Nice video Darrel, very detailed :) One thing though, I felt like you were rushing through the content like you were even talking fast haha Have a great evening :)
3 года назад+5
No mention of the obvious neck shim falling out at 12:20 not very honest review.
@@louiswilkins9624 Yeah, I got the bundle with the little practice amp and other accessories (strap, cable, tuner, extra strings). I think what differentiates it from other entry-level Strat copies is that it has a humbucker. The amp is very small (which I wanted) and the gig bag seems a bit more durable than the super flimsy ones you usually get at this price range. Mine doesn't go out of tune that much but I don't use the trem. I will say the frets do stick out a bit on the sides but that's pretty minor to me. I'm not exactly shredding all over the neck and I can always polish them down if I need to. I've seen this listed on Amazon as having 20 frets but that's not true; it has 22. Hope this helps.
@@h.9089 They're OK for me as an intermediate player. There are about a dozen other reviews of this guitar on RUclips you can reference - search "Donner dst".
Tyler was specifically wanting this color though according to the video. He was looking for another model of his first guitar which he said was a Cort guitar but he went with this cause Cort guitars aren't budget guitars like they used to be.
My wife just bought me this exact guitar at a thrift store for $70. I am amazed at how well it plays! I’ve been playing this guitar more than my expensive Ibanez and Charvel guitars! It’s well worth upgrading because of how well it plays. I just ordered new pups, tuners, and a pearl pickguard and a solid brass block for it!🎶🎸
Very impressive for the price. Have you seen how much stuff comes with their starter packages? They even include a tuner. Perfect, complete package for a beginner.
Have you noticed that some of the RUclipsrs who specialize in doing guitar reviews/demos are all getting the same guitars at the same time? Phil McNight, Music is Win, 60 Cycle Hum, Darrell Braun Guitar, etc.
Donner reaches out to everyone who wants to demo them! They even sent me one for my channel to review and I plan on contacting to see if they will send me this one as well to test!
Maybe it's cheaper to send out a bunch at once. Still, for me it's a good thing, as each of these channels provide a different point of view and watching all of them demo the 'same' instrument gives a broader view of the various aspects these instruments have.
The two main advantages of buying this strat' copy. Is bringing this to a gig and not worrying bringing your real $1000+ stratocaster/other guitar. The second is with the S/S/H pickup configuration, you can play a list of cover songs that use either single coil or humbuckers with one guitar.. so you don't have bring more than one. Years back I had a strat' copy like this and used it in a cover band.. played a lot of places.. As long as you can do a basic setup on it and there is no big physical defects like a warped neck it can be a great for the price. My 2 cents.
I purchased a Donner strat two years ago and it looks like they stepped up their game a little. Mine had high action, wicked fret sprout, and would not hold tune very good. That being said I learned how to correct all of that on YT and now it plays like a champ. VERY much worth the price for learning to work and play on guitar. It also came with a tuner, a set of strings, gig bag, allen keys, set of picks, cord, and a surprisingly good sounding amp that looks like a mini me Marshall combo amp. All of this for under 85$ US. Beautiful guitar!
My wife got me one of these types of "amazon special" $100 guitar/amp combos a few years ago for Christmas. Little did she know she created a monster. But, if you're on the fence about getting a guitar, get one of these. Great to learn on, and if it turns out guitar isn't your thing, you're only out a little money.
With the time it takes to edit the videos, this is a huge coincidence but the sharing of the line "doesnt matter if its expensive or cheap, it's always exciting for a new guitar." That is scary.
I would like to see one of these review channels do a side-by-side with the guitar they get free to demo and one they buy blind. Good way to confirm or debunk whether or not the guitar they are being sent to demo is on par with a guitar the average person would receive.
What i really enjoy about Darrell's channel is that he doesn't shy away from "cheap" guitars or gear. It may be easy for RUclipsrs to make content about things persons can't usually afford because, they can now afford them. Nothing's wrong with doing that as well but while it's not always a guarantee, I really think it speaks true to his character. ✨
Donner is a Chinese effects pedal manufacturer primarily. Their pedals are super small, tiny little things, but appear to be well made and are very cheap, but great sounding. It seems they have progressed into the guitar manufacturing world, so I presume they will be very moderately priced, like their fx pedals. I'm pretty sure that considering the clean, precise build that you highlighted, and with some twiddling, fine tuning and a good set up, (plus a set of decent strings!) they would be a fine "first" electric guitar, competing with the likes of cheaper Squier models, etc.
"Beginners don't tear their guitars apart" - Yeah, I didn't do that to my Strat copy either at first ... and then I somehow obtained a couple of old Höfner humbuckers, and Eddie Van Halen was the cover story of the latest edition of the musicians' magazine I was reading at that time ('83), and you can imagine the rest 😄
Just bought a lefty dark night. Done with cheap. One Gibson one USA fender and a Guild all solid wood acoustic. I'm 63 and had many guitars. At my age no more messing around. 🎸👍
I've got one of these, and I love it. It's a great guitar. Can't say enough good things about it. In fact, I liked it so much, I bought a second one for my Daughter. She digs her's too. I got the Lighter Lake Blue - just a real subtle metallic finish to it. It's gorgeous, and the thing plays unbelievably. Both of em' do. Now - I want one in this butter-cream finish too.
The factory & cc is based in the USA. It was so easy to get someone on the phone. My package didn't come with the ''bag'' and the guy ups one to me in 3 days! Awesome service & American CEO!
Without a doubt one of the best reviews I've seen on an under $200 Strat Daryl. And definitely one of the cleanest inside the cavities. Definitely interested might have to pick me up one of these.
I have that guitar. I got it about a year ago. It has some of the best cheap pickups and they get good sustain and plays awesomely acoustic (not plugged in). It was on sale when I got it for $104.99 and I had $65 in Amazon Gift cards so I only spent like $40 + Tax.
