Tanglewood TW5CEBS Winterleaf Dreadnought Cutaway Electro Acoustic Guitar, Black Shadow Gloss

Dark, glossy and built around a solid mahogany top

If you want a black electro acoustic guitar that sounds as good as it looks on stage, the Tanglewood TW5CEBS deserves a close look. It pairs a Black Shadow Gloss finish with a solid mahogany top and a cutaway dreadnought body from the Tanglewood Winterleaf range, for £449.

Black Shadow Gloss

Black Shadow is the moodiest of the four TW5 colours. The dark, shiny coat suits rock, indie and country players who want a guitar with presence under stage lights. It also hides the odd fingerprint better than you might expect from a gloss, and it looks smart next to a black strap and case.

Plugged in

The electronics are Tanglewood's Premium Plus system. With EQ on board, you can trim boom from the bass or add a touch of presence straight from the guitar, without walking back to the amp between songs. That makes it an easy choice for open mic nights, band rehearsals and recording at home.

• Black Shadow Gloss finish
• Solid mahogany top, mahogany back and sides
• Cutaway dreadnought shape
• Techwood fingerboard
• Tanglewood Premium Plus preamp with EQ

Shape and tonewoods

A dreadnought is broad and deep, which means strong volume and a firm bass when you play it acoustically. The cutaway trims the treble side of the upper body, so you can get to the top end of the Techwood fingerboard for lead lines. Under the black gloss, the top is solid mahogany and the rest of the body is mahogany too. The result is a warm tone with a thick midrange and a softer top end. That softer treble is handy in recordings, where bright guitars can sound spiky.

Prefer something lighter in colour? The same guitar is sold as the TW5CEAVB in Autumn Vintage, the TW5CER in Thru Red and the TW5CESB in Sunburst, all at £449, and the sound is the same across all four. Go for the Black Shadow if you want a stage look that stays understated. We include free UK delivery.