Bloody hell... THIS is how everyone should review guitars. Amazingly interesting and perfectly detailed. Even some super useful side notes. Thanks a bunch! I'm definitely subscribing.
These EMGs come with 500k pots (which is the right value for passive humbuckers) because the pickups are basically weak output passive pickups with a separate preamp to boost their signal to a higher output level. Basically the same thing as putting an active booster circuit in your passive pickup guitar. 25k pots are used with original EMG pickups (like the 81 and 85) which are, internally, a super low output pickup that you couldn't use as a passive pickup, they only work with the built-in preamps to get a usable output signal. With the 81 and 85 the pot adjusts the output level of the pickup preamp whereas the 500k pot in the guitar reviewed adjust the pickup's (passive) output before the preamp circuit. Two different kinds of pickups.
I just checked the box with my set of EMG retro actives and they come with 25k pots. Instructions say they are typical of active pickups, indicating that all EMGs use them. So the Amarok seems to depart from that with 500k ones. I got a guitar with regular EMGs and changed to retro actives, so I'm kind of wondering if I should change the pots.
@@martinemesguitar The retro actives have 25k pots because that pot is part of the active preamp circuit, the 500k pots are being used in-between the Amarok pickups and the amplification circuit that has a fixed output. In other words passive versus active loudness controls, the retro actives are ok with the 25k pots, no need to change them.
Got an B-Stock Amarok 6 Guitar today. It actually have the old Output Jack and i could get no signal. I did the same repair as you, and it was indeed pretty simple. You saved my day.
@@olebrumme6356 Mine got locking tuners. The Volume goes pretty late down on the Volume Pot (you have to almost turn it all the way to get an effect). Other than that I’m pretty happy with the guitar, I love that guitar.
In the 25k vs 500k demo, it sounds like the 500k has a wider frequency response than the 25k. I could hear more high frequency sound from the 500K pots.
Oh god how wrong you are :) less resistance gives you more hi-cut. The potentiometers with 25k cut out much of highs, hence are less transparent. Greetings!
@@piotrmalczyk260 nah 25k in this case sound way more compessed like emg 80 almost so i think 500k pots are better here since these pickups are meant to sound a bit fuller and warmer
It is my understanding that these pickups on the amarok are a combination of traditional passive pickups as well as being active I guess I would say active-passive. You know that don't have that smooth black across the front they have actual wound coils that you can see and this is why they work without the battery it is also why they use 500k pots instead of the traditional 25k pots that you would use with a regular active pickup. From what I have read about these EMG was trying to come by and the things that people like about passive pickups with things that people like in active pickups trying to give you the best of both worlds. In this video when you took the battery out they sounded more like single coils. With a 500K pots that sounds more full and fatter and seems to have a little more Bass with the 25k pots it sounds thinner more tinny or more treble sound better with the 500K's to me. There's a new output Jack on the market I believe they're pure tone they have 2 contact points on the Long Bar that contacts the tip and I believe they have two on the short part that has contact with the sleeve. at any rate I believe these are currently the best Jack's on the market better than even switchcraft if you look at how they're made they just look better because they have a superior design. They're only about $7 to $9 US God Bless You & Yourn!! Jimmy in NC....
Get some 3M TriMite polishing paper starting with the coarsest Grit which is equal to 400 grit sandpaper or you may want to leave that one out and start with the second Grit personally I would use all of them work your way up from the coarsest Grit to the finest Grit which equals 1 Micron or 8000 Grit. This is nothing like traditional sandpaper. If you get 8000 grit traditional this 8000 grit is going to feel finer. Polish the guitar and you will see it turned to a glossy finish and I'll take out all the Grit. I use this when I do any kind of fretwork. I will hold it at approximately 45 degrees on the edges and run up and down the fretboard after I do two strokes per side with a fretguru ultimate fret end file on the ends of the Frets giving them a slight free shape I knock the edge off the bevel. If you do this it's very easy to end up with perfectly rounded hot dog or hemispherical ends a lot faster than doing them individually. Take your ultimate file start at the fretboard go up and over to the center 2 times on the right side and the left side of each fret then turn your guitar around and did the same on the opposite side both high and low E. After you've done this you start with the coarsest grit holding that about 45 degrees and I will run up and down I don't know maybe 30 Strokes working my way up to the finest Grit. While I'm using each grit I will polish the Frets and the fretboard without taping up anything. I polish the fretboard and the Frets at the same time. I do the ends after I do the top of the guitar with the coarsest grit and out polish up the top of the guitar both fretboard and the Frets in the board and the after I've worked my way through the six different grits of the 3M polishing paper what I end up with is perfectly rounded hot dog or hemispherical ends Frets that look like new Chrome or mirrors and a fretboard that shines like lacquered Maple even though it's unfinished. This saves the tape and the time it takes to tape it up and allows you to polish the fretboard at the same time you're polishing the frets. You end up with a superior job because not only are your Frets polished your fretboard is polished as well. By pre shaping your Frets with the fretguru ultimate end file before starting and then doing everything while you're using each Grit it is much faster than changing back and forth between grits plus by running up and down the edge at about 45 degrees with the polishing paper you round over all the Frets at once the first is sitting there meticulously doing each one individually. If you do this once you won't do it any other way afterwards. If you're working for someone else people will be amazed at how great your fretwork looks because everything is so shiny including the fretboard it also feels really good to your hands and it rounds over the edge of the fretboard giving it that worn in rolled feeling. Sorry for such a long-winded post but I was trying to explain it in such a way that makes sense. God Bless You & Yourn!! Jimmy in NC PS. My email is: thepainter.198094@gmail.com If you have any questions about what I was trying to explain as to my methods of polishing up everything so nicely. You might also try using music Nomad guitar polish followed with music nomad pure carnauba wax after you polish the body for even shinier look. After I've done this I use Music Nomad one to maintain the look because it is a guitar polish and wax in one. the Regular Music Nomad guitar polish is like a really fine Polishing Compound with micro-fine abrasives in it whereas the one doesn't have the abrasives and the carnauba wax in the one is a thinner version versus the pure carnauba wax, like a spray on car wax versus a paste wax.
