Oscar Schmidt OE30 Review

The Oscar Schmidt OE30 is a wonderful sounding electric hollow body guitar. The lifetime warranty covers this fine instrument and Washburn's quality is throughout.

Features:	8.4
Sound:	6.6
Action:	7.6
Reliability:	8.4
Impression:	8.4
Overall rating:	7.9
Users rating:	8.9
Comments:	6

overall: 8

Featured review by: punkart182, on april 27, 2005

Features: The Oscar Schmidt OE30 is a wonderful sounding electric hollow body guitar. The lifetime warranty covers this fine instrument and Washburn's quality is throughout.

- Semi hollow body guitar
- Twin Washburn HH pickups
- Stop tailpiece
- Grover tuners
- Dot inlay
- Tune-O-Matic bridge
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Adjustable/detachable neck
- Colors CH, TS, OR, CBL
- High gloss finish
- Lifetime warranty. // 8

Sound: The guitar is well suited for my tastes, I enjoy playing everything rock'n roll to punk rock music on this guitar. Jazz music sounds well on it as well but I do not play much of it. I use this guitar with a cheap Fender amp but the sound I get is very thick and rich. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar came perfectly in tuned but I think it was because the people that work at Musician's Friend must have been playing it or something. The action came very low. The color was absolutely amazing, I got mine in cherry red but I think it comes in about 4 colors maybe. // 8

Reliability & Durability: // 8

Impression: I would say this is the perfect guitar for a beginner. It has both the features and sound of a much more expensive guitar but at only a fraction of the price. The overall tone of a semi-hollow body is much more beautiful I would say than a normal guitar so if you wanted to try it out but dont want to shell out 750 or so this guitar is well worth an investment. The only problem I would say is that you can't customize this guitar that easily because there isn't a hole in the back that pops out to make changes. // 8

Reviewed by: unregistered, on february 16, 2006

Price paid: $ 139.99

Purchased from: E-Bay

Features: I got this OE30 off of a seller on eBay. Brand new, in the box for $139.99. It came with a few packs of Dean Martin strings, a cheapo 5 foot cable, and some spray cleaner. I was pretty impressed for how much extra stuff they throw in, I was really just expecting the axe. As for features on the guitar, it's standard ES-335 fare. 2 humbucking pickups, 2 tone/2 volume controls, 3-way Switch, Grover tuners that stay in tune no matter what's going on. I got the tobacco sunburst model, and it looks fantastic. A friend I work with didn't believe I got it for 140 dollars. The rest of the specs can be found on Oscar Schmidt's site. The tuners alone cost 50 dollars, so you do the math on price/performance. // 9

Sound: Here's where it falls short for me. The humbuckers have no life, they sound brittle and hollow (no pun intended). I'm using it with a Fender Hot Rod DeVille through a Boss Super Overdrive and Electro Harmonix Big Muff. It's also feeds back a lot, but what do you expect with a semi-hollowbody. I put some Kent Armstrong P-90 pickups in it, and it made a world of difference. It was a pain in the ass to install them (required some routing of the pickup cavities), but now I'd put it up against any Epiphone (and a few Gibson) semi-hollows in terms of sound quality. Probably 90% of the tone. Sounds wonderful when overdriven/fuzzed out. However, stock the tone leaves a lot to be desired. Modified with your favorite pickups, I'd give it a 9/10. // 5

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar came setup very well, it was immediately playable. It really is a well put together guitar. The pickup selector Switch feels a bit cheap, but it hasn't gone out on me yet. The finish is simply amazing, I honestly don't know why they don't sell this guitar for at least 250 dollars. Of course I have since set it up to my own liking, but out of the box it's ready to rock. Neck is very comfortable, though not the fastest. You will need to take a screwdriver/wrench set and tighten up some of the hardware, however it's nothing that can't be done in 20 min. The wood is also a good quality, as putting new pickups in sounds great. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I was skeptical at first, but this axe could defnitely do live shows without any major problems. The strap buttons are solid, although the pickup jack needed some tightening. I've dropped this guitar before, and it didn't get damaged at all (granted it was from a stand, but still). Hell, if you break the neck just get another one, it's bolt on and you're only out 40 bucks. I can't see that happening unless you pull something like the Clash and just smash it onto the stage ground. I imagine that the finish may not survive extended playing over the course of a few years, but to me it's all about the tone. It still looks great after 5 months with me. It could surprise one. // 8

