Description
Review of the Smartxchoices 39 Inch Electric Guitar Beginner Kit
The Smartxchoices 39 inch beginner kit pairs a full size double cutaway electric guitar with a 10 watt amplifier, a nylon carrying case and a set of accessories. The guitar uses single coil pickups, a maple neck, a rosewood fretboard and a tremolo bridge, finished in blue. It is put together for someone starting from zero who wants the guitar and the amp in one purchase.
Pros & Cons
- The amplifier is included and mains powered. A 10 watt amp is enough for bedroom practice, and having it in the box means the guitar is audible on the day it arrives rather than after a second order.
- A full 39 inch size suits teenagers and adults. Unlike the 30 and 36 inch kits sold for children, this is a standard scale instrument, so chord shapes learned on it transfer directly to any other full size guitar.
- Rosewood board on a maple neck is the standard pairing. Maple holds a straight neck under string tension and the unfinished rosewood board stays comfortable under a warm hand.
- The accessory list is unusually complete. Beyond the amp and bag it includes a strap, cable, spare string set, two picks, two hex keys and a tremolo arm. The hex keys matter, because they are what a truss rod and bridge adjustment need.
- The published package dimensions are not credible. The spec table lists 101 by 35.5 by 14.5 inches. That is over eight feet long for a 39 inch guitar and its amp. The figure is an imported data error, so the real shipping size is unknown.
- The body wood is never actually named. The description says solid hardwood body, the spec table says body material wood, back material hardwood and top material alder. Hardwood and wood are not species. Only the alder entry names anything specific, and it contradicts the vaguer entries rather than clarifying them.
- Listed weight of 15.5 pounds does not describe the guitar. A full size solid body normally runs seven to nine pounds. This figure appears to cover the whole packed kit including the amp, but the listing presents it as item weight.
- No scale length, fret count or nut width is given. Those are the numbers that decide reach and string spacing, and none of them appear in the data at all.
- Single coils only, with a tremolo. The pickup configuration is listed simply as S. That keeps the sound bright and thin, but it means no thick humbucker position for heavier styles, and single coils are more prone to hum near screens and dimmers.
Detailed Product Description
The body follows the offset double cutaway outline, in blue with a gloss finish, with the listing describing it as ultra thin for easier control sitting or standing. A thinner body is genuinely easier for a smaller player to reach around, at the cost of some acoustic resonance that matters far less on an electric than on an acoustic guitar. The wood is described only as solid hardwood, with alder appearing separately in the spec table as the top material.
The neck is maple with a rosewood fretboard. Strings are alloy steel and the bridge is a tremolo, with a tremolo rod supplied so the arm can be fitted. A tremolo lets a player add vibrato or dip pitch, but it also means string changes need doing one at a time and tuning needs rechecking as the springs rebalance.
The amplifier is a 10 watt unit with a carry handle. Ten watts is a home practice rating: comfortable in a bedroom, workable in a small room, and not enough to be heard next to an acoustic drum kit. The listing does not state the speaker size, the controls on the amp or whether it has a headphone socket, which is a meaningful gap for anyone who needs to practise quietly. The amp wattage guide covers what that rating actually buys.
What Comes with the Product
The package contains the 39 inch guitar, a gig bag, the 10 watt amp, a strap, a cable, a spare set of strings, two picks, two hex keys and a tremolo rod. Not included are a tuner, a stand, headphones, a hard case or any lesson material. The absence of a tuner is the notable one: a guitar that cannot be tuned is unplayable, so a clip-on tuner or a phone app is needed straight away. The bag is nylon and soft, so it protects against dust rather than impact.
Who It Suits
This suits a teenager or adult beginner who wants a single-box start, is happy with bright single coil sounds, and wants a full scale instrument rather than a junior size. It also works as an inexpensive second guitar to leave set up in a different tuning. Look elsewhere if heavier music is the goal, since single coils will not deliver the thickness a humbucker gives, or if the buyer wants named body woods and published measurements before committing. How much to spend on a first guitar and what is in a guitar starter bundle both help set expectations. Comparable kits include the SAYHA 39 inch HSS kit, the RockJam superkit and the Glarry 39 inch beginner kit. Browse more in beginner starter kits and electric guitars.
How to Maintain
Wipe the strings down after playing so the alloy steel does not corrode from skin oils. Change strings one at a time because of the tremolo, and retune repeatedly for the first few days while the new set stretches. Keep the gloss finish clean with a soft dry cloth. Store the guitar in its bag away from radiators and out of unheated spaces, since humidity swings move a neck more than playing ever does. Keep the two hex keys somewhere findable, as they are the tools for the truss rod and the bridge.
Tips and Recommendations
Add a tuner first, then consider a setup. On kits at this level the action is usually higher than it needs to be, and lowering it is the change that makes practice less discouraging. If the tremolo is not wanted, blocking it improves tuning stability and simplifies string changes. Once the 10 watt amp starts feeling flat, a modelling practice amp with a headphone output will expand the range of sounds far more cheaply than replacing the guitar.
Product FAQ
Is an amplifier included? Yes, a 10 watt amp with a carry handle. The listing does not state its controls or speaker size.
What pickups does it have? Single coils, listed as configuration S. No humbucker is fitted.
What wood is the body? The listing never names a species. It says solid hardwood, while the spec table gives wood, hardwood and alder in different fields.
Does it come with a tuner? No. A tuner is not part of the listed package.
