Best Budget Parlor Guitar (2024 Update)

I played this instrument along with a couple of competitor's parlor guitars in the price range at a local big box music store. This Fender was head and shoulders above the rest. The others (both 12 frets) had the look and feel of toys and a small body sound. The CP60s has a nice tone and responds well to both strumming and finger style. I can't believe the quality, playability and sound of this guitar for this price. It out performs several full dive guitars in the price range. The only reason I didn't buy one at this time was a recent acquisition of another instrument from MF.Brooks

I purchased this guitar for my wife who has been learning to play a ukulele in open G tuning. Now she is applying what she can do on the uke to her new Fender parlor guitar. It sounds great and the size of this guitar is a perfect fit for her. The neck feels fantastic…more like the feel of one of my Fender electric guitars.Sidemeat Mielke

Overall: This is a nice Guitar. I use it in open tuning for slide style. It has a nice bluesy tone. It is a nice size. It would be great for a young beginner. For the money it is very nice. I have not had to deal with Ibanez. I do know they have good Q.C. Cause the produces are great. The best part I have bought several Guitars and music products from zZounds, they take good care of there Customers. You can trust zZounds to be the best!Timothy

Ok, I really had no intention of writing a review on this guitar before I received it but, here I am… My expectations were marginal for a $150. Chinese guitar, let me be honest, I'm not a fan! (In fact, time will tell if it stays at 5 star status…) So, I needed a "parlor" style for small room gathering type of stuff. With great hesitation, I just picked one! PROS: Out of the box (!!!), it was amazing! Here is why, this is what really matters to a guitar player… Play-ability, tone, sustain! On all three, 5 stars! I was pleasantly stunned by all three, wasn't expecting that! (the fact is: a real guitar player knows when a guitar "sings" and when it doesn't, this one does!)… The neck is nicely finished, string highth is perfect! (4/64") as well as the nut highth (.018), There is no buzzing! … Fret ends are well done, no sprout at all (yet). Sustain and tone is quite impressive for a small body guitar (really!!). The things that don't matter so much: it comes with an extra bridge and bridge pin! No cosmetic flaws on this guitar! Binding on the guitar at the heal joint, neck joint, at the nut, is crisp, clean, perfect! Glue joints on the bracing were clean; visually, the bridge is tight to the body! CONS: In the realms of "perfection" the nut is the tiniest (maybe .02mm) shifted to the treble side, yes you can feel it with your thumb and first finger but doesn't negate all the "pros"! When I change the strings I'll pop the nut and re-glue it perfectly… frets are slightly "gritty", that's not a real flaw, it's a $150. guitar! And yes, the "feel" of the tuners are cheap but functional… At the end of it all, I wish I had a guitar like this when I started playing! Your experience may be different, I am ecstatic with this purchase, I'm confident I got one of the good ones!! (that being said), time will tell the rest of this story… Buying guitars online is at best, a "crapshoot", Hope this helps! Stick with a great online store like AMC… Exceptional return policy and customer service! Cheers…Randall

The factory set up was a major disappointment. The absolute worst of any guitar purchase in 40+ years. The only instrument I've ever owned with factory actions this high was a square neck resonator. Yes it really was that high. Turns out it cost less to pay for a professional setup than the shipping charges involved with a return to MF. Once setup properly the guitar sounds and plays wonderful. The PN15 is physically larger than any of the other "parlor" sized or travel guitars (Martin LX, Baby Taylor, Dirty 30, Jim Dandy, Fender CP-100 etc.). It is much closer to a 00 or standard classical sized body. The Ibanez PN-15 has a pleasant well balance voice and good volume. Sure it's not going to compare to a solid rosewood dreadnought for volume or bass response but it's not designed to. The neck is extremely comfortable, (ignoring HORRIBLE factory set up). The overall fit and finish is flawless. The body and neck have real binding (not painted on like some competitors). Bottom line: if you're looking for a 50's throwback, boxy small tone this is NOT your guitar. However if you want a very good sounding small(er) guitar at a reasonable price this is just the ticket. But be prepared to add the cost of a professional set up to the purchase price. Would I replace this if lost, stolen or damaged? Yes, but I'd play before buying next time.Tallgrasspicker

I just got this guitar just right now and I'm impress by the built and it sounds very nice. I will update my review after more jamming but 5 star as of right now. It has a very warm tone to it.Rok Le

Future purchase will be all wood with high finish. I had to adjust the neck/action. It is easy to play and I enjoy the size. For the money I am satisfied.Dennis

I got this strictly to have something convenient and small to play. I was not expecting very much. I am not a great guitarist but I am an estate liquidator for many years and have seen and played a lot of guitars. This blows away just about anything you could ever get in this price range. Action is great, (I took the bridge down a hair myself, but didnt need to) It stays in tune, has great intonation throughout the neck and sounds pretty bright with great low end for such a small guitar. Couldnt be happier with it.capeannauction