Everybody take a shot every time DB says “I gotta say...” haha JK. Good work amigo. Man, beginner/entry level guitars have a come a looooong way since when I started playing in the early 90s.
Damn they've come a long way since I started playing in like 2003 even. The Squier I got when I first started was no where near this nice nor did it sound as good.
After much research of various brands & options, I bought this for my grandson (age 10) after watching your RUclips review. After receiving it, it truly was just as you described it. In short, I was blown away by the quality & tone (rivaling my Fender Player Strat) and all of the accessories. I know one boy who will have a very memorable Christmas this year. Thanks Darrell!
Awesome! Gotta keep bringing new players into the fold. I hope he loves it!! I know you will love watching him get his hands on it and start the magic!
I have two young kids who are not quite big enough yet for a full size guitar. I wish donner made a 3/4 electric. Still, I got them both Mitchell 3/4 electrics which are surprisingly good as well. I'm glad all these kids will have the chance to get into music! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
One of the characteristics of a very inexpensive guitar is the ratio of good to poor examples. You can still find good 'uns but you may have to sample more to get one. Neck pocket looks shallow to me though. Interesting that some routing is done pre- finish and some post! Or is it the neck pocket was masked during finish?
Darrell, I recently bought a Michael Kelly custom (most of their guitars are custom) guitar that looks and sounds amazing. I have been watching your videos for a good while and don’t remember seeing you review one. If you get the opportunity, I would recommend it. I think it would be something your viewers would like. Their guitars have a bunch of styles with many options.
Love that color! Fret ends look a LOT better than many I've seen, and overall, construction looks better-than-average (clean cuts, clean cavities). Satin neck, decent tone, well built, inexpensive… what's not to like?
The fret ends on mine were great (got it New Year's Eve) at first, however, I live in a dry area and my condo is very dry which resulted in pretty bad fret sprout. Bad enough to cut fingers. Had to sand the ends a bit. Just something to keep in mind
i love every video Darrell, especially those "affordable equipment" types of videos. it's soooo detailed and honest, maybe the only one who's really doing an honest review. you're doing a great job my friend. much love from Germany
I guess there are only so many videos like this you can watch without falling asleep. I made it to near the end, but the most exciting thing I saw was what looked like the shim lying on the bench. Thanks anyway.
I have a 2007 USA Standard Stratocaster and I have to say that the cavities on that are no cleaner than that. Looks like you could have a lot of fun upgrading and would end up with a really nice looking, sounding and playing instrument. Another great video, thanks.
I mean nothing wrong with it thats what "influencers" do when someone is trying to promote a Brand pretty sure tyler and darrell got a pretty penny also before accepting
I bought one of these, gutted it entirely, and replaced everything with hand-me-down parts from other guitar projects. Now I have a very nice player at a fraction of the price. They are excellent project guitars.
I'm planning to do the same with one of the Monoprice teles. Wanted to do a kit build, but the kits cost more than it does and all the reviews on them show the bodies and necks are decent, just the hardware and electronics are cheap. Would have just tossed those parts of the kit too, so why not give it a try?
@@therumjumbies4482 the great news about a Telecaster is no blocks to worry about. Just today I was measuring my Stratocaster's for thickness. Standard was 4mm thicker then SX and 10mm thicker that what I think must have been a Squier Affinity - but you don't have that issue on a Tele. I got an SX telecaster in lake placid blue. I much prefer Stratocaster's but weakened ... Wow what a great guitar. £139 but feels like the Player series I shop for £500.
@@stephenhookings1985 Sure, but think about it. The body and neck are the most important parts and both are well built for the price. If I bought a kit, it would have cost me more than the $140 I spent, for roughly the same quality.
I bought my Donner a year ago in the exact same color. Though mine must have missed a few stops in the quality control dept. I easily corrected the issues and now have a good-looking, fun-to-play guitar. I paid a tad under $100. In addition, double boxing provided great protection. Along with the perfectly adequate gig bag, I find this guitar to be well worth the money.
I’ve always found that with electric guitars, I can play a $100 guitar and not notice much of a difference in tone when I go to a $800+ guitar. I think a lot of the price, like anything else, is in the name. 🤷🏻♂️maybe I’m wrong but that’s just my personal experience from playing guitar for around 6 1/2 years
The difference in tone is in the electronics, which can be emulated fairly easy. Some of the price for higher end guitars is in the wood quality, build quality, and hardware quality. But yes you're also paying for a name, insurance (returns), and middle man markups. (typical retailers charge 300% of cost to build for most guitars and electronics)
@@janjuko4024 I agree with you but wouldn’t it make sense that higher levels of craftsmanship and higher quality materials would result in a nicer guitar, which would mean a nicer *clean* tone at the very least? What I was saying is that that would make sense but it’s not the case, so we completely agree on this 😂 the tone is coming from the pickups and whatever amp/pedals you’re using but even then lower quality guitars will sometimes use shittier pickups and electronics which don’t translate the tone and gain nearly as well or as clearly as, say, some P-90s in a Gibson Les Paul. This is speaking from my experience playing mostly heavy metal/rock so I assume with different kinds of music it would be different in some ways
Uh no absolutely not. Some guitars are definitely expensive because if the name on the head stock but on average a $800 guitar will have a lot better hardware than a cheap $100. Sure you can get a decent tone out of no name pickups but typically $100 guitars are good for begginers and pretty much only them.
Whats not to like on a Donnor guitar! Cheap, and read to smash and crash! Rock on man, Lol These are great gifts ideas for young bucks and buckets getting into music! Nice job, Darrell! Great review!!!
My birthday is 3 days away and I’ve been trying to figure out a great gift for myself. I just remembered how much I wanted a guitar since I was maybe 14/15. I love the color and range of sound from this one.
