Alexander P.
Well built guitar! Super easy to play, feels, looks and sounds high quality. Definitely worth buying the DST-152 its so versatile.
Linda D.
Very pleased with the product and the delivery service. I will buy from this place again.
Maria R.
17 year old son loved his guitar.
christopher f.
I've always been interested in learning how to play the guitar but always felt intimidated. That being said, this guitar has reinvigorated my drive to want to learn and I've played nearly everyday since, just to learn basics and prove that I can do it.
Thank you for making a wonderful sounding guitar (with some nice extras) at a decent price for someone to get into playing.
Duane C.
Very pleased with this guitar. Excellent price and excellent finish. It plays very well. It is more than a beginner’s guitar.
The only negative that I had is I personally didn’t like the strings, but that was a very easy fix. Paired it up with an Orange Crush 20 amp and have the retro sound of 60s and 70s that I was hoping for. Very close to Fender at much cheaper price. Having fun with this beauty.
Jessica M.
My son loves it! Sounds amazing!!
Dawn M.
I love my guitar and the way it is put together. The price point is good and I got it during the Black Friday sale which was even better. The accessories to start off are basic, but really helps in getting started as soon as you receive the package.
The equipment is good for the price point.
Ray S.
this guitar is ABSOLUTELY one of the best guitars I own. I like it better my Fender Strat it seems that the neck is a bit thinner making the 152 a bit easier to learn and play. It is finished very well and is definitely worth the money.
Shakyra J.
Absolutely love this guitar! So pretty and sounds amazing!
BM1 Eric V.
Great starter guitar!. Expertly packaged, and not a scratch on it, the only thing it’s been the years since I set up a guitar and had to think about it while!. But got it done picture of my granddaughter using it!. You get
Gregory .
GREAT PRICE . LOOKS GREAT , SOUNDS ARE FANTASTIC , Iv HAD ALL KINDS OF GUITARS IN MY TIME BUT THIS IS THE BEST FOR THE PRICE , THANK YOU , I WILL BUY THE GREEN ONE WHEN IT RETURNS .
Dave A.
everything was great ,much better than a starter guitar and love it the only problem i have is the tuner was broken from shipping i assume but very nice guitar
sidos_riffs.
Photo cr. IG@sidos_riffs.
Ian G.
Second donner guitar, this time purchased directly. I am astonished by the quality especially given the price. After a tune up mine was playable right out of the box, with a setup far better than more expensive guitars I’ve bought, although it is a good idea to get any guitar a new setup. Only issues I could find are the front pick guard has an almost unnoticeable blemish on the edge, and the back plate did not have a beveled edge like my previous donner guitar, which I smoothed out with a nail file. Accessories have all the basic stuff you’d need to get playing if this was your first guitar. All in all quite happy
Robert W.
Well built guitar, trem system could use better saddles, and block, maybe two point. machine tuners are very unstable, and won't hold tune with lots of string bending. Pick ups have a good sound for ceramic, frets are level, and no sharp ends.
BRIAN C.
04/02/2023
Thank you for positive results,
The librarian was phumbuttled by
A bit.
I was finally able to get call in through to them from Minnesota to Richburg .
They almost sent it back to you.
The raffle idea is a okay to them.
There will be a chicken BBQ somewhere on the near future.
Creative writing is recommended and the need to positive forward of school of arts a plus.
I am happy that the product arrived undamaged and is going to be the first step in a winner's hands to strum unforgettable memories.
Thank you from Richburg Colonial Library.
Nathaniel
This guitar has a really nice finish that catches the light in a unique way. I'm very happy with the way it looks and it's definitely a conversation starter.
Craig
The quality of this guitar is impressive for the price point. It's solidly built and produces great sound. I would highly recommend it to beginners or anyone on a budget who wants a guitar that performs well beyond its price tag.
Mackenzie
I appreciated the helpful items included in this kit - it really does have everything a beginner needs to get started playing guitar. All of the accessories have been useful and of decent quality.
Lindsey
This guitar is an excellent choice for beginners. The sound quality is great and the craftsmanship is impressive for the price. It's a great way to get started with playing without breaking the bank.
Christopher
I have to say, the all-in-one package of this guitar kit with all the accessories you need is the best deal ever. The quality of the items is very decent and I am very satisfied with my purchase.
Walter
I was skeptical about purchasing this guitar because of its low price tag, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. It surpassed my expectations and is comparable to more expensive guitars I've played in the past.
Derrick
The beautiful and stylish design of this guitar is what stood out to me. The metallic ice blue finish is stunning and makes it one of the most unique guitars I've ever seen.
Amber
The metallic ice blue finish on this guitar is absolutely gorgeous. It's a real eye-catcher and looks even better in person.
Kenneth
As a new guitar player, I was thrilled to find a kit that included everything I needed to get started. The accessories are all of decent quality and have been very useful to me.
