Burswood Steel String

Dreadnought, no cut away (not a big deal). Bookend top, no freaking clue as to what the woods are, but not expecting them to be great. I am somewhat expecting some of them to be basswood, but don't qupte me on that. Chrome tuners are junk, 2 are bound up on mine, but I also got this for free. It did come with a tuner, albeit inconsistant. You can get it to work, but it takes a bit of time. Came with a semi hard gig bag, so it might give it some protection. Glueing wasn't done well at all. Came with picks. I'd say this would be an ok beginner's guitar, but if you are going to buy one, you might as well spend the money on something else. Use google, or you're local guitar shop. Um, oh ya, top is a little wavy. I do suspect rosewood to be used on the bridge and fretboard, but I am likely wrong on that too. I'm going with a 3 since it does have a gig bag and tuner.

Kinda of bassy, but still it sounds cheap, which it is. Goes out of tune easily. Sound is ok at times, but not at others. Again, better options are to be had.

Action is incredibly high. Adjust the truss rod all the way, sand down the saddle, and the nut (which I forgot to mention are not great quality), used extra light strings, and the neck is bad enough to still give you a high action, too high for my taste, fingers hurt a lot after playing.

Finish is glossy? Inlays are sloppy. In all, I kind of look at it the way people put bondo on their car bodies to shape it because they can't do it with metal, for whatever reason, and it shows (yes, I know bondo has it's place, but it's not a substitute for quality).

Fit isn't aweful if you're a bigger guy, which I am, but the other knocks do not let me put this higher than a -3, however, 1 was the lowest they had.

It's not broken, but I take care of things. However, there are a few cracks from the neck and body. Bridge is wearing out too.

If it goes to hell, I'll care not, I have another guitar, and I have no problem enacting my final solution for Estaban's guitar via explosives. Which may or nat not happen depending on if the US is a socialist country by then, which may come soon (guitar breaking and socialism, we have a pool going). In which case, I will just hang this on the wall, and let it help me with girls. So I'm just gonna give this an N/A for the reason that I've never dealt with Estaban, nor will I should either of these events happen.

Um, don't do it, it's not worth it to a beginner to be time and time again be frusrated with this. Get something that your guitar shop says to get, but give them a price range. They should be able to give you a hand. They'll understand you're starting out, and will understand a small budget. So yes, I was a little silly in some of this, but you might get the picture.

Few special features. IT DOES hold it's tune relatively well --- important for a new user, because nothing discourages playing more than an "axe" that sounds sour every day when you pick it up.

Good value for money.

So it's unlikely that there will be a Jimmy Page or John Lennon signature model soon.

I'm not complaining. Buy a Ric or a Gibson if you want the real thing.

This is a "better" toy than the guitar player video game since kids will actually learn to play something real and useful.

Compared to a Ric or a Gibson, it's obviously 2 or 3/10.

But for what it's meant to be, I'll give it an 8.

Picked this up after 2 years of storage under bad conditions.

Took only about 2 minutes to get it into tune. I was impressed.

This is not the guitar to showcase your skills, but I was very glad to have it kicking around tonight during a brief Beatles-fest.

Own many more expensive and better guitars.

It is what it is. A decent beginner's instrument. It was good enough to get me playing again after 40+ years.

Year or model are unknown since the label inside the guitar was never marked with a model number or any number. Is marked made in China, and a signature is sprawled inside that starts with an E so I am guessing this is an Estban. Not a solid top by any stretch of imagination. And Estban will you please stop posting that this is a great instrument. People, please, before you waste a penny on this firewood, look at the Martin LXM or there X series guitars that sell for 250 to 300. A real martin, yes made in Mexico that will be playable and keep it's value.
O, body ply materal and neck woods,,,ah what wood? fiberboard doweled in, yes I said doweled in. (All real guitars are dovetail or bolt on with mortise and tendon joint) Finish, paint;Body dreadnought; actually I would dread a whole lot. Tuning machines; falling off.
Bridge style, interesting, it is shaped like a martin fish belly, but it has screws inside it going through the top bolted through the top.
I see this as causing rattles. Neck,well that's another story. I was given this guitar to fix, because the neck separated from the body. Hence I don't know what the thing sounds like. I have played other estbongs and they all sound like 20 dollar first acts.

I can't tell if it has any overtones ha ha ha, since the neck is bend inward but I did play a little slide on it and it was sick, in a bad way.

MMMM poor, cardboard box, fiberboard, ply-material. Neck separated from the body. Cheap Cheap Cheap, not worth 10 dollars.
Again Estban stop posting that you bought a bunch and loved them and gave them to you children, That's child abuse.

It did fall apart, that's why I ended up with it. and gluing the neck back will not help the warp that's in it. looks like a roller coaster.

What customer support, who is going to support this garbage.
I don't see how this product continues to be sold anywhere.

I have been playing guitar for 40 years and am a member of several guitar forums and groups. This thing is and has been the laughing stock of guitar players, and collectors everywhere. There is even an Estban project that send one of these things around the country and different people try to play it. Very funny.
There is nothing here, garbage. I will glue the neck back and tell my relative to use it as a wall hanger. Make a clock out of it.
You would do better with a martin; DM, LXM, or X look for deals on Craig's list. The LXM's are great for camping and knocking about.

qualit?? du bois normal, aucune anomali, acheter chez tigre g??ant au prix de 44.95 dollars canadien,

le son est riche et brillant, la boite de r??sonance est bien con??u et donne un rendement optimal pour le prix. assez exceptionnel

toutes les cordes sont bien et ils en viens un double set a l'achat,
le DVD de cours avec en francais et anglais est bien fait , parcontre le livret d'instruction montre les cordes a l'envers, l'ordre est invers?? alors m??fier vous, la corde grosse est la 6 et la petite en m??tal est la 1 et les note sont mi la r?? sol si mi. et non l'inverse. Mais par contre le DVD avec vid??o est bien fait.

La qualit?? semble ??tre tr??s bien, toutes les pi??ces sont bien fixer, rien n'est laisser au hazar et le tout va p^robablement dur?? tr??s longtemps, si on en prend bien soin.

vu que je l'ai acheter chez tigre g??ant, Giant tiger for englsh people, la garanti vas ??tre respecter par eux et on a jamais de probleme avec ce magazin.

