TE-20MN BM Standard Series : Incredible Value

As a disclaimer, before buying this guitar I have only had experience with the bass guitar, so I can't give some super in-depth insight as to every small detail, but I can provide some general impressions I have (comparing to the different bass models I have had before).

Firstly, it's weightier than I expected. I'm not necessarily against that, but it surprised me. Compared to the bass it's not too bad however.

It came packaged really neatly with a few accessories. I was blown away with the quality of the finish, the blue colour is just as it is on the picture and in my opinion is one of the best features with this particular model.

The included strings are as to be expected, they're stock strings after all. I plan to replace them fairly soon, but they certainly do well for the beginning stage of learning this instrument. The neckboard has a nice smooth finish to it, the only downside being that the frets are rather scratchy. (not the fret-ends) I'm sure a good polish along the fretboard would iron out this particular issue, since it seems rather common with this model. It doesn't detract from the overall value whatsoever, since more expensive guitars can also have this of course.

The sound quality is better than expected! I initially used the cable that came with the guitar, but quickly came upon the realisation that it is basically useless. After switching the cable I was really impressed by the overall output, buzzing is rather minimal in my opinion. It's possible that the cable included was simply faulty with mine, but I wouldn't recommend using it either way.

The guitar tends to lose its tuning quite quickly, but it can last for a little while before needing a tune-up again. Replacing the tuning pegs might alleviate this, as it seems to be a common upgrade path for this model. Personally I will be keeping it stock, but it may be a good option for those who want more stable tuning in the long-run.

The protective film was a huge pain to remove, but with some care it comes off okay. I've seen worse with other instruments. Pots are quite nice for such a cheap instrument, they feel like they will survive quite well, alongside the output jack of course.

TLDR: Here are some pro's and con's:

Pro's

- Phenomenal finish to the guitar, lovely colour!

- Fret-ends are nice and smooth

- Sound is better than expected, nothing too fancy

- Feels higher quality than the purchase price

Con's

- Screws were put in a bit wonky in a few spots

- Scratchy frets, but all they need is a polish!

- Protective film was annoying to remove (like on many guitars, although also somewhat satisfying)

- Goes out of tune quite quickly

- Included cable is rubbish! (but it's nice that one was included anyway)

Overall, it's a fantastic purchase if you're going for a cheap guitar. You can't do better for the price in my opinion. This 100% beats the first bass I ever had, which was over twice the price of this guitar.

(perhaps an unfair comparison, but that's all I can compare it to)