Samick D-1

As far as features, i think it meets the basic standard. it's not the acoustic electric, its just acoustic. But its very comfortable to play, i feel that the tuners are decent for what i payed for it, the action was set just right for me and it feels very comfortable.

With the right strings it can sound as nice as the more expensive acoustics. I like the tone i get from the guitar. It carries out nicely. It fits the kind of music i like to play on acoustic. (Secondhand Serenade, From First to Last) For the price, you can't ask for a better sound.

To me the action feels just right for me. The fit is nice as well. Its not to big and it fits comfortably under my arm. It sounds good with 12-54 acoustic strings. My finish is a very unique kind of pearl white and it looks beautiful. I don't see many guitars with that coloring and it gets me a lot of complimants which is nice.

The guitar has been reliable to me. Sometimes it doesnt feel super durable but again, its a lower end guitar. but i cant say its been non-durable. Im pretty rough with it.

I was very happy with the purchase.

Bought this 'last one in the shop' D1 - natural finish NATO - npt the prettiest wood, but I think it is solid (the reviewer how said this is an all plywood guitar is wrong I think). Glossy polyester finish, nice hardware, nice designed, albeit plastic moulded saddle with individual intonation.adjustment (factory set of course). Headstock ugly as with all Samicks, tuners OK, fretboard and frets nice quality, neck fairly shallow, straight and true. Guitar fairly weighty - which is what put me on to it ..

The sound was OK but a bit 'wrong'. Full and wholesome, but a bit muddy, a bit dull and boomy. I have just made a bone saddle , carefully copying the original shape plus intonation bevels. NOW it sounds like a solid top guitar, mahogany(ish) solid top at that. I think the polyester finish needs ripping off and a light cellulose coat of lacquer - will do that next. I really think this guitar is worth it. So right now with stock light d'Addarios is sounds quite impressive - my other guitar is a $400 Norman and it is in the same league, although much darker tones. Lots of harmonics now, almost too bright with the bone saddle, maybe lighter top strings will balance that out. I actually heard the sound source move down towards the bridge when I changed the saddle. Recommended.

Action was not so hot from the shop. Way too high. I pulled out one (of two) packers from the under the saddle (although now it is replaced - see above), and lowered the grooves in the nut quite a lot - my fingers were bleeding from playing open chords. The neck was set like a banana - about 1 full turn (!) later the neck is now straight and now it plays really really well. A tiny bit of fret rattle on low E now - but a bit of relief would sort that - I like it though - acoustic distortion ..

It really seems very well built. Don't like the high gloss finish , although not so thick, I still think it is masking any nice tones that this mdest guitar might try and radiate.

Does anyone gig without backups?

Not worried about that on a $120 guitar. (120 euros over here ..)

Well .. now I have fixed her up .. I am very happy. I sensed there was a nice guitar in there and I was right. Once I sand down the top and lacquer it I expect to have a nice moody, characterful, responsive player - just like my wife . Great value, especially if you can ignore the headstock and get someone to fix it up properly - nut, saddle, and action.

This model is a D-1SN which I couldn't find on www.samickguitar.com and I purchased it at the end of January 2004. It's totally acoustic with no pick-ups or electronics. Here's the deal on my purchase. I have two children, boy and girl 15 yr olds so I wanted two guitars and didn't really have that much money. I bought 2 Samick D-1SN's along with extra strings, 2 guitar books with CD's, picks, and 2 really nice Pevey soft cases - all for $310.00 and I bought it all new from a music store here in Oklahoma.

I'm not sure what year it was born, I usually look at serial number to see that and the last part of the number is 99, so I'm not really sure what year - maybe 1999 maybe 2003, I don't know.

It came out of the box totally in tune and not a scratch on it. Me and my kids have played them a little and in the process have hit it against the coffee table lightly a few times and no scratches or knicks, it seems real durable.

I have been playing for 35+ years and I don't make my living playing but I've had and owned many great guitars in my life. I don't ever do polls, comments, or ratings but this guitar has made me very pleased and I continually am at awe in it's cost and how great it handles and sounds.

Many cheap guitars just play out of tune, especially in the inntonations and harmonics. I can go up and down the neck and hear just very very slight imperfections...basically the thing is right on! As far as likes and dislikes, I have absolutely no dislikes. I haven't even owned it a month yet but I know it's going to last. I also think that it does have a rich full sound and it plays 'loud' real good.

Like I have said earlier, both of these guitars came out of new boxes and they were in tune without a dent, mark, or scratch. I didn't notice a single flaw in either of them. The action is right where I like it. I might be able to lower it but I think that it would probably start to buzz right off the bat if I did that.

