Jay Turser JT-134

Natural quilted top, single cut away with great inlays, gold hardward, HH, made in China ... pretty standard for 2007 issue. This guitar is beautiful for the $. Standard stuff but of a very nice quality for the dollar. Solid top, rosewood fretboard with a maple neck ...

I play lots of stuff - none of it very well - nonetheless I LOVE the sound this puts out. I was thinking of swaping out the HH but not now ... I'am keeping this one. I have bought and sold about 20 guitars on my quest to find the right ones ... I focus on the sub $500 market ... this way I can have a variety which works for me and this one is one keeper especially for the $167 plus $30 delivery price I paid! It's not noisy, has clearer than average HH - I primarially use a Gdec with multiple settings.

There was a minor flaw in the finish beneath the gloss but I knew that when I bought it - it's the only flaw - joints are clean, firm and the overall workmanship is top drawer - above what I expected for $167 plus $30 deliver USD on line. It's as good if not better than any Korean, Mexican, Indonesian manufactured guitar on the market today. Finish other than the one flaw mentioned is flawless and tight. Tuners are tight and stay in tune, the electronic sound, nut's acceptable ... NO COMPLAINTS on this one.

Will it stand up to gigging ... I have no idea and won't be gigging as I am not that good ... but if I were a betting man I'd say it would as it's a very well constructed guitar. I suspect the finish, being gold on the hardware, will oxidize or wear off with time especially if I don't wipe it down carefully ... but for the $ ... whocares?

Don't know - not had the need to check it out ... however I will put a plug in for the Wilburn Custom Shop in Pasco Washington from whom I purchased from online - eBay ... great communications and great deals ... if you are sub- $500 and looking for some entertainment buy a Turser ... they're well worth it based upon this guitar!

I have owned guitars and played (poorly but happily) for 20 years. I have NO regrets for having purchased this guitar and was quite surprised as to how good a deal it was. I love the look, the feel, the quality. There isn't anything I don't like or hate about it. The classy finish of the inlays and the balanced look is what initially drew me towards it - the fit, the finish and the balanced way it hangs on ya is perfect for me. A gold bigsby would be cool but why ... it would double the price and I am happy with it as is. If you are thinking about one ... buy if from Wilburn ...

Semi-hollow single cutaway, like a Les Paul with a fatter rear bout, very lightweight, trapeze tailpiece with 335-style bridge, Gotoh style tuners, 21 or 22 frets, thin wire -- fret spacing feels very small but comfy -- 2 noname HBs, 3 way switch with 2 vol 2 tone pots, maple neck and what seems to be maple top, made in China. In essence a classic semi-hollow concept but in a smaller box. All components are cheap but OK. If you gigged with it you would want to replace a lot of them, hence the low score.

I play blues and soul solo, in open tunings, usually with a slide. The guitar is adequate for those styles but nothing special (my main axes are Reverends, and they are special). As others have said the bridge pup has good bite and jangle; the neck is muddy and lacks character, especially when overdriven, and it robs the mid position of some interest too, whether using a small amp (Roland Microcrube) or a bigger one (Peavey Transformer 112, excellent modeling amp). Neither is noisy, and the volume and tone pots on mine have good sweep. Balance on neck pup is very poor as other reviewers have noted -- the bottom end is too loud and the mids are too punchy, with all poles lowered down. (I've noticed the mids problem on the Ibanez AWD83, another small bodied semi.) Rather than adjust I will eventually replace with a pair of Reverend HBs.

It came with cheap, very light strings. Changed to SIT 11s and tuned up, and the neck relief noticeably shifted up. It's for slide, so fine. I will say the neck profile is agreeable, narrow and not thick; fret ends feel a little sharp but not too much. Bridge has a slight buzz, no time to fix it yet. One of the two screws on the traneze back plate was stripped and fell out. Neck joint is good but on one side was poorly cut (visible notch). Tuners are not very reliable. To gig with this axe it will need locking tuners. The finish is irrelevant -- I got this axe VERY cheap (4150 with shipping) because it's a second with some serious blemishes in the natural finish on the front. But I'm knocking off four points for the other stuff.

I would not risk my rep on this axe until I'd replaced the tuners and pups and tracked down the buzz. I don't use a backup on solo gigs, and I would rather not rely on this axe for a whole night.

Never dealt with them.

