Ortega RCE125MMSN

Very good narrow neck electro-classical guitar

I wanted to return to classical/Spanish guitar, but without having to negotiate too wide a neck or purchase a very pricey instrument. With a nut width of 48mm, the Ortega RCE125MMSN is ideal for a player used to narrower electric and acoustic guitar widths. The unamplified guitar volume is a little low, but not too much, and the bass and treble strings are well balanced and produce an attractive sound.

As to amplification, I was unsure if my trusty Roland Microcube would work with the guitar, but it did using the microphone setting with a touch of reverb (distortion settings understandably are not so pleasant). I also invested in the two-piece Harley Benton AirBorne 2.4Ghz wireless connector (rechargeable) to replace the usual cable, and it works perfectly.

The guitar brand name is Spanish, the design German and the manufacture, as so often these days, is Chinese. The cutaway and the Magus Pro pickup with tuner are nice touches, the 9-volt battery compartment beside the output socket is well designed, while the mahogany finish gives a very attractive appearance overall. A soft but quite secure gig bag is also supplied with the product. To conclude, the guitar's playability and sound quality are excellent for my purposes, as I perform in a broad range of styles.