We have just received the new Donner DST-152 electric guitar, and we must admit it was the time of my life when we tried it out. You can certainly say it’s pretty decent quality, but it’s not something that will make your eyes pop.
It comes with an OKAY-ISH amp, but you need to go for an upgrade as soon as you get a chance. But we would like to mention that Donner has done a pretty fair job in this price range.
It is an electric guitar suitable for someone looking for a budget-friendly electric guitar or someone who has just started to learn the ropes.
If you are an intermediate or an expert in electric guitar, this is something that you need to pass on unless you’re on a tight budget and we’ll tell you why.
Body Material: Poplar
Neck Material: Maple
Fingerboard Material: Indian Laurel/Maple
Pickups: H-S-S with Coil Split
Guitar Bridge System: Full Block 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo
Accessories: Full Set Includes Mini Amplifier
Warranty: 2 Years
It’s not a total miss, so I’ll begin with the positives that it has to offer.
The guitar looks pretty nice. It looks better in person than its photos on the website, and we went for the Sunburst color.
We noticed that the pickups on this budget-friendly guitar are pretty awesome. We have had many experiences with a bunch of squiers in the same price range, which was way better than most. But the stock pickups on this guitar are fantastic as you won’t get any feedback noise.
Its humbucker sounds pretty nice, and the split coil feature does work well, but you will have to turn the volume up if you want any noticeable difference.
Its neck looks pretty good and feels just like a modern C-shape Fender, which according to me, is awesome. But if you play it well, it will stay in tune.
We like the fact that this guitar comes with everything you need. It comes with a battery-powered rechargeable amp, a capo, spare strings, a few picks, a low-quality tuner, and a soft carrying bag.
So, for the price, you are almost getting everything started. It does come with a protective film that is pretty tough to get rid of with the knobs on. But if you pop them out, the film will come off easily.
The amp that comes with the guitar has fairly low volume, but it will work just fine if you are learning the instrument. And you don’t need to worry if you are playing this guitar in a small apartment or home studio as it is not that loud to disturb your neighbors. So, it’s a good option for your kids to learn.
Now for the downsides, as soon as you start playing with the strings, you will notice that something is off. Some of its frets are not properly leveled, and there are numerous dead spots on the high string.
You will notice a bit of a buzz on the higher notes, which you won’t be able to shake off if you are pretty good with your electric guitars.
And that’s precisely why I’m saying it is a good instrument for beginners. If you are learning or want to do some experiments, this guitar might work well for you.
The accessories that come with your purchase are pretty low quality, but they are good enough for the price. You might have to upgrade those tuners, too, because the ones on this guitar are loose.
We strongly recommend it to anyone looking to learn an electric guitar and dish out some experimental tunes. It is not the kind of guitar that will make your ears start ringing, but it sure proves to be a good start for beginners.
Kids looking to learn can also work their way out on it. But this is not a solid guitar for an intermediate or an expert guitarist, as it will sound pretty underwhelming. And for the price, that is a pretty good deal because the guitar is decent-ish and comes with all the necessary accessories. Again, low quality, but they do work.
It’s a solid 4 out of 5 for me, but anyone starting can benefit from the DST-152. It does come with a carrying bag so you can travel with it if you want.
We would recommend it as a starter pack for budding electric guitarists. It sounds nice, and you can use it to work out some tunes and put your fingers to work.