The Greg Bennett Design D200PK Acoustic Guitar Package includes the D2 Model Acoustic Guitar which features a select spruce top, Nato mahogany back and sides and Grover tuners.  The Grover tuners are intended to insure fast, accurate tuning.  Traditional X-style top braces allow the top to breathe for maximum power while maintaining the top's structural integrity.

 

To complete the package, also included is a gig bag, extra set of strings, electronic tuner, strap, picks and a lesson DVD.

 

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY RATINGS

EASE OF USE So....does your teenager think he's got what it takes to be the next Jack Johnson or Dave Matthews?  The Greg Bennett Acoustic Guitar Package may be just what your future rocker needs.  But...be warned....opening the package and putting in the DVD are certainly easy...after that it's all up to practice, talent, practice and more practice!  The kids that grabbed this package for review were stoked to get their hands on a quality guitar, but even after a solid week or so with the kit they were still far from strumming along to a song.  That poses a tough question when it comes to ease of use...simply put...the package has everything your teen needs to get started - so that makes things easy as far as the tools.  But then the patience and desire really has to kick in for a teen to stick with one of the most challenging instruments around.

DURABILITY As you'll see from the price tag (more on that later) this is a one serious acoustic guitar - yes, it's made for the beginner - but by no means is this a flimsy, lightweight six-string.  It has a beautiful spruce top, gorgeous mahogany back and top-notch equipment including tuners, and strings.  Put all of that together and you have an awesome guitar that is built for music, but isn't exactly built for durability.  It's not that the guitar won't hold up, and yes, strings break, but mostly our parents expressed concerns that their kids make sure to handle this properly.  Handled well and treated with respect, and there should be no durability issues, but if your junior rocker plans on smashing a guitar at the end of a set please remind them in advance that it will break!

VISUAL APPEAL Well...this was an easy one.  Five stars all the way!  Our teens were literally standing with open mouths when they had their chance to get a hold of this fine instrument.  This isn't a pretend guitar, and it isn't a video game.  This is the real thing that their rock and roll idols play - and our review team was more than impressed!

FUNCTIONALITY Seriously - functionality?  If ever the word endless was a perfect fit - this is it!  It takes guitar players years to master their instrument.  But along the road to discovery there are endless musical paths that fill days and nights.  Your teen will have to spend time learning the parts of the guitar, then start working on the notes, then start working on learning how to put them together, then start learning how to play music, then start learning how to create music.  You couldn't pack more function in a box if you tried!

COST EFFICIENCY For all the excitement that has come with Visual Appeal and Functionality, some of the was certainly curbed when it came time to talk price.  This is not an inexpensive guitar set.  Yes, it is excellent quality.  Yes, it has everything you need to get started - including a DVD with a set of lessons.  And yes, it retails for just under $500.  That price tag immediately turned a good number of our parents off.  On the positive side - all of our parents recognized that this is one well made, great sounding guitar (when played properly of course), not some beginners piece of junk.  This is a guitar that a beginner will grow into and stick with for a long time.  And some parents even felt that the high price tag would help flesh out if their child was serious about learning even before picking up the instrument.  Some talked of chores or part time jobs to earn the guitar - and if a teen has enough dedication to work for the guitar, then they just may have the dedication to stick with it and learn how to play.  Still - with such a high price tag many of our parents had to keep this rating low.

ORIGINALITY It's an all-in-one kit that is made for a serious beginner.  Too many beginner packages are cheaply made and no matter how skilled the musician becomes, the guitar would never sound right.  The Greg Bennett Acoustic Guitar Package breaks that mold.  This is truly an awesome sounding guitar - and if your kid puts in the work they'll be repaid handsomely with beautiful music.  Now that's original!

OVERALL RATING

We always shoot straight - and this review is no exception.  The Greg Bennett Acoustic Guitar Package is awesome - but it is expensive.  This is not necessarily the guitar you'll want to invest in if you think music is going to be a passing habit for your teen.  However, if you think music is something that your child will grow with, learn to love, and learn what it means to really commit to practice and dedication, you won't be happier with any other guitar kit.  This is extremely well made, it is a "real" guitar in every sense of the word, and is more than enough to begin your child on the path to filling their rock and roll fantasies!