So, you finally decided to get into the wonderful world of electric guitars! Whether you’re already familiar with acoustic guitars or are jumping directly into the electrics, it’s always an exciting experience when you go out looking for your new axe. But things might get just a little tricky, and that’s where Jay Turser JT-30 steps in.
You’re a beginner, meaning you need a suitable and reliable instrument without spending all of your savings. While it’s not impossible to find a decent or even a great electric guitar on a budget, you still need to be careful not to waste your designated funds on an instrument that sounds bad, can’t keep in tune, and that’s not built very well.
Speaking of beginner electric guitars, and an abundance that’s available today, there’s one that stood out to us. In fact, we believe that this particular 6-string delivers quite a punch for its price range. The axe in question is made by Jay Turser Guitar, the JT-30. The insturment has a smaller size, crafted for beginners or anyone who feels more comfortable with shorter scale length guitars. Either way, in this guide, we’ll be taking a closer look and explaining why we think Jay Turser’s JT-30 is the perfect choice for beginners.
Jay Turser JT-30 Features
First off, we are looking at a standard Stratocaster-shaped electric guitar. It is basically a copy of the legendary Fender guitar. The body is alder, the neck is maple, just like ones you can find on most of the Stratocasters. However, it also features a rosewood fingerboard. This is a usual trait of cheaper Stratocaster copies, while the original Fenders usually have maple neck without an additional wood for the fingerboard. The headstock also features the classic 6-in-line tuner formation.
Then we have three typical single-coil pickups, just like on most of the Strat-styled guitars out there. The configuration also comes with the 5-way pickup switch that lets you select five different pickup combinations. So you have the bridge, bridge and middle pickup, only middle pickup, middle and neck, and the neck pickup. All three are the standard stock pickups made by Jay Turser Guitars.
Up next, there’s one main volume pot and two tone knobs, which are basically high-end tone roll-offs. All these features along with the pots give you some solid versatility in tone making.
Then we have the bridge that’s in the style of standard tremolo bridge you find on Strats. On the backside of the guitar, we have the plastic lid covering three springs that hold the tremolo bridge tight.
And, the final feature that’s really important for this guide – the guitar is 3/4 of the standard size. This means that the scale length – the length from the nut to the bridge – is only 22.5 inches, compared to the standard 25.5 inches for Stratocasters.
Design
The design also replicates the classic Fender Strats, although it’s pretty clear that this is just a cheaper version. However, this doesn’t mean that the design isn’t good. In fact, in this price range, it’s more than enough. First off, we have a gloss finish on the body, and the guitars come with a few different paint jobs. The neck is also in the glossy finish all the way through.
As we mentioned, the headstock is in the 6-in-line formation that’s typical of Fender-style guitars. However, the design of it is clearly different, having more of a smoother shape and the Jay Turser logo on it. The inlay dots on the fretboard are pretty visible and well-done, which is of huge importance for beginner electric guitar players to navigate on the neck.
Overall, design-wise, this is a fairly good replica of a Stratocaster, especially for this price range.
Jay Turser JT-30 Performance
It is important to note that the 3/4 size and the significantly shorter scale length are a pretty neat feature for all beginners, especially the younger players who just got into the world of guitar. It allows more comfort on the neck, as well as easier access to higher frets and more comfortable positioning of the picking hand.
Then we come to the heart of the tone, the three stock single-coil pickups. They offer a pretty bright tone, but with volume and tone pots, you’ll be able to smooth off the edges and bring some more mellow guitar sounds. It’s a great way for a beginner to mess around and find out more about how pots work. On the other hand, the tone is heavier on the higher end, which is typical of such pickups.
The tremolo bar might be a bit too hard at some points. However, you can fix this issue by removing one of the springs in the back. This is also standard practice for most of the guitars with similar setups.
Look, it’s no Fender Strat, but this guitar can definitely deliver quite a punch, both with its tone and its performance.
Conclusion
With all this being said, the JT-30 is quite a feast for any guitar player who’s starting out. Over time, with this guitar being 3/4 the size of a standard one, it might even be a good option for a practice instrument. It stays in tune, it plays well, it sounds well – what more could you ask? For this price range, you’ll barely find anything that matches it. Not to diss on other brands and models, but it definitely has what it takes (and more) for every beginner out there.
