I was always curious about Tagima, so I bought one // TAGIMA TG 530 // An Honest Review

Tagima TG 530 Review Summary

The reviewer bought a Tagima Strat-style guitar out of curiosity about the brand. He paid a discounted price, though he says the series typically sells new for around $300.

Features and Positives

• The guitar has a glossy, vintage-amber-tinted maple neck, which the reviewer strongly prefers. He notes that the rosewood-fretboard versions have a less-finished-looking neck, which some players may prefer.
• Its light blue finish, aged-looking mint-green pickguard, cream pickup covers, and vintage-style bridge give it an appealing vintage appearance.
• After professional setup work, it played well enough for him to use for an entire set at an outdoor gig, and its sound suited the material he was playing.

Drawbacks and Setup

• The stock tuners were his biggest complaint. They felt poor, were difficult to adjust precisely, and did not inspire confidence in tuning stability. He plans to replace them.
• The guitar arrived with extremely high action and significant fret buzz. A shop technician lowered the action, but the reviewer’s own tech later improved the setup further and leveled several frets.
• Even after adjustment, the bridge saddles were nearly as low as possible, limiting further action adjustment.
• He replaced the original synthetic nut with a bone nut. He also found the supplied strings too stiff and planned to try 9.5-gauge strings instead of the 10s installed during setup.
• The stock pickups sounded usable, but he described them as inexpensive ceramic single coils prone to excessive low end and muddiness. He compensated by reducing bass and boosting treble on his amp and Helix, and intends to replace the pickups.

Playing Experience and Comparisons

The guitar was serviceable live after setup and EQ adjustments. However, when the reviewer switched to his Fender for the second set, the Fender felt and sounded noticeably better. He says the Tagima does not match a good Fender Strat, including a Mexican-made model.

He compared the Tagima’s overall quality, feel, and appearance to an SX Hawk, which he thinks may be slightly better and is often cheaper when available. He also likened it to a Squier Classic Vibe, though he expects the Squier to be better built and closer to Fender specifications.

The reviewer prefers Slick guitars, saying they cost less while offering good hardware and pickups.

Verdict

The TG 530 has attractive vintage styling and can become a usable gigging guitar, but the reviewer’s example needed substantial setup work and upgrades. The tuners and stock pickups were particular weaknesses.

At around $300, he believes there may be better-value alternatives. Consider the TG 530 mainly if you like its look and are prepared to address its setup and hardware shortcomings. No numerical rating was given.

Speaker Perspectives

• Reviewer: A working musician who tested the guitar at a live show. He found it usable for one set after setup, but said his Fender was distinctly better.
• Shop owner, as reported by the reviewer: Said the store was clearing Tagima stock before becoming a licensed Fender dealer, claiming Fender did not want many copies on the market.