What makes a good budget guitar? In this detailed Jasmine S34C review, we have discussed the features that make it deserving to be one of the best budget acoustic guitars.
Contents
Design and Features
Most acoustic guitars currently on the market have a dreadnought design. While this design might be universal since it represents the unique shape of a guitar, the Jasmine S34C Acoustic Guitar adopts a grand orchestra layout.
As such, expect it to be a little thinner at the waist as opposed to the dreadnought guitar.
One advantage the Jasmine S34C Acoustic Guitar has over the dreadnought design is its ability to produce a bell-like and clearer tone.
Ideal for Fingerpicking
The design also makes this guitar ideal for fingerpicking. Guitarists over the years have used all styles to play the guitar effectively. Whether strumming, pounding, or fingerpicking, the idea is to get the guitar hitting the tones in mind so as to complement the vocalist.
However, not all guitars can be played in all three styles because of the strings and fret accessibility.
Venetian-style Single Cutaway
The Jasmine S34C has a unique Venetian-style single cutaway, which gives the player improved access to higher frets. In turn, this guitar hits all tones perfectly and can be played easily by a beginner.
Made from African mahogany, the Jasmine S34C guitar’s body is guaranteed to serve you for a long time.
It may not be as hard as maple, but it is sure to outlast most guitars made from cheap maple wood.
Spruce Top
One characteristic evident in professional guitars is a spruce top. The Jasmine Company wasn’t taking any chances on sound quality and installed a spruce top which also comes in handy when the guitar is in the hands of an aggressive player.
Also, this guitar has quarter-sawed X bracing but is differently installed compared to other guitars with the feature.
The X Bracing
The X bracing on the Jasmine S34C is slightly shifted forward so as to provide the top with additional support. It does not just offer support, this feature also allows for a livelier, more open sound that has enhanced definition and is clearer compared to most guitars.
A slim but straight mahogany neck might not be ideal for everybody but IT adds to this guitar’s sleek design.
Slender Neck
A slender neck means playing might be hard for people with big hands. Nonetheless, other than that, the neck does not affect the sound in any way and attaches seamlessly to a Rosewood fretboard.
The fretboard is comfortable and adds to the guitar’s ease of play. The Jasmine S34C also has full body binding.
This feature makes the guitar an excellent travel companion and seeing how good its design is, a guitar that you should not be afraid to show off in public.
Sound
The design might add weight to your decision before purchasing a guitar, but there is one other thing that matters, even more, the sound. Different guitarists prefer certain qualities regarding sound when it comes to guitars.
Some might prefer a powerful sound while others opt for a more open and clear sound. The Jasmine S34C might have a different design, but it produces sound with the same power as a dreadnought guitar.
The only difference is, this guitar produces it with more diffusion and openness. Its 25.5-inch scale and other dimensions help significantly in shaping the sound and ensuring that it is not only loud but clear as well.
Mahogany is used as the body material for most guitars because it has a warm and soft feel. Also, it greatly helps in clearing up and amplifying a guitar’s sound.
The Jasmine S34C provides clear highs and amazingly thick lows. The only problem is the muddy mids, which can be corrected with a little tuning.
Chrome tuners make tuning easy and give room for consistent playing. While most guitars around the same price tag require regular tuning, one tuning session with the Jasmine S34C is guaranteed to last for a significant period.
The Finishing
If there is one thing that makes a guitar more appealing compared to its competition it’s the finish. A good finish is enough to get someone making an impulse buy.
However, do not purchase a guitar solely because of its finish. Ensure that the finish does not only serve beautification purposes and plays a role regarding the sound quality of the guitar.
This feature is exhibited in the Jasmine S34C, which has a stylish and natural satin finish. Other than adding to the style, the Satin finish also helps maximize the guitar’s resonance thereby providing optimum sound quality.
The board has no dead frets or dings, a feature that makes the Jasmine S34C’s action perfect, not to mention, it’s very close and smooth on your fingers.
As discussed earlier, the slim neck might not be of a lot of help to people with big hands, but it provides perfect grip and a smooth feel to the player. The overall intent is to add to the comfort that comes when this guitar is in your arms. This feature also enhances the guitar’s playability.
Pros
- Produces great audio despite its low price.
- Has a consistent tone that even improves through time.
- Great starter guitar for beginners
- Requires minimal tuning as it stays in tune for long periods of time.
- Has a good and comfortable feel while playing
Cons
- Not so much quality materials used
- Low-quality tuning pegs
- Not much beauty in the details
Jasmine S34C Specs
- Top Material: Spruce
- Back and Sides Material: Sapele
- Body Material: Sapele
- Neck Material: Nato
- Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
Conclusion
For a beginner’s acoustic guitar, the Jasmine S34C is a masterpiece. This guitar has excellent sound quality and a price that is almost unbelievable. I would recommend it as a good option for a first guitar.
Hi! Can you tell me what is the exact size of this guitar? THANKS!
Hey Steban, as per Amazon’s description, it’s 18 x 8 x 48 inches. It also has 25 1/2″ scale length, which is a pretty standard length for most guitars.