"That screams yellow!" was my first comment. I play acoustic, but I subscribe to you because I want to an idea of what's our there if I get the urge. Another area is upgrade components on budget guitars. Keep up the good work. Love it.
Hard to complain about anything on this for just $150. And for another $100-150, you could easily throw in a nice set of pickups and some better tuners (and new strings of course) and have a very solid instrument that will last a good while.
I really appreciate you checking out these "budget" guitars. Love how you take 'em apart and give us a look, helps a lot trying to figure out where to spend our hard earned money. Be safe ! 😎👍
I hope to review one of these. I'd love to put it against the bullet series and others I've reviewed. Guitars are getting better in the affordable range. The distance between affordable and high end is a closing gap when it comes to actual playability out of box. Thats saying alot. Thank CNC!! Hahahah
Looks like a solid guitar that one could upgrade as parts needed to be replaced and come away with a decent daily player. Looks a lot like the Monoprice, Huntington, Sawtooth or Glarry guitars, more than likely the same factory pumping out Chinese value brands and putting any label & graphics on the headstock.
I don't know what to think about Donner. Maybe they source from several different factories in China. I bought one of the sunburst grand auditorium acoustic one's with the solid top and out of the box, the bridge is lifting up. All along the front of the bridge and on both sides, I can slip a sheet of typing paper under the bridge about 3/8" which means that the bridge is only 2/3's glued on. Also the guitar is bookmatched the wrong way, that is instead of narrow grain in the center on both sides of the joint, one side has wide grain in the center tapering to narrower grain on the side and the other piece has narrow grain in the center(which is the way it should be) going to wider grain at the end. It is REVERSE matched instead of bookmatched. Also there is a very easy to see edge of a knot on one side where there is a nickle sized spot of very wavy grain. The two pieces of wood of the top are from different blanks and even if they were bookmatched, they would still not be suitable for any guitar. It is not even a B grade top and the ad said it was a AAAA grade top(which I assume is Donner's abbreviation for Master grade. Epic fail there. All the fret ends have sprout and are sharp with no rounding at all, The low E string buzzes even with the high action that came on the guitar so I haven't bothered to adjust the truss rod to lower the high action as it would just make that worse. And finally, the low E tuner does not hold tune for more than a few hours. Left tuned overnight, it goes flat about 10% and I tried it over 5 days to see if the neck would adjust and strings would settle in but it is the same so I have given up on that.
I recently purchased the Donner Circle Looper Pedal. I had never heard of them either but saw a couple of reviews and took the chance. So far so good imo. Would love to see you review one of those. Great vid as always 🤘🏼
Nice review Darrell. I had already bought one for my granddaughter, swapped out the loaded pickguard, strings and nut. It plays well. My one came with some decent case candy, which I assume they all do. The only issue is that the body is too thin to take a Free-way switch, but so it goes. Take it easy.
On a video I saw on another channel, Ron Thorn just grabbed the body and the neck and pushed it into alignment. I've never seen that before, but it worked!
I doubt it's ebony at this price - probably a composite or what people are calling 'techwood' these days. It does look like ebony and I've had to do a double take on some of my reviews. By the way, your review are very thorough... and you are very consistent in your approach. A lot of youtube guitar guys can learn a lot from your videos.
Good job. I really enjoy watching your videos and have been doing so for a lil more than 2 years. You inspired me to get a string butler lol and probably one of these affordable guitars. Next time you do a video like this id like to see you show the action on the guitars from the factory.
Fret edges don't matter. They need to be level. Nicely cut net pocket doesn't matter. The angle must be right. We already know from its price that this gutar is cheap. The real question is if it can be set up properly. Close ups on clean edges don't answer the important questions.
I've gone the opposite way with an excellent Squier thinline Tele and a black Donner LP-style guitar (£100 direct from Donner UK). Fantastic for the price.
Now also gone for the Donner 152 ST - - - superb for the price. Split coil for the humbucker. One of the best guitars I've had as far as fret-end finish - better than a Fender I had and a Les Paul. Pickups not the most potent, but perfectly OK. As Darrel says - strings are generic as on the 100 (on the 400 Donner fit D-Addario).
If your neck wood isn't seasoned/roasted it will be softer and smaller diameter screws might tear out. The body is also basswood so smaller screws will also tear out easier as well. But more likely they just settled on a common set of hardware for a lot of different instruments - it might be that the bass has the exact same screws which one might feel are adequate or a bit underwhelming unless they're giving us a 6 bolt neck.
adjust height and tilt of the humbucker and be ready to raise the D polepiece a turn or 2 and maybe the A and bass Es. The G,B, or treble E usually has one string too 'piercing' so lower its polepiece a turn or so to tame it. And put a tiny jumper on the switch to let the forward tone pot control the neck and bridge pickup as well (they are not on together!).
Not hard to do given the amps and mics he uses they would make a shoebox sound good Lol! That is not a cheap shot at you Darrell that is to your credit ,sir. It just shows that you can take a cheap instrument and given the proper amp, eq adjustments, mics, and so-on, and still create decent music.
@@killacoiler1707 like they say. You could play budget guitars through a high-end rig and is going to sound good. I know quite a few guys that only play like squier affinities Epiphone specials. 230 dollar guitars new. But they have expensive amps etc .
@@beefnacos6258 what is funny is back in 04 I had the money to purchase a Gibson 56 gold top Lp and at 12k it was a steal the guitar was in very good condition but I played it side by side with the Epiphone model reissue and truth is I didn't want an investment piece I wanted a player so for 499.00 the Epiphone it was and I won't feel bad about upgrading the hardware and pickups to make it fit my personality. I've decided on some Irongear P-90s for it and I want to upgrade the pots, switch, and tuners. It is in impeccable shape but it's time to hotrod it.