D'apr??s mon exp??rience vous pouvez acheter ce produit sans probl??me, surtout au prix que nous l'avons ici au Canada a 44.95$, alors ceux qui disent que c'est pas bon et qui ne donne m??me pas leur nom, moi je crois que c'est pas fiable des gens qui veule rester annonime.

I am not sure when it was made I just got it about 3 weeks ago.
I got the model JW-41F. It has a laminated top. It came with a soft case, strap, picks, House of Blues Instruction dvd, turner. It also came with a little hex wrench that is used on the electric's.
I am just a begginer so I am unfamilar with the rest.

I think the high E is tinny sounding. It did help to put a better quality string on it.

The pick guard is not on straight. Otherwise I am not quiltifed to tell.

Yes I have practiced on it everyday for over 3 weeks and have not had any problems. The strap button seems ok. was not any on the neck.

Have not had to deal with company. Puurchase it a Target and they have always stood behind what they have sold in the past so I feel comfortable that they feel this product lives up to their standards.

3 weeks. I do beleive that I would. Unless I could find something better for less.

I got mine from wal mart... i know i know. i sold my other guitars and just couldnt afford a new one and i wouldnt punish myself with a squire. Its just your standard acoustic, came with gigbag strap allen tuner and a soft medium and hard pick. it has nothing to do with estaban. im judging its qualitys for its price of 100 dollars.

It sounds pretty nice, im comparing to a 100 dollar yamaha i got afew years ago. the actions better and i gets clear crisp harmonics from 5th fret.

the action is a bit high and i had to sand the nut down abit to get everything right in adjusting. but it was easy standard stuff i do with any guitar for my personal taste. no flaws, except the tuning pegs are all at different tensions. the finish is very nice and the detail great.

its well built, and seems that it should lastawhile but i just got it.

never dealt with company.

i have been playing about 5 years and i have owned a fender start a yamaha 100 dollar acoustic and a takimine classical. all were sold due do problems and thats why i got this guitar. if it were stolen id laugh because its a not a expensive piece and then id get a new one. its pretty basic and decent in all respects. a good buy for beginners and intermediate guiter players on a tight budget. i wont joke and say its better than more expensive guitars but for its price, its very nice.

ohh i like this guitar hahaha

aint bad.. i like it the sound

dont look too bad but could be better with a mad graphin on it

pretty durabl considerin i own one and its still in good nic... hahaha

yeah aint bad.. better than spendin 800 bucks for sumthin else.. it does the job

I'm 14, and i got this guitar about 2 years ago for Christmas. It was my first guitar and I love it! I got an electric guitar for christmas this year, and a Seagull accoustic guitar for graduation, but I still pick up my Estaban more that any of them! the strings are a little high, i'll admit. But thats good for a beginner I think, it helps you get use to all diffrent kind of guitars.

The sound is very full and bright, awesome

I don't think there is anything bad to say about it!

Definatly CAN depend on it

about 2 years. Seagull acoustic, Fullerton electric

Begginer, got taken by advertisment in the middle of the night while sleeping. Product arrived in a timely mannor, however (one day after receiving), had fourth string break while trying to tune using digital tuner. Then, immediately had replacement string break, repeating the process. The tuner gadget doesn't seem consistent. Main issues: Couldn't & still can't get a response from customer service (HSN), don't know what to do with the 2 day old thing, for fear of visible string frays from tuning instructions, they might break.--Would like to give the benefit of doubt of dealable product, but reluctant because of viewing testimonies of others AFTER trying to log onto customer service for answers. This was a birthday gift to me, & I'd hoped that I would be able to play a little something down the line as a sign of "thanks" to the giver & others. Esteban says to practice every day, but how can I with busted "new" strings, & fear of a stroke here or there can burst others. The disappointing testimonies of other patrons don't help either. Hopefully buyers would beware, & us "SUCKERS" learn from our mistakes.----If I'm mistakenly prejudging, I applogize. I just know that as of now, this birthday gift "SUCKS". In addition, those who plan on giving this item as a Christmas gift, cut your losses now & re-plan a different gift. There's no need in having your loved ones being disappointed when you mean so well!!!!!!

Haven't had a chance to find out. Prior statement self-explanatory!

Begginer, wouldn't be able to tell, just put everything back in the box & left it in the bedroom.

Look at above statements

Used to be helpful, but for some reason I've had long UNANSWERED phone waits for this particular product. Am very uneased.

--Haven't had a chance to learn anything!!
--Wished that everything stated was legitimate!!
--Don't know, haven't been able to use it!!
--Nothing to love yet, hate that I can't use it as indicated, none yet!!!
--No!
--Wish for a decent reliable guitar!
--Show a decent/dependable way of defending your product!!!

Im not sure when it was made, i think its china its got a "solid" top, nato back and sides mahogony neck and ebony fretboard

Now...i will admit, its not the greatist guitar, but it holds well, sounds good, and its pretty durable, for 100 dollars, thats pretty solid.

The action is kinda high, but then i fixed it so its not a problem anymore, my only problem is the neck. After playing my electric it feels awkward to play this beefy neck.

It withstands live playing, the quality isnt bad at all, and its a good guitar for a beginner or plays like a bitch with it.

Never dealt with them...YET

I dont really like it when people call esteban a fraud because he isnt. These are decent little guitars that satisfy all are value tastebuds.

All the basic dreadnaught guitar features with unlined gig bag, extra strings, picks, strap and video- all subpar.

Tone fair when playing in first position. Could not play in any other position as guitar would not tune properly due to horrible workmanship.

NOT a solid spruce top as advertised. NOT a mahogany neck as advertised. Neck NOT stright. Frets NOT dressed. NOT intonated properly. VERY high action. Trussrod NOT responsive. NOT a lacquer finish as advertised. One area of the top of the guitar was unfinished.

Within 2 weeks the black finish (paint?) on the neck was wearing off. Guitar overall very flimsy. Not durable OR reliable.

