Its not the country of origin but the skill of the craftsmen. A skilled craftsman in China can make a guitar just as well as any skilled craftsman in the US or anywhere else in the world.
Unfortunately, the chinese rarely take pride in their work... it's all about making stuff cheep, cheep, cheep, like the little birdy that flew over k-mart
@@JustJ-gs3rx you’ve been under a rock? Shijie has been strong in the market for like a good 5 years, only growing. There’s a few official retailers in my area now. Also, Shijie is basically Suhr in China. A bunch of master builders that decided to open their own high quality guitars factory. And no, at least from Gibson, their QC is a fucking joke.
Been playing Shijie for 2 years and there guitars are awesome, I have Shijie Telecaster and TM 5 like the blue and they are way better than USA guitars and Mexican Strats. The gig bags are good and they have good quality control. I think they are the best Classic type guitars made overseas. The neck are so smooth and frets are excellent . Good review dude
I played a T style from Shijie recently and I was very impressed. Fit and finish was on par or better than any of the American stuff in the same price range.
@@ranwaldovonslappinstein114yes, same price range and then some. My Shijie TLV is as good or better than the Fender ultra and elite telecasters. My only quibble is the neck is chunkier than I would normally like and it took some getting used to.
have you tried any of the newer charvel's? same price range, made in mexico in the fender factory. loaded with fishmans with 3 voicings stock,licensed fender roasted necks,locking tuners,tusk nut,push pull splits with a total of 9 tone options. id say they look to be under par to those but look flashy enough. they dont look like bad guitars without playing one myself, but their price seems a little steep for what i could get outside of the big brands for the cost.
Great honest review! i prefer hard-shell cases for shipping but in the home studio soft shell cases are the way to go as they take up way less room! i wont even call that guitar a cheapy it sounds to good to be put on that lvl! its a nice lil piece and gratz on the makers for putting in the work and making a great guitar!
It's not just China. I recently got one of the IYV Les Paul copies made in Vietnam, and I cannot believe how well it was made. The tuners were trash and I replaced with Hipshot locking tuners, but otherwise, it holds tune, feels great, no sharp frets, the pickups are pretty good (though they are like Tele pickups without 60 cycle hum). For $190 it's as good if not better than a typical Epiphone LP standard.
You know I worked in auto manufacturing here in the USA for ten years before the pandemic happened and I went full time with my podcast & music PR business (never been happier btw), similar to your story. One of the things I remember besides working 6-7 days a week 12 hours a day, was the fact that everyone was pissed off and no one was paying attention to anything. The amount of shit that went flying out the door on a constant basis was enough to make me paranoid about anything built in the USA. They always seemed to put the new hires with the lowest pay at the end of the line in the quality control section because it was the job that no one wanted. Do you think those people coming in the door at the base pay rate working 7 days a week really gave a shit about the welds etc they were supposed to check.... Point is if this happens in the auto factory you can imagine it also happens in other factory's like a guitar factory. I don't know, i have never worked in a guitar factory. I am not saying i would never buy a US guitar but .....
Congratulations on your success dude! I also broke out doing my own design studio during covid and will never go back to 9-5. My dad used to tell me pay attention to the day of the week things are produced. Monday products are no good because people are hung over from the weekend, Friday products are no good because people's got one foot out the door. But stuff made on Wednesday is right when a guy his hitting his stride entering the flow state the get through the week, and nobody gets hired or trained mid week, so he always tried to get gear built on Wednesdays.
@@squirelova1815 quality control across the country goes to the newest, most inexperienced workers who really couldn't care less about the job and are just showing up for the paycheck that doesn't really amount to anything after taxes and medical insurance. It really makes you wonder where the slave labor is actually happening.
If you pay American workers so little, they have to work 72 or more hours a week to make a living AND tell them to work as fast as they can, not as thoroughly, you get a bunch of course words. If you give Chinese workers enough to make a good living (possible, but not the usual) AND tell them to work as thoroughly as they can, you will get a better, but more expensive product than by other Chinese manufacturers. On the other hand, your product will be better than the American counterpart, AND it will still cost less than American rubbish. Labour costs money, some workers get motivated, to work better, if their salary is considerably higher than the average.
Love the channel! Glad I happened upon ya! I prefer hardshell cases overall. Gig bags are smaller, but they still take up storage space inevitably. When moving my guitars outside of the house (and yes...even basses...) I prefer to have them protected a bit more...because you never know when you're going to run into a lummox who doesn't know how to handle themselves around instruments..... When at home, I tend to have them in my multi-guitar rack ready to go for when inspiration hits. Rarely are they sitting in the case waiting to be played.
I’m an American who lives part time in China. I bought a local brand acoustic, a Mann, in 2017. It was around the equivalent of $300 US. I’ve owned Martins, Guilds, you name it. The Mann is the best guitar under $1000 I’ve ever played. And btw - I don’t know this brand but I speak some Chinese. That brand would be pronounced sher-jeyeah. ;)
I love both gigbags and hardshell cases. The pros of a gigbag is the pockets without a doubt! I've played a few shows with my band this year, and I've had gigbags with me everytime, great to store cables, pedals, powersupply and some extra stuff on the side that can come in handy. But hardshell cases just give a sense of security due to the durability
I only store my guitars on hard case, and to be fair I can buy one from Thomann for the price of a gigbag 😅 But always good to have a gig bag for when you need, like band practice.
@@elcookiemonsteru Yeah if I'm transporting a ton of gear for a show then I'm definitely going with a hardshell case because the guit is probably going to be stored next to a next crushing amp or something else in a similar weight and size category due to travel constraints in a vehicle or trailer, but for practicing with my mates then I'll bring a softshell because of how easy and convenient it is. I actually prefer using a softshell, but will resort to the hardshell when I need the extra protection.
I/ve wanted a Gibson ES-339 for awhile. I ended up with a lowly Eastman T-484, which is an imported version of a Gibson ES-339 for half the price. This guitar came from the factory with good hardware and a nice finish. The Eastman also had a SD Jazz in the neck and a SD 59 in the bridge. As for the neck, it is closer to a Gibson thin taper and very comfortable.... The store guy just took it out of the box when I was walked in. It felt nice right out of the box and sounded great.
Eastman are sneaky underrated. They fill a very important niche for jazz players in that they offer something a little more than the standard Ibanez art core but we're more accessible than Dangelico's we're until the premier series was introduced (and those really weren't the best up until a couple of years ago). I find it really ironic folks in the rock and metal community can be so sheepish over Chinese made guitars. I understand wanting to get fair market value but it's all about the philosophy and standards of the company and the craftsmanship of the workers. Nationality is secondary. The reason I love PRS is because of their design philosophy and the skill of their builders and I'll always pay a premium for that. Similarly if an import brand can do the same similar I'll also be encouraged to support their work. It's not an either or thing so long as you have the means to purchase
Nothing wrong with an Eastman, lovely guitars. Unfortunately like most non major branded guitars, they just don't hold the value like their originals (Fender/Gibson).
Fairly impressed with this guitar. I'm not opposed to buying foreign built guitars as my first and favourite guitar of any decent quality was a Japanese built Westone Spectrum SX. I also own a South Korean crafted Schecter Damien Elite FR-6, a Japanese crafted E2 ESP, and a Jackson SLATTXMG3-7 made in Indonesia.
Hard to find nowdays, but a Alvarez Strato, made in the 90..those were so damn good.. Have been trying to find one(to own again) but here in Finland I just found one, once and in a real bad shape.
