"Well balanced and warm tone"
by
Saikat on
18-Sep-2021
Extremely happy with the purchase. So I have been stalling for a while before writing this. After playing it every day for the over a month, I have to say this is definitely one of top ones within this price range. Grand Auditorium size with mahogany (laminated) top and side.
Full disclosure: I am a beginner so take my review with a pinch of salt. I have played other entry level guitars, and owned a Yamaha FS 100C and even a cheap Juarez guitar, before.
Pros:
- Warm sound. The all mahogany body does wonder to the tonal quality. The bonus is, it's very well balanced as well. Strumming is pleasant to hear - not too bright or too bassy. While fingerpicking, it's not as bright or very distinct as in cutaway spruce top guitars, but I like the warmth, depth and loudness of the sound, this is subjective. I'd rate a 8/10 for overall sound. I'd say it sounds a lot more premium.
- Size. It is a grand auditorium one, so it's easier for me to carry and play. With the mahogany warm and bassier tone, there isn't much of a compromise
- The action is phenomenal. I had no pain on my fingers after playing continuously for a few hours . Other new guitars definitely hurt the fingertips initially. All thanks to John's Music, extremely helpful - they even sent a video of them performing all the necessary guitar adjustments (like setting the string action, cleaning the fret board and top, etc). And the best part was there was absolutely no fret buzz after the adjustment done by them.
- Customer obsession is stellar, so buying from here is perfect. They were very helpful over phone - always spent a lot of time answering my multiple doubts, helped me choose the right one, based on my preference of tone, budget etc. I have brought from Amazon before - which has better return policy but, no customer service, help on selecting the right guitar, or any guitar adjustments, there, a lot of sellers on amazon don't even package them properly - mine had a small dent in it.
- Packaging was great. Double bubble wrap, Kepma carboard, then Kepma padded guitar bag. The guitar was in pristine condition.
- Looks and feel are very classy and premium. The guitars are PLEKED! Although looks are not a very big factor for me, I like the fact this colour and body is very premium looking. I don't have to clean it daily (black guitars need extra maintenance - so although I like those, it wouldn't be pleasant in the long run). One thing to note though, I like the feel of Yamaha fretboards a bit more. Other than that this is a great whole package deal!
- Great for a beginner and intermediate player. Maybe even an experienced one (but can't say for sure as I am not one yet) - You can see FuXino, a popular experienced youtuber and good guitarist buying a similar Kepma guitar for his youtube covers. I'd recommend getting the best guitar in your budget if you are a guitar, it helps with your ear sound training, playing, etc. The cheap ones without truss rods, etc are not worth it at all.
Cons:
- The sound is amazing. Although the 6th (E) string, did sound a bit too bassy - but that's me nitpicking.
- The delivery took more time for me, but that is me living in a distant location from Mumbai (their hub). Not a deal breaker at all. Still worth mentioning - it took around 10 days to reach Kolkata.
- I would have liked if they gave a small cleaning kit - like a microfiber cloth and more plectrums.
All in all, I would say the price from here could be slightly more than from buying from other popular online sellers, but it's worth every cent. The quality assurance and guidance you get is going to save you a lot more time and money in the long run. I would definitely recommend this guitar (guitar sound is very subjective so can't really recommend for everyone - but John's Music understands that and will help you get the right one - whatever it might be, rich bright tone, solid top, carbon fiber body, etc). I would definitely choose John's Music over any other online stores.