Electric Guitars

For over twenty five years, Encore guitars have been the number one starter brand. The Encore electric and bass guitars are totally dependable, reliable, playable and certainly very affordable. They have been UK’s best selling guitar pack for about 20 years and their recent best seller is the Encore PK40 Bass Guitar Blaster Pack.

Design:

The full size Encore PK40 Bass Guitar Blaster Pack features a classic design with very simple and easy to use controls. The vintage style contoured body offers maximum comfort while playing. Classic design split-coil Guitar Tech pickup offers versatile, full-toned performance. The maple neck and rosewood fingerboard are also of Vintage profile. The Face Mounted bridge is intonating and fully height adjustable. The PK40 Bass guitar sports a large, attractively shaped full size three-ply scratchplate. The scale length is 864m and nuts are Graphite. The guitar also has a pair of large chrome strap hooks that allows you to play safely whilst standing. This quality guitar kit is available in beautiful finishes of red, black, blue, white and traditional sunburst. The good news for the left handers is that, the black model is also available in left hand type.

Features:

The fingerboard is smooth rosewood and it possesses large heavy duty tuners on the headstock that gives the guitar an accurate grip on the strings and makes for easy tuning adjustments. Useful fingerboard dot markers provide good finger position reference. The single staggered pickup gives the guitar a powerful and precise sound and this can certainly be altered using the guitar’s volume and tone controls. The Quick Tune Digital tuner allows you to precisely tune each string before you play which makes the guitar’s bass always sound spot on. The strap buttons are positioned for perfect balance.

A complete kit:

Playing guitar is the most fun you can have if you love music. But to get this started, you will need a guitar for sure and being a beginner, you will not want to spend heaps of money at this stage. In addition to the guitar, you will also require an amplifier (they are quite expensive), along with a lead to connect them. So, what is the best option? Without any doubts, it is Encore’s ‘Play Now’ packs which come packed with all the accessories that you need to get started. And we say this because; the Encore PK40 Bass Guitar Blaster is exactly one of them. The kit has all the bits and pieces that you will have to get going from the minute the guitar is bought.

The Encore PK40 Bass Guitar package includes a 10 Watt BB Blaster bass amp and cable so that, you can start playing straight away and is just perfect for your lounge practices. The compact design of the amplifier means that it does not take up too much of space and also has very easy to use controls. You also get a gig bag and stand to protect, carry it and rest it safely when not in use. The tough durable outer casing features a black grill that protects the speaker and rubber corner plates to protect the amp from knocks and bumps. There is also an instruction DVD with one hour tuition to provide a real baby beginner for the first few steps along the way. The other contents of the kit include Qwik Tune Tuner, GYC Lead, Tech Guitar Strap and Pelctrum.

Verdict:

Encore PK40 Bass Guitar is just the ideal entry to bass playing, with rock solid bass performance, precise tone and excellent playing dynamics. Couple to an ‘easy-to-get-on-with’ feel and first-class instrument balance for a full-size, long scale instrument the E4 bass guitars are your direct access straight into the world of full-on bass playing.

In a gist, if your pockets are shallow, your budget tight but expectations high, you are always welcome to join millions of others around the world who have picked and strummed their first Encore, which is an ideal first guitar pack.

Encore PK40 Bass Guitar Blaster  Kit - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Encore
Series	Encore Blaster Package
Model Name	Encore PK40 Bass Guitar
Model Number	Black: EBP-PK40BOFT Sunburst: EBP-PK40SBOFT Blue: EBP-PK40TBLOFT Red: EBP-PK40TRD Left hand Black: EBP-LPK40BOFT
Guitar Type	Bass
Finishes available	Red, black, blue, white and traditional sunburst
Body	Composite
Layout	Chrome
Fretboard	Rosewood
Bridge	Adjustable
Neck	Maple
Scale	864mm
Controls	1 x Split Coil Pickup 1 x Tone, 1 x Volume
Hardware	Chrome
Amplifier Features	INPUT - 1/4″ input jack. VOLUME - Master output volume control. EQUALISATION LOW - adds extra bottom end for a rounder, deeper and smoother bass tone. MIDDLE - Use this control carefully to get different kinds of bass tone. HIGH - adds extra treble to the bass tone for additional ‘bite’. HEADPHONE - 1/4” headphone jack plug. POWER - Main on/off power switch

Gibson Les Paul Junior 1958

Gibson has managed to release more variations on the Les Paul theme than most of the other companies can manage across their entire product line. Right from the highly tricked out Neal Schon model that is equipped with Floyd Rose bridge and sustainer pickup to the very simple 1957 LP Junior single cutaway, there is something for everybody in the LP line.