Sean
This kit comes with everything you need to get started playing guitar. The items included are of decent quality and have been very helpful in my practice sessions.
Jordan
Although the guitar looks great, the rough fret crowns make it hard to play certain chords and notes. It's a shame, because other than that it's a solid guitar with good tone and craftsmanship.
Addison
This kit really does come with everything a beginner needs to get started with their guitar. The quality of the items included is also very impressive for the price.
Dylan
The pretty and fantastic look of this guitar is what sold me on it. The metallic ice blue finish is absolutely beautiful and makes it stand out from any other guitar in my collection.
Alexa
I love the beautiful metallic ice blue finish on this guitar. It's a stunning piece of craftsmanship and looks fantastic when I'm playing it.
Lily
I have to say, the great looking finish on this guitar is what initially caught my eye. It's even better in person and adds a lot of style to my music sessions.
Savannah
I was impressed with the variety of items included in this kit, as well as the overall quality. It's a great value for the price and a perfect starter kit for beginners.
Timothy F.
This guitar is amazing! The kit only costs $200 but I would put this up against much more expensive guitars. It comes with everything you need to play right out of the box if you're a beginner or if you're a seasoned musician that just needs a home practice kit. Everything from the look, to the setup, to the sound is superb. The pickups get minimal 60 cycle hum when using high gain even on position 1 which was very shocking. Overall I would say don't waste your money on high dollar strats when you can get this one for a fraction of the cost.
Judith S.
Unfortunately thevfrets buzz
John A.
So pleased with my DST-152. It is everything I was expecting and more! The low action makes playing and practicing fun for me. Can’t wait to practice now.
Emery O.
The guitar itself is very well made for its price. I would highly recommend this guitar for a beginner like myself, it’s great if your just starting out and don’t fully want to commit to a more pricey guitar. Also the amount of extra accessories you get along with it is incredible. The reason I’m giving it 4 stars though if because the cable I received did not work at all, so I had to replace it which is honestly no big deal just kind of disappointing. Great guitar though I love it!!!
Anthony L.
It should of came with a charger for the speaker, couldn’t play it until I had a charger. It was a good reward for myself and it’s a fun to have item, shoulda came with a charger
Billy Y.
Easy to play. The color is inspiring.
Paul M.
I went to YouTube to find a review of these guitars and the reviewer was very enthusiastic. To be honest, the reviewer said that all I would need to do is put new strings on the guitars, and I did that —and I can’t tell you how happy I am with these wonderful guitars!
Don M.
This is my second guitar purchase from Donner and I have been pleased both times. Donner makes great products at affordable prices. I would definitely recommend Donner products to get your musical experience off the ground.
Necomaster
The quality of the electric guitar is very good, I love it!
GenericSeth
Some of the frets were not leveled properly. There were noticeable “dead spots” on the high-e string. Also, the truss rod would NOT turn at all! I used all my strength but the Allen key would not rotate. I ordered a replacement and it’s on the way.Onto the positives: The color is stunning and looks better in person. You can compare it to Fender’s “Lake Placid Blue” color. The pickups on this budget guitar sound superb. I’ve owned many Squiers in this price range (and most of them sounded terrible) but these stock pickups are fantastic and offer minimal feedback noise. Humbucker sounds proper. Split coil feature definitely works but you'll need to be playing at loud volumes in order to hear a noticeable difference. I also love the shape of the neck. It's comparable to a Fender "modern-c shape", which I think is perfect. The guitar definitely stays in tune.UPDATE: Donner sent me a replacement for my defective one. This second one is perfect with no quality control issues. I'll be keeping it. I highly recommend this brand.
CR.
This is the ultimate guitar kit aimed for beginning guitarists. This literally comes with everything.
N.
This isn't a high end guitar, but it is a decent quality. I'm not a professional musician, but I am a sound man. So while I cant play this very good, listening to it it has decent sound. It does have a little bit of a buzz on the higher strings, but its a simple guitar to learn on and experiment with. It comes with a rechargeable battery-powered amp, a spare set of strings, a capo, some picks, a cheap tuner, and soft-sided backpack style case. There was a protective film on the guitar that was a bit annoying to remove with the knobs in place, but if you pop the knobs off, then it isn't too bad.
The included accessories are pretty low quality, but it is nice to have them for starting out. The amp is fairly low volume, but that is actually really nice for learning. If your kid is rocking out in their bedroom they don't inadvertently wake the dead......or the neighbors.
Eddie
It is very impressive how much quality and versatility this guitar offers at this $200 price point. The gig bag is not heavily padded but it seems strong and comfortable to carry around with nicely padded handles and shoulder straps.