They say it is a Laurel Wood fingerboard and wow are the prices outstanding considering what you get with it. I wish they listed just the guitar because to be honest it would make an outstanding platform for building a hotrod that you could play out and not be afraid of it getting broken and still be under the price of a Squier series strat or tele. I mean a Gotoh traditional strat style trem is between 60 and 80 bucks and fender locking tuners are just under 50. You get some Golden age or IronGear pickups CTS dual concentric stacked pots and a Freeway 10-way switch altogether around 360 dollars for everything and you have a well equipped S-type player that didn't break the bank and you don't have to worry should it get banged around a bit because you got less than 400 bucks in it.
Last few days, I've been torn between getting this and the Harley Beton CST-24T as a starter guitar; I wanted to get the roasted Fusion II but stock is gone; this amazing review has left me even more torn between the two, they're both such good budget choices!
The HB's have been at it longer plus get some basic QC from Thomann. I have a ST20 in Candy Apple Red on order with maple fingerboard. It is going to get an EMG DG20 installed - will be posting on my channel. One of my favourite basses is a HB p450fl. With a setup and decent strings it is super nice. BUT for budget and quality I tend to like the SX guitars. Rondo sell them in US and until recently they we easy to get hold of in UK from EU. I have various of their basses and guitars (reviewed on channel). I do have a Donner noise killer pedal that is good. So they can make good products. I dont need to go for absolute cheapest product - the reason I go for cheaper guitars is 1) I am not such a good player and 2) I watched too much Darrel and Daves World of Fun Stuff so like setting up and customising guitars and kit.
Agree with you, Darrell - before watching your videos on this brand I also like you only know Donner Kebab. But now, Donner Musical Instrument, too! Hoping this brand will sell massively like Donner Kebab? Thanks!
The fret ends on the Donner I bought were sharp enough to cut my hand. It was easily remedied with some luthier tools but a beginner would have trouble with that. Otherwise it was much as this one. You get what you pay for.
I've got a new entry in my ever expanding "Affordable Guitars" serries! Enjoy :)
Darrell! Did you ever try a Kramer? Maybe a Baretta Special? Those things go for $200 and holy hell, they're quality. Love your content!
BTW, the fretboard might be Amaranth, I have a few Amaranth fretboards with the exact same look
152$CDN?For real?
Nice video Darrel, very detailed :) One thing though, I felt like you were rushing through the content like you were even talking fast haha Have a great evening :)
No mention of the obvious neck shim falling out at 12:20 not very honest review.
I got this in sunburst for Christmas - no complaints so far.
How are the sound and pickups?
You like it?
@@louiswilkins9624 Yeah, I got the bundle with the little practice amp and other accessories (strap, cable, tuner, extra strings). I think what differentiates it from other entry-level Strat copies is that it has a humbucker. The amp is very small (which I wanted) and the gig bag seems a bit more durable than the super flimsy ones you usually get at this price range. Mine doesn't go out of tune that much but I don't use the trem. I will say the frets do stick out a bit on the sides but that's pretty minor to me. I'm not exactly shredding all over the neck and I can always polish them down if I need to. I've seen this listed on Amazon as having 20 frets but that's not true; it has 22. Hope this helps.
@@h.9089 They're OK for me as an intermediate player. There are about a dozen other reviews of this guitar on RUclips you can reference - search "Donner dst".
I got one too recently but I got a rare lemon... the internal electronics were cutting out :(
"Let's not mess aboawt and open this guitar" love it!
Music is Win got the same guitar and color today, too.
No messin' aboawt! Ha Ha.😊🍁
@@ragjamrock Aboot!
@@DMSProduktions What do you expect he is a Canadian after all!
@@Edward1312 Eh?
Tyler was specifically wanting this color though according to the video. He was looking for another model of his first guitar which he said was a Cort guitar but he went with this cause Cort guitars aren't budget guitars like they used to be.
My wife just bought me this exact guitar at a thrift store for $70. I am amazed at how well it plays! I’ve been playing this guitar more than my expensive Ibanez and Charvel guitars! It’s well worth upgrading because of how well it plays. I just ordered new pups, tuners, and a pearl pickguard and a solid brass block for it!🎶🎸
Very impressive for the price. Have you seen how much stuff comes with their starter packages? They even include a tuner. Perfect, complete package for a beginner.
Have you noticed that some of the RUclipsrs who specialize in doing guitar reviews/demos are all getting the same guitars at the same time? Phil McNight, Music is Win, 60 Cycle Hum, Darrell Braun Guitar, etc.
Maybe there's something big in the making
Should be a marketing effort of Donner to get a place in the market using influwncers. A good mové.
Donner reaches out to everyone who wants to demo them! They even sent me one for my channel to review and I plan on contacting to see if they will send me this one as well to test!
Maybe it's cheaper to send out a bunch at once. Still, for me it's a good thing, as each of these channels provide a different point of view and watching all of them demo the 'same' instrument gives a broader view of the various aspects these instruments have.
Yeah it's painfully obvious
The two main advantages of buying this strat' copy. Is bringing this to a gig and not worrying bringing your real $1000+ stratocaster/other guitar. The second is with the S/S/H pickup configuration, you can play a list of cover songs that use either single coil or humbuckers with one guitar.. so you don't have bring more than one. Years back I had a strat' copy like this and used it in a cover band.. played a lot of places.. As long as you can do a basic setup on it and there is no big physical defects like a warped neck it can be a great for the price. My 2 cents.
@ianscanlon2418 There is a lot more options for guitars now then there was in the good old 1980s, that for certain. Cheers.
I purchased a Donner strat two years ago and it looks like they stepped up their game a little. Mine had high action, wicked fret sprout, and would not hold tune very good. That being said I learned how to correct all of that on YT and now it plays like a champ. VERY much worth the price for learning to work and play on guitar. It also came with a tuner, a set of strings, gig bag, allen keys, set of picks, cord, and a surprisingly good sounding amp that looks like a mini me Marshall combo amp. All of this for under 85$ US. Beautiful guitar!