I've played semi pro for over 40 years, live, on the road, in studios and in front of folks, and still perform and record regularly. I own Fender, Roland, Crate and Pignose tube and tranny amps, in different sizes for different rooms. I also have three Reverend US and import guitars (two with P90s and one with HBs), a Washburn SS80 I modded, a Curlee, a Supro resophonic with an added pickup, and a Charvel bass. I've also owned and played a lot of cheap gear. This is cheap gear. That doesn't mean it's garbage. It has a real classic blues feel to it, like the old Harmony or Kay guitars. But I disagree with many of the reviewers here: it's not really a good guitar in stock form, too limited, not enough character. At the price I paid, $150 including shipping off ebay, it's a superior instrument to the Squier 51 (see my review). So I'm happy. With another $100 for tuners and installing pups (don't ask me to do a semihollow without a back plate myself, please), plus the $65 I spent on a pair of Reverend HBs, it'll cost me a total $315, a good deal if it sounds significantly better. No way do I think that the JT134 is worth the $350 it costs new. A used Sheraton or Wildkat or Alleykat, any one of which is only slightly ore expensive, would blow it away. If you bought new and added in $150 to make it sound interesting, you might as well be buying a new Reverend, and any Reverend is a versatile pro axe out of the box. So I'm rating this axe a 6 AT THE PRICE I PAID -- I got a good deal, and it's fun to play, but it's nothing special, which is a surprise after reading the glowing stuff below. If it turns out to be a sleeper after I mod it, I'll file again.

EVERYTHING on this guitar is an Asian copy, tuners, pickups, hardware, so I don't expect nickle covers, or proper grovers, those that do have missed the point of the guitar.

I purchased a Jay Turser JT-134 guitar in natural finish on a impulse whim. I have had it 4 years. It has aged nicely. The binding is yellowing, and the natural finish is darkening. I was looking for an inexpensive jazz box guitar to play T-Bone walker style blues on, while not out of phase, it does it's job.

I usually play it and my others through a Fender HRDlx, and assorted pedals. It is a laminate top, center sustain block guitar, not a true complete hollow body.

It is of Chinese manufacture, and with that comes some problems. Generic pickups, nothing is of Switchcraft quality, but all pots and switches work noiselessly.

The neck is good, it is fast and respectfully, I don't quite understand all the Fret Filing and nut cutting that people do to guitars in the name of homemade luthery, mine was fine right out of the box.

It has the usual 3 way selector switch enherent in this style of guitar, so don't expect a lot of different sounds other than the usual two hummer list.

The finish is good, it is clear natural with no flaws, and even if it had them, we are not talking about a PRS here, we are speaking of a good, low priced guitar with quality to match the price point.
Those that complain about cheapness or pickups and what not need to remember where it is from and what they paid for it.

My guitar was hanging in a guitar shop, they had done nothing to it, it needed nothing.

I have used this guitar to jam and play at home, and at organized jams. If your signal chain is strong, in other words a good amp setup, it will cut right through. Don't expect wonders with a 5 watt SS practice amp.

Since I have an American Strat and PRS McCarty, I don't think I would need to play out with this one, but I would, if for nothing else, to show that even an inexpensive guitar can sound good if run through quality gear.

I have never needed any support on this guitar.

This is the part that I don't usually elaborate too much on. Lets say I have been playing since I was 8 and I am now 58. I probably wouldn't replace this guitar if stolen or destroyed due to the price point making it not much of an issue. I don't know that I love the guitar, but I do like that big body vibe.

Great BIG jazz box. Great for jazz, rockabilly and, surprisingly, blues (even with the 13 flatwounds). I wouldn't call this a straight country piece, but that opinion might change when I install decent pickups. Made in 1999, 2 humbuckers, classic ES-175 styling. Can't tell what the neck is made of, but the body is a laminate with maple as the inside and outside laminate.

I got this piece for $195 shipping included, barely used, of EBay. Great jazz box. I go from blues to jazz to rockabilly all in the same set and this box can really keep up. I'll replace the pickups with real Gibson humbuckers. Don't like the pickups in it, they're a little short of a good sound. The box itself is great, and I think it will respond well to Gibsons being retrofitted.

Action was high, nut was cut high, frets needed major filing. I do all that so I set it up myself for free. Now it plays great with D'Addario 13's Chrome Flatwounds. Really easy to cover the entire neck. Slight finish flaw, nothing that bothers me much for the price. Give it a 9 in it's present condition after I worked it over.

I think this guitar will be able to take the same abuse I do, which is saying something. Hardware is good, good finish. I did have to put shims in the tail piece screw holes since the screws were turning in their holes.

I would use this at a gig with no problem. Don't think I need a backup, but I use several different guitars in a show as a matter of course.