It came very nicely packaged along with all the accessories advertised. The action is relatively low and the neck is mid-size with a C shape carve. The fret ends are pretty sharp so I would not call these rolled edges but it is easy to fix these with some extra fine sanding paper and steel wool. I guess my point is, this is a great guitar for beginners but later down the road you might want to take it to a qualified technician for a proper fret dressing and setup. One other cosmetic flaw was on the back of the neck which does not impact playability.
Tuners and all other important hardware like the bridge seem to be working well which is the most important thing.
The pickups were far from amazing but I thought they sounded pretty good. With the HSS configuration, 2 tone controls, and coil-split for the bridge pickup, this guitar has plenty of tone options.
The amplifier was surprisingly good (check out the video please). Due to its small and lightweight construction, I thought It would be useless. I was wrong. The cleans are nice and bright. The distortion is adequate for a beginner. I love the fact that it has rechargeable battery power which makes it very portable.
Overall, I wish I had a guitar like this one when I first started.
I sincerely hope that you would find my review helpful.
Alicia Phen
I am starting to learn guitar from the VERY beginning. So it’s nice that this kit essentially comes with everything you need. The amp is pretty decent quality, though I typically don’t plug it in to practice, and the guitar itself is great. Love that it comes with extra strings as well.
Jay S.
I love the look and the feel of this guitar, a quality guitar for a great price , Thanks donner for keeping music instruments affordable for everyday people!
matthew k.
Very good guitar for the price. I upgraded the tuners though, these were really lose. The humbucker is a bit noisy... but the single coils are great. My only real complaint is that the color is not really as pictured. This guitar has a tint of green in the ice finish, and it seems like there were not enough coats, the wood tint leaks through, so overall the color is very bland.
Jennifer Stewart
I bought this for my teen son. It's a great starter kit that comes with all you need.
Mark C.
This is a great guitar package at a very good price, plus this blue is beautiful. I’ve really enjoyed learning to play on this guitar!!
Dhaval Bhatt
Minor cosmetic defects and importantly coil split pick ups aren’t working. Tremolo system spring screws at back side were not screwed properly. Need to set up, nut, tuning pegs and strings are made with very poor quality, I need to change them with new ones. Can’t complain much considering the price I have paid for the whole set. Great for beginners and considering the costs it’s a win win for beginners like me because the bundle comes with little practice amplifier + amp cable + Guitar gig bag and many more items but these three are not offered by squire or any other brands on the internet although squires are now made in China which is of same quality. This is my first Chinese made guitar and I would highly recommend to beginners and intermediate players to buy this guitar online and do little DIY setup with better quality strings, Bone Nut and Tuning Pegs and your guitar sounds like Fender Stratocaster. Honestly speaking, shop owners don’t tell you the truth and charge £50 for set up wether we buy Fender Stratocasters or any other electric guitars which in my opinion, could easily be done DIY by watching online videos. I will give this seller a 5* for great value for money. Many of us relay on online reviews and therefore I thought to give my honest opinion for other customers. These are my honest opinions and I’m not paid by seller or anyone.
HKHK
Very happy with the purchase, the guitar is spectacular, and everything works together just as described.
N.
This isn't a high end guitar, but it is a decent quality. I'm not a professional musician, but I am a sound man. So while I cant play this very good, listening to it it has decent sound. It does have a little bit of a buzz on the higher strings, but its a simple guitar to learn on and experiment with. It comes with a rechargeable battery-powered amp, a spare set of strings, a capo, some picks, a cheap tuner, and soft-sided backpack style case. There was a protective film on the guitar that was a bit annoying to remove with the knobs in place, but if you pop the knobs off, then it isn't too bad. The included accessories are pretty low quality, but it is nice to have them for starting out. The amp is fairly low volume, but that is actually really nice for learning. If your kid is rocking out in their bedroom they don't inadvertently wake the dead......or the neighbors.
Jeff Herkner
This is a great starter pack for beginner's. Great guitar for intermediates. Stays in tune which is the most important factor. 5 stars! The mini amp is great sounding too!
Tommie B.
There is fret buzz on some of the frets. Other than that I like it.
Jana
When I saw this beautiful blue guitar and that it cost a fraction of what they cost when I was a teenage girl with no way to afford one, I clicked the order button before I could overthink it. I was SO excited when it arrived—a few weeks later and I still feel like a kid at Christmas. It has a good sound and came with everything needed to start playing: • Extra strings: Good thing it came with extra strings I immediately broke the 1st string. I couldn’t find the info on the Donner site how to change strings for this guitar, but figured it out from a musicians’ board. Learned that changing strings varies between electric guitars and that all sets of strings aren’t the same. • The small amp runs on an internal battery so doesn’t need to be plugged in to use. It recharges quickly through USB connection. • The cords included are nice and long. • The tuner that came with it is very useful. It was easy to figure out on my own how to tune my guitar. • It comes with a Capo, plenty of picks in 2 different thicknesses, a strap, and soft case. • Free online Donner classes (sign up through DonnerClassroom.com): I’ve gone through about half the lessons of one of the Beginner Courses. Their instructors are easy to follow and give good explanations. The courses for electric guitar are the only Donner Classroom online courses that start at Advanced and Expert so I just started with the acoustic guitar classes. I’m missing some basics about electric but for now I’ve got my hands full (duhhh) learning chords, picking, and learning to read guitar music notation. My fingertips are numb most of the time now but WORTH IT. *** Helpful? I rely on customer reviews for all my online purchases, so I hope so! ***
John G.
