Tanglewood TWX4CEFM Winterleaf Exotic Super Folk Cutaway Electro-Acoustic Guitar

Flame maple good looks over a spruce and mahogany sound

The Tanglewood TWX4CEFM is a cutaway electro acoustic guitar from the Winterleaf Exotic range. If you are looking at the Tanglewood TWX4 models, this is the one with the flame maple veneer in honey burst gloss.

Looks first

The top carries a flame maple veneer, and the honey burst gloss brings out the figure. It is eye-catching on a stand or on stage. The maple sits over a solid spruce top, so the good looks are not at the cost of the sound.

Spruce and mahogany sound

Solid spruce is known for clear projection and a wide dynamic range, and it handles both soft picking and hard strumming. The mahogany back and sides add warmth and a smooth low end. Together they give a balanced voice with crisp highs, focused mids and a rounded bottom.

Cutaway, neck and electronics

The super folk cutaway body is comfortable and gives you easy access to the upper frets for lead work. The fingerboard is Eboncore. Tanglewood Premium Plus electronics are fitted, with tonal control and a built-in tuner, so it is ready for gigs and recording.

The two woods are worth a note. Spruce tends to be crisp and open, while mahogany smooths the edges and fills out the middle. That is why a spruce and mahogany guitar suits so many styles, from folk and pop to country picking. The veneer is purely a finish detail, so the sound comes from the solid spruce beneath it.

• Solid spruce top with flame maple veneer
• Mahogany back and sides
• Super folk cutaway body
• Premium Plus electronics with tuner
• Honey burst gloss finish

If you prefer a sunburst electro acoustic guitar in koa, compare it with the TWX4CEK, which has a mahogany top and koa back and sides. For a bright, clear spruce voice with a showpiece top, the TWX4CEFM costs £549.