Luna Guitars GYP E BWE Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

Luna Guitars is a unique brand focused on designing visually striking and musically inspiring instruments. Founded in 2005, the company aims to create "guitars that are as inspiring to look at as they are to play."

Luna is especially known for their artistic guitar designs, often incorporating natural imagery like vines, moons, flowers, and other patterns not typically found on guitars. They blend this distinctive visual aesthetic with quality sound and playability to appeal to players looking to stand out from the crowd.

While Luna offers both acoustic and electric guitars, many of their models incorporate a folk or vintage vibe. Their guitars frequently feature thinner, more curvy bodies than traditional guitars - aligning with the goal of crafting instruments that feel comfortable and inviting to play while still producing pleasing tones.

Overall, the Luna Guitars brand focuses on the idea that a guitar should engage players both visually and musically. Their unique spin on guitar designs coupled with quality construction aims to offer players an inspiring musical experience.

Physical Features

The Luna Guitars GYP E BWE is built with a traditional dreadnought body shape that produces a full, rich tone. The solid spruce top contributes to the bright, articulate high notes of the guitar while the mahogany back and sides add warmth to the bass and mid range tones. The ovangkol used for the neck provides a dense, stiff feel that enhances note definition and sustain.

The top has a high gloss finish with an abalone rosette, multi-ply binding and laser etched floral blueprint design that gives this guitar an elegant look. It sits on a single piece mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and a black Tusq nut and saddle. The body binding and beautifully designed soundhole rosette add an extra touch of luxury to the guitar.

Overall, the materials and construction used for the Luna GYP E BWE give it a classic, robust feel and balanced acoustic tone that make it appealing for a diverse range of genres and playing styles. The stylish finish options and attention to cosmetic details provide visual flair while retaining the traditional contours of an acoustic dreadnought. The Pyle PEGKT99BK.X9 is another quality acoustic-electric guitar option worth considering. With its laminated spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fingerboard, and built-in EQ, this affordable guitar provides resonant tone and versatile plugged-in performance (Pyle PEGKT99BK.X9). While it may lack some of the premium appointments and finely crafted details of the Luna model, the Pyle is a reliable, wallet-friendly choice for aspiring guitarists or anyone seeking robust acoustic sound with stage-ready electrics.

Neck and Fretboard

The Luna GYP E BWE acoustic-electric guitar has a mahogany neck with a 25.5" scale length. The fretboard is made of richlite, which Luna says has a feel and sound similar to ebony. The richlite fretboard has a radius of 16", providing a comfortable rounded feel that facilitates chording and intricate soloing.

The mahogany neck provides stability and sustained notes, while the richlite offers a smooth and fast playing feel. The 25.5" scale length provides added tension that projects each note with clarity. Overall, the neck and fretboard combine playability with warm, balanced tone.

The smooth neck and rounded fretboard make this an excellent choice for players looking for comfort and playability. The mahogany and richlite materials provide a great combination of stability, sustain, and smooth feel. Whether you're a beginner looking for your first quality acoustic-electric or an experienced player seeking a comfortable, playable instrument, the Luna GYP E BWE delivers.

For guitarists wanting an even more portable option, check out the Traveler Guitar ULN MHSBW. This unique acoustic-electric has a full 25.5” scale length but can be folded in half for easy transport. The solid mahogany body produces warm, balanced tones. It also has a smooth ebony fretboard for fluid playability. While not quite as comfortable for extended practice sessions as the Luna, the Traveler Guitar packs up incredibly small while still delivering quality acoustic sound.

The Luna acoustic-electric guitar's comfortable neck and smooth fretboard make it a great choice for players looking for easy playability. The rounded fretboard radius facilitates chording and soloing across the entire neck. This allows for intricate playing styles and techniques. The mahogany neck also provides stability and sustain, while the richlite fretboard offers a fast feel. Together, they offer great tone and playability.

For players needing an acoustic-electric guitar suitable for travel, the Traveler Guitar ULN MHSBW is an excellent option. It has a full 25.5" scale length in a compact lap steel guitar design. The mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard provide great warmth and articulation. While smaller than a typical dreadnought, it still delivers impressive volume and tone. The ULN MHSBW's light weight and included gig bag make it easy to take this acoustic-electric guitar anywhere. It's a great choice for guitarists needing a quality travel instrument.

Electronics and Hardware

The Luna GYP E BWE is equipped with a custom Luna IE preamp system that provides plug and play capabilities for live performances or recording directly to a mixing board, PA system, or interface.

The preamp features a built-in tuner and a 3-band EQ for shaping your tone. There are volume and tone controls, allowing you to dial in your optimal amplified sound. The preamp is specifically voiced to complement the warm, resonant tones of the Luna all-mahogany body and neck.

For pickups, Luna chose their own custom designed Piezo pickup system. The under-saddle piezo pickup accurately captures the guitar's natural acoustic tones, projecting them through the preamp and amplification system. The pickup reproduces the guitar's bright mids and driving low end.

The onboard preamp, pickup system, and readily available 1/4" output make the Luna GYP E BWE a highly gigable and stage-ready acoustic-electric guitar right out of the box. It provides quality amplified tones without the need for any external effects or gear.

