A while ago, whenever someone asked us "What's the lowest price you can pay for a decent acoustic guitar?" we would say $100. But that was before we encountered Rogue Starter, which pleasantly surprised us and lowered that bar at as low as $60.
So we're looking at a small-body acoustic guitar with a solid sound, strong build quality, a super low price, and even some cool looks. We took it out for a spin, make sure to check out our impressions below.
Body & Neck
The first thing that very much surprised us is the fact that the guitar utilizes a 3/4 mahogany body, which is associated with much more expensive instruments. Further on up the road, we're dealing with a sturdy maple neck and a classic rosewood fingerboard.
Build quality is solid, and while some fret noise is present and resonance isn't exactly top-level, we are sill more than pleased when the price tag is taken into consideration. Additionally, the neck is not just sturdy and less prone to bending due to maple construction, but also easy to play and quite comfortable.
Finally, in the aesthetic department – that blue to black sunburst finish is gorgeous! We're not exactly fans of that yellow rosette, but once again – a killer deal for the price.
Hardware
As for the hardware, the six-string features a set of six solid tuning machines that do a solid job in keeping the guitar in tune for a good amount of time. Also included in the mix is a rosewood bridge without pins. This combination secures proper intonation and tension right out of the box.
Additional notable features include the aforementioned decorated rosette, a smaller black pick-guard, yellow to golden frets, and a set of quality Martin acoustic guitar strings. Once again, we are looking at a solid combination that gets the job done.
Sound
And now the big question – what's the sound like? We're not going to lie to you and say that this thing rocks, but what we see as the most important aspect is that the sound is actually usable. And for a price that goes around $60, that's a very impressive feat. The sonic attack of the Starter is good enough for the majority of beginners, giving the player a realistic image of what to expect from an acoustic guitar, leaving them yearning for more.
But to get more specific, the sound's standout characteristic are stronger middles and a punchy vibe driven by clear trebles and somewhat warm basses rounding up the groove. The mahogany body always secures a bit more of a booming and punch-driven sound, which is always welcome with thinner small-body guitars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh88-iOe9uo
Value/Conclusion
We've said it before and we'll say it again – the value for money factor is what makes this Rogue guitar one of our favorites. For $60, we did not expect a playable guitar with sexy looks, yet that's exactly what we got.
The size is perfect for kids, players with smaller hands, as well as anyone looking to travel with their instrument. This fella is sturdy and the great thing about is that it's so cheap that it's not the end of the world if anything happens to it. Is this the best very cheap guitar out there? It just might be, yes!
For more info about the Rogue Starter Acoustic Guitar Blue Burst, click here.
For more acoustic guitars for kids, click here.