I live in Houston, USA and have a ShiJie STE MC, Master Series Fiesta Red, hand crafted, matching headstock, ShiJie locking tuners (clearly rebranded Gotoh tuners), bone nut, stainless frets, roasted Canadian quarter sawn neck w/ rosewood fretboard, real MOP fret markers, USA custom hand wound single coils, cloth covered wiring, full size pots of course, vintage style 6 point bridge bent steel saddles with brass trem block, copper foil cavity and pick guard shielding and what I would consider a premium gig bag, for a retail price of $1299.00usd. On paper a guitar can look really good but it's when you play it is when you know if it's high quality or not.
I’ve ordered several Chinese guitars with varying results. They were all in the $300-$400 range. One of them was absolutely excellent right out of the box. A true beauty. Gorgeous fit and finish and a dream to play. The other two were close but had some noticeable finish defects. However some aspects of the guitars such as the inlays and electronics were done exceptionally well. I think it comes down to the person building it. Some take great care and pride in their work and others not so much. Is it worth the risk? In my opinion, absolutely.
I have the ShiJie RT which is sort of a Tele style SSH that was purchased online from their American distributor and was so impressed that I bought the STE Strat style SSS one and love every thing about them. I was very sceptical about buying online without playing them first but went for it anyway. I have and have had some pretty high end American made guitars including custom shops and these are on par with them for much less money. Unless you actually see one and play it you won't believe it. The build quality is first rate and I have not found any reason to upgrade anything on either one of mine.
Dude, that is an awesome tone! I am starting to see a lot of guys talking about the overseas guitars now. My last guitar was a pawn shop find. It is an Epiphone Les Paul 100. I was shocked to see that the neck plate says that it was made in Indonesia. My next guitar is definitely going to be something cheap and Chinese, only because I plan on cutting it up to build a replica of the Johnny Silverhand guitar from Cyberpunk 2077.
I've discovered over the years that people from other countries are people too... people that also have the ability to build quality instruments...and lately the Chinese have been responsible for building so many instruments for various companies they've gotten really good at it.
This a 100%, there is nothing stopping a non-NA craftsman to be just as good or even better than their NA counter-part ... especially with modern machinery, the gap, if there is any, would be very very minimal.. add the fact that guitar building and it's workings (as much as we love them) isn't exactly rocket science.. Just maybe QC is lower at best, the rest like pickup, wood and hardware selection, if it fails expectation, is not the craftsman's fault but rather issues borne of the brands decision..
I prefer hard shell cases for keeping guitars in the house. When I want to bring a guitar across town, a gig bag is needed because I ride a motor scooter as my transportation. If I owned a car only hard shell cases would be used. The Shi Jie guitars look great. If I needed a fancy guitar I would go for one of those over a Fender that cost $500 more. I don't buy expensive guitars anymore. I'm not a professional. Yet I've played really good low priced guitars with just a little bit of work done to them that would be as good as any professional level guitar. My $250 of guitar repair tools and a bit of effort, makes low end guitars really great.
RE: 0:50 - Damn G, you still got it. You GOTTA do a course on how to make that collapsing table appear outta nowhere, man! Prolly get a lotta subs. And I gotta say, your playing just keeps getting better. That's how we know you're practicing.
I have over 250 Gibsons a few Fender basses ( only 1 Fender strat ) and another 100+ foreign guitars. As a collector I find some overseas guitars are very impressive, others total crap. I'll get one of these and give it a try. Thanks for the info.
@@sam-of7de Hello, I think the Fender will have a whole different feel then the TM-5, from my experiance the fender's neck will be somewhat thicker. The Tonemaster has a 12 inch radius and the Fender player two is 9.5 inch. Only you can asnwer this question my friend. What neck profile do you prefer? Do you care about the name on the headstock? I can tell you that the two Shijie guitars i purchased directly are almost immaculate, the attention to detail on the finishing even under the hood is impecable. If you like a thin C Neck 25.5 inch scale and a 12 inch radius fretboard the TM-5 will feel great. Good luck
Looks lovely. Not going to lie, every China built guitar I've had has been pretty good all things considered. I've been much more unsatisfied with my indonesian Ibanez and American strat, brand new, both had very noticeable problems.
I love Cort guitars, and I think they make Ibanez guitars. All Indonesian Cort guitars (and one A4 bass) that I have rate from good to outstanding, the same with a Washburn Parallaxe from 2016 made by them. But the Ibanez RGRT421 I got back in 2019, while woodwork is great, has many issues with the way the hardware was mounted, potentiometer quality, or even ink in the headstock. I also have a Greg Bennet by Samick, and while there are obvious choices to keep its price down (for example, using photo of pretty wood, instead of a veneer), its build quality is also really good. Whatever OEM manufacturer they're using, I guess Ibanez aren't paying for QA, because Cort also makes the PRS SE range, and they're definitely having good QA, at an obvious higher price point.
@@riangarianga I have 3 ibanez Gio's that are all awesome, way above expectations for the money. The ibanez I had issues with is an RGB300 bass. Neck not on straight, intonation all over the shop. Don't know what factory makes them but it says made in Indonesia on the headstock. I actually have an ibanez gio bass which I think plays much nicer too.
In my humble opinion. The time of American craftsmanship superiority is a thing of the past or quickly become that way. I ordered a sire bass (got to finish this before my mom picks me up). And the specs and quality seem on par with an American made P bass. At this point one just seems to buy the name and the "made in America" logo
Another reason this channel is the best, Glen is always trying to improve his content to be the best by hiring editors to help improve what we get. Genuinely keep up quality please and all the facts and knowledge you bring cause I won’t stop absorbing your wisdom also soft case cause they are easy to store and move
Gig bags are fine for most guitars, the ones that you play all the time and spend their time on the wall or on a stand. But there is something to be said for the experience of opening a nice case and seeing that special beautiful guitar nestled in that shiny fur. I love having a couple of guitars that aren't out all the time. You almost forget how beautiful they are then you open up that case and oooh yeah. . . there it is. Its a nice feeling, at least it is for me. Any player who actually LOVES guitars more than just a tool, should have that feeling once in a while.
I have a 2004 Epiphone Les Paul that was made in China. 2004 is when the factory moved from Korea to China and the guitars were made under the guidance of the Korean luthiers. It is a fantastic playing guitar.
I also had one of those Chinese Epi LPs - newer than yours, I think a 2014 - and as a former Gibson endorser, thought it compared well to my old Gibson LP Studio. There’s some quality to be found on a budget for sure, just have to hunt for the right axe.
I recently bought an Epiphone LP Classic for under 300 used and its made in china and hands down one of the greatest sounding and playing guitars i have ever owned. I have a bunch and i used to live close to a guitar center and spent lots of time fiddling on all the guitars@@BrendanKDavis
@@ZacharyMoonshine yeah, I loved mine. My only complaint was that was like a boat anchor, SO heavy. It sounded great - sustain for days - but I rarely played it standing up. Ending up selling to a gigging jazz guitarist here who played exclusively on a stool.
(I’d gotten a great deal on it from a friend and sold it to the jazz guy 4 years later for a little more than I’d paid, and after he tried it out before buying he said he felt like he was stealing it. Win-win!)
Thank you Glen for speaking the truth! (How dare you) More expensive doesn't always mean a hell of a lot better. The average working musician gigging in bars, and the ones that just play as a hobby normally aren't ready to drop 5-10K on a guitar. They got away with it for so long because the economy was a lot better. Now it's coming home to roost! Thank you sir! By the way, hardshell!
This guitar reminds me of some Suhr stuff. But WAY LESS expensive. USA builders are going way over their heads now pricing wise, even if the quality is high. I can buy a luthier-made guitar for 2k euros in France (french made with very good woods) that would have the same specs as a Pete Thorne Signature guitar priced at 5k euros now. They are insane. I'm glad chinese and indonesian guitars are going up in quality but not in price.
