Tanglewood TB5CE Blackbird Dreadnought Cutaway Electro-Acoustic Guitar

An all-mahogany black dreadnought with easy access to the top frets

The Tanglewood TB5CE is a dreadnought cutaway from the Blackbird range, built from mahogany and fitted with onboard electronics. It is an electro acoustic guitar for players who want a big, warm voice that is ready to plug in at a gig or rehearsal.

Mahogany from top to bottom

The top, back and sides are all mahogany. That gives a warm, full tone with a strong midrange and a smooth top end. It sounds just as good strummed hard as it does picked softly, so it suits both rhythm playing and fingerstyle.

The cutaway and the shape

The dreadnought body is the classic shape for volume and low-end punch. The cutaway scoops out the upper bout, so your fretting hand can reach the high frets without a struggle. If you play lead lines or solos, you will notice the difference.

Plugging in

The TB5CE carries Tanglewood Premium Plus electronics. You get tone control on the guitar itself, which makes it easy to shape your sound for a small room or a bigger stage. The fingerboard is engineered wood.

The look

The Smokestack Black Satin finish is dark and understated. Satin feels smooth under the hand and does not show every mark the way a gloss black can.

Because the wood is the same throughout, the guitar responds evenly across the neck. Low strings sound full without turning muddy, and the treble stays clear enough to cut through a band. It is a sensible guitar for open mics, church groups, practice rooms and bedroom songwriting alike.

• Dreadnought cutaway body
• Solid look in mahogany, top, back and sides
• Tanglewood Premium Plus electronics
• Smokestack Black Satin finish

At £229 this is a straightforward black electro acoustic guitar for gigging and practice. If you would rather skip the cutaway, compare it with the TB5SE, which has the same wood and electronics in a slope shoulder dreadnought shape. Fans of the Tanglewood Blackbird series will find a familiar look and feel here.