My wife got me one of these types of "amazon special" $100 guitar/amp combos a few years ago for Christmas. Little did she know she created a monster. But, if you're on the fence about getting a guitar, get one of these. Great to learn on, and if it turns out guitar isn't your thing, you're only out a little money.
but you're up on fire wood.
what a coincidence that this is also MusicisWin's very "first" guitar.
Exactly, I just saw music wins video few hours back
Didn’t he just do a video about that today? What a coincidence lol
pretty sure musiciswin said his first was a cort guitar, this probably was the closest he could find to that one
With the time it takes to edit the videos, this is a huge coincidence but the sharing of the line "doesnt matter if its expensive or cheap, it's always exciting for a new guitar." That is scary.
Ha! I haven't seen his video and had no idea he was making one! I've used that line in my videos for years though 😊
I would like to see one of these review channels do a side-by-side with the guitar they get free to demo and one they buy blind. Good way to confirm or debunk whether or not the guitar they are being sent to demo is on par with a guitar the average person would receive.
This!
Free guitars probably come with a condition that says you can't do that
Darrell just made your wish come true
Just got mine delivered and it is so beautiful! The beginner kit came with way more than expected! I'm really shocked at how cheap it is!
What i really enjoy about Darrell's channel is that he doesn't shy away from "cheap" guitars or gear. It may be easy for RUclipsrs to make content about things persons can't usually afford because, they can now afford them. Nothing's wrong with doing that as well but while it's not always a guarantee, I really think it speaks true to his character. ✨
'Donner' is German for 'Thunder' 😄 Just like 'Donner und Blitzen' / 'Thunder and Lightning' 🙂
I live my life vicariously through his dude.
Yeah I usually seem to trust what he says
From this video I learnt that you don't need a super high end guitar but you definitely need a high end amp. That guitar sounds awsome
Donner is a Chinese effects pedal manufacturer primarily. Their pedals are super small, tiny little things, but appear to be well made and are very cheap, but great sounding. It seems they have progressed into the guitar manufacturing world, so I presume they will be very moderately priced, like their fx pedals. I'm pretty sure that considering the clean, precise build that you highlighted, and with some twiddling, fine tuning and a good set up, (plus a set of decent strings!) they would be a fine "first" electric guitar, competing with the likes of cheaper Squier models, etc.
"Beginners don't tear their guitars apart" - Yeah, I didn't do that to my Strat copy either at first ... and then I somehow obtained a couple of old Höfner humbuckers, and Eddie Van Halen was the cover story of the latest edition of the musicians' magazine I was reading at that time ('83), and you can imagine the rest 😄
I love the smell of new guitars in the morning.
Just bought a lefty dark night. Done with cheap. One Gibson one USA fender and a Guild all solid wood acoustic. I'm 63 and had many guitars. At my age no more messing around. 🎸👍
An acoustic with three pickups? Or did you just lose count, being a coffin dodger?
There's something so special about cheap guitars. Keep 'em coming Darrell! We love it! Cheers from PL
That something is greedy westerners. Chinese people are treated horribly. Forced organ harvesting. Terrible human suffering by the CCP. Truth.
I've got one of these, and I love it. It's a great guitar. Can't say enough good things about it. In fact, I liked it so much, I bought a second one for my Daughter. She digs her's too. I got the Lighter Lake Blue - just a real subtle metallic finish to it. It's gorgeous, and the thing plays unbelievably. Both of em' do. Now - I want one in this butter-cream finish too.
I have one too. Love it.
The factory & cc is based in the USA. It was so easy to get someone on the phone. My package didn't come with the ''bag'' and the guy ups one to me in 3 days! Awesome service & American CEO!
Both you and music is win doing videos on donners today 😂
The same guitar tooooo 😂😂😂😂
I know right
Can't be camera/lighting again... That's a yellow guitar (even he is saying this is yellow cream body) not off white
I thought I was having a stroke reading this.
@@LuthiersApprentice turns out I had a stroke writing it
Without a doubt one of the best reviews I've seen on an under $200 Strat Daryl. And definitely one of the cleanest inside the cavities. Definitely interested might have to pick me up one of these.
6:48 I really thought he was going into 035 there and panicked for a second...
why would you panic on the thought of hearing a great riff?
@@szatanovsky you have clearly never been in a guitar store. As someone that has worked in a guitar store, I never want to hear 035 ever again...
You do know that is NOT how you play it right?
Lol me too
I have that guitar. I got it about a year ago. It has some of the best cheap pickups and they get good sustain and plays awesomely acoustic (not plugged in). It was on sale when I got it for $104.99 and I had $65 in Amazon Gift cards so I only spent like $40 + Tax.
Everybody take a shot every time DB says “I gotta say...” haha JK. Good work amigo. Man, beginner/entry level guitars have a come a looooong way since when I started playing in the early 90s.
Damn they've come a long way since I started playing in like 2003 even. The Squier I got when I first started was no where near this nice nor did it sound as good.
this guitar as a starter is getting alot of love especially for being in the150 ramge
"Beginners don;'t normally tear their guitars apart"
Probably--but I did with my first electric--and didn't always put it back together right.
Great and cheap is a very great combination! Always appreciate the work!
At what cost to other human beings? CCP is a terribly brutal regime. We shouldn’t support it by buying their products.
After much research of various brands & options, I bought this for my grandson (age 10) after watching your RUclips review. After receiving it, it truly was just as you described it. In short, I was blown away by the quality & tone (rivaling my Fender Player Strat) and all of the accessories. I know one boy who will have a very memorable Christmas this year. Thanks Darrell!
Awesome! Gotta keep bringing new players into the fold. I hope he loves it!! I know you will love watching him get his hands on it and start the magic!
