Tanglewood Acoustics

Devil#20

Are they any good. Somebody asked me the other day with a view to getting one for somebody for Christmas. I said I didn't know because I don't. 

Andy79

Last I tried was a Java with the funky ebony back. Very good. The 0 size had better clarity and tone than the 000 roughly speaking. More character than a faith in my opinion 

Kittyfrisk

I obviously haven't played the entire range, but the ones that I have tried were really great value, well made, nice sounding guitars.
 They can have slightly thicker finishes (wow, surprise), but they punch way above their weight in terms of value for money. 
Designed in the UK, manufactured in the East East (as if that is a bad thing).
Worth a try   

Devil#20

They seem cheap. Are they laminated tops?

Devil#20

Andy79 said:

Last I tried was a Java with the funky ebony back. Very good. The 0 size had better clarity and tone than the 000 roughly speaking. More character than a faith in my opinion 

They are looking at dreadnought style. I suggested getting on with a single cutout but only because that's what I'd get. 

thermionic

Last Christmas I went to PMT with my girlfriend to get a Tanglewood OM-style for her son. For the price (it was priced at £180 but they price matched it a bit lower) I was amazed it was all solid wood (apart from the Richlite board). It’s a no-frills satin finish and nicely made.

DB1

I bought one of the Winterland mini Koa range a few weeks ago. It was from a guitar tech who had a batch of ten to evaluate for them and kept this particular one. It genuinely is excellent, although the set up on this one (by the tech) of course helps.

I had it up for sale briefly on here, but I don’t think it’s a ‘forum’ type of sale. Only reason for moving it on is that it’s slightly narrow in the nut for me. It’s on eBay at the moment but a cautionary tale might be that they don’t seem very easy to move on (I asked a couple of retailers) so used would be sensible.

To be honest though, I’m not bothered if mine sells, because it genuinely is a lovely little guitar. I’m impressed with it.

ICBM

It's not a fashionable name brand and you're unlikely to see any famous players with them, but if you don't care about that and just want a good guitar for the money then they're well worth a look. I've always found them significantly better than their price point would indicate, right down to the cheapest ones - they do both all-laminate and solid-top models, although I'm not certain they do any all-solid.

Andy79

They do everything from the laminate crossroads to the TSR, at £1800

Jimbro66

I bought a used Tanglewood super jumbo  few years ago as a guitar that I could take to places I didn't want to take my Atkin. It was very well made and sounded good but even after a setup I struggled playing it so it had to go. I then got a Tanglewood OM that suited me better. Still not the best playing experience but OK.

Based on my experience I would advise the buyer to have an experienced player with them if they are not one themselves. Playability can vary but they can be very good value. As has been said, used ones can be difficult to sell except at a giveaway price.

Gandalph

I’ve had a couple over the years and been impressed, especially with a TW73 all solid parlour (cedar top, hog back and sides). Only reason I sold it was because of the onboard electronics and the horrible plastic preamp cut into the wood (not a fan). 

Devil#20

Gandalph said:

I’ve had a couple over the years and been impressed, especially with a TW73 all solid parlour (cedar top, hog back and sides). Only reason I sold it was because of the onboard electronics and the horrible plastic preamp cut into the wood (not a fan). 

Aren't they all a piece of horrible plastic cut into the wood unless you use a sound hole pickup? Looks like Tanglewood have their own branding on them but I'd imagine they are just made by Fishman or similar under licence.

thomasw88

I have had a few tanglewoods.   Look for the TW15 -  they're all solid and age brilliantly.

I have one of those and a simon & patrick mini jumbo for the last few years.   Both brilliant guitars and sound fantastic.   I sold my Taylor 414 and don't miss it compared to those two guitars.

For pickups get a LR Baggs m1a and be done with it.   They don't feedback and sound wonderful amplified.

ICBM

Devil#20 said:

Gandalph said:

I’ve had a couple over the years and been impressed, especially with a TW73 all solid parlour (cedar top, hog back and sides). Only reason I sold it was because of the onboard electronics and the horrible plastic preamp cut into the wood (not a fan). 

Aren't they all a piece of horrible plastic cut into the wood unless you use a sound hole pickup? Looks like Tanglewood have their own branding on them but I'd imagine they are just made by Fishman or similar under licence.