This is as blatent a case of false advertising as I have ever seen. This is an unplayable guitar made of inferior materials throughout.
I would NOT recommend this guitar to ANYONE of ANY level. You can get a much nicer guitar at any music shop for around a hundred dollars- it won't have everything that came with this package, but it will be a playable guitar. Stay away from Esteban Guitars!
I have been playing for over 40 years and just wanted a cheap dreadnaught to bang around with. This is NOT a playable guitar!

They give you a flimsy peice of crap gig bag, a video by the "great" Estaban master of the art of con and strings that ware down because of the frets. Made in China by 5 year olds. My friend tried to pursuade me inhto believing this peice of crap was a high ernd qualaty guitar(he said Gibson.)I took a look inside and saw the Burswood label. Again he covers up the fact this guitar sucks by saying it's the type of wood this "guitar" was made out of. Sad.

the sound sucks. it doesnt project at all. its constantly out of tune even when "fixed." when trying to enjoy the rining of the note it stops abrubtly.

the finishing gloss is horrible. on HSN it showed them crafting this guitar with flimsy wood they bent it with ease.

within the first week i fear it would shatter in hands so beware to begginer guitarists dont be conned into buying this crappy guitar.

to describe it in one word PATHETIC. dont waste ur money on this crappy guitar.

As far as I can tell, this thing was made by my 6-year-old nephew's 1st grade class in Buffalo. Solid top, you ask? Yeh, solid dog s%%t! The controls, funny enough, didn't work! You know, instead of listing ALL of these good points, let me put it like this... take a shoe box, strap a rake to it, attach 6(or 7, your preference)shoe strings to either end and, VIOLA!!! You'll be much better off going this route than buying from, as a previous reviewer said,"ESTEBUM."

You know, all 4 notes that I was able coax out of this beauty weren't THAT bad.

You don't wanna get me started on this topic.

I wouldn't use this thing as a prop in a grade school play. Actually, I bet if I put it on a stand in front of my amp during one set it would implode. Oh, can you depend on it? You can depend on your guitar tech laughing at you. By the way, I think the finish on this cream puff was actually nail polish. I'm not afraid it's gonna fall apart, I KNOW it will.

Not even gonna waste my time.

I've been playing for about 20 years now, and this is the biggest joke that I've ever come across.It actually was a gag gift, but I thought I would give it a chance. HAH! I've got two acoustics that I use #1. Collings OM-2H #2. 1995 Martin 000-42 EC. It may seem unfair to use these as a comparison, but I actually went into this HOPING to give a half-a** positive review. No such luck. Kids, if this is your only choice, take up the kazoo. I guarantee it will be more rewarding. I did actually see the HSN ad for this piece of crap, and I'm guessing they picked up "Esteban" drunk,playing in some low-rate Mexican joint in Scottsdale, AZ. I really don't care how much my bass player paid for this turkey because the laugh we got out of it was priceless! I've always wanted to smash a guitar on stage, and thanks to Esteban I finally got my chance. "Kerry / Esteban" '04

first off, if you are not sure whether to buy this and want to know more than what's on this list of reviews please email me and ask...bennyween@yahoo.com

2003 in china. hard case, a tuner that will get the job done. 20 frets. two lesson videos (4 hours of lessons) that are easy to follow. case and guitar strap, strings and 3 picks not just thrown in but with 3 diff levels of firmness.

brilliant sound...i really could not believe how full it sounded when i got it in tune. friend of mine has played for about 10 years and is a genius when t comes to guitars. he gave it the thumbs up for a great beginners guitar. when i got it the strings were super far from the frets.....easy solution....quit complaining and just file the bridge down to where you feel comfortable with the distance....after i did this the piece sounded even better. for first week had to tune and tune and tune but now it stays where it needss to be

tuning pegs were a little loose but did not effect much. nut was fine....minimal popping and creaking for first week but worked out.

for small jam session or something similar this guitar is just fine...perfect. great finish that will last. the first one that was broken had a few magic marker spots on it but they sent me one with now markings on it and i cld really tell the difference in them. i can depend on it definitely because i strummed the bastard like no other...dinged it here and there....guitar won;t give.

when i got the broken one i called hasn right away got someone on the phone less than few minutes. i was amazed because they said no problem we'll send you a new one....they didnt want me to send the broken one first....they said just send it back when you get the new one....amazing

i wld buy it again....but i think i wld get the one from gift og guitar...not the set but just the guitar.

I read a lot of the reviews on the Estaban acoustic guitar.I`m trying to learn how to play the guitar and from the HSN TV ad I thought this would be a good deal...however,the guitar I received didn`t look or sound anything like the one old esteban played on TV.Also,the guitar I received doesn`t even have a pick guard.Guess I should have went by the saying:"if it sounds to good to be true,then it probably is!!!" The guitar is junk,and Esteban should have to pay "all" the people double who he conned and lied to get them to buy his junk.Mostly,(beside myself)I`m upset with HSN for also getting fooled by this jerk.I will say that the dude can play good,but...I rate his guitar a big fat ZERO!!!

I do not know how to play yet.And I surely have nothing good to say about the junk guitar I bought from Stebum!

The one I received looks like a child painted it with a brush.You can see the brush marks.Also,no pick guard.

My brother-in-law plays the guitar and when he tried to play it,he told me that he didn`t know where I got this pice of junk at,but I needed to give it back.He could not play it because he told me he didn`t want it to fall apart on him!

I`m just taking a loss on the Esteban guitar I got off HSN.However,I did send the an email letting them know that I was not happy with their dealings with a con man.They was going to give me my money back,but I just decided to stop doing business with them!

I just wanted to let people know that Esteban got me too!

Let's get one thing straight from the beginning, there is no SOLID wood on this guitar. If Esteban says this is a solid spruce top, well he's lying! This is a terrible product for a beginner to buy because it's virtually unplayable. It won't take very long for most beginners to just give us as they don't know how to coax any sound from a cheap guitar.

Again, about the only sound a beginner is going to get from this guitar is string buzz. I have played and taught for 23 years so I know from whence I speak.