I have two young kids who are not quite big enough yet for a full size guitar. I wish donner made a 3/4 electric. Still, I got them both Mitchell 3/4 electrics which are surprisingly good as well. I'm glad all these kids will have the chance to get into music! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Got endorsed by them a while back and they sent a DTC 100 tele style guitar. Absolutely great instrument!
At least the bridge is aligned properly on this one. The one they sent Dave was WAY off.
Same question I was going to ask!
Me too.
One of the characteristics of a very inexpensive guitar is the ratio of good to poor examples. You can still find good 'uns but you may have to sample more to get one. Neck pocket looks shallow to me though. Interesting that some routing is done pre- finish and some post! Or is it the neck pocket was masked during finish?
Darrell, I recently bought a Michael Kelly custom (most of their guitars are custom) guitar that looks and sounds amazing. I have been watching your videos for a good while and don’t remember seeing you review one. If you get the opportunity, I would recommend it. I think it would be something your viewers would like. Their guitars have a bunch of styles with many options.
Love that color! Fret ends look a LOT better than many I've seen, and overall, construction looks better-than-average (clean cuts, clean cavities). Satin neck, decent tone, well built, inexpensive… what's not to like?
Have you noticed how bad the fret ends are in the fenders? I never see people talking about it but they are sharp and not smooth at all.
The fret ends on mine were great (got it New Year's Eve) at first, however, I live in a dry area and my condo is very dry which resulted in pretty bad fret sprout. Bad enough to cut fingers. Had to sand the ends a bit. Just something to keep in mind
i love every video Darrell, especially those "affordable equipment" types of videos. it's soooo detailed and honest,
maybe the only one who's really doing an honest review. you're doing a great job my friend. much love from Germany
Yeah he's pretty honest
I feel like I just watched this guitar on a different video, wait.....I did! This is a much more objective review. Great job 👍
I guess there are only so many videos like this you can watch without falling asleep. I made it to near the end, but the most exciting thing I saw was what looked like the shim lying on the bench. Thanks anyway.
Darrell is legit and honest.
If the guitar was junk he would either tell us or not make a video about it.
He has earned my trust and respect.
At first I wasnt sure about the banana yellow color but honestly it looks pretty cool
I have a 2007 USA Standard Stratocaster and I have to say that the cavities on that are no cleaner than that. Looks like you could have a lot of fun upgrading and would end up with a really nice looking, sounding and playing instrument. Another great video, thanks.
Donner? I don’t even know her! Nice tones. As always super helpful detailed description for this blind guitarist. Keep up the great work.
So, they hit up you and Tyler Larson on the same day, eh? "Hey, guys, want a butter-colored HSS Strat copy? We've got a bunch."
Like a whole bunch
Why not call it "banana coloured" if you've got a bunch?
I mean nothing wrong with it thats what "influencers" do when someone is trying to promote a Brand pretty sure tyler and darrell got a pretty penny also before accepting
Not claiming there's anything wrong with it. Not even tacitly.
The issue is that darrel didn't even say he'd obviously been paid which is just embarrassing
I bought one of these, gutted it entirely, and replaced everything with hand-me-down parts from other guitar projects. Now I have a very nice player at a fraction of the price. They are excellent project guitars.
I know what you mean BUT if I take you literally you bought one, threw it away and build a new guitar that was killer :-)
I'm planning to do the same with one of the Monoprice teles. Wanted to do a kit build, but the kits cost more than it does and all the reviews on them show the bodies and necks are decent, just the hardware and electronics are cheap. Would have just tossed those parts of the kit too, so why not give it a try?
@@therumjumbies4482 the great news about a Telecaster is no blocks to worry about. Just today I was measuring my Stratocaster's for thickness. Standard was 4mm thicker then SX and 10mm thicker that what I think must have been a Squier Affinity - but you don't have that issue on a Tele.
I got an SX telecaster in lake placid blue. I much prefer Stratocaster's but weakened ... Wow what a great guitar. £139 but feels like the Player series I shop for £500.
@@stephenhookings1985 Sure, but think about it. The body and neck are the most important parts and both are well built for the price. If I bought a kit, it would have cost me more than the $140 I spent, for roughly the same quality.
@@therumjumbies4482 My point exactly. This is precisely what I did and it turned out great. Hope yours is a success.
I bought my Donner a year ago in the exact same color. Though mine must have missed a few stops in the quality control dept. I easily corrected the issues and now have a good-looking, fun-to-play guitar. I paid a tad under $100. In addition, double boxing provided great protection. Along with the perfectly adequate gig bag, I find this guitar to be well worth the money.
What issues did you have to fix?
I’ve always found that with electric guitars, I can play a $100 guitar and not notice much of a difference in tone when I go to a $800+ guitar. I think a lot of the price, like anything else, is in the name. 🤷🏻♂️maybe I’m wrong but that’s just my personal experience from playing guitar for around 6 1/2 years
The difference in tone is in the electronics, which can be emulated fairly easy. Some of the price for higher end guitars is in the wood quality, build quality, and hardware quality. But yes you're also paying for a name, insurance (returns), and middle man markups. (typical retailers charge 300% of cost to build for most guitars and electronics)
@@janjuko4024 I agree with you but wouldn’t it make sense that higher levels of craftsmanship and higher quality materials would result in a nicer guitar, which would mean a nicer *clean* tone at the very least? What I was saying is that that would make sense but it’s not the case, so we completely agree on this 😂 the tone is coming from the pickups and whatever amp/pedals you’re using but even then lower quality guitars will sometimes use shittier pickups and electronics which don’t translate the tone and gain nearly as well or as clearly as, say, some P-90s in a Gibson Les Paul. This is speaking from my experience playing mostly heavy metal/rock so I assume with different kinds of music it would be different in some ways
Uh no absolutely not. Some guitars are definitely expensive because if the name on the head stock but on average a $800 guitar will have a lot better hardware than a cheap $100. Sure you can get a decent tone out of no name pickups but typically $100 guitars are good for begginers and pretty much only them.
