Who are Tanglewood

Soupman · April 24

I know a couple of people who play Tanglewood at buskers nights regularly. They do the business well.

My wife has a Tanglewood TSF5X (small folk with cutaway and Fishman matrix pickup). I like the option of being able to plug it in if the fancy takes you. My only complaint is I find the nut too narrow for comfort, although I know this doesn't bother some people.

mburekenge · April 27

My brother has an old 90s d18 style Tanglewood dred and it's an amazing instrument. One of the best acoustics I've ever played. It was cheap too.

However the singer in his band bought the exact same model in the same shop in the same day and it was a dog.

bugileman · April 27

Tanglewood were made in Korea originally then China. The chap who owned cranes of Cardiff had some involvement early on. The master built series are very nice guitars, but not too well known.

jaymenon · May 4

ICBM said:

Fuengi said:

ICBM said:

You're almost always better buying a bottom-end 'name' brand model than a top-end 'other' brand model, for similar prices.

My perception is that you get better value for money with an 'other' brand than a 'name' brand at a similar price point.

I think guitarist did a bit on this recently, they advised (as a car analogy) buying an expensive Skoda over a cheap Mercedes if you are just looking at value for money.

With the big brands you are always paying at least a little for the name.

Disagree. With a cheap model from a expensive brand you are - or should be, if they're doing it right - paying for a similar quality of R&D and workmanship as an expensive model, just without the trimmings. With a top model from a cheap brand you're likely to be paying for the trimmings rather than the underlying quality.

I'd far rather have a cheap Martin than an expensive Tanglewood at the same price.

The Skoda/Mercedes thing doesn't really work because I'd probably rather have a cheap Skoda than an expensive Merc . Quality in cars - especially where it really matters, for reliability - is far less related to cost than it is with guitars.

I agree with this completely - so much so that I felt the need to quote this post, even thought it's a few years old...

guitarjack66 · May 5

jaymenon said:

ICBM said:

Fuengi said:

ICBM said:

You're almost always better buying a bottom-end 'name' brand model than a top-end 'other' brand model, for similar prices.

My perception is that you get better value for money with an 'other' brand than a 'name' brand at a similar price point.

I think guitarist did a bit on this recently, they advised (as a car analogy) buying an expensive Skoda over a cheap Mercedes if you are just looking at value for money.

With the big brands you are always paying at least a little for the name.

Disagree. With a cheap model from a expensive brand you are - or should be, if they're doing it right - paying for a similar quality of R&D and workmanship as an expensive model, just without the trimmings. With a top model from a cheap brand you're likely to be paying for the trimmings rather than the underlying quality.

I'd far rather have a cheap Martin than an expensive Tanglewood at the same price.

The Skoda/Mercedes thing doesn't really work because I'd probably rather have a cheap Skoda than an expensive Merc . Quality in cars - especially where it really matters, for reliability - is far less related to cost than it is with guitars.

I agree with this completely - so much so that I felt the need to quote this post, even thought it's a few years old...

To be honest I probably would disagree again. Given how much the major brands spend on advertising and promotion I'd imagine it adds a significant premium to your guitar. This doesn't just apply to guitars though. I'd also reference that many big name brands are made in the same factory,on the same machines,but likely with some more expensive parts.

PS,I say all this without reference to the environmental and morality factors attached though as these are not inconsiderable nowadays.

MartinB · May 5

There's only so far you can rationalise choice of instruments - you can look at the build style and attention to detail, the woods used and all that, and still have it trumped by a much less tangible "Can I make the sound I want, do I like this neck, does this have the right vibe to be my guitar?". Ultimately, if you try it and like it, not much else matters.

Some of the major brands have got the latter kind of appeal quite well figured out for their lower end models, even if the spec on paper looks underwhelming compared to alternative brands at the same price.

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Who are Tanglewood

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