The action was too high for a beginner. Bookmatched top? What a laugh! Tuners are awful. This guitar won't stay in tune through one strummed song.

I don't think anyone buying a guitar of this quality will be doing any live playing unless they're drunk. Finish is too thick. If I went to a concert and saw someone with this I'd just walk back out the door.

Who knows but I bet they get a lot of calls.

As I stated earlier, I've played and taught longer than I care to remember. If you're a beginner go to a reputable guitar dealer. There are many fine, inexpensive instruments on the market now. Check out the action and the tuners first as this is the number one source of frustration for beginners. We all know where frustration leads.

I submitted a previous review, but left out an important comment. In the infomercial, Esteban is comparing the product features to that of a $2000 guitar which it was patterned after. He leads you to believe that this guitar has a soundhole rosette designed by him and an inlaid herring bone pattern down the center of the back. Both of these features are nothing more than a decal applied prior to clear coating. I was fooled into believing that if somebody went to to trouble of inlaying the rosette and back, then the instrument must have some degree of workmanship.

Do yourself a favor. If you are buying a guitar for a beginner or child and are not concerned about a high quality instrument, pick up a $9 guitar off eBay (+ $30 shipping) and save yourself some money.

Esteban's adevertised steel-string guitar on giftofguitar.com. Must have gotten a good specimen. Solid(?) spruce top, mahogany neck, dreadnought back and sides. High gloss finish on neck, back/sides, lacquer (sp?) on face on guitar. Chrome machine heads, plastic bridge, bridge pins, and plastic fret board, with MINIMAL evidence of magic marker touchup. Herringbone stripe down back of guitar, rosette around sound hole. Included accessories: non-padded gig bag, strap, allen wrenches, pics, 1 and 1/2 hour instructionsal video, and 3 pics, with extra set of strings.

Loud guitar. Rich, full sound, not quite a $300 Epiphone, but a 3rd place at least. I'm just beginning to play the guitar, and I have messed around with my friedns guitar, a Epiphone $300. This guitar sounds GREAT for the price. Very happy with it. Would be proud to show it to family and friends, and probably teachers, too.

Well constructed guitar for $115. Tuning pegs were a little loose, but bearable. Beautiful finish, all around, Smells faintly of cedar at the soundhole, which I find pleasing. Fretdots could be a little more flush with fretboard, but I would not consider sending it back b/c of it. Well constructed for the price. Perfect for students (like me).

It would most likely withstand live playing, but not everyday of the year. Coffeehouse gigs, church songs, etc. would fit it perfectly. Finish is very good on this guitar, shiny, with only a few (3-4) blemishes. Solid strap buttons. I feel I can depend on it for at least a year and a half or so, until I can learn the ropes and buy myself a better quality instrument. I would not hesitate to use it at a gig without a backup, unless I was playing for money, and not FUN, which is why I want to play it in the first place.

N/A
Haven't had to deal with them.

I have been messing around with this guitar for only about 3 weeks now, but I have been taking care of it, and not using it as a "throw-around" guitar. I have messed around with my friend's $300 Epiphone acoustic, and I am very happy with the sound of my Burswood. I would definetely buy it again if it were lost or stolen, you can't find anything better for the price. I love the sound of it. Rich, vibrant, beautiful. I hate nothing about it. I compared it to the Epiphone acoustic mentioned before. I chose the Burswood because it sounds GREAT for the price, and I just want a guitar to learn on, not to play professionally or anything with. I am very pleased with my purchase and I would not hesitate to reccommend this beginner package to friends.

Total piece of Junk, terrible finish. Neck is raised at the 12 fret making frets 10 and 11 fret at 12. (Does that make sense ?) 1st E string buzzes like mad and is visually lower than the other 5 strings. Truss rod adjustment made no difference... Tuners are junk.
Made in China.... great.

Actually sounds OK if you can ever find spost on the neck where the intonation is tolerable or it doesn't BUZZ.

Horrible. Crack running down the length of the neck. Finish along the fingerboard is garbage.

Only had it a day but seems like it is ready to implode.

Don't know yet. Going to call them tomorrow.

This is a big scam. I don't know who Escaban is but is he his a shill for endorsing this garbage. I hope HSN / Giftofguitar.com will take this garbage bag. I feel bad for the beginers who buy this thing because it is a tuning / intonation / buzzing nightmare. Frets 10-12 all produce the same note !

made in china, for a cheapie, looks nice

the sound surprised me, sounds like a medium priced guitar

the action on this guitar come set up nicly,

have not had it long enough to know how it will hold up, but will find out after the grandson gets it for xmas

none

been playing 30 yrs, have 3 martins, bought this to give away, but it plays nice, looks nice, and hope the grandson has fun with it. as far as replacing it, I just ordered another one for the grand daughter. I really don,t hate anything about it, just a good looking cheapie.

Basic features for an acoustic guitar, nothing extra.

I couldn't for the life of me get a good tuning out of this instrument. It reminded me of when you go into a discount retail store that carries off-brands and you pick one up, give it a strum and it sounds like crap even after you tune it. The actual sound of the wood was not bad, though - actually a little more projecting than my Takamine GS-330S. If I could have gotten a good tuning out of it, my opinion would have been more positive.

Action seemed okay, easy to fret, but I got some string buzz by not being used to the string spacing on this guitar or fret width.

Don't know - will be sending it back to HSN right away.

n/a

My other acoustic is a Takamine GS-330S. The way the guitar Esteban was playing sounded on HSN, which was supposedly the same model as this one, misled me to believe this would be a nice little companion acoustic. Evidently, he's playing the $3500 model "from which this one is modeled" or at least a souped-up version of this and b.s.ing the audience about it. I think Esteban is a fine guitarist but shame on him for calling this a guitar. As others have stated, DO NOT BUY THIS GUITAR, not even for a beginner.

Features?!? It's a Chinese made guitar...what kind of features could I expect? I already play the guitar, so I haven't opened the video. It came with an unpadded bag which is okay with me since I have no love for this "thing". And it came with an extra set of crappy strings...joy!

