SC-400 SGT Classic Series : Extremely usable workhorse/backup

I bought this guitar to use for a side project which is playing in drop D tuning and I've been very impressed with the instrument so far.

First the cons up front:

Some finishing issues - One of the tuning pegs washer sort of bits on the top of the headstock isn't seated correctly so it popped out when I restrung it. It doesn't affect playability or tuning, just looks a bit jank if you look close.

Some minor chips to the paintwork on the headstock too...seems most of the issues with my unit are localized to the headstock. Some minor discolouration to one of the tuning pegs.

The nut is definitely not the best but it does the job. Some minor tuning issue on the G string but that's been an issue on nearly every guitar I've ever owned, even high end ones (I'd strongly recommend trying a string pack with a wound G. It'll feel different at first but you soon get used to it and it has an extremely positive impact on tuning stability.)

Now onto the positives - The guitar arrived ready to play right out of the box. The intonation was good and it was very nearly in tune straight out of the box. The body has a nice weight to it and is legitimately stunning especially with that carved top.

The action is nice and low and there was zero fret buzz. The frets are not remotely sharp and are well polished for an instrument of this cost.

Acoustically this guitar is SO loud which is a very good thing. This translates into how it performs when plugged in which is to say it has a powerful and resonant tone and sustains like crazy. Honestly this was one of the things I was really taken aback by. Hit a big chord and just let it ring out and you'll see what I mean.

The pickups are surprisingly articulate to say they're cheap stock ones. They're loud and powerful but you can also pick out each string in a chord.

To sum up. If you're after an LP style guitar and can tolerate some potential cosmetic issues from the obvious corners they've had to cut to get the price this low then you can do a lot lot worse. Besides, these issues are far outweighed by the playability and sound you get from the instrument.

Recommended for players of all levels as a cheap workhorse or a backup/mod platform.