SX RG1 FS NA

I am very impressed with this product. This square neck resonator was made in China, which keeps the price down. When I opened the box I was shocked to find a spun cone and capped bridge, features normally found on much more expensive guitars. The finish is a rich brown satin finish, which lets the natural grain of the wood show through. The body is a high quality lamenant. This guitar does not feature any electronics. The add from says that the top back and sides are figured Curly Malapoka tone-wood; a species I am not familiar with, but looks and sounds quite nice. The neck is solid Mahogany with what looks like a rosewood fretboard. The tuners are built like grovers but have no name on them. They feel adequate. The metal parts are in a traditional spider configuration. There are no buzzes right out of the box, and the guitar feels quite solid. I gave the guitar an 8 simply because of the lack of a pickup and case, but for the price, it is quite a bargain. D'Addario strings came installed. They are a little lite for my taste, but otherwise fine. There was no case included, but it was packed very well and double boxed. It was shipped quickly and affordably.

This guitar fits neatly into the contemporary bluegrass sound. To my ears it sounds like a Dobro, which is exactly what I wanted. No buzzes or rattles at all. The tone is rich and full, perhaps a little bit more mellow than the sound of a Beard or Scheerhorn, but that may be the strings. Tone is a huge strength for this instrument!

Setup was superb right out of the box. All the parts were tight and in new condition. The finish is good on this guitar, I've only spotted a couple of imperfections, and they were hard to see. The satin nature of the finish looks very forgiving to normal wear and tear. This guitar features no pickups.

I would not give taking this guitar out to a gig a second thought. Other than the lack of a case, this guitar seems ready to go on the road. It feels sturdy and up to hard playing. Its loud but not overpowering, and should be able to hold its own in a bluegrass setting. This guitar does not come with a strap or capo, but very few do. A strap is almost a necessity for playing this instrument live. I suggest you save yourself some trouble and buy a strap specifically made for Dobro style guitars.

The only dealing I've had with the company is ordering through Ebay. They were lightning fast on getting it shipped, and if the packing and setup are any indication of their professionalism, you cant go wrong in dealing with SX guitars and Rondo music.

This guitar is an incredible deal for the money. The only other guitars in the same price-range don't hold a candle to this one. I got much, much more than I expected to in this instrument. I have played guitar for nearly 14 years, and have been interested in taking up resonator guitar for a long time. I have done extensive research in this area, and can vouch that this instrument is of a high quality. It may not have the amenities of a professional instrument, (I suggest looking to Beard, Scheerhorn, or Dobro for top of the line resonators) but as a first step or a beater, this guitar is really hard to beat. I may look into purchasing a pickup at a later date, but I have no problems playing into a mike until then. I would be devastated if it was stolen or broken beyond repair, and would absolutely order a replacement.