@@SGuitars1903 It was a regular model (not baritone). Now after owning it for two years I can say that overall the guitar is good. When I just took out the guitar from the box I noticed a few defects: 1. It was necessary to use force to plug the cord to the input jack. 2. The edges of the frets were not smooth. 3. One of the locking tuners did not had the locking pin. After one year or so the bridge became corrosion-ridden and it looked bad. probably because of the cheap hardware... The guitar did sound good, and maybe still does, I have not played it for quite some time now and can't tell. Overall I would recommend buying a used schecter for the same money. Best of luck
Just bought mine through your affiliate link a few minutes ago. Absolute top tier high quality content and I wish every review out there was as good as this one. Awesome videos!
Honestly, the crackly pot and the wrong type of pot isn't an issue for me since i was planning on replacing the pots with push pulls anyway, also gonna drop a set of black winters in it. So if you're planning on upgrading the pots anyway it went from 4 penalty points to just 2. So ya.. can't wait to get this bad boy.
@@MaxSoloMusic how you made the jump from replacing the pots and pickups to not using the tone control is beyond me. But the fact you got all snarky tell me everything need to know
Awesome review Max. I’ll be buggered if I could pick any difference between the 25k and the 500k. Wow. I’ve rewired a few guitars and have always been very picky with the whole “250k for single coils and 500k for humbuckers” rule. I shouldn’t have bothered. Nice guitar, BTW. The neck-through design is just gorgeous-one of those guitars that looks better from behind.
Hey, thank you for the beautiful review. I feel confident to order the amarok soon. I really wanna get this due to stainless steel frets and neck through construction. Can you tell me how is the long term playability of this guitar? Are you really happy with what it is? Any particular issued you faced over the course of time?
Hi Max. I came across your channel when looking at HB Fusion II. Your reviews are really in-depth, great video production quality as well. I purchased a b-stock fusion II, hated the one dimensional veneer on it. But the neck...great. So I stripped the guitar down, stained it blue green, add EMG pick-ups with push-pulls, and it is the guitar i grab more often than not. Always in tune. Keep up the great reviews!
@@MaxSoloMusic Hi Max, I had the HH Fusion II model ( same color as the HSH you reviewed) which came with a toggle switch to activate the coil split. I ordered EMG 89/89R to get splittable pick-ups, but i used the push pull tone/volume knobs that came with the set instead of the toggle. I considered the boost toggle function from EMG, but at this point the wiring was getting out of control, so i just put some black rubber on the inside of the cavity to black out the hole and it's not really too noticeable now. It was a woodworking project: the EMG's were too tall/wide, so I had to get a dremel and route out the cavities without going through the back into the tremolo cavity; I had to drill out the wiring holes from the pick-up cavities to get the connector pins through to the control cavity; and I had to route out the control cavity to fit the EMG pots/3 way switch ialong with all the wire...none of which I had planned on doing. I used a staining technique from BigDGuitars' youtube channel for the body/head stock, and stained the neck as well. It all came together, and the guitar plays great - a nice 3 month Covid project. I would love to send some pics if you would care to see it! Ciao, Kurt
@@kurtbrower7594 Oh wow! That's a lot of work, unexpected work. I saw comments about classic EMGs but never tried them in Fusions myself. So after all, they are too tall and don't fit without brute force. Good to know!
Awesome review. What is bothering me is, how come this guitar has 500k knobs? Like you said, aren't active pickups supposed to have 25k pots? Any explanation, please?
Some things are wrong: 1st: The magnet has NO impact on the pickups sensitivity for electromagnetic noise. The coil has. Maybe the neck pickup has more winds to compensate for the weaker AlNiCo 5 magnet compared to the Ceramic one in the bridge. Or the neck PU has some problem. That's something to find out with a multimeter. 2nd: 500k pots with active pickups vs 25k don't make a dramatic difference when rolled fully up or down. But that mismatch results in the gradual sweep going out the window, the pot turns basically into an on-off switch within the last five percent of the rotation. linear/log taper also has an effect, but the value mismatch is far more drastic than that. However, running passives through 25k pots will make the sound dull AF, so the "take the battery out" hack is a no-no then. Props for the bend-the-jack mod though. I do this all the time, especially if a guitar or a pedal has been (un)plugged hundrets of times, it's often necessary and far easier than changing the whole jack - as long as it is not badly corroded. That's why I absolutely HATE closed jacks, where you can't see what the hell is going on, can't fix them, you can only replace them (with open-type jacks if there's enough space - problem solved)
From Germany, thanks! My first guitar was an Ibanez SG. Around 750 US dollars 1976. That is about 5,380 dollars nowadays inflation calculated. I worked almost 12 hours per day to buy that Ibanez and it took me almost a year. Gibson and Fender were cheaper, but the Ibanez played far better, so I bought it. I have had around 10 different guitars. The worst one is a Telecaster by Squire and last year I bought a BC Rich Legacy which is another perfect guitar. It always stays tuned like the Ibanez.
Does anyone know if the amarok has a mahogany cap on top of the actual body ? Under the flame veneer of course. That would probably be in the thickness of the natural binding...
Perhaps the hum from the neck pickup is the fact it is right next to the truss rod? Just a guess, but the truss rod is essentially an antenna in this case, since it is right next to the pickup.
Nope. There's a presence of some strong electromagnetic fields in my studio that for some reason causes hum specifically in alnico based pickups. Bad for recordings, good for testing
Max Solo Music yeah, I heard it in other demos after this one. That said, I still think the 500k pots made the EMGs sound slightly more distorted or something. Do you hear the same, or...?
Hmmm, the position of the upper strap button somehow is a huge turnoff for me. Ok, you could unscrew the original one and drill a new hole to a place where actual strap buttons belong in my opinion but why should I make such an effort if HB could easily put them in a much more comfortable place beforehand? I was eager to buy this one since I am a left handed player and it seems to be a good catch for a left handed baritone when it comes to the price tag. What do you think? Buy one and redrill? How uncomfy is it actually? I'd use this guitar to play about 2 hour long gigs every now and then with my band.
