Encore Review: KC3 Strat

History:

Purchase: I bought this for £180 from Argos UK as a beginner guitar in December 2002. It came in a package with a case, strap, guitar training video and a pick.

What I Like About This Encore KC3 Strat: It's very light and I like the paint finish. Also, the chrome hardware is a nice touch.

What I Do NOT Like About The Encore KC3 Strat: The sound is nothing special, the pick-ups are of low quality and it goes out of tune very easily - I have to tune it every time I play it!

Encore KC3 Strat Quality Rating: The paint is good but chips very easily, as with the woodwork; but the machine heads and chrome hardware are of very high quality. The bolt-on neck needed straightening after a year and the action was too high when I acquired the guitar - this also needed taking down. All in all, for such a light and portable guitar, it is very versatile and robust.

Review Summary: Although this guitar is cheap and often referred to as the usual beginner's guitar, I would not recommend buying it at any costs. I found that although I thought it was good value for a guitar at first, as soon as I developed a taste in playing, I realised how badly made a guitar it really is. My friend bought a Squire by Fender Strat for a similar price, and it plays much, much better.

Rating of this Encore product: 3

This Encore KC3 Strat Electric Guitars Review Submitted By: Eddie

Review Date: 2004-03-30