First Act Discovery FE433 Portable Electric Guitar

by First Act

Product Features

• Cordless operation with built in power amp
• Maple neck with hardwood fingerboard
• Speaker cancelling headphone jack
• Output jack for connecting to outboard amplifier
• Low string action for easy playing

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.8 x 10.6 x 31.6 inches ; 4.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005BWSN
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: FE-433
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,597 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)

Product Description

Editorial Review

This lacquered child's guitar is a great first instrument for young enthusiasts, or kids who just want to jam with an adult. It embodies every feature professional electric guitars do; all parents need to supply are lessons. At 30 inches, it's not intimidating but inviting. Its just the right size for elementary school amateurs, but its small, smooth body (including a solid maple neck and fingerboard), real steel strings, and "vintage" coil make it sound and feel as real as a grownup's guitar. A headphone jack can be used for speakers, and the output jack next to it can be used for the amplifier. --Diane Beall

Product Description

30" Electric Guitar with classic style hardwood body

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

276 of 277 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Please consider these thoughts before buying., December 25, 2002

By 

Jeffrey E "jeffinaustintx" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

= Durability:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:1.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: First Act Discovery FE433 Portable Electric Guitar (Electronics)

I've played the guitar for 25 years and I wanted to get my seven year old his first guitar for Christmas this year (2002). The gift was from Santa and my boy's eyes lit up when he saw it this morning. He's been jamming on it all day and just having a blast. He is just running around strumming and I have not even bothered to tune it yet because the way he's grooving on it... it doesn't matter if it's in tune or not (if you know what I mean!).

He finally took a little break and I sat down to tune it when I discovered something that makes me want to strongly recommend not to buy this instrument for your young beginner.

The problem in a nut-shell is that the neck is poorly constructed. It is true that a well made guitar can have a neck of solid wood and it will be just fine, but the neck on this guitar is not that great and it lacks an internal truss bar. Because of this, the strings bend the neck out of shape. So badly that the change in tension on the neck that tuning a single string is enough to warp the neck and make the other stings go out of tune. This is bad enough, but when any external preasure is exterted on the strings, this slight change also will bend the neck out of shape. The net effect is that this guitar is VERY difficult to tune and goes out of tune by simply strumming the guitar or touching the neck or strings.

Obviously, if you are buying this as a gift to encourage a young learner, there is no way that they could ever learn under these conditons.

This is not a message to discourage anyone, there are a lot of guitars out there for just a few dollars more ... that are a lot better. The only advantage that I saw in this guitar was the smaller size of the body. The small size of this guitars body made it a great choice for a young learner. But if you can not keep the instrument in tune, then what's the point of the smaller body?

I would recommend that you learn from my oversight. Stay away from this item and go find a better unit that your child will really be able to learn and grow on.

Merry Christams from Austin, TX - the live music capital of the world!

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Expensive for a toy, very poor as an instrument, October 7, 2005

By 

JW "JW" (USA) - See all my reviews

= Durability:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:1.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: First Act Discovery FE433 Portable Electric Guitar (Electronics)

I purchased this guitar for my young boys. The strings don't stay in tune long enough to tune them all together. I put lighter strings and new tuners on it, but that did not help. I didn't expect much, but it should at least be able to be tuned.

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars dont waste your time, November 18, 2004

By 

mike g "mrperfect231" (indianapolis, indiana United States) - See all my reviews

= Durability:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:1.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: First Act Discovery FE433 Portable Electric Guitar (Electronics)

parents i teach guitar do not buy this item it is poorly made and if u want your kids to learn guitar you can get reduced size real guitars for the same price as this first off the amps built into the guitar and if your kid turns it up very loud it blows up and youll have nothing but static and more than likely your kid will second off it doesnt stay in tune very well this is the exact same guitar with amp built in nonsense toys r us had 15 years ago u want my advice for 89 bucks u can get your kid a real guitar with a reduced size like the epiphone les paul juniors they sell here on amazon or even get your kid a fullsized kramer focus for 79 dollars also sold here on amazon and u can get practice amps for 20 bucks that wont blowup when u turn it up both the lespaul junior and kramer are light weight but quality built it depends if u want a toy buy this cause this is a toy but if u want your kid to learn guitar THIS IS NOT the best option and kids really dont need reduced size guitars ive taught 6 year olds and 60 year olds guitar and they were able to use a full size guitar and once they get a little older they can have a guitar they can still use trust me u wont be playing this guitar when u get 13 or 14 and want a band the tiny amp built in is about as loud as a pin dropping i had 1 of these when i was a kid it broke a year later my mom bought me a memphis strat copy for 20 bucks at a garage sale at first its full size intimidated me but i kept at it and now 15 year later im compared to stevie ray vaugn and im a professional guitar instructor