Donahoe
I bought this guitar initially as a project guitar to customize, but after playing it for a few weeks I decided to leave it the way it is. Here's why:
#1. The finish quality is pristine, from the paint to fretboard....absolutely gorgeous
#2. The guitar needed no setup, it was ready to play right out of the box without having to adjust string/saddle height
#3. This is the part that really surprised me....the sound quality of the pickups is fantastic. The bridge is crunchy and bright with just the right twang and the neck is smooth, warm and crisp. With both pickups active, the sound does not get muddy but remains clear.
For a beginner this guitar is a knock-out.
For a more experienced player this guitar is a pleasant surprise.
Steve
First off, let me say that my expectations for this guitar were low; especially given its very low price. I’m pleased to say that I was very happily surprised with my purchase.
I bought this guitar for my daughter to learn on. I have several (and have owned many more) somewhat expensive electric guitars myself and have been an avid player for over 30 years. For my daughter, however, I wasn’t looking to make a huge investment… so I took a chance on this Donner.
Right out of the box, I was impressed. The finish and build quality appeared to be on par with name-brand instruments at twice the price, if not more. I was especially blown away by the feel of the neck; usually the first place a player can detect a “cheap” guitar. The rough fret ends I was expecting (and fair enough at the price point) were totally absent; not a single one scraped my left hand. Given the fact that I’ve encountered sharp frets on guitars literally ten times the price of this Donner, this was indeed a shocker.
Justin Hamel
The Donner DTC-100B Black Tele-style guitar is pretty great. Telecaster style guitars are my favorite. If my guitar collection were sinking on the Titanic, and if I could only save 1, I would save a telecaster. They're bullet-proof, simple, and provide tones that any rock, country, or blues guitarist would find satisfying and useful.
This Donner tele has good bones. The maple neck is smooth, the fretwork is stellar (perfect fret ends, no buzz, and no fret sprout), the nut is perfect, the tuners seem to stay in tune (almost perfectly from the factory), they installed great hardware, and the finish is flawless. This guitar will serve as a great modding platform, if you're into that.
I appreciate that Donner includes a gig bag. That should be standard these days, but not every company does that. They also provide a strap and a cable. I played mine through a Fender Blues Deluxe tube amp, and it sounded killer. I like the neck pickup a lot. The bridge pickup provides that classic telecaster twang that made this style of guitar so popular.
I'm still in awe of how good inexpensive guitars are these days. This is a good one, and anyone from pre-teens to our honored elders would enjoy jamming out on one of these. For around one-hundred and twenty bucks, you really can't go wrong. I wish these were available when I was a kid. Well done, Donner. Well done.
RYNO
I've bought several "cheap" guitars in the past...Some swings were a miss, but this one is a homerun. Everything about it exceeded my expectations. Compared to the FireFly (which I adore) I picked up a few years back, this is a whole different league of inexpensive guitar. I've seen Donner all over the place on YT and guitar sites...figured it was time I got one for myself. Very glad I did.
This is almost identical in looks to my first guitar, a mid-70's Japanese No-Name I picked up in the early 90's. The finish is absolutely flawless. Metal is shiny and the pick guard is layered perfection. Neck and fret board are perfect right out of the packaging, too. I didn't have to go over the edges of the frets with my sanding board, or anything. That's something I DID have to do with my FireFly. Didn't have to adjust the truss either. Aside from tuning I literally didn't have to do anything.
I love the WEIGHT to this guitar. This is solid basswood body. That's just how it is with inexpensive guitars, so I am not surprised. However the neck appears to be real maple. Very smooth. Fret board is also a solid wood, but it is stained darker. Along the edges there is some slight stain imperfections, but nothing distracting.
Shiv Meaker
I think great value
materion iechyd meddwl
Bought this for our 10 year old daughter who is desperate to learn the guitar!! She found it easy to set up and use. The sound quality is great and through an amp the sound is very clean! Recommended for beginners or someone getting back into playing after a few years off ;)
KK
Terrific Telecaster! Was easy to setup perfectly with just new strings and tweaking the intonation and pickup's proximity to the strings. I absolutely love playing this guitar and the looks are stunning! Terrific Telecaster sounds!
