Best Unknown Guitar Brands (2024 Update)

I've had this for two months now and I'm very very happy with it. There's no reason to pretend that this is a $1000 instrument, but for ~$150 it's a very pleasant beginner instrument. Frets are edges are nicely seated so that you never feel them when playing; instrument stays in tune. Black finish adds a nice touch. Would recommend for anyone curious about classical guitar on a tight budget.Brennan V

I bought this guitar years ago while living in LA and loved it. Great warm tone and nice resonance throughout the body. It just feels good to play. I gave it to a friend when I moved across the country to NYC. I couldn't justify moving with 3 guitars, 2 ukuleles, an accordion, & more. Something had to go, and since this guitar is cheap, this was the one. Here I am buying it again 6 years later and it's just as nice as I remember. I love that it's a more sunny yellow than most other guitars as well. Just all around a good guitar. I debated ordering nicer strings along with it but decided not too. After playing, I'm happy with the sound of the factory strings.Claire

I have always played steel string guitars. I have always wanted a classical but didn't want to dive deep into my wallet. My wife picked this up for me one year for Christmas. I play it everyday, great little guitar for the money.Ian Richardson

I bought one of these several months ago. Ok I'm not good guitarist so take that into into consideration but I have player series strat and have always played strat style guitars and I'm not saying i love this guitar more than the Fender I love them both but as far as the guitar is concerned she got so much potential tonally. I have no complaints about the ascetic she beautiful sexy gorgeous took a little getting used to the weight and contours compared to the strat there is adjustment period but she just rocks. I never played a Gibson but if this guitar had Gibson I guess it be a little better but also 2grand more. If I have any complaint is she is finger print magnet always wiping down get some dunlop 65 and microfiber cloth. The Glossy neck won't appeal to all but I can deal with it. Fret work perfect. I'm not a gigging musician but i have no doubt she gig worthy. Oh also, get the pro coverage cause I found out ALL Les Paul are extremely fragile at the neck,It has to do with the angle of the neck, Google it, do your research on owning a led Paul little different than strat anyway the guitar is 600-GREAT VALUE then with 2 years pro coverage plus tax it was under 900 or somewhere around there. And if you get a bad quality then ask for another cause it is coming from Asia so there is variability in workmanship but mine is PERFECT. If I ever get rich maybe ill buy a Gibson but for now this satisfy my Les Paul needs. I wanted an alternative to my strat to emulate Slash sound lol I need to work on my technique but this definitely rocks a Les Paul sound. I did see a review or 2 that liked the sound of the 1950 better but I played them both and liked the 60s better but check them both out the inspired by Gibson line is definitely worth the money if you want a Les Paul without breaking the bank. Just take your time do your homework if you can go to a GC and play it then do that In rarely write reviews especially this long but I love this guitarMichael L

Got the newer retro classic with 3 saddle bridge. Is a great value and equal to squier bullets for half the price. The newer indio needed a little work, but so did two squiers i have bought. The indio had rough fret ends and nut was a little tall. Sanded fret ends and sanded the bottom of the nut to reduce the height. Tuners are not smooth turning but stays in tune really well. Will remind again my squier bullets both needed much more work than this indio. Have sold both bullets and kept the indios. The indio plays great and is really slinky. I guess due to top load bridge. Indios are probably the best value out there.Travis

The guitar is surprisingly good considering the very low price. It did have one significant issue though that would make me hesitant to recommend it to a beginning guitar player. I'll start with the good stuff. The basic build of the guitar is very good. The finish is well done. The neck pocket is a good fit. The tuners are good. The nut was cut well. The included gig bag is similar to those I've seen selling in the $30-$50 range so it's a great value too. The electronics and pickups are the typical cheap and generic components that you find on guitars in the sub $200 price range. They aren't terrible though. The bridge design on mine is different than what was pictured. This doesn't matter to me but it does seem to vary. The bad thing on the guitar was the fret edges. I checked the level on the frets using a fret rocker and found them good but the edges were very rough. Since I do guitar tech work as a side gig, this was easy for me to fix but a beginning player might find this to be an issue.New User

This is a fantastic guitar for any beginner or someone who wants to see if a Telecaster is for them or to mod or even just to play. I've got Mexican and American Fenders and have had lower end Squiers. I'd say this guitar is the equal of the Bullet line but costs considerably less. The finish is flawless, electronics are fine, tuners are good and the neck is decent. The biggest problem I have with the guitar is the very small frets (not tall at all) and the sharpness of fret ends. The fretboard is listed as being rosewood but it's more likely what is called "engineered rosewood". It looks good and I like it but could be a little smoother. Buyers should note that Fender parts are not totally interchangeable. For instance, the neck plate is a different size so if you're planning to swap necks be aware. The pickguard holes and shape are not the same as Fender's, nor are the holes drilled appropriately for Fender's tuners. The ferrules fall out the back of the body when changing strings which is ridiculous and if you look in the holes you will notice that they are not drilled straight through the body. It appears the front and back of the body are actually two separate pieces of wood glued together with holes for strings drilled separately and they don't line up properly. That is unbelievably bad but you can still insert the strings so it doesn't negatively impact much. I would definitely buy this again and I'm even contemplating getting another.Steve

How could it not get 5 stars. A fantastic guitar at a great price. Plays well,easy to mod if you choose too, and a overall quality that ibanez always producesRich