The tone and playability are excellent, especially the tone. It sounds rich and full and loud for a small guitar. I do believe this guitar is made from some excellent wood. There are a couple of really obvious cosmetic issues on the one I got though. Up near the nut there is what looks a half inch cut through the finish and where the fretboard sets on body top of the guitar there is a lot of glue showing that was painted over . I don't plan on returning it unless I discover something that affects the playability and stability. In my experience you're better off just keeping these inexpensive guitars with flaws because you might get a worse one in exchange. Now more good . I had trouble putting it down after tuning it. It sounds great and is very comfortable to play with small body and great fretwork. No sharp fret ends . This is a keeper for sure . If I did not already own two other acoustics I would order another of these and have two for various tunings. I would describe the tone characteristics as being a deep tone , it sounds great for blues for sure. I'm a metal and punk player who dabbles a bit in the blues and other genres and this guitar gets blues right. You can't go wrong for the sale price .JEFFREY

This is a terrific guitar. I have been interested in acquiring a "Dirty Thirties" style instrument, and I spotted this parlor guitar model online. I checked out a few Gretsch Jim Dandy guitars locally, and of the three that I was able to play, one was very nice. But I was drawn to the Recording King "True Parlor" design with their nod to old style blues guitars and a Stella / Kay motif. So when Guitar Center offered a coupon, I took advantage – delivered, the guitar was $10 less than the local Gretsch. The Recording King is very nice. It was set-up perfectly upon arrival – neck straight, nut height dead on, intonation perfect. The tone is just what I wanted – moderated bass, great mid-tones. The guitar projects very well and accepts a Paige Capo perfectly. There is a unique and encouraging clarity to the sound of this little guitar. I wanted this as an alternative to my DADGAD dreadnaughts. I could not be happier with the quality of the instrument, and the service that I received from Guitar Center – thanks!Gregory

Browsing through Guitar Center a few weeks ago, I noticed this little "Dirty Thirty", strummed a few chords and was immediately impressed with the quality of sound. It blew away other acoustics costing twice as much and had a cool retro vibe. I imagined it to be much like the guitars of Robert Johnson and other Delta Blues legends. When I found out that GC had it on sale for half price, I went home and called MF to see if they would match the price which they did. (Love MF!). When it arrived, I replaced the factory strings with a set of Ernie Ball extra light aluminum bronze. The nut came unglued when I removed the factory strings but I was able to get it back in place. The bridge pin on the low E required extra pressure to keep it from popping loose and I will probably replace the stock pins at some point. I now have some fret buzz but that may be due to using extra light strings. Other than those minor issues, no setup required. Action is good Overall a great little parlor size guitar with excellent tone a playability that is fun to play and especially shines on acoustic blues.Isom

A comfortable guitar… not as bulky as a dreadnaught. Just right for fingerpickers. Awesome sound for a smaller sized guitar. Perfect for the "folk baroque" sound like John Renbourn. I intended to buy a cheap parlor guitar but then I saw this one, bought it and knew it was a keeper. Only con, as is the case with all out of the box guitars, it needs to be set up properly for comfortable playing. Have Guitar Center do it for you or other experienced repair person. This guitar has rekindled my interest in playing and composing music. If you are looking for a smaller acoustic steel string guitar, this might be the one for you.Steve W.

As a working musician I am always looking for something that can be used live, and in the studio. This one easily fills those shoes. Great punchy tone out of this small-bodied guitar. Wonderful action straight out of the box. Couldn't be more happy with my purchase.Daniel T.

Yes, the tonal range is great, especially the piezo pickup, nicely playable and overall looks and finish seem perfect. But, with nicely contoured access to the high notes let down by the overly large neck heal which starts a fret or two earlier than my other electric guitars. Another annoyance is the very cheap knobs which don't sit straight on the pots. I have a guitar costing a tenth of the price with better fitting knobs. The battery compartment is a bad joke of a design, as the battery holder comes out with the wires attached, you then have to prise up the battery from its contacts and the lever it out for replacement. Overall these are minor annoyances on what is a great guitar but, at this price I expected better. Oh yes, it came with a hard case. Which doesn't fit properly and with no tags or brand markings so who knows what it was made for. It did come with two loose bits of foam, one which was floating around unsure of its purpose.Kevin L.

PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo — I've owned and played this guitar for about three months now. Bottom line: I'm very happy with it–and would recommend it–in spite of a couple issues. There are dozens and dozens of videos that go into detail about the appearance, fit, and finish of this guitar so I won't bother with all that except to confirm that it is very well made overall. The magnetic pickups sound fantastic, period. The piezo pickup was putting out FAR too hot of a signal, distorting at low guitar volume, but once I learned how to adjust the trim pot for it (thanks to the PRS guitar forum website), that problem was solved and now it sounds good. It's a tad bright in my opinion but that's easily fixed with the tone knob on any amp or with an EQ pedal. The battery compartment opens easily enough, but getting the 9V battery out of it without breaking the plastic frame is a challenge. Fortunately, the battery isn't used unless you plug a cable into the PIEZO/MAG jack. The 3-way selector is garbage and I was experiencing crackling and signal drop right out of the box. HOWEVER, this is a known issue and several reviewer videos mention it so I knew what to expect. My soldering skills are only beginner-level (and I've never worked on a hollowbody before) so I paid to have a pro replace the switch for me. MF has offered to credit me the amount of the repair once I send them the receipt, so that's good. The Guitar Case — This shipped with a hard case, which I'm not happy with. When the guitar is properly seated and the lid is properly closed and latched, there is a quarter-inch gap around the bottom (see pics). That's not good. There are several (expensive) case options that are touted as "PRS and PRS-style" cases but they WILL NOT FIT this particular guitar because the lower bout is 14" wide (at least an inch wider than other PRS models). Also, it's about an inch thicker (front to back) than a Jazzmaster so a Jaguar/Jazz case won't work either.RiserGrease

I received the Black Gold Burst version about a week ago. It's a BEAUTIFUL guitar. The pictures don't do it justice. The f-holes really add to the appearance. Fender ALSO makes a hollowbody guitar, but they went the round sound hole direction, which, IMHO, is hokey looking. The sound is INCREDIBLE! I have 4 other electric guitars, including a Fender American Standard Strat, Gibson Les Paul, Gibson SG and an Ibanez Prestige- They are ALL wonderful guitars, and each has its own personality, in how they play AND how they sound. THIS guitar has a sound that TRANSCENDS ALL of my other guitars. There are a number of videos on YouTube. BUT, as with the appearance, they simply DO NOT do it justice. The humbucker pickups ALONE produce a sound that is CLEAR and RESONANT. Adding the sound from the piezo pickup sends it over the top! ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS. I was a little reluctant to purchase a guitar made in China. However, the CONSTRUCTION and FINISH are PERFECT! PLUS, the cost is WAAAY less than the equivalent US-made version. I hope I've given you the idea that this is a SPECIAL guitar, BECAUSE IT IS!Kevin

I am an intermediate player. I was looking for a parlor guitar in part due to the guitar lessons on Active Melody, where the instructor, Brian, uses a similar model, which sounds fantastic. I bought a "scratch and dent" to save some money, but it is verydifficult to see the blemishes. MF described the cosmetic blems perfectly, but they were much more minor than I expected. My wife could not find them. The set up was perfect right out of the box. I put on new strings when it arrived, and have not put the guitar down since (about a week ago). I use it mainly for finger picking, and it sounds great. It is amazing to be able to purchase such a beautiful instrument for so little. I have several more-expensive guitars, including a 15-year old Martin D16GT and a newer Seagull S6, but I am drawn to this Alverez's warm sound and projection. It is also easier to play than the Martin. I had a bit of trouble finding a case that fits, but eventually bought the Luna LLFP. It much more sturdy and padded than the standard gig bag, and the guitar fits nicely. It is also much lighter than a hard shell, and about half the price. (But the case also arrived with a nasty chemical smell inside, but I guess this will fade.) In summary, I am very happy with the Alverez AP70, and I would highly happily recommend it to my friends. I wish I had this one when I was just starting out.rabbitt

Bought this model to get back to playing after a bad accident stopped me playing at a time when I owned a seriously expensive guitar. Didn’t want to spend too much in case I couldn’t get back into playing but I can’t praise this guitar too highly. The tone is outstanding and it’s playability is second to none. The guitar is set up perfectly, no need to have it set up at your expense as with a lot of guitars out there. The build quality is superb and as it sits it the stand encourages you to get it off and play it. This model belies the price you pay because in my opinion it it a 400 to 500 pound guitar in all respects. It is delivered ‘mummified’ in bubble wrap to ensure safe passage and was delivered as promised. Can’t thank PMT enough for their advice. Great people to deal with. Need to get back to playing now.Mal H.