A lot of people have noted that Shijies have a Suhr vibe to them. Alex the owner is a guitar player and he just wants to make the guitars he'd like to play himself.
I never saw the appeal of basically buying a copy of a major brand guitar and charging more for it? If you want a strat, buy a strat. I really can't justify the price of a Suhr. But each to their own - whatever floats your boat.
When I was just starting out, I had a cheap guitar in a cheap gig bag. Went to play on a show and on my way there the strap snapped with guitar falling down from a meter height. Guitar paint cracked and chipped away, and I never used a gig bag since. My current band brings all the sound systems in the van and usually instruments are all together in one space with all the heavy PA systems and speakers. Using a case really resolves most anxiety I would've had over my guitar being damaged on the way. I recognize that gig bags are cheaper, lighter, generally easier to use, still will prefer cases over them most of the time.
I have SEVEN Shijie guitars include a couple of custom shops. Obviously I love them. Superior quality for a fraction of the price of Fendson. Not paid to say this, and no one gave me a free one unfortunately!
I would love to see a comparison of good gig bags. Hard-shell cases are almost a guarantee that your guitar will be safe inside, but, gig bags weigh much less and are just easier to carry typically.
Hey Glenn! I'm the word police! It's pronounced Shee-Gee-Eh. :) Also, the wiggle stick is supposed to be called vibrato, but Leo Fender called it tremolo, and the word stuck. We all still know what it means. Shijie make great guitars! I've got an STE, a Strat type of guitar myself. It ruined for me every other Strat I've had or tried later. They do good T-style guitars, but also some more modern guitars that are great for metal, like the pretty blue one that you've got. :) My STE came in a gigbag that's a little bit different than that one, though it's in the ballpark. It's just a gigbag, but it feels like high quality, it's not too soft, it feels sturdy and stable. No complaints there. I want more Shijie guitars, and as soon as this fckng crisis is over and we, the working people, aren't fckd over by the political elites that are serving the wealthiest, billionaires and largest corporations, I'll buy another one.
I have a 2021 STE SSS with stainless frets and it is impeccable. Got a great deal on it a year ago from Leon's Sound, who was a registered dealer for Shijie. $1000 delivered to my front door. Yeah, and you've got the pronunciation right. There were 2 authorized dealers in the US, but they don't carry them anymore. Contractual agreements possibly? 1 or 2 "influential" players on them; Fender is Toast. Have you seen the video of their factory? These people really care about what they produce. I really wish they would make a shredder w/ a Floyd Rose. I'd be all over it.
@@ltgray2780 Oh yeah, the video from the factory was great to see! They are good at what they do, great attention to detail! You've got a good deal on that! Mine is also a 2021 and SSS, but no stainless steel frets. It cost me about $850 including shopping to Sweden. If I had jumped on the train 6 months earlier, I could have bought one for about $700. They raised their prices after the first runs, which is fair. They practically gave them away early on to get some guitars out there. My guitar needs a bit of a setup now, it has a little too much fret buzz almost all over the fretboard, it's not fun hearing it through the amp. I just need to find the right luthier who knows what they're doing.
Totally true @@nedim_guitar ! I live here with my Chinese wife and I'm hopeless. Besides English, I speak French and Spanish, but even after 11 years, my Chinese sounds like a brain-damaged three year old's.
Yeah, I don't get his price argument. People have been conditioned on China being used by large manufacturers for cost cutting. Not just in labor but materials also. I think the Shijie is comparable to a Suhr more so than a budget beater. Custom shop quality materials and construction not a "how cheap can we make this" guitar.
6:10 I have to agree with you there, Glenn. I haven't heard you play quite as well as you did here (not being sarcastic). Your tone is very nice and crisp and crunchy here, too. Good guitars inspire people to play well.
These are absolutely great guitars. I have a good buddy, who has worked for Fender for 22 years, who owns a few of them. I love them and so does he. He plays them live 3-4 times a weeks as well. And Fender has given him shit for it. But, he’s a star at Fender and the would never get rid of him. Wish I could tell everyone who he is.
@@6bender he has. Truly it isn’t rocket science or a secret. Fender and most big corporate guitar makers, know exactly what to do. They just choose not to.
As a bass player, I think that guitar looks gorgeous and sounds incredible! As for cases, I like hard shell/flight cases - but I do use gig bags for my cheaper basses. I'd love to see a review of flight cases - there are so many types to choose from these days.
I do love these kind of colorful finishes where the structure of the wood is still shining through, it makes each guitar unique and I do own several guitars with this type of finish, my most loved one is a Ibanez S570DXQM-BBB ... that quilted maple top and mahogany body (yeah not talking tonewood here, just liking the looks of different types of wood) in combination with that "bright blue burst" finish is just gorgeous. And I also paid somewhat around 680 € or so for it back in 2012, so I don't know what that would be like when adjusting for inflation but I guess it'd also be around that price tag as the Shijie. Too bad that series was dumped a year later, part of it being that Ibanez was sued by some patent d*ckface for that vibrato system. The only FR style system I know of that allows adjusting intonation without having to loosen the string... f*cking patent sh*tfaces are one of the reasons why we can't have nice things. For going to rehearsals and "not too pricey" guitars I prefer good quality gig bags, but when transporting more expensive instruments I'd go with hard case, especially when going to shows where lots of heavy gear is moved around in a hurry. Doesn't protect it from United Airlines, though...
Pretty sure that table was assembled in America 😂. That whammy threading seems odd but overall beautiful guitar. I’d block that bridge and pass on the hollow wang bar.
Nice ShiJie!, I have Chibsons, proudly fake copies of the overpriced $5,000 original scam. 😆and for its $200 value. It feels, sound and plays great. I did not even change the pickups because it sounds great. So the Myth expensive is better or greater is False. bwahahaha.👿
Years ago, someone else "helped" me load my stuff into my car during a video gig. My camera was in a soft-shell case, and the person in question just dropped it into the back of my car. Lost a good lens that day. Since then, it's been hard-shells for EVERYTHING.
Bought a SubZero Rogue Vibrato (which I THINK is....Korean?) a while ago for £99 second hand from a local guitar store. I've owned guitars that retail for £500 - £1000 and I genuinely wouldn't trade the Rogue for any of them. Needed a refret, put a new nut and bridge on, took the humbucker covers off and fell in love with it so much I ended up swapping out the bigsby wannabe with a proper B5. The B5 is worth more than the guitar retails for and I regret absolutely nothing. It's such an awesome and inspiring thing that you can get an incredibly good guitar for so cheap these days.
OKAY GLENN 6:10 I fucking see you main, that whole section was great. i am so proud of the work youve been putting in to improve your playing and it shows. Ive been watching since you first dropped how to start a band and the improvement in your playing has skyrocketed. FUCK YOU GLENN, keep up the great work!!!!
Beautiful guitar. With Chinese Epiphones at $1K+, I'm not surprised to see other brands following suit. Speaking of Epiphone, if you can find them, the Epiphone EpiLite soft cases are really good. Nice and lite, yet offer good instrument support and protection.
2:02 On the gig bag vs hard case question: my hard cases don't have enough room to keep the straps on and they often try to bite my fingers. So, if the threat of damage is negligible I'll opt for bags. But, if I'm afraid things will get banged around, and to store things away for a week or two, cases are preferable to bags.
I prefer hardshell for acoustics. A solid soft for electric is fine for me. Took my 12 string acoustic on vacation a few months ago in a hardshell Gator case. Was kinda taking a chance checking it on airplane. Was very satisfied. Survived the trip just fine 🙂
I live in NYC, and because of that, (mostly) I truly PREFER gig bags these days. As you mention, they take up less space, are generally lighter, and you don't have to carry them by a handle till your hands cramp, you wear them on your back. Gator makes some that are every bit as protective as a hard shell case.