Overall: Mine was almost returned until I took a chance and installed a different bridge pickup. Stock bridge came in outputting super low volumes. This guitar is more or less for metal but offers some versatility than just that. For starters the 5 way selector gives you some single coil options for chimey cleans. The pickups don't need to be changed out unless you got defective one like I did. The neck pickup is very clear and warm which is more than I can say for stock neck pickups on other brands. Those tend to produce an over bassy muddy tone. The neck itself isn't what I would call s fast neck. It is rather thick and felt really dry (unfinished) out of the box. Currently as I am writing this I hit the back of the neck with a few coatings of lemon oil so I hope this remedies that feel. I'm not to keen on how thick the neck feels with me having smaller hands but I haven't got any cramps playing it. Strangely enough, players advertise this on having a slim neck. It's not. The star of this guitar is it's bridge. The fix bridge is heaven to someone who loves to palm mute. No screws indenting in your palm and more sustain with no tremelo system. To me it's the reason I'm keeping it. So many strat styles for something I don't use. Overall it's a good guitar. Set up was decent out of the box. I had some sharp fret edges that I lightly filed down in a matter of minutes. The guitar comes equipped with extra light gauge strings (.09-.42). If you are wanting to put thicker strings on you're looking at a new set up so your guitar can handle the gauge differences.There's better out there for the price. The grg20 is fifty bucks cheaper and it's around the same quality. Squier makes decent starter guitars around the $200 mark and if Silo3 was still in production that would be my top choice.Matt

Overall: If you handed me this guitar before I knew about it I would assume it costs at least double what it actually does. For only 200$ you get a mahogany body with a beautiful finish, solid hardware, an amazing neck with nice inlays, and overall high quality fit and finish. This thing plays great. It's very comfortable and easy to play. I would say with confidence that this is the best guitar in its price range. It even competes with guitars in the 300-400$ range. The only thing I plan to change are the pickups, literally nothing else needs to be done. It even came setup spot on. I also can't get over how good this thing looks. The finish is a very attractive dark red wood grain and is complimented by the black hardware. I play extreme metal (death, black, thrash, doom, etc.) And I mainly use this one for death and thrash because its great for fast accurate playing. Overall, it's a great addition to my small collection and didn't set me back much. If you can only afford a 200$ guitar, please get this one. You will be glad that you did.Raymond

I am both surprised and please with this guitar I purchased this guitar at GC Nashville after returning a Gibson Les Paul Classic that I bought online. (lesson learned, don't buy from GC online.) The staff there were great and had no issues with me returning a $2200 guitar that I bought online. Even more supportive in helping me pick out a much less expensive guitar. Great people. This Epiphone is awesome. The fit and finish are great. The action is low and no buzz. The tone is great and It is lighter and easier to handle than the Gibson . The best part is it cost a third of the one I returned. I really wanted a Gibson but I am so glad I picked up this Epiphone. A word of caution. I looked at and played several guitars at GC before choosing this one. I even played a couple of other Epiphone Les Paul Customs. No two were the same. One had razors for frets, one had an action you could drive a truck under and this one was just right. Go in an play them before buying.Mike

This is my second 6 string electric, and I couldn't be HAPPIER with it! My first guitar is an entry level Epiphone SG Special that was a couple hundred bucks back in the day. It got the job done…good frets, good tune, good everything. I recently decided to step it up and get a "mid-range" guitar but still not break the bank with an Epiphone. And I'm not calling Epiphone cheap…they are just more in my price range when compared to Gibsons. Stepping it up is the right description for this guitar!! It is AMAZING! The feel, the tone, the look! It sounds great and feels good in the hands too. I especially love the Silverburst color!! The main reason I wanted this specific guitar. It's Adam Jones from TooL color scheme finish but on an epiphone! They are coming out with his own model of epiphone, but I'm impatient lol. Looks are important to picking out a guitar as much as sound! The inlays on the fretboard look beautiful. The pick guard and finish are beautiful, the trim/binding around the guitar… this guitar has reignited my passion for playing! As of this writing, I have no complaints! Excellent guitar!Matt

I purchased this guitar because a Les Paul was missing from my gear arsenal and I didn't want to drop three grand on a Gibson. I played a wall model at a local GC store and decided to buy, but requested a factory new model sent to me, because the wall model I played had some nicks in the fretboard, a sketchy 3 way switch and had worn strings and the intonation was way off above the 14th fret. I paid for next day air shipping to expedite the process because I tend to want the things I pay for fairly quickly. The shipping tag originated from the same city I live in, meaning they had a factory new either in the warehouse or at the neighboring store about 20 miles away. So I essentially paid 42$ for expedited shipping and could had likely gotten it same day if I asked the right questions I suppose. Shame on me. The next business day my guitar is delivered to my residence, I open it and immediately inspected it for possible shipping damage or factory flaws. It arrives with a broken 3 way switch, all strings tuned nearly 2 steps flat and also needed to make a truss rod adjustment to straighten the neck. Completely unacceptable that these issues left both the factory and GC's "quality control" in the condition it did. Luckily I work at a local small box music store and worked with our own luthier after hours to set it up and correct the problems. All that said, this guitar is absolutely fantastic. It plays and sounds very good and even though the stock pickups aren't top tier, they are excellent performers at a very reasonable price point. Monster value in this guitar. If you can acquire one some where other than Guitar Center, do it. If you do purchase from guitar center, make absolutely certain to have it looked at by a professional before accepting it. 5 stars for the guitar and it's value. 1 star for guitar centers lack of QC shipping items.Dan

This is a great little guitar! I have had several travel guitars including the Martin and Taylor versions and I think this beats them hands down. You can’t find a better travel guitar especially for the price. This is the third one I’ve purchased as I’ve given them away and moved them on— people appreciate them very fast. I do recommend using a little pillow wrote a tale so you’re are mangoes are the same as for a regular size guitar Makes it much easier to play any small guitar.I do recommend using a little pillow or rolled up small towel so your arm angles are the same as for any regular size guitar. This makes it much easier to play any small guitar. Very lightweight. One came with perfect action, but the other two I had to do a truss rod adjustment to get the optimal action which can be very good. The adjustment was simple. Orangewood customer service is excellent .Thomas B.

