Tanglewood Chigago

Product: Tanglewood Chigago
Price Paid: 80 (UKP) used
Submitted 18/feb/2009
contact greg_999@hotmaildotcom

Features :
A 22 fret, semi-hollow body, thinline Gibson ES-335 copy in cherry red sunburst with gold plated hardware. It has a rosewood fretboard; tune-o-matic bridge and two unknown humbuckers. The pickup switch is a standard, three-way, bridge-both-neck configuration. Each pickup has it's own volume an tone controls.

Sound : 10
I'm a newbie and jus love picking this up. It sounds like it wants to be played. Sounds jazzy or jangly, depending on the set up. As a beginner its great to get a decent sound out of it unamplified, sure my neighbours agree...

Action, Fit, & Finish : 9
I bought this used ( the guy said he's had it from early/mid 90s) and it looks like new!

As I write this, my Chicago is having the fretbosrd lemon oiled so i expect it to come back gleaming.

Reliability/Durability : 10
Don't know how much use this got but as I said, it looks brand spanking new.....

It stays in tune remarkably well for my (novice)usage and is a pleasure to play.

Customer Support : 10
The only reason i got in touch with Tanglewood is because I could find no info about the chicago anywhere after having bought it. They very kindly sent me a pdf of the review when it first came out (costing ??495!!) See my emaill addy above if you'd like it forwarding.

Overall Rating : 10
As a newbie I feel VERY lucky to have stumbled upon this as my first guitar.

If it were stolen I'd CRY FOR WEEKS!!!!
These are like rocking horse poo...hold on to it if you've got
one. I'd replace it asap if pinched (and kneecap the perpetrator).

If you can get one of these i suggest you do. They are a dream to play and I'm delighted to be one of the few who owns one.

This is a 22 fret, semi-hollow body, thinline Gibson ES-335 copy in a 'red-to-black-burst' (like sunburst bust with cherry red centre fading to black at the edge) with gold plated hardware. It has a rosewood fretboard; tune-o-matic bridge and two unknown humbuckers. The pickup switch is the standard, three-way, bridge-both-neck configuration. Each pickup has it's own volume an tone controls. I don't know when or where it was made. A padded gig bag was included in the price.

I play a wide range of popular, rock and jazz styles, so I need a very versitile guitar. This fits the bill 100%. I can go from punk to jazz to jangly Britpop without changing guitar and all sounds are rich and full. It handles any style I throw at it with ease. Fingerpicking is a doddle too. The only sound I can't get is very bright. For this I own a Squire Telecaster Standard with a Seymore Duncan Little '59 bridge humbucker.

One issue that has proved a problem with other semi's is uncontrolable feedback, but I haven't encountered this with the Tanglewood.

It's also very loud unamplified.

My Amp is a Hughes and Kettener Blonde Edition (50 Watt combo). I use Danelectro phaser, eq and flange pedals.

In short I love the sound of this guitar!

As I bought the guitar used I cannot comment on the factory setup. I bought the guitar knowing that the frets were worn and then had them replaced a few months later along with a full setup.

One feature I love about this guitar is that it looks just as good from the back as from the front. This red to black fade is echoed on the back of the neck as well as on the back of the body.

I removed the scratchplate as it rattled.

The hardware is fading from gold to silver now, but that's okay as I prefer silver to gold!!!

My guitar was obviously worked hard before I bought it, and it's played dayly and gigged weekly now. I also use it for writing and recording. The only trouble I've encountered is that one of the volume pots has developed a slight crackle, but, to be honest, I can't complain about that considering the use it gets.

The finish is spotless and hardwearing.

Previously I owned an Epiphone SP II which sounded bland, felt cheap, and gave trouble with the machine heads, selector switch and one of the pots. This was all within two years of manufacture!!!! The Tanglewood couldn't be more different.

No need to obtain support.

I've been playing for 13 years and have also owned an Epiphone SP II (See above), a Washburn DA30, a Squire Standard Telecaster, a Marlin Sidewinder, and a Gibson SG Junior electrics; a Washburn and a Crafter acoustics; Peavy, Marshall and H&K amplification; Boss, Marshall, Electroharmonics, Rocktron and Danelectro effects; and Tascam DAT and Sony minidisc recorders. This is by far and away the best bit of kit I have ever owned.

If it were stolen I'd be mortified and I'd replace it without question, however, I've never seen another in this finish!

When perchasing I compared it to a second hand Epiphone ES-335 Dot and an Aria Pro thin-line semi (can't remember the modle no.).

This is an unconditional recommendation, if you're after versitility and reliablility, then this is your guitar. All it won't do is immitate a Fender or give you the ultimate in tone that only big money can buy.

Incredible value for money.

This is a guitar made in Korea. Dunno what year. It's 22 fretted with gold laminated pick-ups. A three-way selector, and two volume knobs as well as two for tone. It comes with non-locking tuners and the neck is not fat - not thin. I bought it with second hand from the bass player in my band, along with a Epiphone case.

I play in a pop/rock/jazz band. Influences are Beach Boys, Beatles, Blur and High Llamas and many more, without sounding too much like any of these, though... ...My guitar does a perfect job when it comes to chords. We use a lot of those minor and major 7ths, 9ths and 11ths, and this - a jazz guitar - does that wonderfully. It also does distorted and crunchy sound with a convincing good result. I've used it on a Mesa Boogie, Crate, Marshall, Peavey and Carvin and it gives me all that "pretty tied up" (GnR)-sound I want on my distorted parts. I an using it with some different Boss fx: DD-5, TR-2. The only problem is I on some parts would like to have a Tele-sounding guitar, and it doesn't do that... (but hey this is not a tele...)

And of course it plays jazz great

The guitar techs had done a very good job. But as I took on using it I abondoned those .11 strings, and got around to .09, and of course I had to do some adjustments and now it all works fine. Guess it's about time to have the frets done, but thats just standard maintenance, is,'t it!

This is my #1 live set guitar. It looks, feels sounds great. Completely trust this one. The only thing is the colour of my bridge pick-up seems to wear off due to being the only electric guitar I've used for the last year, with loads of gigging and I-don't-know how many hours rehearsing. I guess my Ibanez is quite pissed at me... Of course I'd go on-stage without a backup. Do it all the time.

This would be a 10 if not for the little miscolouring.

N/A

I originally wanted a Casino. I tried to explain the looks of one to my bandmates, and for the next rehersal the bass player brought this along. She said: "It's not a Casino, but it looks like one. You can have it for (nok) 4000.-" (thats about 425 USD) I tried it for a couple of songs and was struck by the arrows af Amor...

I would definetly go out for another one.

This is the one for me!

This one is made 1999 in Korea and it has 22 frets. It's a Gibson ES-335 archtop-copy and incredibly beautiful black beauty. Actually it's pretty much in 1:1 scale compared to a real ES-335, so you can imagine what it looks like with solid black body. "Chigago edition" means (just a guess) nothing much but gold laminated humbuckers and tuners. Jazzguitar at it's best. It came with a used Epiphone hardcase.

Because of it's hollow body, this one sounds beutiful. The sound is very clear and the usual f-holed "hollow" sounds seems to be forgotten from this edition. :-)

Plays nicely with any transistor/tube amp.

I'm speechless.

Play as hard as you can, and this guitar stays tuned even when playing long sessions. Amazing, really.

Ehh... haven't found Tanglewoods' homesite yet...

Beautifully remaked classic copy with sound to die for. It's a shame that Tanglewood does not have proper customer service, wher one could ask more about Chigago edition guitars and manufacturing. This guitar is worth every penny.