Acoustic Starter Pack Review

The Squier Acoustic Starter Pack includes everything you need to get started playing guitar: Squier Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, gig bag, pitch pipe, picks and a Fender instruction book.

Features:	8.3
Sound:	6.8
Action:	7.3
Reliability:	7.5
Impression:	8
Overall rating:	7.4
Reviewer rating:	7.6
Users rating:	7.2
Votes:	18

overall: 7.8

Reviewed by: AMERICAN PRICK, on september 28, 2005

Features: This guitar is Chinese built. It has 22 frets, 14 of them accessible for comfortable playing. The frets are thin and seem to be a bit flat. Laminated spruce top, mahogany ply back and sides with a transparent gloss finish. Dreadnought style body with a standard pin style acoustic bridge made from plastic. Chrome tuners (Fender/Squier stock). I give this a seven in features because it comes with a strap, book, pitch pipe (which are use less if you are a beginner), picks, and leather effect bag. // 8

Sound: Good for Folk type playing and good enough to start open-position chords on. Good tone. The Strings are the factory strings, which should be changed as soon as possible. // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: Everything physically on the guitar is good, reasonable action for the beginning player. The guitar is what you get for your money it may last 5 years if you look after it. // 8

Reliability & Durability: The guitar does not hold well with the provided strap. Not a gigging guitar at all, better players might like this as a travel guitar if you can get a case for it. It's a good to just sit and play about with for a beginner anyway. // 7

Impression: The guitar is good to start on and has everything you need to learn acoustic style playing. I have played several different acoustic guitars and this one is value for money. I love this guitar because it is what I started with and I will always love to play it (damn that was sentimental). // 9

overall: 6.6

Reviewed by: hmma31595, on december 02, 2010

Price paid: $ 100

Purchased from: Marty's Music

Features: Feature wise, this guitar is not what I would call loaded with features, but comes with enough that it is a decent guitar in general, and a good starter guitar. This version came out January of 2010, and is the upgrade to the previous pack. The things included with this guitar are 20 frets, a 25.3" scale length, and the wood is laminate agathis back and sides, laminate spruce top, and rosewood fretboard and saddle. The finish is Gloss Polyurethane, dreadnought body shape, the ordinary joe schmoe look to it. No electronics, but does come with nice die cast chrome tuners, they don't go out of tune very often. This was a pack so it came with a Gig Bag, Electronic Tuner, Instruction Book, and some picks. // 8

Sound: The sound is pretty good for a cheap guitar, but does have some problems. There isn't very much bass to the sound, its not twangy either. So basically, you have an average sounding guitar, not bad, just...average. // 6

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was badly set-up, I mean really bad. When I bought it I had no idea what a set up was, so I never thought to get it done. You need to, the action is so bad that after 8 months of playing it, I don't have the size callouses you should because they wear off so quickly. Other than that, the strings lasted awhile, and were decent sounding, just stock Fender coated phosphorous. // 4

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is durable, and withstands a beating from going from place to place all the time. Its a solid piece of equipment and is a good guitar to be used for a gig, its reliable well enough, I don't really worry about it. The finish is pretty long lasting too, with only getting scratches from the worst falls or being drug around by a 2 year old all around the house. // 9

Impression: This is a good starter guitar, and I will keep it for awhile. It sounds better than guitar three times its price, but after that I would recommend another guitar. I've played it for 8 months and can honestly say that if you want to start playing guitar, you should look into this, just also get a set-up. If it were lost, I wouldn't get another unless it was for old times sake. If you've been playing for a few years and need a new acoustic, look into something a little more pricey, this probably isn't for you. // 6

overall: 7.8

Reviewed by: BluesGuitar23, on august 18, 2007

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: This guitar was made in china, perhaps estimate 2006. It's got 20 frets, fat neck, made of seemingly mahogany, and it's a solid top guitar. Its body is also mahogany, It's got a transparent top, and body of a dreadnought. It's got a regular acoustic bridge, I'm not sure what those are called, but with a plastic pin, and then you slip the ball of the string end in and yea, put the plastic pin back in. This is a active electronics company, and lots of people I know like the makes of Squier. It had a included gig bag, picks, and a music book. // 7

Sound: It really fis my style of music, a bluesy and mellow tone. it's very rich and bright in tone, very loud for such a cheap guitar. If I sometimes reconfigure the strings, or stuff, it can make kool music. The bends I make it are very pernounced, and tapping doesn't fade away very fast either. Problem is, the guitar is large and very bulky, and the accessablity to the higher frets are nearly impossible. The sound I recieve up there stink bad. // 6

Action, Fit & Finish: It was made very well, capable of withstanding my continuous bangs and accidental drops. The guitar was made perfectly, boting wrong, but the saddle seems very primitively made. Chunks of it seemed to be missing, but it had no effect what so ever to my playing. It never let me down when I needed some good noise in a song. I usually can't hear people speaking to me when I use it. // 9

Reliability & Durability: Yeah, this guitar can withstand Live playing, but itsnot really fit for Live, more for practice and play. All the pieces on the guitar are solid and whatever punishment it takes, the parts never seem to fall apart. I'd trust this guitar for playing to a large audience, but I would rather want this one as a back up. it's cheap and the tone is nothing compared to top makers like Ibanez, Gibson, and Epiphone. My finish doesn't wear off at all, and I doubt it will. // 8

Impression: I play mainly just blues. Rock come with it, but mostly blues, so this guitar has the tone to match it all. I've been playing for 2 years, and I own a electric Peavey Predator international series, a target amp, and a old classical guitar that I still have not found Who made it. If I lost it, or if it broke, I'd get a new one, but I trust this guitar with my heart. it's very connected to my playing and I'm gonna treat it like a 25000 dollar guitar. Great guitar, super low price. I don't hate anything about this guitar. Nothing at all. I compared this to a Ibanez 300 dollar, and even though the Ibanez came on top, I'd rather have this Squier. I don't want anything else from this guitar. // 9

