Spalted Maple Acoustic Electric Guitar For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

This guitar was affordable. I shaved off 2mm from the bridge to make it closer to the height I'm used to. It plays easy, it sounds good and it looks great. My Alvarez sounds better only because it is bigger. This is one solid guitar. I will have another one. I replaced the strings with slinky strings(pink pack) I'm loving it now!!david-hilton-photography

I admit I was a little hesitant to purchase online without having the ability to play it first. I have extremely small hands an this fits like a glove. In all honest it has taken be a bit to write this because I was having to much fun with my guitar. The service was fast and efficient. I plan on purchasing more items from this individuals. Thank you for this wonderful piece of craftsmanship. Sincerely, Mama bearmycar_18

This is proving to be a great guitar for my 8-year-old son. It seems to be good quality. There's a tiny bit of fret sprout, which I'm hoping goes away with a slightly higher humidity. The top has a beautiful figure.tenma4

This guitar was affordable. I shaved off 2mm from the bridge to make it closer to the height I'm used to. It plays easy, it sounds good and it looks great. My Alvarez sounds better only because it is bigger. This is one solid guitar. I will have another one. I replaced the strings with slinky strings(pink pack) I'm loving it now!!david-hilton-photography

I admit I was a little hesitant to purchase online without having the ability to play it first. I have extremely small hands an this fits like a glove. In all honest it has taken be a bit to write this because I was having to much fun with my guitar. The service was fast and efficient. I plan on purchasing more items from this individuals. Thank you for this wonderful piece of craftsmanship. Sincerely, Mama bearmycar_18

This is proving to be a great guitar for my 8-year-old son. It seems to be good quality. There's a tiny bit of fret sprout, which I'm hoping goes away with a slightly higher humidity. The top has a beautiful figure.tenma4

This guitar was affordable. I shaved off 2mm from the bridge to make it closer to the height I'm used to. It plays easy, it sounds good and it looks great. My Alvarez sounds better only because it is bigger. This is one solid guitar. I will have another one. I replaced the strings with slinky strings(pink pack) I'm loving it now!!david-hilton-photography

I admit I was a little hesitant to purchase online without having the ability to play it first. I have extremely small hands an this fits like a glove. In all honest it has taken be a bit to write this because I was having to much fun with my guitar. The service was fast and efficient. I plan on purchasing more items from this individuals. Thank you for this wonderful piece of craftsmanship. Sincerely, Mama bearmycar_18

This is proving to be a great guitar for my 8-year-old son. It seems to be good quality. There's a tiny bit of fret sprout, which I'm hoping goes away with a slightly higher humidity. The top has a beautiful figure.tenma4

The Maton 808 fits perfectly. Usually the 4" will fit most guitars but, not this one. I had noticed a few questions concerning this so I thought I would post this. A 4" cover can be ground down to size but, it's a chore that you may not want to tackle. The size here is actually pretty close to 3 3/4". The Maton is 95mm which translates very close to 3.75". A few thousands of inch at best. Pretty snug fit but, you don't want it slop around at all. Just FYI.Terry

I purchased this guitar twice because the first one had a bend to the neck, so the strings would buzz and not play properly on higher frets. I returned it and then ordered another one assuming the first was a fluke. The second one came in and was fine, but within a month the same issue occured. Still have it and just play the lower frets, but still was a waste of money. Looks amazing and sounds great when it works properly.Matthew