The Gibson Les Paul Junior which was introduced in 1954 was in fact the economic Les Paul model. It was the one of Gibson’s no-nonsense look with a single P–90 and at a very low cost, the LP Junior became an instant hit. By the end of the year 1957, the sales of Gibson’s very popular Les Paul Junior single cut away model had begun to decrease and the company explored some innovative ideas to keep an affordable, yet a very powerful guitar in the hands of young players and armatures. Retaining the same low price point that it had for the past three years, Gibson revamped Junior’s body shape into a brand new double cutaway design in July 1958. This latest double cutaway design allowed the players complete access to the Junior’s 22 fret fingerboard and this is an idea that has also been implemented on some of Gibson’s modernistic guitars and also the ES-335.

Design Similarities:

The Gibson LP Junior 1958 double cutaway shares a lot of common features with the classic single cutaway model that was probably one of the most famous in the hands of Leslie West and which also went on to form the basis of Green Day front man Billy Joe Amstrong’s signature model but it deviates from that in several important ways. Just like all the other Vintage Original Spec Series instruments, the Gibson 1958 Les Paul Junior Double Cut VOS is handcrafted to comfort and playability in the Gibson Custom shop. The complete outline of the of the guitar looks more rounder than a regular LP, that is partially an optical illusion caused by the almost symmetrical cutaways that are smooth and rounded  when compared to the sharply bevelled horns of the subsequent double cutaway model LP model released in 1961, which was later renamed as Gibson SG.

A simple classic:

The Les Paul Junior range is one of the most basic that Gibson manufactures. You might even view this as a guitar that is limited in its range and capabilities but we are sure that we will be able to convince you otherwise and first, we would like to keep you informed on what it is made of and how it has been assembled. The body and neck of the guitar is solid mahogany with a Satin finish nitrocellulose lacquer over an eye catching vintage sunburst. The rosewood fingerboard sports 22 nickel silver alloy medium guage frets. The white dot markers aid in orientation while the headstock and machine heads are manufactured by Grover. The single bridge position P 90 pickup is operated via its volume and tone controls that leaves the LP double cutaway 1958 with its vintage style Wraparound Bridge.

Body:

The body is a nice thick flat slab of mahogany that looks as though it is made out of four pieces that are laminated together. The lovely satin cherry finish allows the mahogany to show through as a texture in the finish itself. There is no binding or contouring of any kind because they would simply be out of place on a little street fighting guitar like this.

Tuners and Nuts:

To maintain the vintage vibe of the ’58, tuners of the junior are covered tuning machines made by Grover and are not sealed. The nickel covers are stamped with the Gibson Deluxe and the tuning knobs are in antiqued, milky white plastic. The heads feel nice and tight and it tunes the guitar in a smooth way without any bumps or grinds. The 3 a side Classic headstock has a black face and gabled top. The Gibson and Les Paul logos have been silk screened onto the surface and the truss rod coved is embossed with the word “Junior”. The white nut that is described as Corian has a perfect finish and this being an US made guitars, the standards of finish sit right at the top. The output jack is set in the edge of the body in a square black plastic plate.

Neck:

The fixed mahogany neck has the rounded vintage profile and it has a rake, which means, it is tilted back from its body. Originally this design feature was necessary to deal with the bulging tops of carved Les Paul bodies. As the Junior has a flat slab body, the rake is not strictly a necessary design feature, but it does give the Junior a nicer feel that links it more closely to the Les Paul heritage. The slightly shorter scale of the guitar is definitely a throw back to its initial basic status and just adds a feather to its compact and no-nonsense attitude. The rosewood on the guitar had a very nice stripy nature and its fairly flat radius complimented the neck profile very well.