Alex the owner clearly likes Suhrs and they are basically the Suhr of China in quality. But I think I have 6 different headstocks among my 7 Shijies, so they have quite a bit of diversity. One or two of their headstocks were designed by a famous ex-Gibson designer (you can google it)
Thanks Glen. As honest as a sponsored review can be. Also, you're playing licks I don't think you could have pulled off a couple years ago. Onward and upward!
Cool video! High end gig bags, no exception. More pockets for bringing cables, tools etc. to gigs, and waaay easier to travel with - especially when flying. Key word is 'high end' gig bags, of course. Stuff that's the same quality as Mono, Reunion Blues, etc.
Hey Glenn could you run a review on the Yamaha revvstar? Stainless steel frets, impedance toggle, and custom chambered body for an 800$ guitar is absurdly good.
I have several guitars. In 2003, I bought a Chinese Johnson Hollowbody. I have Fenders, Epiphone, etc. That Chinese Johnson Vegas is still my regular, most trustful gigging guitar. O changed pups though, it got the pup set from the Chinese Epiphone Probucker.
Being a jazz player used to paying premiums for chinese guitars, (Eastman archtops, PRS SE Hollowbody, etc) its really humorous seeing the metal and rock guys flip out over chinese made guitars. I think folks in the guitar community need to relax a little about purchases and buyers remorse. An awesome import guitar doesnt diminish the quality or inspiration one can get from other more expensive american guitars. MY PRS SE holcomb was awesome but it never made me want to not pickup my Core Tremontis. All that more affordable guitars do is make the cost of entry into guitar more accessible to more people. An awesome import guitar wont make an awesome vintage US made guitar any better or any worse
Beautiful guitar, if they sent one to me I'd play it for sure. At the end of the day country of origin doesn't matter, and name on headstock doesn't matter. What matters is (1) do you like it? (2) does it sound the way you want? (3) does it feel good to play it? (4) is it easy to maintain? If you answered yes to those 4 questions... then congratulations you have a winner.
The pink tm6 is mouth-wateringly gorgeous ❤ and gig bag all the way for me. I used to run with the ibanez prestige hardshell cases and they were unwieldy. I now always use my Mono Vertigo cases - those can take abuse, they are upright, the ballistic fabric is great and it's kept my guitars in pristine condition even through the most negligent of airport crews.
Tom Bedell owner of Breedlove and Bedell guitars explained the cost issue. Chinese manufactures can make guitars that are simply as good as anything made in the states but to do that the costs are roughly the same. He made some excellent high end acoustics in China that rival anything made by M@rtin or G!bson but the cost was only a few hundred difference to the USA made guitars. He shifted the high end Bedell guitars to Bend Oregon.
FWIW, I own seven Shijies (3 bought used, 2 from the factory, 2 from a dealer), and they are all custom shop quality. So I don't think Glenn got a cherry picked guitar
Quick question for anyone that may know: there are two tracks of audio recording on his screen. Is one super compressed and one more dynamic? Parallel compression-esque? Just curious.
I have a 20 year Schecter that was made in Korea. Out of probably 20 or so guitars I've had since, it's the only one I've ever kept and compare to everything else that comes home with me. I don't care where something is made, so long as it plays and sounds good, and stays in tune. Oh and hardshell cases all the way for me. I would only trust a gig bag for acoustic guitars, and that is if I am driving short distances.
I checked their site and pucked a guitar. They're decked put with regular high end stuff we're used to. Good materials and attention to detail, makes it pretty much worth that price. My only gripe is they don't do customs, but they want to gaurd their quality. It's Chinese by geography, not by slur on production.
I have a Flying V made by Tokai that I traded one of my other guitars for. it's a Chinese-made guitar, and it's by far my favourite guitar I own. I gigged with it and recorded guitars for my band's demo with it.
Its not the country of origin but the skill of the craftsmen. A skilled craftsman in China can make a guitar just as well as any skilled craftsman in the US or anywhere else in the world.
Lies
CNC machines are the common factor. Case by case, I check out how it works for me.
Unfortunately, the chinese rarely take pride in their work... it's all about making stuff cheep, cheep, cheep, like the little birdy that flew over k-mart
@@JustJ-gs3rx you’ve been under a rock? Shijie has been strong in the market for like a good 5 years, only growing. There’s a few official retailers in my area now.
Also, Shijie is basically Suhr in China. A bunch of master builders that decided to open their own high quality guitars factory. And no, at least from Gibson, their QC is a fucking joke.
China or not. It's a very nice looking guitar, versatile sound. A good product is a good product.
new drinking game take a shot everytime glen compairs a guitar to the mustain v
😂
Don't do that to me, I've been on shortz he's made about it. That's a shot a minute dude
Aww fuck dude c'mon. My liver gets enough abuse on a Saturday night.
Lol i dont know why he hates dave so much
This comment is attempted murder!
Been playing Shijie for 2 years and there guitars are awesome, I have Shijie Telecaster and TM 5 like the blue and they are way better than USA guitars and Mexican Strats. The gig bags are good and they have good quality control. I think they are the best Classic type guitars made overseas. The neck are so smooth and frets are excellent . Good review dude
I played a T style from Shijie recently and I was very impressed. Fit and finish was on par or better than any of the American stuff in the same price range.
Same price range? Really?
@@ranwaldovonslappinstein114yes, same price range and then some. My Shijie TLV is as good or better than the Fender ultra and elite telecasters. My only quibble is the neck is chunkier than I would normally like and it took some getting used to.
Yup and a Chevy cobalt can hang with a Ferrari
that's a quick cobalt lol@@beefnacos6258
have you tried any of the newer charvel's? same price range, made in mexico in the fender factory. loaded with fishmans with 3 voicings stock,licensed fender roasted necks,locking tuners,tusk nut,push pull splits with a total of 9 tone options. id say they look to be under par to those but look flashy enough. they dont look like bad guitars without playing one myself, but their price seems a little steep for what i could get outside of the big brands for the cost.
Great honest review!
i prefer hard-shell cases for shipping but in the home studio soft shell cases are the way to go as they take up way less room! i wont even call that guitar a cheapy it sounds to good to be put on that lvl! its a nice lil piece and gratz on the makers for putting in the work and making a great guitar!
It's not just China. I recently got one of the IYV Les Paul copies made in Vietnam, and I cannot believe how well it was made. The tuners were trash and I replaced with Hipshot locking tuners, but otherwise, it holds tune, feels great, no sharp frets, the pickups are pretty good (though they are like Tele pickups without 60 cycle hum). For $190 it's as good if not better than a typical Epiphone LP standard.
Remember to include the cost of your upgrades in the total price!
@@soundman1402it’s the price of locking tuners, perhaps assume labour costs. Maybe just add $100.
@@notsure1135..and pickups. Add another $200.
The IYV's are nice for the price but nowhere near the level of the Shijie guitars. Even upgraded.
@@RafsGearReviews the one in the video costs ~ $1050, the other about $300.. for 3x the price that is what should be expected.. no great flex there
You know I worked in auto manufacturing here in the USA for ten years before the pandemic happened and I went full time with my podcast & music PR business (never been happier btw), similar to your story. One of the things I remember besides working 6-7 days a week 12 hours a day, was the fact that everyone was pissed off and no one was paying attention to anything. The amount of shit that went flying out the door on a constant basis was enough to make me paranoid about anything built in the USA. They always seemed to put the new hires with the lowest pay at the end of the line in the quality control section because it was the job that no one wanted. Do you think those people coming in the door at the base pay rate working 7 days a week really gave a shit about the welds etc they were supposed to check.... Point is if this happens in the auto factory you can imagine it also happens in other factory's like a guitar factory. I don't know, i have never worked in a guitar factory. I am not saying i would never buy a US guitar but .....
