Tanglewood TS3 Strada Orchestra Folk Acoustic Guitar, Natural Satin

A comfortable orchestra acoustic at a starter price

The Tanglewood TS3 is a Strada orchestra acoustic guitar with a spruce top, mahogany back and sides and a natural satin finish, all for £129. It suits a first-time buyer who wants a proper instrument rather than a toy, and anyone after a comfortable second guitar for the sofa or the spare room.

A body that sits comfortably

The orchestra, or folk, shape is smaller than a dreadnought, with a narrower waist that tucks onto your leg when you sit. That makes it easy to reach over and keeps your strumming arm relaxed, which matters when you are learning and practising for long stretches. The tone is even across the strings, so chords and single notes both come through without one swamping the other.

Spruce over mahogany

Spruce on top gives the TS3 a bright, clear edge, so picked notes stay distinct. The mahogany back and sides round that off with warmth in the middle, which keeps strummed chords full rather than thin. It is a classic pairing that works for folk, singer-songwriter material, blues and lighter rock.

• Ebony Amara fingerboard and bridge, smooth under the fingertips
• Open pore natural satin finish that lets the grain show
• Orchestra body, easier to hold than a full dreadnought
• Fully acoustic, with no electronics to set up or charge

Finish and feel

The satin coat is thin and open pore, so you can feel the texture of the wood and the guitar looks understated rather than glossy. Ebony Amara is used for the fingerboard and the bridge. It gives a slick, even surface for sliding between chord shapes, and the bridge holds the strings firmly so the guitar stays in tune and notes ring on.

If you prefer a bigger, bolder sound for strumming, look at the TS5, which pairs the same woods and finish with a dreadnought body. If comfort and balance come first, the TS3 is the one to pick from the Tanglewood Strada range. We deliver it free anywhere in the UK.