I wanted a small, inexpensive guitar that sounded good and played well. I pick up and play a guitar every night while I watch TV. The Takemine dreadnaught I was primarily using was carelessly broken and unremarkable. After reading about this AP70 and listening to Alvarez promotional and YouTube videos, I decided to buy this. It seemed like the thing to do, especially because of the low price and apparent sound quality; it seemed like the best value. It was on back order and wasn't supposed to ship until Feb 9, but I was pleasantly surprised when I received it on Feb 2. It was packed well and mostly in tune already. The construction quality is fantastic, and the sound was pretty good, but not as good as I expected. One of the other disappointments was that it wouldn't stay in tune and the intonation seemed off. After close inspection it seemed that there were not enough wraps of string around the tuners, the quality of the strings used were sub-par and more of a medium than a light gauge, making it difficult and frustrating to play. I immediately replaced the factory strings with Elixer bronze 80/20 nanoweb strings and that made all the difference in the sound, intonation, stability and playability. It's now an enjoyable instrument to play and a great value, in my opinion.The Deeski

I was disappointed in this guitar. Having owned many Yamaha acoustics over the past 25 years, I found the quality to be lacking. The tuners were cheap, the intonation was bad, and the sound was very boxy. Even at the £330 sale price, it felt like a toy guitar. I was looking for something smaller than my FG5 and LJ16 to use on a casual basis and travel about. This did not fit the bill.Matthew H.

My ability to stretch my hand to finger chords is severely limited by dupuytren's contracture (google it for some depressing light reading). I hadn't owned an acoustic for five years as a result. I got the itch to own one again, and when I saw 23.5 inch scale, (excellent) gigbag included at this price, I went for it. And I'm glad I did. While the sound is not huge, it is good and the feel, fit and finish are outstanding. It has inspired me to play a lot more than I was playing, which was already over two hours a day. And that's really the best compliment that you can pay a guitar, isn't it?Jaye

I was excited to. receive this guitar having tried a showroom model. I have been playing it fir two weeks and have the food further examination llowing observation .1 batteries do not lasting (a week for me ). setup looked good a felt good to play except for a buzz on the g string. I noticed that 12th fret appeared higher. I know this is removable and would ask what I should do as it is under warrranty. but I am disappointed ate the thought of the hassle I nw have to get it fixed. over to you pmt ….P C.

I was disappointed in this guitar. Having owned many Yamaha acoustics over the past 25 years, I found the quality to be lacking. The tuners were cheap, the intonation was bad, and the sound was very boxy. Even at the £330 sale price, it felt like a toy guitar. I was looking for something smaller than my FG5 and LJ16 to use on a casual basis and travel about. This did not fit the bill.Matthew H.

My ability to stretch my hand to finger chords is severely limited by dupuytren's contracture (google it for some depressing light reading). I hadn't owned an acoustic for five years as a result. I got the itch to own one again, and when I saw 23.5 inch scale, (excellent) gigbag included at this price, I went for it. And I'm glad I did. While the sound is not huge, it is good and the feel, fit and finish are outstanding. It has inspired me to play a lot more than I was playing, which was already over two hours a day. And that's really the best compliment that you can pay a guitar, isn't it?Jaye

I was excited to. receive this guitar having tried a showroom model. I have been playing it fir two weeks and have the food further examination llowing observation .1 batteries do not lasting (a week for me ). setup looked good a felt good to play except for a buzz on the g string. I noticed that 12th fret appeared higher. I know this is removable and would ask what I should do as it is under warrranty. but I am disappointed ate the thought of the hassle I nw have to get it fixed. over to you pmt ….P C.

I was disappointed in this guitar. Having owned many Yamaha acoustics over the past 25 years, I found the quality to be lacking. The tuners were cheap, the intonation was bad, and the sound was very boxy. Even at the £330 sale price, it felt like a toy guitar. I was looking for something smaller than my FG5 and LJ16 to use on a casual basis and travel about. This did not fit the bill.Matthew H.

My ability to stretch my hand to finger chords is severely limited by dupuytren's contracture (google it for some depressing light reading). I hadn't owned an acoustic for five years as a result. I got the itch to own one again, and when I saw 23.5 inch scale, (excellent) gigbag included at this price, I went for it. And I'm glad I did. While the sound is not huge, it is good and the feel, fit and finish are outstanding. It has inspired me to play a lot more than I was playing, which was already over two hours a day. And that's really the best compliment that you can pay a guitar, isn't it?Jaye

I was excited to. receive this guitar having tried a showroom model. I have been playing it fir two weeks and have the food further examination llowing observation .1 batteries do not lasting (a week for me ). setup looked good a felt good to play except for a buzz on the g string. I noticed that 12th fret appeared higher. I know this is removable and would ask what I should do as it is under warrranty. but I am disappointed ate the thought of the hassle I nw have to get it fixed. over to you pmt ….P C.