Not just for the money, its just a nice guitar! So my packaging had a few issues, it looked like it had gotten hung up on a fork lift tyne and dragged across the floor, I was nervous about opening it. But it was very well packed, not even a blemish. Everything I ordered was there, the guitar itself coming from California to South Alabama, undoubtedly passed through abrupt temperature and humidity changes, yet it was almost in tune out of the box. So much so, that I could tell that it had been tuned properly, and the QC person rolled the heads back about a half, or maybe 3 quarters of a turn just to relieve stress from the rod and neck. The E. Ball strings are pretty nice, feels like standard Bronze Phosphorus strings. I wiped them down with a clean cloth, and no dust or anything whatsoever came from them. I had no loose bindings, no sharp fret wires hanging over, and the ride height is perfect. Its almost unbelievable to get such a nice guitar for what I paid. The gig bag is certainly not the worst one I've ever seen, its padded nicely and has the backpack straps which I like. I hope that you guys never change your core business model, of offering the add-on accessory pack separately, which in my open leaves more room for nicer details like good strings, and real bone. And also allows you to offer slightly higher quality accessories. Very nicely done. I understand that now that you're up and running good, I hope that you still offer a guitar like the Rey at that low price point, for those who may be like I was growing up, and just couldn't afford a decent guitar. They always sounded like crap, couldn't tune them…and for a couple decades I just gave up. I'm back into it again, thanks to this guitar, I'm going to be upgrading soon, but I will probably always hang on to this one…I like it that much. Thanks guys, no complaints from me…God Bless you all, – Jeff Andrews, Mobile AL.Jeffery A.

I really like guitars from Orangewood’s “Playa” collection including my mahogany Dana mini guitar. (I also own a mahogany Rey guitar and have examined a friend’s Victoria guitar.) I will outline my recommendation reasons below, but also will attempt to temper any unrealistic expectations. Size: The diminutive Dana guitar is IMHO a great instrument for hauling around outside the home or playing where space is tight such as on the couch, or at a desk or table, where larger instruments might more readily bump into things or make playing cramped. The shorter scale length might be helpful for those with small hands, but isn’t *that* much different from longer-scale instruments to make going back and forth a big problem. Sound: A small guitar won’t have the deep, resonant tone of a larger instrument no matter how much you pay. That said, after being used for a while, the Dana “plays in” nicely — the tone getting better than out of the box. It’s voice is completely loud enough and resonant enough to satisfy reasonable expectations. Materials & construction: The bracing and general construction seem to be good. Mine is a very handsome, rich honey-chocolate brown with contrasting off-white binding. The laminated materials are a good economical choice but also don’t sacrifice much sound quality. I think this is due to the clever design of these “Playa” instruments, which seem to have thin top, back and sides as well as light bracing and a thin finish; these things together, I think, make for louder, more resonant tone. A key benefit to the laminated wood of the guitar body is that it’s less sensitive to changes in humidity and temperature. I play my laminated guitars much more frequently because they are not so “fussy” — though I do nonetheless humidify them in the winter months. The light construction may benefit from lighter strings. I prefer electric-like playability, so I restring my guitars with 10-46 strings. This makes the instrument more player friendly and may also help the guitar to last by reducing string tension. The tuners are adequate, but have turning ratios that just require slow sneaking up on perfect pitches. Set up: Of the three “Playa”-collection guitars that I’ve examined in detail, NONE arrived set up to the standards of professional guitar technicians. I believe that Orangewood way oversells the “professional” set up on their “Playa”-collection guitars. However, my Dana arrived about a year later than the others, and was the best set up of the three. This guitar arrived at my doorstep with the neck having extreme forward bow. This was not just due to string tension. The double-action truss rod was actually adjusted to increase the neck relief, which was excessive to say the least. I had to tighten the truss-rod adjustment just to get to neutral tension engagement, then continue tightening to get the neck relief to an appropriate setting of about .006”. The set up required no additional adjustment. This was a big improvement over the other “Playa” guitars I’ve examined, which required both nut and saddle tweaking. I am a guitar-tech hobbyist, so I have the tools and knowledge to check out and set up acoustic guitars. My Dana had a fingerboard that was not straight from the factory. I know this because despite the slight waviness of the fingerboard when straightened as much as possible by truss-rod adjustment, the frets are surprisingly level — though they obviously vary considerably in height to compensate for the wavy fingerboard. But let me be realistic. To be able to sell a guitar at these prices, some corners will be cut when compared to the manufacture of guitars that cost five or ten or more times the price. This also applies to guitar set up, which may be the most time-consuming, and therefore expensive, single aspect of guitar creation. So, of course, the set ups on these economy guitars will be less than perfect. (Okay, that said, Orangewood might please stop way overselling their “professional” set ups done in the USA.) So my general recommendation regarding set up on these “Playa”-collection instruments is, upon delivery, to pay a good luthier/technician to check them over to assess keeping or returning, and, if a keeper, have him or her set them up for your level of play or personal preferences (that is, if you aren’t qualified to do it yourself). And that brings up my final, important set-up point, which is that the truss rod's purpose is to compensate against string tension. Action is properly adjusted at the nut and saddle. Bottom line: I have the Orangewood guitars because they are a good value, they sound good, they don’t require obsessive attention to humidity or temperature, and can be fun to play both for a beginner and a more experienced guitar player. The Dana fulfilled my final requirements, which were a guitar that travels more easily and doesn’t require quite so much space to play.Doug H.