@@MaxSoloMusic I must say you have the most thorough review of any channel. I really liked how you showed the neck profile in the first video. I like the look and idea of the Amarok but like you said it's not very versatile and I don't play metal at all, so I guess I'll go with some other model. I want a Gibson Les Paul standard but they are way too much money as a father with children from 12-20 year old at home. So my thoughts are between a Epiphone Les Paul standard or modern or HB Sc550 silver burst. Right now it leans to the Epiphone Les Paul modern. Nice stuff on it with asymmetrical neck, Graph tech nut and locking tuners. Need to survive Christmas before any buy at all.😉
@@weonboard9430 I still had no chance to try any 2020 Epiphones but I've checked plenty of SC-550 if those are solid! I'm still thinking about getting one. Maybe next year :)
Hi Max, I have been watching your channel for a while. I love details and you are the king of details. I normally pay Gretsch guitars and Les Paul inspired guitars. The only sound I am still searching for is a Hard Rock/Metal guitar. I am here because I am looking for a Hard Rock/Metal guitar around £300 - £400. Have you any suggestions?
Excellent, excellent review. You looked at things I didnt even think to care about. And you took such care with a "cheap" guitar. I will be buying the baritone in October and I will remember your link at this time.
Recently got one. I agree with everything said here. Is it a "luxury" guitar? No. For less than $500 US, though, it's awesome. A few flaws (the same as you would find on $1k+ guit's), but nothing that prevents playability. The pups are EXTREMELY aggressive. I like that, but I wish they were adjustable. This guitar is FUN to play. It WANTS to be played. I would def gig it.
Was there a difference on the tone pot when switching from 500k to 25k? in part 1, nothing happened on the tone knob until rolled almost all the way down.
Nice review this guitar is a great bang for the buck, I am getting one but i want to swap out the pickups for fishman fluence modern humb. You think that is possible ? 😮 It would also probably make a great video swapping pickups out of this guitar since there is none on the internet 😁
Hey max, would you say the volume knob can get in the way of you're a heavy player For example doing heavy Palm mutes and you accidently turn down the volume
Hi Max, thank you for an another good review. Btw, i have the similar noise issues with humbucker at the bridge position. The guitar is Agile Septor 7 string with active Cepheus pickup. This case are so sad.
@Max Solo Music hey Max. great video! i have one question, maybe you can help. on my Amarok, the high e and the B strings action is a little bit to high for my liking. the problem is, i have the sattles on them already on its lowest position possible. Any Idea how i can get a lower action there? the neck is setup really good, its almost straight and i got good action on all the other strings.
It's not possible with Retro Actives. At least not without modifications to pickups' preamps as there are only 3 wires coming out - hot, ground and +9v. No direct access to coils or anything
Been trying to decide if I want to risk ordering a baritone and sending to the US. I expect low quality control at that price point and international returns just sound like a headache. This review has been super helpful. Liked and subscribed.
@@MaxSoloMusic sounds are 99% feelings and the modifications are on a active System good. Apropos... did you try it without the battery? I guess now is the ouput more less as before. Eventally HB build the guitar with 500k so you can play it also in worst case (stage) without the 9v batt. I like your reviews a lot but unfortunately I don't play guitars...
Pickup routings are standard size, so any standard sized pickup should fit. The only concern is how deep they are. I'm expecting one of EX-84 Bentons to come at some point and of course I wanted to have some pickup exchange going on. I'll know more then
Are there any differences in sound between the set of EMGs in this and the Super 77's that you've noticed? Like would you say these are higher output than the ones you have in your other guitar? I know you more likely have a Super 77 set in your other guitar, but apparently the bridge pickups between the Super 77 and Hot 70 are exactly the same and only the neck pickups are different, so if there is a difference between bridge pickups then that may be worth noting.
You're absolutely right. Bridge pickups are supposed to be the same and in the neck it's Alnico vs Ceramic magnet. There's a tiny difference in hum since Alnico pickups tend to catch some unlike Ceramic ones. Sound wise they are very close
Hi Max, thanks for the awesome videos! Do you know if there are more differences between the first and second batch, besides the faulty output jack? Cheers!
Hey Bart. Some minor things change all the time, from batch to batch. There's no way of knowing really. Every time HB gets negative feedback about some features they try to improve things
@@MaxSoloMusic thanks for the reply Max! I received mine last week, it had the faulty jack output. Thomann asked me to send it back, so it wil be new guitar day in about a week 😀. Thnx again for your video's! Cheers!
Thanks Paul. It seems like they've raised the nut a bit after the first batch was out. I keep getting reports about this constantly. Fortunately, it's not a complicated thing to fix. Definitely better this way than if it was too low
Hi, great review! I recently replate the pickup of my Ibanez with an SD SH4. Now it sounds ultra-sensitive to all room noises, especially when I come close to an electromagnetic source. Do you know what could be the problem? Thanks!
@@MaxSoloMusic on, I haven't pulled mine out to check, but bhai I saw someone soba review, and they said, one of the negatives for them was the fact that the EMG pickups aren't the solderless one's. If they are like all EMG pickups that's awesome. Have you actually seen for yourself?
@@chriswalton3383 yep. I opened the guitar and there even was an investigation about the pickups behind the scenes. These are legit EMGs, with connectors, just like any other EMG pickups. The wiring itself is not from EMG though, which is fine. So, on the other end the wires are soldered to the pickup switch, which you'll see in most other guitars using EMG pickups, since getting the wiring and pots from EMG means more costs with zero benefits
@@MaxSoloMusic Thank you Max, I saw a video and they said they weren't solderless. I appreciate the time and information. Now I can look at other EMG pickups, just so I can get a different sound if I want with the easy pickup change out. I would of checked myself but I'm hopeless at putting screws back into their original hole without threading it. I don't suppose you have any tips for not threading screw holes?
These pickups seem not like typical EMG active pickups (Less coil winds but boosted with a preamp => More clarity and less noise but still high power) but more like regular pickups with a preamp, to shape the tone a bit and buffer the signal, which makes them sound crisp and direct even through long cables. This still means they could be problematic through old school fuzz pedals, but honestly, with a guitar like this you're usually not on the hunt for vintage 60s tones.