I lead worship every week at my church and I was needing a back up to my main acoustic, which happens to be another Ibanez acoustic (artwood series). I was looking for something a little smaller that would travel well, be a good beater guitar for camps and not be expensive. This fit the bill perfectly! When I first played one at a shop I was really amazed with how full it sounded and how nice it played. The electronics are okay, nothing to oooh and ahh over, but they work. My only gripe with this guitar is that the tuners aren't that great and I find myself tuning quite a bit on a Sunday morning. Might replace them eventually, but otherwise you get a lot of guitar for the money here. Most other smaller/parlor sized acoustics in this price range aren't acoustic electric or they seriously lack in quality. I got mine at a local music store barely used for a killer price, but I wouldn't have minded paying the full price on here. Took a little adjusting when I got home to get the neck where I like it, but nothing other than that. I can definitely see this one sticking around for years to come and being a solid back up and even main guitar on occasion.dstaudy

Love this parlor guitar. I'm using it as a lap slide. Sounds great! I did some research before my purchase It came down to the Gretch Gin Rickey and the Recording King Parlor guitar and this Ibanez. I chose the Ibanez because it's got an active pickup with the built in tuner The others only have a passive pickup.cove1955

I REALLY wanted to like this guitar. It is larger than your average parlor, but I'm a big guy so it was a great size for me. I like the thicker neck compared to some other guitars (like my Jim Dandy parlor). And the tuners worked pretty good. UNFORTUNATELY I had to return the first guitar because the high E string wouldn't tune properly. Before going all in and changing the strings, adjusting the truss rod and bridge saddle I called MF and they said it should be playable right out of the box (with minor tuning). So they agreed to an exchange. Cut to two weeks later when my replacement arrives. I immediately tuned it and it did not have the tuning issue my first PN12E had. Ok, this might be a keeper. But I quickly noticed the EXTREMELY sharp fret ends. I've heard of people complain about this before and never understood… until now. Now they aren't cut-your-fingers-till-they-bleed sharp, but sharp enough that after ten minutes the side of my pinky was pretty roughed up. But I thought, well, I have fret files, maybe when I change the strings out I'll deal with that someday (in hindsight terrible idea. a new guitar should NOT be sent out like this). THE FINAL STRAW was when after lying on my couch playing the guitar for about 20 minutes I lifted my right forearm off the guitar body and heard a popping sound. Not sure if I was hearing things, I tried it again… pop. I've isolated the popping to basically the area where your forearm rests. I can gently push/squeeze the guitar there and it makes a popping sound EVERY TIME. My guess is some of the bracing inside was not glued properly. So I'm done with ever considering the PN12E Mahogany Parlor Acoustic-Electric Guitar. Maybe you'll get one built right and have a fantastic guitar. Or maybe you'll go through two like me and be left questioning whether to ever consider Ibanez again.Daringo

I’ve been playing a Taylor 310 for 25 years and was looking for something smaller and lighter to transport. Having read a lot of reviews and listened to the videos I thought I would try the GS Mini Koa and see what all the fuzz was about. This guitar sounds amazing! The Koa gives it a depth AND sparkle that you don’t expect from a small guitar. I keep asking myself does it lack depth compared to my dreadnought, technically it does but actually I don’t miss it because the sound is so full. The volume too is quite exceptional, I tend to strum a lot with a pick and don’t mind digging in hard….. this guitar just sings under those circumstances. It get’s louder and louder without noticeably going out of tune. At the other end there is such clarity and sustain that quiet finger picking also sounds great. You can easily hear a single note melody within a chord. Are there any downsides? Well if you have big hands then the reduced neck length may feel too cramped…. For me this is actually more comfortable than a full size neck but you wouldn’t want it any smaller. In summary I’m blown away, just amazing.David

Wow… what a stunner! Opening the case for the first time was quite an experience. This is a seriously beautiful guitar with beautiful craftsmanship. As a beginner with small hands (even for a lady) I have found acoustic guitars in the past to be very uncomfortable to play, the size of the body, the width of the neck, the high action, and after struggling with a Lorenzo Flame Series for the past year I decided enough was enough, electrics aren't almost impossible to play so why should I have to struggle with acoustic? I did some research and everything was pointing me towards the Taylor GS Mini-E series. Holding this guitar in my hands for the first time felt like a revelation. It felt like Taylor had made a guitar specifically for me – wearing a strap the body fits easily under my arm and my fingers just know exactly where they're meant to go. The sound of the guitar is rich and vibrant with a bright top tone – quite a feat in a parlour size guitar. After watching reviews it seems that this is due to the Koa body. The guitar also comes with soft, well-padded case that feels like it'll protect well from bumps and bruises whilst travelling. It has some nice shoulder straps so it feels like you're wearing a large (but light!) backpack. The best thing about this guitar though is that it's such a joy to hold and play that I can't put it down; my playing ability has increased so much in the past few weeks since buying it. As a beginner I absolutely recommend this guitar as an introduction to acoustic guitars. If you're a beginner and you've been playing an electric for while but want to get into playing acoustic, try out a Taylor GS Mini-e – it might be the one for you.Laura K.

This was a good value as a first guitar (with cutaway) for a beginner. Had some difficulty with pressure needed to form chords properly. Took back to GC to see if action needed adjustment. Recommendation was to leave it as is just change to a lighter set of strings. This made considerable difference until I was finally able to toughen up the fingertips after a couple of weeks. Getting better results and happy with purchase.D.S.