It sounds very bright...I used to like bright, but this kind of hurts my ears, but that could be the intonation. I can coax some good sounds out of it but not on a consistent basis. The only hope for this thing is it does have a decent looking spruce top on it for a $100 guitar. Then again, I should probably get a mirror and see if it looks like spruce on the inside too!!

Craftsmanship [crapsmanship!!!]--This thing is riddled with problems:

The action is tooo high- I don't dare play out of the first position. I'd like to take it in for a set up, but I am embarrased to go into a repair shop with it...besides the materials may not be worth paying a professional to spend a bunch of time with.

The strings are not parallel with the neck. The string spacing is F'd up because the way the slots were cut in the tail piece. The first string is way inside the edge of the neck at the 14th fret, and at the first fret it is too close to the 2nd string. It needs a new nut.

I don't know what the fretboard is, but it was painted black on the edge. Many of the dot markers are not even close to flush with the fingerboard. The back and sides are made of a mystery wood (not rosewood or mahogany) that was painted a mahogany color.

Will this guitar withstand live playing???

That's a good question...my first response is, "I hope not...that would give me an excuse to replace it!"

But I think there is a more important question: "Will the audience withstand listening to this "guitar"?!?

It's HSN- I don't think I wanna find out.

I'm suffering from buyer's remorse. Before this, my only 6-string acoustic was a classical, so I wanted a steel string guitar. I also wanted a beater that my kids could play with and that I could take camping. For a hundred bucks I didn't think I could go wrong...I wish I knew about this forum before I impulsively listened to Esteban. I think with a little patience I would have done much better on eBay...The bottom line is just because it is imported doesn't mean it must be total crap. Then again maybe you simply get what you pay for.

Price Paid: US $89.00
Purchased from: HSN

Features: 8
This is a 20 fret acoustic with a solid spruce top and mahogany neck it came with a video, gig bag, picks, extra strings. This guitar cost $89.00

Sound: 9
This guitars sounds great to me, rich and bright. I have played it for friends and they can't believe the sound. I am a beginner and this is fantastic. I realize that there are many guitar snobs out there but for me this is great.

Action, Fit, & Finish: 9
I have a few flaws on my pick guard, overall this is a pretty guitar. I find the action a little difficult on the first fret.

Reliability/Durability: 8
I've only had it for three weeks.

Customer Support: 9
HSN is good with CS.

Overall Rating: 10
I don't care what the guitar snobs with lots of money say. For what I want it for, it is great. Esteban's deal is that he wants to introduce music in the guitar form to as many people as possible. I am playing the guitar now. I could not have afforded any other guitar.

This guitar is a complete rip off. My brother bought it without my consultation (I have been playing for 12 years) and having played it, it is the model for mass produced crap.

It sounds like a guitar made from plywood. It has horrible resonance and sustain. In addition, the action makes for difficult playing, especially for a beginner. It sounds like something you could by at a membership warehouse for thirty dollars.

Looks like it sounds, horrible. You can definitly tell this is a mass produced guitar made with little care. It comes with an allen wrench for ajustments to the neck but I found proper agustments to be impossible and I am a licensed guild serviceman.

One of the worst built guitars I have ever seen. The bindings seem weak and the case provided is unpadded.

HSN----Watch out

I have been playing for twelve years and have owned many acousic guitars in my day including Takamini G-series, Guild, Martin D-16, and a Yamaha APX-9-C. I play electric as well and own a Hamer,
Fender Strat American, and my pride an joy, a Gibson Les Paul Custom. DO NOT BUY THIS HOME SHOPPING NETWORK ESTABAN GUITAR.

I bought the package as advertised by Esteban on TV and for $100.00 couldn't be happier. My guitar is very, very nice except for a bit of a wow in the neck on one side where it joins the guitar body but it plays fine. I'm a new guitar player but have done a lot of musical theater including singing semi-professionally in Las Vegas. The finish is perfect so far and again, for $100.00 I feel blessed. Later, in a few weeks when I'm ready to play Carnegie Hall, I'll probably need a more professional one but I'm learning very rapidly.

I want to learn some folk songs and maybe play in some coffee houses. It has a bright, full sound and stays in tune (two weeks so far) I know I have a lot to learn but this has made things very easy for me. The video is just great as Esteban is likeable and makes things clear.

The action, fit and finish is first-rate except for that little wow along one side of the lower neck. I may try some more expensive strings just for fun.

I've only had it two weeks but have learned a lot. I've has no problems so far with tuning, pegs and if the action isn't perfect it would be because I don't know any better. I will ask my musician friends about it later on when I'm ready to play a few songs. Right now woodshedding with it is a very positive thing in my life.

Haven't had to deal with customer support as mine came in very good condition with no nicks or cover-ups. The tuning works fine. No problema. For crying out loud, the video is worth the lousy $100.00. I don't know why anybody else is complaining but you know how people are. Some people will never be happy no matter what they get.

If it were stolen or lost I might shop around for a more expensive guitar but for me it all gets so confusing dealing with salesmen it takes the fun out of it. I would probably just order another. I might get one for my new little chick if she keeps on being nice to me and then buy her a better one if she really takes to it.

.Burswood???
.For $100 you get a basic CHEAP guitar Made in China with very cheap
strings.
.Wood (unknown)
Features
.A thin non-padded gig bag.
.A video (hard to follow if you are a beginner)teaches you some of
the basics and four incomplete songs.
.A cheap nylon strap, three soft picks, extra set of cheap strings
and a allen wrench.

.Sound is OK for a $100 guitar
.Spend the money and get better strings! You will find the sound
will be richer.
.I gave this a (3) since I put on new strings

.Action way to high. Hurts the fingers to play after a short time.
.Took it to a local music shop to see if the action could be
lowered. Come to find out there is a small hump between the
fourteenth and fifthteenth fret on the sixth string that prevented
this.
.Has a lot of blemishes that were covered up by a black magic marker
or black paint. Looks like some thing that came out of a garage
sale!
.Basicly this guitar is unplayable.

.Won't give it a year under normal playing conditions
.VERY CHEAPLY MADE!!! I can't believe Esteban will put his name on
such junk. You mind well say you paid a $100 for his autograph.
.Spend some extra money and get yourself a better guitar if you are
a beginner there are plenty out there.