Pickups and Pickguard:

Gibson 1958 Les Paul Junior Double Cut VOS  Nitrocellulose finish Electric Guitar will not just be the desirable one that it is without its lovely Gibson P- 90 single coil pickup in its black housing with dog ears fixings. It is simply one of the truest and best of the class. The single-ply black plastic pickguard extends across and under the strings and helps the visual balance of the instrument in the absence of a second pickup.

Construction:

As far as construction is concerned, the neck profile, hardware and electronics are period accurate and the special nitrocellulose finish treatment gives it the patina of a gently aged vintage guitar. If we had anything ever to complain about the vintage specifications, then it would have to be the small strap buttons and that is the case in the LP junior too. We would recommend you to invest in some larger strap buttons.

Action and Sound:

The action out of the box is quite good It lacks the flexibility of a two pickup guitar like a Les Paul Standard as there is no blending or switching to be done in it, but the quality that you get with the pickup is just more than enough to make up for it. You will find that the Gibson Les Paul Junior 1958 to be one of the most resonant instruments which is mainly because of its light weight Mahogany Body and Set Neck design. The single strum of an E chord allows you to feel the whole guitar vibrate against your chest. The Mahogany neck on offer is Gibson’s signature chunky but comfortable Vintage C profile.

When the P 90 single coil pickup is plugged in, it produces a musical, fat and chiming clean sound that cuts through the mix which is a tweak of the control and more mellow sounds ensue. With a bit more turn on the tone control’s dial, you will get a pretty convincing Jazz. As you glide into the light crunch area, your smile will certainly broaden as the guitar excels for rock rhythm and riffing. To enjoy the warm rich lead sound that is worth dying for, just turn the wick right up. The perfect icing on the cake is when you rotate the tone control fully anti clockwise, to get a great neck pickup lead sound from a guitar with no neck pickup.

Package contents:

The package of the Gibson LP Junior 1958 includes a Gibson Custom Shop hardshell Case and a certificate of authenticity.

Conclusion:

If you are one of those artists who aspires to follow the footsteps of Keith Richards of Rolling Stones or Mick Jones of The Clash or our favourite Jhonny Thunders of New York Dolls, then the Gibson Les Paul Junior 1958 is exactly the guitar that you have to go for as these players opted for this one which resembles simplicity in itself and great tone. In the late 70’s, the punk guitarists rediscovered the Les Paul Junior and it became a firm favourites amongst some very famous players. And, here we are fifty years later and the simplicity of this humble guitar never ceases to inspire the new generations which is pretty remarkable, given the fact that we live in a digital, gadget drenched environment where bells and whistles seem to rule; clearly for some of us, “less is more”.

If you have never considered a Gibson Les Paul Junior 1958 because you think it is limited, it is time to think again. This is simply fantastic guitar and an affordable classic.

Check other Gibson Electric Guitars in this website.

Gibson 1958 Les Paul Junior Double Cut VOS  - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer/Brand	Gibson
Model Name	Gibson Les Paul Junior 1958
Guitar type	Electric guitar
Colour/Finish	Nitrocellulose finish, TV Yellow
Body	Solid Mahogany Body
Neck	1-piece mahogany neck with long neck tenon
Neck construction	Early 1950s rounded neck profile
Frets	22
Fretboard	Rosewood
Fingerboard	Pearloid dot inlays
Scale length	24 ¾ inch scale length
Nut width	1-11/16″ nut width
Pickups	P-90 single-coil pickup
Tuners	Button tuners
Knobs	Black Top Hat
Controls	one volume, one tone
Hardware	Nickel hardware
Bridge/tailpiece	Light weight aluminium
Accessories	CTS pots and bumble bee capacitors , Gibson Custom Shop hardshell Case and a certificate of authenticity

Washburn guitars have a dynamic 120 year history that began in Chicago 1883. Washburn continues to be a consistent leader in combining design, innovation, and technology to deliver the rich, bold sounds for a vast musical landscape.