Yes, basically all factory-built electro-acoustics are like that. The only exceptions I can think of are the Taylor Expression series and some of the older Yamaha ones, where you just have three knobs through the wood and all the rest inside - but both these have the other main problem with electros, which is the impossibility of replacing them cleanly with any other system in the event they fail - which they do.

In my opinion you're far better to get a plain acoustic and fit a soundhole pickup, an internal contact pickup, or an undersaddle transducer with no electrics onboard - although magnetics with a preamp built in, or piezos with the preamp built into the output jack, aren't too bad and only have the remaining problem of battery access. You then just need an offboard preamp - pedal, belt-pack or otherwise.

The real problem is if you want this, and a cutaway - it's now very difficult to buy a cutaway guitar without factory electrics.

Gandalph

Devil#20 said:

Gandalph said:

I’ve had a couple over the years and been impressed, especially with a TW73 all solid parlour (cedar top, hog back and sides). Only reason I sold it was because of the onboard electronics and the horrible plastic preamp cut into the wood (not a fan). 

Aren't they all a piece of horrible plastic cut into the wood unless you use a sound hole pickup? Looks like Tanglewood have their own branding on them but I'd imagine they are just made by Fishman or similar under licence.

Or buy one without any onboard electronics and then you have a whole option for aftermarket pick ups to choose from if you want to go down that route.
I came across that guitar by chance really - apparently you can get the same model without the onboard electronics and if one came up at the right price I’d buy it for sure. 

Devil#20

Gandalph said:

Devil#20 said:

Gandalph said:

I’ve had a couple over the years and been impressed, especially with a TW73 all solid parlour (cedar top, hog back and sides). Only reason I sold it was because of the onboard electronics and the horrible plastic preamp cut into the wood (not a fan). 

Aren't they all a piece of horrible plastic cut into the wood unless you use a sound hole pickup? Looks like Tanglewood have their own branding on them but I'd imagine they are just made by Fishman or similar under licence.

Or buy one without any onboard electronics and then you have a whole option for aftermarket pick ups to choose from if you want to go down that route.
I came across that guitar by chance really - apparently you can get the same model without the onboard electronics and if one came up at the right price I’d buy it for sure. 

@Gandalph and @ICBM et al. This is my thinking too. I don't own an electroacoustic for the reasons you state (handy as they may be). I have a Martin D16GT and a sound hole pickup and a Fender with a pickup under the saddle that feeds through the strap button. I don't really need onboard electronics and I'll suggest that might be the better option for a learner anyway. It probably won't save much on the price so see what they think. It's family so I might do the purchasing for them and I'll get to have first play on it. 

Schnozz

I have a TW1000 that's all solid timber (no electronics), which is the top of their range - Turns heads before I play it.

It's a beast and sounds great with a flatpick or fingers.

AlbertC

I've owned a couple of Tanglewoods and neither disappointed 
A dreadnought (TW1000) that I sold when I bought a 70s Martin HD28, but to be honest, it didn't fall far short of the Martin...and a parlour (TW73) that used to be my noodling guitar until I got a GS Mini - but they're on a par really. The GS is just a bit dinkier.

lincolnblue

I had a super jumbo 12 string quite a number of years ago but it was superb. Not sure on whether it was solid wood or not but it's one I regret selling.

Lestratcaster

My first acoustic (which I've still got) is a Tanglewood. Don't know the model but it cost like £120 back in the 90's and it plays really nicely.

Devil#20

Well after doing a lot of sniffing around on the internet I've narrowed it down to 2 possibilities. Both are dreadnought with a single cutout and in the budget range. 

The first is a Tanglewood TSP15CE

It's a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides and interestingly a radiused back. Fishman electronics. 

https://www.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk/product/tsp15ce/

Last year I bought a cheapo 12 string Sigma and for what i paid for it I think it's quite a good guitar for occasional use. Build quality is really good.

So that comes to the second on the short list and it's a Sigma DT41E (having problems with trying to get a link off their site so used an andertons link instead). 

Now I'm hoping they might go for this sigma because if it plays as good as it looks then I might have to smash my piggy bank and get one myself. It's Tilia back and sides and spruce top. Never heard of Tilia but it looks nice. Nice fretboard inlays and binding too. 

https://www.andertons.co.uk/sigma-dtc-41e-electro-acoustic-guitar-natural

So what do you think? Anything else in this price range to consider before pulling the pin?