Description
Review of the Ashthorpe Full-Size Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar Bundle, Black
The Ashthorpe 21670568 is a full size 41 inch dreadnought acoustic electric with a cutaway, finished in gloss black and sold as a bundle with a gig bag and accessories. It is pitched at players who want an acoustic that can be plugged into a PA or an amplifier, with a four band equaliser built into the upper bout.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- An X braced spruce top. Spruce is the conventional soundboard timber for a reason: it is stiff for its weight and gives a bright, projecting voice. X bracing is the standard pattern for a steel string dreadnought.
- A four band onboard equaliser covering bass, mid, treble and presence, so the plugged in sound can be shaped at the guitar rather than only at the amplifier.
- Two sets of strings supplied, one fitted and one spare, which is more generous than the single spare set most bundles include.
- Dreadnought cutaway shape at 4.5 inches deep, which keeps the low end of a full dreadnought while making the upper frets reachable.
Cons
- The string material contradicts itself. The spec table says alloy steel while the description says upgraded phosphor bronze. Both have steel cores but the winding metal differs, and phosphor bronze sounds warmer and lasts longer than plain bronze or brass.
- The fretboard is listed as basswood. Basswood is a soft body timber and is not used for fingerboards, where the frets need a hard seat. The description does not name a fretboard material at all, so this cannot be resolved.
- The neck material is given only as “Wood”, which tells a buyer nothing about stability or weight.
- The preamp needs one 9 volt battery, which is not listed in the bundle contents. Without it none of the electronics work.
- The product dimensions read 4.5 by 4.5 by 41 inches, repeating the body depth twice instead of giving a width. A 41 inch dreadnought is around 16 inches across the lower bout, so that figure is missing.
- No scale length is published, which makes it impossible to confirm string compatibility from the data alone.
Detailed Product Description
The top is A grade spruce with X bracing, and the back and sides are basswood. Spruce over a softer back and side timber is a common combination at this level: the top does most of the work acoustically while the back and sides mainly define the shape. The listing does not say whether the spruce top is solid or laminated, and that distinction matters more than any other on the sheet, because a solid top flexes more freely and gradually opens up with playing while a laminate stays as it is. The guide to solid top versus laminate acoustic guitars covers what to listen for.
The body is a dreadnought at 4.5 inches deep, which is the deepest of the common acoustic shapes and gives the strongest bass response. The cutaway removes part of the upper bout at the neck joint so the frets above the twelfth can be reached. That combination, a deep body with a cutaway, is a sensible compromise for a player who strums chords most of the time but wants melody access when needed. Body shape choices are explained in the guide to guitar body shapes.
The electronics are a combination system feeding a four band equaliser. Bass, mid, treble and presence controls give more shaping than the two or three band systems usually found here, and presence in particular is useful for taming the hard top end that piezo pickups produce. Chrome tuning pegs and a high gloss finish complete the specification. Gloss looks striking in black but shows fingerprints and swirl marks far more readily than satin.
What Comes with the Product
- The 41 inch dreadnought cutaway acoustic electric guitar in black
- A soft nylon gig bag
- Thin, medium and heavy celluloid picks
- A guitar cable
- A shoulder strap
- An extra set of strings
- An owner’s manual
Not included: the 9 volt battery needed to run the preamp, a tuner, a capo, a stand or a hard case. The battery is the omission that stops the electronics working, so it should be added to the order.
Who It Suits
This suits a player who already knows they will need to plug in, for a service, a school performance or an open microphone night, and wants a full sized dreadnought voice when unplugged. The four band equaliser and the deep body make it a more capable instrument than a plain beginner acoustic, and the spare string set and pick selection cover the first few months of ownership.
It suits less well a child or a small framed player, since a 41 inch dreadnought at 4.5 inches deep is a large instrument to reach around. It also suits less well someone who will only ever play at home, where the electronics add battery dependency for no gain. Whether the amplification is worth it is discussed in the guide to amplifying an acoustic electric guitar. Close alternatives include the Ashthorpe 21670566 dreadnought acoustic electric, the Ashthorpe thinline cutaway acoustic electric and the Ashthorpe left handed dreadnought acoustic electric. The wider range sits in acoustic electric guitars.
How to Maintain
Take the battery out if the guitar will be unused for a long stretch. A 9 volt cell left in a preamp can leak and corrode the contacts.
Unplug the cable at the guitar end when finished. On most acoustic electrics the jack socket doubles as the power switch and a plugged in lead drains the battery even with the amplifier off.
Wipe the strings and the gloss finish after playing. Gloss black shows every fingerprint, and a dry microfibre cloth is enough.
Tips and Recommendations
Set every equaliser control to its centre position first and adjust one at a time. Piezo systems respond sharply and it is easy to make the sound worse by boosting everything.
Keep a spare 9 volt battery in the gig bag pocket. The low battery indicator tends to appear at the worst moment.
Change the factory strings early. The set that ships on a budget instrument is often months old, and a fresh set changes the impression of the guitar completely.
Product FAQ
What strings does it use?
The description says phosphor bronze and the spec table says alloy steel. Both describe steel core acoustic strings, but the winding metal differs and the listing does not settle which is fitted.
Is the spruce top solid?
Not stated. The listing describes X braced A grade spruce but never claims solid construction.
Does the battery come with it?
No. One 9 volt battery is required for the preamp and it does not appear in the bundle contents.
