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Review by
a visitor on 2.1.2005
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I bought this guitar on sale at a guitar clearance center (in suburban Melbourne, Australia) in mid-2003 for about AU$270
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Features |
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The AEP259VS comes with a cutaway that, unlike many, actually DOES give decent access to the lower frets (there are 20 of them). It has a built in pickup, which sounds passably like an electric when overdriven and its tone controls are brilliant - neglible noise caused when adjusting them - though the jack was loose on mine guitar and fell inside the body (with a rough knock) and had to be tightened. Since then Inullve had no problems with the electronic parts (or any, for that matter).
The tuning pegs are easily accessed and adjusted, part of an overall classy, simple, timeless, effective design (arguably the most beautiful instrument under the AU$1500 mark [which it should probably be near])
Never once with this instrument have I thought "Ooh I wish it had a....", except when I got a strap and had to affix ONE button to it, which was no big drama. |
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Playability |
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Being a steel-string acoustic, this isnnullt exactly a walk in the park as far as playingnulls concerned (definitely not a beginnernulls toy), but once you get the hang of playing a riff, or the dreaded lightening-fast-complex-suspended-bar-chord-on-a-steel-string, the extra effort is well worth it and it makes playing most other guitars seem cinchy and mediocre-sounding.
The only other problem is some of the really low frets (about 18 onwards) can be tricky to manouver around with bends and slides (a major part of my blues/rock style), but if younullre not that into dancing around the absolute furthest reaches of the fretboards with a serious vibrato, then this shouldnnullt be too much of an issue.
I should say though, that it was by far the most rewarding guitar in the shop as far as effort:reward is concerned.
Itnulls a beautiful, hard-workinnull, reliable guitar, but do have to be willing to put in the practice. If you arennullt passionate about the instrument and only strum occasionally, the AEP259VS probably isnnullt for you. However, being on this site, guitars are probably important to you, so younullre a likely AEP259VS contender. |
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Quality |
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A little fret buzz, mostly from my haphazard fretting technique. Aside from that, my AEP259VS is the best-sounding guitar Inullve ever heard. In every style Inullve tried, it totally rocks. It captures the power and emotion of a Santana solo perfectly, it rolls along swimmingly with folky strumming, it can rock with the best of them in down and dirty rock nullnnull roll... it has amazing range, power and subtlety - particualarly good with blues and rock.
My oath, once younullre used to the sound of the AEP259VS, younullll probably be disappointed any time you play a friendnulls guitar instead, unless theynullre some millionaire full-on pro with the best customised stuff.
The verdict - not only does it blow the mind, THE SOUND ROCKS MY SOX!!!!!!!! |
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Durability |
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Remarkably sturdy, the major problem with the AEP259VS I have is keeping fingerprints off the shiny body - easily removed with a clean cloth and less of a problem as my playing style adapted so my hands were in contact with the body less (also making it easier to play).
Inullve dropped or knocked my instrument sooooooooo many times, yet it remains unscathed, but for an infintisimally small chip that no-one notices anyway.
I havennullt got into gigging yet, but even in a cheap bag the only problem with transportation is sometimes having to do a quick, slight tune-up after a long bumpy journey (those conviently placed pegs stick out a fair bit, so a sufficiently hard knock will turn them slightly)
If younullre less clumsy than me (very likely) then you shouldnnullt have a problem at all, as the AEP259VS rarely needs much adjusting. |
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Overall |
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Frankly, I doubt Inullll be looking at another acoustic for decades.
I first bought my AEP259VS for the sheer value - just under AU$300 for something Inulld have expected to pay over AU$1000 to get. Now though, Inullve never once seen any other guitar I considered better quality - sound, looks, everything.
This instrument has blown me away, far, far exceeded my expectations and makes even the dodgiest bung note sing like an angel. A bluesy, hard-rockinnull, rough-n-tumble angel, but one nevertheless.
The day I spotted it was the luckiest of my musical life. |
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