This 79 buck guitar was the biggest surprise ever! I really didn't expect much, and was having second thoughts after I placed the order. I bought the sunburst version on a SDOTD as a total impulse buy. I have several expensive acoustics, and I don't need a cheap guitar. But I have to say, this is a really nice instrument. The fit and finish is above average, with relatively smooth fret ends and a huge sound. The tuners, however inexpensive, work as intended and stay in tune. The sunburst finish is lovely, with only one small thumbnail scratch. The neck joint is well done, and the neck has a comfortable full feeling. Epiphone has improved the "E" symbol on the pickguard, it is made into the plastic, and not glued on and wanting to fall off like on the older Epiphones. The rosette appears to be painted on, but it looks good regardless. The bridge (rosewood) is solidly attached to the top, with no lifting or gaps. The body has a white plastic binding front and back that is well executed. The rosewood fretboard is attractive with nice grain. And the sound! This guitar has a huge, loud sound for a laminate guitar. Tomorrow I plan to replace the original strings with some quality mediums, which can only make it sound even better. One odd feature is a false truss rod cover, held in place with three wood screws. There is nothing under it! The access to the truss rod is inside the sound hole. I did have to remove some glue from around the truss rod adjusting nut inside the guitar. Quite frankly, the quality and sound of the Epiphone just blows me away! If I had to sell all of my other acoustics and only keep this one, I would be content. It's that good!JimmyJ

The setup out of the box was actually pretty good,no sharp frets, action was pretty good, I changed out the strings and tuned it, and the string height was still perfect so that was awesome. I actually had really low expectations given the price point, and I had previously loved my old Ibanez so I figured this wouldn't compare, but it was close enough to the model that I had my eye on, that I would go for this one since it was available and the other one was back ordered. Honestly, I got lucky that I went for this one instead. I almost didn't. This guitar is so comfortable to play, it's LP style, but super light. I love the maple finish, and the satin finish on the neck makes it super comfortable moving around on the neck. The guitar sounds great, it requires tuning pretty often but thats great for learning, and someday I'll get locking tuners. I had low expectations but I couldn't be happier with this purchase.Shibbylbby

A while ago, I started coming across videos and posts about this guitar and the finish of the guitar really caught my eye. I have a couple of Les Paul guitars already, but none of them have a flat finish where you can see the wood grain like this. And for the price, I didn't think it sounded bad either. So I decided to get one and I am SO happy that I did! The only changes I've made are a change of strings (which I do on every guitar anyway) and tuners. The tuners it came with were fine, they didn't HAVE to be changed, it's just a personal preference thing. I have played guitar for nearly 25 years and have guitars much more expensive than this, but this really has become one of my favorites to play. There's just something about it that I love and, in most cases, is the one I pick up when I want to play. I've been very, very happy with it and I would highly recommend it to anyone. If you're a beginner, it's a great, lightweight, easy guitar to play. And if you're experienced, it's still fun to piddle around on. I don't know if they're all like this or I just got lucky, but I am very pleased and even considering buying a second one in another color. Five stars!Luke

First off I want to get the fact out of the way that AMS is the only place I buy musical instruments anymore. There are many reasons but best of all they are good people who put the customer at the front of what they do. So if I was asked I will tell you to buy from AMS. Now to the guitar. This Epiphone Les Paul I purchased for my 11 year old grandson and he loves it. He is a beginner just took his 4th lesson this week and he can already chord it to play a song he likes. It is built solid and the humbuckers are ceramic 8 magnets so they have that heavy feel for great chorus and can also put out the bite for clean leads. He told me the neck feels good and his small hands can manage the instrument pretty well. I took a good look at the guitar when he got it and the only thing I did was tune it for him and as I played it I felt comfortable with the feel and the sound and knew I made a good buy. The only thing I am going to do is put a set of nickel plated Super Slinkys on for him 9-42. I think it will even make the feel better for him as well. Overall I am happy with this purchase because this guitar will serve my grandson well over his guitar journey. Just as a caveat to this review. I am an Epiphone loyalist. I have been buying Epiphone products for over 50 years and nothing against other makers of who I have purchased a few, I keep going back to Epiphone for the quality and price you can't beat the deal. So when I found myself looking to buy a guitar for my grandson, the manufacturer choice was already made. I just had to find a model that would suit his purpose.Laurence W.

Overall: In a YouTube review of this guitar, there was one guy that said he didn't understand why any experienced and knowledgable guitar player would want THIS guitar over something more high-end (i.e., a "real" Eclipse), because of the differing body design features. I, myself, am not anything of a virtuoso player, nor do I have the fattest wallet at the moment, which is why I settled on something more in the midrange for my first relatively decent guitar. I've been playing for years, writing songs on "piece of crap" guitars, and it didn't matter to me that my instrument was nothing to show off when that's all that I was using it for (i.e., to write songs). Before I am an instrumentalist, I am a vocalist and songwriter… but I digress. Anyhow, coming from someone that has a limited span of what truly "decent" is in this department, I, personally, found this guitar to be worth the price. I am not the most knowledgable about guitars, no, but I know what feels right to me as a player. This one is pretty nice. The body is lightweight and thin without feeling or looking cheap or flimsy, and the playability is fantastic. There is little strain on your fingering hand due to how easy it is to press the strings down, unlike on cheaper guitars. Had I learned to play on this one, I would have been totally spoiled! Maybe like that guy with the YouTube review. Haha. The sound is nice and crisp… and the color is beautiful. I went with the Cobalt Blue, because it matches with my room. I have no complaints about it, under the circumstances. It is everything that I needed it to be. The available payment plan was the cherry on top. Just two more payments! Thanks, zZounds!Note: I was required to rate "Manufacturer Support" when I submitted this review, even though I never made any direct contact with the manufacturer. I couldn't give it less than 5 stars when there was never a problem with it. *shrug*Emha

IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT! It was on backorder. It took round-a-bout 5 months to get it in my eager hands. I bought the Purple Burst version. What their online photos do not properly convey is that the back and the neck are purple as well (how purple depends on each guitar-having seen two in person). The 1st appeared almost black in most lighting. The 2nd is defiantly purple but when photographed there is a color mismatch between the back and front that is NOT noticeable in person (see photos) This is my first Les Paul body style and my first guitar with split coil capability. The jumbo frets are awesome. I haven't been playing long (2-ish years). They cut down on my mis-fretting. The ease & sound of bending the strings + the sound of the pick-ups are more than I was expecting. The neck is super slim. I have size S/M woman hands. I love the size. There is not a lot of stretching to reach around for the low end strings. The neck also has a lovely coating that allows me to slide up and down easy without sticking- if you have played a matte coated neck, you know what I mean. The fret board and the inlays are leveled out very well but the fret board was a bit thirsty when I got it. A fret board oil & cloth buff were all it needed. The frets are very well placed & filed (no snags or fret spouts). The "Set-Up" was really good straight out of the box. The string height was set really well. Low enough (esp. at the nut) that It was not a finger killer to fret but there was no fret buzz at any frets when playing. The intonation was pretty spot on as well. Took slight adjustment when it got new strings (mostly at the Low E and A). The top pick-up was a touch high for my taste but if that is the worst I can say… The neck was straight and ready to play. The tuners work well and I love the keystone buttons on them that match the headstock style. It is heavier than I expected 7.5lbs- 8.4lbs. To sum things up, I cannot believe I got this beauty for this price point.Elaine, K

Sound: I haven't even got far enough to plug it in the action is so buzzy that is why i do not recommend this guitar. If it was set up to playable i would probably like it. You can feel a feel a few fret edges, but nothing horrible. That i would expect for a guitar in this price range, but for it to show up completely unplayable is unacceptable. Value: The way it arrived no. Overall: I have always liked ESP products, but today i am disappointed. This guitar arrived today and is unplayable. The neck has got a back bow and all the strings buzz horribly. The strings are hitting on the back of the bridge after the saddle because the tail piece was screwed all the way down to the body. If ESP did this they should be ashamed, if zZounds did this they should be ashamed. Not sure who set this guitar up? I'm going to try to fix it tomorrow wish me luck. If i can get to stop buzzing and to play decent i may keep it, if not it's going back. It is a pretty guitar and aside from the atrocious setup seems to be of decent quality.Shawn

Just got this guy….interesting guitar. some of the stock description is incorrect, the nut is steel or stainless steel and sits in a weird half fret area above the first fret (I have an old meazzi guitar with the same arrangement. the saddle is plastic and sits in a metal u shaped holder that you can adjust the height with the supplied alan key, handy, don't have to remove the saddle to lower the action. overall the thing is heavy and well built. had some work getting it playable though, it tuned up easy enough but there was that weird twang on the B string, usually tweeking the truss rod cures that, but it didn't, raising and lowering the saddle didn't fix it, changing the straight plastic saddle to a compensated plastic saddle didn't help either…..maybe one of the upper frets? got a little frustrating, then I decided to just change the strings, usually the first thing to do with a 300.00 guitar and that was that, no twang, weird, but this is an Italian guitar company (not to be racist, I'm Italian) so anyway, the fishman electronics are adequate, not a big fan of sound hole mounted controls but fortunately the 9 volt battery is located at the bottom of the lower bout next to the 1/4" jack as apposed to some guitars with a velcroed holder buried inside the guitar. this guitar is a strummer for sure and after I beat it up at home for awhile I'll do a gig with it.Nick

I took a chance and purchased it sight unseen because it was on sale and the most interesting (to me) in its price range. Color isn't as solidly orange-looking as in the photo. The grain is still visible. Logo on the headstock is a three-d decal, not inlay. Guitar is pretty heavy, too. The bridge is easy to adjust, which was useful, considering there was some fret buzz in the set up. After some tweaking and new strings, it's turned out to be a nice guitar.Manuel

I love the eko ranger guitars And as I hand a 12 string version I was delighted when I found this beauty which can also play through an amp and speaker. The tone is rich and warm. I love it. The price is very good for this quality instrument. Also10 out of 10 For these livery which was well ahead of the estimated delivery date. Fantastic service.jim culbert (