The Finnish is awesome.
The action and playability are excellent. Feels like the real deal.
The sound is unreal. All of the accessories are great. For the price, you can't beat it. All systems are go!
Wayne M.
Great Product....Quick Ship
William Obannon15@gmail.com O.
Very good guitar
Kimber Rosee
I don't know very much at all about guitars especially electric guitars but this has everything in it you could ever need, it has extra strings and the amp that it comes with is great and it's loud but it's not over the top super crazy loud which is great for practicing without disturbing everyone in the house
Joseph Reynolds
The media could not be loaded. This guitar is surprisingly fantastic! The quality is way better than you might expect at this price. Along with the guitar is lots of extras. The case is nice but not too special, just nylon. The amplifier is not great but it's basically a free amp and it definitely gets the job done. The strings and extras seem good and it came with a tuner. The cord for the Amp is very nice and sufficiently long. I love the white, it's so sleek. If you're getting into electric guitar, I'd recommend this one, definitely!
Hunter L.
Tuners and bridge pickup could be better. Otherwise fairly happy with purchase.
tnek
This is a great guitar especially for the price. Donner has put together a complete package with a good amount of needed extras. To me the sound is very good even out of that little amplifier. When hooked up to the Peaveys the sound is great. The onboard sound adjustments are great smooth working and provide a nice changes to the output. For me the guitar is heavy. The provided electronic tuner worked fairly well, however, there were some error. The #3 string showed green (in tune) but showed it was a different string. The guitar was close to being in tune. Slow strumming sounded pretty close but still the tuner show the error on that one string. The problem is not that big a deal and the electronic tuner is not all that important - just handy. It was impressive opening the box and seeing all the extras provided. Complete and ready to play. Bottom line... Highly Recommended.
Scott Hill
I have roughly 20 guitars and have had a few stats and compared this to my vintera strat and play-ability wise they are fairly close. The action and feel is close to a modern-styled strat and rather than the 50's vintera. But my biggest complaint is the sound... It just sounds like a cheap guitar. But for learning and getting into guitars this is a well made and was set up quite well compared to other cheaper guitars I've played over the years.
Verne I
I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the beginner kit package. Not only did it come with a nice, entry level guitar, but it came with all the extras you need to get started, and then some.
The accessories included a mini practice amp, a set of picks with different stiffness, a second set of strings, a tuner, a strap, a couple of Alan wrenches, a cable, a gig bag and a capo.
The gig bag is padded and has "backpack" style straps. and the mini amp is no half stack, but it gives a variety of sounds and has a built-in distortion setting.
On to the guitar...There were only two color choices at the time I ordered, blue or white. The paint job on the body was good. It comes with 3 pick-ups and a 5 position switch and a screw in tremolo. The neck was straight and feels nice, it has good action, with no string buzzing when played. The tuning pegs are decent and the headstock looks average.
While this is no higher end guitar, it is a VERY NICE beginner/starter guitar and with the package it comes with, it's a solid win in my opinion.
Fameless
This is our second Donner guitar, we also have their acoustic. Just like that one, this one is very nicely made. It was ordered for a beginner, and I don't know anything about guitars, but I do know quality when I see and feel it. This is a good quality guitar.
When it's played, it sounds wonderful! My son started playing it as soon as he opened. He plugged it into his existing amp, but it did come with a small one. In addition, this guitar came with everything needed to for anyone to get started playing.
My son said it's very comfortable to hold and play. In addition to sounding and feeling good, it's really a great looking guitar. Very impressive and the blue color is sort of a retro shade that gives it that old time rock and roll feeling. Extremely nice! My son and I are both very impressed with Donner, and his guitar teacher is as well.
Eric San Juan
I'm on the record as being a fan of Donner's budget gear. After a series of good experiences, including purchasing their Les Paul-style budget guitar, they've converted me.
I primarily play strat-style electrics, so I was eager to check this one out. Both of mine are showing their age, so my hope was that this would be good enough for me to retire one of the others.
First, this is shipped inside a thin gig bag, which is then inside a tight shipping box. That box was inside a second box, so I felt pretty good about shipping conditions.
It was pretty close to ready to go out of the box. Took just a few minutes to tune it, the intonation sounded pretty good right out of the box, and it comes with an array of starter gear (see below). I was playing it 10 minutes after opening it.
