"Purdy" and Sturdy Student Guitar
587516
Bought this for my 13 year old who has just started classes at Middle School. It's perfect minus a small fret board shaving that was out of place that I easily pushed back . He loves it and the sound is both haunting and rich. Highly recommend!
4349231
I ordered this guitar out of desperation, I have always wanted a left handed 12 string, but could not find anything under $600. I saw this and took a gamble and ordered it, not really expecting much. I must say that I am still happy with my purchase. I received the guitar on time and it even included a free 1/4 inch guitar cable. However, I am rating this guitar on 2 criteria: sound and playability. While there were a few defects in the finish there was nothing that really took away from sound and playability.

The action was amazing right out of the box (I just had to do a little tweaking of the truss rod, but I am real picky. There was a minor buzzing of one of the high E strings but the rest were spot on.) The strings were EXPs which were a great feature in such an inexpensive guitar (I normally change the strings on a new guitar immediately but I still have the original strings on it today after 2 months and they still sound great after many, many hours of play.)

Acoustically the guitar sounds great, very lively and bright, like a 12 string is supposed to. Amplified the guitar has a decent tone as well, and the preamp works great for modifying your tone. The XLR input is a great feature and makes it convenient for using with a PA system. I have used it several times at church and have been complimented on the sound quality of the guitar. The only complaint is that the volume knob is a little impercise; the volume seems to be off or loud with nothing inbetween. This can be adjusted through your amp's or PA's volume control so that is just a minor problem. The built in tuner is ok (don't turn the tuner on while plugged into an amp or PA because there will be harsh squeak.)

The  chrome tuners could be better, but they are functional (the guitar stays in tune for at least a day, which is average for a 12 string.)

Overall, I am blown away with the quality and sound from my 12 string. I was not expecting much but received a great sounding and playing instrument! I understand that quality control from Chinese made guitars are not the best; but I got lucky and received a terrific guitar for the money. I would certainly recommend this instrument to any left handed guitar player who is shopping for a 12 string.
3003367
I bought this guitar several weeks ago as a graduation gift because of 2 main reasons:
- solid spruce top
- gold Grover tuners
These are features typically found on guitars selling for much bigger bucks.
When I received it, aside from the fact it did not appear to be new (minor scratches, missing packing etc...but it was in acceptable condition...could have been a "2nd" or a return?), it did not disappoint.
The strings were D'Addario's, the action was good, no fret-buzz, nice tone & plucked harmonics.
The neck, back & sides are not real mahogany...other reviewers here have done an excellent job researching this (see YOYO's review)...it is apparently "nato"...which is a less expensive mahogany-like wood...but it works!
There is at least one Youtube clip on the internet of someone playing this model, and it sounds pretty good...and similar to the one I got.
As a comparison, I have a Takamine/Jasmine S34C,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Jasmine-by-Takamine-S34C-NEX-Cutaway-Acoustic-Guitar/dp/B0002GXZK4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Jasmine by Takamine S34C NEX Cutaway Acoustic Guitar</a>, that cost ~$100, and while it is a perfectly fine base-level guitar, it cannot compete with the SD50N.
If they would include a gig bag for protection, I would give it a full 5-stars...but even without, it is a no-brainer purchase...especially when it is in the Gold Box on sale, like today!
I recommend buying this guitar at any price under $200, without reservation, and also suggest considering a gig bag or case, since you will want to protect this baby!
EDIT: I discovered that they do offer a gig bag package:&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Silvertone-SD50-Dreadnought-Acoustic-Guitar-Package/dp/B000189NV8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Silvertone SD50 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Package</a>, and it costs about the same as the guitar by itself...
141731
Bought this guitar for my 5 year old grandson based on other reviews and having tried the Yamaha 3/4 steel string acoustic at a local store. Impressed by the close action (distance from strings to neck) on the 3/4. Also went to the Yamaha site, which was helpful.

The action on this 1/2 acoustic is about 1/8", and my grandson easily fingered D, A and a modified G chords the first time. The first three strings are nylon and have an acceptable sound (a bit plunky, as is usual with low end nylon guitars). But the low E has a deep and resonant sound. All together, the guitar sounds pleasant and is well made. The finish is gloss on the face and matte elsewhere. Good sound, easy to play, well made, affordable price.

But wait ... there's more. A lot more. Look at all the accessories for only an additional $10 shipping. Easily $30-40 worth of items you will eventually want. My grandson liked the foot rest the most. He can stand, brace his foot on the rest and hold the guitar comfortably without a strap.

Which brings up the only negative aspect of this deal. The guitar is a classical style and does not have a strap knob on the end of the guitar. The strap requires what? That's right ... a strap knob. So we will use it elsewhere. And, the supplier substituted additional picks and a pick case (physically difficult to operate) for the tuning crank without warning. The electronic tuner works, but is not sensitive enough.