Made in USA isn’t the end all be all. We’ve produced crap just like any other country. We just charge a lot more lmao
Congratulations on your success dude! I also broke out doing my own design studio during covid and will never go back to 9-5. My dad used to tell me pay attention to the day of the week things are produced. Monday products are no good because people are hung over from the weekend, Friday products are no good because people's got one foot out the door. But stuff made on Wednesday is right when a guy his hitting his stride entering the flow state the get through the week, and nobody gets hired or trained mid week, so he always tried to get gear built on Wednesdays.
That was "Quality Control"? Oh boy, that just makes me think: "Holy Shit ,Holy Shit!" and "Oh Well, Oh Well..." -George Carlin
@@squirelova1815 quality control across the country goes to the newest, most inexperienced workers who really couldn't care less about the job and are just showing up for the paycheck that doesn't really amount to anything after taxes and medical insurance. It really makes you wonder where the slave labor is actually happening.
If you pay American workers so little, they have to work 72 or more hours a week to make a living AND tell them to work as fast as they can, not as thoroughly, you get a bunch of course words.
If you give Chinese workers enough to make a good living (possible, but not the usual) AND tell them to work as thoroughly as they can, you will get a better, but more expensive product than by other Chinese manufacturers. On the other hand, your product will be better than the American counterpart, AND it will still cost less than American rubbish.
Labour costs money, some workers get motivated, to work better, if their salary is considerably higher than the average.
Thats the most clean playing sounds we have heard from Glenn on this channel.
Greetings from Shanghai
I'm curious, does Shijie have any exposure in China?
Love the channel! Glad I happened upon ya!
I prefer hardshell cases overall. Gig bags are smaller, but they still take up storage space inevitably. When moving my guitars outside of the house (and yes...even basses...) I prefer to have them protected a bit more...because you never know when you're going to run into a lummox who doesn't know how to handle themselves around instruments..... When at home, I tend to have them in my multi-guitar rack ready to go for when inspiration hits. Rarely are they sitting in the case waiting to be played.
I’m an American who lives part time in China. I bought a local brand acoustic, a Mann, in 2017. It was around the equivalent of $300 US. I’ve owned Martins, Guilds, you name it. The Mann is the best guitar under $1000 I’ve ever played. And btw - I don’t know this brand but I speak some Chinese. That brand would be pronounced sher-jeyeah. ;)
Agree on the pronunciation, but all of us USA owners have pretty much settled on "she-jee" lol. Never heard anyone pronounce it like Glenn lol
@@bostonbesteats364 Funnily enough, Glenn's probably just a tad bit closer to the actual pronunciation then. :D
Mann, the brand, is one heck of a brand, as I've played a few of their guitars here in the states and was impressed with them.
And im German and its not "Bee Emm Dabble You, Porschiiiii or Meeeercidiiees". Let them pronounce it wrong ;)
@@Gloomshimmer American is its own language lol
Sick chops Glenn, you've definitely improved on the guitar over the years, keep it up 🤘🤘
I absolutely liked it and was inspired to pick up one of my guitars instantly.
Great galloping, Glen! Amazing that it came in tune.
I love both gigbags and hardshell cases. The pros of a gigbag is the pockets without a doubt! I've played a few shows with my band this year, and I've had gigbags with me everytime, great to store cables, pedals, powersupply and some extra stuff on the side that can come in handy. But hardshell cases just give a sense of security due to the durability
I only store my guitars on hard case, and to be fair I can buy one from Thomann for the price of a gigbag 😅 But always good to have a gig bag for when you need, like band practice.
@@elcookiemonsteru Yeah if I'm transporting a ton of gear for a show then I'm definitely going with a hardshell case because the guit is probably going to be stored next to a next crushing amp or something else in a similar weight and size category due to travel constraints in a vehicle or trailer, but for practicing with my mates then I'll bring a softshell because of how easy and convenient it is. I actually prefer using a softshell, but will resort to the hardshell when I need the extra protection.
Glen, you’re playing is sounding awesome. Great video btw, this was fun to watch!
I/ve wanted a Gibson ES-339 for awhile. I ended up with a lowly Eastman T-484, which is an imported version of a Gibson ES-339 for half the price. This guitar came from the factory with good hardware and a nice finish. The Eastman also had a SD Jazz in the neck and a SD 59 in the bridge. As for the neck, it is closer to a Gibson thin taper and very comfortable.... The store guy just took it out of the box when I was walked in. It felt nice right out of the box and sounded great.
Eastman are sneaky underrated. They fill a very important niche for jazz players in that they offer something a little more than the standard Ibanez art core but we're more accessible than Dangelico's we're until the premier series was introduced (and those really weren't the best up until a couple of years ago). I find it really ironic folks in the rock and metal community can be so sheepish over Chinese made guitars. I understand wanting to get fair market value but it's all about the philosophy and standards of the company and the craftsmanship of the workers. Nationality is secondary. The reason I love PRS is because of their design philosophy and the skill of their builders and I'll always pay a premium for that. Similarly if an import brand can do the same similar I'll also be encouraged to support their work. It's not an either or thing so long as you have the means to purchase
Nothing wrong with an Eastman, lovely guitars. Unfortunately like most non major branded guitars, they just don't hold the value like their originals (Fender/Gibson).
Your co-iceman, Darrell Braun reviewed Shijie guitars and had a very good opinion on them.
Fairly impressed with this guitar. I'm not opposed to buying foreign built guitars as my first and favourite guitar of any decent quality was a Japanese built Westone Spectrum SX. I also own a South Korean crafted Schecter Damien Elite FR-6, a Japanese crafted E2 ESP, and a Jackson SLATTXMG3-7 made in Indonesia.
Hard to find nowdays, but a Alvarez Strato, made in the 90..those were so damn good.. Have been trying to find one(to own again) but here in Finland I just found one, once and in a real bad shape.
I had the jackson, sick guitar
I live in Houston, USA and have a ShiJie STE MC, Master Series Fiesta Red, hand crafted, matching headstock, ShiJie locking tuners (clearly rebranded Gotoh tuners), bone nut, stainless frets, roasted Canadian quarter sawn neck w/ rosewood fretboard, real MOP fret markers, USA custom hand wound single coils, cloth covered wiring, full size pots of course, vintage style 6 point bridge bent steel saddles with brass trem block, copper foil cavity and pick guard shielding and what I would consider a premium gig bag, for a retail price of $1299.00usd. On paper a guitar can look really good but it's when you play it is when you know if it's high quality or not.
I’ve ordered several Chinese guitars with varying results. They were all in the $300-$400 range. One of them was absolutely excellent right out of the box. A true beauty. Gorgeous fit and finish and a dream to play. The other two were close but had some noticeable finish defects. However some aspects of the guitars such as the inlays and electronics were done exceptionally well. I think it comes down to the person building it. Some take great care and pride in their work and others not so much. Is it worth the risk? In my opinion, absolutely.
These are in the $1500-2000usd range though
Yah I definitely wouldn’t spend that amount of money on a China guitar. Not worth the potential let down.
It's all about how passionate the builder is, not where they live. Great review, awesome guitar.
I have loved every Shijie guitar I've ever laid my hands on - in that price range I think anyone would be hard-pressed to find a better guitar.
charvels.
Thanks!
