Product: Giannini SX30 SE
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
06/21/2009
at
10:38am
by
Ostin Stryjak
Email: ostryjak at yahoo<dot>com
Features
:
6
From Web Sites :
Features include:
Mahogany Back and Sides with Spruce Top
Rosewood Fingerboard with Nickel/Silver Frets
Set Mahogany Neck with Adjustable Truss Rod
Rosewood Bridge
Scale Length of 25.5 inches; Nut Width of 1.9375 inches
Single Cutaway Body Style
Sealed Die-Cast Tuners & Chrome Hardware
3-Band EQ with Volume Control
Full Giannini Warranty
This is a great beginners guitar or for those who like the classical wide neck but with the features of a steel string.
Sound
:
6
I play Finger Style. This instrument suited my style very nicely and for certain types of tunes / music. That is after I had changed the strings. The ones that came with it were not so good.
For a narrow bodied guitar that feels almost parlour size the sound is loud and clear. It has a classical wide neck but does not sound like a classical guitar. With the #9 electric guitar strings I put on it this guitar lends itself well to bending notes and giving a warm bluesey sound.
The classical pieces I can play do not sound *right* on this instrument (Metalic is the best description I can think of) so it does not lend itself to classical playing.
However - "The Man is Too Strong" Mark Knopfler style sounds great :-)
For $99 + shiping what is there to dislike ?.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
5
The set up was liveable. The action was high and the intonation off - you know the usual DMaj chord and GMaj chords sound out of whack when you tune the guitar so that Emaj and AMin sound good. Pretty much most guitars suffer this without fancy compensators or bridge set ups and you can't do that with a straight piece of plastic.
So ..... I took a hack saw and a file to it and fixed it. Now it sounds PERFECTO. But unless you know what you are doing - don't and for the most part you will still not be super dissapointed. It's not great but it plays well anyway.
So much for set up.
The fit and finish on the body , for a $99 guitar , is pretty decent. The frets are nicely fitted , the wood quality is surprisingly nice and the route work is good.
Reliability/Durability
:
4
Will this guitar stand live playing : Only if you DO play finger style. The top finish looks like it would wear thin rapidly if you were hitting it in any way. It has no faceplate. It will last with my playing style but use a pick - Noooooooo. It would become a Willy Nelson special in no time.
The machine heads are a bit sloppy. I will probably replace them.
Only one strap button - I will be replacing that and adding another.
Can I depend on it : Don't know yet - I have not had it long enough.
Would you use it on a gig without a backup : NO.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Does not apply - besides with my mods I don't think so.
The ad says : Full Giannini Warranty - whatever that means.
Overall Rating
:
7
playing 20+ years. Assortment of gear. Strat. SG. Ovation. Rogue Sitar guitar. Washburn 12 string. Silvertone 6 string. Couple of no name brand classical guitars.
If this were stolen or lost I WOULD buy another one. The price is LOW LOW LOW and I don't mind modifying an instrument like this. Yes I would like another. It has a really nice sound that is it's own. I play it frequently when I am just lounging around. It is pleasant and easy to play.
No Loves or Hates - I do enjoy playing it. The Hates I fixed. See above.
I have an Ovation Balladeer and the sound is comparable in a lot of ways although this does not project like the ovation does (Muuuuch Quieter - but it does have electrics). You couldn't beat this one with a pick but you can the Ovation :-)
I bought his guitar because it WAS $99 and had a classical size neck. I have short stubby fingers and wanted somwthing to *play* around with that would take steel strings. I bought it on a whim. I like it well enough that I thought it deserved a review *somewhere*.