The best part? I needed the guitar in a hurry for a present. I called The Instrument Store and spoke with a most pleasant woman who made sure it shipped that day. It arrived by UPS in five days, just in time. Great service.

I recommend this guitar and the outfit for your budding Segovia or Clapton. I bought a 3/4 size gig bag from another supplier because 3/4 bags are more numerous and less expensive. The 1/2 guitar size fits loosely in the bag, but that is fine. The bag will be ready when he has outgrown the 1/2 size. Encourage your child to care for this instrument. It is not a toy. If it is kept in good condition, it can be sold or applied to the next size or quality level guitar.
1166979
I bought this for my son who had been playing an acoustic the last 4 years. Its a Beautiful guitar. I can only speak to appearance since I am not a musician.  The amplifier that comes with the set is rated at 20 amps, so higher than most beginner sets. The amplifier was much smaller in size than others I have seen, but I view that as a plus as its easier to transport. The sound quality and volume all seemed pretty good to me but most importantly my 15 year old son was very satisfied.
4535827
I chose this to protect the&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Yamaha-Student-Series-CGS103AII-3-4-Classical-Guitar/dp/B0050I1L9G/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Yamaha Student Series CGS103AII 3/4 Classical Guitar</a>&nbsp;I purchased for my 9 year old son. It fits perfectly. The interior length is approx 36.5", 13.5" at it's widest point, and 3.5" deep. There is only one pocket and it is a zippered external one measuring approx 2"x10"x13". If you stand the case up, it has rubber feet to protect the ballistic weave from wear. Ample padding all around.

There are three ways to hold or carry the case:
1) by the two side handles like a duffle bag
2) like a backpack or sling
3) using the handle above the shoulder straps

Great quality. Extremely pleased with purchase.
4396561
I bought this for my grandson. The guitar is beautiful and has great sound for a child's guitar.  Strings make it easy for a child to play.  Great price for this quality guitar.&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Lauren-Children-s-Beginner-Acoustic-Guitar-Package-Blue-Guitar/dp/B002SDZWXM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Lauren Children's Beginner Acoustic Guitar Package - Blue Guitar</a>
1548592
I bought this guitar for my 15 year old daughter for Christmas. She loves it! There are a few small scuffs on the back and the high E string broke as she was tuning it (this happened within minutes of opening the package); fortunately, there were replacement strings in the kit so it wasn't a big deal. I've read other reviews that had a similar issue. The color is a pretty blue, as expected. I expect the colors of items to look a little different in person.
The box has " 39 INCH ELECTRIC GUITAR" stamped on the outside, so if this is a gift be careful, I had this delivered to my mother's house and I'm glad I did. The box looked a bit rough, I'm not sure if the scuffs on the guitar came from poor handling during shipping.
4144691
I currently play the uke so I thought I'd try a guitar (played some in grade school). This is a beautiful guitar with a glowing blue finish. It has a nice clear sound and respectable bass.  With the strings set low, playability is excellent. At first, I had my eyes on the Yamaha JR2  which got equally good reviews at Amazon and the Fender 3/4 guitar.  But after hearing several sound tests in YouTube and the excellent Amazon reviews (and the fact that the Rogue is more than half the price), I decided to give this a try and bought it at Musician's Friend.  Man, I'm glad I went with the Rogue because the sound is pretty good.

 Just an fyi, this is bigger than a 3/4 guitar, but smaller than a  full-sized dreadnought, which is another reason I went with it. With a bigger body, I thought it will have a deeper sound, and it does. Yet, it is small enough for a beginner or someone in transition like me, that it doesn't overwhelm.

So if you want a fun guitar to lug around the house or travel with, I highly recommend the Rogue.
2751603
Although this is a fairly inexpensive laminated guitar, Fender have now promoted it from Squier to their own trademark Fender brand because of alleged upgrades. It thoroughly deserves the Fender label. It is fitted with Fender Dura Tone strings which are sweet and long lasting. Wonderful strings, so you won't need to change them. The Guitar has no complexities of tone that a solid wood guitar gives, and cannot compete with those tones. But it does sound sweet and far from tinny. It has a good resonance and both chords and picking are very tuneful. I have heard many more expensive guitars sound duller than this. It is not a world beater, but is genuinely a guitar to be played and enjoyed. Genuine Fender quality. My one is impeccably finished. There is one real drawback and that is the neck joins the guitar at the twelfth fret. Not good for reaching far up the fretboard, unless you fingers are six inches long. The small 3/4 size is about parlour sized so very transportable. Lovely sounding guitar but NOT a Martin. As much an adult's guitar as a child's guitar and as much a player's guitar as a begginers. The gig bag it comes with is not padded and really just a dust cover.
500915
I purchased a couple of guitars two years ago in hopes that by some miracle -- or perhaps proximity osmosis -- one of my kids would decide music was cool, and learn to play.  It took more than a year, and some healthy peer-pressure, but finally one of my kids decided to learn to play.  To my surprise, the kid got pretty good pretty fast, and soon wanted to take the guitars out of the house.  Well, if they were going to drag these instruments away from my protective care, they needed something that would provide as much protection as my careful paranoia would allow.

