November 26, 2024

Tanglewood Electric Guitars Review

tanglewood1 An electro-acoustic plus case for £350? David Mead has got the details…

We’ve seen many instruments from Tanglewood lately, supplying great affordable in really overcrowded budget to mid-price electric guitar market. This design is part for the company’s Nashville range and goes under the name of “TN5 SFCE” and I also understand this means Tanglewood Nashville Five Super Folk Cutaway Electrical, that I imagine informs a unique tale. With a retail cost of £350, the TN5 drops directly to the entry level so it's going to be interesting to see if Tanglewood did their particular magic once more…

Construction

This is certainly another example where a musical instrument has really been developed in the united kingdom and built in China. As always, I’m some mystified because of the designation “super folk” because it seems a lot more like what lots of organizations refer to as “small jumbo” in my experience. Whatever the case, the top of bout checks in at 290mm because of the lower totalling 380mm and a waist of 240mm. System level starts at 90mm towards throat and 100mm at the end pin. Therefore so now you know!

Beginning our tour utilizing the guitar’s top, it’s spruce, but Tanglewood’s spec does not tell me which precise type. However, it looks like a nice bit of wood with a decent level of feathering – or medullary rays if you prefer – in proof on its area. In the event that you desired us to imagine, I’d say it looks more Engelmann than Sitka, but I’ve already been ensured because of the highest authorities that only a lab test would inform us for sure.

While we’re here, to my eyes the emerald gloss finish may be a tad too orange colored to give an authentic effect of a musical instrument that is all over block several times, it may probably do with being pulled straight back a tad to let nature have a go at working herself.

The rear and edges tend to be African mahogany and, only at that cost, not solid, but that shouldn’t always be one factor these days. The body is bound with monochrome ABS while the teardrop shaped mock tortoiseshell completes the Nashville appearance well.

To the throat today also it’s a three-piece mahogany affair with a separate heel and a well crafted scarf joint that begins just underneath the headstock which itself is festooned with sealed right back dark nickel tuners.

Turning the TN5 straight back more than, leading associated with the headstock has the Tanglewood logo design running-down its centre on a strip of what looks like maple. There’s an ABS ivory fan towards the top of the fingerboard which appears like it's been slashed well – definitely the activity at the first fret looks pretty much appropriate. Progressing, the fretboard is rosewood with little pearloid position markers in every the right places and a casual fondle of both edges of fretboard unveiled no harsh fret finishes.

A rosewood bridge marks the end of the string size with an ABS ivory compensated saddle in its midst and six white sequence pins only behind.

Therefore every thing in regards to the TN5 appears fit for purpose, despite my bookings concerning the color of the top, and so the next task will be put it through its paces and hear just what this has to state for it self.

Sound Quality

The TN5’s throat profile is a shallow but widish D which need to sit well with both fingerstylists and bold strummers alike. A couple of exploratory chords unveiled lots of amount and a sprightly assortment of bass and treble, the latter sounding particularly younger and maybe slightly glassy at the same time. This might be a standard enough thing with factory fresh spruce tops and I also would expect that maturity and use will soothe things down quite a lot. Nearly all luthier I’ve ever before talked to says that point is one of the most key elements in which tone is worried, nevertheless the electric guitar has to be played lots, also. Both procedures come together to take it easy and period the tonewood to simply help it emit its best slightly more down the line. Therefore it’s unwise to either compliments or damn an instrument overmuch centered on its youthful voice.

The TN5 comes equipped with Tanglewood’s TEQ-3BT onboard electronics. The preamp includes a tuner with a thumbwheel for amount and push rotaries for treble, mids and bass and the jack socket and battery pack holder stowed away on the edge of the guitar’s lower bout. Whenever engaged, the tuner mutes the guitar’s result which means that tuning can be executed before a gathering without having any fuss anyway. The screen is brilliant green and is quickly readable in any reasonable light circumstance. The rotaries are neatly saved flush because of the guitar’s human anatomy and soon you require them when an easy push makes each pop-up in turn. Very good news for selecting your tone options and forgetting about them.

When amplified, the TN5 lights within the area. Despite having the preamp controls set level, your guitar sounded really able undoubtedly. Slightly tweaking soon brought about an audio that i'd be thrilled to use real time – a little boost towards the bass and a smidge more midrange and I also was delighted. Thus carefully tuned I went from fingerstyle to plectrum utilize you should not adjust things that is simply what you need when you’re on stage and focussing on playing.

Summary

it is always hard to apply the correct and fair requirements whenever sitting in judgement of an electric guitar. By way of example, it might be grossly unfair to possess a £7k instrument sitting alongside the one that prices appreciably less and base your views as to how they both fare in a tonal shoot-out. But look at the situation right here; the TN5 is a nicely built cutaway electro-acoustic with a good pickup and a tremendously great vocals that doubtless enhance over the years – all for £349, including a hard situation. Due to the fact, Tanglewood arrives a hearty pat on the straight back for bringing another tool into marketplace that provides substantial quality at an incredible price.

Must Know

Maker: Tanglewood

Model: TN5 SFCE

Retail Cost: £349.95

Body Size: Super Folk

Built In: Asia

Top: Spruce

As well as Sides: African mahogany

Neck: Mahogany

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Frets: 20

Tuners: Encased black nickel