Wonderfully detailed review. I've been toying with the idea of getting one of these, possibly as an Eb or D-tuned guitar (and their respective drop tunings). It definitely gives me some consideration points before I pull the trigger. I do get the impression that Harley Bentons are naturally a gamble at their price point but in most cases make acceptable fixer-uppers.
Im few weeks in with this guitar, and i love it, but pickups has to go. Bridge pickup has uncontrolable feedback and its not usable on high gain amp. I cant mute strings without that squeek.
Another great and detailed review. If I had some more money to throw around I would give this guitar a try based on this review. I also thought your new mic sounded good.
Do you have pictures of the guitar on your instagram? I'm considering getting the guitar but it's a real shame to hear that the finish doesn't look as nice in real life.
Awesome video as always. I am so tempted to buy one, but playing the guitar lottery and shipping doesn't seem like a fun game to play. Would also likely swap out for a set of 81/60 EMGs.
I think it play without battery cause capacitor is loaded. 250k VS 25k? Of course there is a difference, check manuals of electronics, more more high frequencies but you have to calculate capacitor high filter function.
In the jackson world the reverse headstock is almost a must ^^ but its all personal preference. I personally don't really mind or care ^^ as long as its quite pointy or cool looking I'm fine haha
@@cvcofficial5399 I have multiple Jacksons and have had many more over the years. Never had a reverse headstock. I only have one guitar with that the Ibanez xiphos. I wanted a Solar guitar but they won't do a standard headstock. I just really don't like the looks of a reversed headstock on the Jackson's or Kramer guitars. They just look like hockey sticks to me.
Well, there was a bit of a difference in the curve with 25K going up much slower. Which gives more control with high gain. Other than that, I want to say 25K felt a bit cleaner, like if the output was slightly lower. But one would need an audio equivalent of a microscope to actually hear the difference
@@collierpj the slight audio difference was lost in youtube compression probably ...the main difference is in the volume taper - if you do care and not leave the vol pot at 100% all the time lol
Not the guitar for me. 500E plus is too much to play the "Guitar lottery" with. 200 to 300E is the Harley Benton sweet spot for me. Very good, very comprehensive review though, easily the best on YT.
Mr Max.... is this a good deal for a guitar with metal in mind? Also is there a competitors guitar with the same specs that is its equal for around the same price point ( again metal in mind mostly ) ? Thank u sir.... God Bless you & ur family
Thanks for the review, but I thought it was a little bit better guitar than that you said the pickups are not adjustable and a few other glitches... not t guitar for me Peace...
Bloody hell... THIS is how everyone should review guitars. Amazingly interesting and perfectly detailed. Even some super useful side notes. Thanks a bunch! I'm definitely subscribing.
These EMGs come with 500k pots (which is the right value for passive humbuckers) because the pickups are basically weak output passive pickups with a separate preamp to boost their signal to a higher output level. Basically the same thing as putting an active booster circuit in your passive pickup guitar.
25k pots are used with original EMG pickups (like the 81 and 85) which are, internally, a super low output pickup that you couldn't use as a passive pickup, they only work with the built-in preamps to get a usable output signal. With the 81 and 85 the pot adjusts the output level of the pickup preamp whereas the 500k pot in the guitar reviewed adjust the pickup's (passive) output before the preamp circuit.
Two different kinds of pickups.
I just checked the box with my set of EMG retro actives and they come with 25k pots. Instructions say they are typical of active pickups, indicating that all EMGs use them. So the Amarok seems to depart from that with 500k ones. I got a guitar with regular EMGs and changed to retro actives, so I'm kind of wondering if I should change the pots.
@@martinemesguitar The retro actives have 25k pots because that pot is part of the active preamp circuit, the 500k pots are being used in-between the Amarok pickups and the amplification circuit that has a fixed output.
In other words passive versus active loudness controls, the retro actives are ok with the 25k pots, no need to change them.
Got an B-Stock Amarok 6 Guitar today. It actually have the old Output Jack and i could get no signal. I did the same repair as you, and it was indeed pretty simple. You saved my day.
Did you notice anything else compared to older models? I've heard they put wrong pots, no locking tuners etc. now, compared to like 2021 models.
@@olebrumme6356 Mine got locking tuners. The Volume goes pretty late down on the Volume Pot (you have to almost turn it all the way to get an effect). Other than that I’m pretty happy with the guitar, I love that guitar.
In the 25k vs 500k demo, it sounds like the 500k has a wider frequency response than the 25k. I could hear more high frequency sound from the 500K pots.
The 25k pots seem to make it sound slightly clearer in my opinion. It’s not a huge difference though. Great review!
Oh god how wrong you are :) less resistance gives you more hi-cut. The potentiometers with 25k cut out much of highs, hence are less transparent.
Greetings!
@@piotrmalczyk260 nah 25k in this case sound way more compessed like emg 80 almost so i think 500k pots are better here since these pickups are meant to sound a bit fuller and warmer
It is my understanding that these pickups on the amarok are a combination of traditional passive pickups as well as being active I guess I would say active-passive. You know that don't have that smooth black across the front they have actual wound coils that you can see and this is why they work without the battery it is also why they use 500k pots instead of the traditional 25k pots that you would use with a regular active pickup. From what I have read about these EMG was trying to come by and the things that people like about passive pickups with things that people like in active pickups trying to give you the best of both worlds. In this video when you took the battery out they sounded more like single coils. With a 500K pots that sounds more full and fatter and seems to have a little more Bass with the 25k pots it sounds thinner more tinny or more treble sound better with the 500K's to me. There's a new output Jack on the market I believe they're pure tone they have 2 contact points on the Long Bar that contacts the tip and I believe they have two on the short part that has contact with the sleeve. at any rate I believe these are currently the best Jack's on the market better than even switchcraft if you look at how they're made they just look better because they have a superior design. They're only about $7 to $9 US
God Bless You & Yourn!!
Jimmy in NC....
