Best Cheap 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

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.

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 have been a professional guitar player for over 25 years and this guitar is a great "beater". It's construction tolerances are pretty tight and idicitive of a more expensive instrument. I replaced the bridge pins with brass ones for a bit more sustain .Then I strung it with some 11's for electric guitar for the unwound G-string for the blues bending ya know? Then about a 1/3rd turn of the truss rod and bingo it's playing like an axe three times the price. NO PREAMP which for me is great cause they all are quite lame. That being said it has a built in tuner which is nice. NOW the machine heads are a little on the cheap side BUT for 15-25 bucks you can put some good ones on and this guitar will sound even better! Finish wise I like the satin finish. BUT an inlaid headstock and sound hole would be nice BUT for the priceI can't complain!!! From a few feet away a listener cant tell if it's inlaid or silk screened just that it sounds GREAT! LOL. So overall I love this guitar I will update this review after i put some new tuners on but these work fine I'm just really picky! I can not get over how CRISP the tone is for such an inexpensive guitar. As a guitar for a beginner or a seasoned pro you can't go wrong with this one. sounds great plays great you can leave it alone out of the box and it's great for a beginner or as a beach/outdoor guitar…Put about $25 to $40 of modifications into it and it's a good backup axe for gigging and a nice extra guitar to have in the studio. I really really like this guitar and am very surprised at the build quality and tone for the cash.strangemeasure

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

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

I have owned many guitars and the sounds from this one top them all. The automatic dismissal of guitars because of the made in China label needs to end here. The fit and finish and overall build quality of this guitar is amazing. I just sold a name brand guitar which had a really good sound. The string spacing was a real problem on it. The wider nut on this 371 is perfect for me. This guitar came perfectly set up, the action is low with no buzz. The neck is straight. It won't need to see a tech. The only problem I ran into is the back of the nut is sharp and digs into my hand when playing a B7. This will probably be fixed easily by filing the edge. The resonance on this guitar is unbelievable! IMHO it absolutely sounds better than anything I have owned. It will compete with any guitar that I have played. It is not a loud guitar so don't expect a dread, but for songwriting or playing in your chair it can't be beat. You could also install a pickup. I can only imagine how awesome it would sound amplified. MF was out of stock when I ordered so I had to wait about a month. It was worth the wait. I highly recommend this guitar!Steve

I've been through a lot of guitars in my search for a parlor or "0" guitar with a decent bass response and without the boxiness typically found in guitars of this size. This guitar fits the bill perfectly. A nice rich bass and a mellow tone. It is head and shoulders better than the others that I have purchased (Recording King RP1-626, Alvarez AP70, Seagull Coastline Grand, Recording King RP-6, Recording King rp-10) and those than I have tried (Larrivee, A&L). The next best among the lot is the Recording King RP-10. I have large hands and find the 1 7/8 neck to be very comfortable. If you have small hands you would probably find it uncomfortable. Intonation is excellent on the guitar I purchased. Fit and finish are also excellent. All the abalone and the bleached white top push close to the edge on gaudiness. That's a small sacrifice for this little tone monster. It was much too difficult to dig up information on the dimensions of this guitar. For those in the same boat, there's this: Lower bout: a little more than 13 7/8 inches upper bout: 9 3/4 inches waist: 8 1/4 inches depth: 3 1/2 inches at upper bout and 4 inches at end pin length: 19 5/8 inches for the body; about 38 1/2 inches total As you can see from the dimensions, this guitar is not a parlor. It's much closer to an "0." Short of spending a whole lot more money, I doubt that you'll find a better guitar of this size. It sounds great – and I don't mean great "for the money." I mean just great. For comparison a few of my other small body guitars are a Martin 00-18v, Martin CEO-7, Eastman E-15ss, and the Taylor 12 Fret.Johnson Fan

I've wanted a smaller acoustic to keep handy to grab in the living room or take out on the patio for a long time. I have several acoustics, 2 resonators and a boatload of electrics but none really fit the bill for what I was looking for. I also really wanted an all solid wood guitar to grow older with me LOL. The Blueridge BR-371 Parlor Acoustic Guitar is gorgeous. It appears to be bookmatched on the sides meeting at the base pin (whew), the back is really stunning, the spruce top is a light finely grained piece, the mahogany neck has a beautiful straight grain to it slightly lighter than the body, the ebony fretboard is a smooth/even dark black that doesn't appear to have been stained. The inlays, and there is a LOT of it, are very well executed. The tuners are smooth and precise, the endpins appear to be ebony with abalone dots. The ivoroid binding and tuner buttons are a nice touch. The bone nut and saddle and ebony bridge are well fitted. Inside it's immaculate. So she's a visual stunner to be sure. I've worked on guitars, 20+ years, so I can be a tad bit critical at times and I failed to find any flaws on this sweetheart, she's a keeper to be sure. Definitely the classiest dame of my collection. So how does it play and sound? The neck doesn't have even the slightest 'V' but has a nice shoulder to it giving great support like a good older Tele or maybe a 50's Les Paul. The fingerboard width is slightly wider than usual and feels great, I have larger hands but fairly fine fingers so it is a nice change up for me. It sits in your lap easily whether on a bench or in a chair with arms. Being smaller it doesn't force your arm way up like a dreadnaught does, I LIKE that. It isn't the loudest acoustic I have for sure but it projects really well with a defined voice across the strings. That rosewood really warms it up while the ebony fretboard and spruce top do a great job of keeping the higher registers alive. I am impressed beyond my expectations.benderb9

