As an experienced guitar player, I had the opportunity to field test and demo the Carter Starter guitar when it was first released. This was done as a favor to retailers and out of loyalty to Bud and John, without any compensation. My feedback here is purely based on my personal experience.
Initially, the Carter Starter guitar seemed promising for its intended purpose as a beginner instrument. The first demonstration showed good potential. However, I did observe a few minor issues during testing. One was a slight hysteresis due to the changer mechanism, which was sonically perceptible, though not severely distracting. Another point was some drifting in the tuning when static or at rest. There was a noticeable difference in tuning stability between playing continuously and taking breaks. Throughout the demo, I found myself frequently tweaking the key head and making adjustments to the pulls to maintain accurate tuning.
Beyond tuning stability, I also noticed a feeling of mushiness when engaging pedals. Additionally, the guitar itself felt too light for stage performance. It felt like the instrument was almost jumping around while I was playing, which was a bit disconcerting.
On the positive side, the tone of the Carter Starter guitar was quite acceptable. If I recall correctly, it was equipped with a George L pickup, which contributed to a decent sound quality.
One minor detail I noted was that the fret markings seemed slightly misaligned towards the pickup end, particularly around the 17th fret and higher. While John dismissed this as my imagination, I perceived a slight inaccuracy in their placement.
Overall, despite these minor points, the Carter Starter guitar was not a bad instrument, especially considering its target market.
To offer a point of comparison, I have also demoed a Stage One Zum guitar. In my opinion, the Stage One Zum is a superior product in terms of overall performance and feel. This is not to detract from John and Bud, who are friends, and I would confidently use a Stage One guitar for professional gigs. It’s an excellent instrument.
Nevertheless, for its price point, the Carter Starter guitar is definitely a sufficiently quality instrument for those beginning their guitar journey and learning the fundamentals. It provides a solid starting point for aspiring guitarists.