I played guitar for 15 years back in the day and owned 6 acoustic guitars in my lifetime. From mid-priced Takamines to cheap Washburns. I went to Guitar Center for a "learn how to play again cheap guitar" and tried all the cutaways in the $150-400 range. Fender, Yamaha, Alvarez, Ibanez and even above my price range. A salesman said one sentence. Try the Mitchell Guitars, they are the best bang for the buck. I went home that night and did my research. I looked at wood quality, body/bracing styles, neck sizes/wood types, hardware. Made a list and went back with 7 guitars in stock I wanted to feel/hear. Yes, Mitchell guitars absolutely had the best materials for the money. But how were their playability and actual sound? I tried a few models and they were either soft/flat sounding or had a sloppy fretboard. Other brands in the same price range had much cheaper materials. It came down to the Alvarez Regent (wish they had the Artist series to try) and this Mitchell guitar. I was able to buy the MX430QAB on sale but this guitar plays above its actual price. I tried a few $600 dollar guitars and the quality is much closer to those guitars. Bass tones are deep/rich/punchy (not dreadnought deep but enough). The mid-tones really shine and the highs pop without being too bright or overwhelming. A wide-ranging rich-toned balanced Orchestra guitar. The neck is so playable. I have read that about other guitars. The Talman series, or Festival series. Maybe they just needed to be setup. This guitar was set up perfectly. Going up and down the fretboard doing scales or chords was a total breeze even for someone who hasn't picked up a guitar in 5 years. It holds the tuning very well and I am sure this guitar will settle in and have an even richer tone over time. Guitars all have different personalities, so trying them out is recommended. But this is a good bet for the 300-400 price range.Myles

Do not buy without seeing/playing. I waited 6 months for this to arrive and was SO looking forward to it. The finish is absolutely beautiful, which makes the rest of the story that much more depressing. The tremolo, specifically the D-Tuna, does not fit the cavity. It hits the body when in regular E tuning. When I first picked it up, it wasn't surprising that it wasn't exactly tuned after shipping, though it was actually close. However the sixth string was tuned to E, with the D-Tuna disengaged (so should have been a D). I thought that was an odd mistake, but realized after trying to engage the D-Tuna into regular E position that whoever did the final setup did that on purpose because it won't go into E position without totally colliding with the body! Oh and the bridge pickup is totally loose and wobbling. That can probably just be tightened, but please… This is the second EVH Wolgang USA I've seen since Eddie's death that has had major, similar problems. The other's bridge pickup worked intermittently, and again the D-Tuna was hitting the body. It would be one thing if this was a cheap, import guitar. But at this price, these issues are unacceptable. So again, hold and examine the guitar yourself before buying.Joel D

Just bought this guitar and could not be more satisfied. To put my review in context: been playing 30 years, have had over 50 guitars and currently hold onto about 20- most are the high end USA models with "bells and whistles." I just read the book "Eruption" written by guitar magazine journalists and loved it- described Ed's constant tinkering with his guitars and search for best tones. Half way through I knew I wanted to go get an EVH model to add to my guitars (played a few over the years and they were all great, but very expensive Music Man Axis / Peavey), and wanted to wait until I finished the book to narrow down my search and go try out a new one to buy. Glad I did- toward the end of the book he explained how this model guitar is exactly what he wants to play right off the shelf as an entry level model a great gift to guitarists wanting an affordable guitar that isnt junk. I bought it and after about an hour playing with it as my guitar tuned down to Eb half a step- it is now my #1 guitar for that tuning (also for context my #1 for standard tuning is a Shur super strat which costs like 6x this Wolfgang). In response to some other lower reviews- yes, this is not equipped with a Floyd Rose floating bridge, just as Ed played- he sites the reason as Pros= better tone and you can rest your hand a little on the bridge without playing out of tune. Yes, the cons include not being able to pull up a note to really high pitch with the bar. right off the shelf it was set up with IMHO the best gauge string for his type of playing and a guitar tuned down half a step- 09-46 gauge. The 6 page manual with the guitar was really cool- a note from Ed was in it about how he wants folks to play the guitar and make it their own with literally their playing, grit and grease from hand oil actually being the wood finishing on the unfinished wood. The neck and fretboard are very sturdy, with jumbo frets and the latest technology in manufacturing to ensure each note can be fretted and in remain in tune / bend smoothly. All electronics are top notch- great humbucker pickups picked by Ed after a trial of about 100 different different pickups during the design phase. Tuners and Floyd Rose Special bridge were standard- I may upgrade them in a few months after breaking in the guitar. This is the only guitar review I have ever done- just trying to get some good karma I guess from this treasure I found and pass on the scoop on this guitar to others. Hope this helps- buy this! The perfect guitar to make yours just as it is, or customize/tinker around with it since it is affordable and there is much less stress of messing something up. IMHO if this guitar gets its due in the upcoming years it is our generation's Les Paul.Kevin