The sound was nice coming out of my Marshall amp, with a clean tone similar to my Epiphone strat and decent crunch with the gain cranked up. The pickups provide VERY different tones when switching through the seven available settings. Switching between single-soil and humbuckers isn't super intuitive, and I worry about the knob breaking with time, but I like having the option. Nice to have such a range to choose from. (The tone knobs are very responsive, too.) You can really dial in the tone you like.
Speaking of the pickup switch, the switch feels good and solid, but the volume and tone knobs do not. They're surprisingly thin plastic, even for a budget guitar. I feel like it I squeezed hard enough, I could break one with my fingers.
I guess they traded the good knobs for better tuning keys, because these tuning keys are MUCH better than the ones of my LP-style Donner. On that one, the keys slip and don't "catch" easily, making tuning a slower process than it needs to be. (They're honestly the worst part of that guitar.) These, on the other hand, are a step up. They're still not as precise as a more expensive set, but they are a marked improvement and don't take nearly as much fiddling.
The craftsmanship is overall very good for the price range, easily better than most. Looks and feels well made all around. Frets are good. The action is good as well, and though I prefer a slightly thinner neck, this still felt good.
One issue: I am getting a little string buzz on the E string in the upper frets, but it's inconsistent and only when I strum just right, so I'm undecided if I'm going to need to adjust the truss rod or not. It may just because it was freshly set up and still needs time to "settle." Like I said, it's intermittent at worst.
I like the icy blue finish, too. Aesthetically, this is a nice looking guitar.
As with other Donner guitars I've gotten, this one comes with a fully array of gear to get you started. This includes a strap, tuner, picks, capo, instrument cable, and strings. It also comes with an itty bitty mini amp. While you're not likely to gig or busk with it, it's perfectly fine for practicing, especially in a setting like an apartment. It even supports battery power for portability and has decent built-in distortion. On its own it's no big deal, not something you're likely to spend money on, but as a pack-in? Pretty awesome to get something like this in the box.
Basically, everything you need to get started is right in the box.
Overall, this is a pretty great sub-200 guitar that has its share of flaws, but none that are egregious or unusual for the price range. It's another winner from Donner, as far as I'm concerned. Know what you're getting and judge it for it's price and you are likely to be happy with this. Great choice for a first time electric or for someone on a budget.
Hey Donner, can you guys make an affordable electric sitar, please? I've always wanted one, but they're too expensive. Hah!
Nacho Libra
First of all, the polar white is beautiful. The neck is smooth and fits my somewhat short fingers well. The guitar is easy to tune. I was amazed that the tiny amp has better sound quality than I figured it would. I also hooked it up to my friend's Fender Frontman amp and the sound coming from this guitar was amazing! Donner really has its act together!
calvin marks
Got this for our daughter and she started off playing it very well... great size for her and very well made.... this is great for beginners and well worth the money... highly recommend this
Utah Mom
My teen daughter just started taking guitar lessons and she was so excited to try an electric guitar. The Donner guitar is very nice for a beginner. It is well made and comfortable to hold. The sound quality is really quite good. The set comes with everything she needed to get started. The guitar is also pretty and is a great price.
THMBLNA
Really enjoying this guitar, and what a steal! The whole set feels nice, though I’m a total beginner. I loved being able to start practicing 10 minutes after opening the box. It literally has everything you need, and it’s pretty too!! I got the white one and after removing the protective plastic, it looks fantastic. I’m a 5’0” female and it’s comfortable to hold, so I think this would definitely be a good option for kids too. I will say that (though I’m no expert with this stuff) the sound coming out of the mini amp wasn’t fabulous, but I was going to purchase a mini headphone amp for quiet practicing anyway. All in all, from the guitar to the bag to the tuner, it’s a great kit and seems like an absolute steal for a beginner. Thanks, Donner!
Bookwald
This 39-inch electric guitar by Donner exceeds its price bracket with its quality. Both technically and aesthetically this guitar has all the bells and whistles of guitars by more prestigious brands. I got the one in ice blue because I’m really big on grayish shades of blue when it comes to my gear. The blue with white in the middle is a refined look that reminds me of retro 1950s cars, when ice blue was a widely used color. The metallic ice blue is a look that makes a statement that yes this is an electric guitar with a metallic body that isn’t trying to imitate that natural acoustic wooden look. I respect that. The guitar itself is worth more than the price, the fact that you get all the accessories you need to get started is just an added bonus. While the guitar stands out, the accessories are average in quality. If you really get into your guitar, you’ll want to pick out your picks so that you can have the look and thickness that works for you. You’ll also want to replace the default strap with one that has more flare to it. I’m a beginner when it comes to guitar and just learning my tabs. I don’t live alone, so I use headphones with my amp. The Donner amp requires you to be tethered with a cable if you’re using headphones, so if you’d like to go the Bluetooth route, I recommend getting a Bluetooth guitar amp as well. It’s this tiny little thing you plug into your guitar, and it doesn’t cost much. If you like the look of this Donner electric guitar, definitely go for it because I can tell you the quality is superb.
