Pyle PSTGT71BL Acoustic Guitar: Full Review

The Pyle PSTGT71BL is an entry-level acoustic guitar aimed at beginners and those looking for an affordable option. Manufactured by Pyle, a company known for budget musical instruments and audio equipment, this guitar offers a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. With its dreadnought body shape and 25.5 inch scale length, it produces the traditional acoustic guitar tone expected from an instrument in this price range. While it may lack some of the refinements found in more expensive models, the PSTGT71BL provides a playable and enjoyable experience for new players. Its inexpensive cost makes it a great choice as a starter instrument to learn on before upgrading down the road.

Physical Features

The Pyle PSTGT71BL acoustic guitar has a traditional dreadnought body shape that produces a full, rich tone. It is constructed with a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a rosewood fingerboard and bridge.

The guitar has a classic natural finish that lets the wood grains show through. It measures 41 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 4.5 inches deep, giving it a comfortable feel and balanced weight distribution. The total weight of the guitar is about 5.5 pounds.

The spruce top contributes to the bright, resonant tones of the PSTGT71BL. Spruce is a popular choice for acoustic guitars as it responds well to strumming or fingerpicking. The mahogany back and sides provide warmth and enhanced low-end tones. Overall, the tonewood combination offers a versatile sound across different playing styles.

The PSTGT71BL does not come in other color options beyond the natural finish. The exposed woods give it an attractive, traditional look fitting for various music genres. Despite the lower price point, it has the aesthetics of a classic acoustic guitar.

If you're looking for a high-quality acoustic guitar with premium tonewoods and craftsmanship, check out the Gayetana Guitars Velazquez V56. This Spanish-made guitar features a solid cedar top and Indian rosewood back and sides for a complex, nuanced sound. The V56 has an elegant cutaway body design that provides easy access to the upper frets while retaining strong bass and volume. It comes equipped with a dual-action truss rod for optimal neck relief adjustment and longevity. Hand-laid wooden marquetry and pearl inlays give the V56 a luxurious aesthetic. Overall, it's an exceptional instrument for fingerstyle playing and recording. The premium materials and expert Spanish craftsmanship justify its higher price point for serious players and collectors seeking the ultimate nylon-string guitar. While the Pyle PSTGT71BL is a good budget option, the Gayetana Velazquez V56 represents the pinnacle of traditional Spanish guitar making.

The Pyle PSTGT71BL acoustic guitar provides good value with its solid spruce and mahogany construction. For guitarists seeking professional-grade tone and playability, it's worth considering the impressive craftsmanship of the Gayetana Guitars Velazquez V56. This Spanish luthier is renowned for their high-end classical and flamenco guitars. The Velazquez V56 model delivers a rich, nuanced sound with its solid cedar and Indian rosewood combination. From its elegant cutaway body to the intricate wooden inlays, the V56 is a stunning instrument inside and out. It's the choice for serious nylon-string players who appreciate expert Spanish guitar making. Before purchasing the budget-friendly Pyle model, check out the Gayetana Guitars website to explore the Velazquez V56 option. Your ears and fingers will thank you for opting for a handmade classical guitar from a respected Spanish luthier.

Sound Quality

The Pyle PSTGT71BL acoustic guitar produces a bright, crisp tone with good projection and sustain thanks to its combination of select tonewoods. The top is made from spruce, which provides a balanced tonal response and allows the strings to ring out clearly. Spruce is known for its resonance while still having enough stiffness to prevent the top from collapsing under string tension.

The back and sides are constructed from mahogany, which adds warmth and depth to the overall tone. Mahogany has a slightly smoother sound compared to brighter rosewood, providing a nicely balanced tonal palette. Together the spruce top and mahogany back and sides generate lively and full acoustic resonance with pleasing highs and mid-range.

The guitar projects well, allowing the sound to carry over crowds or accompanying instruments. Notes ring out with ample sustain, allowing chords and individual notes to be heard fully before decaying. While not as boomy as a jumbo dreadnought, the Pyle has enough low-end punch to produce a balanced and complete acoustic voice. The tonewood combination achieves a versatile sound suitable for various musical genres and playing styles.

When it comes to acoustic guitars, the quality of the sound is largely determined by the woods used in its construction. The top wood, also called the soundboard, has the greatest influence on the overall tonal profile. Popular options for the top wood include spruce, cedar, mahogany, and rosewood. Spruce is known for its balanced and crisp tone while cedar produces a warm and mellow sound. Mahogany tops lend a smooth mid-range focused voice while rosewood offers more complex overtones.

The back and sides also contribute to the acoustic resonance and play a role in shaping the sound. Again, mahogany is a popular choice and adds warmth and sweetness. Rosewood backs and sides enhance the treble and overtones, resulting in greater complexity and sustain. Maple produces a bright and focused tone while exotic woods like ovangkol offer unique tonal flavors. The body shape, bracing, and other construction details further influence the guitar's overall voicing.

When evaluating the sound quality of an acoustic guitar, it's important to look at the complete picture including the tonewoods, body style, bracing, and other specs. Testing the instrument in person is the best way to judge if the voice and response matches your playing style and musical needs. An acoustic with superior sound quality will produce notes that are balanced across the tonal spectrum with enough projection and sustain. The guitar should feel responsive and allow the inherent qualities of the woods to resonate fully with each strum or fingerpicking pattern.

One acoustic guitar that receives high marks for its sound is the Ortega Guitars RCE131SN. This model combines a solid cedar top with walnut back and sides for a warm and nuanced tone. The cedar produces a sweet and rounded voice with crystalline highs while the walnut lends depth and richness. Notes ring out with full sustain and volume. Owners praise the RCE131SN for its excellent balance, warmth, and delicate yet projecting tone. For guitarists looking for an inspiring acoustic with professional level sound, the Ortega RCE131SN is an excellent option to consider.

