Donner DST-200 EC1380 Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Donner DST-200 is an affordable entry-level electric guitar aimed at beginners or those looking for a backup instrument. Manufactured in China, it features a basswood body with a maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. The guitar has a classic double cutaway shape with a glossy black, white, or sunburst finish. Hardware includes two humbucker pickups, individual volume and tone controls, a 3-way pickup selector switch, and chrome tuners. Overall, the Donner DST-200 offers an attractive, playable guitar with decent sound quality considering the low price point. It's a good choice for new guitarists not looking to spend a lot or those who want a spare electric guitar for practice sessions without breaking the bank. While it lacks the fit, finish, electronics and tone of more expensive models, the Donner DST-200 provides good value as a budget-friendly electric guitar.

Appearance

The Donner DST-200 electric guitar has an attractive and sleek design perfect for the beginning guitarist. The body shape is a double cutaway that provides easy access to the higher frets, allowing for versatility when soloing. It comes in three eye-catching finishes - a glossy black, vibrant blue, and bold red.

The black finish has a smooth, polished look with chrome hardware that pairs nicely together. The blue and red finishes offer a bright pop of color to stand out on stage. The paint and finishing are well done with no blemishes.

The contoured edges and beveled cutaways are comfortable while playing either seated or with a strap. The guitar is made from basswood which helps keep it lightweight, an important factor for new players. Weighing under 8 pounds, it won't quickly lead to fatigue during practice sessions.

At 41 inches in length, the Donner DST-200 has a standard scale you'd expect in a beginner or intermediate guitar. Overall the shape, size, and finish give it an attractive look and feel suitable for any genre from rock to blues to pop.

Another great beginner electric guitar option to consider is the Mad About MA-CG02. This model features a classic double cutaway body style similar to the Donner DST-200. It comes in three vibrant color finishes as well - black, blue, and red. The MA-CG02 has a basswood body with a maple neck for great tone and sustain.

The hardware on the MA-CG02 is high quality including die-cast tuners and a tremolo bridge. It has two humbucker pickups that can deliver everything from crisp cleans to high gain distortion. The cutaway provides access to the upper frets for leads and solos. Comfort was kept in mind with the contoured body and neck shape.

This guitar weighs just over 7 pounds, making it easy to play for long periods without strain or fatigue. The scale length is a familiar 25.5 inches. Overall the MA-CG02 has an eye-catching look with versatile electronics to handle different musical genres. It's an excellent beginner guitar for the money.

When comparing the Donner DST-200 and the Mad About MA-CG02, you get many similar features. Both have a double cutaway shape with multiple color options. They are similar in weight and scale length as well. The hardware, pickups, and electronics give the MA-CG02 a bit more tonal variety.

Ultimately they are both great starter electric guitars. The Donner DST-200 provides a quality instrument at an very affordable price point. For a few extra dollars, the MA-CG02 adds some upgraded components. Either model would make an excellent first guitar for a beginner looking to learn on an electric.

Playability

The Donner DST-200 electric guitar features a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. The neck has a C profile that provides a comfortable in-hand feel. The fretwork is nicely done, with smooth and leveled frets that don't cause issues with catching or buzzing.

The guitar comes set up with a good action out of the box. The strings are positioned moderately close to the fretboard, making it easy to press down notes without excessive force. This allows for clean fretting and fast riffing up and down the neck. However, the action could be lowered slightly more for players who like very low and fast playing.

Overall, the Donner provides very nice playability right out of the box. The neck is comfortable to hold and allows for easy fretting. While the default setup may require slight tweaks for some players' preferences, the guitar is very playable for most styles. The quality fretwork and neck construction give the beginner plenty of room to progress their playing skill.

When looking at playability, it's also important to consider the guitar's tuning stability. The Donner uses sealed die-cast tuners that do a decent job at holding the strings in tune. However, upgrading to higher quality tuners could improve tuning stability, especially for aggressive playing styles. This would further enhance the guitar's playability.

The Donner DST-200's playability makes it a great choice for beginners learning to play electric guitar. The comfortable neck, quality fretwork, and decent factory setup allow a new player to learn without fighting the instrument. As skills progress, a basic setup and potential tuner upgrade are all that's needed to keep enjoying this guitar for years to come.

For another quality beginner electric guitar option, check out the Hohner Accordions LG75. The Hohner features a basswood body, maple neck, and rosewood fingerboard for great tone and playability. It also comes with two humbucker pickups for versatility. The Hohner Accordions LG75 is an excellent electric guitar choice for new players looking for classic rock and metal tones.

Hardware

The Donner DST-200 electric guitar features solid hardware that performs well for a beginner's instrument in this price range.

Bridge

The guitar has a basic tremolo bridge that is stable and allows for some vibrato effects by rocking the tremolo arm. While not as sturdy or smooth as higher-end tremolo bridges, it works sufficiently for a beginner learning to use a whammy bar.

Tuners

The tuners are basic enclosed die-cast tuners. They hold tuning adequately once the strings are properly stretched and the guitar is set up. Like any guitar, regular tuning maintenance will be required.

Pickups

There are two single coil pickups which provide a classic bright, twangy tone. The five-way pickup selector switch allows for combinations of both pickups as well as each one individually. Overall the pickups deliver a versatile array of tones.

Electronics

The volume and tone knobs are serviceable, allowing basic control over the output and tone shaping. There is a basic 3-way pickup selector switch. While the electronics are fairly basic, they offer enough variety for a beginner guitar in this very affordable price tier.

Sound

The Donner DST-200 produces a surprisingly full-sounding tone, especially considering its budget-friendly price point. The dual humbucking pickups provide a thick, warm sound when played clean that's great for rhythm playing. When driven with distortion or overdrive, they deliver a smooth, singing lead tone.

