Tanglewood TS5 Strada Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Natural Satin

Big dreadnought volume for not much money

For £129, the Tanglewood TS5 gives you a full-size dreadnought acoustic guitar with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides. It is aimed at players who mostly strum, sing along or play with friends and want plenty of volume without spending much.

Why the dreadnought shape matters

The dreadnought is the big, square-shouldered body most people picture when they think of an acoustic. The extra air inside gives a strong bass and a loud, confident voice, so chords sound broad and carry across a room. It is the shape to choose for campfire songs, busking or backing your own vocals.

Tone from the woods

Spruce up front keeps the treble bright and the attack clear, so even a fingerpicked line cuts through. Mahogany behind it adds a mellow, rounded warmth. Put together they balance each other nicely, and the guitar copes with hard strumming and gentler picking equally well.

• Spruce top for clarity and a quick response
• Mahogany back and sides for warmth
• Ebony Amara fingerboard and bridge
• Natural satin finish with open pores
• Acoustic only, so just tune up and play

Built for steady playing

The Ebony Amara fingerboard feels smooth and fast when you move between chords, and the matching bridge anchors the strings securely, which helps the TS5 hold its tuning and sustain notes. The open pore satin finish is thin and quiet to look at. It shows off the grain, feels natural in the hand and lets the wood vibrate freely.

This is a sensible first dreadnought from the Tanglewood Strada range and an easy guitar to leave out on a stand. If you find a big body awkward to hold, the TS3 has the same woods in a smaller orchestra shape at the same price. Delivery is free across the UK.