Description
Review of the Jameson Guitars Full Size Thinline Acoustic Electric Guitar
This is a full-size 41 inch thinline cutaway acoustic-electric in black, with a spruce top over a basswood body and an onboard four-band preamp. It is sold as a complete package with a gig bag, strap, spare strings, picks and a cable, and it targets a player who wants one guitar that works unplugged at home and plugged in through an amplifier or a PA.
Pros & Cons
- The thinline cutaway body is much easier to hold. A shallower depth than a standard dreadnought means the picking arm sits more naturally, which suits smaller players and anyone who plays seated for long stretches.
- The cutaway gives real access to the upper frets. On a full-depth acoustic the body blocks the hand above the twelfth fret; the scooped shoulder here removes that obstacle for lead lines and higher chord voicings.
- A four-band preamp is more control than most guitars at this level. Separate bass, mid, treble and presence controls let a player tame the boominess or the harshness that a plugged-in acoustic often has in a room.
- Spruce top over basswood is a sensible pairing. Spruce is stiff and responsive, which gives clarity and attack, while basswood back and sides keep the weight down and add warmth.
- The 25.5 inch scale length is published. That is standard full-size spacing, so chord shapes and string tension will feel the same as on most other steel-string acoustics.
- The 9 volt battery is required but not supplied. The preamp will not work without it and the listing does not include one, so the guitar cannot be plugged in on the day it arrives unless a battery is already to hand.
- The pickup system is barely described. The specification records “piezoelectric” and the description says a four-band pickup and EQ, but no preamp brand, no model, no built-in tuner and no output level are stated anywhere.
- The bridge is listed as “adjustable”. Acoustic guitars normally use a fixed bridge with a slotted saddle. Whether this means a genuinely height-adjustable saddle or is simply a mislabelled field is not resolved by the published data.
- The 9.9 pound weight is a packaged figure. A thinline acoustic of this size does not weigh that on a strap; the number covers the carton and the bundled accessories.
- Thinline bodies are quieter unplugged. Less internal air volume means less bass and less projection than a full-depth dreadnought, which is the trade for the comfort.
Detailed Product Description
The top is spruce, the standard soundboard timber, chosen because it is light and stiff for its weight and therefore moves easily when the strings drive it. The back and sides are basswood, a soft, light and tonally neutral hardwood. The combination is common at this price and tends to give a clear, slightly dry sound rather than a rich one.
The neck is maple with a rosewood fingerboard. Maple resists the pull of steel strings and rosewood gives a smoother, warmer playing surface. The scale is 25.5 inches, which is the longer of the two common acoustic scales; longer scale means slightly higher string tension at pitch, a firmer feel under the fingers and a little more volume.
Electronically this is a piezo system. Piezo pickups sit under the saddle and read string pressure rather than string magnetism, which is why an acoustic-electric sounds different plugged in than it does in the room. The four-band EQ then shapes that signal. Presence, the fourth band, controls the top end above treble and is the control that removes the glassy edge piezo systems are known for.
Amplification is not automatic just because a guitar has a jack, and the choice of what to plug into makes an enormous difference to the result. The guide on amplifying an acoustic-electric sets out the options and what each one costs in tone.
What Comes with the Product
The listing states the package includes the guitar, a fitted gig bag, a shoulder strap, an extra set of strings, three celluloid picks and a cable.
Not included: the 9 volt battery the preamp needs, an amplifier, a tuner, a capo or a stand. The battery is the one to buy at the same time. The gig bag is described as fitted but no padding thickness is stated, so treat it as transport cover rather than protection against knocks.
Who It Suits
This suits a player who sings and needs to be heard over other instruments, a beginner who already knows they will want to plug in, or anyone who finds a full-depth dreadnought physically awkward to hold.
It suits less well a player who wants maximum unplugged volume and low-end warmth, where a full-depth solid-top dreadnought is the better tool, or someone who will never plug in and would rather not pay for electronics they do not use. Alternatives sit in acoustic-electric guitars, and the way body outlines change the sound is covered in the body shapes guide.
How to Maintain
Keep it in a stable room away from radiators and out of direct sun. A spruce-topped guitar is more sensitive to humidity swings than an all-laminate one, and a dry room in winter is what causes shrinkage cracks and sharp fret ends.
Wipe the strings after playing. Remove the battery if the guitar is going unplayed for months, because most acoustic preamps drain the battery whenever a cable is left in the jack, and a leaking cell can damage the compartment. Clean the fingerboard and oil it lightly once or twice a year. Store the guitar in its bag rather than leaning it on a wall.
Tips and Recommendations
Unplug the cable whenever the guitar is not in use. On almost every acoustic preamp the jack is the on and off switch, and leaving a lead plugged in overnight is the usual reason a battery dies quickly.
Start with all four EQ bands flat and cut rather than boost. Piezo systems tend to be harsh in the upper mids, and pulling that band down usually sounds better than adding bass. Fitting a fresh set of phosphor bronze strings after the first month makes a bigger difference than any EQ adjustment. If feedback becomes a problem at volume, a soundhole cover is the standard fix.
Product FAQ
Does it need a battery? Yes, one 9 volt alkaline battery is required for the preamp, and it is not included in the package.
Can it be played without an amplifier? Yes. It works as a normal acoustic guitar unplugged, though the thinline body is quieter than a full-depth one.
What kind of pickup is fitted? The listing records it as piezoelectric with a four-band EQ. No brand, model or built-in tuner is stated.
What comparable thinline acoustic-electrics are there? Similar options include the Ashthorpe thinline cutaway package, the Ashthorpe full-size dreadnought acoustic-electric and the Kadence A06 EQ electro-acoustic.