I've been playing for 37 years, have toured the US and Canada, countless hours in the studio, done setup for all the Philadelphia bands and some vintage guitars sold backstage to major artists. I wanted a good jazz box, but did't want to spend the $2000 it takes to get and ES-150. As I can work this guitar over for free, I'll call it an incredible value. Played EVERYTHING over the years, this is a fairly solid guitar. GO FOR IT! But plan on spending the cost of a fret filing (not just a simple dressing), setup, and the price of better pickups. Still a solid guitar for a great value.

I just started playing because I found this thing in a vacated apartment. The tenant has been gone for about 5 weeks now and this was all he left except ph-uckin' trash. Anyway, I don't know what you mean by action, or response, but I know it plays too sweet. I strung it with ultra lights and i have absolutely no complaints. Hell, I might even pay the price to buy it if I had too.

I'm playing mostly classic rock(aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin, etc.) and I'm very pleased with the music we're making. I'm pumpin' it threw a Fender amp and getting alittle fret buzz up around the 13th to 16th frets, but I figure alittle touch with a file should clear that up.

Even though she's used, the finish is beautiful with very few flaws. In fact, if it came from the factory with just these few flaws, I wouldn't be too upset about it. It's loaded with brass hardware that looks as good as it works. I would like it more with higher ratio machines on her, but what do ya want for nuthin'?

Me at a gig. That's funny.

Doubt I'll be gettin' any customer support.

I played years ago but never became too accomplished. Because of the vast improvement I've experienced in a relatively short time, I have to think I had some pretty shabby equipment in the past.

Standard features, made in China. Good quality laminated maple top, center block of some kind of soft white wood (basswood?). Beautifull quilted top, exellent finish all around. Grover clone tuners that work well. Nice straight neck with good frets.

Play mostly blues and jazz and this guitar sounds great for these styles. One caveat to the above statement is that the p-ups have been replaced with some late 60's gibson PAF's. The stock p-ups had an ok sound, kind of colorless in my opinion, but marginally acceptable. This thing has a real sweet sound with the PAF's. I AB'd it with a 96 Gibson es335, and the turser sounded better. The p-up swap has much to do with this, I'm sure, but the acoustic sound comes through and contributes to the overall sound. Be advised if you plan to replace the p-ups with PAF's, you will have to rout the body about 3/16" wider to fit the PAF's. The stock wiring is really small, so be carefull.

The neck is very well done, good fret work etc. etc. I have the action set up lower than my 335 with no buzzes. The overall playability of the 335 is better, (due to the flatter frets I think), but I'm not sure there's a $2000.00 difference. Truss rod works well, and the bridge raises and lowers easiest with a slothead screwdriver. The only flaw I can find is the logo on the headstock is slightly crooked.

This guitar has held up for 2 months so far with no issues. Everything seems solid, except for the loose nut on the input jack which has been mentioned elsewhere. Would use it without backup, but I usually bring two axes for a variety of tones

Voided the warranty when I routed the body. For a couple of hundred bucks, who cares?

Been playing 40+ years, gig with 3 bands for a 2nd income. Got this because of reviews I read here, and appreciate the accuracy of the info. Was looking at Gibson es 135's, and 137's, but didn't have the dough. With the p-up replacement, this is as good a sounding ax as a Gibby. Wish the frets were a little flatter, but all in all the only minor niggle.

Lam top, blonde, H/H
Decent case

As good or better than any gibson lp or 335 I ever played for tone.
Blues, gospel, jazz, rock, americana, not quite twangy enough for
modern country but great for everything else.

Shipped in winter out of the box, hi e string was flat.
tuned and haved played it more than my 50th anniversary strat or
new peavey hp signature usa. action is great

a couple of minor finish flaws

a steal at the price and worth way more compared to other brands

n/a

Got this new about 2.5 years ago. It is a single cutaway semi hollow design (like an ES 137 Deluxe except that the body is not as wide across). This seems to be a special edition, with full cream binding, a real flame maple top, gold hardware and vine inlay neck. The tobacco sunburst finish is flawless. Standard Gibson-style set up (2 HB, w/2 vol and 2 tone, 3 way switch) and vintage style tuners (that work). This one is old enough that it has the standard HB pickups.

The stock pickups in this guitar are spectacular. Very rich and detailed. Perfect for jazz, blues and classic rock. Good balance between the neck and bridge pickups too. Compares very well to my 335 with BurstBuckers. Everybody comments on the great tone.

Beautiful guitar with fit and finish on par with, or exceeding, many much more expensive guitars. Came perfectly set up with 10s, great action. Only bad thing was that the neck tone control did not work. Music Industry (the Importer) would have replaced it under warranty, but I had to ship to LA, and without a case (at that time)I was hestitant to do so.