Impression: I'm mostly into indie/alternative rock (The Strokes, Von Bondies, Muse, QOTSA, Green Day, White Stripes, etc). This guitar is a good match, especially for those who fancy blues. The ES-335 design is a classic and suits many styles of music. I've been playing for a little over two years, and I own a Strat copy by Tradition. With these new pickups I find myself reaching for the OS over the Tradition (even though the Tradition is leagues above it in terms of stock performance). I would definitely buy this guitar again, although I may pay someone to mod it with pickups next time. Fishing pots through the F-holes will make you hate your life. I am now trying to decide whether to buy another Tradition Strat or another OE30 to modify. Overall, assuming nothing happens to this guitar in shipping, it's a fantastic deal and has a lot for anyone from a beginner to someone who's been playing 5-10 years. If you know how to setup a guitar, this axe will astound you. // 9

overall: 8.2

Reviewed by: H1ghGa1n, on may 30, 2007

Price paid: $ 150

Purchased from: garage sale

Features: I bought it at a garage sale a few years ago. It seems like brand new, but it probably had some adjusting done to it I'm sure. 22 frets but not the best access to the lower ones. I'm not to sure on the woods, but it gives a decent tone plugged and unplugged. HH pickup config with 2 volume and 2 tone controls. Tuners are grovers and stay in tune perfect. I got a gig bag with it and some extra strings and pics. // 10

Sound: The sound from the guitar is good if you have a good EQ on your amp or dist pedal, but the sound is really lacking that certain fullness. The stock pickups give a somewhat thin sound and the pickup swtich is starting to go on me. When ever I flip it to use the neck pickup it goes silent unless I jiggle the Switch around. I'd really like to replace the pickups though. I'm starting to get some fret buzz on the 5th fret and on some of the lower ones too, but it's pretty bad on the 5th mainly on the A string. It can get noisy but it's a semi-hollow body so it's sort of expected. If you have the right rig the guitars sound can be very versatile. I've been able to sort of get a metal tone but nothing too heavy, a thinner kind of master of puppets sound, think of a bulimic master of puppets, because it doesnt't really have any bottom end coming out of the pickups it's quite thin. It's also good for just about anything else in my opinion blues, jazz, and some punk stuff. I'm running it though a MT-2 metal zone and my Peavey studio pro 40, and sometimes my dads old fuzz pedal he made, and my Alesis Midiverb2. I also sometimes play it through my crapy Crate amp because it seems to be the only guitar besides my cheapo Strat copy that sound good through it. It realy sounds better through an OD'd amp than a dist pedal. // 6

Action, Fit & Finish: I don't know about the factory setup, but I do know the action is nice and low and it's fairly easy to play, but the neck is a tad thicker than what I'm used too. The pickups should be low away from the strings not too close and I've played around with them a lot since I got it and just put them back to their original places because that's where it sounds best. Also the bridge kinda cuts into my hand sometimes, but it could be worse I'm sure. // 7

Reliability & Durability: It could withstand Live playing, but I'm sure a backup would be a good idea. The hardware seems like it could last a long time, and I'm not worried about it breaking on me. The strap buttons had to be screwed back in once, but after that no problems, and I don't think I'll ever need strap locks. The finish is incredible I once dropped it and fell on it and not even a scratch on it no cracks no nothing. // 10

Impression: I play just about everything I can learn, but at heart I'm a metal head so I'll bust out a metal riff on this thing, mainly Metallica or something older, because that's kinda just the feeling I get holding it that's the heaviest thing I can get it to play, and it doesn't do it too well. I'm impressed with the fact that a jazz box that's fairly inexpensive can come that close to a heavy metal sound though. It is a great guitar for the price I just wish the clean and distorted sounds were a bit richer and fuller. // 8

overall: 6.8

Reviewed by: Macktruck, on june 29, 2006

Purchased from: Musicians Friend

Features: This guitar didn't come with any extras, except the cable. It is an archtop semi-hollow body. Not sure what wood is used, but it's nice. Got mine in tabaccoo sunburst, looks awsome. 2 tone, 2 volume controles. 22 frets, not great access to the lowest ones. Stopbar tailpiece. Decent playability. Washburn pickups are decent. Grover tuners. Tune-O-Matic bridge works great. Made in China. // 7