I have seen some inexpensive guitars with the frets real wide, burred, and raised real high. These frets are thin and low...no complaints!

I don't play out except I play on the Worship Team at church 3 times a week in front of the congregation. I would definitely trust this guitar except it has no pick-up. If any of you can give me some advice as to how or if I should put a pick-up in it I would sure appreciate it. I hear sometimes that it's a bad idea.

The guitar only has a strap button on the end.

The companies website at www.samickguitar.com has an on-line warrenty thingy but there's no contact info. I think they could do a little better than that.

I would buy this guitar again if anything ever happened. My favorite feature about it is the sound and feel. Like I've said, I have just spent almost 1/2 an hour filling this thing out and I don't ever do that kind of stuff. I just want others to know that there is a great INEXPENSIVE guitar out there and this is the one!

I have no idea what year it was made, but it is a recent model, made in Indonesia. It has 19 frets, but you can't get past 15 anyway since there isn't a cut-away. It is a nato top, that is said to be all solid mahagony materials, that they stained a little darker than usual to show nice texture. This unit does not have any electronics. Body I was told is mahagony. Around the sound hole is a Abalone rosette. Set neck, and a single ply black binding that is really clean and nice. Dreadknought. Bridge style is your usual acoustic 6-string bridge style. Tuners are chrome capped machine heads, they don't have a name on them, all though I have heard they are Grovers, I doubt it because they don't say anything on them, all though that doesn't mean Grover does not have a lesser line. Neck appears to be mahagony, and the fretboard is rosewood. I got a gigbag with the guitar. I give it a 10 because, let's face it, it doesn't have much for features, its an acoustic guitar without electonics, but Samick did a wonderful job on the features that they did implement.

I am mainly a metal player, but it took me months to find "my" acoustic...and let me tell you, I creamed when I heard this, shit a brick when I heard the price, and cried for several hours after I put some Martin's on it. Its a nice crisp, bright, deep penetrating projective sound thats great for those balads. I have no dislikes, this guitar is truely amazing, a guitar that sounds this good will usualy bend you over by the name of Taylor for 2 or 3 thousand over price.

The guitar was set-up for bluegrass when it came from the factory, so it was actually incredibly nice...when I took it out of the box and took off the foam...IT WAS IN TUNE!! That was enough for me, I devirginized it, and the fucking bastard was in tune, I was in so much shock, and it played very well, just since I had the option of getting it set-up to lower the action, I did, and so it plays like an $8-900 acoustic. But from the factory, yes I could've kept it...but why does a dog lick its balls, it can? Well I lowered the action because I could. No flaws on it, believe me I looked, the damn thing was made in Indonesia, its a fucking toy, and there weren't any signs anywhere of it being a toy, it was a rather frustrating experience...for once price doesn't mean quality.

I haven't taken it live anywhere, simply because I don't do coffee shop gigs, and it has no electronics to plug into a PA. But, I would, it appears to be very durable, I've had it now for about a year, and it still looks gorgeous, still sounds gorgeous, still plays very well...still comes out of my gigbag...IN TUNE!!! It would be my first choice in playing live, but I don't know if I want my baby to have surgery to get electronics...maybe someday...but right now there are bats flying out of my wallet. The only real hardware on the guitar are the tuners, and I was skeptical, they look cheap, but when I play the guitar for an hour and it doesnt konk out of tune, and when I take it out of the box being shipped over seas all the way from Indo-fuckin-neasia, and its in tune, that says something. Hey, if they dont last I'll replace them...allthough that would probably be worth more than the guitar. But it is a nice instrument. The finish doesn't have any marks on it or anything, like some of my other guitars do, I have a Yamaha C-40 Spanish Classical thats not much older, and it has dings on it here and there...like I said I haven't gigged with it, so I can't really say, but it has switched so many hands of my friends because they can't believe its quality for its price...and theyre rather neglegant folks, as is anyone who doesnt own your property...so...I would trust it. Nothing has worn off yet. The sole strap button on the rear of the guitar is plastic...I don't know if I'd trust it or not...but...there's that, I haven't stood up with it yet, if I will it'l be when I get electronics put in it. I don't do folk music, so playing that guitar without a back-up is plausible. Very plausible. I have electrics and an amp with a clean channel, the only reason I'd bring the acoustic is for the acoustic effect, but ultimatly, if I were to bring an acoustic live, and I were the only guitar perse, I would use a 12-string. It just has more depth and presence, but if the entire song were acoustic, and had intricate parts, hell yes, I'd use this here Samick D-1 as my lead, and someone else can back me up with a 12-string, and each note will cut through, its a very crisp warm sounding guitar. I give this part a 10, just because I know guitars, and this one is definitly solid.