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

Overall: I got the black one. (GL finding a case..$200.) This guitar surprised me acoustically – the bass response is far better than I expected- but ONLY acoustically! I'll probably get a Baggs Lyric for it, like the one I put in my (EPI.) DR-100. The Fishman, like all Fishman mic/pup/preamps, is JUNK – totally useless- cannot reproduce the bottom two bass strings AT ALL. I don't know why guitar makers even bother with them.The guitar of course, will need a serious setup – (cautiously, as aways..get a backup bone saddle ) take the bridge saddle down by even as much as 1/4-3/8"! The nut was fine after that (!.. I know…) YMMV of course… A special string set (like my signature Curt Mangan monel DR-100 set) will also help. I like lighter bass strings (in a GOOD guitar-this one -just- qualifies!), a pretty light set (9.5's); and a plain (unwound) g. Now it plays like an electric and sounds great for its size! My other "parlor" -an old, slotted head Washburn (But I'm dumping this one's too-large fugly rectangular glitter truss cover) And -bottom line- after seeing Jack Elliott's, I always wanted a Rancher!Rodney

Very comfortable and cool looking guitar. Mine arrived looking like a demo, Had spots that looked like someone slobbered their licorice on it. The Protective film pickguard covering was mostly off and barely on. I have guitars that still have the pickguard film all intact, after playing them for quite some time. The shipping box was totally crushed on one whole side and the guitar was not double boxed. It was just sitting in a extra large cardboard box with just sparse rolled up paper to protect it. . No bubblewrap or inside box for protection. Luckily it wasn't damaged cosmetically. Surely not how any guitar I have ever bought has arrived. The sound is very good with the exception of the awful fret buzz. I took it to a luther who said it needs at least a partial fret dressing, possibly more. MF offered me hardly anything towards offsetting that. The Gretsch acoustics are known to have a "12th fret hump," and my White Falcon also had to be fixed. This Penguin has the same issues, I don't think a brand new guitar should need any repairs. Yikes. Been trying for over 3 weeks to get it figured out with MF. I reported the issues to MF and they offered for me to return it, or that they could help pay for the repair of the fretting out. He had to talk to his supervisor about how much they would help with the fret leveling, and it was his suggestion that they could help out on the partial dressing. The second call, he stated that the most they could help with was a fifth of the cost. I said give me a couple days to ponder the situation. Haven't been able to talk in person again. Left a message asking if instead of sending it back to MF, they would just send me a shipping label to Gretsch, to have it repaired properly. No answer back on that. It's no more expensive for them to pay for the shipping to Gretsch, than back to the MF midwest facility. Called 15-20 times and the person handling it has been unavailable.. Talked twice, and then nothing since then. FRUSTRATINGBob

I love my little Penguin. It has a nice balanced sound to it that I have struggled to find for a long time. The Fishman electronics and integrated tuner are wonderful. The fit and finish is spot on. It seems to respond really well to different sets of strings. More so than any guitar I've ever owned (I think I'm on my 12th?). It almost can sound like a different guitar. It shipped ready to play. The set up was perfect for me out of the box. Usually I have to run to my Luthier when I new guitar comes. Very happy with my purchase. I'll have this one for life. What you can't tell from the photos is the binding is a gold glitter. The whole guitar is trimmed in it. You'll either love it or hate it.Mike

no doubt a quality instrument. playability comparable to any parlor at twice the price. every bit as well built as a martin.swwagner1

The quality of this guitar is excellent – it is as good as the instruments that come out of the Nazareth factory and at a fraction of the cost. Sure it doesn't have the 'Brand Name', but I have more than enough Taylors, Martins, Breedloves and Larrivees to play, and I didn't want to spend a fortune on an instrument that I just practice fingerstyle on. The guitar is very attractive to look at and has similar specifications to the Martin line of parlor guitars – it is very easy to play with a low action and has nice features like solid, quality tonewoods, bone nut and saddle, ebony bridge and ebony fingerboard. I would have preferred better tuners and bone bridge pins, but at this price who cares as they are easily switched out. The tone and volume is remarkable – great note separation but this is not intended to be a 'beater' or strummed too heavily. It needs a softer approach. Although it sounds great now, I know it will improve as it ages and those great tonewoods open up.smooth-trading

Solid Spruce Top with Solid Mahogany Back and Sides. Excellent small parlor guitar with a great sound! It will give a Martin Parlor a run for the money!robertw700

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.