This has is one of my favorite guitars (right up there with my Gibson 335 & '56 RI Les Paul, and Fender Clapton strat. I have not had any problems with this guitar other than the previously mentioned tone control, several other guitars, including my Gretsch DuoJet have had problems with the switches or jacks, but the Turser has been great.
This guitar takes a special case, bigger than a Les Paul, but smaller than a 335. I ordered the Turser case ($80) and it is merely adequate (cool looking alligator pattern, but not very sturdy and not well padded.)

Music Industries was willing to fix the volume control under warranty, but I had to pay shipping to and from Los Angeles. Since I didn't have a case at the time, I decided to have the tone control replaced locally.

Unbeatable value. The best guitar for the money I own.

New guitar, 2004; made in China; 22 frets; I can't tell if the top is laminated or solid, three-way selector; two humbuckers, generic; passive electronics; nice-looking tobacco sunburst with black pickguard; single cutaway; LEFTHANDED model; C-shaped neck; sparse kit, containing only a wire and a wrench. Hard case is on order and will cost extra.

I'm playing with a 15W Peavey Blazer 158 amp. I only plan on using this in my living room for the foreseeable future. It has a good, rich sound when played on electic. It's also a good acoustic guitar.

The guitar was set-up properly at the factory and tuned. The dealer did some additional tweaking. This guitar is made for a lefthander (me), but I noticed two flaws. One, the nut is made for a righthanded guitar. The #1 string is in the bass groove, and the #6 is actually seated atop the high E string groove. It is secure but obviously not right. Also, the tone and volume knobs (numbered 1 to 10) are made for a rightie. 10 for me is "0". 1 is highest volume.

I don't plan on playing this at a gig any time soon, as I'm pretty new at this and taking lessons (I started at the tender age of 50). My guitar teacher, who gigs professionally with his wife as singer, was impressed with the size, feel, weight and construction. It looks like it would hold up well. I saw a group a while back, Cosmic Charlie, a Dead tribute band, in which the lead guitarist played one similar to this. If it is good enough for him, it should be okay for me. The strap buttons appear solid. Pretty lightweight and more manageable in size than a 335.

I have not needed any customer support at this point. The warranty is unlimited for the life of the guitar for the original owner.

I've been stumbling through lessons on and off for about five years. I just turned 56 and wanted to upgrade my guitar choices. I also have a used Japanese Fender Telecaster, which I use with a Peavey Blazer 158 (15W), a Larrivee Parlor, an Oscar Schmidt dreadnought, a Baby Taylor and a Martin Backpacker (which I never use). This Turser feels more comfortable than the Tele in some regards, but I do miss the flattened back of the neck of the Tele. The Turser neck is a rounded C. I'm not sure that's my preference. Being a leftie, the dealer had nothing in stock, so I had to play around with a righthanded model. So, I bought this one kind of blind. I have some uneasiness about the dealer, Greensboro Music, but it may be okay. He has been in business for several years, but he does seem somewhat disorganized. That criticism may be unfair, because I have not had any follow-up needs. This looks like a good, durable guitar, and, at my age, I don't plan on having to upgrade it any time soon, at the rate I'm learning. I'd say I'd buy it again. I'm giving it an "8" because the higher numbers should be reserved for the Gibsons, Paul Reed Smiths and other good semi-hollow body electrics. I have never purchased a guitar via mail order or internet because I always worry about needing adjustments and feel more comfortable being able to go back to the dealer's store. So, I probably paid considerably more for this model than I would have from Musicland Central. I'll find out if I made the right choice.

The best feature I'd have to say the playability. It just plays so well. I also like the look. That's what drew me to it.

I cut a new pickguard out of some quilted maple. I also upgraded to a non spring lock bridge. The original bridge had spring buzz. I also changed the pickups from the Epiphone humbuckers it came with to some S.Duncan '59's. I felt the '59's were way to fat and dark on this guitar. So I switched them with S.Duncan Antiquities and man, what a great sound. I hear all the wood and the low end is way more balanced.

So, some great tone changing changes and the playabiliy makes this one killer ax for under $1,000.00.

The sound this guitar makes after the P/U change and the new bridge
is sweet smokey wood with teeth when you need it. Great for blues and jazz, or rock.

Actually, the sound of the guitar is totally dependant on the whole chain of sound from fingers to amp. Let's not forget that.
But I do dig my JT134.

I've had to re attach a wire. And I will change the pots and toggle to high quality soon. I'm hoping to find a colorful tone pot.

The playability and vibe with those old looking Antiquities and the overall sound places this guitar next to my G&L ASAT on stage. I need no other electrics right now. I'm happy.