Darrell - You forgot about the neck shim. Great project guitar.
Yeah, Saw that fall out, but I don't think that Darrell did.
Darrell had a real donner party in this video. Leaves you with a strange craving for more
This is gold lol
Whats not to like on a Donnor guitar! Cheap, and read to smash and crash! Rock on man, Lol
These are great gifts ideas for young bucks and buckets getting into music! Nice job, Darrell! Great review!!!
My birthday is 3 days away and I’ve been trying to figure out a great gift for myself. I just remembered how much I wanted a guitar since I was maybe 14/15. I love the color and range of sound from this one.
Just got that exact guitar! Liking it! Nice neck. No sharp frets. Set up low action. Sounds and plays awesome 👌
"That screams yellow!" was my first comment. I play acoustic, but I subscribe to you because I want to an idea of what's our there if I get the urge. Another area is upgrade components on budget guitars. Keep up the good work. Love it.
Hard to complain about anything on this for just $150. And for another $100-150, you could easily throw in a nice set of pickups and some better tuners (and new strings of course) and have a very solid instrument that will last a good while.
So, is this a...Donner Party?
I was thinking the same thing LOL
The body looks yummy ..lol
Scott, I think you got a meme going here, bro.
Delicious
Yes - But no cannibalism allowed.
surprised..first Donner Ive seen..Just bought a Squier Affinity..Love it!! The Donner is impressive...Thanks...
the fretboard is made of peltogyne according to the listing on amazon
I really appreciate you checking out these "budget" guitars. Love how you take 'em apart and give us a look, helps a lot trying to figure out where to spend our hard earned money. Be safe ! 😎👍
Thanks for the thorough review. Amazing what so few dollars can buy now! Go Donner! :D
I hope to review one of these. I'd love to put it against the bullet series and others I've reviewed. Guitars are getting better in the affordable range. The distance between affordable and high end is a closing gap when it comes to actual playability out of box. Thats saying alot. Thank CNC!! Hahahah
Buttercream is such a dope finish. Looks like banana pudding.
Hahaha right?! One of the more interesting colors I've seen
wish i never sold my ibanez sunburst or gibson SG, bought a LXpro to see i can rekindle the bug and dive back into the big boys.
Looks like a solid guitar that one could upgrade as parts needed to be replaced and come away with a decent daily player. Looks a lot like the Monoprice, Huntington, Sawtooth or Glarry guitars, more than likely the same factory pumping out Chinese value brands and putting any label & graphics on the headstock.
your demos have been extra killer lately
It looks and sounds pretty good to me . Perfect if you're just starting out
6:49 LOL I thought that was smoke on the water XD
I don't know what to think about Donner. Maybe they source from several different factories in China. I bought one of the sunburst grand auditorium acoustic one's with the solid top and out of the box, the bridge is lifting up. All along the front of the bridge and on both sides, I can slip a sheet of typing paper under the bridge about 3/8" which means that the bridge is only 2/3's glued on. Also the guitar is bookmatched the wrong way, that is instead of narrow grain in the center on both sides of the joint, one side has wide grain in the center tapering to narrower grain on the side and the other piece has narrow grain in the center(which is the way it should be) going to wider grain at the end. It is REVERSE matched instead of bookmatched. Also there is a very easy to see edge of a knot on one side where there is a nickle sized spot of very wavy grain. The two pieces of wood of the top are from different blanks and even if they were bookmatched, they would still not be suitable for any guitar. It is not even a B grade top and the ad said it was a AAAA grade top(which I assume is Donner's abbreviation for Master grade. Epic fail there. All the fret ends have sprout and are sharp with no rounding at all, The low E string buzzes even with the high action that came on the guitar so I haven't bothered to adjust the truss rod to lower the high action as it would just make that worse. And finally, the low E tuner does not hold tune for more than a few hours. Left tuned overnight, it goes flat about 10% and I tried it over 5 days to see if the neck would adjust and strings would settle in but it is the same so I have given up on that.
I recently purchased the Donner Circle Looper Pedal. I had never heard of them either but saw a couple of reviews and took the chance. So far so good imo. Would love to see you review one of those. Great vid as always 🤘🏼
Love your channel mate, particular your unboxing videos. Great stuff, cheers from Australia.
It is nicer than I would expect for a $150 guitar for sure. The humbucker sounded muddy to me, but still looks like a great deal for the money.
A Donner strat was my first guitar. It's a good guitar to play. I play a Squier Classic 60s Jazzmaster now.
Sweet Kershaw Leek
My go to for opening packages also
Awesome review video again Darrell...thank you these are so pleasent to watch🙏
Nice review Darrell. I had already bought one for my granddaughter, swapped out the loaded pickguard, strings and nut. It plays well. My one came with some decent case candy, which I assume they all do. The only issue is that the body is too thin to take a Free-way switch, but so it goes.
Take it easy.
I have a thinline tele i am modding. Its a good guitar, on par with Squire and Harley Benton. Wife has the regular tele, its nice as well
Donner sent a guitar to Dave's World of Fun Stuff and it was an epic fail because the bridge was misaligned with the neck.
The first guy to not take the sellout money to lie about it.
On a video I saw on another channel, Ron Thorn just grabbed the body and the neck and pushed it into alignment. I've never seen that before, but it worked!
Well Dave usually only does repairs/set ups!
I doubt it's ebony at this price - probably a composite or what people are calling 'techwood' these days. It does look like ebony and I've had to do a double take on some of my reviews. By the way, your review are very thorough... and you are very consistent in your approach. A lot of youtube guitar guys can learn a lot from your videos.
Good job. I really enjoy watching your videos and have been doing so for a lil more than 2 years. You inspired me to get a string butler lol and probably one of these affordable guitars. Next time you do a video like this id like to see you show the action on the guitars from the factory.
