Boroughs B30DNT Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Natural

2025-02-13T04:08:26

I purchased my first Borough's guitar last year to play hiking Mt LeConte. I made a few changes working on the frets, bone pin and bridge and cheap pick guard. The added a sound hole pickup. Maybe $50 in additional cost. I giged the guitar in extreme heat and it held up beautifully. After selling the guitar to a friend needing a travel guitar I purchased four more making the same upgrades. For the money these are great guitars.

DAVID H.

2024-12-05T18:08:19

Great value awesome sound. Cleaned up the frets. Plays good and sounds amazing for a guitar this price. Slight neck adjustment was also needed.

REX S.

2023-12-18T02:42:35

Nice guitar but not excellent. Very sharp edges on the frets and some string buzzing. I'll clean up the frets and install some name brand strings and see. Overall it's a very nice looking and decent sounding entry level guitar and for the money the flaws are acceptable.

Michael S.

2023-11-25T16:57:47

I've had this guy for about a week. Not too shabby. A friend directed me to Adorama and the Boroughs line of acoustics because I needed a grab and go acoustic guitar to leave in the computer room which is also the Pug's room. I didn't want to risk leaving an expensive guitar there in case my Pug has a liking for guitar varnish. But it serves it's purpose well. Feels good. Sounds good. Guitar is lighter than my Martin MIM dreadnought. Fret ends are ok ... not as jagged as some other reviewers have mentioned, but they can use some filing. It was playable out of the box and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone ... beginner, intermediate, or advanced guitar player. At this price, there's nothing to lose.

EDWARD H.

2023-10-27T04:43:51

This is a really fine guitar for being so inexpensive. It is well constructed and there was not a flaw in that aspect. The frets are narrower than most acoustic guitars I have had, and the fret ends were a bit sharp (fret sprout). The fretboard was very dry. The action was actually pretty low out of the box. After addressing the sharp fret ends, oiling the fret board and adjusting the truss for the right relief (for me), the guitar plays great and has a really nice sound. It is really a fine guitar for a beginner, and the perfect couch guitar.

PATRICK D.

2023-10-08T10:17:47

You know why I hate reviewing these Boroughs guitars? Because then everyone will learn how great they are and want to buy one. When this happens I won't be able to buy more because they'll sell out especially at Adoramas low prices. Got yourself one and prepare to be amazed. I dare you to find a better sounding guitar in this price range. There, now I did it?.

DAVID G.

2023-10-01T05:38:04

I've been so impressed with these Boroughs guitars. Adorama's crazy clearance prices make these a no brainer purchase. The set up out of the box is on point. The dread styles are real boomers. You can take this guitar anywhere and at these prices you won't cry if it gets a ding or two. Getting a gig bag, strings, picks, tuner, and a strap is insane. If you're looking to start playing start here. Trust me you won't be disappointed. A great beach or beater guitar as well.

DAVID G.

2023-09-15T02:22:13

Probably one of the best sounding guitars in this price range. Adorama is blowing these out at amazing prices. Do yourself a favor, grab one before they're gone. You won't be sorry.

DAVID G.

2023-02-05T17:43:50

I received my Boroughs B30DSB dreadnought, the spruce top/sunburst version, yesterday. I had recently purchased the mahogany version of this very same guitar and I was impressed such that I wanted the B30DSB version also. I was able to buy both of them at a price that must be one of the best new-guitar bargains of all time. It seems to me they are incredible values, even at their non-sale prices, especially in this inflationary environment. Yes, you can spend much more and buy better guitars. But I think we all like a bargain and wow were these two guitars ever a bargain, IMHO. The problem with really inexpensive guitars is that businesses can't manufacture and sell them at a very low price and still provide great quality control, so some percentage bargain-level guitars that go out the factory door are inherently better, and some worse, than others. If there is some obvious, major flaw noted at the factory I suspect they recover the good parts of the faulty guitar and the rest is chopped into kindling, but in most cases, budget guitars are packed up and shipped out. Then the retail seller gets the task of hassling with the consumer when the bargain-priced guitar isn't quite right. I don't see how it is possible that a guitar can be bought so cheaply and still have such value. Imagine the cost of building or renting a factory, buying or renting the CNC machine tools, designing the guitar and manufacturing methods, sourcing and then precisely shaping the woods, sourcing the non-wood items like strings and tuners, paying employees to fit and glue everything together, packing it up securely, shipping it halfway across the world, shipping and storing it at a retail or online business, the business adding its profit margin onto the product's cost from the factory, advertising the product, then mailing it outt to a customer, usually postage paid anywhere in the United States. Just think what it takes. It seems impossible to me. I think I got one of the best guitars of the run. Its appearance and structural factors are perfect, to my non-expert eyes. It has an excellent, full, classical dreadnaught sound. I am impressed by the high quality D'Addario strings that came on the guitar and the Nu Bone nut and bridge; those items are not cheap and they don't really need to be that good in a budget guitar. They must eat into profits. Very nice and unexpected touches. New guitars commonly have the action set too high. I suspect that the factory leans a little towards the action being a little high rather than low. There are inherent manufacturing tolerances and other factors that result in variable string heights on each guitar. A slightly high action is easier to troubleshoot and fix after purchase than a low action. Guitars are precision products; manufacturing and material variables (such as the nature of wood) that make it impossible to get it just right on every guitar, so it is not at all uncommon that the action on a new guitar must be adjusted when it gets in the consumer's hands. Sometimes good fortune intervenes and the new guitar happens to be in the manufacturing sweet spot. I was fortunate in this regard, as the action is at a good height and needs no adjustment. I suspect it is a truism that the need to do work to adjust a new guitar varies inversely with the price of the guitar. There is no free lunch, and it helps to recognize and comprehend that fact. I consider my new guitar to be an excellent purchase. Adorama, ya done me good. I feel like I took advantage of your company and I should send you some additional money or something. But don't injure yourselves running to the mailbox to look for it. :-) PS: Yes, I realize, I'm kind of geeked out with my purchases, to the extent that you might think I work for Adorama or I got paid or something. I don't, and I didn't in any way. This is an honest review.

