Jasmine S34C NEX Acoustic Guitar,Natural

I currently own seven guitars, all different, to accommodate/enhance various styles of play. My acoustic workhorse has been an Ovation Celebrity - nothing fancy, not a great tone, but it plays really well and it sounds nice when amplified. I bought this Jasmine for a few reasons - 1) I wanted a beater guitar for camping trips, 2) I wanted a guitar that I could leave in an alternate tuning (probably DADGAD), and 3) because of reason #1, I didn't want to pay much. After finding this guitar (priced at about $85.00) and reading the reviews, my curiosity was piqued so I thought I'd give it a try.I've had it for about a week now and I'm back at square one in a way. This guitar looks too pretty (the satin finish is beautiful), sounds too great (wonderful tone, great sustain, superb intonation), and plays too well (the action was decent right out of the box, no fret buzz anywhere) to use it for its intended purpose! In fact, this 'budget' guitar is the first guitar I've ever owned that I've considered honoring it with a name.I'm selling the Ovation because it just can't compete tonally with this Jasmine. I've already ordered a second. And if the second is consistent with the first, I'll probably order a third (for camping... ?)!In the words of Vizzini, "it's inconceivable" that a guitar this nice would be so cheap!A note to beginners:I highly recommend this guitar to any adult (or almost-adult-sized child) wanting to learn to play - it's inexpensive, it plays well (if properly adjusted), and it has a wonderful tone.Having said that, I would like to add this:The guitar strings will need to be changed occasionally due to use; they will lose tonal quality, they may break.In fact, you may need to change them from the outset (don't be alarmed or disappointed - it happens, particularly with inexpensive guitars. And they're pretty cheap). There is a variety from which to choose but I would recommend starting with a 'Silk and Steel' type - they're typically easier on new (un-calloused) fingertips. Once your fretting fingers are toughened, you'll want to experiment, as your string choice will affect your playing style as well as your tone.The action (the distance from the strings to the fingerboard) may need to be adjusted to make playing easier. As a general rule, if the strings are higher than the thickness of a US quarter (measured at the 12th fret), the action needs to be lowered. If the strings are lower than that, you're probably getting fret buzz (from the string(s) vibrating against a fret when the string is plucked). Most music stores can correct this (for a fee), or an experienced guitar-playing friend may be kind enough to help. You can do it yourself if you're so inclined (instructional videos can be easily found on YouTube) but I would strongly suggest having an experienced person oversee your first few efforts.There are a couple of accessories that will be greatly beneficial and should be acquired immediately if you don't already have them:1) A guitar case or a guitar stand (you have to do something to keep it safe when you're not playing it).2) A guitar tuner.3) Guitar picks (plectrums). You don't necessarily need these; some guitarists prefer to play with their fingers. But most use a pick. There is a wide variety, so experiment. They not only affect your ease of play but, if you pay attention, you'll notice they also affect the tone you're getting. In fact, I use specific picks for different guitars.4) A neck strap. Another item you don't necessarily need (if you always sit while playing). If you want to stand while playing, it's a virtual necessity.I hope this has helped!

I’ve been playing for 22 years and I’ve always stuck with acoustic guitars in the $300-$500 guitars because I think it’s a good sweet spot but I needed an inexpensive guitar to keep at my shop.I was super hesitant to get something in this price point because they usually feel super cheap and can sometime sound too metallic, too bright (Fender in particular) or just too hollow. I played a friend’s Jasmine and loved it so I decided to test my luck and order this one. I’m so happy I did because it sounds great! It’s well balanced with the lows and Highs and it’s very comfortable to play since it’s smaller at the neck but full at the bridge giving it the full sustain of a dreadnought but slightly less bulky in the hands.•I do have to say that you will want to immediately adjust the truss rod and change out the strings. After that the action feels great and it sounds superb. It looks really nice without a Pickguard but I ordered a $6 set of pickguards on Amazon because I love the look of the hummingbird pickguard on acoustics and I think it looks great on this Jasmine.•My only real gripe was with shipping. I wish that they double boxed it because when it arrived the top portion of the Box came unattached allowing me to just lift it off without cutting it or pulling the staples out on the corners. It still arrived undamaged but beware if your local USPS isn’t typically kind to your shipments. I would have only put 4 stars because of shipping but I’m reviewing the guitar, not the shipping.I hope this helps anybody out there that already plays and is afraid that this guitar might stink because of the low price.

Takamine / Jasmine have a good reputation in acoustic guitar manufacturing, and this beginner model really meets the quality expectations. The guitar has a satin coat which lets the natural wood tones show through. The neck is very comfortable. The tuners, though basic, are responsive. The tonal character is both warm and bright, and it has really nice sustain for players. Overall, this is one of the better beginner models I've ever played. It has far more depth than my base model Hohner EL-SF PlusThe one MAJOR caveat with this item is the shipping!! It was delivered to my address via USPS in a box that had no bands or tape to hod the pieces together. The guitar could have just fallen right out. Inside, the guitar was in a protective foam wrap with some minimal securing cardboard, but I really have to owe it to the handlers at USPS for both keeping the box in one piece and preventing the guitar from taking any damage. Thankfully it arrived perfectly, but that was despite the irresponsible lack of proper packaging.