Pyle PEAG99 Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Pyle PEAG99 is an affordable acoustic-electric guitar designed for beginners and students. This guitar features a dreadnought body style with a laminated wood construction. The guitar has a full 25.59" scale length and comfortable action for ease of play. It comes equipped with built-in EQ and tuner controls, as well as an onboard preamp system to amplify the acoustic resonance. The Pyle PEAG99 delivers balanced tone and ample volume whether playing acoustically or plugged in. It's an ideal choice for new players looking for a versatile acoustic-electric guitar at a budget-friendly price point. The Pyle PEAG99 provides quality sound and easy playability to help enthusiasts along their musical journey.

Body Style and Construction

The Pyle PEAG99 features a classic dreadnought body shape with a length of 41 inches. This larger body produces a powerful, deep and bassy tone that is characteristic of the dreadnought design.

The top is made of laminated spruce which provides structural stability and durability. Spruce is a popular top wood choice as it has a balanced tone with clear, articulate highs and good note separation.

The back and sides are made of mahogany which adds warmth, sweetness and depth to the overall tone. Mahogany is a versatile, affordable tonewood that works well for both lead and rhythm playing. The laminated construction makes the guitar lightweight yet strong.

Overall the materials and construction of the PEAG99 are designed to deliver an impressive robust and resonant acoustic tone and plenty of volume suitable for both practice and performance. The dreadnought body shape produces the bold, dynamic sound this style is known for.

If you're looking for a high quality dreadnought acoustic-electric guitar, check out the Fender 144533534. This guitar features a solid spruce top with scalloped X bracing for excellent resonance and sustain. The back and sides are made of laminated mahogany for warm, balanced tones. It has a slim taper neck profile for comfort and playability. The Fishman pickup system provides natural amplified tones if you want to plug in. Overall an excellent choice for intermediate to advanced players looking for great acoustic sound with the flexibility of electric amplification when needed.

The dreadnought body style of the Pyle PEAG99 produces a bold, projecting tone well suited to accompaniment and soloing. The laminated spruce top offers durability while still providing balanced tone and articulation. If you like the idea of a dreadnought acoustic-electric but want to step up in quality, the Fender 144533534 is an option to consider. With solid wood construction, scalloped bracing, and a Fishman pickup, it delivers excellent natural acoustic sound and flexible plugged-in tones. This would be a great choice for gigs, recording, practice or just jamming on the couch. Check it out if you want a high quality dreadnought acoustic-electric guitar.

Playability

The Pyle PEAG99 acoustic-electric guitar features a slim neck profile and low action height for comfortable playability. This makes it a great choice for beginner and novice players who are still developing finger strength and dexterity. The neck width measures 1 11/16" at the nut, providing ample room for chords and single note runs without feeling too wide.

More advanced players will also find the playability excellent. The action height ranges between 2.5-3.5mm off the 12th fret which allows for easy fretting without buzzing. This allows intricate chords and faster lead playing to ring out clearly. The C-shaped neck contour feels natural, well-balanced, and smooth during chord changes and riffs up the neck.

Overall the Pyle PEAG99 offers great playability right out of the box for all skill levels. The neck feels comfortable and the low action height lets notes ring out clearly with little effort. The playability makes it a versatile choice for everything from beginner lessons to intermediate practice sessions. It provides a solid foundation for building skills and technique over time.

Another acoustic-electric guitar with fantastic playability to consider is the Washburn C64SCE-A. It has a comfortable neck shape and low action height around 2.25mm off the 12th fret. The nut width is 1 11/16", the same as the Pyle. However the Washburn features a solid spruce top which resonates more freely. This allows for dynamic and expressive playing across various styles. The mahogany back and sides also produce a balanced tone. So while the Pyle offers great beginner playability, more advanced guitarists may prefer the Washburn for its resonant tone and smoothly playable feel.

Tonewoods

The Pyle PEAG99 features a solid spruce top paired with mahogany back and sides, a classic acoustic guitar tonewood combination found on many models.

Spruce is the standard choice for acoustic guitar tops due to its balanced tone. It has a bright, airy sound with crisp articulation and good note separation. Spruce responds well to playing dynamics, projecting both aggressive and delicate strumming. The solid spruce top gives the Pyle PEAG99 pleasing resonance for an acoustic guitar at this price point.

Mahogany is commonly used for acoustic guitar backs and sides. It has a balanced midrange focused tone with good lows. Mahogany adds warmth, sweetness, and body to the guitar's overall voicing. The mahogany back and sides complement the spruce top nicely, letting the PEAG99 produce fuller and richer acoustic tones compared to all-laminate models.

The spruce and mahogany tonewood combination found on the PEAG99 provides a versatile tonal palette suitable for all styles of acoustic music. The guitar has enough brightness for strumming chords as well as warmth and depth for fingerpicking melodies. Overall, the tonewoods give the PEAG99 a pleasant sounding and playable acoustic guitar tone.