This was my upgrade from a Lucero 150se and what a difference it made. In terms of playability there's no comparison, the Cordoba is superior in every way. Start with the tuners/nut which are perfectly smooth allowing you to make small adjustments even on steel strings. Playing the Cordoba is simply easier and there were things I could not do well on the Lucero due to the thickness of the wood neck. Mind you I'm not talking about the nut width which is 50mm on both, I'm talking the actual thickness of the wood neck itself below the fret board. The slimmer profile of the Cordoba meant reaching certain chords easier, changing chords faster, and giving my hands the ability to put pressure when needed. The factory strings on the Cordoba appear to be superior as well although I would still upgrade them if you can afford it; the steel strings on the Lucero wore out at about 85hrs. No fret noise of any kind on the Cordoba (so long as you play the chord right) whereas on the Lucero I would get buzzing on frets 5 & 6 from both 5th and 4th strings with anything other than light strumming, even with perfect finger placement. The sound of the Cordoba is more sharp, crisp, and clear than the Lucero. My only con is that the shallower body does create a slightly more "twangy" sound than I'm used to but its a negligible difference I quickly settled with in exchange for the other qualities. You get what you pay for. This is a very solid guitar for the price. I would recommend nothing less for serious beginners.Joe T

I mostly play rock/popular music gigs but wanted a classical nylon guitar for that particular sound on home recording projects. I researched intermediate level guitars and thought I'd found what I wanted when I chanced on a review of the Cordoba C7 and decided to spend a little more and go with that. I haven't been disappointed. The build quality and tone have been worth that little extra. It would have been nice if a gig bag was included to give it some protection but it wasn't a deal breaker.David

I had a misconception regarding this brand. The only Cordoba's I noticed in stock at the store were inexpensive ukuleles. So when I began the search for a proper classical guitar, Cordoba was nowhere on my list. I ordered a used european built guitar by a reputable brand. It arrived with a bad up-bow in the neck. That's when I learned that traditional classical guitars have no truss rod. (Just my opinion, but wood isn't what it used to be, and you aren't going to get an instrument built with old growth timber under several thousand dollars.) So began my search for a "traditional classical guitar", but with a truss rod. That google search led straight to Cordoba. (All their models have truss rods.) I ordered a C7 (built in China) and a 45CO (built in Spain) to see what this brand was about. It would be a battle royale for build and sound quality. The loser is… my bank account, because I'd like to keep both. The two have a different build and likewise a different feel and sound. (see Cordoba's website for details.) Fit and finish is impeccable on both guitars. The C7 projects more, while the 45CO has perhaps a slightly more refined tone. My past experience has been that nylon string guitars are difficult to play, have poor intonation and need to be tuned more than played. None of that is the case with these two. My steel string acoustic and electrics are collecting dust while I obsess over this genre of guitar. My conclusion is… classical guitars are awesome, and Cordoba should definitely be on your test drive list. What I received are well priced instruments that are not only well made but intoxicatingly fun to play.JRH

Ottima esperienza di acquisto, nonostante un leggero ritardo nella spedizione l'assistenza clienti e' stata presente e disponibile. L' U-bass e' perfetto, consegnato con un imballo solido e ben fatto.Luca Ulvini

This guitar was affordable. I shaved off 2mm from the bridge to make it closer to the height I'm used to. It plays easy, it sounds good and it looks great. My Alvarez sounds better only because it is bigger. This is one solid guitar. I will have another one. I replaced the strings with slinky strings(pink pack) I'm loving it now!!david-hilton-photography

