Product: Encore Blueburst Dreadnought
Price Paid: GBP 59.99
Submitted
08/07/2009
at
07:06am
by
Bob Hamilton
Email: bobandlindahamilton at tiscali<dot>co<dot>uk
Features
:
2
This is a basic beginners' gutar. Before buying this acoustic guitar from Argos (in the UK), I read the glowing reviews from other Argos customers. I have previously owned Encore guitars and always found them to be of a quality much better than should be expected at their price. I had high hopes that this blue acoustic 'jumbo' would continue in this tradition. I was about to be disappointed! This Chinese made guitar is certainly a pretty colour with its 'blueburst top, but has little else in its favour. The action is far too high. The neck too wide and the finger board is of the flat style usually only found on children's toys.
In short it is nothing more than a very large toy guitar! If you simply want a guitar to look pretty standing in the corner of a room, or something to strum around a camp fire, this may be for you but if you are looking for a good musical instrument, look elsewhere.
Sound
:
8
The guitar, being an acoustic, is best suited to strumming 'cowboy chords'. It produces good tone and volume.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
3
The action is far too high and the fingerboard is of the flat type which is rarely seen these days except on children's toys! The fingerboard is finished with a black paint finish which, after just a week, is already worn away in places. The quality of finish is typical of mass produced Chinese gutars. The blueburst finish is quite attractive if you like that sort of thing.
Reliability/Durability
:
2
If it had been fitted wit a decent neck, this could have been a pretty good guitar. As it is, it's already worn and it has hardly been played! The hardware fitted is all of acceptable standard.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Argos are usually pretty good with any complaints.
Overall Rating
:
3
I've been messing around with guitars for over forty years and had some good, bad and ugly. I have another Electro-Acoustic Encore (EA 255) which is again a mass produced Chinese made guitar but which has none of the shortcomings of the Blueburst Dreadnought. If I were now looking for something similar, I would probably be looking at an entry level Epiphone which is in a different league!
I've just noted that, due to the good sales of this guitar, Argos have just increased its price by ??20. At its new price, there are many better alternatives.
