Alvarez RD20SC Cutaway Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Top Solid Spruce, Back and Side Mahogany Review

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(More customer reviews)The Alvarez RD20SC Acoustic Electric Guitar was a great purchase for me. I've been playing guitar off and on for a couple of years now (mostly electric), but I've been dying to get a nice acoustic for a good price.
The RD20SC had a couple of things that immediately attracted me to it. First of all, this guitar has solid wood everywhere. Spruce on top, mahogany on the bottom and sides. The guitar has a great amount of sustain to it when you play notes, and as the spruce wears in it'll sound even better. As well, the guitar was delivered with D'Addario strings, which are pretty solid and have a full tone to them. The action (the level of the strings from the fretboard) isn't too high, so I don't have a problem playing- but it's definitely a little more work than an electric.
A couple of things worth mentioning- the electric component on the side is the basic level system 200T, which includes the tuner and three controls for sound, treble, and bass. If you plan on extensively using this with an acoustic amp, I'd suggest you look at the AD60SC, which has the 600T Mk II system in it with more control options. For me, this guitar fringes on personal and semi-professional use, so I don't really need any fancy controls right now. As well, the bridge pins are plastic, but they're also a cheap and easy replacement.
Overall Points:
-This guitar is made out of some quality material, so expect a pretty full tone with decent sustain on it.
-In my opinion, this is a great mid-range acoustic electric. (mid-range being $400-800) It's definitely a step up from the cheap 200 dollar guitars with laminated bottoms.
-It has a gorgeous finish on it, and doesn't leave hand marks (but make sure to wipe it when you're done!)
-Alvarez makes quality guitars for a good price. Amazon offers this guitar at $200 currently, where other guitar stores who have it on "sale" list it for 390. Check Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, or your local music store.
-My only gripes- guitar didn't come with a pick, and they put the wrong electronic pre-amp manual in my box.
-If you're worried about ordering a guitar online, play it at a local store first to get a good feel for it. My guitar was wrapped well and didn't have a scratch on it when I got it from amazon.com.
For my needs, I definitely give this guitar 5 stars. Price, sound, and quality of materials definitely sealed the deal for me on this one.


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Alvarez Acoustic Guitar RD20SC Cutaway Dreadnought Top Solid Spruce Back & Side Mahogany

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McNally G-29 Standard Strumstick Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this item as a gift for my wife, and she really likes it. She used to play guitar, but has not had time for it for many years. Guitar is a difficult instrument to play, and it takes a lot of time to maintain proficiency. She likes the strumstick, because it is a much simpler instrument. It is easier to learn and requires less practice than the guitar.
I think the strumstick hits its market well. This is a no-frills stringed instrument. As a guitar is to the strumstick, the oboe is to the recorder. In the hands of even a beginner, this instument sounds nice. The sound of someone learning the strumstick doesn't make you want to stick red-hot pokers through your eardrums.
I'm not a musician, but the quality of the strumstick seems to be very good. At its price (I think I paid $120), I consider it a bargain. This is not some made-in-China packaged defecation. This is a quality product.
To describe the strumstick in as few words a possible, the instrument works by getting rid of all the sharps and flats in the scale. It would be like having a piano with only the white keys. In this regard it reminds me of a harmonica. It has three strings, and you pretty much just play the bottom one (at least in the instructions that came with it). With the top two strings just ringing, it has much the same type of sound as the bagpipe. Maybe because of this and the simplicity of the instrument (which doesn't have a deep, rich sound), it sounds like a medieval instrument.
If you're interested in a simple, hobbyist type of instrument, or if you are looking for a beginner's stringed instrument (particularly for fickle youth whose intrests change with the tides), I would recommend this. It might be a very good instrument for home-schoolers too.
Mark

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Mendini MCT-P B Flat Purple ABS Clarinet w/ Case, Tuner, Stand, Mouthpiece, Box of 10 Reeds, Cork Grease, & a Pair of Gloves Review

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(More customer reviews)Considering why I bought this Clarinet, it served its purpose: being a novelty PURPLE clarinet. It was cheap, so I didn't expect it to be that great, and it came with everything it said it would. The body is made of plastic, the keys feel somewhat cheap, and the silver plating isn't fastened on the bell correctly. This is a great clarinet to start out on or simply do what I did: show off. I can hit all the notes I can hit on my other Bb Clarinet, so the quality isn't compromised that much, it's just the feel of it.

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Kyser 6 String Capo, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)The Kyser capo is well designed. Normally "parked" on the head of my guitar, I can easily add, move or remove in 2 seconds. The unique feature of this capo is that you can flip it around, for example, cover the 3rd 4th and 5th strings on the second fret to convert it to an open E B A E B E tuning from a standard E B G D A E tuning. Very reliable and fun. Highly recommended.

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Sabine STX1100 Advanced Chromatic Auto Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this guitar tuner 4 years ago and it's been a good investment and welcome piece of equipment to have and carry. It's small enough to fit in your music bag, it has a nice clip that holds onto the bottom of your music stand, and it's very easy to use. Just turn the tuner on and play your note, the tuner automatically find the note you're tuning to and tells you what adjustment to make, without any beepers or annoying sounds. A red or green light also tells you whether you're in tune in additional to the directional lights telling you which way to tune. You can play and tune unplugged or use your amp cord and plug directly into the tuner itself. We actually bought this because it's what the guitar teacher used in class for my sons and it seemed really easy to use. Recommended!

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