I admit I was a little hesitant to purchase online without having the ability to play it first. I have extremely small hands an this fits like a glove. In all honest it has taken be a bit to write this because I was having to much fun with my guitar. The service was fast and efficient. I plan on purchasing more items from this individuals. Thank you for this wonderful piece of craftsmanship. Sincerely, Mama bearmycar_18

This is proving to be a great guitar for my 8-year-old son. It seems to be good quality. There's a tiny bit of fret sprout, which I'm hoping goes away with a slightly higher humidity. The top has a beautiful figure.tenma4

I recently lost this guitar in a bus crash and was looking to replace it. Nothing else really sparked my interest or had the same features (coil split, decent trem, locking tuners) around this price so I just bought the same one again. Beautiful top, a really warm tone from the pickups that at first came across as muddy, but after a few tweeks it has a beautiful deep, richness to the tone. My other Schecter has the "baseball bat" feeling neck, this one is much more comfortable to play.Reviewed by Absolute Music custo

Overall: I actually purchased it expecting all the midrange I wanted. I was not surprised that it has All the midrange and then some! would have purchased it anyway because of the looks , Abalone vine of life on a ebony fingerboard. Absolutely stunning. The fact that it plays like butter is just icing on the cake. Schechter is nailing it ! as usual. I bought it for playing Blues” with a slide ! I was not disappointed all , five stars in every category !Darrel

Completely satisfied with this purchase. Great features for the price. Visually beautiful. Had to take a star off the review for the string action out of the factory though. I had to pay a tech to sand down the bridge saddle. Cost me $45. Now it plays fantastic. I'll enjoy this for years.SKARRDGUITAR

Overall: This is one fine acoustic guitar. Beautiful woods and finish. Electronics and tuner are good. Tone and action excellent. Been playing 50 years and would not hesitate playing out or taking to a jam session plugged or unplugged. Have owned dean entry level acoustic bass for years, solid build and reliable. This brand new guitar feels and sounds solid. Have never dealt with dean but zZounds has been 5 star buying high level martin and fender past few years.Rich

Excellent acoustic bass! Plays amazing and the finish is flawless! I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the full 34 scale neck, turned out to be great! I am finding it way easier to transition back and forth to my electric bass vs my old 30ish scale ABG. Tuner works very well but I'm not a huge fan of how it sounds plugged in kinda tinny. That's alright tho cause I bought it to practice unplugged and will rarely play it plugged in anyway. I swapped the strings out to tapewounds and made an already amazing guitar even better. I think those strings are a must for any acoustic bass, rounds are just too noisy at that low volume. But all around a great looking and great playing instrument!Josh

This is a great guitar for the money. Really good value. As a lefthanded guitar player choices are always very limited so when I started looking for a hybrid guitar with both piezo and magnetic pickups there were not too many choices. I watched a lot of YouTube videos and decided to pull the trigger on this Michael Kelly guitar. First of all, the looks of this guitar are absolutely stunning. I got the spalted maple burst finish and it is gorgeous. It has maple pickup covers/rings and knobs. A very nice touch to add to the acoustic looks. The action was super low out of the box but not a single buzz anywhere on the fretboard. The piezo sound is very nice, equal to pretty much any bridge piezo system out there I've heard. The magnetic pickups are surprisingly nice. Very smooth and clear with a split coil option for even more tonal options. The one issue I had upon arrival is that the piezo pickup was pretty unbalanced across the strings, which is a common problem for this type of pickup. I emailed Michael Kelly and heard back the next day with some suggestions. I was able to get it much more balanced by taking the bridge piece out and shimming it a little. Still not perfect but it's much better. I may put some clay in the slot to even put the pressure. It is string with .010s so increasing the string gauge would probably help with this as well. Overall I am super happy with guitar and have been playing it nonstop since I got it. I've been playing guitar for over 35 years, own 20+ guitars and this one has become a new favorite. When paired with my Line 6 Helix Floor I can easily switch between the acoustic and electric tones with great sounds on both.Jeremy

