Monoprice 610370 Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Monoprice 610370 is an affordable solid body electric guitar sold exclusively by Monoprice. Monoprice is an American company known primarily for discount electronics and accessories, but has branched out into musical instruments in recent years.

The 610370 is part of Monoprice's California Series line of electric guitars. These guitars are designed in California and aim to provide great quality and features at an accessible price point.

The 610370 is an ambidextrous model with a double cutaway solid alder body. It has a maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, and two Monoprice humbucking pickups. This guitar is intended to provide versatile tones across genres like rock, blues, jazz, and metal.

Body & Neck

The Monoprice 610370 Solid Body Electric Guitar features a solid alder body with a sleek stratocaster shape. This gives it a balanced and resonant tone, with good articulation across the frequency range. The alder wood provides a nice blend of warmth and clarity, making it versatile for various music genres.

The guitar has a bolt-on maple neck with a modern C profile. This makes the neck very comfortable and playable. The maple fingerboard has 22 frets and a 25.5 inch scale length, which is standard for most electric guitars. The neck joint allows good upper fret access. Maple is a common choice for electric guitar necks because of its brightness and snap.

Overall the body and neck design of the 610370 provides a solid platform for the pickups and hardware to optimize the guitar's tone and playability. The alder body resonates nicely and the maple neck has a fast, smooth feel. These tonewoods pair nicely together to deliver a balanced and responsive instrument.

Fender is another major brand known for making quality electric guitars. The Fender 0373252580 is a Telecaster model guitar featuring an alder body and maple neck. Like the Monoprice 610370, it uses traditional Fender tonewoods to produce versatile electric guitar tones. The Telecaster body shape gives it a bright, cutting voice perfect for country, blues, and rock music. Combining the alder body with the maple neck results in an electric guitar with nice sustain and definition. Fender guitars like the 0373252580 offer great playability as well, with comfortable neck profiles and smooth fretwork. Ultimately Fender and Monoprice both make high quality solid body electric guitars using classic tonewood combinations.

Playability

The Monoprice Stratocaster features a comfortable C-shaped maple neck and a fingerboard made of rosewood. The neck has a modern slim taper that allows for easy playability throughout the fretboard, making it a great choice for beginners and intermediate players.

The action on this guitar is set fairly low right out of the box, so notes ring out clearly with little effort required to press the strings down. This makes it easy to play barre chords and fast lead lines without excessive finger pressure. The low action also lends itself well to playing complex chords up and down the neck.

Overall, the playability of the Monoprice is excellent thanks to its comfortable neck shape and smooth, low action. It's an inviting guitar for practice and performance across various genres. The smooth neck and low action allow for quick transitions up and down the fretboard, enabling you to play fast solos with clarity and precision. Even when playing rhythm, the comfortable neck shape and effortless fretting reduce hand fatigue over long practice or jam sessions.

While the Monoprice Stratocaster is designed for playability and comfort, other guitar models cater to different playing styles and genres. For example, the Cordoba CP100 GUCLCOR-03634 features a wider neck profile preferred for classical and fingerstyle playing. The slightly rounded fretboard edges allow for comfortable playability when performing on the higher frets. The action is also set slightly higher for cleaner note separation and to accommodate nylon strings. This results in a very playable classical guitar optimized for the technique and repertoire of that genre.

At the end of the day, playability comes down to finding the right guitar neck profile, body shape, string action, and fretboard specs to match your hand size, playing style and musical needs. While the Monoprice hits the mark for many players, it's worth exploring other models like the Cordoba to find your ideal balance of comfort, effortless fretting and musicality. Testing different guitars can reveal nuances in neck shapes, string action and fretboard edges that could elevate your playing. Don't underestimate the impact small ergonomic factors can have on your progression and enjoyment as a guitarist.

Hardware

The guitar features quality hardware that holds tune well and feels solid. The bridge is a vintage-style tremolo that provides good stability and decent flutter for effects. The die-cast tuners keep the guitar in tune through chord changes and string bending.

The pickups are Monoprice brand humbuckers with ceramic magnets. There are two volume controls, one for each pickup, and a master tone control. The pickups provide a nice warm, smooth sound when clean but can also distort nicely when the gain is cranked up. They are versatile pickups suitable for blues, rock, metal, and other genres.

The overall hardware components like the bridge, tuners, and electronics seem durable and reliable. While not the absolute highest end, the hardware is quite good for a guitar in this price range. Players report the guitar staying in tune and intonation holding up well.

Sound

The Monoprice California Classic electric guitar features dual humbucker pickups that provide a rich, warm tone perfect for rock and blues. The neck pickup has a smooth, round sound that's great for jazz and blues leads, while the bridge pickup packs a punchy midrange and biting treble for aggressive rock riffs.

There's also a 5-way pickup selector switch that allows you to tap into a wide range of tones. The 2nd and 4th positions activate both pickups in parallel and series wiring, adding thickness and output. This versatility means you can go from creamy jazz chords to snarling distortion at the flick of a switch.

Tone shaping further enhances the sonic possibilities. Individual volume and tone knobs for each pickup allow you to dial in your perfect sound. There's also a master tone control to fine-tune the highs. With this level of tonal control, the guitar can produce everything from sparkling cleans to heavy crunch.