J B GALVEZ
The media could not be loaded. The first guitar I ever had was an acoustic one (for less than month) more than 40 years ago! Eventually, I learned just a few minor chords later in life, but never enough to be a proficient guitar player. I used to play keyboards and an organ my father used to have when in the military during my summer visits. I have always admired those "trio" guitar players and could only dream of ever playing like that (never pursued my dream though), mainly because most of my life my mother struggled to raise 3 of us and lived from paycheck to paycheck, so she never bought me a second one, LOL. My 3 younger kids came at a better time in my life and I do my best to give them the opportunities I never had. Hopefully, if I never learn (because this one is for me, my daughter have 2 acoustic ones and my son an ukulele), one day before my time ends, one of them play to me at the tune of Santana (one of my favorites) or even like those "Spanish trios"...This guitar is great at its price point and very suitable for a begginer, the bridge feels very comfortable and easy to navigate. I have manage to remember a few chords and relearn a few tricks (have not touched a guitar in decades)...This Donner comes with everything you need to start your "Journey" (faithfully), including an electronic tuner, amp , and much more...I did not like the Amp that much, but the whole set is worth the price. Coincidentally, today I noticed there is a $30 coupon! Wow, could it get any better?
Tyler Forge
This kit is priced at $200 as I write this. It is easily worth that price. Frankly, I think that Donner must be losing money on this kit. It's that nice. The guitar plays well, holds a tune, and look petty decent. It is not as nice as my PRS, Carvin, .... That said, it is a blast to play and I've been enjoying it. The guitar came pretty well set up. It needed to be tuned and then was playable. The set up wasn't perfect, but was close. I played it a couple hours before I made myself stop and and tweak the saddle a little to get it just right. Maybe the edges of the frets need smoothed - doesn't matter much to me because I don't contact the side of the fret board that way. Over time, I'll probably change the hardware just because. Most of the reason I ordered this guitar is to get one that I'm happy to wrench on. The gig bag is real nice. Plenty of cushion and a nice sized pocket. That little amp is fine for it's size. I ended up running sound from a very inexpensive electric piano through it and got improved sound. Nice. It's going to stay there. For guitar, this little amp is fun and OK for someone starting out and maybe for someone who values easy storage/mobility. I have trouble taking it seriously because it can't do what my much more expensive gear does. Other than that - strap, capo, picks, extra strings, whammy bar, etc. They are all fine and do a great job of rounding out the kit. It's everything you need and everything is better quality than expected. Whoever put this kit together had some great attention to detail and the authority to make their decisions stick. Oh yeah - the strap. Again - exceeds expectations. It's nice and cottony soft. Not that scratchy nylon stuff. Good for playing without a shirt.
J. Lewis
This guitar is a steal at $200. From the style and color (I got metallic blue with white detail) to the almost buttery feel and handling, all before plugging it up to the included amp make it so. The amp itself is not the loudest, and with the guitar volume at max, along with the amp volume, however, it`s still a pleasant bonus and better than acceptable for the portability of it. When fully charged you get quite a bit of play time and the amp itself does have aux on the back for additional options to accompany your performance (I used a drum machine metronome to practice my riffs). The carrying case is not too bulky and everything fits in it perfectly. It seems Donner is starting to make a household name here, with owning various products by them. I am definitely a growing fan for this company that gives the most bang-per-buck.
Nabeshin
It's got pretty much everything that I wanted to start out on my midlife crisis (a lot cheaper than buying a sports car). I've heard of Donner, so I figured, "Why not?" It seems to be well made, no complaints on the paint job, components look good. Now to get this tuned and started! I'm looking forward to this.
Verne I
I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the beginner kit package. Not only did it come with a nice, entry level guitar, but it came with all the extras you need to get started, and then some. The accessories included a mini practice amp, a set of picks with different stiffness, a second set of strings, a tuner, a strap, a couple of Alan wrenches, a cable, a gig bag and a capo. The gig bag is padded and has "backpack" style straps. and the mini amp is no half stack, but it gives a variety of sounds and has a built-in distortion setting. On to the guitar...There were only two color choices at the time I ordered, blue or white. The paint job on the body was good. It comes with 3 pick-ups and a 5 position switch and a screw in tremolo. The neck was straight and feels nice, it has good action, with no string buzzing when played. The tuning pegs are decent and the headstock looks average. While this is no higher end guitar, it is a VERY NICE beginner/starter guitar and with the package it comes with, it's a solid win in my opinion.