Enter this Yamaha hardshell case.  It is built like a tank, provides a luxuriously plush interior that looks like it'd be comfortable to sit in while riding in a car or bus.  The hardware seems solidly built, and the price was OK -- probably more than I wanted to spend, but the case is exactly as tough as I'd hoped it would be.
2901002
I bought this guitar/ukele in two models, Minnie and Barbie for my 5 and 3 year old. They love it. My husband tuned its plastic strings when we got it. I was worried that they'd snap, but he said they'd be fine and they were. They seem pretty durable. We've had them for nearly a month. We are happy with them and were a good price ($15/16).
3854328
I didn't have high hopes for a cheaply priced guitar such as this one, but I was wrong. The guitar has weight to it and feels sturdy. Once tuned it will hold it's tune and is a pleasure to play on. Not everything ION makes is worth spending money on, but this is one of those oddities of their production line.
573052
First of all, let me begin by saying two things: 1) I am predominantly a bass player. 2) I am a Fender man through and through.

This guitar has a classic single-coil Strat sound, a comfortable neck, good tuners, and a solid whammy-bar. I don't go crazy on the whammy, but I've noticed that the instrument stays in tune well when I do use it. (As a bass player, I have a heavy touch.) What's nice about this instrument is that, for the price, it makes a nice 'first' guitar for a student. But with the quality of this instrument, it would make a fine axe for an advanced player. The only thing I'm apt to change is the input jack. You know they have to shave quality here and there to offer it at this price, and the cheap jack is one of those areas. The look of this guitar is fantastic; the finish is nice and the color scheme is a straight-up classic. I put her next to my sunburst USA P-Bass and the finish is very similar. The guitar was set up for me at my local guitar shop, so it played like a dream. In fact, I would recommend buying it from a store since there's no guitar case, and it's easier to get it set up how you like it. Another great product from Fender/Squier!!! As a final note, I'd add that since it has the classic Strat body shape and design, it's really easy to customize this guitar with whatever you'd want to add. Cheers and keep rockin'!
832051
So firstly the purple one isn't the same color as the picture and it comes terribly out of tune. but it still has a really nice burgundy color (in my opinion). it feels nice to hold. its sturdy and has a great finish. it looses it tune pretty quickly (at least mine did). its not amazing but its no where near the the worst. all around i think its a great beginner ukulele and is pretty.
1672220
I bought one of these for my stepfather so he would have a decent guitar to start learning how to play (compared to the $15 untunable high action garage sale special he had before it) . I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars only because it doesn't have a truss rod for adjusting the neck relief and it doesn't have an on-board tuner as some electric-acoustics do. It was however intonated and it has a really nice sound to it. I would recommend it to anyone just starting out. I enjoyed playing it while I was in town visiting and could not bring my own guitar on the airplane. An experienced player will know what they are looking for and probably be willing to pay more money for a higher end guitar, but this is an impressive and reliable guitar for the price. Also, it fits in most classical style guitar hard cases.
2511740
Don't listen to the snobs; this Cremona violin is a great full-size violin for a student (of any age) and will serve well for years, easily taking him or her to the next level. It has a great sound and is well-made. It is a great choice for well under $300. It's really a nice looking violin, too - a reddish brown hue with a spruce top and a maple back. Looks great with the ebony fingerboard. It does not have a high gloss finish, which may be a negative to some; however, it has a satin finish that looks good and is probably easier to keep looking good.  Overall, it's nicely constructed looks (and sounds) like a higher level violin. Mine came with the bridge installed. It has D'addario Prelude strings, which means that unlike the student violins a notch or two lower in quality, you do not need to buy new strings to replace these. It also comes with a large, black soft case. Even though the soft case is subtantially larger than a form fitting hard case, it is extremely light and well-made (not to mention functional, with room for the bow and an extra bow, plus accessories). Naturally, you'll want to order good rosin and peg drops, plus a good shoulder rest. For less than $300, you'll have everything you need. If maintained, this violin can serve a student through middle school and high school, until (if) he or she reaches an advanced level and a high-level (and much more costly) violin may be desired.