In the following review we will see about the Washburn EA16 Electro Acoustic guitar that has been created with a performing musician in mind.

A serious beauty:

The EA16 guitar is an absolute beauty. It is just perfect for those who wish to be the style icons. The body and top of this electro acoustic is maple and is covered in black lacquer finish that has a very slight hint of fine gold sparkle. Its round sound hole has a thin rosette decor with colours that reflect a very stylish Art Nouveau sensibility. The substantial cutaway design assists access to the upper frets. The overall finish is excellent.

Features:

The headstock is a flared paddle with three a side and Dutch gable top. The rosewood fretboard has a dry look and the solution is that, it can be softened with an application of the specialist lemon oil which is quite popular now-a-days. The white pearloid dot marker ornaments the fascia and it has been given a very nice finish with white binding. The white plastic nuts next to the fretboard have been cut cleanly. Its rosewood bridge is designed to be a very attractive butterfly with the plastic saddle compensated at the second string. Note that the strings are secured by the traditional bridge pins. A final touch has been given to this beauty with the Washburn logo rendered in a very nice old fashioned script.

Neck:

Coming to the neck of EA16 Electro Acoustic, it was a pleasant surprise. It is simply beautiful and sleek from front to back with a nice and generous fretboard width. This gives the player a comfy flat feeling against palm while reaching around the thumb to damp the 6th string. The guitar almost gives a les paul feeling with the near parallel profile from head to heel. The heel is flat, rounded and feels extremely comfortable to play around when you go for the twelfth fret. The frets of the guitar are medium thin and nicely polished.

Control Panel:

All-important control panel sits on the top edge of the body. Though it seemed to be a bit crowded at the very first glance, it is actually intuitively placed and easy to use. In terms of controls offered, the panel has a slider for Volume and individual slides to control Treble, Middle, Bass and Presence. And yet another special extra on the EA16 is the onboard chorus which has an on/off button along with two small control knobs for Rate and Depth. All the controls run plus or minus 12 dB. In the bottom of the guitar, you will find a single strap button and two outputs; one is a standard jack marked Hi-Z, the other is an XLR marked Low-Z Balanced for direct inject into a mixer. The battery compartment mechanism adopted by Washburn must be appreciated; it has a cradle into which the 9 volt battery slides and the cradle is constructed in such a way that the battery can be inserted only in correct orientation. Once the battery is inserted, the cradle slides into a hole in the control panel, which again fits only in one way. Beneath the receiving chamber, you will find two big springs that dock in firmly with the battery’s terminals.

Tuners:

The Washburn EA16  Acoustic electric guitar offers just more than good looks.  The 18:1 ratio Grover tuners will keep you in tune throughout your wildest performance and they have large kidney knobs. When the guitar comes from the warehouse, it is wildly out of tune, but the groovers smoothly bought them back into tune at the first time of asking.

Sound and Action:

When it comes to the acoustics, the first thing that you would notice about it is its bright and zingy tone which is dedicated by the maple construction. The tone shows good range of differentiation, depending on where you will be striking the strings. The tone was nothing less than breath taking. The amplification is good and you will certainly appreciate the extra scope available on the eq in a band situation. The Chorus goes all the way up to throaty wobble, a sound that most guitarists will not use. But when set down in the lower 25% of Rate and Depth the effect adds a lovely, lush layering to the sound, especially on strummed chord progressions.

Straight out of the box, the guitar has good low action which makes it an immediate pleasure to play. The EA16 now comes standard with the B-Band A3 preamp. The B-Band technology is certainly a modern marvel.

Warranty:

The Washburn EA16 Electro Acoustic Guitar comes with one year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

If you are looking for an electro acoustic guitar in your armoury, the Washburn EA16 Electro Acoustic certainly deserves your attention. It is very much a Hybrid and is a compromised solution between an acoustic instrument and an amplified environment. The tone is bright and enthusiastic to sculpt it to your needs and venue. The XLR out is an absolute boon and a big bonny for the live musician. The onboard Chorus is a bonus for occasional use, but there is always the danger that you will get hooked, in which case an off-board unit in your effects loop would be a sensible upgrade. Overall the Washburn EA16 is an excellent, versatile instrument for the price asked.