The Clueless Reviewer
This is the ultimate guitar kit aimed for beginning guitarists. This literally comes with everything. I got this blue Donner guitar and if I were to rate the guitar alone, it is very decent. I have multiple guitars in my house ranging from some high end fenders to basic epiphones and this is on par with some of my basic ones obviously but it is very very good to start with this. I’m almost jealous I didn’t have this when I started. Comes with everything, a gig bag, extra strings, picks, a capo, a digital tuner, and a tiny amp that cranks out just enough sound to not be overly loud to anyone who would find your practicing annoying. The best kit for almost any guitarist if any experience because having a guitar with all this stuff is better than not having a guitar at all.
Mountain Mama
Donner Electric Guitar, 39" Electric Guitar Kit HSS Pickup Coil Split, DST-152R Beginner Set with Amp, Bag, Capo, Strap, String, Tuner, Cable, Picks, Metallic Ice Blue This is our second Donner guitar, we also have their acoustic. Just like that one, this one is very nicely made. It was ordered for a beginner, and I don't know anything about guitars, but I do know quality when I see and feel it. This is a good quality guitar. When it's played, it sounds wonderful! My son started playing it as soon as he opened. He plugged it into his existing amp, but it did come with a small one. In addition, this guitar came with everything needed to for anyone to get started playing. My son said it's very comfortable to hold and play. In addition to sounding and feeling good, it's really a great looking guitar. Very impressive and the blue color is sort of a retro shade that gives it that old time rock and roll feeling. Extremely nice! My son and I are both very impressed with Donner, and his guitar teacher is as well.
Austin Tyko Cintron
This guitar feels amazing and its light comfortable and easy for beginners!
J. Crump
This is a great beginner guitar for the money. Craftsmanship is spot on. This guitar will make you look like your a pro even if you don't know what you are doing.
Eric San Juan
I'm on the record as being a fan of Donner's budget gear. After a series of good experiences, including purchasing their Les Paul-style budget guitar, they've converted me. I primarily play strat-style electrics, so I was eager to check this one out. Both of mine are showing their age, so my hope was that this would be good enough for me to retire one of the others. First, this is shipped inside a thin gig bag, which is then inside a tight shipping box. That box was inside a second box, so I felt pretty good about shipping conditions. It was pretty close to ready to go out of the box. Took just a few minutes to tune it, the intonation sounded pretty good right out of the box, and it comes with an array of starter gear (see below). I was playing it 10 minutes after opening it. The sound was nice coming out of my Marshall amp, with a clean tone similar to my Epiphone strat and decent crunch with the gain cranked up. The pickups provide VERY different tones when switching through the seven available settings. Switching between single-soil and humbuckers isn't super intuitive, and I worry about the knob breaking with time, but I like having the option. Nice to have such a range to choose from. (The tone knobs are very responsive, too.) You can really dial in the tone you like. Speaking of the pickup switch, the switch feels good and solid, but the volume and tone knobs do not. They're surprisingly thin plastic, even for a budget guitar. I feel like it I squeezed hard enough, I could break one with my fingers. I guess they traded the good knobs for better tuning keys, because these tuning keys are MUCH better than the ones of my LP-style Donner. On that one, the keys slip and don't "catch" easily, making tuning a slower process than it needs to be. (They're honestly the worst part of that guitar.) These, on the other hand, are a step up. They're still not as precise as a more expensive set, but they are a marked improvement and don't take nearly as much fiddling. The craftsmanship is overall very good for the price range, easily better than most. Looks and feels well made all around. Frets are good. The action is good as well, and though I prefer a slightly thinner neck, this still felt good. One issue: I am getting a little string buzz on the E string in the upper frets, but it's inconsistent and only when I strum just right, so I'm undecided if I'm going to need to adjust the truss rod or not. It may just because it was freshly set up and still needs time to "settle." Like I said, it's intermittent at worst. I like the icy blue finish, too. Aesthetically, this is a nice looking guitar. As with other Donner guitars I've gotten, this one comes with a fully array of gear to get you started. This includes a strap, tuner, picks, capo, instrument cable, and strings. It also comes with an itty bitty mini amp. While you're not likely to gig or busk with it, it's perfectly fine for practicing, especially in a setting like an apartment. It even supports battery power for portability and has decent built-in distortion. On its own it's no big deal, not something you're likely to spend money on, but as a pack-in? Pretty awesome to get something like this in the box. Basically, everything you need to get started is right in the box. Overall, this is a pretty great sub-200 guitar that has its share of flaws, but none that are egregious or unusual for the price range. It's another winner from Donner, as far as I'm concerned. Know what you're getting and judge it for it's price and you are likely to be happy with this. Great choice for a first time electric or for someone on a budget. Hey Donner, can you guys make an affordable electric sitar, please? I've always wanted one, but they're too expensive. Hah!