Never had to deal with the company, never had to get it repaired...and, I saw nothing about the warranty, I would assume its a year granted from manufacturer error.

I have been playing for close to 9 years now, I own a Yamaha C-40 Spanish Classical, a Jackson JDR-94, an Ibanez RG-520GP, a Dean Playmate bass that I use for practicing bass lines, a Yamaha keyboard, Tama Starclassic Performer kit...I'm all around, and I know quality. Not a thing to ask before buying it, I'm overly impressed with the instrument. Well, I don't know if I'd buy this EXACT one, again, I'd probably go with one of Samick's..."higher" lines, I mean, I've played many Samicks, and they make just incredible instruments, and this D-1 is supposed to be a beginner line, but you could've fooled me. Seeing as how its considered a beginner line, I know that out there there is a better one. I love the fact that it cost as much as a toy, but feels like a Korean made acoustic, and I love the fact that it cost as much as a toy and sounds...sounds...sounds like a fucking over priced Taylor. I hate the fact that it doesn't play as well as it sounds...but whats more important? As long as your hands don't hurt and notes all ring out, you're fine. My favourite feature is probably the headstock, they put a lot of design effort into it and its really nice, they also claim that its design adds to the attack and sustain...I'll take their word for it because the guitar has a well amount of both of those. I didn't exactly compare it to other guitars, my guitar instructor gets a lot of instruments on trade, and I mentioned that I was looking for an acoustic guitar, which actualy took me about 6 months to find...and one guitar I will compare it to now, is a $625 Takamine I almost bought, but was saving up for a car at the time, so I dismissed it and kept looking, and the Takamine had onboard electronics, blah blah, the whole bit. The two more-than-likely will sound alike, but the feel of the Takamine, as I recall was probably better, who's to say? The human memory is a shitty thing, and I can remember whatever I want about that Takamine...all I can say is that, two guitars really caught my attention, that Takamine, and this Samick...and the Samick came around at a time when I was actualy willing to buy one, and the price was beautiful. I picked it because of the tone, so many guitars either sound like theyve got mud in them, or theyre so...dark and icky, or theyre hard to play, and just...so many things you'll find in an Ibanez or Fender acoustic, and I had recently played on a Guild that he had kicking around, that I was not impressed with at all, horrible 12-string guitar, absolutly horrible, it was dark sounding, hard to play, and then I grabbed this samick, and it was like: "this is what I want." I wish it had electronics in it.

Greetings, all! I purchased my Samick D1 for $110 off of eBay. 20 frets, made in 2003 from the Indonesia plant, I believe. This guitar is the Greg Bennett designed D1. A lot of people have bad things to say about the Samick lineup, but do not see any problems here at all. This is claimed to be a dreadnaught, I think it is a little bit smaller ... but it may be. The guitar I learned on is a Martin concert guitar, so this guitar had some great expectations. Surprisingly enough, even for any price, this guitar not only sounds great, but from my family of guitar players who have played since they were wee ones, I get stellar comments on the action and quality of the neck. The satin finish looked about as interesting as my butt, so I used car polish (abrasive) and then put car wax ontop of it. Now she really shines deeply! This guitar has the most bang for the buck that you can get!

I play mainly classical rock (chords, leads) and also fingerstyle. This guitar is EXCELLENT for finger style. The strings are nicely spaced so that my gangly fingers don't get all tangled up, and the medium gauge strings I have resonate throughout the nato body like nothing else I've ever heard for the price. Though the guitar has nato woods, which aren't real mahogony, you can't hear the difference. The only differnce is in the grain pattern. The sound is very deep and, contrasting from the other opinions, has a very nice balance of bass and treble. I am guessing the owner who ripped apart this guitar with words plays the bass notes on the fretboard, but of course that would sound like crap. The sound gets a 8, because though it is not a Martin, what the hell is?!

Guitar was set up excellently. NO flaws, other than a darkness in the NATURAL grain pattern. NOT Samick's flaw, there. Action is EXCELLLENT. All kinds of players who have played for years comment on the excellent fit and finish: no gaps here, and the tuners are excellent quality. I cannot see why other users have problems from the Indonesia plant, surely, they are 1 in millions to have received those junker guitars. No flaws anywhere, VERY nice.

