UGP Review #1 Just How Good is a $120 Guitar? Nashville Guitar Works NGW130SHB

It Sounds Good

I like this guitar, though, it isn’t without its flaws. I’ll get into that in one moment. I say upfront that the best feature of this guitar is its sound. A guitar should sound good, and this one sounds good. The guitar feels good, too, frets excluded.

Overall Impression

Overall, the guitar is a little below par for this price category. This is simply because the fret edges were very sharp and required a lot of attention. One could look to the Monoprice Indio and slightly more expensive Donner Guitars for the same money but with better frets.

The fit of the neck, attachment of the tremolo system, wiring, soldering, and finish are all done well. The nut is glued in. This is not good considering it’s plastic and not easily changed to a bone nut- an easy DIY upgrade most owners would want. Combine that with the hard-yet-brittle composite fretboard material, and the job of replacing the nut puts a DIYer in jeopardy of breaking the composite wood surrounding the nut. That fix will cost a pretty penny at your local repair shop. Be warned. If you get the model with the one-piece maple neck, you will not encounter the fretboard problem, although the nut will still be glued in.

A Look Under the Hood

A look inside shows a lot of buffing compound, ceramic single coils, small potentiometers, and inexpensive wiring. The only factory shielding to be found is under the controls, which is normal for this price category.

Who is this Guitar For?

This guitar is inexpensive for a new guitarist if the purchaser is on a budget. Make sure to get a setup, or do it yourself if you are inclined. These can usually be found in a pack with a Nashville Guitar Works branded amp for around $150 to $175. Although, If you include the cost of a setup and the starter pack, that will put you well within the territory of a Squier Bullet Strat Pack, which could be a better choice. No matter what, any guitar will benefit from a setup.