The switches are easy. The Sound is "In Your Face" You can Play as an Acoustic, or Electric, or both. The quality of sound is full, and bright. Depending on how you want to play it, (style-wise) you will be able to manipulate your sound with ease! I Love the look, the weight, and the feel.Discovering Guitar Passion

Overall: The guitar itself is great. Good- Fit and finish are excellent. Plays well, frets are nice, finish and looks are amazing. Bad- Fret buzz on high E upper frets. Battery for Fishman pickup is dead. Hunbuckers are nice but very mellow- don’t be fooled by the videos, you will need a pedal to get growl out of these. Running through the Orange Micro Terror and there is no bark at all from these. And the Orange gets a nasty tone when you max it out. Worse- zZounds is supposedly known for customer service but nit this time I guess. When I contacted them about the battery and feet buzz, they said the expectation is everyone will take it to a luthier for a set up. Maybe if I was adjusting something or wanted it set differently. I just wanted to be able to play it out of the box and can’t because of the buzz issue. I guess $850 doesn’t buy you much anymore. Not at all happy with zZounds. I hate to rate this low because if it all worked this would be an amazing guitar. Didn’t happen in this instance though.Thad

This guitar was affordable. I shaved off 2mm from the bridge to make it closer to the height I'm used to. It plays easy, it sounds good and it looks great. My Alvarez sounds better only because it is bigger. This is one solid guitar. I will have another one. I replaced the strings with slinky strings(pink pack) I'm loving it now!!david-hilton-photography

I admit I was a little hesitant to purchase online without having the ability to play it first. I have extremely small hands an this fits like a glove. In all honest it has taken be a bit to write this because I was having to much fun with my guitar. The service was fast and efficient. I plan on purchasing more items from this individuals. Thank you for this wonderful piece of craftsmanship. Sincerely, Mama bearmycar_18

This is proving to be a great guitar for my 8-year-old son. It seems to be good quality. There's a tiny bit of fret sprout, which I'm hoping goes away with a slightly higher humidity. The top has a beautiful figure.tenma4

I picked up this guitar today. It came wrapped in bubble wrap so I'm guessing it was a floor model . But the issue with it is there is maybe a paper width distance from the strings to the frets. Also the neck was out of adjustment . This was supposed to be an anniversary gift and it sounds awful.. extremely disappointed.Jesse

I play this every time I get the chance too. The tone is perfect to my ears, really bright and also has some bass to it too, not as much as other guitars but it does the job. The color way is just beautiful and the way it was built well it just feels like butter!!!! The frets are good no sharpness, the only issue I have with it that the action is a little high for me but a simple fix can make this guitar perfect!!!!! 10/10 I recommend if you're thinking of getting a Cort guitar they're amazingJorge

Having relatively recently started learning guitar on an electric stratocaster-style guitar this was a great transition to the acoustic segment. The thinner body makes it much more comfortable to play than say a dreadnought and the neck is comfortable to transition too, yet the guitar doesn't seem to sacrifice as much sound as you'd expect from a thinner guitar. The finish of the guitar is that of a more expensive guitar for example the rosewood finger board. On arrival I actually thought the guitar looked better than the pictures on the website suggest but do note that because of the finish it is prone to showing finger marks which would need cleaning time to time. I would highly recommend this guitar.Richard P.

