It was the sound of this guitar that made it a keeper. Harmonics were easy to produce over the neck, it had a lovely bluesy, old school sound when finger-picked, and well-balanced strumming. You can get a couple of different strumming sounds by playing over the soundhole or at the bridge. I loved the sound of the guitar so much, that I was playing it into the night and going to bed later than I planned!
The neck shape is very comfortable and the size of the guitar makes it really easy to get along with. It's got surprisingly good projection for such a small-bodied guitar. And the pickup system is surprisingly okay for live playing. (Fine for leading worship in an echoey hall.)
Out of the box though, the action was stupidly high (even though the quality control label said it had been checked, their measurements did not match how I received it). I also found the edges of the frets a little sharp, and there were a couple of tiny bumps under the satin finish of the top (which isn't a big shock or any big deal at this price range!)
I ended up taking it to a professional luthier to set up. He was shocked at the neck relief! He also discovered that the holes in the bridge hadn't been drilled all to the same diameter, which meant that the bridge pins didn't sit evenly.
Thomann was very good and paid for the work he had to do, but I think it's good to share my experience. Some have received perfect examples, I didn't. But it got sorted easily enough.
I write this review after having this guitar for a year. So, I can say with confidence that it holds up well to regular use. The only thing I've noticed is the tuners seem to lack a little 'accuracy.' They also seem a little looser 12 months on. I contacted Thomann and they've recommended a suitable replacement that will 'drop in' (Gotoh SG381-01 3L/3R). Those are now on my wish list - along with a few other thing ;)
