Oscar Schmidt OE30...Any reviews?

I have an OE30, and I love it!

It plays like a dream, you can get the action super-low, and with flat-wound strings it darkens up quite nicely. SOrt of haunting, and if you add a little reverb and play in a minor key women and children will weep. Mine arrived only needing a little tune to play perfect. It also distorts well, you can even get a little metal with it if you want to. I was going to change out the pickups, but now that it has the flat-wounds there is no need. It really sounds amazing. Read the "tone tone tone" thread for other things guys have done with theirs and how they like the sound.

The neck isn't the fastest, but it doesn't drag, either. It is not a guitar for shredding anyway.

The finish I got is the transparent blue, and it is gorgeous. It gets lots of compliments. I changed the lame gold knobs that it comes with to black ones, which really looks better. If you go to the Oscar Schmidt website I think they have a picture of the sunburst, which looks pretty cool. I didn't order mine, so I got what my girlfriend bought me, but couldn't be happier with the blue.

The OE30 is the best sub-$300 I have ever seen or played. I think that they could get $500 and sell the heck out of them. No idea how they do it.

Here are some pics:

I am still getting the hang of my digital camera, but that'll give you the idea. You can't really see how deep the color goes, and the way to wood grain fades through is beautiful. I think it looks bland in my picture, but that is me not the guitar.

The above shows the black knobs. They are the exact same shape, just black. Matches the pickguard.

Even closer. Looks better in this photo. Still not as good as in real life. Didn't notice my fingerprints from earlier on it, either! Gotta get a cloth to it ASAP.

Get one, you'll love it.

Thanks Moai, the blue does lok sweet and the knobs are MUCH better! I appreciate the photos too...that's helps alot. I have heard that the flat wound strings are excellent for this guitar...

Thanks

i want one for christmas...in the probable event i dont get it, i iwll buy it myself...so im also interested in reviews

features--** great pickups, clean smooth neck, everything wired correctly, binding "inside" the f-holes? (wow)
beautiful finish (black) sounds great with flatwound strings.

quality----** had to return the blue one i bought because i didn't like the way the stain was applied, the black model was immaculate.

value------** $149.00? i shoulda bought two

overall----** friends who have artcores and epi dots went down and bought one after playing mine. both said they thought it was as good in some ways and better in others.
personally after playing theirs i thought mine was overall much better.
the workmanship on my indonesian made delta king is flawless. the neck is smooth and the fretwork is better than my $600 Tak.
i had to adjust my pup heights, that's about it. there was a loose screw on one of the pup adjusters but other than that the setup and everything played out of the box.

get a EPI 335 case for about $70. the salesgirl tried to tell me it wouldn't fit and that i needed a $100 washburn case but i did some research over at the washburn jam forums and got mine on sale for $59.

for $149 you can't afford not to have one of these in your arsenal

I want one :D It would be" Bad to the Bone" set up for slide guitar :twisted: 8) 8) 8)

Ditto what Lefty said:

I too have the Black one and I put a set of D'Add Chromes (Flat Wounds) Strings on it.. its a dream to play.

Also ditto what lefty said. I love my OE30. I also put flats on mine, and it sounds awesome.

I got the sunburst finish. It's obviously a personal preference, but I think it can't be beat. It's beautiful. More so than the picture would lead you to believe.

Also ditto what lefty said. I love my OE30. I also put flats on mine, and it sounds awesome.

I got the sunburst finish. It's obviously a personal preference, but I think it can't be beat. It's beautiful. More so than the picture would lead you to believe.

Ha! As I mentioned, mine is the same way. Pictures (at least that I take) don't do these guitars justice. I think that the sunburst is gorgeous, as is the black. Pick a color, you can't go wrong.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the tuners. They come with Grover locking tuners on them, which is unreal at this price point. Mine stays in tune better than any other guitar I own. Also, there is a marked difference between pickup settings, so the tone varies a lot, which I can't get enough of. It's a very flexible guitar.

I wasn't kidding about the women and children weeping, either. I was playing around in Dm just to amuse myself and my girlfriend came into the room and said, "That's so sad! What song is that?" I played around a bit longer and then I had to put the guitar down and couldn't play for a while, if you catch my meaning! You gotta be careful, though, because absolute power corrupts absolutely! :twisted:

Oh--the gold knobs on Lefty's black one look really cool. Nice case, too! Gonna have to get one, as I wasn't going to take it out of the house, but now I am going to use it along with the $100 Pair-O-Dice Strat copy I drag around everyhwere I go.