This guitar was purchase from HSN as a Birthday gift back in Feburary. HSN will not take returns later than 30 days even if the product is defected!

.DO NOT BUY THIS!!!! You can get better at your local department
store.
.Like I said before spend some extra money and get yourself a real
guitar
.Giving this to my kids so they can smash it on stage in there local
talent show (will rate durability again)

This Chinese made guitar features a solid one-piece spruce top with mahogany neck back and sides. It has a very well applied transparent finish for the price ($100). The tuners are enclosed. It includes an excellent instructional video for the beginning player, a gig bag,an additional set of cheap but useable strings, and a tool for the adjustment of the truss bar. There is an awful lot here for the money--especially for the beginner, which is the intent of the whole package

The sound is remarkable for the price--even compared to $300 or higher dreadnought guitars (at discount prices). Very bright and full on the top and bottom ends for such a cheap guitar.

The action was playable but NOT for a beginner---just too difficult for someone like me with undeveloped calluses on his fingertips. An experienced player could make it sound great and did. I had the action lowered and replaced the average strings with with ultra-light Elixir 10-47 strings and it is great and easy for me to play on--no buzzing, etc. The fretting seems very accurate. The lowering of the action did make the lower end sound of the guitar less powerful but it still sound very good for a $100 guitar.

I think this guitar will hold up very well. The gloss finish seems bullet proof--having knocked it a couple times already.

Unbelievable long wait on phone (my original was damaged by UPS in shipment) but customer service couldn't have been friendlier.

For what it was intended (a beginner's guitar), this guitar is truly unbelievable. A beginner can get a lot from the video as well. It really gets you into playing fast. It's an amazing value for the money. In a year or so, I can imagine buying a better instrument but by then I'll know an awful lot more about what I want from having owned and used this.

this is a 20 fret acoustic with a solid spruce top and mahogany neck it came with a video,gig bag,picks,extra strings, and a tool.this guitar cost $100.00

this was the surprise. i am not any expert but this guitars sounds very nice to me,rich and bright.my paster plays and he says it sounds and plays very nice for the money.about 12 years ago i had a acoustic magnum costing around $160.00. i dont remember it as ear pleasing as this guitar.

the guitar could have had a bit more style on the neck and head stock but that would cost more.there are some tiny flaws in the finish but nothing to worry about.the guitar also has a steel reinforced neck.this is a pretty guitar.the action is good however i did lower it a bit myself to make it better.

i most likely wont be playing live so i not to worried.durability should be decent.the hardware isn,t top quality,plastic bridge.

most likely hard to get a hold of.Bought online

this is a great guitar package for the money.i think most of cost went into the body of the seeing it sounds so nice.great for a beginner and intermediate.you cant go down to the music store a get this kind of deal

OK, This Guitar Set is really not bad for 100 dollars.Great for a beginner and ok for someone average but you need to know the tricks and I'm here to tell you it in each section. It comes with a video, 3 picks, a set of strings(not including the ones already on)a Black carrying Bag(Which has the picks and strings inside. If you order it don't freak out thinking they forgot your stuff and call them) Also, some offers to buy Esteban music. Nice Design both front and back of guitar. It may have some dings but nothing harmful. The Guitar smells like Marker at first(Probably cause it's signed in the sound hole label (Esteban) Be Cautious! It is an Acoustic Guitar (Steel String)! Not Acoustic/Electric (I say this because if you look at the commercial ad to purchase by phone/online and/or Instruction video closely, you see a cord behind the guitar. They say it is and sounds exactly like yours but I like theirs better. They use your guitar...But not as hooked up! Again, Great Price for a family that doesn't want to spend much and wants to learn guitar. I give it an 8 for 100 dollars plus tax/Shipping. Please read on before you buy!(Especially Customer Support Section) I can save you money and fustration. You Must Read This Review for some helpful tips.

When I play this Guitar All I can think of is 100 Dollars. It's not a bad thing though. I like the sound of this Guitar for the price. That may be one of the best features of this guitar. It is loud but not noisy. I recommend new strings for an even better sound. I will give it a 9 in rating because for $108-$116 bucks and all that stuff shipped to your home. Great for a kid or beginner wanting to learn guitar and I think that's what Esteban also had in mind. Remember.. You are not getting the guitar you see in the commercial ad. Theirs are hooked up and have a pickup. The man who played next to Esteban did too. That's why he had some high awesome sounding notes and it looked like he was playing electric guitar when he played at times. It is for the viewer to hear it better but it would of been more realistic if they played to a microphone, mentioned it or something but I understand. You have to look for these trick when shopping.

I have 1 tuning Peg that is a Pain so far!!! The G-String! but is not a huge problem yet. Watch out for these tuning pegs in the future...take care of them.(the Guitar) Everything was ok for me so far. It did have some stains in the finish and the pick guard had really small scratch. (nothing serious) I heard from other reviews that there were marker marks. In my guitar it did look like that but barely noticable. Playing the guitar will hurt your fingers at first because it is steel string. It had a laquer finish and it's spruce top. Dreadnaught body, Sweet for 100 dollars I think. I saw in other reviews they should of worked on it more, sure, but for 100 Dollars they can't work too long. I mean It's not a Gibson but it not a cheap no finish guitar eitherI've seen. The ads and website seem to be ok in describing in most areas but they are a little sneaky. (Remember it's still a buisness) It is not like the 3500 dollar guitar they compared to in the commercial or else they'ed sell you that one. I give it a 6 if I include their advertising techniques but I'll give it a 7 in quality,finish,action,bridge for a beginner, and the price. Also note if I compared it to other guitars that are more expensive, it would be a 2-6 but the price range for it makes it a 7

It will last if you take care of it and wipe it down often. It really seems like it is a fragile guitar for some reason. I think if you take care of the guitar it will last but if you don't it can become a junker in a couple of months. Let's put it like this...You see the kids who try out the Drums in the Music store? You might hear them in another section of the store? They Bang it up like crazy! If you do that to this guitar, I think your in trouble. If you use it often and take care of it, you shouldn't have a huge problem right away. I mean again for a little over 100 dollars shipped, If your worried about this or any one area, you should get a more expensive professional guitar. This is a student guitar great for performances in church or gigs. This is a great starter! If you ding it up you just say woops and keep playing. I would play it live but not for something they pay me for. I would give it a 8-10 if it had a pickup for live playing but I'll give it a 7 over all