Get some 3M TriMite polishing paper starting with the coarsest Grit which is equal to 400 grit sandpaper or you may want to leave that one out and start with the second Grit personally I would use all of them work your way up from the coarsest Grit to the finest Grit which equals 1 Micron or 8000 Grit. This is nothing like traditional sandpaper. If you get 8000 grit traditional this 8000 grit is going to feel finer. Polish the guitar and you will see it turned to a glossy finish and I'll take out all the Grit. I use this when I do any kind of fretwork. I will hold it at approximately 45 degrees on the edges and run up and down the fretboard after I do two strokes per side with a fretguru ultimate fret end file on the ends of the Frets giving them a slight free shape I knock the edge off the bevel. If you do this it's very easy to end up with perfectly rounded hot dog or hemispherical ends a lot faster than doing them individually. Take your ultimate file start at the fretboard go up and over to the center 2 times on the right side and the left side of each fret then turn your guitar around and did the same on the opposite side both high and low E. After you've done this you start with the coarsest grit holding that about 45 degrees and I will run up and down I don't know maybe 30 Strokes working my way up to the finest Grit. While I'm using each grit I will polish the Frets and the fretboard without taping up anything. I polish the fretboard and the Frets at the same time. I do the ends after I do the top of the guitar with the coarsest grit and out polish up the top of the guitar both fretboard and the Frets in the board and the after I've worked my way through the six different grits of the 3M polishing paper what I end up with is perfectly rounded hot dog or hemispherical ends Frets that look like new Chrome or mirrors and a fretboard that shines like lacquered Maple even though it's unfinished. This saves the tape and the time it takes to tape it up and allows you to polish the fretboard at the same time you're polishing the frets. You end up with a superior job because not only are your Frets polished your fretboard is polished as well. By pre shaping your Frets with the fretguru ultimate end file before starting and then doing everything while you're using each Grit it is much faster than changing back and forth between grits plus by running up and down the edge at about 45 degrees with the polishing paper you round over all the Frets at once the first is sitting there meticulously doing each one individually. If you do this once you won't do it any other way afterwards. If you're working for someone else people will be amazed at how great your fretwork looks because everything is so shiny including the fretboard it also feels really good to your hands and it rounds over the edge of the fretboard giving it that worn in rolled feeling. Sorry for such a long-winded post but I was trying to explain it in such a way that makes sense.
God Bless You & Yourn!!
Jimmy in NC
PS. My email is:
thepainter.198094@gmail.com If you have any questions about what I was trying to explain as to my methods of polishing up everything so nicely. You might also try using music Nomad guitar polish followed with music nomad pure carnauba wax after you polish the body for even shinier look. After I've done this I use Music Nomad one to maintain the look because it is a guitar polish and wax in one. the Regular Music Nomad guitar polish is like a really fine Polishing Compound with micro-fine abrasives in it whereas the one doesn't have the abrasives and the carnauba wax in the one is a thinner version versus the pure carnauba wax, like a spray on car wax versus a paste wax.
Dude you're a pro!! your knowledge is outstanding and both of these reviews are remarkable! subscribred!
Much appreciated!
@@MaxSoloMusic BTW after watching your reviews I've orderd a six string Amarok from Thomann. Can't wait for it to arrive!
@@nivbet3957which one was it and how donyou like it?
@@SGuitars1903
It was a regular model (not baritone).
Now after owning it for two years I can say that overall the guitar is good. When I just took out the guitar from the box I noticed a few defects:
1. It was necessary to use force to plug the cord to the input jack.
2. The edges of the frets were not smooth.
3. One of the locking tuners did not had the locking pin.
After one year or so the bridge became corrosion-ridden and it looked bad. probably because of the cheap hardware...
The guitar did sound good, and maybe still does, I have not played it for quite some time now and can't tell.
Overall I would recommend buying a used schecter for the same money.
Best of luck
Just bought mine through your affiliate link a few minutes ago. Absolute top tier high quality content and I wish every review out there was as good as this one. Awesome videos!
Honestly, the crackly pot and the wrong type of pot isn't an issue for me since i was planning on replacing the pots with push pulls anyway, also gonna drop a set of black winters in it. So if you're planning on upgrading the pots anyway it went from 4 penalty points to just 2. So ya.. can't wait to get this bad boy.
Indeed! I mean, how many metalheads actually use the tone knob, right?
@@MaxSoloMusic how you made the jump from replacing the pots and pickups to not using the tone control is beyond me. But the fact you got all snarky tell me everything need to know
What a great and comprehensive review, well done! Also the mic sounds great IMO
Nice, thanks! I'm still not sure whether I want to go back to my regular mic or keep using this one
Awesome review Max. I’ll be buggered if I could pick any difference between the 25k and the 500k. Wow. I’ve rewired a few guitars and have always been very picky with the whole “250k for single coils and 500k for humbuckers” rule. I shouldn’t have bothered. Nice guitar, BTW. The neck-through design is just gorgeous-one of those guitars that looks better from behind.
SUBBED!!! This is the most intense guitar review I've ever seen 😐
Hey, thank you for the beautiful review. I feel confident to order the amarok soon.
I really wanna get this due to stainless steel frets and neck through construction.
Can you tell me how is the long term playability of this guitar? Are you really happy with what it is? Any particular issued you faced over the course of time?
Hi Max. I came across your channel when looking at HB Fusion II. Your reviews are really in-depth, great video production quality as well. I purchased a b-stock fusion II, hated the one dimensional veneer on it. But the neck...great. So I stripped the guitar down, stained it blue green, add EMG pick-ups with push-pulls, and it is the guitar i grab more often than not. Always in tune. Keep up the great reviews!
Hey. That's great! What did you use push-pulls for and what EMG models did you pick for your guitar?
@@MaxSoloMusic Hi Max,
I had the HH Fusion II model ( same color as the HSH you reviewed) which came with a toggle switch to activate the coil split. I ordered EMG 89/89R to get splittable pick-ups, but i used the push pull tone/volume knobs that came with the set instead of the toggle. I considered the boost toggle function from EMG, but at this point the wiring was getting out of control, so i just put some black rubber on the inside of the cavity to black out the hole and it's not really too noticeable now.
It was a woodworking project: the EMG's were too tall/wide, so I had to get a dremel and route out the cavities without going through the back into the tremolo cavity; I had to drill out the wiring holes from the pick-up cavities to get the connector pins through to the control cavity; and I had to route out the control cavity to fit the EMG pots/3 way switch ialong with all the wire...none of which I had planned on doing.
