Who are Tanglewood

Veganic

MMagicPigDetective said:

My Tanglewood's forward neck angle is beyond saving I fear. 

My old Tanglewood's action seems to have grown over the years.  I sanded down the saddle and things soon went back to how they were. 

Probably time to set fire to it.
I do need to find an electric with the same neck profile - I love it.

Fuengi

@ICBM no, the analogy doesn't work if you choose a cheap guitar over an expensive one!

They were comparing similar costing acoustics from different manufacturers and came to the conclusion that say, a Seagull or Faith at £500 - £700 is a better value guitar than you would get from Martin or Taylor at that price point - if you can ignore the name on the headstock. 

You are more likely to get better woods, appointments, electronics and they are all most likely to be made in China. 

I'll see if I can find the article.

ICBM

Fuengi said:

@ICBM no, the analogy doesn't work if you choose a cheap guitar over an expensive one!

They were comparing similar costing acoustics from different manufacturers and came to the conclusion that say, a Seagull or Faith at £500 - £700 is a better value guitar than you would get from Martin or Taylor at that price point - if you can ignore the name on the headstock.

That's exactly where I disagree. I've never played any Seagull or Faith I like as much as a cheap Martin. Not quite so sure about Taylor, but I think I'd still say so. I like the Seagulls better than the Faiths I've played, but £700 buys you a really good-sounding, if very plain and not made from solid wood, Martin.

Fuengi said:

You are more likely to get better woods, appointments, electronics and they are all most likely to be made in China. 

Possibly, but that doesn't necessarily translate into better tone.

BigLicks67

I agree with @ICBM, better woods/materials does not automatically produce a better guitar. The skill of the builder is what counts, as Antonio de Torres proved with his 1862 papier mache back and sides guitar.
Although, I really dislike the stratabond necks on the cheaper Martin's.

Ancient_Mariner

I picked up a cheap (£70 + shipping on the 'bay) Tanglewood TFA with cedar top just before Christmas to use for a slide gig I play, but I did give it a go conventionally beforehand. The action is high enough to make playing hard work (but well suited to slide) the neck a little too narrow for comfort and the (bone) nut cut much too deep and causing tuning issues. I sorted the nut replaced the mangled bridge pins, popped new strings on and it didn't sound bad, though a little lacking in both top & bottom end. Its not bad, but nowhere near the sound quality and playability of a Faith naked series.

As a slide guitar it's just pretty much perfect, with all the string energy going into the mids where they can carry through the other acoustic instruments instead of dissipating. The small body is also convenient, letting me sit down to play in a crowded pub instead of needing to stand in order to find room for the dread.

nick79

DartmoorHedgehog said:

Exorcist said:

I have a little mahogany parlour, solid back and top. Its sounds fantastic.

I've got a TW133ASM parlour (same as yours?)

I've got one of those, great guitar. Paid about £130 quid for it (brand new, was just an ex demo i think). I think they are about £350 now.

DartmoorHedgehog

nick79 said:

DartmoorHedgehog said:

Exorcist said:

I have a little mahogany parlour, solid back and top. Its sounds fantastic.

I've got a TW133ASM parlour (same as yours?)

I've got one of those, great guitar. Paid about £130 quid for it (brand new, was just an ex demo i think). I think they are about £350 now.

Are they that much now?  That puts them up against a lot more competition, but at the price I paid it was a no-brainer.  Mine was ex-demo/clearance/returned or something as well, for £150 or so, but was immaculate.

Bidley

My Tanglewood super folk (bought from @streethawk I think, a long while ago) is awesome for what it is. I'd happily buy Tanglewood again.

MagicPigDetective

Veganic said:

MMagicPigDetective said:

My Tanglewood's forward neck angle is beyond saving I fear. 

My old Tanglewood's action seems to have grown over the years.  I sanded down the saddle and things soon went back to how they were. 

Probably time to set fire to it.
I do need to find an electric with the same neck profile - I love it.