Ughhh I did this review just for this section! I think support was one of the worst I ever expirienced and I order online a lot!
Tip: $10.00 off $40.00 or more purchase at HSN.com with this code: coupon#300103 It is good through July 31,2003 look for these deals first!
WARNING! If you buy this good deal student guitar, buy it from www.hsn.com not www.giftofguitar.com which uses ingenious design www.idea-direct.com for service. First off to start, you are paying almost 9 dollars more for nothing at giftofguitar if you buy today. HSN.com has the guitar for 99.99 +8.95 Shipping and you can check your order status online or call. I'm sure returns are easier too(Just guessing) Giftofguitar charges 15.95 shipping! (They Tax The Heck out of you I guess?)
Unfortunately I ordered though Ingenious Designs and I called like soooo many times(1800)248-3002) to get through to the rercording. At times it just kept ringing and then it ended. I had to call again!
Finally when on, I Pressed 1 to talk to support, I asked for my status and they said They don't know. they get orders in a few days. A few days later I called again(Reminder:Trouble getting to phone number) They Told me They didn't know, They gave me the same order number I recieved in automatic order E-mail with a few more digits for order tracking. I ask them what good is that and they actually said they didn't know themselves! They put me on hold off and on for like 15-20 minutes. I was polite so I was not going to be rude. They are nice people but it was horrible to track! They told me a shipped date,put me on hold, then came back to tell me they didn't know if it was or not. They had me on Hold so long that they said they'd call me back and they never did. It was just aweful! Again, Nice People, but aweful service. I hope they change this and include online order Tracking! Sheesh put a 50 cent usps delivery confirmation or something! I am willing to pay for it! At the least..E-mail me when you shipped it sice I ordered online. Sheesh! As you see from other review, Service is bad. This was the #1 Flaw. I like Esteban's music but I am not getting it from his guitar site! Shipping and Service is not good. The only positive thing I can say is I got the Guitar in 13-14 days and it had 1 kick mark in the box that didn't do any harm because they pack it well. I notice I put ingeniousdesigns.com in my browser and it took me to Hsn.com(I hope HSN service is not through them! If it is... Expect a shaky service but you will get your guitar (Hopefully) I just can't stand the fact they charge you on your card but can't tell you if it's shipped or not! They need to fix this.

Ok, My Rewiew was Totally Honest For this Guitar and service, I am a beginner but I Play Drums with Guitar Players and hear a lot so I know a little :) I am a studio player too. I used this site for other reviews so the least I could do is if offer my own opinion to help others.
I am giving a 6 because service has a lot to do with the care of your customer and it was just not there at all with me. I mean I rather have ok service than something that did not help me at all. If the service is not good people have the right to think the product will be no good either. Really you can get better deals for the Esteban Guitar from other online stores. You can take a risk to get it dirt cheap at Ebay. I know people bug like crazy at times but some just want honest basic service. Nobody likes to wait 20 minutes on the phone for 1 question and not have it answered. I think the guitar is great price for students of all ages. If you are looking for features this guitar may or may not be for you. If I rated too high in some sections, it is because I included everything...Especially Price.

Made 2003 in China, 20 Frets
Bought from Giftofguitar.com Esteban's web site

I think the sound is fine. Sounds as well as ant lower end Guitar.
For $100 I got a fine student guitar, a one and half instruction video, gig bag and guitar bag. Tell me of a better way to get started in learning the guitar for $100? Esteban is doing a great thing for guitar playing by creating a starter Kit package for $100. Maybe the informercial gets alittle carried away by comparing it to a $3,500 Guitar but this kit has got me started in playing the guitar for a 1/3 of the cost I expected. Plus the video is great.

Fine for the cost.

So far so good...but hey its 2 days old. A little trouble keeping it tuned how ever, but hey it s good practice for a beginner.

Terrible. IT took longer to get here than I expected and was never able to get an answer on th phone to find out why. 10 business days turned into 16.

Playing for 2 days now....a jorneyman
If it were lost or stolen I would probly get a better guitar because what makes this whole kit worth it is the video...and since I already have that...I have my eye on a Yamaha

Made in China
I don't know what year it was built
Solid top, type of wood unknown, also unknown as to type of wood the rest of the guitar is made of.

The first guitar that was sent was horrible, the one I have now actually sounds quite good.

The first guitar I received was total junk. The finish on the body was
rough. the neck was twisted and some notes would actually not even sound.The first thing I did was change the strings and noticed how loose the bridge pins were.The holes in the bridge were too large. After installing the strings, the bridge pins would actually pop out.
After playing the guitar for a short time, the dye in the neck came off and stained my fingers and you could see where it wore through to bare wood.Also the tuners were all loose. The second guitar they sent me was much better. But I would have preffered to just get a refund.

I think this guitar I have now will hold up pretty well. But due to the inconsistentcy of the product, I can't speak for all of them.

I saw this at HSN and bought it online at gift ot guitar which is Ingenius Designs Co. Customer service is only by telephone and they are very hard to get through to. They told me to send the guitar back and they would credit my card, but instead they sent me another guitar.I am disappointed at their quality control. It's almost like they tried to pawn off there junk first and since I went to the trouble to send the guitar back, they sent me a better quality one.

I've been playing a couple years and own a Sammick acoustic.
No I would not buy one again.
Its probably a mistake buying a guitar sight unseen.
This isn't a bad guitar, but I would have preffered to just get a refund on the first one and spent a little more money on a guitar that I could test drive first.

