Product: Giannini AWN31
Price Paid: <40 (GBP)
Submitted
12/13/2002
at
07:07am
by
Howard
Features
:
7
According to the label this classical guitar was made in April 1979 in Brazil. I got it as a Christmas present in 1988. It was my first guitar.
Open gear tuners, ornate-carved slotted headstock.
19 frets, spruce top, mahogany sides, back and neck with a rosewood fretboard and white plastic side markers.
Rosewood bridge.
The shape is subtley different to most classical guitars I've played - its a kind of bloated jumbo affair.
For the money (<#40)- my mum bought it used in '88 it's remarkable - absolutely fantastic woods used throughout, put together in a very sturdy fashion.
Sound
:
4
With worn-in strings this guitar sounds like a piano, and that is a good thing. The neck is the widest I've ever played, 5.1cm at the nut upto 6.3cm at the 12th fret so even with my large hands (now that I have the ruler out to measure the fretboard I'm pleased to inform you that I've got a... 25.5cm span) playing Barre chords is a challenge, not helped by a fretboard so flat it feels concave.
I've had this guitar 14 years, learnt to play my first chords on it, written pop songs, punk songs, country songs and folk songs on it.I don't feel like I've done it justice as a musical instrument at all. I've just used is to write the songs that I then transpose to other instruments or play on other guitars.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
No Opinion
The tuning is pretty stable, although my girlfriend (now wife) sat on it in '93 putting a slight crack in the neck parallel to the fretboard by the nut.
The main issue I have is the intonation is way out - probably because of the crack. Notes ring true up to the 7th fret, but above that you're on your own - that's why the Sound section only got a 4.
Reliability/Durability
:
No Opinion
I've played solo gigs with this guitar. Strings never break because I do not play with my nails or a plectrum so a back-up is unnecessary.
I hope it will last - I'm going to donate it to charity so that someone else can use it as a beater.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
No Opinion
I have too many guitars and not enough time to play them.
As I said this one is going to charity after giving me 14 years of service.
I'll probably replace it with a small bodied acoustic, although I haven't told the wife yet...
If I saw one for sale I'd try it, but then if I see any stringed instument in a shop for sale second hand I'll try it.