This is a gorgeous guitar and plays amazingly well. The frets are rounded perfectly with no jagged edges. The frets are polished extremely well. The body is very comfortable, and the Duncan JB and '59 pickups are THE standard in rock pickups especially if you want those 80's rock tones ala VH, Ratt, Crue. BUT the ability to SPLIT the pickups makes this guitar extremely versatile for Blues, Country, and even Jazz if you roll the Tone off to warm it up. The Pro-Mod San Dimas is a sure to be a classic – Charvel guitars from the 80's are still highly sought after and retain their value very well. Not many people like to get rid of them though because they play so well and are made with quality craftsmanship. The Transparent Green Burst finish is gorgeous too. The spoke wheel makes for on the flow truss rod adjustments and it is DOUBLE reinforced – which makes it very resistant to warping. And finally, the Floyd Rose system is not the cheap version. The studs are quality metal which ensures smooth movement, the arm is also closer to the original FR bar which is also nice. TIP: wrap some plumbers tape along the outside of the collar to help close the space between it and the arm to tighten it so it doesn't swing so easily (old school trick 😉 FR bridges are incredibly stable and once you tine them and lock them down they stay in tune VERY well. Get a tremolo stabilizer or block it down to make string changes easier. Get this guitar – the combination of a basswood body, maple neck, jumbo frets, JB and '59 pickups, and a quality Floyd Rose bridge make this THE standard for rock and metal guitars. And they come in other great colors.mobiletechman

Sure, there are more expensive guitars that might have a bit more to offer…but for a grand? This is really superb quality and value rolled into one. The pickups are more than great. Seymour Duncans all around. JB in the bridge with no load tone. Cool thing is, if you feel its a tad too bright, just click down to 8 or 7 and it warms up nicely. I was afraid of the no load tone pot at first, but the little click helps tremendously. You know exactly where you are. The neck feels great. Like a thin C shaped Fender. Super fast! HSS config gives you plenty of options. It comes equipped with a Floyd 1000. Not their number one unit, but it is just fine and stays in tune very well. Even after a few dive bombs. I dont generally live in that realm, but nice to know it will hold its tune. Another thing, the guitar came set up just perfect for me. Zero adjustments needed. Quality on the build, paint job and finer points, is excellent. I bought this without even playing it beforehand and I was not disappointed. Good job Charvel/Fender!iluvnicki3

Pros: Neck feels amazing Coil spit delivers great tones Floyd Rose stays in tune great Sounds amazing Get lots of compliments about it Cons: The one thing I wish I knew before buying this is the "Extra Jumbo" frets. They're too darn huge and I often wish I knew that before buying this. The block where the neck is bolted on is huge and playing passed the 17th fret is tough. The pickup switch has a "dead spot" when switching so it's possible to go silent when moving the switch. I wish I tried the DK 24 HH FR before buying this because I feel that I would've been way more satisfied. Overall it's a great guitar. I love mine to death, but yeah beware of the cons if looking at this.Dan H

So I originally wanted to buy a Taylor T5 because they feel so good and sound so awesome. This guitar sounds just as good as a Taylor T5 and about the third of the price. And its appearance is just absolutely beautiful. I was all set to upgrade the strings and set it up to my own preferences but once I started playing it it was just perfect. Vendor was excellent to work with. Very professional. Very efficient. The guitar was delivered a day earlier740*gn

This is my first classic style guitar. Its heavy, really heavy, I thought it would be light to pick up. Its really well made. The pick up are great and very bright. Shipping strings are good. No case or cover, box was well done, awesome even. Has a nubone nut, had to lube quite a bit for tuning. I feel like its a bit over priced, but that might just be me. Again, its solid, like you can smack someone with it and it won't care. I love the head stock. I got this because my hands are falling into ruin from diabetes. I'm trying really hard to find a falt for it, its just a beefy hard core classic style guitar. Volume is pretty low. If your getting into nylon strings i'd recommend it. I honestly can't find any faults for it. Heavy, beefy, Rawr.Meatpopsicle

So after about 40 years of playing music and traveling everywhere I had never actually owned and played a hybrid acoustic guitar. I wanted a Taylor T5, so sweet. $2000 was more than I wanted to give to add to my collection of 30 guitars already. My I caught this gorgeous ESP Telluride acoustic electric guitar. Playing it acoustically was nice but running it through an amp I was extremely impressed with the overall sound quality specially wearing a suit of quality headphones such as you would use in a recording session. I had about a third of the price of the T5 the quality is exceptional, not as good as a T5 before the price it is well worth it. I love this guitar and since I've bought it I rarely play anything else. Awesome guitarGary

It's a beautiful guitar that has a wonderful, rich tone. Right out of the box, it required no setup, just tuning. Love the Fishman electronics as well. It sounds great in any setting. I'd put it up against Mid-level Martins and Taylors all day long. In short, a great guitar at an affordable price.gman1967

I've been playing guitar for 12 years and this is definitely the most rich, beautiful sounding guitar I've played in a long time. Not to mention it's equally as beautiful on the outside, I mean look at it. I was hesitant to buy it because it only had a few reviews on multiple different sights and about 1/3 of those were negative, but I have no regrets. If you're thinking about buying this, just do it! Definitely the best guitar I've ever purchased.Shawn shawn

What you see (in my case) was a black Stratocaster knock-off and what I got was black Stratocaster knock. The quality is decent (downright great for the price). but of course, that means although the basic guitar is well mased the hardware and pickups are not of stellar quality. If you expected anything else you must be crazy. The guitar arrived in good shape … I put on new strings and straightened the neck, then checked the intonation which was good… This is an EXCELLECT beginner's electric guitar. I have been playing for 50 years and I bought this guitar to practice my guitar repair skills. I will pull all the frets and re-radius the neck then refret the guitar and perhaps replace the pickups. If you buy one of these, be sure have a luthier (guitar builder/repair person) set it up for you if you don't know how to do that for yourself. These are great low-end guitars but (like any other guitar) they do need a setup. I am old enough to remember all the bad ( as in almost unplayable) beginner's guitars from back in the day. Now with CNC machining the quality of the low-end guitar market has increased greatly and this guitar is the result. The beginner can now get a decent guitar at a decent price. This is one of the best guitars the low-end market segment has to offer. Rawk On!!!Thomas