TC
I needed a guitar I wasn't afraid to use at jamming sessions when we get a little over excited and careless high on the music. I'm quite precious about my main instrument and I save that for civilised interactions. Bought this guitar thinking I might do some upgrades and with a bit of luck I'll get at least functional instrument. I did the right thing.
Features:
- Comes well packed in its box with foam and then in its own case. Little chance of damage
- Looks insane, the finish, the wood grain, better than I've seen on all Squires I owned
- String through body which is just amazing at this price point
- Great satin neck no fret sprouting, far better quality for its class
- Plays beautifully and sounds nice and bright like a single coil Tele should do
Would have liked:
- A red one but I'm just being picky. the sunburn finish is extraordinary as you can hopefully see in my pics
All in all a great instrument for the money. Definitely not just a beginner's guitar so consider yourself lucky if this is your first instrument. Get one now before they all go!
MH
The sound quality is great
Paula
The guitar was in a “foam bag” inside a basic gigbag. The gigbag was fit into a guitar box and then a rectangle box.
The finish is perfect, fit of all parts seems great. Frets are level with no sharp ends. Tuned up easily & all controls work as they should. I’ll give it a full set up before doing video.
So far it looks like a winner. Comes with gig bag, strap, cord & pick
Steve
Wow. Honestly, I don't know where to start. Except, this what I was looking for the whole time and I never realized it. I feel others will or are in the same boat.I have been more than happy with this purchase and the company. They have been easy to work with and helped with any questions I had.
mh
Bought this for our 10 year old daughter who is desperate to learn the guitar!! She found it easy to set up and use. The sound quality is great and through an amp the sound is very clean! Recommended for beginners or someone getting back into playing after a few years off ;)
Mike T.
Great value for the money! You cannot beat the quality of these guitars for the money. Fit and finish compares to much higher priced instruments. Very happy with my purchase and would highly recommend.
Colby H.
From the packaging to the fit and finish. I was totally amazed how good the guitar was
Cletus F.
The tone quality that comes out of this guitar is amazing! I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the craftsmanship I found on it when I opened the box. But imagine my surprise when I plugged it into my amp. The pick-ups are solid. The size, the weight and the shape of this guitar makes it really comfortable to play. The set-up was not that bad either, I have not made any adjustments other than tuning and I can't put the thing down. I brought it to work to show-off to my buddy who also plays guitar and he was as impressed with it as I am. Good job Donner, keep it up!
Shiv Meaker
I am usually a singer but I have been wanting to get into the electric guitar. I had an old one in the garage from years back but it was very tired and the action was off. It didn’t feel worth investing in, so I decided to treat myself to this on a whim. I’m so glad I did! It’s the ideal first - or second guitar - the build quality is great and it came ready to play out the box. It also came with a strap, a gig bag and an amp cable too so I think great value. The finish is really stylish and nothing about it feels cheap. It’s a telecaster and it has that twangy sound you would expect - I’ve tried to show that in my little demo. As I say I’m more a singer than a player but I can’t wait to keep practicing. I really recommend it if you want a great value guitar.
BROCK
Each guitar I've gotten from Donner has been better than the last in terms of quality. The frets on this, the cheapest guitar I've ever bought have no sharp edges. The factory set up is perfectly usable, and despite someone putting some holes in the box somehow the guitar showed up in mint shape.
Donner used the same neck profile that they've used on their other guitars with rosewood fretboards. That results in something that's very comfortable and familiar. The classic C shape 9.5" radius neck is one of the easiest ways to make a really comfortable and playable guitar. The body too is also really comfortable despite having no contours. They combined two classic and comfortable designs here and the result is really nice.
The pickups too are a total surprise. They're not as traditional sounding for a single coil but they will still give you plenty of snap and bite at the bridge. What I really love here is that Donner balanced the pickups. So when you use both they blend perfectly giving you the same snap and bite as before but now with a rounded low-end. This also cancels the single coil hum. My guess is that whoever designed the guitar intended for it to be used mainly with both pickups or that's just their preferred tone.