Washburn EA16 Guitar - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Washburn
Series	EA
Model Name	Washburn EA16 Electro Acoustic
Guitar Type	Electro Acoustic Guitar
Finish	Buffed Gloss body
Colours available	Natural, Tobacco Sunburst, Black Pearl
Body	Maple body and top
Binding	White binding
Sides and Back	Mahogany
Finger board	Rosewood fingerboard
Tuning Machine	Chrome die cast Grover style tuning machine 18:1 gear ratio tuners
Bridge	Rosewood butterfly bridge
Neck	Stained mahogany/buffed gloss neck Mahogany neck with trussrod
Inlay	Pearloid
Frets	20
Preamp/ Tuner	WT-92 Preamp/Tuner
Case	GB70 Included
Hardware	Chrome
Special Features	Headstock painted to match body Flat top construction BBand under saddle tape microphone and preamp Buzz Feiten Tuning System
Warranty	One year

The need for a performance instrument is well understood at Epiphone and hence, for over 130 years, they have been passionately designing and making guitars and basses that are built to perform. They have been continuously offering time tested designs, top quality electronics and consistent performance. In the following review, we will see about Epiphone’s one of the most elegant guitars, Epiphone Les Paul Custom Plus Vintage Sunburst Electric Guitar.

Design:

As we just said, the Les Paul Custom Plus Vintage Sunburst is one of the most elegant guitars that Epiphone has ever manufactured. It features all the exclusive appointments like multiple binding, block inlays and gold hardware. In addition to this, the beautiful flame maple top gives it great looks. Its body is mahogany/alder and has bound body, neck and headstock. The guitar is also available in other Heritage cherry sunburst.

Features:

The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Plus Vintage Sunburst Electric Guitar also features two alnico classic humbuckers, 24.75” scale, 22 frets set neck joint and 1.68” nut width. The neck is the Les Paul standard mahogany and rosewood fingerboard with block inlays. The controls include 2 volume, 2 tone controls and three way toggle. Hardware will last for ages and strap buttons are tight.

Sound and Action:

This is one of those guitars that is just perfect for any style. The switch is clean and had no noise. As far as action is concerned, it was perfect. It met the factory standards as set in manual; only the pickups needed very small adjustments. It does provide a very fast playing action because of the maple, the neck is very smooth. The humbuckers give very crunchy sounds and the bridge pick up is great for lead, rock, metal, punk etc and the neck for blues. The 3rd option allows you to use both pickups, and control the output of each one: This option allows you to find the exact tone you are looking for. This guitar will sound great unplugged, clean, or with heavy distortion.

Warranty:

The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Plus Vintage Sunburst Electric Guitar comes with limited lifetime warranty.

Verdict:

Epiphone Les Paul Custom Plus Vintage Sunburst Finish Electric Guitar is one of the bests available in the market when it comes to design. It plays all styles and once you start playing this Epiphone you would not even think about buying a Gibson. We recommend this guitar for those guitarists who like to play all styles. It is a brilliant guitar with a furiously awesome sound; go try it.

Check other Epiphone Electric Guitars in this website.

Les Paul Custom Plus Vintage Sunburst Guitar - Specification Details

Manufacturer	Epiphone
Model Name	Epiphone Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar
Body	Mahogany body
Finish	Vintage Sunburst
Top	Flame Maple
Neck	Set mahogany neck
Fretboard	Rosewood fretboard with block inlays
Headstock	Bound
Humbuckers	2
Tail Piece	Stopbar
Hardware	Gold hardware
Controls	2 volume and 2 tone controls
Pick-up switch	3-way pickup switch
Finger board	Rosewood fingerboard
Scale length	24.75 inch
Nut width	1.68 inch
Hardware	Gold Hardware
Warranty	Limited lifetime warranty

Electric Bass Guitars have the basic normal working principle like any other electric guitars. They are generally the 4 string models, but by and large, nowadays we find 5 string and 6 string electric bass guitar models as well. These Bass guitars have a solid body and comprise of electronic pick ups which is the inevitable part, as it is responsible to catch the various vibrations that are created due to the plucking of strings. These vibrations are transmitted to the amplifier by the pickups, after which the amplifier amplifies or enhances the sound and volume of the vibrations. Generally tuned in one octave lower note, the bass guitars have provision for extra strings which help guitarists to widen their playing range.