Hardware

The Pyle PEAG99 acoustic-electric guitar comes equipped with quality hardware that enhances its playability and sound.

It features diecast chrome tuners that help keep the guitar in tune by smoothly and precisely turning the tuner posts. Diecast chrome has excellent tensile strength to withstand string tension without binding up. The chrome finish gives the tuners an attractive shine.

The guitar has a rosewood bridge and fretboard. Rosewood is known for its rich, complex overtones that add depth and shimmer to the guitar's tone. Its hardness and stability make it an ideal fretboard material that provides clear, ringing notes. The rosewood bridge transfers the strings' vibrations efficiently for full resonance and sustain. The fretboard's comfortable rosewood surface combined with the slim neck profile make the PEAG99 smooth and easy to play up and down the neck.

The hardware components work together to maximize the guitar's potential for musical, dynamic sound and effortless playability. From the tuners to the bridge, the hardware enables you to easily keep the PEAG99 in tune while bringing out the nuances in your playing.

Electronics

The Pyle PEAG99 comes equipped with basic but useful electronics to amplify the guitar. It features an onboard preamp with a 2-band EQ, allowing you to control the bass and treble frequencies. This gives you some tonal shaping options when plugging into an amplifier or PA system. The preamp requires a 9V battery to operate.

The preamp also includes a built-in tuner, which is extremely handy for keeping the guitar in tune without needing a separate tuner. The tuner is easy to activate with a push-button control. It mutes the output so you can tune silently, and single LED lights indicate whether you need to tune up or down. This is a great feature for a beginner guitarist who is still learning how to tune properly.

Overall, the electronics provide the essentials for amplifying an acoustic-electric guitar, especially at this price point. The preamp and tuner add convenience and functionality. While the EQ controls are basic, they give you some tone-shaping ability. The preamp electronics help make the PEAG99 stage-ready right out of the box.

Sound

The Pyle PEAG99 has a bright, balanced tone that works well for various musical styles. The combination of a spruce top and mahogany back and sides produces a crisp treble response with enough midrange body to prevent the guitar from sounding thin or tinny. The cutaway allows you to reach higher frets and adds some brightness. The PEAG99 produces enough volume to be heard in small venues or jam sessions without an amplifier. With amplification, the guitar has enough headroom that it won't get muddy or overwhelmed with effects or stacked overdrives. The balanced tone allows you to experiment with different tunings or use a capo without the guitar sounding unbalanced. Strumming full chords results in clear note definition while fingerpicking brings out the articulation and dynamics. Overall the versatile sound of the PEAG99 suits singer-songwriters, country, rock, blues, folk, indie and most styles outside of very heavy metal or jazz.

Pros

The Pyle PAG99 acoustic-electric guitar offers quite a few benefits considering its budget-friendly price point.

• Quality Materials: The PAG99 features a linden top, sapele back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard and bridge. These tonewoods produce a balanced, warm tone. The build quality is solid, especially for an affordable import model.

• Good Electronics: The guitar comes equipped with a built-in preamp and pickup system that provides good amplification and little noise. The EQ controls allow shaping the amplified tone. The tuner helps keep the guitar in tune. Overall, the electronics perform well for the price.

• Affordable Price: At around $120, the Pyle PAG99 delivers good bang for your buck. You get a decent acoustic-electric guitar with electronics for playing plugged in, well suited for beginners and casual players. The quality stands up well relative to the low price point.

Cons

There are a few areas where the Pyle PEAG99 could be improved:

• May need professional setup: As with many budget acoustic electric guitars, the PEAG99 may need some adjustments from a professional guitar tech or luthier to play its best. The action and intonation could require tweaking out of the box. Having a pro do a setup helps ensure optimal playability.

• Electronics could be improved: While the onboard preamp and pickup allow you to amplify the PEAG99, some users find the electronics to be just adequate. The tone may not be as full and dynamic as higher-end acoustic electrics. The preamp also lacks any EQ adjustment. Upgrading to an aftermarket pickup and preamp could take the sound quality up a notch.

Overall the PEAG99 provides solid value for a beginner focused acoustic electric, but like most budget models, it may benefit from some pro tweaking and upgrading over time. As an entry-level instrument, the playability and electronics are reasonable for the price. Just don't expect the tone of a premium guitar.

Conclusion

The Pyle PEAG99 is a good value acoustic-electric guitar for beginners and intermediates looking to upgrade from their first guitar. It has a classic dreadnought body shape that produces a balanced tone, and the spruce top and mahogany back and sides provide warmth and resonance.

The hardware is decent quality for the price - sealed chrome diecast tuners help keep the guitar in tune, and the rosewood bridge and fretboard enable smooth playability. The built-in EQ and preamp boosts the guitar's acoustic projection when plugged in.

While it may not stand up to premium models, the Pyle PEAG99 delivers impressive sound and playability considering its affordable price point. The cutaway body style also provides easier access to upper frets. Overall, this is a great starter acoustic-electric that will support a budding guitarist's development for many years.