Sound and Tone

The Luna GYP E BWE has an impressive dynamic range with well-balanced warm tones. Acoustically this guitar has a full-bodied sound with plenty of brightness and clarity in the higher register. The solid spruce top gives you crisp articulation as well as resonance in the mids and low end. The layered walnut and bubinga back and sides bring out warmth, richness, and a balanced tone. Plugged in, the guitar maintains the resonant acoustic tone with plenty of headroom thanks to the preamp and pickup system. The built-in tuner and EQ give you the flexibility to shape your amplified tone from sparkling and bright to warm and punchy. The overall balanced sound and acoustic resonance of the GYP E BWE make it suited for a variety of playing styles.

Playability

The Luna GYP E BWE is easy and comfortable to play, thanks to its slim neck profile and smooth, low-action setup right out of the box. The slim mahogany neck has a satin finish that allows your hand to glide up and down easily. The action is set nice and low, so there's no strain or resistance when fretting notes anywhere along the neck. Whether you have smaller hands or larger hands, you'll find chording and soloing very fluid without buzzing. The slightly wider 1 3/4" nut width provides a nice fretting surface for fingering chords, while still feeling comfortable and playable if you have smaller hands. Overall, the feel, action, and playability of the Luna makes it a joy to play for extended periods. You can comfortably play intricate chords and quick lead lines without fatiguing your hands. The smooth neck and low action really lend themselves to versatility no matter your playing style.

Pros

• Luna's GYP E BWE model stands out with its unique ornamental designs featuring Luna's signature moon phase fretboard inlays and vine-like side fretboard inlays. This gives the guitar a distinctive look and feel.

• The guitar comes equipped with Fishman electronics including an undersaddle pickup and preamp system. This allows for plugging into an amplifier or PA system, giving you the versatility of both acoustic and electric tones. The Fishman system is known for its natural amplification of the guitar's inherent acoustic sound.

• The solid spruce top contributes to the guitar's bright, balanced tone and good projection. Spruce is a popular tonewood choice known for its responsive and dynamic sound.

• At under $500, this guitar packs professional features like a cutaway and onboard electronics into an accessible price point. Players get an impressive value for money.

• The guitar features a comfortable slim neck profile making it an easy playing instrument. The smooth satin neck finish also adds to the overall comfort and playability.

Cons

• The Luna GYP E BWE lacks a cutaway, which can make it harder to access the upper frets. This may frustrate more advanced players who need to play intricate solos and leads up high on the neck.

• The action on this model is set a little higher from the factory. This can make it more difficult to press down the strings, especially for beginner and intermediate players with less developed finger strength and dexterity. Lower action facilitates easier fretting and faster lead playing.

• While the onboard preamp and pickup system delivers decent plugged-in tones, the electronics are fairly basic. Players wanting more advanced EQ, effects, and tonal shaping capability may need to use outboard gear.

• The wider nut width of 1.8” can take some getting used to for players with smaller hands. Those with larger hands tend to prefer wider necks, while smaller hands often favor more narrow nut widths.

• The Luna GYP E BWE is really designed for fingerstyle, acoustic solo playing and lighter strumming. It may not have the projection or dynamic range needed for aggressive strumming and heavy playing styles.

• While aesthetically pleasing, the intricate laser etchings may not appeal to players desiring a more traditional, understated look. It also collects dust and dirt readily.

Who It's For

The Luna GYP E BWE is an excellent choice for beginning to intermediate level players who want a versatile acoustic-electric guitar that offers solid quality and playability without breaking the bank.

With its smaller, comfort-contour body and slim neck profile, this Luna is ideal for new players who are just getting started learning chords and need a guitar that's comfortable to hold and play. The slightly shorter 24.75" scale length makes it easier for smaller hands to form chords up and down the neck.

More advanced players will appreciate the smooth playability and resonant sound provided by the solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. The bundled preamp allows plugging into an amplifier or PA system for live performances or recording.

The Luna GYP E BWE is also perfect for fans of Luna's distinctive style. The laser-etched moon phase and vine inlay design give this guitar beautiful visual flair reminiscent of Luna's other instruments. Players who love the look and vibe of the Luna brand will feel right at home with this guitar.

So whether you're a new player looking for your first serious acoustic-electric, or a Luna fan wanting their stylish design in a versatile stage-ready package, the GYP E BWE is an excellent choice that delivers quality and playability without breaking your budget.

Verdict

The Luna GYP E BWE acoustic-electric guitar is an attractive, well-made guitar with Luna's signature whimsical style. The slim mahogany neck and 22-fret rosewood fretboard make it very playable, while the built-in preamp provides plug-and-play convenience for live performances.

Sonically, the GYP E BWE delivers a balanced tone with good sustain thanks to its solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. The cutaway body shape allows easy upper fret access. Electronics consist of a 3-band EQ and tuner for shaping your amplified tone.

This is a high-quality, stylish acoustic-electric well-suited for songwriters, gigging musicians, or anyone wanting an eye-catching guitar with Luna's artistic flair. It's comfortable to play, sounds great plugged in or unplugged, and is an excellent value in its price range. Overall, the Luna GYP E BWE is a well-made acoustic-electric with Luna's distinctive artistic touches.