Amazing shipping, Ordered 12/22, arrived 12/26, a SUNDAY, even in our historic supply chain crisis. If I'd known they'd be so fast, I'd have ordered a day or two sooner to have it here for the little ones on Christmas. Everything as expected, except not a trace of the blue burst shown on the website; just solid blue. Pretty color, seems well done, but lost a lot without the burst. The biggest problem is that the bridge (a 6-screw version) is mounted off-center towards the treble side. This means the bass strings are way in on the neck, and the treble strings are close to the edge. Also, they don't line up right with the pickups. (see photos). I hope that's not a problem, it'd be a real bear to fix, and given the automated production of a unit like this, a replacement would probably be the same. Neck has a satin finish, knobs all work smoothly, no scratchies, arranged as Volume, Neck Tone, Center Tone. The selector switch feels stiff but solid. Jack nut seems tight (always seems to be a weak point in electrics) but we'll see for how long. I like the block saddles. I doubt I'm going to gig with this one (I play upper-tier Strats mostly) but it seems like the perfect "bathroom guitar" or kids guitar, certainly better than the plywood crap I learned on. A great replacement for Squier Affinity that now costs $249 street. I wanted a guitar to tinker with, and I sure got one. New strings, tuners, pups… fun for me and the grandkids. I won't save money when it's all done, but the experience for me and them will be golden.New User

I bought this a little over a month ago, and I play it every day. I'm a beginning guitar player, and I'm happy with my purchase. The reviews I read prior to buying this varied: some said it was flawless, others found multiple problems. It appears that while it is an overall good value, the individual guitars may vary in quality. I haven't had a "set up" done on it yet, so I've been playing it just "out of the box" and I'm impressed with the sound and playability. Pros: Looks good. Sounds good. The little practice amp that came with it sounds very nice, and you're not gonna play a bar gig with it, but it's sufficient for practicing at home or even in a garage jam. It's built to upgrade over time, so you can easily customize it how you like. Cons (bearing in mind this is just "out of the box" with no setup): The frets are installed inconsistently. Some frets are flush to the edge of the fretboard, a few are a bit short of the edge, and others stick out past the edge, making it difficult and painful to slide your hands down the fretboard. (See the photo.) This doesn't seem to affect the sound. There's a light intonation issue on the higher strings: a perfectly tuned E on the open string gets to be a sharp E in the 12th fret (so it's about halfway between an E and an F), but this could probably be fixed with a proper set up. Very minor issue: the strap that comes with it is AWFUL. It's thin, it's itchy, it has no pick holders, and the slots to go into the buttons on the guitar don't lock well. Very minor issue: the gig bag is flimsy. Consistent with the reviews I read before buying this, it is definitely worth the money if you are a beginning guitar player or are looking to customize your own guitar over time. The sound is good out of the box and it's a great guitar that can grow with you as you grow as a musician. The quality of individual components (the finish, the frets, etc.) may vary a bit from item to item, which is to be expected at this price point.New User

. Now let me set the scene… I am a guitar lover (I can even play a little too) and a quality professional so My expectations are somewhat higher than most looking at this product. An absolutely beautiful instrument, this is my second SA360 and although they are no longer. Made in Japan, be assured they have not lost any of the build quality or attention to detail. The guitar was really well set up, is great to play, feels good in the hand and sounds the bee’s knee’s. If you are looking to start out in guitar playing get yourself an Ibanez Gio to start as a first upgrade from that, then the SA series is where you want to be at.Timbo

I had a great experience with Musiciansfriend. I called my gear advisor, Scott, and he went the extra mile to answer all of my questions over about a two week period. My guitar weighs just under 10 pounds. The set up was superb with a low action and near perfect intonation. Phenomenal sound. Just amazing. Each string rings out clear and balanced. This is my first Gibson. I am a Fender player ('69 Jaguar, '97 Strat) so I was afraid I wouldn't like the warm tones of the humbuckers (nearly went with P90 because of this), but I can't compliment this guitar enough. It's a legend for a reason. The only bad thing is the case. It's obvious that Gibson doesn't take as much care in quality control for their cases. Pea sized bubble on the exterior and lining already coming unglued. However, musiciansfriend is working to right this for me.Jonathan

Overall: Ordered my 60's Les Paul in Unburst on Thursday February 10th. I paid for overnight shipping cause I couldn't wait & zZounds didn't disappoint. Guitar arrived on Friday the 11th before noon!!! Thank you zZounds. Now onto the review……amazing guitar. The figured top is beautiful. zZounds lets you pick the Les Paul you want by serial number & the top looks even better in person, I couldn't be happier. The fit & finish is excellent. Setup is perfect out of the box, plays like a dream. Sustain for days & the '61 Burstbucker R & T pickups just scream!!! Gibson's quality control is on point now!!! Just a beautiful guitar.James

Wow, does this guitar growl. These pickups are so hot, I was startled when I turned up the amp. On clean, every note in a chord is articulated brilliantly. And the sustain is strikingly long and full. I thought the fit and finish was exceptional, and appreciate the quality considering the price. It makes my other guitars feel like I'm riding a bike with a flat tire. It's just not a fair comparison. I am afraid I will have to upgrade my entire fleet now – it has spoiled me. I am more gratified with the purchase than I anticipated.Howard