Reviewed by: unregistered, on january 26, 2005

Purchased from: Dave Phillips Music & Sound

Features: This guitar is either Japanese or Mexican made. It has 20 frets, 14 of them accessible for comfortable playing. I belive it has a 25.5" scale. The frets are fairly thin and seem to be a bit flat. Laminated spruce top, mahogany ply back and sides with a transparent gloss finish. Dreadnought style body with a standard pin style acoustic bridge (plastic?) No electronics. Chrome tuners (Fender/Squier stock). I give this a 5 in features because it comes with a strap, book, pitch pipe, picks, and leather bag. // 10

Sound: Good for Folk type playing and good enough to start open-position chords on. Fairly good tone for price. Stock strings tend to lack mids, but can sound good with my preferred D'addario EXPs. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: Everything physically on the guitar is good, but there were two hard to fix flaws right out of the box. I think the bridge might be some sort of plastic or nylon or something. It looks and feels like it. After about 5 months of tension with the stock strings, my bridge started to lift up. I think it will last about another 7 before the thing is unplayable. My other complaint is that the nut is very poorly cut, and if you're not playing carefully, the strings can easily cut into the nut and end up buzzing on the neck. Reasonable action for the beginning player. // 8

Reliability & Durability: The guitar does'nt take damage too well, and doesn't hold well with the provided strap. Not a gigging guitar at all, better players might like this as a travel guitar if you can get a case for it. // 6

Impression: I give this a 4 out of 5 overall. The guitar is good to start on and has everything you need to learn acoustic style playing for about 8 months, the guitar won't be in good shape by then. I would move up to an Ibanez from there to get to an intermediate level. Summary: recommended for starters and any electric players that wan't to step into the acoustic world. // 8

Comments

[llama_guitarist]

i have this guitar and it seems that the strings are abnormaly far from the fretboard, especially towards the 12th fret and on...it makes it really hard to play up there. anyone else have such problems?

[royboy06]

yes i have the exact same problem is there a way to fix this problem email me [e-mail]

[johnos]

I tried this guitar at the store the other day. For the same amount you can get much better guitars and much better guitar packs.
For a little bit more you can buy guitars that are 5 times better than this, but then you need to add in the cost of a bag, tuner and picks. And if you want, a book as well.
Crap value for money IMO

[XPandaXBear]

i have this one.
It works fine for me.
I have played it public, and its seems good.
Bein a year now, havent changed the strings, but the tone is still nice.

[CORT noob]

when buying an acoustic all you need is the guitar, picks, and a case. Maybe cleaner or a book, so why would you even bother putting it in a pack?

[Gnomestar]

bought this for my gf, was well made and had a nice tone, got it cheap and without the useless crap just the bag, i certainly think it makes a nice beginners guitar

[woodlandsclose]

i got dis guitar as well but my strings are fine??...

[E V H 5150]

Well, the pitch pipe is flat. The nut broke. But overall, it's decent. I got the whole package $40. It's well woth it in my eyes.

[James T. Music]

I have this guitar. I love the tone, and maybe thats because I've never played a "nice" acoustic. But, hell, for the money the tone is amazing, and I know my music and such, and it does well. I would love to have a nicer or older acoustic, but for now I have no problem playing with it when recording or playing my songs live. Also have had it for atleast a year now, and have had no problems. Great guitar for the money IMO.

[t1gr355]

I have this guitar ... the strings tend to buzz, and yes they do seem "abnormally far from the fretboard", but it's cheap, it comes with everything and it's a pretty good place to start.

[weejoe2t7]

i ave dis guitar and i fink dat it is betta than a propa fender

[weejoe2t7]

dis guitar is really good it was my 1st guitar n i will neva throw it out..... it sounds brilliant n ive performed wiv it on stage. i recommend dis guitar to any starter

[vampirevalo]

i've had this guitar from just before april, and have used it regularly and i play mostly rock and quite hard...and the high E has just snapped today...could anyone recommend some good strings to fit to this guitar(gauge= 12-52)...i think...??this was my first guitar so i have no experience in choosing strings...thank you

[BluesGuitar23]

i chnged the strings on mine, it buzzez, like the dude a few comments abouve said.

and vampirevalo, get DR strings, i cant spell the entire name, but their brand rules, dude

[Shredder Guitar]

weejoe2t7 wrote:

dis guitar is really good it was my 1st guitar n i will neva throw it out..... it sounds brilliant n ive performed wiv it on stage. i recommend dis guitar to any starter

god dude SHUT UP. you dont have to type like a dumbass if its a speech impediment. that kinda stuff doesnt affect typing. god.

[eri.n]

can't say im a fan of squier.

[SuperSam23]

i would recommend D'Addarios strings if you can, but ya this is my first and only Acoustic so i dont really know good tone. its good enough for me...and cheap enough.
mine pulled up out of the body at the bridge, so now i drilled it back and now its a Frankein-Squier. I keep it tuned half step down to help me keep the strings down from the unusually high action

[hippie_guy]

well, the Squier acoustic value pack with SA-100 is 400 RON (that's romanian money), that's about 130$, and the Fender CD-60 is 425RON (about 140$)... of course, you don't get all that stuff (gig bag, pitch pipes, picks and a Fender® instruction book) but the Fender is much better

[TheDealer]

I have one of these, made in '03 and still in pretty good shape. Just got new strings and bridge pins, sounds really nice with some D'Addario Phosphor Bronze strings, chime-like on the higher strings and warm on the lower strings.