After suffering a permanent back injury I could no longer play my elictric guitar as it was too heavy or my acoustic electric guitar because it felt like it was twice it's normal size because I could no longer find a comfortable position for myself to play it. I bought a keyboard thinking that I could still play music. Afterv two weeks of playing around with the keyboard I gave up pllaying. Then I saw on the internet one night an advertisement for a 3/4 size Yamaha acoustic electric guitar guitar with a slimline bosy which looked like a nice guitar so I checked out males and females playing it and sounded very nice so I bought one. Man am I'm so glad I did. I got the sunburst like this one on sale. I was excited as l took it out of the box and went straight to my mancave and started playing it. It was perfecty in tune and for a guitar of this size it's got such a beautiful tone playing ACOUSTIC. So I plugged it in and it's as good as it sounded on YouTube. As an 67 yesr old man who started playing guitar when I was 16 years old, this is a beauty. I recommend this guitar to beginners, anyone with small hands and even people who want a good guitar to take with them without taking up much space in your car. Yep, it's a beaty.Deano

Great sounding and playing guitar, I replaced the synthetic saddle for bone, original was to tapered on the high E new saddle took care of that. Buy the epiphone or roadrunner jumbo case, nothing else fits, make sure if the guitar comes straight from the factory you use a humidifier in your case for at least 6 months. Especially in colorado. Then if you leave it out without a humidifier that you dont have forcrd Heat or air conditioning vents close to the guitar. This guitar has great projection.Kenny

After purchasing this guitar from American Musical Supply, I was really nervous awaiting its arrival because this was actually my first time purchasing an instrument online. I’m used to going inside music shops and trying out different gear and playing guitars before I buy them so I know that what I’m taking home with me already feels comfortable and right in my hands. This guitar in particular, however, is not a style that is normally kept stocked in the stores for customers to test drive before they purchase. Similar models are available in stores near me but I think anyone who has ever wanted this particular model from Epiphone knows that they have heard and felt the beautiful sound that projects from this big guitar and I am here to tell you that my “leap of faith” online purchase was nothing more than a huge win in my book! This guitar looks, sounds and plays just as I expected it would with much more to offer once it’s actually in your hands! I’m personally a country/blues guy so this guitar definitely fits right up that alley in my opinion. It feels so solid in your hands and the tone is just plain awesome! The Jumbo body allows the sounds inside the guitar to reverberate through your body as it’s pressed against you before making its way through the sound hole where it flourishes into that awesome deep, thick sound. From the factory the guitar is set up beautifully and very playable right out of the box. Quality parts, quality wood and quality electronics as expected from Epiphone and very well executed in this model. Definitely worth every penny for the undecided guitarist but hey, don’t take just my word for it! Pick up this awesome guitar from Epiphone through these good folks here at American Musical and set yourself up with one of their payment plans if that interests you! It’s an awesome way to be able to get the gear you need and the gear you’ve been wanting without breaking the bank right on the spot! Excellent Job by Epiphone once again and an excellent job by American Musical for supplying it at an awesome price and providing sweet payment options for your customers and future consumers!Billy

I once owned a Gibson J15, that I bought from Guitar Center, and I loved it, but I always wanted a J200, I just could never afford one. Well, I ended up having to sell my J15 to pay rent one month, and I ended up having some extra money from it, and thought why not give the Epi a try? It's closer to the Guitar I always wanted anyways. I was blown away. It has all the high end stylings of a Gibson J200, maybe even more if you consider the built in tuner and cutaway features for about 3000$ less. Well, unfortunately I only owned it for about a week before my car broke down and I had to return my Epi to pay for the repairs. I've regretted it ever since. I would have rather donated blood 50 times than have returned that guitar. (Fortunately I just got my tax return and repurchased it, and it seems like it sounds even better than before). As I was saying, it stacks up against s Gibson guitar nicely, the shadow preamp isn't as nice as any LR Baggs system but it will certainly give you lots of usable sounds. I think this is the best guitar in the 500$ price range and I'm disappointed in Guitar Center for not carrying it in store. I'm a firm believer in the fact that having a guitar you like, you like the looks of, you like the feel of, will make you a better guitarist, and that's what this beautiful, fat boy jumbo acoustic has done for me. I actually like mine so much I decided to put some money into it for upgrades, and I haven't been disappointed. I stuck some Grover Keystone tuners on it in gold of course ( had them on my Epi Les Paul before and thought would look cool so I just swapped them), some Martin ebony bridge pins, and some D'Addario EXPs and this thing sounds unreal now. So, if you're reading this because you're unsure as to whether you should buy this guitar or not, yes, you should absolutely buy this guitar and never look back.Anonymous

