Tanglewood DBT SFCE AEB Discovery

Tanglewood is said to be the UK’s most popular guitar brand and it is easy to see why.

Unlike many brands whose budget models usually are quite plain and simple to look at, Tanglewood builds great looking guitars that also sound way more expensive than they are.

You can pick up a budget-friendly model such as one of the Blackbird series that not only sounds fantastic but looks far more expensive than it is. Always a winning combination.

Tanglewood is of course, not all about budget guitars. They have a great lineup of mid to top end guitars available too and you can check out the full range here.

But today we are looking at one of Tanglewood’s more budget-friendly models, the DBT SFCE AEB Discovery Folk. The model name might be a bit of a mouthful but it more than makes up for it in looks and playability.

The Spec:

Body & Bridge

Top Material: Layered Ebony
Body Material: Layered Ebony
Body Type: Super Folk
Bridge Material: Black Walnut
Finish: Natural Satin Oil

Neck & Fingerboard

Neck Material: Nato
Fingerboard Material: Eboncore
Neck Thickness First Fret: 20.5 mm
Fingerboard Inlays: 2 mm Dot
Neck Finish: Natural Satin
Nut Width: 43 mm
Scale Length: 650 mm

Hardware & Electronics

Hardware Colour: chrome
Tuning Machines: Tanglewood Chrome w/ Soft Touch Buttons
Strings: Bronze 12-53
Electronics: Tanglewood Premium Plus

Build Quality:

I held onto this guitar for a few weeks before it had to go back to Tanglewood so I had plenty of time to evaluate how well the guitar was made.

The construction is all laminate. which at the recommended retail price of £379 some may think is a little on the expensive side but if you look at the street price, which at the time of this review was down just £279 it seems much a more reasonable proposition.

Everything is finished to a good standard. The frets were smooth with no jagged edges at all. Tuners worked smoothly etc. I would have preferred a rosewood for the fingerboard but eboncore does the job. The Bridge is walnut, I think I said it was “techwood” in the video. Tanglewood uses techwood on several of their guitars that I had previously reviewed.

The finish is what Tanglewood call “luxury satin oil” and it certainly brings out the best of the ebony veneer and looks fantastic.

Sound & Playability:

In terms of sound, the Tanglewood DBT SFCE AEB has great dynamics with a good balance of highs, mid’s and lows. The bass is very present but not overpowering, allowing the mids and highs to sound each note clearly.

Conclusions:

The Tanglewood DTB SFCE AEB proves that “budget” doesn’t have to be bland. And although this is an all-laminate guitar it still manages to sound just as good as it looks. The build quality and finish are excellent, as is the setup and playability straight out of the box.

If you are in the market for something just that little bit out of the ordinary without breaking the bank, the Tanglewood DTB SFCE AEB may be just the thing. I do wish they would come up with a more memorable name though!