I recently got my hands upon an apollo guitar , and honestly, it completely changed how I think about budget-friendly gear. I actually wasn't expecting much given the price point, but the instant I pulled it out of the box and connected it in, I actually realized this wasn't just another cheap knockoff. It had the weight along with a vibration that you generally only find whenever you're willing to drop a great deal more cash.
If you've already been hanging around music shops or browsing forums lately, you've probably seen these types of things appearing. They will have a certain vibe to them— a mixture of classic shapes and modern adjustments that make them remain out from the sea of standard entry-level instruments. I've invested the last couple of weeks putting one through its paces, and I figured I'd share what it's actually want to live with a single.
First Thoughts and That "New Gear" Smell
Right off the bat, the complete on my apollo guitar has been surprisingly clean. Usually, with increased affordable brand names, you will find little finish off flaws around the particular neck joint or some rough areas on the headstock. I looked carefully, and this one particular was pretty much spotless. The paint had a heavy, glassy look in order to it that caught the light just right.
The neck of the guitar profile is exactly what actually got me, even though. It's got this particular comfortable C-shape that doesn't seem like the baseball bat, but it's not so thin that your hand starts cramping right after twenty minutes of bar chords. It felt broken-in, which is a rare treat. The majority of guitars at this level feel a bit "stiff" till you've played all of them for a 12 months, but this experienced ready to go from 1.
How Does This Actually Sound?
Let's be real: looks only enable you to get so far. When a guitar noises like a tin can, it's likely to end up while wall art. I actually plugged the apollo guitar straight into a small tube amp first to find out how the pick-ups handled some normal crunch.
The bridge pick up includes a surprising amount of bite. It's not overly severe, which is a common complaint with cheaper single coils or humbuckers. Instead, it's got this mid-range growl that works perfectly for classic rock or even some heavier blues stuff. While i switched over in order to the neck pickup truck and rolled off the tone a bit, I got those warm, creamy jazz tones that I usually connect with much even more expensive rigs.
Something I noticed was how well it cleaned upward. If you roll back the volume knob, the signal stays pretty crystal clear without getting dull. That's usually a sign how the electronics aren't bottom-of-the-barrel. Sure, you might would like to upgrade the particular pots eventually in the event that you're an overall total equipment nerd, but for most people playing within their bedroom or in a local jam, it's more than enough.
Build Quality: The particular Good and the particular "Okay"
I actually want to be as transparent as you possibly can here. While I really like the apollo guitar , no instrument is perfect at this price range. The hardware—the bridge and the tuners—is solid. It remains in tune remarkably well, even when I'm digging in and doing some intense bends.
However, the be anxious edges could have got used a tiny bit more adore. They weren't "sharp" enough to reduce me or anything at all, however they weren't while buttery smooth because a custom store build. A quick ten-minute pass having a fret file (or simply playing it the lot) usually fixes that, but it's something to bear in mind.
The enthusiast was cut well, though. That's a huge deal just because a poorly cut enthusiast is the quantity one reasons why cheap guitars won't stay in tune and have weird buzzing within the first fret. Apollo seems to have their quality control on point within that department.
Why It's Great for Beginners
In the event that you're just beginning out, the apollo guitar is usually a fantastic choice because it doesn't fight you. I keep in mind my first guitar—the strings were therefore high off the fretboard I seemed We were fighting a HIIT workout only to play a G-major chord. This guitar came set upward having a nice, low action that can make learning a lot less unpleasant.
It's furthermore inspiring to look at. I actually know that sounds somewhat silly, but when you like how your instrument looks, you're going to pick it up more often. The classic appearances from the Apollo range make you want in order to play, and that's half the fight when you're initial starting out.
Why Pros May want One Too
You might think a pro wouldn't look twice in a brand like this particular, but you'd be surprised. A great deal of gigging music artists prefer taking an apollo guitar to a dive bar gig rather than their $3, 000 vintage piece. Why? Because it sounds somewhat 90% of the same quality, plus if someone knocks it over or spills a consume on it, it's not a life-altering misfortune.
Plus, these types of guitars are excellent "modding platforms. " Mainly because the wood as well as the basic construction are incredibly solid, you can swap in a few boutique pickups, maybe some locking tuners, and you've obtained a world-class instrument for a cheaper price. I'm already preparing on dropping several high-output humbuckers into mine just to observe how it handles metal.
Flexibility Across Genres
I tried performing many methods from fingerstyle folk for some high-gain punk riffs on my apollo guitar . This handled the changes remarkably well.
- With regard to Blues: The sustain is impressive. You can hold an email, and it doesn't just die out immediately.
- For Rock: It has that percussive "thump" when you're doing palm-muted power chords.
- Regarding Pop/Clean stuff: The middle position for the toggle switch offers you the really nice, jangly tone that cuts through a blend without being annoying.
It's a little bit of a "jack of most trades. " Although it might not have the hyper-specific niche sound of a hollow-body jazz package or a devoted metal machine, this covers about 95% of the ground most players need.
Coping with It Long-Term
I've experienced this apollo guitar for a while now, and it hasn't developed any weird quirks. The neck hasn't warped with the altering humidity, and the particular input jack hasn't started crackling—which is usually the initial thing to go on budget builds.
It's also really worth mentioning the. It's got some "heft" to it, which makes it feel substantial, yet it's not therefore heavy that it kills your shoulder during a long practice session. It's balanced well; there's no "neck dive" where the headstock wants to dip toward the ground when you're using a strap.
Final Thoughts
In the end associated with the day, a good apollo guitar offers a load of value. Is definitely it going to replace a hand-carved work of art? Probably not. Yet does it punch way above its weight class? Completely.
It's an honest instrument. This doesn't pretend to be something it's not, but it offers a solid, dependable, and great-sounding encounter for anyone through a total novice to an experienced player looking for a reliable back-up. If you've already been on the fence about picking 1 up, I'd state go for it. It's one of those uncommon cases to in fact get a little more compared to what you paid for.
Whether or not you're looking to record some demos in your home studio or you just desire something to noodle on as you watch TV, it's hard to find a reason not to have one main of these in your collection. It's simply fun to perform, and at the conclusion of the day, isn't that exactly why we all started playing guitar to begin with?