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-   -   Does Anyone Like Tanglewood Guitars? (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181950)

daza152 04-12-2010 10:57 PM

Does Anyone Like Tanglewood Guitars?
 
I went down to our local guitar shop, and when I ask the guy who works there about Martins his reply startled me...he said they were over-rated and over-priced. He had compared a Tanglewood worth $1200 compared to a Martin worth $2500 and said the Tanglewood ate up the Martin. He did have the Tanglewood guitar in his shop and they looked good sounded good but I've never heard of them, there is a UK flag inside the sound-hole. Says with Martins you are only paying for the name...well I totally disagree with that and started to think he was trying to push these Tanglewood's....Do you own one?

Thanks Daza.

paul84 04-12-2010 11:13 PM

Don't want to start another "my less expensive guitar eats all these high end guitars", however I do like Tanglewood.

I owned a TW1000 dread for several years and found it to be a really lovely guitar - I only sold it as I just can't get on with dreads.

Well made, easy playing and great sounding. The TW1000 is considerably cheaper than the one you were looking at.

I would happily buy Tanglewood again if I was looking for another guitar at that price point.
(However, luckily I' not looking for any guitar at any pricepoint!!)
Paul.

Elfina 04-13-2010 12:08 AM

I played a small body sika/mahogany with slotted headstock last week. The sound was quite nice bit in no way comparable to a Martin,even the cheaper Martins have a much richer fuller sound and much better fit and finish. I did play a brazilian/European spruce small bodied a couple of years ago and that was a tremendous guitar but in general they are above average budget guitars.

dfvxc 04-13-2010 12:18 AM

Heck yeah!!

It's my main acoustic axe. I have a TW15 DLX.
I paid about 1/3 the price of the average price of the caliber of guitar I was looking for.

I'm extremely satisfied with it, sounds amazing, and the action is ridiculous the way it came.

I JUST recorded a practice session of the Don Ross piece Elevation Music. It's completely flat, no effects at all, with old strings. Cheap LDC mic:
http://individual.utoronto.ca/monting/elevation.mp3

pls note that I roughly put together the parts, except for the slapping part with I worked on quite a bit.

AlexH 04-13-2010 12:47 AM

I recently took delivery of a Tanglewood 12 string (TW145 12 SC) and I am really pleased with it!:)

it is a small bodied guitar in what they call "super folk" size, with a solid cedar top. The build and finish are excellent (only the pickguard seems a bit "cheaper" than the rest of the build quality)

Sound-wise it's great, a bright sound that really rings out, not so much bass, but with a small body then I guess that's to be expected...

The electronics are B-Band, so good quality, but i can't really comment much on the plugged in sound as I haven't used it live yet.

I tried a number of different 12 strings in this price range (Fender, Yamaha, Washburn, Cort, Ibanez etc) and I think for the money the Tanglewood is hard to beat... The only guitar in the shop that I liked as much was a Seagull 12-string but it cost considerably more.

HooseMoose 04-13-2010 12:51 AM

I got a shop worn tw173 for about 60% of retail. The nearest equivalent cheaper Martin would have cost me 6 or 7 times as much.

I had played one a few years earlier and have tried lots if other parlours at that price point since - but none had matched it. it's cedar topped and solid mahog back, with lam sides. Specced by Uk company and made in China I believe.

Everyone that plays that guitar is blown away by it - the setup, the sound and the playability. Side by side comparison against a (well setup) Marin I guess it might not be quite as good although I haven't played a new Martin in the shop that plays as well. Sound wise it'd be close as well but without a Martin being there to compare A/B against - it's easily forgotten with the fun being had (unless one has OCD)...

Another plus point also was the ding factor - wasn't too worried having it out the case with a toddler running about. I sold my J45 shortly after and it's now my main guitar...

unknown1 04-13-2010 01:02 AM

I owned Tanglewood TW170 for awhile. Had to sell it due to 1 11/16 nut width.
It was a great guitar. Mine was pretty bassy for a small guitar.
Only 1 small thing wrong with the guitar. 13. fret was filed down too low, this cause a dead note on 13. fret E string. I could have sent it back to for warranty but it would have taken more than a month (thousands of kilometers of shipping).

