I've decided to review this guitar after using as my main guitar for several months now, so this is a review based on long term experience with the instrument.
The main question I will try to answer in this review is, should you buy this guitar, and the short answer to this question is, maybe, if you meet the following criteria.
1. You are looking for a full solid dreadnought with a spruce and rosewood combo, and this is your budget.
If rosewood isn't a requirement for you, you should look into mahogany guitars first, as you get more for your money at this price point.
2. It has to have a traditional design.
This is the only guitar with these specs even remotely in this price bracket that has a traditional design. If you can stomach other designs you may wish to look at Guild's D-150CE, which has a cutaway, or at the Yamaha LL-16 or the transacoustic LL-TA. The Yamahas are technically jumbos, but it is unlikely you will feel much difference. Traditional design, however, it is not. Now, those guitars go for slightly more than this one, but are better guitars, the Yamahas especially, and after the money you will need to spend on this one, it comes out about the same.
So okay, let's say you made it through the criteria for if you should buy it, what are the good and the bad points about these guitars.
The good:
- They have amazing specs for this price point. The guitar also looks good, albeit without any bells or whistles. The build is solid, and nothing was obviously wrong on my guitar in terms of visuals.
The bad:
Now, there are many bad things about these guitars, and it all comes down to very bad QC. Yes, you could get lucky, but you probably won't based on my experience and other reviews I've seen on Youtube. My guitar came in and needed about two hours of pro work to be remotely playable. We're not talking the guitar needing basic setup here, that's most guitars. My guitar needed a full fret level and dress, the nut was cut horribly, and the holes for the pegs were so tight I had to use pliers to pull them out. I had to pay my pro to make the holes larger so I could even use 13s on the guitar. But let's be clear, the holes were too small even for the strings the guitar came with. My guitar came with a neck that was fairly well aligned, but it is clear from the information I have that many come in with bad neck angles. If you buy one of these, have this checked and be ready to return it on advice of your luthier.
Moreover, this is the stiffest guitar I've ever played. It sounded horrible when I got it. I was so depressed with the sound. I can report that after several months of playing the sound is opening, but you should be aware of this.
Bottom line, yeah, this might be the guitar for you and your budget. But be aware, your guitar will need pro work and it will need a case. This will put it into the price bracket of some really nice Yamahas, that in my experience are better guitars.
