Tanglewood TB4CE Blackbird Super Folk Cutaway Electro-Acoustic Guitar, Black

A black cutaway you can take straight to the stage

The Tanglewood TB4CE is a super folk cutaway from the Blackbird series, finished in Smokestack Black Satin and fitted with onboard electronics. It is a black electro acoustic guitar for players who want a stage-ready instrument without paying for extras they will not use.

Mahogany all round

The top, back and sides are all mahogany. That gives a warm, focused voice with a strong midrange, which sits well under a singing voice and cuts through in a band mix. Because the wood is the same throughout, the tone is even and easy to predict, for strumming and picking alike.

Looks and feel

Smokestack Black Satin is a deep, matt-looking black that hides fingerprints better than gloss and suits stage lighting well. The grain of the mahogany still shows through the finish in the right light, so the guitar looks understated rather than flat. The surface is smooth under your forearm, which matters on a long set or a long practice session, and the guitar is light enough to wear on a strap without tiring your shoulder.

Cutaway body, easy upper frets

The super folk shape is comfortable to hold, and the cutaway opens up the top of the neck for solos and higher chord shapes. The fingerboard is engineered wood, and the satin finish feels smooth under the hand rather than sticky.

Tanglewood Premium Plus electronics

The Premium Plus system gives you onboard EQ to shape the sound. Use it to add warmth in a quiet room or tighten things up when you are playing with others. It makes the TB4CE a sensible choice as a first electro acoustic guitar or as a gigging backup.

• Super folk cutaway body shape
• Mahogany top, back and sides
• Tanglewood Premium Plus electronics
• Smokestack Black Satin finish

This is part of the wider Blackbird family, so you can compare it with the non-cutaway TB3E if you rarely play high up the neck. Left-handed players should look at the TB4CELH, which has the same specification. If you like the Tanglewood Blackbird look and want to plug in, the TB4CE is a straightforward place to start.