I actually think it's your best personal guitar tone yet. Color me impressed. Great guitar.
Dude, you have the best attitude and jokes. I always look forward to your videos and learning something. Hope it's all going well.
I have the ShiJie RT which is sort of a Tele style SSH that was purchased online from their American distributor and was so impressed that I bought the STE Strat style SSS one and love every thing about them. I was very sceptical about buying online without playing them first but went for it anyway. I have and have had some pretty high end American made guitars including custom shops and these are on par with them for much less money. Unless you actually see one and play it you won't believe it. The build quality is first rate and I have not found any reason to upgrade anything on either one of mine.
I just posted a pic of my Shijie RT on Gear Page in a thread asking what the definition of a super strat was. lol
Dude, that is an awesome tone! I am starting to see a lot of guys talking about the overseas guitars now. My last guitar was a pawn shop find. It is an Epiphone Les Paul 100. I was shocked to see that the neck plate says that it was made in Indonesia. My next guitar is definitely going to be something cheap and Chinese, only because I plan on cutting it up to build a replica of the Johnny Silverhand guitar from Cyberpunk 2077.
I've discovered over the years that people from other countries are people too... people that also have the ability to build quality instruments...and lately the Chinese have been responsible for building so many instruments for various companies they've gotten really good at it.
This a 100%, there is nothing stopping a non-NA craftsman to be just as good or even better than their NA counter-part ... especially with modern machinery, the gap, if there is any, would be very very minimal.. add the fact that guitar building and it's workings (as much as we love them) isn't exactly rocket science.. Just maybe QC is lower at best, the rest like pickup, wood and hardware selection, if it fails expectation, is not the craftsman's fault but rather issues borne of the brands decision..
I prefer hard shell cases for keeping guitars in the house. When I want to bring a guitar across town, a gig bag is needed because I ride a motor scooter as my transportation. If I owned a car only hard shell cases would be used.
The Shi Jie guitars look great. If I needed a fancy guitar I would go for one of those over a Fender that cost $500 more. I don't buy expensive guitars anymore. I'm not a professional. Yet I've played really good low priced guitars with just a little bit of work done to them that would be as good as any professional level guitar. My $250 of guitar repair tools and a bit of effort, makes low end guitars really great.
"You can easily pay thousands of dollars for a 'Made In The USA' guitar and get something substandard." I think that's actually Gibson's slogan.
RE: 0:50 - Damn G, you still got it. You GOTTA do a course on how to make that collapsing table appear outta nowhere, man! Prolly get a lotta subs. And I gotta say, your playing just keeps getting better. That's how we know you're practicing.
I have over 250 Gibsons a few Fender basses ( only 1 Fender strat ) and another 100+ foreign guitars. As a collector I find some overseas guitars are very impressive, others total crap. I'll get one of these and give it a try. Thanks for the info.
Bro you own a guitar store why front
My Shijie Tonemaster-5 is my go to guitar cant put it down. I also have the Ste pro Strat also another amazing guitar blows fender away for the price.
should I buy this guitar or fender player two series?
@@sam-of7de Hello, I think the Fender will have a whole different feel then the TM-5, from my experiance the fender's neck will be somewhat thicker. The Tonemaster has a 12 inch radius and the Fender player two is 9.5 inch. Only you can asnwer this question my friend. What neck profile do you prefer? Do you care about the name on the headstock? I can tell you that the two Shijie guitars i purchased directly are almost immaculate, the attention to detail on the finishing even under the hood is impecable. If you like a thin C Neck 25.5 inch scale and a 12 inch radius fretboard the TM-5 will feel great. Good luck
Thank you Glenn, my guitars with Floyd’s are for now on equipped with “wiggle sticks”
I always come here for the clean sound. Gotta say before we just get an e chord but now we are getting clean riffs. Thank you Glenn
Looks lovely. Not going to lie, every China built guitar I've had has been pretty good all things considered. I've been much more unsatisfied with my indonesian Ibanez and American strat, brand new, both had very noticeable problems.
I love Cort guitars, and I think they make Ibanez guitars. All Indonesian Cort guitars (and one A4 bass) that I have rate from good to outstanding, the same with a Washburn Parallaxe from 2016 made by them. But the Ibanez RGRT421 I got back in 2019, while woodwork is great, has many issues with the way the hardware was mounted, potentiometer quality, or even ink in the headstock. I also have a Greg Bennet by Samick, and while there are obvious choices to keep its price down (for example, using photo of pretty wood, instead of a veneer), its build quality is also really good.
Whatever OEM manufacturer they're using, I guess Ibanez aren't paying for QA, because Cort also makes the PRS SE range, and they're definitely having good QA, at an obvious higher price point.
@@riangarianga I have 3 ibanez Gio's that are all awesome, way above expectations for the money. The ibanez I had issues with is an RGB300 bass. Neck not on straight, intonation all over the shop. Don't know what factory makes them but it says made in Indonesia on the headstock. I actually have an ibanez gio bass which I think plays much nicer too.
My last two Ibanez basses (made in Indo) had major quality control problems.
@@revivedfears Hmm, so that definitely means QC issues, both good and subpar stuff reach the market.
Played on of these four days ago and it was awesome
In my humble opinion. The time of American craftsmanship superiority is a thing of the past or quickly become that way. I ordered a sire bass (got to finish this before my mom picks me up). And the specs and quality seem on par with an American made P bass. At this point one just seems to buy the name and the "made in America" logo
Can she pick the rest of us up for practice?
@@joeb3590 she's gonna be so mad again cus there were funion bits all over the backseat u.u
Dude, I love you for saying the quiet part out loud!
Another reason this channel is the best, Glen is always trying to improve his content to be the best by hiring editors to help improve what we get. Genuinely keep up quality please and all the facts and knowledge you bring cause I won’t stop absorbing your wisdom also soft case cause they are easy to store and move
Forgot to ask but do you think you will do a Squier contemporary? Or maybe a affordable Jackson? Just curious what you would think of them
Gig bags are fine for most guitars, the ones that you play all the time and spend their time on the wall or on a stand. But there is something to be said for the experience of opening a nice case and seeing that special beautiful guitar nestled in that shiny fur. I love having a couple of guitars that aren't out all the time. You almost forget how beautiful they are then you open up that case and oooh yeah. . . there it is. Its a nice feeling, at least it is for me. Any player who actually LOVES guitars more than just a tool, should have that feeling once in a while.
I have a 2004 Epiphone Les Paul that was made in China. 2004 is when the factory moved from Korea to China and the guitars were made under the guidance of the Korean luthiers. It is a fantastic playing guitar.
I also had one of those Chinese Epi LPs - newer than yours, I think a 2014 - and as a former Gibson endorser, thought it compared well to my old Gibson LP Studio. There’s some quality to be found on a budget for sure, just have to hunt for the right axe.
I recently bought an Epiphone LP Classic for under 300 used and its made in china and hands down one of the greatest sounding and playing guitars i have ever owned. I have a bunch and i used to live close to a guitar center and spent lots of time fiddling on all the guitars@@BrendanKDavis
@@ZacharyMoonshine yeah, I loved mine. My only complaint was that was like a boat anchor, SO heavy. It sounded great - sustain for days - but I rarely played it standing up. Ending up selling to a gigging jazz guitarist here who played exclusively on a stool.
(I’d gotten a great deal on it from a friend and sold it to the jazz guy 4 years later for a little more than I’d paid, and after he tried it out before buying he said he felt like he was stealing it. Win-win!)
yes you have one of those famous border China Korea Epiphones.
