This is a product I plan to keep for years. As my first guitar that I worked hard to save up for and buy myself, it's very special to me and I intend to wear it well. =) I don't think I'll be looking for a new guitar for at least another 8 months. No, this one will never be replaced. I'll find stuff to make this already great guitar even better. ^^ I bought this product instead of others that I looked at mainly because of how it looked, and I could afford it at the time. I'm extremely satisfied with it. This makes an excellent first guitar for anyone, I believe. If it were lost or stolen, it would truly suck, and yes, I would replace it. What I like most about it is how easy it is to tune, and what I like least is how heavy it is.

Sound
Very easy to tune, and the sound emitted from this piece of equipment is as perfect as the guitar itself. It's very easy to play and comfortable to use in just about any position; standing, sitting, laying down flat on the ground, whatever! It's comfortable. The guitar suits my taste and style, because I like both gothic and rock music. Without the amp, the guitar is still pretty loud. How the guitar fits in with other instruments, I can't really say, because it all depends on what you use. However, I do think it's best suited to either a heavy rock style or a soft dark tune. And as we all should know, live music always sounds better than a recording! Other equipment I'm currently using with this product include… read more the amp that came with it, and the tuner. ^^ The picks, I don't like. They're too long and a bit flimsy. And I think headphones to fit the amp would be a nice addition. (I bought the red one! It's a bit darker than shown in the picture.)

Features
It comes with two packs of medium picks, a portable amp that isn't very heavy. It includes treble, bass, and volume nobs, and an overdrive button and nob to adjust just how much extra noise you want. ^^ Sounds pretty good if you know what you're playing lol. It also comes with an average-length cord and a pretty decent tuner, though I think you're better off buying your own. The tuner plays tones that help you tune the guitar, but it's not very helpful, actually...Long beeps and guitar sounds are very different things! And the picks are a bit long, so.. well of course get some that suit you. Lol. As for how I feel about the 'selection of components', well, I like 'em. ^^ Though I think it would've been nice if headphones with a big enough jack came with the package as well.

Quality
It's made extremely well. Unless you intentionally buy a used one, it's pretty much perfect. The only thing loose when you get it are the strings, but then, all guitars are like that, I believe...So all you have to do is tune it. =) And if a string breaks, don't worry too much, cuz the package includes an extra set of strings. And if it breaks, then, either you've got it too tight or you were really slammin' on the guitar. You dork. lol.

Value
I don't think it's really worth $400, because it could be better.

Manufacturer Support
I haven't had any problems whatsoever. The guitar came a little later than I expected, but that's probably because I live in Texas. It's far away... o.O But anyway, I haven't had to contact anyone for any reason about the guitar. ^^

The Wow Factor
This is a guitar shape you don't see very often, so of course I love it! And it's red and black, which makes it a bit hard to match your outfit to it (if you intend to perform/show off in an outfit, that is.) As for me, I feel pretty cool just holding it in my hands and showing it off, especially since it adds to my own natural attractiveness. lol. No joke there! I'm being honest. This guitar will definately attract attention.

Musical Background:
Active Musician in training

Musical Style:
Rock, goth-rock w/ a slight medieval sound, and partially influenced by my favorite Japanese rock band, Dir en grey! ^^ read less