Lefty Guy 04-13-2010 02:28 AM

I've played several TW 15 (all solid wood dread) in stores in recent years & always thought them excellent value for money. Feel & sound like a Taylor dread but much cheaper. I had a TW 55 (all solid wood jumbo) for a while but couldn't get used to the jumbo size & look.

Loki 04-13-2010 03:05 AM

I had a Tanglewood 1000 SR (Solid rosewood b&s, Engelman Spruce top) for a couple of years.

Excellent, loud balanced sound that responded well to pick or fingers. Everyone who played it really rated it and enjoyed it --- except me unfortunately as I just don't get along with dreadnoughts.

Moved it on, but still regret doing so as I should have held on for visitors, parties etc.

Are they Martins? No, they are not. Are Martins Tanglewoods? No, they are not.

Tanglewoods higher end guitars are excellent instruments in their own right, and all the headstock says is that you didn't pay Martin prices for it.

All i can suggest is that you evaluate them with your ears. Good luck

coldshot 04-13-2010 03:47 AM

I've got a Tanglewwod parlor in cedar \ mahogany, while it a nice guitar with great projection, i wouldn't put it in the same class as a Martin.

Martin Guitars are full of tradition and and while the Tanglewood is nice it's still made in China, i'm not knocking a Chinese guitar but grab one of each brand keep them both for a year and sell them.

The market will tell you which one holds it value, not necessarily which one sounds the best.

Same goes for any brand.

Coke_zero 04-13-2010 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexH (Post 2192808)
I recently took delivery of a Tanglewood 12 string (TW145 12 SC) and I am really pleased with it!:)

I've tried one of these. I think it is an exceptional 12 string for the money.

brianmay 04-13-2010 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daza152 (Post 2192784)
I went down to our local guitar shop, and when I ask the guy who works there about Martins his reply startled me...he said they were over-rated and over-priced. He had compared a Tanglewood worth $1200 compared to a Martin worth $2500 and said the Tanglewood ate up the Martin. He did have the Tanglewood guitar in his shop and they looked good sounded good but I've never heard of them, there is a UK flag inside the sound-hole. Says with Martins you are only paying for the name...well I totally disagree with that and started to think he was trying to push these Tanglewood's....Do you own one?

Thanks Daza.

I DO wish salesmen wouldn't do that - bad mouth somebody 'good' to sell what they've got. I bet if he'd had a Martin in but no TW, it would have been along the lines 'yes, well you get what you pay for, the TW does it (really well for the price), but the Martin does it better' - or something similar.

Bang for buck, the Tanglewood looks really good, like Yamahas, like Seagulls etc etc.

Play what you love, love what you play! Best of luck, enjoy.

darkvalley1 04-13-2010 05:41 AM

I have a tanglewood Jumbo, cant remember the model, all laminate and it was a terrible guitar. Sounded and played fine in the shop, but over the months I played it all sorts of problems arose with it. Buzzing sounds from the strings, action got worse and worse. eventually it was unplayable. Shop went out of business so I could not return it.
However it was the cheapest guitar in the shop (€250 in Ireland) and I have heard nothing but praise for the brand. it would appear when you go up in price and to solid wood you are getting a much much better instrument. I may also have just been unlucky with the particular guitar I got.
Still have it somewhere up in the attic and intend to take it down when I eventually get round to trying slide!!

regards
Finbarr

Cue Zephyr 04-13-2010 07:04 AM

*jumps 10 feet into the air*
ME!
Although I don't have one because I'm looking for a 1 3/4" nut width and up. TW doesn't have any of those!
Edit: Forgot to add, it has to be an OM/GC/GA ish size.

@ darkvalley1
That might have been the TSJ.

vicov 04-13-2010 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianmay (Post 2192869)
I DO wish salesmen wouldn't do that - bad mouth somebody 'good' to sell what they've got. I bet if he'd had a Martin in but no TW, it would have been along the lines 'yes, well you get what you pay for, the TW does it (really well for the price), but the Martin does it better' - or something similar.

Bang for buck, the Tanglewood looks really good, like Yamahas, like Seagulls etc etc.

Play what you love, love what you play! Best of luck, enjoy.

I totally agree 100% - When you buy a Martin you are buying into the heritage, history, quality, workmanship and guarantee as well as the more obvious kudos and retained value. You pay your money you take your choice.

Vic


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