Took my Tanglewood to a luthier last week......the top has warped, bulging behind the bridge and throwing the neck forwards. Fixing would cost far more than it's worth. I suppose I keep it for slide guitar...... but time for a new and better acoustic.....Faith seems to be the one to go for under a grand these days

MagicPigDetective

Further to my above post, it looks to me that the cause of the high action on my ten year old Tanglewood may be that the neck angle has tilted forwards. The sound board is sagging between the neck and the bridge. Using a ruler, the fretboard lines up with the base of the bridge. The saddle is already low, so I’m concerned that it may need a neck reset, which sounds like it would cost more than the guitar's value. I might attempt to post a photo tonight.

This article raises concerns about the neck joint used on some Tanglewoods

http://guitarless.com/2011/06/mass-manufacture-acoustic-neck-joints/

BigPaulie

MagicPigDetective said:

Further to my above post, it looks to me that the cause of the high action on my ten year old Tanglewood may be that the neck angle has tilted forwards. The sound board is sagging between the neck and the bridge. Using a ruler, the fretboard lines up with the base of the bridge. The saddle is already low, so I’m concerned that it may need a neck reset, which sounds like it would cost more than the guitar's value. I might attempt to post a photo tonight.

This article raises concerns about the neck joint used on some Tanglewoods

http://guitarless.com/2011/06/mass-manufacture-acoustic-neck-joints/

Lazarus thread bump! 

Does anyone have more knowledge on the Tanglewood neck joint? 

The steel rods and dowels approach as shown above doesn't inspire confidence. 

There's a nice TW70VS near me for a great price. I'm thinking of picking it up just out of curiosity as a couch guitar. All my other acoustics are dreads.

I'd hate to think a guitar that retailed close to the £1k Mark had a neck held on with Ikea fittings. 

hollywoodrox

I used to be under the impression they were manufactured by Cort , Inremember a series of them with some really fancy appointments

BillDL

The article by Gerry Hayes for which the link was posted in 2017 was written in 2011 and clearly the photos showing the guitar's neck joint would be from a guitar manufactured before 2011.  What you would have to do is ascertain what the neck joints have been like since then and up to the present day over that 13 year period, find out whether the securing method was restricted to guitars in a particular price range, and then relate that to the age of the guitar you have seen.  I would guess that given the cost of neck resets there is a probability that not too many repair technicians and luthiers will have worked on many of those guitars enough to know what the neck joints are like in specific models.  Hopefully somebody will.

Somehow I doubt that the Tanglewood guitars in the "Sundance Pro" series that have retailed for around £1,000 would have a neck joint like that.  I would guess that method would have been reserved for the budget models to help with the speed and consistency of the neck alignment in a fast-paced factory, but you never know.

thomasw88

Have had a couple of tanglewoods.  Still have one, an oldish TW15 which is all solid, and sounds/play great.  I actually preferred that to a Taylor 414 I had sound wise.   

I also had a knackered old solid top  one I bought on the bay years ago, that I really liked.   I think they're great value for the money. and they're usually well made, and sound good.   

snowblind

I have an old Tanglewood TW145ASC sat in the cupboard. Doesn't tend to get a lot of use but it is reasonable enough. Bought as an ex-demo from the now defunct Sound Control as I recall for about £130. I should use it more as it puts out a good noise and plays well.

bluecat

I have a Tanglewood TW45 DLX. A small bodied cutaway folk style body for over 20 years now,  It is the best ever acoustic guitar I have ever played. I used to have a Tanglewood 12 string, nothing wrong with the guitar it was me , I just could not get on with 12 strings, not my style of playing. Would suite a busker, very loud and booming sound. The only complaint I would have about my current Tanglewood is,  it is electro, and it sounds rubbish even through an acoustic amp. Sounds a lot nicer played through a mic into the acoustic amp.
They have probably sorted the electrics out now, after all a lot has changed in 20+ years.
I payed £500. All that time ago. Maybe the Sundance series took over from the DLX, I am not sure, but I would certainly buy another. Highly recommend.