I used a staining technique from BigDGuitars' youtube channel for the body/head stock, and stained the neck as well.
It all came together, and the guitar plays great - a nice 3 month Covid project. I would love to send some pics if you would care to see it!
Ciao,
Kurt
@@kurtbrower7594 Oh wow! That's a lot of work, unexpected work. I saw comments about classic EMGs but never tried them in Fusions myself. So after all, they are too tall and don't fit without brute force. Good to know!
Awesome review.
What is bothering me is, how come this guitar has 500k knobs?
Like you said, aren't active pickups supposed to have 25k pots?
Any explanation, please?
Excellent in depth review!! I just ordered an Amarok Baritone yesterday and am super jazzed. But now I know exactly what to expect! Thank you 🤘
Thank you for a thorough review. You covered everything, which is rare on RUclips. Thumbs up.
Some things are wrong: 1st: The magnet has NO impact on the pickups sensitivity for electromagnetic noise. The coil has. Maybe the neck pickup has more winds to compensate for the weaker AlNiCo 5 magnet compared to the Ceramic one in the bridge. Or the neck PU has some problem. That's something to find out with a multimeter. 2nd: 500k pots with active pickups vs 25k don't make a dramatic difference when rolled fully up or down. But that mismatch results in the gradual sweep going out the window, the pot turns basically into an on-off switch within the last five percent of the rotation. linear/log taper also has an effect, but the value mismatch is far more drastic than that. However, running passives through 25k pots will make the sound dull AF, so the "take the battery out" hack is a no-no then.
Props for the bend-the-jack mod though. I do this all the time, especially if a guitar or a pedal has been (un)plugged hundrets of times, it's often necessary and far easier than changing the whole jack - as long as it is not badly corroded. That's why I absolutely HATE closed jacks, where you can't see what the hell is going on, can't fix them, you can only replace them (with open-type jacks if there's enough space - problem solved)
i cant figure it out. maybe its a retro active thing. it sounded a bit brighter with the 25k though...
On clean it sounded more EMG81'-ish with 25K volume pot, which was totally unexpected by me, wow. But no effect on the crunch sound.
Interesting that the pickups are made in Indonesia. I've been out of the loop with EMG's for a while, but I thought they were all made in the US.
I just got the Fusion T EMG today. My Schecter Sun valley has similar EMGs. They sound a little different.
From Germany, thanks! My first guitar was an Ibanez SG. Around 750 US dollars 1976. That is about 5,380 dollars nowadays inflation calculated. I worked almost 12 hours per day to buy that Ibanez and it took me almost a year. Gibson and Fender were cheaper, but the Ibanez played far better, so I bought it. I have had around 10 different guitars. The worst one is a Telecaster by Squire and last year I bought a BC Rich Legacy which is another perfect guitar. It always stays tuned like the Ibanez.
Does anyone know if the amarok has a mahogany cap on top of the actual body ? Under the flame veneer of course. That would probably be in the thickness of the natural binding...
Just bought a baritone b-stock thanks to this review! :) Grabbed a 25k pot as well. Hoping there's no major finish flaws! Спасибо, Макс!
Hope you enjoy it! Let us know about your first impression when the guitar arrives
Perhaps the hum from the neck pickup is the fact it is right next to the truss rod? Just a guess, but the truss rod is essentially an antenna in this case, since it is right next to the pickup.
Interesting. I think the 500k made the pickups more likely to distort, even on a clean channel.
Nope. There's a presence of some strong electromagnetic fields in my studio that for some reason causes hum specifically in alnico based pickups. Bad for recordings, good for testing
Max Solo Music yeah, I heard it in other demos after this one.
That said, I still think the 500k pots made the EMGs sound slightly more distorted or something. Do you hear the same, or...?
Hmmm, the position of the upper strap button somehow is a huge turnoff for me. Ok, you could unscrew the original one and drill a new hole to a place where actual strap buttons belong in my opinion but why should I make such an effort if HB could easily put them in a much more comfortable place beforehand? I was eager to buy this one since I am a left handed player and it seems to be a good catch for a left handed baritone when it comes to the price tag.
What do you think? Buy one and redrill? How uncomfy is it actually? I'd use this guitar to play about 2 hour long gigs every now and then with my band.
Hello from Sweden. Great video as always. Came across you channel when I was looking for review in the HB Amarok.
Hey. Awesome! What are your thoughts on this guitar? Have you got all your questions answered?
@@MaxSoloMusic I must say you have the most thorough review of any channel. I really liked how you showed the neck profile in the first video. I like the look and idea of the Amarok but like you said it's not very versatile and I don't play metal at all, so I guess I'll go with some other model. I want a Gibson Les Paul standard but they are way too much money as a father with children from 12-20 year old at home. So my thoughts are between a Epiphone Les Paul standard or modern or HB Sc550 silver burst. Right now it leans to the Epiphone Les Paul modern. Nice stuff on it with asymmetrical neck, Graph tech nut and locking tuners. Need to survive Christmas before any buy at all.😉
@@weonboard9430 I still had no chance to try any 2020 Epiphones but I've checked plenty of SC-550 if those are solid! I'm still thinking about getting one. Maybe next year :)
Hi Max, I have been watching your channel for a while. I love details and you are the king of details.
I normally pay Gretsch guitars and Les Paul inspired guitars. The only sound I am still searching for is a Hard Rock/Metal guitar.
I am here because I am looking for a Hard Rock/Metal guitar around £300 - £400. Have you any suggestions?
Excellent, excellent review. You looked at things I didnt even think to care about. And you took such care with a "cheap" guitar. I will be buying the baritone in October and I will remember your link at this time.
Hi Max! Thank you for your videos, your reviews are excellent! What guitar do you recommend, the Dullahan Ft 24, or the Amarok. Regards!
Recently got one. I agree with everything said here. Is it a "luxury" guitar? No. For less than $500 US, though, it's awesome. A few flaws (the same as you would find on $1k+ guit's), but nothing that prevents playability. The pups are EXTREMELY aggressive. I like that, but I wish they were adjustable. This guitar is FUN to play. It WANTS to be played. I would def gig it.