Charles L.

2023-01-12T10:54:17

Generally, guitars need a setup after leaving the factory which is part of the buying process at a reputable music store. I was pleasantly surprised the guitar didn?t seem to need a setup. Not surprisingly the guitar was out of tune. That?s easy with an inexpensive purchase. The product is extremely pleasant looking and sounds as good as it looks.

RONALD K.

2023-01-04T07:30:03

Had it been more ready to play out of the box, would?ve given 5 stars . . Couple of high frets causing string buzz. Otherwise the quality is outstanding

Don C.

2022-12-29T19:20:50

It slipped on the floor and broke my daughter was really sad. She got it for Christmas

ABBY P.

2022-12-19T10:06:40

My son was happy with the guitar but don?t understand how to attach the guitar strap. There?s only one hook for the stap and a tie string on the other end?? How fo you attach it?

BRANDON P.

2022-12-05T12:39:27

The frets were razor sharp. On both. I had to spend 2 hours fileing the ends. Needs addressing with the factory by Boroughs CEO. ALSO the compensated bridges intonation is very bad. Flat. String need to be shorter. Zero fret to 12 th fret is 12 and3/4 inches right on but 12th fret to bridge varies from 12and7/8 to 13 and 3/16. ModelB 30DSB

JOHN P.

2022-12-04T05:00:11

Been playing for 28 years. This cheap guitar has a nice sound but mine arrived needing quite a bit of adjustment for several strings in different parts for fret buzz around 13th and 14th. Slight Truss adjustment didn't fix buzz. May have to file down a few high parts of a couple frets. typical QC issues one may expect in this range. If u can fix the buzz without much effort, this would be a 5 star beginner or beater guitar for price. It is very light, looks nice, and sounds full and nice without the fret buzz.

Curtis W.

2022-08-26T10:34:53

Great guitar for the price. The guitar sounds good. Some rough wood finish but not bad. Great as a beginner guitar. Overall, I am please with my purchase.

KIET M.

2022-07-08T20:25:04

I am professional musician and luthier with over 40 yards of experience, having owned and worked on scores of acoustic guitars of many well-known brands and in all price ranges. The Boroughs B30DNT is a great example of how much the quality and value of made-in-China guitars have improved over the last several decades. To be sure, this is obviously a cheaply mass-produced instrument, with a number of (literal) rough edges, as can be seen in the photos. The lack of grain filler in the wood is clearly evident; the finish is not mirror smooth compared to more expensive guitars. That being said, the visible mahogany grain is not at all unpleasant to the eye or to the touch. The neck finish is quite good and makes for easy playing. The enclosed tuners are not loose or sloppy, and the 15:1 ratio is a good choice. The NuBone nut and compensated saddle are very pleasant features in a guitar in this price range. The fret ends are a bit on the rough side, but I've seen far worse on guitars costing much more. The frets and fretboards are dead level. Out of the box the neck had .017 inches of relief at the 9th fret; a couple of clicks of tightening the truss rod brought it down to .010. With the relief properly set, string height at the 12th fret is right at 2 mm with no buzzing, and intonation is virtually dead-on. Again, I've set up Martins, Gibsons, and Taylors that needed much more adjusting than this instrument. I must say I'm not a fan of the D'Addario coated strings, but that's more about personal preference than about the quality of the strings. Of course, what truly sets the Boroughs guitar apart from virtually all other inexpensive instruments is the laminated mahogany body and what appears to be a solid spruce top. You can easily spend $1000 on a guitar with inferior tonewoods; the use of spruce and layered mahogany in a $100 instrument is beyond impressive and more than makes up for its flaws.