Paul Bogan
It wouldn’t be fair to compare this guitar against a genuine Fender Stratocaster, or even one of the slightly lower-end MIM or MIJ Strats. To be fair, let’s look at it for what it is: more in the class of a Squire Strat, a Rogue, or similar starter guitar. On the plus side, this comes with a boatload of extras of varying quality: • A set of replacement strings • A nylon strap that’s secure enough, but every bit as scratchy as every generic strap that ships with every last one of these starter kits • A capo that’s reasonably competent • A ten-foot guitar cable that’s comparable to any other generic guitar cable • A clip-on tuner that I like a lot better than my old Ibanez tuner that needed the guitar plugged into it to work • A couple of hex wrenches that will go in a junk drawer somewhere, probably never to be seen or thought about again • A 600D gig bag that’s pretty okay as cheap gig bags go; you’ve seen this one, or one like it, before • An amp, that we’ll return to shortly, and a tremolo arm that’s listed alongside the accessories even though, properly speaking, it goes to the guitar What wasn't included, even though it's mentioned in the product description, is the pamphlet for online courses; I'm not sure if this was an oversight, or if it's simply not ready for primetime. So, on to the guitar. The pictures don’t quite do the finish justice. It’s a nice metallic blue that’s oddly reminiscent of my grandfather’s old Buick. Given the price point, I expected some minor flaws here and there, and was surprised not to find any. Speaking of finish, the frets were another pleasant surprise; some guitars at this price — and even some that are a bit more expensive — need a bit of fret dressing so you’re not scraping your left hand as it moves over the neck. These were nice and smooth. The neck was straight, and the intonation even. I also found it comfortable, thanks to the satin finish; I’ve always found satin more playable than gloss, though your preference/mileage may vary. The tuners are reasonably precise, and seem to have good gearing; likewise, the tremolo works reasonably well, though repeated use does take the guitar out of tune. No surprise there; at this price, you ain’t getting Schaller locking tuners and a Steinberger locking trem. Tone is acceptable but nothing earth-shattering, and if I played “clean” more often, I might want something nicer. But there are plenty of options for tone-shaping, especially with the dual-position switch for the humbucking bridge pickup. if you plan on running your axe through a fair number of effects, you’ll find it plenty acceptable. The amp is… okay-ish. When they call it “mini,” they’re not kidding. It’s small enough to sit on my desktop, barely bigger than a transistor radio, with output to match. Given the size, it’s hardly surprising that there’s not much depth to the sound. That’s not to say it doesn’t have its strengths; it can be run off USB or its built-in rechargeable battery, and even has an aux input you can use for an MP3 player, groovebox, or drum machine. It’s fine to start with (and sounds better through halfway decent headphones than through the speaker); you can always upgrade to a nicer amp, besides. So, is it worth it? If it’s your first electric guitar, you get all the essentials at a competitive price. If you’ve been playing for a long time (I haven’t), your standards might be different than mine; then again, you might also have a field day modifying this guitar with different pickups and tuners, a new bridge, et cetera. I’m not disappointed in it by any stretch of the imagination!
Eddie Rattlehead
The media could not be loaded. It is very impressive how much quality and versatility this guitar offers at this $200 price point. The gig bag is not heavily padded but it seems strong and comfortable to carry around with nicely padded handles and shoulder straps. It came very nicely packaged along with all the accessories advertised. The action is relatively low and the neck is mid-size with a C shape carve. The fret ends are pretty sharp so I would not call these rolled edges but it is easy to fix these with some extra fine sanding paper and steel wool. I guess my point is, this is a great guitar for beginners but later down the road you might want to take it to a qualified technician for a proper fret dressing and setup. One other cosmetic flaw was on the back of the neck which does not impact playability. Tuners and all other important hardware like the bridge seem to be working well which is the most important thing. The pickups were far from amazing but I thought they sounded pretty good. With the HSS configuration, 2 tone controls, and coil-split for the bridge pickup, this guitar has plenty of tone options. The amplifier was surprisingly good (check out the video please). Due to its small and lightweight construction, I thought It would be useless. I was wrong. The cleans are nice and bright. The distortion is adequate for a beginner. I love the fact that it has rechargeable battery power which makes it very portable. Overall, I wish I had a guitar like this one when I first started. I sincerely hope that you would find my review helpful.
jeanne
How can I turn down the volume ?
DON WILLIAMS
Just have to take time and follow use instructions!
Kaneisha Marshall
Simple and cute
Michael Theodore
It's good, but the sound is not good quality as I expected.
CB
good sound quality for the price
Rick
Sound quality is not the best but for beginners its just fine
lakshmisudha pallothu
My daughter really liked her piano set up and enjoys playing it
Henry Murewa
I just opened the box up and it don't work
I don't understand
update: The customer service assistant explained how to use it, and it is now in normal use
One day living this life!
Perfect for a beginner
Manny
For the price, it is good for someone who wants to learn and not spend much.
Jill K
Nice set up for a student. The sound isn’t as good as Casio brand, but it was inexpensive.
