With the J&D C-220S the manufacturer Jack & Danny manages to produce an affordable 4/4 classical guitar, which is perfect for beginners and also advanced players with its quality and materials. A solid spruce top produces clear and distinct treble frequencies that are in perfect harmony with the warm bass frequencies of the laminated mahogany body. The flat constructed nato neck with a sonokeling fingerboard allows especially inexperienced fingers a very comfortable grip up to the highest frets. The nut width of 52 mm and the 650 mm long scale length offer the player a lot of space so that all strings can be pressed down easily without any restrictions. Every the details of the guitar were not spared, because the construction of spruce and mahogany forms a particularly beautiful interplay with the black ABS binding and the elaborately crafted soundhole rosette.
After having previously purchased 4 J&D guitars and been happy with the products, I was most disappointed when I opened the box to see the guitar that arrived. 1st observation was not major but odd, in that there was a tag that proclaimed the guitar had been strung using d'addario EXP 80/20 bronze strings, which is obviously incorrect. Then, I saw the headstock didn't match the photo, the end of which was totally plain and rounded, more like the C-200 and not ornate, as pictured so I quickly checked the inside label to see that I had been sent the right guitar, and apparently the was the C-220s. OK.
Now the problems. Even though the strings were all slackened 5 tones or so lower than concert pitch, the action was very high, and the plastic saddle strip was much higher on the low E side than the high E side, most irregular and shows the lack of care given by the manufacturer's employee, who bless them, must have been having a bad time. I was about to give it a chance and rectify the action by removing the plastic saddle and sanding it down from the underside - admittedly, invariably this is nessecary anyway when buying this sort of budget instrument, but I noted that there would be very little chance of getting the strings as low as I would like, even if I took it down to the absolute lowest point possible. Bear in mind, I am experienced in setting up guitars, realistic and don't actually look for a super low action.
So, I was about to loosen the strings to remove the saddle from the bridge when I noticed a major issue with the guitar that cannot be resolved. The bridge had obviously been glued on correctly but an odd angle, 5 or 6 degrees out from being parallel with the frets etc, so the high E is further away than the Low E, and this is obviously not an acceptable product so, I have not, nor will attempt to play this guitar. I put 2 stars for sound, as 4 seperate ratings are compulsory. I'm sure it would have sounded lovely if it was as expected. The wood used looks very nice and I'm upset that I'm not able to use it and start writing some beautiful music with it.
I am going to have to send it back and I don't usually do this sort of thing but it's clearly something I can't put right. I try to be a nice person and I actually feel guilty about having bought this guitar now but I don't have much money. 3 of my other guitars were sold.
I better start looking into going about how to return it now. I guess these things happen, but I'm feeling quite sad about it.