I have purchased this guitar about 6 weeks ago, and I am someone who likes to strum almost every day. Within the 6 weeks time frame after replacing the strings with proper bronze acoustics from Dadario, I started to feel and see the changes on the guitar. It is extremely prone to bending and warping on the neck. The Nut also feels very cheep so the strings are carving in a lot faster than they should. I have been modifying the height of the strings (this would be the 5th time in 6 weeks) to a point where my E string is pretty much contacting all frets…. If you are not familiar with readjusting the height of the strings in any shape or form, stay away from this guitar because you will have to throw it out by the second realignment (at a standard store a realignment will cost you around $70-80…)U Can

I swapped a cousin Electric Acoustic Fender that was about $300w/hard-shell case for him to buy me this Jasmine on special sale in 2012, for $99. "Ramona" went through me learning to play; my bf passed away 5 days after I got her on June 4, 2012, and he was impressed with her sound and he was 35 ahead of me playing guitar VERY well; so I grieved 4 years & just never put Ramona down. For the first 5 years she was played 5+ hours a day, she slept next to me in bed. I had already played piano so I taught myself my basic open chords then learned from friends along the way. I already ordered Gotoh locking tuners, a rosewood nut and saddle, strap lock set, yes it will fall off on stage as most do, and this one doesn't have the nut for a strap, you tie it around the neck area and in my opinion that's unnecessary strain on the neck. I use D'Addario custom light phosphorus bronze strings; I love the warm sound they add and I can get a month out of them, two if I'm not playing out. I even use a glass slide and tune to open D, hence the locking tuners. It comes stock with "pro-Line" tuners and sorry but those are cheaply made. My beloved Ramona stayed in tune with the pro-lines 18 months then they started breaking. I bought a set of hand-made lifetime guaranteed 5 wood picks because wood sounds better, to me. I bought a wood pin set too. I have a brass pin set on my more twangy sounding guitar. I wasn't able to get that perfect pitch out of every fret down the neck but you're not going to unless you spend some $! I hope to consider a Taylor. I finger-pick and I know the specs say thin neck but I disagree. I bought a Dean and a Yamaha; strings too close.I learned that fancy inlay along the neck screws up my dots. This will be my first time switching the rosewood nut and saddle but I'm confident it will sound even better. A little sanding and your $100 axe is $400 with not much time; just about $100 in parts.I did have to drill my tuner holes bigger last time but it went smooth.Amanita Bella Dreams

Great intermediate acoustic. Thinner, lightweight body that makes it very comfortable. Neck design more like an electric with rolled fingerboard edges and smooth frets. Cutaway enables a surprising amount of high end fret access. Piezo amplifier is really deep and rich sounding. Colours and design features convey nice 1950s vibe: well made and very good finish. Action a little high, but badly so, just that it could be lower – but a set up would rectify this. Overall a fear guitar at a superb price and inspiring to look at and play.Chazz

This Fender guitar is awesome. Out of the box it is almost perfectly set up. The intonation is off just by a little bit and only with 2 or 3 strings. The sound seems a little washed while playing chords, but single notes are loud and clear. All the frets have edge treatment, nice and smooth. The synthetic bone used for the nut and bridge are way better than plastic, allowing for a long sustain. The guitar could use better tuning keys, but the guitar stays in tune good enough. Over all my guitar was built well, and I'm glad it sounds good, too. I would recommend this guitar for all beginner guitar players because of the sound quality, and anyone else who don't have the money for their dream guitar.Tim

The pick guard is just a cheap adhesive sticker thingy and it was already damaged and peeling off when I opened the box. Not a great first impression. But I chose to take it off completely and thankfully, the glossy finish that's all over the body of this guitar is also underneath the pick guard, so it doesn't look too bad at all and I can always replace it if I want to. The "champagne" color looks champagne in the right light, but appears khaki or even greenish the rest of the time. I do love the shape though. It's smaller, lighter, and sleeker than most guitars I've handled, awesome for a more petite person like me. I'm 5 feet tall and 90lbs, so a lot of guitars have been too bulky and awkward for me. In that respect, the Newporter has made me a better player since you naturally do better when you're more comfortable. I also love the neck/head with the electric style shape and inline strings. I like the strings it came with a lot. It didn't come properly tuned, but that was a quick fix, especially since the tuner works so nicely. The sound is surprisingly rich. Great volume, especially with a pick. Overall, it's a really nice option at a really nice price, I just wish the quality control was better. Getting a new instrument with peeling parts is really disappointing, feels like I got it used or something 🙁 but if you're lucky and get a unit that is perfectly intact, you'll love this rich, beautiful, comfortable guitar. But if you can afford to spend about double, then I would suggest you do that so you won't be gambling with the quality as much.Trudy G

