Gretsch Jim Dandy Parlor Acoustic Guitar - Frontier Stain

I was going to try and wait a week or two before writing a review for this, but I just couldn’t help myself. One other thing I’ll add before I start is unlike other reviewers, I haven’t had all the best brand Guitars. I’ve had electric and acoustic guitars, Bass guitars, and Ukuleles of various sizes - all at the $250 or less range. So with that…I love this instrument. This is the closest thing I’ve ever had to a “deluxe guitar”. I’ve purchased boxes in this range before and thought “yeah, okay, this’ll do.” This is the first time I’ve thought “okay this is what I’m talking about!”First off, this box keeps in tune. Not only thought but the tuning pegs are tight and seem to snap into tune pretty easily. I walk around the house and sit it up against all kinds of surfaces and don’t have to worry about knocking it out of tune.Next and just as important, it seems this guitar has raised frets and low action. I saw a few reviews and YouTube comments that made me think this was going to be hard to play and have high action, but this is perfect! I’m not worried about going to get a setup any time soon.The neck shape does seem to make fretting easier as well. This box was built with a lot of thought and a lot of love. I most recently played baritone ukulele, and even at 6’0 with relatively big hands, a dreadnought style guitar is too cumbersome for me. This thing could be great for a smaller person or kid, but it’s also very comfortable for me.Lastly but not least, the sound! I will say that when played with a pick or my nails it doesn’t produce a bad sound, but I wouldn’t say that’s the guitars strong suit. It’s kind of high and thin. BUT if you either strum this with your thumb and fingers or (even better) finger style pluck, this thing sounds gorgeous. It’s warm and resonant with lots of emotion. I’ve tried hammer ons, pull offs. Slides, bends, slides into bends, it all sounds clean, full, and resonant. I’m a beginner player, but I can see how I’m really going to be expressing myself with this box soon.If I had to gripe about anything at all, the bridge is just a little rough and grainy. Like not enough to give me a splinter, but not totally smooth. The rest of the body and guitar feels so nice and high quality to me.So yeah besides maybe not being the best guitar for pick-exclusive playing, and it might not have any electronics or bells and whistles, I feel like a wizard who found his wand with this guitar. Happy playing y’all!Ps, the little treats added in the box were a cute touch. 🙂

What a cool little guitar! Super fun to play and feels like a quality made guitar. To me, parlor guitars are supposed to kind of sound thin and tinny but this one is actually one of the warmer sounding parlors I’ve played. It’s become the guitar I reach for most out of any of my guitars and it was the cheapest one!

I love this guitar. It’s a great size and sounds really good. I’m 5’6” and it makes it easier to hold and play. It also stays in tune. The quality and looks add to the great experience as well.

I love this little Jim Dandy Parlor. It sounds great, plays well and is just plain fun. It's not flashy, but it is very well made with a nice straight neck, Medium to low string height/action, with good tuners, and level, well-dressed frets. It stays in tune and is easy to pack around with the smaller size. It's a keeper.

Sounds great. Junior sized for smaller people!

This is by far one of my favorite guitars to play. I have a Gibson g-writer and a Martin. Of course these sound beautiful , but the Jim dandy sounds differently superb and cheap!! It’s a good practice and playing guitar. It’s easy on the fingers with perfect intonation, perfectly set up versatile and a good sound. Love it!!

The day I received it the 1st thing I noticed was actual footprints on the box! Uh Oh, this ain't going to be good , but to my surprise the factory box inside of the outer box made things right, perfect, not a flaw on it! The little fella was gonna be OK. So, I installed a bone bridge and bone string pegs along with a set of extra light D'Addario strings 9-45's. Sanded 1 mm off the bridge bone to lower the action and tuned him up. Sounds great down here in the mancave where he'll be residing... I think I'll move up to 10's next time on the strings and knock another mm off the bridge. The neck is straight and the frets are good. For the money this is one sweet little unit! No regurts!

I sent this back because the bee slot on the nut was way off. This is a layered wood guitar so it has no presence or sustain. If this was for a young person getting into Guitar there are simply better guitars out there if it’s for someone who simply wants to have a guitar hanging around the house to pick up, again, there are better guitars out there. Terribly disappointed.