Whenever there is a discussion about guitars, the names people usually have at the top of their heads are Fender, Gibson, Yamaha, PRS, Ibanez, Washburn, etc. Yes, these are definitely big names. But so are the prices of their products. And it is not just that. Interestingly, most of these top-of-the-line brands do not do well in the acoustic guitar segment. Martin and Taylor do exceptionally well in the acoustic guitars industry but their products are insanely expensive. Not many people in the world can or would invest that much in a basic guitar that is not even semi-acoustic. Which leaves the cheaper priced, good quality acoustic guitar market empty. This is where some of the lesser-known brands such as Jasmine excel.
Takamine, a well-known musical instrument brand in Japan, bought Jasmine a few years ago along with its production and since then, the quality of Jasmine guitars has improved. While being extremely affordable, Jasmine guitars offer brilliant sound quality and instrument durability. That is primarily the reason why they are usually known as the best choice for starters in acoustic guitars with a low-budget. S34C is one such guitar that fulfills all requirements of falling under the segment Jasmine plays in. Just like every other instrument, there are some ups and downs in S34C, too. You will get to know about them as you proceed to the scrutiny of S34C in this article.
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Jasmine S34C Features:
Design and Construction
Without doubts, S34C is a beautiful looking guitar. All its design elements make it look like a classic acoustic guitar with decent quality. It has a dreadnought body with a single Venetian style cutaway. The top of the guitar is Laminate Spruce that makes the sound bright and vibrant. The back and sides are made of Sapele, which is also a decent choice. It costs less but does not compromise much on the sound quality. The fretboard, which is probably the most important part, is made of Rosewood. Rosewood is a great choice for a fingerboard because it is pretty sensitive and makes the board responsive. The inlays are standard Pearloids, the bridge is Rosewood again, and the keys are chrome plated. Chrome plating gives a greater life to the keys and prevents them from corrosion. The guitar overall has a gloss finish and as said, looks beautiful and premium.
Price
Affordability is the greatest unique selling point of this guitar. Jasmine S34C is one of the cheapest priced guitars out there in the market, and that is mostly because they intended to develop it for beginners. Beginners usually don’t want to invest a lot in an instrument. Once they get a better understanding of music and the instrument, they get better sounding guitars. Initially, it is more about practice. It is pretty hard that you get a better sounding guitar in this price range. When you compare the Jasmine S34C with the likes of the guitars on offer by Martin and Taylor, there is no doubt that the S34C is the obvious choice for beginners and people with a low budget. Even the smaller versions such as Little Martin and Baby Taylor are much more expensive than the Jasmine S34C which makes it a great budget guitar.
Ergonomics
Jasmine has apparently put in quite a lot of interaction design theories and logics while making this guitar. Although it looks like every other guitar, the precisely chosen measurements are minutely different from general guitars and these minor differences make all the difference. These minor differences make this guitar fit in your body perfectly. It will perfectly fit and rest on your thigh while sitting and fix against your chest and stomach. The hands will automatically come in perfect positions. Same is the case when you are standing and using a belt. The hands will come perfectly in place and hence, the guitar will never feel out of place. Even the strap buttons are thoughtfully positioned in places to make the guitar fit right where it should while you are standing.
Limitations
The S34C obviously has some issues; just like every other guitar until it costs you a fortune. Firstly, the keys are kind of loose. Yes, that sounds weird. But this is the case, even with new pieces. The gloss finish mentioned earlier does give a great look to the guitar, but the quality is not very nice. It starts to lose its finish pretty soon, but that is supposed to happen in budgeted guitars. Lastly, the sound quality is not the best. It is bright and vibrant, but to an extent that there is a sharp buzz in high strings usually. For some, this might not be something they can compromise on. This sound might not be a concert-quality sound, but for beginners, this is way more than what they would need.
Jasmine S34C Overview:
Pros & Cons Of Jasmine S34C:
Pros
- It is extremely affordable and offers great value for money.
- Eye-catching design and aesthetics.
- Very comfortable to hold and play.
Cons
- The sound quality is decent but not the best.
- It is known to have durability issues.
Final Words
Jasmine’s S34C, in a nutshell, is a great choice as a beginner’s guitar. It has an attractive appearance, it looks and feels classic and premium, it has a full scale, and it is an extremely affordable guitar. The sound is bright but might be too sharp for professionals because they expect a specific tone for their music. For beginners, it does not matter as such. It is loud enough nevertheless, and the fingerboard is pretty responsive, too. But obviously, you cannot expect a cheaper, budgeted guitar to have the same sound quality as premium guitars. That would be stupid. The guitar does not have a long life, but it is not made to have a long life. Longer life is achieved by using materials of higher quality, and that would have certainly increased the price of S34C. Considering the price Jasmine demands for this model, it proves to be one of the best choices around the globe.