Tanglewood TBF Sapling

HPL (i.e. not real wood) 'satin' finish top, sides, back, - pretty sure the fretboard is rosewood though; (short) 23" scale; small 'folk' type shape; closed tuners; no gigbag (but for the price you couldn't really expect that"). Made in China.

Good for strumming; a bit tight for finger-picking - (swap the stings though, I use Newtone's Acoustic Heritage Strings on this - very light but sound nice and are ridiculously easy to jangle along to anything with these on). No fret-buzz; action fine (lowish); very little bass (but you couldn't expect that on such a small guitar).

Low(ish) action; nicely made - no flaws; build like a tank (due to HPL).
Good guitar for kids to learn on.

Had this about a year; been thrown all over the place and it is fine. Landed an ironing board on the top - dented the HPL a bit - but nothing else busted. Strap button at back of the guitar tends to pull out - but the guitar is so light it's not really an issue.

No idea, haven't needed to get in touch with Tanglewood.

Been playing piano/bass guitar for about 25 years - just decided to learn how to play guitar. Own Fender Musicmaster 1979, US, short-scale bass; Gretsch 5120 (a fantastic guitar for the price!)I would not replace this guitar if it were stolen/lost - but that's only because I've just bought a Little Martin LXM - which, essentially, is pretty much the same guitar as this but with 'Martin' on the headstock. I would be sad if it went missing as I learnt how to play on this thing, and it's a good starter guitar (particularly for kids/smaller people. If you can't afford a Little Martin - get this: it's AOK.

3/4 size acoustic. Looks smart, nothing fancy. Typical modern matt laquer on laminated top. No electronics.

Bought for my 9-year old son who is learning. I never got a free gig bag :-(

Pros: clean and clear, no nasty buzzes. Good balance between strings and up the fingerboard. Enough sustain to encorage riff playing.

Cons: dry, woody, boxy sound as you may expect at this size and price.

Basically very good from the box. I am used to having to tinker, but this was well set up. I find it comfortable, and I'm used to a full size instrument.

The strings do not keep their tune very well. This may be down to poor machines, or more likely because 'standard' strings will be at lower tension on the shorter neck. Use high-tension strings (like Earthwood's) to help compensate.

Seems solid enough for the price. Nothing has fallen off in the 6 months my boy has had it ;-)

I'll give it 9 because there is little or no competition at this price, and it is a good child's non-nylon acoustic.

It'S not a solid top, though, so don't expect it to improve greatly with age.

Baby folk acoustic. Ideal for travel. Bought new this year (2005). Made in SE Asia. 19 fret. Laminated top and sides (available in a solid topped version for an extra 50GBP). No pickup. It says in the literature:Spruce top Sapoli back and sides. (See later comments). Bridge is simalr style to Taylor, tuners are large chrome plate die-cast zinc alloy. Neck is small profile and is barreable to 12th fret(just). You get a free gig bag.

Beautiful full sound for a small cheap guitar.

Very tidily made. Looks stylish, nice satin lacquer finish on top and sides. No scratchplate just makes it look better. Good grain pattern on back and sides. Gloss lacquer finish on neck. However: not sure about ply on sides and back: top surface veneer may be plastic laminate: If the strap button is pulled out of the heel block, the view around the edge of the hole shows a very thin surface layer which has a white substrate. But it looks good anyway and it was a cheap guitar. In total the assembly is good. I thought the action was a bit high so I snaded the bridge down 1.5mm and now it is much easier to play. No buzzes, intonation good as plays all the way from nut to 12th fret with no discernable waywardness.

Easy to carry around, durable, strong finish. Strap button did pull out once, but the guitar is so light, it wasn't much of a shock. It's a cheap guitar that sounds surprisingly good for its price. The solid top version is marginally better, but I still prefer the ply version I have. I don't really gig with this guitar, just play in the park or at parties when I go out sometimes. Mostly played at home around the house. I bought it to have a second cheap guitar for playing in a house I am restoring where ther is currently no room for amps effects etc., but am increasingly coming to prefer it over my Godin Radiator Electric that I have at my other place.

Don't know.

Been playin 20 years. Have one other cheap electric (Godin Radiator) 80's Vox transistor 50W amp, some cheap pedals etc.

I am thinking of getting another one of these in solid top, because they are not expensive and sound very well and play easily.

A bridge pickup would be nice, but I have successfully recorded it with an SM58 into Cubase VST and the results were fine.