Burswood Steel String Guitar
Purchased: one night in a daze from a TV ad
Price $100

looks like a $50 guitar and not well made, still smelled like 1 day old glue

this cannot last long

Lesson: don't buy anything when you are not totally awake and/or
from TV ads. I usually don't, but this was my lesson.
I am disappointed that this great artist put his name on it!
I have not used this guitar, however, it is not the same guitar that was featured by the ad on TV, which I found very misleading, therefore
I want to return it.
The information contained in the box does not specify anything, and I do not know where to return it to.
Does anybody have info on how to return it? Other websites and customer reports indicate that there is no customer service.
Any information is much welcomed.
Mary
priority@erols.com

False advertising! Not a solid spruce top. Not set up ready for playing. Very poor quality strings. No model number or place for one. Not hand signed. Did include accessories advertised.

Good sound, once I had a professional set up.

Very poor action. Needed a set up.

Do not think it will hold up for a year. Can not depend on it. Absolutly could not be used professionally.

No satisfaction. Bumped around to different phone numbers. No warranty. Falsely advertised. Had to spend $60 for a set up and strings to make it playable. No one could help me when I called several people. Everyone said it was not their responsability.

Played for 30 years, bought it for my son. Would not purchase it again.

made in 2002 probably in japan spruce top which looked very nice for the price of the guitar no electronics, cheap tuners, medium sized neck after a few days of play mine started showing scratches came with cheap bag which would not protect it, extra set of strings, allen wrenches, and a strap

the sound was nice did not sound as good as the 5,000 dollar guitar that esteban was playing but did have a nice and mellow tone for a 100 dollar guitar

this is where it really hit the fan the tuners were very cheap, as soon as I got it into tune the pegs started falling off, as stated earlier the black on the neck started to scratch off, the nut was outrageous and needed to be filed, after a few days of playing the d string would not tune at all. Beautiful looking guitar but set up badly and after a few days started falling to pieces

probably not just a 100 dollar beat up guitar that did not even last one week would not have depended on it for live playing

did not deal with them just with home shopping network and they accepted the return unknown how burswood is and very disappointed that a star would endorse this piece of garbage.

I have been playing off and on for about 4 years the past year and a half on I also own a taylor big baby, american fender strat, dean hardtail, and gibson les paul. Not that I compared this guitar to any of these other ones but definitely look elsewhere. The main styles I play are blues, r and b, rock and roll and pop type music. Good playing to everyone and as I was always warned by my teacher try not to buy guitars in the mail.

The top is solid spruce as advertised and for the most part looks fairly good. The pickguard is mediocre, but what can you expect from a $100 guitar? The guitar has 20 frets and supposedly a mahoghany neck, although I thought mahoghany would look better on the fretboard itself. It says Made In China and is signed by Estaban as he said it would. It includes no model # on the label, although there is a place for one, which I thought to be odd. The autograph at a closer look, appears printed, not hand written.

The product came with a gig bag, one set of extra strings, three picks, a wrench, a strap(which is already tearing apart and scratches to high heaven!) and also includes a video by Estaban.

Some of the frets sound shallow and the product was advertised as having a rich sound. The fifth fret does not sound as good as was advertised, but that seems minor overall. I don't whether is sounds bright or not, but it certainly does sound new. For a student guitar it is a great guitar. For a road/show guitar, you're better off using a washboard with some ropes tied around it.

The guitar came pre-stringed, and the strings were loose(at least the factory knows shipping procedures for a guitar). The finish is good but the fret board bothers me a little bit. It doesn't hold it's finish very well, in fact the sides are already starting to sluf a little and there is white wood underneath. Last time I checked the neck was not white, so either the finish is bad or the neck isn't true mahoghany. On first appearance, it is a beautiful guitar, but the tuning pegs at the top of the guitar are lifted off of the head some. It appears that the stress from the strings are pulling on the tuning pegs. I don't know how long it will hold up before it will affect the tuning ability, but it certainly doesn't look like it's helping it any!

No, it will not withstand live playing. Not for long at least. It's advertised as a student guitar and should be treated as one. Sure it'll be alright to play around your friends, but I wouldn't rely on a paycheck with this thing.

Has no warranty and I'm not sure I'd try to get it repaired if it fell apart after 30-60 days.

I've just started playing, but I know my guitars pretty well already (being as how I have a lot of guitar-playing friends). If it were stolen or lost, I might get a little upset about it, but seeing the others' comments, I think I would be pleased to have the opportunity to buy a better one. One thing I had wished I had asked before buying the guitar was about customer service. I figure if a company has enough trust in their product and put a warranty and support information with it, then I will trust them too. It came with none and unless otherwise moved, I would not choose Burswood again. And if I were Estaban, I would check business ethics once more. I don't think using your own guitar (the $3500 one) demostrates the ability this guitar has. I mean sure, a '76 Chevy looks like any other '76 Chevy, but if it doesn't have what it takes to get it going under the hood, it doesn't matter.

Your basic dreadnought acoustic guitar, all wood, came with gig bag, couple picks, extra set of strings, allen wrench, strap, and video.

Sound is good I guess for a low budget guitar.

The strings seemed pretty high to me, so having read other reviews, I also gound down the bridge...figured its not an expensive guitar so what could I hurt. After doing this, I was much happier with the guitar overall. The finish is not bad, the best being what you see looking directly at it, I did notice a flaw on the back side you can see thru the finish, but overall the body looks pretty descent. The neck on the otherhand has a poor finish, as one other review mentioned, it looks like the edges were gone over with a black magic marker. But, for a hundred bucks, overall I would say its not bad...better than I expected.

I don't know about it withstanding live playing, My use is for my own personal enjoyment. The hardware and finish I think will last with proper care, strap button is not loose, but the strap was too short and made with plastic parts which is already broke.

I doubt I will try to get any warranty out of a $100 guitar (price including the accessories, making the guitar itself not worth shipping both ways)

Been messing around with guitars a couple years, and also have a Peavy Predator International series, and an Ibanez RG 470, so this was a guitar to play around with an acoustic. If it were lost or stolen, I probably would not buy it again, I would find something nice possibly on ebay. My main reason for buying this guitar was the price, and for that I cannot really say it was a bad buy. I didn't compare it to others before buying it as you cannot go down to the local music shop and look it over first to compare it with others. So, overall I would say it would be a good learning guitar once you have lowered the strings to a comfortable height.