The dual humbuckers and flexible switching provide an exceptional range of usable tones. Whether you want to play blues, rock, metal or jazz, this guitar has the pickups and controls to sculpt your desired sound. The tone options make it highly versatile for the studio or stage.

Features

The Monoprice 610370 electric guitar comes loaded with great features for an affordable instrument.

Controls

The guitar has master volume and tone knobs, allowing you to dial in your perfect sound. There is also a 3-way pickup selector switch to toggle between the bridge humbucker, both pickups, or the neck single coil pickup. This versatility allows you to access a wide range of tones.

Switch

The pickup selector switch is high quality and durable, providing reliable switching between the pickups. It has a positive feel when toggling between the settings.

Jacks

The guitar includes one 1/4" output jack and two 1/4" jacks for connecting effects. The jacks are securely mounted to the body and feel sturdy. There is also a 9V battery compartment if you want to power active pickups or other electronics.

Pros

The Monoprice 610370 electric guitar offers excellent value for the price. This guitar punches above its weight class in terms of playability and overall performance.

First and foremost, the 610370 delivers a very playable neck and comfortable feel that belies its budget-friendly price tag. The C-shaped neck profile is smooth and fast. The fretwork is well done with no sharp ends to snag on your fingers. The action is low and comfortable right out of the box. These playability factors make the 610370 a great choice for beginners and intermediate players looking for an affordable, enjoyable playing experience.

In addition to great playability, the 610370 offers versatile sound possibilities thanks to its dual humbucker pickups. The pickups provide a decent range of tones from crunchy rhythm to singing leads. While the pickups may not stack up against high-end aftermarket options, they perform admirably for stock pickups at this price point.

Overall, when considering its excellent playability, versatile sound, and budget-friendly price, the Monoprice 610370 punches well above its weight class. It's an ideal choice for new players or anyone looking for great value.

Cons

The Monoprice California Series Electric Guitar definitely comes with some cons that are typical for a budget guitar in this price range.

• The hardware on this guitar is not the highest quality. The tuners, bridge, pickups and other hardware components are cheaper versions of what you'd find on more expensive guitars. This can lead to tuning instability, premature wear, and a lower quality sound.

• Upgrading the hardware down the road can quickly make this an expensive guitar for what it is. The guitar may require some modifications and upgrades over time to keep it playing its best.

• The pickups are serviceable, but don't expect the world in terms of tonal options and clarity. They get the job done, but may leave more discerning players wishing for better pickups.

• The fit and finish is not flawless, so inspect closely for any issues with fretwork, nuts, and electronics before purchasing. There is more variability in budget import guitars.

• Since it's at the very low end of the price spectrum, this guitar may need a professional setup and inspection before it plays comfortably and intonates correctly. Factor in that additional cost.

• Resale value is low if you ever want to sell it and upgrade. Cheaper guitars depreciate quickly.

So while the Monoprice California Electric Guitar has a lot going for it as an affordable, playable instrument, the lower grade hardware does lead to some compromises in tone and tuning stability that more experienced players may wish to upgrade over time. It's best treated as a starter or project guitar.

Alternatives

When looking for an affordable, entry-level electric guitar like the Monoprice Stratocaster, there are a few comparable options worth considering:

• Squier Bullet Stratocaster - Fender's budget guitar brand Squier offers the Bullet Strat as a very affordable Strat-style model. It has a basswood body, maple neck, and Indian laurel fingerboard. The hardware and electronics are basic, but it provides that classic Strat tone and feel at a low price point.

• Epiphone Les Paul Special VE - For players looking for a Les Paul-style guitar, the Special VE from Epiphone is a great option. It has a poplar body, mahogany neck, and rosewood fingerboard. The 650R/700T open coil humbuckers give it a nice gritty tone.

• Ibanez GRX20 - With its double cutaway basswood body, maple neck, and basic hardware, the Ibanez GRX20 provides a comfortable, playable guitar for new players. It's capable of a range of tones from rock to blues to metal.

• Yamaha Pacifica 112J - Yamaha's Pacifica 112J combines an alder body and maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard for bright, balanced tone. The two single coil pickups and one humbucker offer tonal versatility. It's a great first electric guitar.

• Jackson JS11 Dinky - Jackson's JS11 Dinky gives metal and hard rock players an affordable guitar with a basswood body, maple neck, and Amaranth fretboard. The high-output Jackson humbuckers are geared towards heavy rock tones.

While not identical, these guitars can match the quality and playability of the Monoprice Stratocaster at a comparable price point. Trying them out can help players find the right fit for their budget and needs.

Conclusion

The Monoprice California Series Solid Body electric guitar offers a lot of value for the price point. It's a great option for beginner and intermediate guitarists looking for an affordable, playable electric guitar.

Who It's Good For

This guitar is ideal for new players just starting out as well as more advanced guitarists looking for an inexpensive electric guitar for practice or jam sessions. The classic double cutaway style, comfortable neck and quality hardware make it easy to play while still providing good tone.

Final Verdict

For the very reasonable price, the Monoprice California Series Solid Body electric guitar provides impressive quality and playability. While it may lack some of the premium appointments and electronics of more expensive models, it's a solid, reliable choice that gets all of the basics right. The guitar sounds good, plays well and gives beginners a great platform to learn on while allowing more advanced players a price-conscious option. Overall, it's one of the best electric guitar values currently available.