Try to lower the pickups. It they won't go lower, remove springs and foam behind the pickups. That would give another 3 to 5 mil
Was there a difference on the tone pot when switching from 500k to 25k? in part 1, nothing happened on the tone knob until rolled almost all the way down.
Nice review this guitar is a great bang for the buck, I am getting one but i want to swap out the pickups for fishman fluence modern humb.
You think that is possible ? 😮
It would also probably make a great video swapping pickups out of this guitar since there is none on the internet
😁
Hey max, would you say the volume knob can get in the way of you're a heavy player
For example doing heavy Palm mutes and you accidently turn down the volume
Hey. The knob is not in the way, it's far enough
Hi Max, thank you for an another good review.
Btw, i have the similar noise issues with humbucker at the bridge position. The guitar is Agile Septor 7 string with active Cepheus pickup. This case are so sad.
great review! very honest and complete. I am in the process of buying one of this brand guitars and this video helped a lot
Glad I could help!
Great addition to the first video 👍
@Max Solo Music hey Max. great video! i have one question, maybe you can help. on my Amarok, the high e and the B strings action is a little bit to high for my liking. the problem is, i have the sattles on them already on its lowest position possible. Any Idea how i can get a lower action there? the neck is setup really good, its almost straight and i got good action on all the other strings.
Perhaps a coil split would be another way to clean up the high output pickups.
It's not possible with Retro Actives. At least not without modifications to pickups' preamps as there are only 3 wires coming out - hot, ground and +9v. No direct access to coils or anything
That's exactly the video I wanted to see. Thanks man
Been trying to decide if I want to risk ordering a baritone and sending to the US. I expect low quality control at that price point and international returns just sound like a headache. This review has been super helpful. Liked and subscribed.
With 25k Potis evtually the hum is now less because the impedance should 20 times lower... right?
Not sure about the hum, but the output is slightly lower and the sound is a bit clearer. At least it feels like that
@@MaxSoloMusic sounds are 99% feelings and the modifications are on a active System good. Apropos... did you try it without the battery? I guess now is the ouput more less as before. Eventally HB build the guitar with 500k so you can play it also in worst case (stage) without the 9v batt. I like your reviews a lot but unfortunately I don't play guitars...
@@ju2705s turned out, when 25K are installed, pickups no longer work without a battery
@@MaxSoloMusic now you need always a backup 9v 😉
Would a regular set of EMGs like an 81-60/81-85 set fit in this guitar without some extra modifications to it?
Pickup routings are standard size, so any standard sized pickup should fit. The only concern is how deep they are. I'm expecting one of EX-84 Bentons to come at some point and of course I wanted to have some pickup exchange going on. I'll know more then
@@MaxSoloMusic Thank you so much
Are there any differences in sound between the set of EMGs in this and the Super 77's that you've noticed? Like would you say these are higher output than the ones you have in your other guitar? I know you more likely have a Super 77 set in your other guitar, but apparently the bridge pickups between the Super 77 and Hot 70 are exactly the same and only the neck pickups are different, so if there is a difference between bridge pickups then that may be worth noting.
You're absolutely right. Bridge pickups are supposed to be the same and in the neck it's Alnico vs Ceramic magnet. There's a tiny difference in hum since Alnico pickups tend to catch some unlike Ceramic ones. Sound wise they are very close
Nice one Max, great revue as always.
Thanks Chris!
Hi Max, thanks for the awesome videos! Do you know if there are more differences between the first and second batch, besides the faulty output jack? Cheers!
Hey Bart. Some minor things change all the time, from batch to batch. There's no way of knowing really. Every time HB gets negative feedback about some features they try to improve things
@@MaxSoloMusic thanks for the reply Max!
I received mine last week, it had the faulty jack output. Thomann asked me to send it back, so it wil be new guitar day in about a week 😀.
Thnx again for your video's!
Cheers!
How thick is the neck? I'm used to the Wizard II on my Ibanez RG and i am not sure i'd want to go thicker.
Check the first part of this video where I measure the neck
The satin finish is ok... I really wish HB would have done a glossy finish like the Fusion III.
I received my Amarok 6 just before Xmas. The nut is quite high, it’s on my (short) list of things to sort, but it’s perfectly playable.
Thanks Paul. It seems like they've raised the nut a bit after the first batch was out. I keep getting reports about this constantly. Fortunately, it's not a complicated thing to fix. Definitely better this way than if it was too low
@@MaxSoloMusic that said I’ve actually just measured it against my prs-se and it’s the same.
@@collierpj PRS SE = Cor-Tek (Cort) = Ibanez. I've seen high nuts on Indonesian Ibanez guitars, a very common thing in fact
@@MaxSoloMusic yeah. Playing the 2 I’d have always said the prs was lower.. Different strings and neck width affect the feeling.
Hi, great review! I recently replate the pickup of my Ibanez with an SD SH4. Now it sounds ultra-sensitive to all room noises, especially when I come close to an electromagnetic source.
Do you know what could be the problem?
Thanks!
Hey Gus. It's hard to tell. It may be the pickup itself or something else in the guitar causing that.
Great review-demo Max! Nice look,ok sound. Do they make them in lefty?
Thanks Ant. No lefties for this model, yet
The EMG pickups aren't the solderless one's are they?
They are. They have connectors just like all other EMGs
@@MaxSoloMusic on, I haven't pulled mine out to check, but bhai I saw someone soba review, and they said, one of the negatives for them was the fact that the EMG pickups aren't the solderless one's. If they are like all EMG pickups that's awesome. Have you actually seen for yourself?
@@chriswalton3383 yep. I opened the guitar and there even was an investigation about the pickups behind the scenes. These are legit EMGs, with connectors, just like any other EMG pickups. The wiring itself is not from EMG though, which is fine. So, on the other end the wires are soldered to the pickup switch, which you'll see in most other guitars using EMG pickups, since getting the wiring and pots from EMG means more costs with zero benefits
@@MaxSoloMusic Thank you Max, I saw a video and they said they weren't solderless. I appreciate the time and information. Now I can look at other EMG pickups, just so I can get a different sound if I want with the easy pickup change out. I would of checked myself but I'm hopeless at putting screws back into their original hole without threading it. I don't suppose you have any tips for not threading screw holes?