Picked up a 2019, same exact model about a month ago. Quality and build is superb, the carved top has even more flame than I expected. I wanted an "understated" look, and it's perfect. Flame changes with light. The nitro finish is buffed like new, unlike the VOS models, and the natural dye on the back and neck is rich and deep. Instrument is plek'd, action and intonation are flawless. The CustomBucker pickups are all the rage, you can only get them on a new instrument, and are supposed to be the best PAF repro so far. I'm still trying to decide if I like them, my ears say that the 60s have more natural midrange than 59s, but I can eq it out on my amps. They also seem to be unpotted. I'm really inspired by the sound and feel of the '60 LP, the looks and quality are just icing.Ron

So I originally wanted to buy a Taylor T5 because they feel so good and sound so awesome. This guitar sounds just as good as a Taylor T5 and about the third of the price. And its appearance is just absolutely beautiful. I was all set to upgrade the strings and set it up to my own preferences but once I started playing it it was just perfect. Vendor was excellent to work with. Very professional. Very efficient. The guitar was delivered a day earlier740*gn

This is my first classic style guitar. Its heavy, really heavy, I thought it would be light to pick up. Its really well made. The pick up are great and very bright. Shipping strings are good. No case or cover, box was well done, awesome even. Has a nubone nut, had to lube quite a bit for tuning. I feel like its a bit over priced, but that might just be me. Again, its solid, like you can smack someone with it and it won't care. I love the head stock. I got this because my hands are falling into ruin from diabetes. I'm trying really hard to find a falt for it, its just a beefy hard core classic style guitar. Volume is pretty low. If your getting into nylon strings i'd recommend it. I honestly can't find any faults for it. Heavy, beefy, Rawr.Meatpopsicle

So after about 40 years of playing music and traveling everywhere I had never actually owned and played a hybrid acoustic guitar. I wanted a Taylor T5, so sweet. $2000 was more than I wanted to give to add to my collection of 30 guitars already. My I caught this gorgeous ESP Telluride acoustic electric guitar. Playing it acoustically was nice but running it through an amp I was extremely impressed with the overall sound quality specially wearing a suit of quality headphones such as you would use in a recording session. I had about a third of the price of the T5 the quality is exceptional, not as good as a T5 before the price it is well worth it. I love this guitar and since I've bought it I rarely play anything else. Awesome guitarGary

For years Squier has been a popular brand of discount Fenders. They were often someone's first guitar. It was very rare that a guitar enthusiast would want to search out a Squier for their collection, once it was established. Squier has been seriously making a much better product in recent years. With their Paranormal line they have created guitars that are definitely worth owning. They are uniquely crafted, despite being made in China. Even the pickups are designed to be specific to the sound the guitar goes for. The Super Sonic is easily one of the most eye catching. With two volume knobs and two exceptionally juiced humbuckers, you will be surprised what this guitar brings to the table. It's sound can be explosive and heavy. It is made for overdrive pedals and tube amps. The tremolo is near perfect. Two bits of advice that you must know when you get this guitar; first it comes with the wrong type of strings on it. You will need at least 10s in a heavy gauge to make the tremolo work without it slipping out of tune. 9s will not cut it, so restring it first thing. Also the string action most often comes from the factory being too high. Make sure you have a small allen wretch. Adjust the string height is extremely easy, easier than all my Fenders, and it can go low. You get some low action on this guitar, with the tremolo working perfect, and that thick overdrive, you have yourself an addition to your collection that is very much worth the money. This guitar is very much a reason to set out and go in search of a Squier.Ragnorok76

This was my first purchase from ProAudioStar. I ordered on Wednesday, it shipped on Thursday and arrived on Saturday. The guitar was well packed and arrived safely. The Squier Toronado itself is gorgeous with quality similar to the Classic Vibes. Frets are nice, finish is perfect, neck is straight, no obvious flaws (after 2 days at least!). The humbuckers are surprisingly bright, which is a good thing to me. The only word of caution is that the LPB finish is darker than usual. I have a LPB Stratocaster and the Toronado is significantly darker. I actually like the darker shade, it's just something to be aware of.AverageTortoise-819

A perfectly playable guitar at a sub $500 price point that’s a ton of fun as well! Pros: Short-scale, humbucker-equipped, independent volume and tone controls (all very un-Fender-like)! Cons: I would have preferred a satin finished neck; however, the gloss finish looks great, the pickups were set up waaaaay too low to even be really audible, one of saddle screws was stripped and fell out. These last two I fixed myself. Otherwise, the guitar looks and plays great! A quirky Fender with a big voice!Scott

I have a few guitars. I trade them and sell them frequently. The Radium is one I hope I don’t ever have to sell. I’ve had my Radium for about a year. I’ve got a US made Telecaster, a U.S. G&L, a few guitars made in East Asian countries, and Mexico. The fit and finish on this guitars is just as good, maybe better than any of the others in my stable. The pickups are really nice and the coil split make them really versatile. The neck is great. Some folks complain about the “blockie-ness” of the set neck—where the guitar body meets the neck. I say, just play it! The way the neck is set gives me a great “handle” for tucking in and playing up at the highest frets. The fretwork is fantastic too. Did I mention the finish? I should have led off with that. It’s one of the prettiest guitars I have ever seen. I’ve got the two toned version with a mahogany center and basswood wings. The 12in neck radius is really nice, along with the slightly shorter scale.

I’ve you’re looking for something with lots of tones on tap in a very playable and beautiful package you might give this a try.

The Radium is one of the best bang for my (your) buck guitars I’ve played in a long time. If I lost mine tomorrow…I’d buy another one immediately.Brandon Smith