Tanglewood Azure Series

Tanglewood Azure: folk acoustic guitar with a quilted ash top

Tanglewood Azure is a compact series built around the Super Folk body. It gives you a folk guitar with a cutaway and onboard electronics, so it works at home and through an amp. There are 7 models in the range, priced from £299 to £309.

What the Azure looks and sounds like

The headline feature is the quilted ash top. It gives each guitar a rippled, three-dimensional pattern, so no two look quite the same. The model shown here, the TA4CEHN Electro-Acoustic Guitar, costs £299 and combines that top with the Super Folk shape. The body sits between a small parlour and a full dreadnought, which makes it easy to hold and balanced in tone for strumming and fingerpicking alike.

Who the series suits

Azure suits players who want something more distinctive than a plain natural finish without moving into the higher price bands. Because every model is an electro-acoustic, it is a good fit if you play open mics, small gigs or church and community settings. The price band also keeps it within reach of a player upgrading from a first guitar.

How Azure compares with neighbouring series

Look at the Tanglewood Blackbird TB series if you would like a mahogany top at a lower starting price, or the Winterleaf series if you want a solid top. The Crossroads range is the place to start if your budget is closer to £129.

Choosing a folk or orchestra guitar

• Body size: Super Folk and orchestra bodies are narrower than a dreadnought, so they are easier on the arm and sit well on the lap.
• Cutaway: a cutaway gives easier access to the upper frets for lead lines.
• Electronics: an electro-acoustic lets you plug in without needing a separate pickup.

Looking after a quilted top

A decorative top is worth protecting. A padded case or one of our guitar gig bags keeps knocks away, and a regular wipe with a soft cloth from our guitar care range keeps the finish clean. A fresh set of guitar strings every few months also helps an electro-acoustic keep a clear, bright sound through the pickup.

You can compare more shapes in our folk and orchestra acoustic guitars or browse every electro-acoustic guitar. Delivery within the UK is free.