Maestro Protégé SA-1 CE - A great guitar for beginners

pyrokineticist

New member
Greetings fellow musicians. Ever fretted (pun intended) about which acoustic guitar to get? If you are thinking that question, you probably don't know much about the acoustic guitar industry. Fear not, I have one guitar that I really would recommend to everyone out there. It has been a year since I've owned the Maestro Protégé SA-1 CE Acoustic Guitar and I think it's time I do a review on it. Before I get into talking about this guitar, here is what you should know about it: I won't be listing down all its materials used since I can just post a link to its original website here: http://www.maestroguitars.com/protege-series/sa-1/

Okay, now for the personal experience. I held my first acoustic guitar at the age of 13. It was from the brand TGM. And because that particular guitar sucks, I dropped the idea of guitar totally (this is why a good acoustic guitar matters). At age 16, I decided to venture back into guitaring once again. Had an electric first before realizing I need an acoustic to keep up with rhythm practice. Second acoustic guitar I got was an Aria, a very low end one. Again it disappointed me due to its large size and uncomfortable neck. Every time I pick up that acoustic, all the inspiration in me went away. This is not how guitaring should be. After a few months, a classmate of mine introduced to me the Maestro Protégé series. He himself held an SA-1 CE and I got to play around with it whenever he brought it to school. My, what a great feel compared to my Aria at that time. Soon after, I decided to get rid of my Aria for the SA-1 instead. And it was a choice I never once looked back upon.

As an electric guitarist, the choice of an acoustic guitar wouldn't need to be high end stuff. I just need something entry-level but enough to withstand years of practice. The SA-1 CE is just right. Retailing at $249 at the Maestro Guitars shop at Peninsula, it is a very good guitar for its price. Yes, there are tons of guitars under $200, but if you want quality and durability, the extra $50 is worth it. Maestro, being a local brand, is definitely holding up against the top brands like Taylor and Gibson. A decade ago, no one knew much about Maestro, but ever since its build quality improved, it is gaining fame as we speak. Of course, 90% of the guitarists here just wanna talk about price. This led to Maestro producing the Protégé series, just like how Gibson manages Epiphone; Fender manages Squier.

There are 2 versions of the SA-1 guitar. One with a cutaway (SA-1 CE) and built in pickups, and one without (SA-1). It's about $50 difference in price, with the no-electronics SA-1 at about $200. A bit of advice here, if you have an amp at home, or you are planning to play live on stage someday, get the one with the electronics. It will spare you the pain of installing them when you need them. However, if you are just buying it for home practice and occasionally showing off to friends, get the one without the fancy electronics.

And finally, about the guitar itself. It comes with pretty lousy strings from the factory that rusted a week after I bought it. I then fitted it with Elixir strings (Elixir strings are some of the most premium quality strings for guitars) and it has been a full year those strings are still there. At the shop, when you buy the guitar, a low end gig bag is provided. Not too bad, just not enough if you plan on going beast mode. The guitar itself is pretty well set up from the factory. Plays nice and feels amazing because of its smooth neck. Again, as an electric guitarist playing electric guitars worth a few thousand bucks, this little SA-1 CE is really a life-saver. Personally, I have played a few Taylor guitars before, and I kid you not, this SA-1 CE could easily pass off as a low end Taylor if not for its headstock brand. If you are an electric guitarist like me and wants a decent acoustic, this is it. But if you are an acoustic guitarist and wants something more glittery, look further up the Maestro line, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Otherwise, if you are thinking of a good entry-level acoustic guitar that won't fail you in the long run, may I introduce to you the Maestro Protégé SA-1 guitar!

This guitar retails at Maestro Guitars, Peninsula Shopping Centre @ 5 Coleman Street #B1-30.
 
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