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Jasmine S-35 Acoustic Guitar Review

In recent years the selection of affordable acoustic guitars has grown substantially larger. Many new companies have sprung up from all around the world, and some companies have seen a resurgence in their relevance.

With such a wide array of acoustic guitars to choose from, finding one that is right for you can be quite the ordeal. There are all kinds of questions, especially if you are in the market for your first acoustic guitar.

If you are looking to purchase your very first acoustic guitar, there are some things you will need to be aware of. The material used to build the guitar, the size, and shape of the guitar, and of course, how much it costs.

jasmin s35

What’s it made from…

The first consideration is what your first acoustic guitar is made from. A simple rule of thumb, higher quality construction materials will cost more.

If you are serious about sticking with the guitar and plan on using it on a consistent basis, shelling out the money for an acoustic guitar that is made from high-quality materials is not a bad idea.

However, if you are just wading into acoustic waters, a guitar made from inexpensive materials will serve you well.

Many of the budget acoustic guitars are designed for beginners, and they are built to be inexpensive. Certain material used to make acoustic guitars are inexpensive, but still produce nice tones and sounds, are easy to play, and make for reliable instruments.

One of these inexpensive and nice-sounding acoustic guitars is the…

Jasmine S-35 Acoustic Guitar
Our rating:4.4 out of 5 stars (4.4 / 5)

Jasmine S-35 Acoustic Guitar

This acoustic guitar is specifically designed to be a “first acoustic guitar.” And while this acoustic guitar is targeted for beginners, it is a perfectly fine guitar for any kind of player.

If you are looking for a budget acoustic guitar that delivery a big, bold sound we would like you to join us as we take a look at the Jasmine S-35 Acoustic Guitar.

The Body

The Jasmine S-35 acoustic guitar is a dreadnought sized body. These are the most common body size for acoustic guitars. This size and style of acoustic guitar body offer good projection and natural volume. Dreadnought acoustic guitars are favored by bluegrass and country players for its full and round sound.

Jasmine S-35 Acoustic Guitar

The top of the Jasmine S-35 is made from select Spruce. This wood is used almost exclusively for acoustic guitar tops. It offers warm, balanced tones that have pretty good sustain and resonance.

The Jasmine S-35 spruce top is not a solid top. Rather the top is made from two pieces of select spruce. There are, however, some advantages and disadvantages to making the guitar top with two pieces of wood instead of a solid piece of wood.

So, what are these?

The advantage is the cost. Select spruce means the wood used is not from that same piece of wood. A two-piece guitar top allows Jasmine to pass the savings on to the consumer.

The downside of a two-piece guitar top is loss of tonal fidelity. This is because the seam between the two pieces interrupts the vibrations of the guitar top and results in slight degradation of the tone.

The good news is that the tone differences between a solid top and a two-piece top are not noticeable to novice ears and doesn’t affect the guitars playability and overall volume.

Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar, Natural

Extra care in the bracing…

Jasmine knew that using a two-piece top meant that stability and sturdiness required extra care in the bracing. The Jasmine S-35 features their own Advanced X-Bracing that works to provide increased stability and strength to the top.

The back and sides of this acoustic guitar are made from Agathis, which is similar to pine and basswood.

Agathis?

Found primarily in Southeast Asia, Agathis is sometimes called “Kauri Pine.” This wood is extremely plentiful and very cheap. The use of Agathis is another way that Jasmine can reduce the cost to the customer.

Jasmine S-35

Agathis is not an actual species of pine/evergreen but has similar grain patterns, stability, and strength. And, it is lightweight and sturdy. And has tonal properties that are similar to alder. It has a very balanced tone that is more bright than warm.

The body is completed in a Satin finish with black binding.


The Neck

The Jasmine S-35 features a neck made of Nato. Nato is very similar in appearance and in tonal properties to mahogany. In fact, Nato is commonly referred to as “Eastern Mahogany.” It’s a plentiful and inexpensive wood that further reduces the cost without sacrificing durability and tone.

The neck features a Slim Neck Profile, which is helpful for beginners and people who are used to playing electric guitars. It also features a smooth Satin finish, making it fast and easy to play.

Good for strumming and playing bar chords…

The scale is a full-length 25.5-inches with 20 frets, and Pearloid dot inlays on a rosewood fretboard. And, the fretboard radius is 12-inches, which is good for strumming and playing bar chords.

Jasmine S-35

Rosewood fretboards are pretty much standard for acoustic guitars. The wood is resistant to wear and corrosion, and helps to round out the tones and is quite stiff.

Hardware

The tuners on the Jasmine S-35 acoustic guitar are chrome machine heads. And, do a good job of keeping the strings in tune. It features closed-back tuners, which helps keep them free from debris and dirt.

The bridge is made of rosewood as well. This again is the standard for acoustic guitar bridges.

The saddle and the nut are made of synthetic bone. Both the saddle and nut are strong and stable. Synthetic bone is actually very close to the real thing but does not cost nearly as much.