Great for the price. It is a good idea to change the strings right away though. The guitar is playable from the get go however I did some adjustment on the rod to make it perfect. Its design allow for easy reach of the highest notes close to the body and the tuners and the electronics are good enough for a beginner to intermediate player. It comes with an entry level amp that outputs strong and high volume it is small but powerful enough for practicing indoors. All in all a great package for the money. I got this jewel from SamAsh for my daughter and cannot be happier. Hope this comments help you on your decision to buy. Cheers, JB from Coconut Creek.JESUS

This is a great guitar! I would honestly recommend it to relatively anyone. It has a great feel to it that would be exceptional for young players, but also has a good sound that's great for those more experienced. Anytime I let someone play this guitar, they ask so many questions because they love it so much. They're always super surprised to learn the price. Definitely worth the purchase if you're thinking about it.Brittany Colvin

A bought the Epiphone PR-4E LE in vintage sunburst for a good price as the SDOTD. I have been playing for over 40 years semi professionally and I own a number of higher end acoustics but I wanted to purchase a "beater" that I could break out at a party and not have to worry about one of my intoxicated friends bumping or scratching it. This guitar seemed to fit the bill. The reason I gave it three stars is that although the fit and finish seemed very good, this is supposedly a student level/beginners guitar and the action that it arrived with would be difficult and frustrating for anyone to learn on. I do my own luthier work and I had to spend about two hours to cut the nut, take some relief off of the neck and shave the bridge down to get it to play well. I do not know if my experience with this acoustic is an exception but at this price point I doubt it. With that said it is a nice beginner guitar with a nice build quality, it sounds surprisingly full and rich and if yours arrive like mine I would strongly suggest taking it to your local trusted luthier and spend the extra cash to have it set up properly and have the action lowered. Now mine plays wonderfully and is fun to play. If I didn't have to do all the work to get it playing properly I would have easily given this guitar 4 stars but at this price point I kind of expected thatG-Man

Got this to downsize from dreadnought and I am extremely pleased. Specs on MF, M&A, GF, all say dreadnought on body type, it's a triple-o concert. Found the correct specs on Fender, which would make sense because they are the manufacturers. Medium strings sound better than light (in my opinion). Great buy and well constructed! My first all solid guitar & I would buy again! Fenders are economical and good quality! It's got really good sound and Fingerstyle sounds amazing! My arm does not fall asleep, from blood circulation being cut off, like it did with the dreadnought! If you are looking to learn Fingerstyle, or play Fingerstyle, and are looking for a comfortable guitar this is it! Also would recommend it for electric players who might be looking to play an acoustic!Guitarist

On my previous review I forgot to mention that the bridge pin, for the low E string, had a split towards the end and half way up on the side. I had taken the strings off to do a detailed cleaning and seen the split. Thankfully it came with one spare so I could finish my work and none of the other pins had any splits. Glued the split one, with wood glue, and have another spare! Guess it can be expected for a wooden bridge pin to split like that as it has the pressure of the string pulling against it. Had seen a video on YouTube that a guy bought a second hand one (Fender pm-3) and had the same issue. Note to anybody who buys a guitar with wooden bridge pins, check them after buying before it has a chance to break and fly out while you're playing! Other than that I am totally satisfied with the guitar and it's constructed very well!Guitarist

I am an old guy that has been playing a long time. I wanted a quality acoustic electric that would not set me back $3,000. I really liked the guitar. However, at owning the guitar just over a month the guitar was developing fret buzz around the 10th fret or so. It got worse. I took it back to Guitar Center thinking it needed a truss rod adjustment. I was told the guitar was developing a bulge in the fret board that would need major repairs. In doing some research it appears the mahogany used in the neck is not of good quality.Christopher

Really nice instrument. I had been looking for a Parlour guitar as intermittent arthritis in my hands has been making playing a regular dreadnought electro-acoustic or acoustic painful sometimes. I had my eye on Cort Parlour guitar as it had a nut width of 45mm and I thought it might help my fingers. Several times I nearly bought one but hearing them on various online videos there was just something stopping me. Then I came across the Jim Dandy. As soon as I heard it online I wanted one. I was dubious as the nut width is listed as only 42.86mm but took the gamble to order one. I was not disappointed. The tone is really bright and you can feel the notes ringing through the tiny body. I can highly recommend one and would not hesitate to recommend GAK.co.uk as your go to supplier.Nick

I went to GC and tried out several small guitars, a Fender, Cort, Mitchell, I even tried a small Taylor. I honestly preferred this Gretsch to even the Taylor. The guy at GC had to go to the back room to get one, he took it out of the box and i tuned it up. Right out of the box it played great. It stays in tune and all the way down the neck each note rang true and in perfect tune (this was not true of most others). Its small but not tiny and the 24" scale makes it playable , its not just for kids. It will be an awesome travel guitar, but I play it at home too. Fantastic value!John

For the price this is am outstanding guitar. I opted for this over a little martin, mainly on the price tag. It doesn’t feel cheap at all. The fretboard is really playable and the parlour body doesn’t feel noticeably smaller than my grand auditorium shaped acoustic. I wanted a travel guitar, but instead I have put my other acoustic into its case and this has pride of place in my front room. Stop thinking about buying it and buy it!Kristian J.