Sound: This guitar sounds good for it's price. Great for me because I'm a beginner to electrics and don't know how to really get different sounds out it. Sounds good out of my Yamaha amp, sucks with distortion, definatley not made for distortion above 2 on the amp. I get a decent variety of sounds out of it. Great value at $150. Especially for a hollow body. One major drawback the strings it comes with suck, that should be the first thing you do, get new strings. I put Ernie Ball regular slinkys on there and they sound great. Requires alot of setting up, at least mine did. Sounds great acousticly too, could be alittle louder though. Good guitar, just be ready to set it up or pay someone to set it up, but you should be able to figure it out. // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: The only thing the factory set up was the Tune-O-Matic bridge, but then I had to readjust it for the new strings. Pickups are set up good as far as I can tell. The first one I bought was all beat up, but I think that was musicians friend's fault. They have great costumer service though and the second one was almost perfect except for one litte spot where the paint is worn. // 5

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will withstand live playing if you know what you are doing as far as amp effects go. Everything seems pretty sturdy. The finish will last unless you beat the hell out of it, but even then it would still look good. Strap buttons are solid, but I don't trust them as much as my Epiphone. I would probably bring a backup to a gig. // 7

Impression: I don't really have a set style of music but this guitar seems it could handel most stuff pretty good. Ted Nuggent uses a Gibson just like this but I can't figure out how he gets that sound out of it. If this guitar were stolen I would not get another one. I wish I would have gotten a Silvertone Paul Stanley edition or either an Epiphone hollow body or an Ibanez hollow body. // 8

overall: 8.4

Reviewed by: AOF_Rules_24, on january 03, 2006

Features: When I bought my guitar I bought from the Octave music centre. It came with a life time waranty and a replacement during any repair times. The finish is a nice sleak sunburst giving it the look as if the edges were burned. It is givin 2 volume and tone knobs as well as a distort Switch. It is giving an extra pickup over most guitars (most have 3, this has 4) and the sound is amzing. // 8

Sound: I play hardcore punk which is quite suited in this guitar. The amp is usually on distort and The guitar quickly adapts and plays smoothly. The guitar can go from a high, Chinese like music all the way down to a medium bass volume, which is very helpful to the songs I play. // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was set up perfectly. It had no chips, loose screws or strings, and was perfectly adjusted. THe pickups were in teh right spot. giving an extra distorion pick up. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I am almost certain that this guitar will be suited for live paly. You can rely on it and not need a back up and if you are in practice and it does break, you have the life time waranty to back you up. The strap buttons are solid and attached all the way into the inside of the guitar. The finish is nice and thick, and very chip resistant. // 9

Impression: This guitar is over all a perfect starter guitar. It is almost like a huge deal on a a 800$ guitar now on for 250$ It lasts and is great. I would buy it again if nething happened to it. // 9

Comments

[Macktruck]

In my reveiw i forgot to add that this guitar is great for playing Grateful Dead music, and other stuff that is similar.

[Delta-King-13]

I own a Delta King OE30....It is a great guitar, I will say one of the nicer ones I have owned, and well worth what I payed for it. Washburn being one of my choice companies, this guitar made me very happy. The only things I really must complain about, is the lower frets buzz with thicker strings, and the polepieces losen because of the vibrations. Other than that, it is a very satisfactory instrument..

[Plaster Guitar]

I own this guitar and really like it. the only problem is that i haven't been able to find a case that will fit it. I only have to tune this guitar about once every two weeks.

[OzarkMDaredevil]

Macktruck, how did you get your guitar to sound like Grateful Dead, specifics please, 'cause that would be awesome if I could do that to mine.

[alwaysdancing]

Plaster Guitar wrote:

I own this guitar and really like it. the only problem is that i haven't been able to find a case that will fit it. I only have to tune this guitar about once every two weeks.

Epiphone's Es-335 case will fit and, and Gator has a 335 case also, they're both like $85 though.

I carry it in a TKL gig bag, it's tight, but it fits.

[oers_magyari]

Well... I had a couple of issues after I bought the instrument (wich hang on the wall of the local music store for more then a year...) the setup was awfull, a real pain in the ass... and I had to find some strings for it, cause the ones on it were solo strings, and you couldn`t play the damn` strings. I got some D`addario the jazz style strings, they made a world of difference. I use those style of strings, they work great, and enhance that jazz feeling. After the setup, and string change, I wouldn`t give this tiny mirracle of instrument away. I intend to keep it forever. And I intend to do an upgrade on the humbuckers. The stock ones are not so bad, but in some cases (depending on the combo, or amps... they sound lifeless... but im my bass amp Fender rumble, it sounds nice, when you play it at a right volume : p )