Plus you get a gig bag, cable, and strap with it. The value here is just staggering and I'm super impressed.
Stefano
Wow. Honestly, I don't know where to start. Except, this what I was looking for the whole time and I never realized it. I feel others will or are in the same boat.
So what was i looking for? I wanted an AfFORDABLE, well built, good for beginners but also sometimes I can grow with, features that match its price range, NICE STYLE, and of course something that sounds great. Well this was it.
First off I like that this package doesn't come with an Amp, saves me some money instead of being stuck with a cheap beginner Amp i can choose my own.
The sound I can get out of it is clean, and plucky, perfect for what I want to play. I can get a decent distortion sound from it as well.
The guitar is heavy as in well built. The neck is smooth and easy to rest my hand on. One issue was the corner of the frets were pretty sharp on a few of them, which is pretty normal. But after quick fix sliding my hand up and down the neck and playing a chord, I had no issues.
I have been more than happy with this purchase and the company. They have been easy to work with and helped with any questions I had.
Build Quality - 9/10
Sound - 9/10
Looks - 10/10
Price | Value - 10/10
Overall - 10/10
Would buy again!
Would Recommend!
Steve
This Donner electric guitar includes everything you need to have a great time. It is easy to play, so it is perfect for beginners. It fits perfectly in my hands and it sounds great.
It comes with a carrying bag, a cable and strap. The bag is great quality and is also waterproof, so you do not have to worry about damaging your guitar. The cable is a conductor made of copper. It is 10 feet long and the perfect length to allow you to play comfortably. The soft and easily adjustable strap rest softly against your shoulder.
I am still amazed by how rich and balanced the sound is. I can not believe how easy it is tune. I was playing music with the right key in no time at all. It is covered in a gorgeous mahogany color, that is breathtaking. I am really happy that it even comes with a Donner stamped medal plate. It’s super sleek, on the back near the neck. The neck of the guitar is made of a Basswood that looks amazing against the mahogany.
Samy K.
I've bought several "cheap" guitars in the past...Some swings were a miss, but this one is a homerun. Everything about it exceeded my expectations. Compared to the FireFly (which I adore) I picked up a few years back, this is a whole different league of inexpensive guitar. I've seen Donner all over the place on YT and guitar sites...figured it was time I got one for myself. Very glad I did.
This is almost identical in looks to my first guitar, a mid-70's Japanese No-Name I picked up in the early 90's. The finish is absolutely flawless. Metal is shiny and the pick guard is layered perfection. Neck and fret board are perfect right out of the packaging, too. I didn't have to go over the edges of the frets with my sanding board, or anything. That's something I DID have to do with my FireFly. Didn't have to adjust the truss either. Aside from tuning I literally didn't have to do anything.
I love the WEIGHT to this guitar. This is solid basswood body. That's just how it is with inexpensive guitars, so I am not surprised. However the neck appears to be real maple. Very smooth. Fret board is also a solid wood, but it is stained darker. Along the edges there is some slight stain imperfections, but nothing distracting.
Playability-wise, this has very low action. There isn't any noticeable buzzing on the strings. Super easy and smooth for someone with smaller hands. The pickups and electronics seem to do exactly what you would expect. Volume knob works, tone knob works. No issues. The pickup switch has three settings (the description says 5??), neck pickup, body pickup, or both pickups. Sound isn't overly unique but I prefer just the pickup under the pickguard. Sounds like the 60's to me. Haha
Things I wish were better: Case. This comes with a cheap nylon gig bag. I wish it had a soft shell case instead. I'd gladly pay a bit more for something better. Strap is also pretty meh. It's just a thin brown nylon strap. I have a nice padded leather strap already on my dreadnought so I'll just swap them out. Not a big deal.
In this kit, you're really just paying for the guitar. The accessories that come with it are mediocre at best. Luckily the guitar is completely worth the ticket price. Beats out any Fender or Gibson I've tried in the same price range, for sure. Overall quality really reminds me of an Ibanez I used for several years. This just feels right in my hands. Old-school cool, old-school sound. Paired with my Fender Champion 20 amp....Excellent all around. Very pleased!
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