Got this to downsize from dreadnought and I am extremely pleased. Specs on MF, M&A, GF, all say dreadnought on body type, it's a triple-o concert. Found the correct specs on Fender, which would make sense because they are the manufacturers. Medium strings sound better than light (in my opinion). Great buy and well constructed! My first all solid guitar & I would buy again! Fenders are economical and good quality! It's got really good sound and Fingerstyle sounds amazing! My arm does not fall asleep, from blood circulation being cut off, like it did with the dreadnought! If you are looking to learn Fingerstyle, or play Fingerstyle, and are looking for a comfortable guitar this is it! Also would recommend it for electric players who might be looking to play an acoustic!Guitarist

I play American Fender electrics and was curious about these acoustics. Being made in China, I was a little hesitant but the solid Mahogany back and sides convinced me to pull the trigger. I am glad I did. This guitar has a very full balanced sound. Great projection. The neck is very comfortable though I prefer a satin finish. I have a pretty aggressive pick attack and vibrato and this thing has stayed in tune very well. I am very impressed. Time will tell how this holds up, but so far I would absolutely recommend checking out this Paramount series. Loving it. (nice quality case too)Just my opinion

On my previous review I forgot to mention that the bridge pin, for the low E string, had a split towards the end and half way up on the side. I had taken the strings off to do a detailed cleaning and seen the split. Thankfully it came with one spare so I could finish my work and none of the other pins had any splits. Glued the split one, with wood glue, and have another spare! Guess it can be expected for a wooden bridge pin to split like that as it has the pressure of the string pulling against it. Had seen a video on YouTube that a guy bought a second hand one (Fender pm-3) and had the same issue. Note to anybody who buys a guitar with wooden bridge pins, check them after buying before it has a chance to break and fly out while you're playing! Other than that I am totally satisfied with the guitar and it's constructed very well!Guitarist

I have a number of acoustic type guitars – both steel and nylon strung. When playing these I rarely strum – it's a finger style combination of rock, flamenco, folk, blues and jazz ( a real mixture). The first thing I did was to change the strings (D'Addario Silk & Steel). As a result this little Fender beauty has turned into an excellent parlour guitar: it's responsive, lovely to play and remarkably loud for its size. Build quality is good and the sound projects well. If you're a chord strummer, I wouldn't suggest that the Sonoran is for you – but it responds superbly to finger style playing. It's subtle and responsive. For the money, it's very, very good. And of course, it's very, very easy to lug around. Love it!Gillian B.

Pretty nice sounding instrument! Way less money than most solid wood, small bodied shorter scale guitars, & stacks up decently against “higher end” offerings. As a traditionalist, the onboard electronics were an annoying detraction, but in practice the pickup system sounds far more natural than I was expecting. And as a couch/practice guitar, having a tuner on the instrument is handy, I’ll grudgingly admit. If I were the type to plug in an acoustic on stage, I’d get good use out of these features. There are a few other general things that caught my attention, listed in no particular order. The dynamic range is an interesting departure from typical full scale acoustics. It’s quieter when finger picked softly, but as loud or louder when dug into with a pick. Definitely doesn’t sound small when played with authority, & generally has great resonance. I’ve yet to try lighter strings, but with 12 gauge phosphor bronze, it doesn’t feel too slinky or incredibly different than a longer scale length acoustic. I do find it a tad more comfortable, but not a night & day difference. The only lesser aspect is mostly down to the stock setup. Action was a little on the high side, & the G# fret under the low E string was a little high, so G chords buzzed on that string. This doesn’t detract from my over all impression, as I’m imagining most folks buying a decent instrument will end up setting it up & leveling fretwork to taste. All in all, mine’s a very nice acoustic guitar by any measure, & its sound punches way above its weight class in terms of cost. I dig it.WJJ

This Fender guitar is awesome. Out of the box it is almost perfectly set up. The intonation is off just by a little bit and only with 2 or 3 strings. The sound seems a little washed while playing chords, but single notes are loud and clear. All the frets have edge treatment, nice and smooth. The synthetic bone used for the nut and bridge are way better than plastic, allowing for a long sustain. The guitar could use better tuning keys, but the guitar stays in tune good enough. Over all my guitar was built well, and I'm glad it sounds good, too. I would recommend this guitar for all beginner guitar players because of the sound quality, and anyone else who don't have the money for their dream guitar.Tim