Final Thoughts On The Jasmine S-35 Acoustic Guitar

For an acoustic guitar that costs roughly a hundred dollars, you can be forgiven for thinking the sound quality is little better than a soapbox and some horse hairs, but you would be wrong.

The Jasmine S-35 has a great sound and an incredibly balanced tone from the treble to the bass. It is quite surprising to find value, and a quality sound rolled into one package, but this guitar does just that.

A great guitar for taking on the road, playing around a campfire, or just practicing at home. The Jasmine S-35 is ideal for beginners but delivers the kind of sound and quality more experienced guitar players can appreciate.

As far as looks go, this acoustic guitar has a basic run-of-the-mill appearance. But this is also another way that Jasmine can keep the price down. This guitar reminds us to never judge a book by its cover, or in this case a guitar by its appearance.

For anyone looking to get their hands on a really affordable acoustic guitar that delivers a big, bold sound, is durable and easy to play, the Jasmine S-35 is an undiscovered gem in the vast wilderness of acoustic guitars.

4.2/5 - (56 votes)
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3 thoughts on “Jasmine S-35 Acoustic Guitar Review”

  1. No idea how old this review is, but as a friend of many guitarists who does not herself play, I very much appreciate this. Nice to have so much info and to feel confident in purchasing the guitar for a friend who is learning to play. Thank you!

  2. I have a old 84331 I got for $100.00 at a pon shop. It is sapele, better then maple. I put some .13-.56 steal strings on it, it was loud, and it rocked better then a $1.000.00 guitar.

  3. Good article. This guitar can not be praised enough. I bought one of these pretty early on(early 2000s) and I loved it. But since it’s a budget guitar once I started getting better I had to “upgrade” so I sold it. A few years later guitar center has a sale. Buy 10 packs of strings(I think they were dadarrio exp) and get a free jasmine. I couldn’t pass that up. Even though I liked it I again sold it because I already had way fancier guitars at this point. A couple years ago I decided to get a beater acoustic to bring to work. I instantly thought of the jasmine and went to guitar center. I tried to find something better at that price point but there was nothing. Even for double the price I couldn’t find anything better. My acoustic collection now consists of a Takamine EG530sc, a Washburn EA20 Nuno Bettencourt signature, and a Jasmine S34C. Guess which one gets played the most… So I’ve owned 3 jasmines and played many more in the shops while picking them out. The action is super low and light for any acoustic, nevermind a budget one. Sounds good. Plays good. I have no complaints whatsoever. If I was forced to come up with any cons I would say on a couple I tried in the shops, the action was so low that there was a little fret buzz on the high E. Guitars usually need to be set up after purchase so that’s not a big deal. Also, the tuners LOOK a little cheap to me due to the type of chrome finish but they work just fine. If your considering buying one of these don’t hesitate.

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About Corey Hoffman

Corey is a multi-instrumentalist who has played in numerous bands over the years, some good, some not so good. He has also written countless songs and recorded five albums in professional studios across America. Today he is a hobby musician but still loves the guitar after over 15 years of playing.

He considers his writing as a way to share what he has learned over the decades with younger generations ad always can't wait to get his hands on the latest gear.

He lives just outside New York with his wife Barbara and their two German Shepherds, Ziggy and Iggy.

3 thoughts on “Jasmine S-35 Acoustic Guitar Review”

  1. No idea how old this review is, but as a friend of many guitarists who does not herself play, I very much appreciate this. Nice to have so much info and to feel confident in purchasing the guitar for a friend who is learning to play. Thank you!

  2. I have a old 84331 I got for $100.00 at a pon shop. It is sapele, better then maple. I put some .13-.56 steal strings on it, it was loud, and it rocked better then a $1.000.00 guitar.

  3. Good article. This guitar can not be praised enough. I bought one of these pretty early on(early 2000s) and I loved it. But since it’s a budget guitar once I started getting better I had to “upgrade” so I sold it. A few years later guitar center has a sale. Buy 10 packs of strings(I think they were dadarrio exp) and get a free jasmine. I couldn’t pass that up. Even though I liked it I again sold it because I already had way fancier guitars at this point. A couple years ago I decided to get a beater acoustic to bring to work. I instantly thought of the jasmine and went to guitar center. I tried to find something better at that price point but there was nothing. Even for double the price I couldn’t find anything better. My acoustic collection now consists of a Takamine EG530sc, a Washburn EA20 Nuno Bettencourt signature, and a Jasmine S34C. Guess which one gets played the most… So I’ve owned 3 jasmines and played many more in the shops while picking them out. The action is super low and light for any acoustic, nevermind a budget one. Sounds good. Plays good. I have no complaints whatsoever. If I was forced to come up with any cons I would say on a couple I tried in the shops, the action was so low that there was a little fret buzz on the high E. Guitars usually need to be set up after purchase so that’s not a big deal. Also, the tuners LOOK a little cheap to me due to the type of chrome finish but they work just fine. If your considering buying one of these don’t hesitate.

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