I bought this for my friend that wants to learn how to play the guitar. I chose this for him because it's a nylon string so it wouldn't hurt his fingers which I noticed that most beginners easily gets frustrated when the steel strings hurts their fingers and then stops learning how to play the guitar. The guitar is well made and it looks like that it will last a long time of course with proper care. It's very light weight and compact so it's easy to maintain and store this guitar and also good for traveling.Rome

This Yamaha classical guitar is sold as a 'student' guitar but it's also a great travel size instrument. It's affordable, stays in tune, intonates well and has a great full body sound even though its a 3/4 size guitar. The nylon strings are easier on the fingers than steel strings and are great for someone just starting out. This one arrived with smooth fret ends and played perfectly right out of the box. Yamaha is one of best quality guitar brands, this one proves it.bascorulesright

This was my first time trying out Musiciansfriend. I must say I wish l had I known about them sooner. I bought a guitar for my daughter's lessons. The guitar came well protected in the box. The shipping was super fast and it arrived on time. The color of the guitar is gorgeous – my daughter loves it. The price too was very good compared to other sites. I also bought a case separately and the foot stool which I am happy with. I will definitely be shopping here for all our instrument needs. To top it all off. I received a purchase follow up call from the team at Musicianfriends. It's important to make sure your customers are happy with their purchase or address any questions or concerns.Noma N

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

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

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.

Overall: My Jim Dandy parlor guitar arrived today. I just got home from a week long trip for work exhausted and thought well I will just unbox my new guitar and try it out in the morning. Six hours later lol I still didn't want to put it down. This guitar has a great tone for blues. The set up was dead on and it plays so easy. I never expected it to play so good and sound so sweet for this price! Check out the videos on you tube so you can hear the unique tone of this guitar and if it's for you I highly recommend it!Gunner

Overall: First off I could not believe how fast my order arrived to my door! Litteraly next day delivery and I only paid for standard shipping. Awesome!. Now about this guitar… At first glance I was a little unsure about how it would sound and play as it looks like a 150$ guitar…. Tuned it a half step down ( as I do on all of mygitars), and gave it some blues runs… I couldnt believe my ears and or fingers!! This thing is killer! Not one fret buzzed right out of the box and the intonation was spot on! It comes with an allen key to adjust the truss rod but I have not yet bothered with a set up because it plays so smoothely the way it is!. This baby tunes nicely and the machine heads feel tight and solid. I highly recomend this guitar to anyone interested in a parlor size accoustic. Buy it! You will not be sorry!Adam

Overall: I got the black one. (GL finding a case..$200.) This guitar surprised me acoustically – the bass response is far better than I expected- but ONLY acoustically! I'll probably get a Baggs Lyric for it, like the one I put in my (EPI.) DR-100. The Fishman, like all Fishman mic/pup/preamps, is JUNK – totally useless- cannot reproduce the bottom two bass strings AT ALL. I don't know why guitar makers even bother with them.The guitar of course, will need a serious setup – (cautiously, as aways..get a backup bone saddle ) take the bridge saddle down by even as much as 1/4-3/8"! The nut was fine after that (!.. I know…) YMMV of course… A special string set (like my signature Curt Mangan monel DR-100 set) will also help. I like lighter bass strings (in a GOOD guitar-this one -just- qualifies!), a pretty light set (9.5's); and a plain (unwound) g. Now it plays like an electric and sounds great for its size! My other "parlor" -an old, slotted head Washburn (But I'm dumping this one's too-large fugly rectangular glitter truss cover) And -bottom line- after seeing Jack Elliott's, I always wanted a Rancher!Rodney

Overall: Well it doesn't sound like a Martin, but has a deep sound that you don't expect from a parlor guitar, I go to bluegrass jams and it just blends in so nice. I already have a Martin, so I feel it is a great compliment. I had it set up and plays like butter, has a stunning appearance, overall you would think the price should be double for what it is and is a great value, far better than I expected, if you want a Martin, buy a Martin, but I could gig with this guitar and I wanted something different for jams, but would be great solo or with a band. I would record this with my martin, so in that use is better as a second guitar than a martin and if you record and it is your only guitar it has its own sound.James