Description
Review of the Master Play 30 Inch Wood Classical Guitar with Case and Accessories, Pink
The Master Play 30 inch is a small bodied six string guitar sold in pink with a case and a full set of starter accessories. It is aimed squarely at children who are beginning from nothing, and the package is put together so that a parent buys once rather than assembling a tuner, strap and picks separately.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- A genuinely complete bundle: case, strap, spare strings, picks, tuner and a capo. A capo in particular is unusual in a starter package and becomes useful the moment a child wants to play along with a recording.
- Soft string set. The listing describes the strings as half steel and half nylon, chosen so small fingers are not hurt. Sore fingertips are the main reason young beginners quit in the first month.
- Three pounds and 30 inches, light and short enough for a child to hold for a full practice session without the instrument sliding off the knee.
Cons
- The spec table is unreliable. It records the string material as basswood and the pickup configuration as basswood. Strings are not made of wood and this guitar has no pickup at all. Whoever filled the table appears to have pasted the body timber into every field that had no answer.
- The scale length is given as 30 inches, which is the total length of the instrument. A 30 inch guitar has a vibrating string length closer to 21 or 22 inches. The published figure cannot be used to judge fret spacing.
- The wood naming disagrees with itself. The table lists basswood for the body, back, neck and fretboard but linden for the top, while the description says linden throughout. Basswood and linden are the same timber sold under two names, so this reads as careless labelling rather than a mixed build, but it does mean the fretboard is listed as a soft wood that is not normally used for fretboards.
- No statement about whether the top is solid or laminated, which is the detail that most affects how an acoustic guitar sounds.
- The listing calls this a classical guitar but never publishes a nut width. Classical guitars have distinctly wide necks and that number is what separates a real classical from a small steel string body wearing nylon strings.
Detailed Product Description
The construction is linden, also sold as basswood or lime. It is a soft, light, inexpensive hardwood used across budget instrument manufacturing because it machines easily and stays stable. In practice that means a guitar a child can lift comfortably, a finish that marks if it is knocked against furniture, and a voice that is even but neither loud nor rich. The listing claims the wood will not be affected by being dropped, which overstates the case: linden is soft and dents more readily than harder timbers.
The string set is the most useful detail in the listing. Half steel and half nylon is an accurate if unusual way of describing a standard nylon set, where the three treble strings are plain nylon and the three bass strings have a fine metal wire wound over a nylon core. The tension is roughly half that of a steel string set, so chords need far less finger pressure. It also means this instrument should be treated as a nylon string guitar for the rest of its life. Fitting a full steel set can bow the neck or pull the bridge away from the top.
Six individual tuners sit on the headstock, and the bridge is fixed with the strings tied at the bridge in the usual nylon string arrangement. The stated dimensions of 31.5 by 13.6 by 3.6 inches describe the packed instrument. A body depth in that region is shallower than a full size dreadnought, which trims the bass response but makes the guitar far easier for a small player to reach over.
What Comes with the Product
- The 30 inch guitar in pink
- A carry case with back straps
- A shoulder strap
- An extra set of strings
- Picks
- A tuner
- A capo
Not included: a guitar stand, a footstool, a lesson book or any online lesson access. The listing does not state whether the tuner needs a battery or whether one ships with it.
Who It Suits
This fits a child of roughly five to nine who has not played before, and a household that wants the accessories decided for them. The soft strings, the short body and the included capo and tuner cover the practical obstacles that stop beginners early. Choosing between sizes is set out in the guide to what size guitar to buy for a child.
It fits poorly for an adult, who will find a 30 inch instrument cramped and should be looking at a full size guitar. It also fits poorly for a child taking formal classical lessons, since the nut width is unpublished, and for anyone wanting the bright ring of a steel string acoustic, because this guitar is not built for steel tension. That difference is explained in the guide to nylon versus steel string guitars. Comparable small instruments include the Master Play 30 inch classical acoustic, the Hohner HAG250P 30 inch nylon string and the ADM 30 inch nylon string kit. The wider selection sits in kids and junior guitars and in classical and nylon string guitars.
How to Maintain
Wipe the strings down after playing. Nylon does not rust but it collects skin oil, goes dull and stops holding pitch, and the wound bass strings wear out well before the trebles.
Put it back in the case between sessions. Linden is soft and a case protects both the finish and the tuners from the knocks a child’s guitar collects.
Tips and Recommendations
Use the included tuner before every session. A new nylon set stretches a great deal and will need retuning several times within one sitting for the first week or two. That is normal behaviour, not a defect.
If the strings sit high above the fifth fret and are hard to press, a basic setup at a local shop costs a fraction of a replacement guitar and makes a large difference to playability.
Product FAQ
What age is this for?
The 30 inch size normally suits children of about five to nine. The listing does not give a manufacturer age range.
What strings does it use?
The description says half steel and half nylon, which matches a standard nylon set with metal wound bass strings. The spec table’s claim that the strings are basswood is a data error.
Is a case included?
Yes, a case with straps for carrying on the back, along with a strap, tuner, capo, picks and a spare set of strings.
