Took a ride to the music store today, these pyle guitars are just not well-known at all. I hope, for one, that they are making good instruments at that price. However, you gotta play something before you buy it, whether it’s 10 bucks or 500. Or at least something like it. Nothing existed at the second hand store either, so I’m going to pass.
Picked up a Squier Tele for 279, though.
At these prices, turn it over and string it upside down. That’s how Jimi did it.
A little background to start, I’ve been playing bass guitar and electric guitar for over ten years now. In high school I worked at a Music and Arts store. The main focus of Music and Arts, if you’ve never encountered one, is rental instruments for kids in school bands, private lessons with teachers, and so forth. We did though always have around 60 or so guitars and basses in stock. Specifically speaking on the acoustics, my advice to beginners is that anything under the $200 price point or so is just about guaranteed to be a 100% laminate guitar. What that means is the instrument is basically a bunch of pieces of wood pressed together into flat pieces. Around $200 you start running into guitars that at least have a solid top. Which do you think will sound and reverberate better, a bunch of little pieces of wood forced together or one solid piece? It’s very easy to tell if a guitar has a solid top or not by looking in the sound hole. If the edge looks like it has vertical ring lines going around the hole, then it’s a solid top. If the hole is painted over or if it looks like 3 pieces of wood laid on top of each other, it’s a laminate.
In general speaking, if you’re at all serious about it, it was and still is my opinion you should at least put a little bit of money into it at first. You won’t REALLY experience what it’s like playing an instrument unless it’s a decent instrument. Cheaper instruments don’t sound or feel as good and can actually hurt you whether it be bad action (how the strings sit off the instrument which can lead to uncomfortable playing which can lead to things like tendinitis and general bad playing habits) or badly filed metal pieces like the frets can end up cutting you.
I used to sell a lot of these if I remember correctly. This is the what I consider to be the minimum entry level.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/jasmine-by-takamine-nex-cutaway-s34cfm-acoustic-guitar?src=3WWRWXGP
I would pass on using these for anything other than my best impression of Pete Townshend.
Thanks for the info…
“We wont get fooled again”
I’m bummed, I really wanted to get a bass (and lambasted woot the last time they had guitars for not including a bass) but…
Amazon has this for $210. Woot has it for $175 with shipping. That’s only 15% off if my math is right.
Pooopy. I’m better off collecting coupons and hitting the guitaromart sales.
Karen
Came here to post the same thing, so in a word: no.
I can’t really tell the quality of these, but if you want a good starter guitar for $150.00 then
Considered one of the best buys for the buck. Action is excellent and pickups are decent for the price.
Did anyone get two of these when they only ordered one?
Not to mention these things came with the wrong strings entirely… If you bought one of these, make sure to pick up some Soprano Ukulele Strings off of Amazon. I highly recommend Worth strings or Aquila.