Tanglewood TE8EBL Elemental Parlour Electro Acoustic Guitar with Solid Mahogany Top

Small body, solid mahogany top, ready to plug in

The Tanglewood TE8EBL is a compact parlour guitar with electronics, part of the Elemental series. Parlour guitars are small and easy to carry, and they have a sweet, intimate sound. If you want a parlour electro acoustic guitar for the sofa, the studio and the occasional gig, this one covers all three.

Why a parlour body

The small body is easy to hold and comfortable to play for long stretches. It suits smaller players, travellers and anyone who wants a guitar that lives by the sofa and is picked up often. The voice is focused rather than booming, which works well for fingerstyle, gentle strumming and recording at home.

Solid mahogany sound

The top is solid mahogany, and the back and sides are mahogany. That gives a warm, close tone with a clear midrange. A solid top is the better foundation for tone, and it is a good feature at this price.

Amplified

The Tanglewood RE-02 system lets you plug into an amp or PA and shape the sound with onboard controls. You can use it to play a small open mic or to capture a line recording without needing a microphone.

• Parlour body shape
• Solid mahogany top, mahogany back and sides
• Tanglewood RE-02 electronics
• Eboncore fingerboard
• Natural satin finish with a blue and white pearl rosette

At £349 it costs a little more than an acoustic-only Elemental because of the pickup. If you already have a guitar and want something small to add to it, a parlour is a fun and useful second instrument. It is also quick to pick up and play, which means you are more likely to practise on it every day. The mahogany top and the pearl rosette make it look more special than the price suggests, and the small size means it fits easily in a car boot or on a train. If this is your only guitar and you want more volume, a larger body in the range may suit you better.