For what it is – a very cheap, small, travel guitar, this is great. You'll need a strap as it doesn't sit high enough on your leg to be comfortable to play. Also – the action was high, but a bit of adjusting with a belt sander on the saddle and that came down well. The scale length is short, but plays OK – takes a bit of getting used to from my full-sized acoustics. Putting a capo on it and making chords further up the neck is tight, but OK. Sound is very good for a travel guitar of this size. This would be a great kids guitar or even for an adult beginner. I did put 11s on it – sounds a bit weaker, but is fine, and that's what I use on my other acoustics. I had a washburn rover before – this is better, though not as small, but worth the extra size, I think. I have a GS Mini, which is much better, but a good bit larger, and much more expensive. Tuner works good, haven't tried plugging it in yet. Bought this for the boat – seems pretty sturdy.Alexander

I bought this guitar because I have chronic pain and am a small lady and found that even smaller acoustic guitars are too big and bulky and unplayable. I like to play high up on the neck so wanted a cutaway and occasionally perform so having an electro-acoustic version means it ticks all the boxes. When play acoustically it does sound really tinny, there's not getting away from that. It also tends to be unbalanced toward the neck end, so I need a strap to keep it in place. But it is much more playable for practice and I am almost managing to play bar chords again. Not chance on a normal size guitar. It has a full fret board just smaller but not too small.Michelle S.

I ordered this for my pastors wife who wanted to learn a new instrument. She is tiny ( less that 5 ' tall) and a full size guitar would not fit her body type. I was shocked when the guitar came in. The photos on line do not do the finish justice. I was even more shocked when I played it. Most student guitars in this price point have horrible action. The set up on this from the factory was great. It was very easy to play and the sound was extremely good for a thin body acoustic . Then we plugged it in. I could not believe the sound quality of the electronics in this guitar. On Sunday, I pulled out after church and let the music team take turns with it. Everyone that played it raved about every aspect of this little guitar. The instrument also came with a quality gig bag. The material was thick, padding was good, the zippers and hardware appeared to by sturdy. Even more importantly, she loved the guitar. I highly recommend that you consider this one for your beginner or intermediate guitar student. Both Children and small adults should be pleased with this one.Greg H.

I use the guitar mainly for practice. Currently I do not have a band or know any people personally to have jam sessions with but I truly cannot wait to play in a group or a band. The guitar overall sounds amazing with pretty bright tones. This guitar is great for fingerpicking style rather than strumming but it still sounds great for strumming. The pickups are fantastic on this guitar and have a great sounds connected to an amp as well. I simply love this guitar and would highly recommend for any chords that may require "thumb-overs" the neck feels nice and is really easy to wrap your hand around. I do not have anything bad to say about this guitar!Aaron, Chaser of Christ the Lord

There’s a lot of products, items, tangible man made things in this world, and most things I would give a 4 star rating TOPS! But this guitar? This damn Taylor 214ce guitar? Bro, it’s a no brainer. 5 stars all day through and through with no hesitation. Let me just say, if you are even remotely considering buying this guitar, I will tell you as a proud owner, just buy it and rip the band-aid. I promise you it will be 100% worth it and you will thank me later. I’ve actually owned a Taylor 214ce 5 years ago and I had to sell it due to unforeseen circumstances in my life at the time and I will tell you I’ve been kicking myself in the ass up until 3 days ago when I finally got the money to get my hands on one again. So basically, I’ve bought this guitar 2 times because I love this guitar and cherish it like none other. Matter of fact, I’ll take an ass beating by saying I like this guitar much more than all the other Taylor models period. I owned a Taylor 814ce which is a $3,500 guitar and it was a colossal disappointment compared to this Taylor 214ce. Yes, for me, the cheaper $1,000 guitar is better than their higher end models. In conclusion, but the damn guitar.Vic