These pickups seem not like typical EMG active pickups (Less coil winds but boosted with a preamp => More clarity and less noise but still high power) but more like regular pickups with a preamp, to shape the tone a bit and buffer the signal, which makes them sound crisp and direct even through long cables. This still means they could be problematic through old school fuzz pedals, but honestly, with a guitar like this you're usually not on the hunt for vintage 60s tones.
Very nice informative, high quality content! Appreciate you! Greetings from Germany
Gonna get an Amarok soon. I'm going to use it to play Wintersun-Ensiferum style of metal. Will it be good? Great review btw.
Great review as usual.
Thanks Ana
You should ask emg why it has 500k pots instead of 25k?? Great detailed review btw subbed
Wonderfully detailed review. I've been toying with the idea of getting one of these, possibly as an Eb or D-tuned guitar (and their respective drop tunings). It definitely gives me some consideration points before I pull the trigger.
I do get the impression that Harley Bentons are naturally a gamble at their price point but in most cases make acceptable fixer-uppers.
Been thinking about grabbing the 7 String version of this model. Anything particular to note with that one @Max_Solo_Music
Yes! The 7-string has a plastic nut, not Graph Tech. Unless they've fixed it. Other than that, I believe the Baritone is the most solid Amarok guitar
What's about HB HWY-25BKS progressive?
Never tried one
Why are the specs better?
25k you don't mean 250k as is used with single coils?
did you ever consider doing QA for guitar makers? you might help them catch some issues!
Wow, I've never heard of active pickups still working without a battery. Is that common? 😮
Im few weeks in with this guitar, and i love it, but pickups has to go. Bridge pickup has uncontrolable feedback and its not usable on high gain amp. I cant mute strings without that squeek.
The sad part is the blue Amarok 6 is no longer available, just red.
hey man can you give me some notes on the ibanez rga42fm
Sure! Try Eb, f, g, f, Bb; Ab, E. That will work on any guitar, not only on RGA42
What is ur absolute dream guitar and do u already own it?
I had an answer a couple of years ago. I don't have it anymore :)
Another great and detailed review. If I had some more money to throw around I would give this guitar a try based on this review. I also thought your new mic sounded good.
Rock on!
Do you have pictures of the guitar on your instagram? I'm considering getting the guitar but it's a real shame to hear that the finish doesn't look as nice in real life.
The baritone and the 7-string are on IG. This 6-string not yet. It looks pretty much the same as it looks at the pictures. It just feels rather rough
The Lewitt sounds excellent. I may need a 440 Pure, to help with real world work voice.
I was told 440 and 441 share the same capsule
@@MaxSoloMusic Thank you very much for that detail Max.
Awesome video as always. I am so tempted to buy one, but playing the guitar lottery and shipping doesn't seem like a fun game to play. Would also likely swap out for a set of 81/60 EMGs.
Thanks!
ive ordered this guitar and its going to arrive next weeak i guess ...
Hey. Tell us about your first impression when it arrives!
Sorry, but this is a baritone guitar or not? Thank you
Can i ask Max, do the pickups themselves have the solderless connectors?
Yes, 3 pin connectors, exactly as shown in the EMG instruction sheets
@@MaxSoloMusic thanks! I am thinking of buying an amorok, I have got emg solderless wiring
I think it play without battery cause capacitor is loaded. 250k VS 25k? Of course there is a difference, check manuals of electronics, more more high frequencies but you have to calculate capacitor high filter function.
I like the guitar a lot. Just that reverse headstock is a deal-breaker for me.
In the jackson world the reverse headstock is almost a must ^^ but its all personal preference. I personally don't really mind or care ^^ as long as its quite pointy or cool looking I'm fine haha
@@cvcofficial5399 I have multiple Jacksons and have had many more over the years. Never had a reverse headstock. I only have one guitar with that the Ibanez xiphos. I wanted a Solar guitar but they won't do a standard headstock. I just really don't like the looks of a reversed headstock on the Jackson's or Kramer guitars. They just look like hockey sticks to me.
Thanks for the video. The guitar is nice for that price
am i missing something or the 500k pots work just as well as the 25k ?
Well, there was a bit of a difference in the curve with 25K going up much slower. Which gives more control with high gain. Other than that, I want to say 25K felt a bit cleaner, like if the output was slightly lower. But one would need an audio equivalent of a microscope to actually hear the difference
@@MaxSoloMusic i see, ty !
Sounded identical to my ears (through a crappy iPhone speaker lol)
@@collierpj the slight audio difference was lost in youtube compression probably ...the main difference is in the volume taper - if you do care and not leave the vol pot at 100% all the time lol
@@RapttorX yeah I’m a 100% or nothing kinda guy. Lol
sos el papu de papus bro, crack!!!!
Not the guitar for me. 500E plus is too much to play the "Guitar lottery" with. 200 to 300E is the Harley Benton sweet spot for me. Very good, very comprehensive review though, easily the best on YT.
I'm hoping the chances of getting a flawless guitar will improve. It's all down to QC and I know they're constantly working on improving it
Just wait half a year, and you are good. And depending on where you live its not really a lottery since you can send them back.
@@themplar True! HB usually performs bug fixes on new models but it takes some time.
Mr Max.... is this a good deal for a guitar with metal in mind? Also is there a competitors guitar with the same specs that is its equal for around the same price point ( again metal in mind mostly ) ? Thank u sir.... God Bless you & ur family
Thanks for the review, but I thought it was a little bit better guitar than that you said the pickups are not adjustable and a few other glitches... not t guitar for me Peace...
25K seems brighter to me.
I think so too!
Upgrade ready or just jam at the cost it’s good enough for me🤘🏽
Hi, I am from comment section)
Haha, great :)
Awesome review! I was looking for a strat playability with gibson sounds. This should be pretty close. It should arrive soon! Thanks for the content👍🏼
Glad I could help!
500к
sound much more better with the 500...
Английский у тебя хорош! Молодец
Красава)
когда на русском