The pickups are Donner's own brand, but they seem to be decent quality. The bridge pickup has plenty of bite for rock and metal riffs, while the neck pickup has a rounded, mellow flavor for jazz and blues. They capture the natural acoustic resonance of the guitar well.

Plugged into a decent practice amp or interface, the Donner DST-200 has impressive sound quality for an affordable electric guitar. It has enough crispness and clarity to give you an accurate representation of your playing technique and allow subtle dynamics to come through. The construction minimizes excess string noise and buzz.

Some guitarists might want to eventually upgrade the pickups to get more character and nuance. But the stock pickups are very capable, especially for a beginner learning to dial in their tone. Overall the Donner DST-200 sounds fantastic considering its low price.

Versatility

The Donner DST-200 electric guitar offers players a good amount of versatility thanks to its dual humbucker pickups and 5-way pickup selector switch. This configuration allows guitarists to get tones suitable for many musical genres, from crisp clean tones to higher gain rock and metal sounds.

The two humbucker pickups provide a thicker, warmer sound compared to single coil pickups. Players can use the neck pickup for a smooth, round tone perfect for blues and jazz. The bridge humbucker delivers a brighter, more biting sound that works very well for hard rock, punk, and metal.

Having separate volume controls for each pickup also increases the tonal options. Guitarists can blend the neck and bridge pickups together in varying degrees. This allows crafting unique in-between tones.

The 5-way pickup selector switch enables accessing three pickup combinations - neck only, neck and bridge, bridge only. This makes it easy to go from mellow neck tones to aggressive bridge sounds with just a flick of the switch.

Overall, the versatile pickup configuration and switching system allow Donner DST-200 players to easily adapt their tone for anything from country, blues, classic rock, hard rock, punk, metal, and more. It's a guitar built to handle many musical genres.

Quality

The Donner DST-200 electric guitar is well-constructed using quality materials for a very reasonable price point. The body is made of basswood, which is known for being a lightweight, resonant wood that produces a warm, balanced tone. It has a maple neck and rosewood fingerboard which are typical woods used for electric guitar necks and feel smooth and comfortable.

The hardware on the Donner DST-200 seems durable, with chrome covered tuning pegs, a Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece. The pickups and electronics also appear to be decent quality. While it may not have the premium appointments of more expensive guitars, the DST-200 doesn't feel like a flimsy beginner instrument either.

For an affordable electric guitar aimed at students and beginners, the Donner DST-200 is very solid in terms of its construction and materials used. While it may not stand up to years of heavy use and abuse like a professional instrument, this guitar should hold its own for a new player and withstand the learning process well. Considering the low price point, the quality is impressive and beginners shouldn't have to worry about it falling apart on them any time soon.

Value

The Donner DST-200 electric guitar provides excellent value for the price. As an entry-level model aimed at beginners, it is very affordably priced at around $100. This makes it a great option for those looking to buy their first electric guitar without breaking the bank.

Despite the low price point, the Donner DST-200 does not feel or play like a cheap beginner's guitar. The hardware and electronics are decent quality, it stays in tune well, and the playability exceeds expectations. You're getting a real playable electric guitar, not just a toy.

For new guitarists on a budget, the Donner DST-200 hits a sweet spot between price and quality. While more expensive guitars do offer better components, sound, and craftsmanship, this Donner model provides completely satisfactory performance for the cost. Most budget-conscious beginners will be very happy with what they get for the money.

So if you're an aspiring guitarist with limited funds, the Donner DST-200 is easy to recommend. It gives you an affordable way to start learning on electric guitar without making huge sacrifices on quality and playability. Overall, it represents a fantastic value purchase for novices.

Pros

• The Donner DST-200 electric guitar has an elegant and attractive appearance with a stylish black gloss finish. It looks professional and more expensive than its price tag suggests.

• The neck is smooth and comfortable, with a C-shaped profile that allows for easy playability. The strings have a nice low action which makes chords and lead playing very comfortable right out of the box.

• The hardware includes sealed tuning machines that hold tune nicely. The tremolo bridge also feels solid and durable for a guitar at this price point.

• This guitar produces good clear tones thanks to its dual humbucker pickups. The pickups are hot enough to provide distortion and overdrive when paired with an amp. Clean tones are articulate.

• The Donner DST-200 offers versatility for rock, blues, jazz, metal and other styles. Beginners will appreciate the tonal options.

• Considering the budget-friendly price, the quality and components are impressive. The fit and finish exceed expectations for an affordable guitar.

Cons

The Donner DST-200 electric guitar does have some downsides to consider.

• The pickups are relatively basic and may not provide the highest quality tone, especially when compared to more expensive guitars. They can sound somewhat thin or weak at times. Upgrading the pickups could help improve the overall sound.

• Some users report issues with staying in tune, so the guitar may require more frequent tuning adjustments. This can be disruptive during practice or live performance. The tuners themselves are also lower quality.

• The overall construction uses cheaper materials like basswood for the body and bolt-on maple for the neck. While functional, these materials are less resonant than solid wood and can impact the sound and sustain.

• The tremolo bridge is very basic and not as sturdy or smooth as higher-end tremolo systems on more expensive guitars. Using the whammy bar can easily knock it out of tune.

• The hardware including the bridge, tuners, and electronics are generic and affordable but also not extremely durable. With heavy use they may need to be replaced sooner than hardware on pricier guitars.

• There are limited color and finish options available. Customization potential is low compared to other guitars in this price range.

• While suitable for beginners, it may lack some features, quality, and versatility needed by intermediate or professional players. Most guitarists would eventually want to upgrade to a more advanced instrument.

• The guitar is very affordable but you ultimately get what you pay for. For just a little more money, there may be better quality options available.