This guitar is EXTREMELY durable. It will surely withstand a lot of abuse. It is built like a tank, and is a very pretty sight to see. The finish, as stated, has car polish & wax on it, and that is holding up very well :-D after all, it isn't getting rained on. I don't have a strap button, oddly enough ... NO need for a backup. This guitar is made to last, and last well until it's sent into a shredder or lit on fire. No signs of aging whatsoever.

Cannot I have had to deal with them ... :-o

The only thing I wish about this guitar is that it had a laquer or some kind of other finish, but car polish and wax do a a damn good job. If this were stolen, I would certainly buy another Samick. Maybe not the same model, but from the same line of products. That's just because I enjoy change, though. There is NOTHING wrong with my
Samick D1 acoustic. I love the sound ... just won't and can't get over it. I compared this guitar to a Martin. A MARTIN! Sure, difference in tone, but considering $1400 in 1983 vs. $110 in 2003, what would you buy?! Folks, BARGAIN does not mean CRAP. This is a very finely crafted guitar. GO FOR IT!

made in indonesia.... 20 fret fingerboard (14 fret neck, no cutaway), dreadnought style. Said to be made of all NATO woods. I looked up what NATO is and found it to be very much like mahogany. But cheaper.
It is a very pretty guitar. This one is a left handed model.

Being only compared to two other guitars, I think it sounds better.
It is notably diffrent that the others too. Has a nice bright sound but not too heavy on the bass notes. But some people like that. This guitar likes to be played hard. I had to buy heavier picks.

Action good out the box for me. I'm not picky. The guitar was made well I believe. It looks great. I've read that SAMICK has re-vamped their whole line and make them better now than in the past.

It's brand new, so I will update this review if something happens to it. It appears to be built sturdily.

Dont have that info here with me. Will update later

Playing for a year now. Also own a HOHNER acoustic/electric that sounds great amped up. Sounds like junk without. A STRAT copy from JAY TURSER. Sounds ok. But looking for a real STRAT. Two CRATE amps. 15 watt practice, and the GFX 212 120 watt rocker. Dunlop cry baby wah, and BOSS rod-10 Dist/fuzz preamp/equalizer.

made in indonesia.... 20 fret fingerboard (14 fret neck, no cutaway), dreadnought style. all plywood construction with gloss finish. the guitar actually looks pretty nice from a few feet away. no electronics. cheap cast tuners that seem to work ok. ill give it a seven just for looking good.

im being generous giving this thing a three, but what else would you expect from a $120 guitar? the bass is virtually nonexistent, and the treble end is the exact opposite..... quite bright, a bit too much for my tastes. and absolutely no punch on either end. even putting on medium strings didnt help much. i mostly play thumbstyle guitar, and bought this as a campfire guitar. im sure i'll use it for that, but if it ever gets a little too cold around the fire, it will get thrown right in. strumming is useless, very muddy. its really not too terrible as a fingerstyle guitar, if you can exploit its strange character..... a dreadnought with no bass and lots of treble. i ended up lowering the action on the bass end until all my thumb notes could snap against the frets easily. it was the only way i could give the bass end a voice of its own, that was audible in any way whatsoever (even if it's mostly percussive now). i suppose someone not so picky might think it sounds all right. im happy just to make it sound different. but it will live a short life in my hands.....

the guitar looks great.... but for $120 you're not going to get perfect frets and bone nuts and saddles. so i'll give it a seven, because considering the price, the overall look and setup was pretty good. i had to loosen the truss rod a little, as there was no relief in the neck. the light strings left a back bow, mediums straightened it out, and a quarter turn (loosening the rod)gave me just enough relief in the neck. i also took about an eighth inch off the bottom of the saddle and filed out the low E and A slots of the nut just a little. after that everything played wonderfully and still sounded like crap. but as i said earlier, i did other things to the setup that may not be considered all that great for regular playing, but definately redeemed the poor guitar.

as far as hardware goes, the tuners dont look like they'll last all that long, but you never know. if the guitar makes it through the winter i'll be surprised. taking it winter camping wont help it much im sure. all in all, it's a cheap guitar, you never know what will come loose, if at all. like most cheap guitars, it's overbuilt and heavy (hence all the treble). and the bridge and neck joint will probably fight to see who gets to come unglued first.

been playing about 15 years. i have an alvarez 12 string, a yamaha 12 string, a martin 000 six string, and this junk samick now. if it were stolen, id be glad someone chose to take it over my other guitars. then id probably buy another junker. i bought it because it was the cheapest guitar in the music store, and so far it has served its purpose well.