The flatpicked guitar reviews database is here to help educate people before they purchase an instrument. Of course, this is not meant to be a substitute for playing the instrument yourself!
161 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: Music123 (via Amazon)
Year Purchased: 2015
Price Paid: 593.32 ($US) (bought USED)
Great bluegrass sound; loud, clear, and in-tune all the way up and down the neck; both lows and highs sound great.
Sound Rating: 10
Setup was perfect- low enough for easy playing, with no fret buzz no matter how hard I played.
Setup Rating: 10
The wood looks great- nice grain on the Adirondack spruce top and the African mahogany back and sides; finish is a thin layer, nice and glossy; inlays look nice enough (though plain dots aren't so glamorous or fancy.) I love the look of the ebony fretboard. Tortoise binding is attractive. I like the plain black pickguard but I've heard of people replacing it with a tortoise one (I'm not gonna mess with it.)
My guitar was purchased used, and there's a very small scratch on the heel- I'm not to worried about that. The one flaw!
Appearance Rating: 9
Seems solid and dependable. I'm not sure how much it was played before I got it, but it looks almost like new.
Reliability Rating: 10
If it were new it would come with a lifelong warranty, but I bought it used so no warranty for me.
In the past I've communicated with the Recording King customer service and they were helpful and friendly.
Customer Service: 10
Everything seems solid and high quality. Tuners are smooth and stay in tune.
Components Rating: 10
I was actually in the market for a new Recording King RD-310, but the day I was going to purchase the 310 I noticed this used 316 that just got put up for sale, so I jumped at the chance! (The RD-310 is another very nice guitar, but the 316 is a higher-end model.)
I was a little worried about buying a guitar unseen and unplayed from Amazon, but my worries were unfounded (or at least I got very, very lucky!)
This guitar sounds amazing now, and I'm sure over time it will continue to grow and develop into an even better sound. My friend played it and was blown away by the sound and the quality of construction- he said it sounded just like a Martin, and I'd have to agree (and at a fraction of the price.)
This would be a great guitar at any price, let alone under $600.
Overall Rating: 10
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