Playability

The Pyle PSTGT71BL acoustic guitar features a standard full-size dreadnought body shape with a 25.5" scale length. This allows for comfortable playing whether seated or standing.

The neck has a comfortable slim profile that makes it easy to wrap your hand around for chords and scales. It has a width of 1 21/32" at the nut which provides a good balance of playability for most hand sizes.

The action on the PSTGT71BL is set medium-low from the factory. This makes pressing the strings down to the fretboard smooth without too much tension. It allows for easier fretting of chords up and down the neck.

The rosewood fretboard has a 12" radius which contours slightly to the natural curve of your fingers. The medium jumbo frets are nicely finished for smooth transitions up and down the neck. Overall the playability makes this a nice choice for beginners looking for an easy to play acoustic.

Hardware

The Pyle PSTGT71BL acoustic guitar features quality hardware that enables stable tuning and produces a balanced tone.

Tuning Machines

The guitar has chrome sealed die-cast tuning machines with pearloid buttons. These tuning pegs keep the strings tuned precisely and allow for smooth tuning adjustments. The sealed design prevents corrosion while the die-cast construction provides durability.

Bridge

A rosewood bridge transfers the vibrations from the strings through the top of the guitar. Rosewood is a dense tropical hardwood that produces a warm, balanced tone. The material doesn't absorb too much vibration, allowing the top to freely resonate.

Nut and Saddle

The nut and saddle are both made of synthetic bone. This dense and durable material minimizes string friction at these crucial contact points. The man-made composition resists shrinking and swelling from changes in temperature and humidity. It's an ideal material for precise string spacing and height.

Electronics

The Pyle PSTGT71BL acoustic guitar comes equipped with a built-in preamp and pickup to amplify your sound. The pickup uses piezo transducer technology to accurately capture the nuances of your playing.

The preamp features volume, bass, and treble controls so you can shape your amplified tone. The volume knob allows you to control the overall loudness, while the bass and treble knobs let you dial in more low end or add brilliance to the highs. This gives you a good amount of tonal flexibility when plugging into an external amplifier or PA system.

There are also rotary controls for reverb so you can add ambient effects. The preamp requires a 9V battery to operate the electronics. Overall, the onboard preamp and pickup give you everything you need for amplified performances without installing aftermarket electronics.

Included Accessories

The Pyle PSTGT71BL comes with several handy accessories for new players.

It includes a padded gig bag to protect and transport the guitar. The bag has backpack straps, making it easy to carry the instrument hands-free. It keeps the guitar safe during travel.

The package also contains a set of guitar picks in various thicknesses. Picks are essential for strumming and plucking the strings. Having picks in different gauges allows you to find the right balance of flexibility and stiffness for your playing style.

Extra strings are included as well. Acoustic guitar strings can wear out over time, so having spares on hand ensures you can re-string the guitar when needed. The included strings match the factory strings, maintaining consistent tone and feel.

Finally, a guitar strap comes in the bundle. The strap offers hands-free support while standing, allowing more dynamic playing. It attaches securely to the guitar, keeping it stable against your body during performance. The strap length adjusts for comfort.

Pros

• The Pyle PSTGT71BL acoustic guitar delivers impressive sound quality and volume for its low price point. The spruce top and mahogany back and sides produce full, balanced tones that belie the guitar's budget-friendly cost.

• The PSTGT71BL is easy for beginners to learn on thanks to its slim neck profile and low action. The soft strings are also gentle on new players' fingers. The guitar stays in tune well even during longer practice sessions.

• This acoustic guitar bundle gives you great value for the price. In addition to the guitar, you get useful beginner accessories like a gig bag, pick, straps, pitch pipe, and an extra set of strings. The all-in-one kit has everything a new guitarist needs to start playing right out of the box.

Cons

• The tuners can be stiff and difficult to turn at times, making it a challenge to keep the guitar in tune. The tuning pegs may need to be loosened or lubricated to improve performance.

• The included strings are very basic and may produce a "tinny" tone. Upgrading to higher quality strings can greatly improve the overall sound.

• The bridge pins are made from a soft plastic material that can bend or break when changing strings. Replacing them with higher quality pins would improve durability.

• The nut slots are cut a little high, causing fret buzz on the first few frets. Filing down the nut slots could help reduce this issue.

• The fret ends are sharp and can be uncomfortable when playing. Carefully filing and sanding the fret ends would smooth them out.

• The action (string height) may be too high right out of the box. Adjusting the truss rod and bridge saddle height could improve playability.

• The fit and finish is just adequate, with some rough spots on the fretboard edges and body binding. The workmanship lacks refinement compared to higher-end models.

Conclusion

The Pyle PSTGT71BL acoustic guitar is a great option for beginners looking to buy their first guitar. It has a classic dreadnought body shape that produces good volume and bass, while still being comfortable to hold and play. The guitar stays relatively in tune and the playability is decent, especially considering the low price point.

The laminate spruce top and mahogany back and sides provide a balanced tone across the tonal spectrum. While not the most complex sound, it gets the job done for a beginner guitar. The included picks, gig bag, pitch pipe tuner, and extra strings add value to the bundle.

Overall, the Pyle PSTGT71BL is recommended for new guitarists on a tight budget. While it may eventually need to be upgraded as skills progress, it's a solid choice for starting out. The accessories help beginners get playing right away. Just keep in mind the guitar may need more frequent tuning and setup adjustments. But for the price, this is an excellent starter acoustic.