Review of the Thomann Classic Guitar S 4/4 classical guitar. Where to buy it?

Purchased July 1. Received unit July 9 here in the Western US in 8 eight days — intact with no damage. Thank you Thomann for the great and efficient service!

I am a seasoned player (40+ years) and wanted a decent practice instrument. I have owned / played many guitars (classical, electric, steel string acoustic, etc) in the past (ranging from the hand made to the very mediocre). I intended to use this unit solely for classical playing/practicing. My priorities in selecting an instrument are: Sound/Tone, Playability, and a distant third, Appearance.

I was swayed to buy this unit based upon online research, YT videos, and posted reviews (I had never seen this instrument personally ever).

As with most instruments in the lower end of the price range, this unit offers a mix of advantages and deficiencies.

From previous experience, I immediately set out to upgrade/hone aspects which are often lacking: I polished frets (using 0000 steel wool only). The surfaces were quite rough. Also replaced plastic saddle with bone unit. I raised the height of the fitted saddle to improve tone and overall volume slightly. Finally, I changed out strings (I prefer LaBella 2001 HTs). These changes made noticeable sonic improvement.

Despite the all-solid wood construction, I was still a bit disappointed that the high notes (fretted notes on 1st or 2nd string for example) don’t ring as loud and clear as I had hoped.
The guitar does have that balanced solid spruce midrange-focused tone however.

Frets: One fret was not properly seated (13th fret, under high E string). I used a padded clamp to press it into place. There are a few frets that are a tad high during the fret-rocker test.
They are not bad enough to be a major sonic concern however.
Polishing seems to have circumvented fret height differences.
Overall construction of the unit is good however. In particular, the neck position and geometry are spot on (very important in absence of truss rod). Interior fitting/gluing is also very good.
The tuners are average. Mine bound and wound unevenly when I re-strung with high tension strings.
Wish list: thinner finish would work equally well. A matte type option would be very desirable (less finish generally = more sound).

Having said all the above, I do give a recommendation to buy.
It is worth the time and expense to get one and tweak/fix it up.

Footnote: finally, for those that also like to upgrade and maximize the sound of guitars like the S 4/4.. One thing you can do to help improve the sound and responsiveness of an acoustic guitar is to CAREFULLY place it on or in front of a speaker cabinet/stereo and play music loudly. The acoustic vibrations will invoke the wood (especially the soundboard) to vibrate and that ultimately will help your instrument sound better sooner. Sounds goofy but it works.

Planning on buying another Thomann or VGS guitar in the upcoming months..

(apologies for the long post)

This guitar is an astounding value. Thomann shipped it from Germany to me in the USA. It took only three days, and the guitar arrived in great condition. Thomann’s customer service is excellent, and everything arrived as promised with no surprise customs fees or anything like that.

I replaced the stock plastic saddle for a bone one, but that’s all the setup that I did. I checked the intonation, it was solid. The sound is very warm with a buttery midrange, it has a richness that’s without parallel for a guitar at this price point. It is quite playable right out of the box, once the strings have a chance to settle in at the proper tension. The stock strings aren’t bad, either. Some have felt that the action is too high, but I found it to be the rather standard string height that you find on classical guitars. They do string ’em high in this realm. All you need is a bit of sandpaper to sand down the bottom of the bridge if you want to lower it, though.

It seems like this is too good to be true and I’m waiting for a catch. But there isn’t one! I’m trying to think of a "con." I guess some have not liked the tuners — but they function just fine. I don’t plan to replace them. Yes, the maple sides and back aren’t that boldly grained in appearance. But they are pleasing! My guitar happens to have a very nice grain pattern in the back of the neck, and also on a place on the back.

This thing met and exceeded every expectation I had. Yes, it is not a concert classical guitar, but for a student or intermediate guitar it is wonderful. It should only get better with age as the solid wood opens up! For this price it blows my mind.