Fret edges don't matter. They need to be level.
Nicely cut net pocket doesn't matter. The angle must be right.
We already know from its price that this gutar is cheap. The real question is if it can be set up properly.
Close ups on clean edges don't answer the important questions.
Awesome video, I like the way you do the reviews, low end or high end guitars, it doesn't matter, you treat them the same. Congrats and many thanks.
I'd like to know what their version of the Tele sounds like.
Sounds like Chinese human abuse.
@@denismguitar1552 lmao and not lmao
I've gone the opposite way with an excellent Squier thinline Tele and a black Donner LP-style guitar (£100 direct from Donner UK). Fantastic for the price.
Now also gone for the Donner 152 ST - - - superb for the price. Split coil for the humbucker. One of the best guitars I've had as far as fret-end finish - better than a Fender I had and a Les Paul. Pickups not the most potent, but perfectly OK. As Darrel says - strings are generic as on the 100 (on the 400 Donner fit D-Addario).
This really makes me wanna build a custom super strat.
Dave's World of Fun stuff has the funniest review of this...
If your neck wood isn't seasoned/roasted it will be softer and smaller diameter screws might tear out.
The body is also basswood so smaller screws will also tear out easier as well.
But more likely they just settled on a common set of hardware for a lot of different instruments - it might be that the bass has the exact same screws which one might feel are adequate or a bit underwhelming unless they're giving us a 6 bolt neck.
I will received mine in fews days ... so excited to received it .... first guitar ever, I'M a totally newbie and I hope that review is totally honest.
Hi, Darrel. You should try a PRODIPE ST 80 or 83. It´s a french guitar. Great value for money. About 280 US Dollars.
Just got the Donner Tele, this is probably my next one
Darrell you are one of the best guitar reviewers on YT. Thanks!
adjust height and tilt of the humbucker and be ready to raise the D polepiece a turn or 2 and maybe the A and bass Es. The G,B, or treble E usually has one string too 'piercing' so lower its polepiece a turn or so to tame it. And put a tiny jumper on the switch to let the forward tone pot control the neck and bridge pickup as well (they are not on together!).
Unfair! Darrell can make the cheapest piece of junk sound good. He makes this above average “cheapie” sound great. 👍🎸
😂😂😂 Thanks for the kind words man!
Not hard to do given the amps and mics he uses they would make a shoebox sound good Lol! That is not a cheap shot at you Darrell that is to your credit ,sir. It just shows that you can take a cheap instrument and given the proper amp, eq adjustments, mics, and so-on, and still create decent music.
@@killacoiler1707 like they say. You could play budget guitars through a high-end rig and is going to sound good. I know quite a few guys that only play like squier affinities Epiphone specials. 230 dollar guitars new. But they have expensive amps etc .
Yep, his playing skills have really improved in the last year.
@@beefnacos6258 what is funny is back in 04 I had the money to purchase a Gibson 56 gold top Lp and at 12k it was a steal the guitar was in very good condition but I played it side by side with the Epiphone model reissue and truth is I didn't want an investment piece I wanted a player so for 499.00 the Epiphone it was and I won't feel bad about upgrading the hardware and pickups to make it fit my personality. I've decided on some Irongear P-90s for it and I want to upgrade the pots, switch, and tuners. It is in impeccable shape but it's time to hotrod it.
Any word on the Kramer VT211? Cheaper than a Squier at only 129.99!! It's an HSS as well.
They are nice but the tuners are not.
As listed on Amazon: Fretboard Material Type Canadian maple
They say it is a Laurel Wood fingerboard and wow are the prices outstanding considering what you get with it. I wish they listed just the guitar because to be honest it would make an outstanding platform for building a hotrod that you could play out and not be afraid of it getting broken and still be under the price of a Squier series strat or tele. I mean a Gotoh traditional strat style trem is between 60 and 80 bucks and fender locking tuners are just under 50. You get some Golden age or IronGear pickups CTS dual concentric stacked pots and a Freeway 10-way switch altogether around 360 dollars for everything and you have a well equipped S-type player that didn't break the bank and you don't have to worry should it get banged around a bit because you got less than 400 bucks in it.
Cool new Intro! It's really been a while since I clicked on one of your videos.
you didn't mention the shim that dropped out (12.16) when you removed the neck from the pocket..........
I think you should buy a Chinese Yngwie Malmsteen Stratocaster from Aliexpress .... Ive hear excellent reviews 🎸✨🏄🎼🎼🎼🎼🎬☮️
As a learner would changing something like the strings help improve in any way, shape or form.
Last few days, I've been torn between getting this and the Harley Beton CST-24T as a starter guitar; I wanted to get the roasted Fusion II but stock is gone; this amazing review has left me even more torn between the two, they're both such good budget choices!
The HB's have been at it longer plus get some basic QC from Thomann. I have a ST20 in Candy Apple Red on order with maple fingerboard. It is going to get an EMG DG20 installed - will be posting on my channel.
One of my favourite basses is a HB p450fl. With a setup and decent strings it is super nice. BUT for budget and quality I tend to like the SX guitars. Rondo sell them in US and until recently they we easy to get hold of in UK from EU. I have various of their basses and guitars (reviewed on channel).
I do have a Donner noise killer pedal that is good. So they can make good products. I dont need to go for absolute cheapest product - the reason I go for cheaper guitars is 1) I am not such a good player and 2) I watched too much Darrel and Daves World of Fun Stuff so like setting up and customising guitars and kit.
Agree with you, Darrell - before watching your videos on this brand I also like you only know Donner Kebab. But now, Donner Musical Instrument, too! Hoping this brand will sell massively like Donner Kebab? Thanks!
The fret ends on the Donner I bought were sharp enough to cut my hand. It was easily remedied with some luthier tools but a beginner would have trouble with that. Otherwise it was much as this one. You get what you pay for.