Groove Natural Electric Bass Guitar is one of the noted electric bass guitar models, which come in a wide variety of colours and unique features. They require a special bass guitar amplifier, which again have their own unique features which can be easily distinguished from the general amplifiers available in the market.

Design and Ergonomics:

The Groove natural 4 string electric bass guitar has a solid alder body, which means its body is laminated hardwood like mahogany. It has a polished softwood colour, and the neck is made up of maple wood. The fret board, which comprises of 20 frets is made up of rosewood. With a length of 114 centimetres, and a weight of 3.08 kilograms, the groove electric bass guitar is of rather normal size and weight, rather a bit light weight. Towards the base of the guitar, on the main body, there are two single coil bass pickups, which are used for sound enhancement. And other than that, like any other electric bass guitar, this instrument also has an implanted volume and tone controller switch and rotatable knob, and also has a scratch plate. Overall, looks are quite casual and basic, just that the laminated wood finished might be very appealing to certain users.

The Groove Amplifier:

The 10 Watt Groove Bass amplifier is CE Tested, which means, by European laws and standards, the product has been approved for quality assurance tests. The amplifier has a standard 3 pin triple main plugs and has a volume knob for controlling the volume, and 3 tone knobs for appropriate sound modulation and modifications by the user. It also has a headphone socket and the amplifier has front speakers, which are protected by a metal grill.

The Tutorial DVD:

The Tutorial DVD is a very useful accessory that comes along with the Groove Natural electric bass guitar package. It helps and guides beginners with audio visual videos to watch, listen and learn to play the basics. It teaches the users to play along with bar riffs and how to play solid bass lines and tabs and fit into a groove. The DVD also includes introduction to 12 different bar blues, fingering exercises along with some pop and rock songs and also teacher users to pick up the basic slap techniques as well. This region free DVD is really a helpful one for beginners and aspiring guitarists.

Package Accessories:

Other than the Groove Natural Electric Bass Guitar, the package also contains few other accessories:

• A 10 Watt Bass Amplifier, which has a special headphone socket for self practice, without making noise.
• A 3m guitar lead.
• 3 plectrums which are heavy gauged.
• A guitar strap for the electric bass guitar.
• A padded guitar case, with an extra zip pocket for storage and backpack straps for conveniency in carrying the instrument.
• A Tutorial DVD

Verdict:

The Groove natural electric bass guitar is a good package on a whole for beginners to start playing right after the instrument is out of the box. The appearance is also very classy, with the alder body laminated wooden finishing, with a rosewood fingerboard and a maple neck. The two coil pickups, which are connected to the Groove bass amplifier, enhances the sound to quite an extent. The sound is not only loud, but it is also very neat and clear with minimal static related problems. The packaged 10 W amplifier also has a pretty interesting feature which allows the users can plug in their headphone to the amplifier, for a quiet private practice. Moreover, the tutorial DVD provided in the package is an additional boon to the users, as they can very easily learn the basics and techniques for playing the guitar, and it is also a very good guide to groom the users to fit in the groove with the instrument. Concluding it, the Groove Natural electric bass guitar is quite a catchy one, and is worthy enough for learners and budding guitarists.

Check other Bass Electric Guitar models in this website.

Groove Natural Electric Bass Guitar - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Groove
Model Name	Groove Natural Electric Bass Guitar
Body	Alder body
Finish	Laminated hardwood finish
Neck	Bold maple neck
Fretboard	Rosewood fretboard; dot inlays
Pickups	2 Bass pickups
Length	114 cm
Weight	3.08 kg
Finger board	Rosewood fingerboard
On board knobs	A volume controller; Tone controller