My Honest Undertake the Apollo Guitar Series
I recently got my hands on an apollo guitar , and honestly, it completely changed how I think regarding budget-friendly gear. I actually wasn't expecting very much given the cost point, however the moment I pulled it out of the particular box and connected it in, I realized this wasn't just another cheap knockoff. It had the weight and a vibration that you generally only find whenever you're willing in order to drop a lot more cash.
If you've been hanging around songs shops or searching forums lately, you've probably seen these things popping up. These people have a certain vibe to them— a mixture of classic styles and modern adjustments that make them stand out from the sea of standard basic instruments. I've invested the last few weeks putting one particular through its paces, and I figured I'd share what it's actually prefer to live with one particular.
First Impacts and That "New Gear" Smell
Right off the particular bat, the complete on my apollo guitar has been surprisingly clean. Usually, with additional affordable brand names, you can find little finish flaws around the neck joint or some rough spots on the headstock. I looked carefully, and this one was pretty much spotless. The paint had a deep, glassy look in order to it that caught the light just right.
The neck of the guitar profile is what really got me, even though. It's got this particular comfortable C-shape that doesn't feel as if the baseball bat, but it's not too thin that your hand starts cramping right after twenty minutes of bar chords. This felt broken-in, that is a rare treat. Most guitars at this particular level feel the bit "stiff" till you've played all of them for a year, but this felt ready to proceed from 1.
How Does This Actually Sound?
Let's be real: looks only get you so far. In case a guitar noises like a tin can, it's going to end up seeing that wall art. I actually plugged the apollo guitar in to a small pipe amp first to see how the pickups handled some normal crunch.
The bridge pickup has a surprising amount of bite. It's not overly harsh, which is the common complaint along with cheaper single coils or humbuckers. Instead, it's got this particular mid-range growl that will works perfectly intended for classic rock or even even some heavier blues stuff. When I switched over in order to the neck pick up and rolled away from the tone the bit, I got those warm, creamy jazz tones that I usually connect with much even more expensive rigs.
Something I observed was how well it cleaned up. If you move back the quantity knob, the sign stays pretty very clear without getting dull. That's usually a sign how the electronics aren't bottom-of-the-barrel. Sure, you might desire to upgrade the particular pots eventually when you're a total equipment nerd, but for the majority of people playing in their bedroom or at a local jam, it's more than sufficient.
Build Quality: The particular Good and the particular "Okay"
I want to be as transparent as you can here. While I really like the apollo guitar , no instrument is ideal at this cost range. The hardware—the bridge and the tuners—is solid. It stays in tune amazingly well, even when I'm digging in plus doing some aggressive bends.
However, the fret edges could have used a small bit more love. They weren't "sharp" enough to reduce me or anything, however they weren't seeing that buttery smooth since a custom store build. A fast ten-minute pass with a worry file (or just playing it a lot) usually fixes that, but it's something to bear in mind.
The nut was cut properly, though. That's a huge deal because a poorly cut enthusiast is the amount one reason why cheap guitars won't remain in tune or have weird buzzing on the first fret. Apollo seems to possess their quality control on point within that department.
Why It's Perfect for Beginners
When you're just starting out, the apollo guitar will be a fantastic selection because it doesn't fight you. I remember my first guitar—the strings were therefore high off the fretboard I seemed I was fighting a HIIT workout in order to play a G-major chord. This guitar came set upward using a nice, low action that makes learning much less unpleasant.
It's also inspiring to check out. I actually know that sounds somewhat silly, but in case you love how your instrument looks, you're going to pick it up more often. The classic aesthetics from the Apollo line allow you to want in order to play, and that's half the fight when you're very first starting out.
Why Pros May want One Too
You might believe a pro wouldn't look twice in a brand like this, but you'd become surprised. A great deal of gigging music artists prefer taking a good apollo guitar to a dive bar gig rather than their $3, 000 vintage piece. Why? Since it is 90% as good, plus if someone knocks it over or even spills a consume onto it, it's not a life-altering misfortune.
Plus, these guitars are excellent "modding platforms. " Due to the fact the wood and the basic construction are extremely solid, you can swap in some boutique pickups, probably some locking enthusiasts, and you've obtained a world-class device for a fraction of the price. I'm already preparing on dropping some high-output humbuckers directly into mine just to see how it holders metal.
Flexibility Across Genres
I tried playing everything from fingerstyle persons to some high-gain punk riffs on our apollo guitar . This handled the changes remarkably well.
- For Blues: The sustain is definitely impressive. You can easily hold a note, and it doesn't just die out instantly.
- For Rock: It offers that percussive "thump" when you're performing palm-muted power chords.
- For Pop/Clean stuff: The middle position on the toggle switch gives you a really nice, jangly tone that cuts through a mix without being annoying.
It's a bit of a "jack of all trades. " While it might not really have the hyper-specific niche sound of a hollow-body jazz box or a devoted metal machine, this covers about 95% of the ground many players need.
Coping with It Long lasting
I've had this apollo guitar for a while now, and it hasn't developed any weird quirks. The neck hasn't warped with the transforming humidity, and the input jack hasn't started crackling—which is definitely usually the initial thing to go on budget builds.
It's also worth mentioning the weight. It's got some "heft" to it, which makes it feel substantial, yet it's not therefore heavy that this kills your glenohumeral joint during a long practice session. It's balanced well; there's no "neck dive" where the headstock wants to dip towards the floor when you're using a strap.
Final Thoughts
In the end of the day, an apollo guitar offers a ton of value. Is it going to change a hand-carved work of art? Probably not. But does it hand techinque way above its weight class? Definitely.
It's an honest instrument. It doesn't pretend to be something it's not, but it offers a solid, reliable, and great-sounding experience for anyone through a total newbie to an experienced player looking intended for a reliable backup. If you've already been on the fence about picking a single up, I'd state go for this. It's among those rare cases to really get a bit more than what you taken care of.
Regardless of whether you're looking to record some demonstrations in your house studio or you just want something to noodle on as you view TV, it's difficult to find a reason not really to have one associated with these in your own collection. It's just fun to play, and at the end of the day time, isn't that precisely why we all started playing guitar in the first place?