This is my first Taylor guitar and what a guitar it is. The set up was to the tee right out of the box. A quick tune up and it was ready to play. The action is totally amazing and so easy to play whether regular or bar chords. As far as lead runs it is amazing and the tone and projection are out of this world especially for a guitar in this price range. I have a Martin, Guild, Fender,Luna,Briarwood acoustic electric guitars and this is my new favorite. Acoustic guitars all have their own special voice, some low and some high but the Taylor's is just about in the middle which is perfect for most of the music that I play. My brothers I jam with all want to take turns playing this guitar and have decided to invest in their own. Whether this is your first guitar or an addition to your collection, you can't go wrong . I would reccomend this guitar to anyone who loves to play a beautiful sounding instrument.Steven Card

Epiphone really built a solid performer, especially for a workhorse studio guitar. It is also performs very well unplugged or plugged in for those small to medium gigs. Should be a staple for any song writing guitar player. Unbelievable value for a guitar of this quality. This is my third one (gave first two over time as gifts to my son and a good guitar playing friend).koby1947

This is a wonderful guitar, especially at this price point! I got a really good deal from Musician's Friend. I expected a great guitar (I have several Epiphone acoustics and electrics, and am very happy with the quality of the Epiphone brand) and I was not disappointed. Great finish, great sound, especially through an amp. I especially love the on-board pickup/electronics- what a great sound! After changing strings to Earthwood .10s, the string height and action were just great- no adjustments needed. The workmanship was flawless, and the finish was beautiful. I already had a case that I had purchased for a PR4e, but a quality hardshell case is still available for a remarkably cheap price.. All in all, a quality guitar at a great price.huston

This guitar is amazing for under the price. I've been playing for almost 15 years so I always hesitate with instruments in this price range (I know, I'm spoiled) I played its cousin guitar, the thinner-bodied model, at a store but they only had that one. So I went online for the bulkier version. This thing sounds great unplugged, which is saying something for the ovation line, generally having a reputation as good plugged-in guitars. The construction is what one would expect for the price but this thing walks and talks like a much more expensive rig. I'm thoroughly impressed. Do yourself a favor and grab one of these even if you don't have that much experience, I can already see this one standing strong with several of my guitars that are worth tons more.Ricky

I am very impressed by the quality of construction and materials. A tweak of the truss rod, removal of the bridge shims, and a new set of strings, and this is very playable, good sounding, and attractive instrument.Grand Stickist

I played this instrument at a jam session once and thought that i really liked it and the round back was comfortable. So I got one. when it came it did look great but the action was pretty high (even after rmoving the factory shims). Unplugged it just doesn't have a great sound. while it is super comfortable sitting down i found that when you wear it straped on while standing it becomes awkward as it tends to tip over a bit totally unlike a standard shape acoustic. So, i sent it back. For just another 50 you can get an Ibanez artwood series acoustic electric that has much superior sound. that's what i did and I'm very happy with that.h2oboy

I'm a singer-songwriter that wanted a guitar that matched my style of playing and composition. This Taylor AD27 has an authentic/natural warm and deep wooden sound. It is perfect for recording! I love it!Amanda

Before the AD-27e, I owned 4 acoustics, 1 of which was a Baby Taylor. I was happy with my lineup but really wanted an expressive warm bluesy full mahogany acoustic tone. My AD-27e came in months before the back order date and I have not put the thing down. I find myself playing it over all my guitars (including my high end Gibson electrics). Excellent guitar for the money. Would recommend over the Martin 15 series dreadnought. If I could afford another, I would have a sika spruce top. Also, the case is amazing and beautiful. I am very much the "my guitars stay in their hard cases with humidipaks" type of acoustic owner and I would take the Aerocase over a traditional hard case any day of the week. I have not tried stacking my guitars (in that sense the hard case is better), but for all other uses are fine.DAN