Also ditto what lefty said. I love my OE30. I also put flats on mine, and it sounds awesome.

Ha! As I mentioned, mine is the same way. Pictures (at least that I take) don't do these guitars justice. I think that the sunburst is gorgeous, as is the black. Pick a color, you can't go wrong.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the tuners. They come with Grover locking tuners on them, which is unreal at this price point. Mine stays in tune better than any other guitar I own. Also, there is a marked difference between pickup settings, so the tone varies a lot, which I can't get enough of. It's a very flexible guitar.

I wasn't kidding about the women and children weeping, either. I was playing around in Dm just to amuse myself and my girlfriend came into the room and said, "That's so sad! What song is that?" I played around a bit longer and then I had to put the guitar down and couldn't play for a while, if you catch my meaning! You gotta be careful, though, because absolute power corrupts absolutely! :twisted:

I forgot about the tuners. They're outstanding.

Yes, I caught your meaning :wink:

Psst....try playng the intro to the Robert Plant song "Big Log". Worked for me :wink:

I forgot about the tuners. They're outstanding.

Yes, I caught your meaning :wink:

Psst....try playng the intro to the Robert Plant song "Big Log". Worked for me :wink:

When I get home I'm learning it! :twisted:

I really have to be careful, though, as I really do want to practice the guitar SOMETIMES! :wink:

I learned the classical song "romance" for that express purpose although I haven't had the opportunity to use it yet :(

That oe-30 just went on my christmas wish list.

Rondo makes the descision a bit tougher: Agile AS-820 Semi Hollow Body Natural. For only a tiny bit more the Agile is nice and I like the look as well...plus it has the humbuckers, Grover Tuners and Jumbo Frets (which I like!)...Shipping was $15 for my zip code...so $215 for a great guitar?

I would like your opinion...if you were chosing between this or the OE30 which would you choose?

Thanks

Rondo makes the descision a bit tougher: Agile AS-820 Semi Hollow Body Natural. For only a tiny bit more the Agile is nice and I like the look as well...plus it has the humbuckers, Grover Tuners and Jumbo Frets (which I like!)...Shipping was $15 for my zip code...so $215 for a great guitar?

I would like your opinion...if you were chosing between this or the OE30 which would you choose?

Thanks

I have never held an Agile, but as you know, people around here love them. I can say, since I own an OE-30 that's what I'd pick. No regrets whatsoever. Save the $65 for a new amp, or put it toward your American Tele. Every little bit helps! That is, unless you really dig the natural finish. If you order the OE-30 you will be amazed when you actually get to hold it. I ogled them at MF for a couple months when one day I came home and there one was--pictures and descriptions cannot do it justice.

It is possible that both guitars are the exact same thing, just different names. I am sure someone here knows more about this than I. The Agile has nicer inlays, so if that's worth $65, go for it! Both Rondo and MF have awesome return policies, so you can't go wrong buying from either place. I like the uncovered humbuckers better than the covered, but I do like those inlays.

Weren't you going to buy the Agile Tele? What happened? Are they worth the dough? Why did you decide to go with the American Tele instead? I would guess that the Fender is a nicer guitar, but how much nicer for almost a grand more?

I have decided that I will not get an expensive guitar until I am a good enough player to justify buying a White Falcon. Until then I am getting as many cheap guitars as I can! A Tele copy, a better than $100 Strat copy (and then I am going to frame the Pair-O-Dice so my grandkids will be able to play it!:)), that Agile electric-acoustic (or a Kona), Maybe an OE-40 or the Wildkat, and that Schecter Damien-6 that I have no reason to get except for it is the coolest looking guitar ever (not much of a metal guy, but man! is it cool).

I have noticed that the more I think about and buy guitars, the less I spend money on my vices. It is sure nice to have a guitar to look at instead of a hangover and five bucks left in your pocket to last until Monday.

It is possible that both guitars are the exact same thing, just different names. I am sure someone here knows more about this than I.

I see quite a number of differences just checking out the pictures (without judging):

1. Set neck -- bolt-on neck
2. Covered, adjustable pole-piece 'buckers -- uncovered, non-adjustable pole-piece 'buckers
3. Block inlays -- dot inlays
4. Figured maple top -- plain maple top
5. Gold hardware -- chrome hardware

Doesn't mean one is a better player than the other, but there is a clear difference in the level of materials used. Craftmanship is another matter, difficult to judge from photos.