My full-fledged entry into the guitar world

A representative of the extremely little-known Guitarland guitar brand (the brand sounds rather funny to me). For its time (about 20 years ago), the guitar wasn't that expensive. It was actually a gift, so it's hard to even guess the exact price because there's little to compare it to, and there are practically no old price tags left for guitars from this brand. Being the first decent guitar on which I could easily practice songs without having to strain my fingers to press the strings, it proved to be quite sufficient for entering the vast world of guitar playing. Most likely, if I hadn't gotten my hands on this instrument, practicing and playing the guitar would never have become my hobby. So, I'm certainly grateful for it.

But if you look at the sound itself in more detail, it doesn't really stand out with any special characteristics. It just sounds good. The notes play their positions. The sustain isn't disappointing. However, overall, there's no real depth to the sound. The 4-5-6 strings definitely lack expression. This realization came to me at the time when I compared it to another guitar in a similar price range, if not cheaper, which this instrument was inferior to in terms of sound quality. However, the instrument's strong point is the body finish. Over 20 years, the guitar hasn't lost any of its color (which, in my opinion, looks quite nice) or the varnish. Nothing has peeled, faded, chipped, or worn away. The same can't be said for the neck, however. Initially, I didn't even realize the black fretboard was actually painted, but over time, in areas where I played most frequently, the paint has peeled off the neck (like the varnish peels off the maple necks of some Fender guitars). It certainly has its vintage charm, and I can't really blame the instrument for that. Overall, the neck has remained quite playable and pleasant all this time. I love it as my first proper guitar. I still have fond memories of that. But when you start to improve your performance, it's always worth moving on to more advanced instruments.