I own a Shijie and it is awesome, the neck is incredible
Thank you Glen for speaking the truth! (How dare you) More expensive doesn't always mean a hell of a lot better. The average working musician gigging in bars, and the ones that just play as a hobby normally aren't ready to drop 5-10K on a guitar. They got away with it for so long because the economy was a lot better. Now it's coming home to roost! Thank you sir! By the way, hardshell!
Sounds great and your playing keeps getting better and better!
This guitar reminds me of some Suhr stuff. But WAY LESS expensive. USA builders are going way over their heads now pricing wise, even if the quality is high.
I can buy a luthier-made guitar for 2k euros in France (french made with very good woods) that would have the same specs as a Pete Thorne Signature guitar priced at 5k euros now. They are insane.
I'm glad chinese and indonesian guitars are going up in quality but not in price.
A lot of people have noted that Shijies have a Suhr vibe to them. Alex the owner is a guitar player and he just wants to make the guitars he'd like to play himself.
I never saw the appeal of basically buying a copy of a major brand guitar and charging more for it? If you want a strat, buy a strat. I really can't justify the price of a Suhr. But each to their own - whatever floats your boat.
@@peterschmidt9942 Because they are both better than a Fender Strat
When I was just starting out, I had a cheap guitar in a cheap gig bag.
Went to play on a show and on my way there the strap snapped with guitar falling down from a meter height.
Guitar paint cracked and chipped away, and I never used a gig bag since.
My current band brings all the sound systems in the van and usually instruments are all together in one space with all the heavy PA systems and speakers. Using a case really resolves most anxiety I would've had over my guitar being damaged on the way.
I recognize that gig bags are cheaper, lighter, generally easier to use, still will prefer cases over them most of the time.
I have SEVEN Shijie guitars include a couple of custom shops. Obviously I love them. Superior quality for a fraction of the price of Fendson. Not paid to say this, and no one gave me a free one unfortunately!
I would love to see a comparison of good gig bags. Hard-shell cases are almost a guarantee that your guitar will be safe inside, but, gig bags weigh much less and are just easier to carry typically.
Hey Glenn! I'm the word police! It's pronounced Shee-Gee-Eh. :) Also, the wiggle stick is supposed to be called vibrato, but Leo Fender called it tremolo, and the word stuck. We all still know what it means.
Shijie make great guitars! I've got an STE, a Strat type of guitar myself. It ruined for me every other Strat I've had or tried later. They do good T-style guitars, but also some more modern guitars that are great for metal, like the pretty blue one that you've got. :) My STE came in a gigbag that's a little bit different than that one, though it's in the ballpark. It's just a gigbag, but it feels like high quality, it's not too soft, it feels sturdy and stable. No complaints there. I want more Shijie guitars, and as soon as this fckng crisis is over and we, the working people, aren't fckd over by the political elites that are serving the wealthiest, billionaires and largest corporations, I'll buy another one.
I have a 2021 STE SSS with stainless frets and it is impeccable. Got a great deal on it a year ago from Leon's Sound, who was a registered dealer for Shijie. $1000 delivered to my front door. Yeah, and you've got the pronunciation right. There were 2 authorized dealers in the US, but they don't carry them anymore. Contractual agreements possibly? 1 or 2 "influential" players on them; Fender is Toast. Have you seen the video of their factory? These people really care about what they produce. I really wish they would make a shredder w/ a Floyd Rose. I'd be all over it.
@@ltgray2780 Oh yeah, the video from the factory was great to see! They are good at what they do, great attention to detail!
You've got a good deal on that! Mine is also a 2021 and SSS, but no stainless steel frets. It cost me about $850 including shopping to Sweden. If I had jumped on the train 6 months earlier, I could have bought one for about $700. They raised their prices after the first runs, which is fair. They practically gave them away early on to get some guitars out there.
My guitar needs a bit of a setup now, it has a little too much fret buzz almost all over the fretboard, it's not fun hearing it through the amp. I just need to find the right luthier who knows what they're doing.
Haha I gave the same pronunciation note but with a Beijing accent - added the “r” ;)
@@BrendanKDavis Let's face it... We will never be able to pronounce it completely correct because we're not native speakers. :)
Totally true @@nedim_guitar ! I live here with my Chinese wife and I'm hopeless. Besides English, I speak French and Spanish, but even after 11 years, my Chinese sounds like a brain-damaged three year old's.
$1,049 is reasonable for a high-quality guitar, regardless of where it's made.
Yeah, I don't get his price argument. People have been conditioned on China being used by large manufacturers for cost cutting. Not just in labor but materials also. I think the Shijie is comparable to a Suhr more so than a budget beater. Custom shop quality materials and construction not a "how cheap can we make this" guitar.
6:10 I have to agree with you there, Glenn. I haven't heard you play quite as well as you did here (not being sarcastic). Your tone is very nice and crisp and crunchy here, too. Good guitars inspire people to play well.
These are absolutely great guitars. I have a good buddy, who has worked for Fender for 22 years, who owns a few of them. I love them and so does he. He plays them live 3-4 times a weeks as well. And Fender has given him shit for it. But, he’s a star at Fender and the would never get rid of him. Wish I could tell everyone who he is.
Perhaps he should take them over to the shop and let them analyze them.
@@6bender he has. Truly it isn’t rocket science or a secret. Fender and most big corporate guitar makers, know exactly what to do. They just choose not to.
Nice edit. Beautiful guitar
As a bass player, I think that guitar looks gorgeous and sounds incredible! As for cases, I like hard shell/flight cases - but I do use gig bags for my cheaper basses. I'd love to see a review of flight cases - there are so many types to choose from these days.
I feel compelled to warn you about 3:17 ;)
Almost no one needs a flight case
Also feel free to compare silica bags inside said cases. Which tastes best?
That new ELE update sure is killer. Good job guys
I do love these kind of colorful finishes where the structure of the wood is still shining through, it makes each guitar unique and I do own several guitars with this type of finish, my most loved one is a Ibanez S570DXQM-BBB ... that quilted maple top and mahogany body (yeah not talking tonewood here, just liking the looks of different types of wood) in combination with that "bright blue burst" finish is just gorgeous. And I also paid somewhat around 680 € or so for it back in 2012, so I don't know what that would be like when adjusting for inflation but I guess it'd also be around that price tag as the Shijie.
Too bad that series was dumped a year later, part of it being that Ibanez was sued by some patent d*ckface for that vibrato system. The only FR style system I know of that allows adjusting intonation without having to loosen the string... f*cking patent sh*tfaces are one of the reasons why we can't have nice things. For going to rehearsals and "not too pricey" guitars I prefer good quality gig bags, but when transporting more expensive instruments I'd go with hard case, especially when going to shows where lots of heavy gear is moved around in a hurry. Doesn't protect it from United Airlines, though...
Yamaha Pacificas, made in Indonesia, are under $1k, and are excellent guitars. There is a line or two of Yamaha Revstar under $1k as well.
Pretty sure that table was assembled in America 😂.
That whammy threading seems odd but overall beautiful guitar. I’d block that bridge and pass on the hollow wang bar.
Hardcase for long term storage or flights, gig bags for everything else.
Lmao!
The tremolo baris 3 way; push in, scew in, and also has a set screw, wich Glenn obviously missed. Ugh, producers.
🤣
From this moment on I'm calling a bar the "Wiggle Stick." Genius 🤣
Also, the neck dive test gave me real anxiety because over a week ago, my heavy ibanez guitar fell of its strap and fractured my toe.
use strap locks!
I'd name that guitar Krackatoa
Love the Suhristic headstock!
