Ashton Guitars?

[Hank-]

Hey,

My two main guitars tend to get a lot of play at home and outside. So was looking into getting one just to practice on at home and stuff. I came across a brand called "Ashton" lately and tried two models. One was a tele shape AGT40(sunburst/ashwood body) and the other I'm not exactly sure but seems to look like AG132 or ACG35(blue w/black pickups & silver pickguard) strat shape with trem. They seemed okay & priced at about US $103 & $133. Couldn't find any flaw with the build quality, sounded okay too. Not very heavy to hold either, both bolt-on necks & good fretwork too. Tried googling, didn't find too much info on them. I know these are beginner stuff, but I'm really not looking to spend much.

I'm not looking for or expecting tonal nirvana at this price range, it just needs to be durable enough to get through practicing at home or maybe rehearsals. I also don't have an acoustic, so I've considered going that way as well.

How durable are these though compared to the squier and samick stuff? Anyone have/using one?

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Ashton Guitars?

Tried one and nearly bought one before very good and very robust sound wise the wood is quote resonant on their stuff and the pups are good. They are an Australian name made in SE Asia. Will reply later but im at work

 

[Hank-]

Re: Ashton Guitars?

I found that too. The pickups sounded okay & not very abrasive like the kind I'd expect from something so inexpensive. I have some stock pickups that came out of my other two guitars, so popping those in there would probably yield better results i think.

I'm debating whether I should go acoustic or electric. I don't have an acoustic so most likely I'm gonna go for that unless I can't find a decent one in the same price range at the store, then it's a toss between the top two.:1::thanks:

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Ashton Guitars?

Ashton is an australian company. I'm australian so i should be supportive, but i have nothing but bad things to say about everything Ashton ive come across.
I have a few students with ashton nylon strings. Total rubbish. Almost impossible to get and keep in tune (if the tuners dont slip or break). Poorly constructed. For the money, the old standby cheapo valencias are vastlky superior instruments, or for a couple of dollars more, a yamaha.
The ashton electrics are shoddy too. The bridges rattle, screws come loose. loose shoddy tuners. Poorly finished frets. Squiers or even suzukis are in a different league of quality for the price.
The headstock electronic also seem to crap out for no explicable reason. the only way to reset them is to remove the battery.

The name "ashton" was chosen because of two reasons: the most famous guitar companies have two syllable names (i.e. Gibson, fender, martin - and maton in australia) and three of them finish with an "n".
The guitars are created to a pricepoint but every concievable shot cut is taken in their construction - apart from using the most appealing colours for beginning players.
The entire concept is a cynical exercise in marketing and shows little respect for the (usually young and beginning) players of the instruments. They use the logo "designed in australia" as if it is some kind of badge of pride that these inferior instruments were concieved by a bean counting businessman in my country and then outsourced to the cheapest overseas factory they could find.
I hate em
with a passion.
after watching many of my students struggling with hard to tune, poorly finished, poorly intonated and shoddily produced intruments I happily tell anyone who is wondering about what guitar to get "stay away from ashton".
Its not that they are cheap - it's that you can get much better value in a playable, reliable and tunable guitars from different manufacturers for the same amount of money.
ok rant over.


hope this helps! lol

 

[Hank-]

Re: Ashton Guitars?

Alrighty then, acoustic it is!

I'll start a new thread on that, not likely gonna get much attention inside 'Ashton' heading lol

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Ashton Guitars?

Ashton's are fine the OP stated they wanted something for travelling around with whilst away with work etc. those problems can be and have been cured by a proper set up and also making sure you try out the guitar beforehand.