Jay V.

2022-02-16T13:53:32

I've purchased several guitars from Adorama because the prices are good and so is their selection in the new and used category. Also purchased several from Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, Reverb as well as other locations. I say this because I am volunteering my opinion. Been playing guitars off and on since the age of 10, now 67. My 20's to mid 30's I played daily, often 6 or more hours a day. Started a family, the need to work was exchanged for playing. Years went by with barely a note played. Retired for 6 years, back into the guitar mode. In fact, all 22 of them. Kids are gone, built a room dedicated for music only. Learned to set up, adapting them to my style of playing. Your thinking, what's with the long introduction. Because my story is not that unusual, I believe many of you can relate and have the same passion as I do for guitars. Besides, they are pretty cool to look at and collect. My first thought when reviewing the ad I figure another quickly produced cheap out the door instrument with terrible action, cheap hardware and dull sounding. So I passed up the ad. I later took a second look, a closer look and the pros are what lent me the initiative to purchase. Pros: a. It possess a NuBoneXB nut and saddle, wow, impressive for an instrument at this price. b. Techwood fingerboard are more durable, less prone to cracking and drying out. c. Deck is solid mahogany which is superior over veneered ply for sound and appearance which comes on the more expensive guitars. d. D?Addario? EXP16? coated strings I haven't seen come on guitars near this price range. e. The C-shape neck is comfortable to play. I prefer the slim C neck, quicker play. f. The design of the head stock allowing the tuners a more direct access to be inline with the strings eliminates the need for string trees and a more direct tuning. Very stylish also. g. The Dreadnought body does give it a fuller sound given the wood and finish make a difference as well. h. I do like the open pore finish but it's more acceptable to humidity changes. I keep my music room average of 71 degrees and humidity around 45 which is perfect for acoustic guitars. i. The guitar is extremely light, makes for strap playing easy to endure for longer periods of time. j. Has a nice white body band wrap that helps bring out the mahogany color. k. The guitar is fitted very well together like the more expensive brands. m. Came packaged decent. Cons: a. Sealed 15:1 ratio, sealed-gear tuners are basic average, my preference is at least an 18:1 locking tuners for finer tuning. b. Guitar is extremely light. Meaning much thinner wood then normal. Easier to damage and warping. c. Not a guitar I would think to often take outside it's normal environment, fear of poking a hole in it or causing damage to it's skin. d. The fret ends are a bit edgy but then again, look at the price. Easy fix. e. Frets are a little narrower and not as tall as on the more expensive guitars. Gives it an electric lower action neck feel though. Overall: I am very pleased with the Boroughs B30D guitar. Played well right out of the box which is very unusual for a guitar in this price range. I compared it to my Taylor 114ce and the Breedlove Discovery Concert MHCE and give it the same rating of a 4 star. Here's why: ?For the Price? this guitar looks just as good and as expensive as the other two. The Breedlove pays better then the Taylor and Boroughs, but the Boroughs plays better then the Taylor, ?Action and over all feel wise.? The Boroughs is also $670 cheaper then the Taylor. That's a huge difference. Yes the Taylor has Fishman electronics, but one can add a Fishman to the Boroughs for under $150 as well. With the D?Addario? EXP16? strings, the Boroughs sings loudly and the tone is to me very rich, deep base, clear with a surprising long sustain and presents a quick attack time. I haven't tried another type of strings yet. My preference has always been the Martian MA540 SP or the Martian Marques. But I think I'll certainly will give the D?Addario? EXP16? a try on my other acoustics, very impressed with their sound. One can buy 5 of the Boroughs compared to the Breedlove and Taylor and really enjoy the playability, full body sound and use of comfort without much difference in noticeably with the sound, action or body fit. Can hang the Boroughs around the neck much longer also. Take it from me, I am very picky about what I play, but what I can afford comes first. Buy this guitar, you will not be disappointed unless I happen to get a rare well built instrument right off the production line. I'm looking forward to trying the Boroughs B30ACENT Auditorium Acoustic Electric Guitar next. On fixed income now, so it'll be a while before getting hold of one of those. If your looking or just want an extra guitar to play, ?Buy This Guitar!? I mean it, you won't be disappointed!

SIMON A.