Nice ShiJie!, I have Chibsons, proudly fake copies of the overpriced $5,000 original scam. 😆and for its $200 value. It feels, sound and plays great. I did not even change the pickups because it sounds great. So the Myth expensive is better or greater is False. bwahahaha.👿
Years ago, someone else "helped" me load my stuff into my car during a video gig. My camera was in a soft-shell case, and the person in question just dropped it into the back of my car. Lost a good lens that day. Since then, it's been hard-shells for EVERYTHING.
My Chinese PRS Hollowbody II is far better built/finished than my US-made Gibson SG.
So glad this review helped to pay your bills and employees, that’s what matters most, and we support you doing what’s necessary to survive.
“How will American billionaires continue to exploit workers for a living?!” -reviews Chinese guitar….
Yeah the workers of American brands in Indonesian factories are treated WAY better, dude…
@@MadJackChurchill1312yeah, dude.
Bought a SubZero Rogue Vibrato (which I THINK is....Korean?) a while ago for £99 second hand from a local guitar store. I've owned guitars that retail for £500 - £1000 and I genuinely wouldn't trade the Rogue for any of them. Needed a refret, put a new nut and bridge on, took the humbucker covers off and fell in love with it so much I ended up swapping out the bigsby wannabe with a proper B5. The B5 is worth more than the guitar retails for and I regret absolutely nothing.
It's such an awesome and inspiring thing that you can get an incredibly good guitar for so cheap these days.
Wow that’s a sweet guitar!! 🤘🏻
OKAY GLENN 6:10 I fucking see you main, that whole section was great. i am so proud of the work youve been putting in to improve your playing and it shows. Ive been watching since you first dropped how to start a band and the improvement in your playing has skyrocketed. FUCK YOU GLENN, keep up the great work!!!!
Beautiful guitar. With Chinese Epiphones at $1K+, I'm not surprised to see other brands following suit. Speaking of Epiphone, if you can find them, the Epiphone EpiLite soft cases are really good. Nice and lite, yet offer good instrument support and protection.
Hahaha "wiggle stick" I'm gonna barrow that every time someone asks me what it is
2:02 On the gig bag vs hard case question: my hard cases don't have enough room to keep the straps on and they often try to bite my fingers. So, if the threat of damage is negligible I'll opt for bags. But, if I'm afraid things will get banged around, and to store things away for a week or two, cases are preferable to bags.
I think they're going after the suhr / tom anderson market with this
I prefer hardshell for acoustics. A solid soft for electric is fine for me.
Took my 12 string acoustic on vacation a few months ago in a hardshell Gator case. Was kinda taking a chance checking it on airplane. Was very satisfied. Survived the trip just fine 🙂
I live in NYC, and because of that, (mostly) I truly PREFER gig bags these days. As you mention, they take up less space, are generally lighter, and you don't have to carry them by a handle till your hands cramp, you wear them on your back. Gator makes some that are every bit as protective as a hard shell case.
Whoa! The headstock vibes off a suhr 😮
Alex the owner clearly likes Suhrs and they are basically the Suhr of China in quality. But I think I have 6 different headstocks among my 7 Shijies, so they have quite a bit of diversity. One or two of their headstocks were designed by a famous ex-Gibson designer (you can google it)
I prefer gig bags. Sick looking guitar by the way.
Thanks Glen. As honest as a sponsored review can be. Also, you're playing licks I don't think you could have pulled off a couple years ago. Onward and upward!
man playing like van halen here ... wicked tones! you leveled up on the guitar for sure !
Cool video! High end gig bags, no exception. More pockets for bringing cables, tools etc. to gigs, and waaay easier to travel with - especially when flying. Key word is 'high end' gig bags, of course. Stuff that's the same quality as Mono, Reunion Blues, etc.
Hey Glenn could you run a review on the Yamaha revvstar? Stainless steel frets, impedance toggle, and custom chambered body for an 800$ guitar is absurdly good.
I have several guitars. In 2003, I bought a Chinese Johnson Hollowbody. I have Fenders, Epiphone, etc. That Chinese Johnson Vegas is still my regular, most trustful gigging guitar. O changed pups though, it got the pup set from the Chinese Epiphone Probucker.
Being a jazz player used to paying premiums for chinese guitars, (Eastman archtops, PRS SE Hollowbody, etc) its really humorous seeing the metal and rock guys flip out over chinese made guitars. I think folks in the guitar community need to relax a little about purchases and buyers remorse. An awesome import guitar doesnt diminish the quality or inspiration one can get from other more expensive american guitars. MY PRS SE holcomb was awesome but it never made me want to not pickup my Core Tremontis. All that more affordable guitars do is make the cost of entry into guitar more accessible to more people. An awesome import guitar wont make an awesome vintage US made guitar any better or any worse
I have a BC Rich Majestic from 2010, totally made in China, totally awesome! I have heard that Shinji are very good quality!
Damn, that looks good. Might have to try one out. Nice playing.
Awesome review
Beautiful guitar, if they sent one to me I'd play it for sure. At the end of the day country of origin doesn't matter, and name on headstock doesn't matter. What matters is (1) do you like it? (2) does it sound the way you want? (3) does it feel good to play it? (4) is it easy to maintain? If you answered yes to those 4 questions... then congratulations you have a winner.
The back looks even better than the top - beautiful
The pink tm6 is mouth-wateringly gorgeous ❤ and gig bag all the way for me. I used to run with the ibanez prestige hardshell cases and they were unwieldy. I now always use my Mono Vertigo cases - those can take abuse, they are upright, the ballistic fabric is great and it's kept my guitars in pristine condition even through the most negligent of airport crews.
One of my friends has one of these (strat style) it plays exceptionally well
Tom Bedell owner of Breedlove and Bedell guitars explained the cost issue. Chinese manufactures can make guitars that are simply as good as anything made in the states but to do that the costs are roughly the same. He made some excellent high end acoustics in China that rival anything made by M@rtin or G!bson but the cost was only a few hundred difference to the USA made guitars. He shifted the high end Bedell guitars to Bend Oregon.
Glenn, what are the odds they sent you a really great guitar. One that was highly QC’d. I think you Should I’d do a blind buy.
FWIW, I own seven Shijies (3 bought used, 2 from the factory, 2 from a dealer), and they are all custom shop quality. So I don't think Glenn got a cherry picked guitar
Quick question for anyone that may know: there are two tracks of audio recording on his screen. Is one super compressed and one more dynamic? Parallel compression-esque? Just curious.
One is 4db quieter in case I clip the main track
@@SpectreSoundStudios Oh, hey Glenn! Thanks for answering. Great review, that price is a little whack though lol.
I have a 20 year Schecter that was made in Korea. Out of probably 20 or so guitars I've had since, it's the only one I've ever kept and compare to everything else that comes home with me. I don't care where something is made, so long as it plays and sounds good, and stays in tune. Oh and hardshell cases all the way for me. I would only trust a gig bag for acoustic guitars, and that is if I am driving short distances.
I checked their site and pucked a guitar. They're decked put with regular high end stuff we're used to. Good materials and attention to detail, makes it pretty much worth that price.
My only gripe is they don't do customs, but they want to gaurd their quality.
It's Chinese by geography, not by slur on production.
Gig bags for the win. My favorite are the fender bags. FE1225. Incredible padding and neck support. plus the feet and backp[ack straps are awesome.
I prefer the feel and look of hardshell cases, but gig bags are way more practical for space and such
Shijie Guitars need to send Glenn the Flying V for a review.
I have a custom Shijie V. It's kinda astounding. If it said Gibson on the headstock, it would cost $25,000.
I like that Glen is honest and doesn't sugar coat things,
I have a Flying V made by Tokai that I traded one of my other guitars for. it's a Chinese-made guitar, and it's by far my favourite guitar I own. I gigged with it and recorded guitars for my band's demo with it.