Dang it, I totally had that part in the video! I must have deleted it by accident. The original pickups in the EART were a tad on the darker side for a telecaster. The bridge was passable for sure, but the neck was really dark. I swapped in the Chopper T in the bridge and the Twang King int he neck so it was like the Kotzen model guitar.
I have the EART Telecaster and LOVE IT!!! It was my first stainless steel fretted guitar too,and now I'm addicted to them. Lol. I also love PRS SE guitars. I own two, and my girlfriend is buying me a new one for Father's Day tomorrow. I actually bought a Squire Classic Vibe Telecaster that has Fender pickups in it, single coil bridge, and humbucker on the neck... I like the EART far better. You are right, it just feels GREAT! The NECK pick-up... so dark and unique, it almost has a humbucker sound to it.
The first Eart T-style was built for comfort. I have 4 Eart guitars in different styles, and they are solidly built and play extremely well. Eart listens to it's customers. Thanks Dustin, for sharing. \m/.
When replacing pickups on overseas made guitars you have to check the bridge spacing. Many require “F” Spaced pickups.. Dimarzio has both normal spaced and “F” spaced pickups.
interesting, I didn't have the option for the Chopper T, but maybe I can toss a fender bridge in there. I might change my brown one to have gold hardware, so I could swap that over.
First i heard about the bridge alignment on the Eart. I guess it's something to check. Maybe you get a replacement from GFS that would fit better somehow. And you did it right. Use your fingers to get rid of the plastic finish. You don't want to damage the fret when you get rid of the plastic. If you want to then do a fret job you can still do that.
On those poly finished over frets' you can tape off the fretboard' use some paint stripper' I get it in the spray can' spray some in a small container and use a small paint brush' brush it on the frets' will usually take 2 applications and it will remove the poly. I've done several like that and usually takes about 45 minutes.
100% My EART feels better than almost any guitar I've owned at a fraction of the cost. Short of an artist's guitar, I'm not sure I'd buy any major name brand guitars anymore.
Usually when building a Telecaster the fret level and crowning is done after the gloss coat is sprayed onto the fretboard as the level and crowning removes the clear coat that has stuck to the frets, or a very thin masking tape can be applied to the frets and cut flush although I don't think Fender have ever used this method.
I've got an American Standard Tele with a 9.5" radius neck. It's not a baseball bat, but it is certainly thicker than my Player Plus Strat. I will not be buying another Player Plus Fender. The noiseless pups drop output in the in-between positions. I don't know if your Tele does that, but I find it irritating Anyway I love my Tele.
Gosh, when I was first starting out to play Guitar, in the mid 1970's, I just had to have a Brand Name Guitar. Gibson or Fender. I couldn't afford either Brand, but I sure wanted one. Then when I could afford one, I did purchase a nice American made Fender Strat along with a Fender Precision Bass. Only to discover my Fender Branded gear impressed no one but other Fender Fans. Gibson fans could care less, and the folks in the crowd just wanted good music regardless of the Brand of gear. Which taught me to just buy the gear I like even if it is some No Name Brand few would recognize. I bought a very nice Ibanez from the late 1970's and it is an incredible High Quality Guitar, and I still have it to this day, and it is my all time favorite guitar. Go figure!
I used to be the same way, only wanting certain brands. But you're right, the crowd couldn’t care less. They just want good music and a fun time! Ibanez makes some really good guitars.
Get that finish off the frets with steel wool. Use tape to protect the frets or one of those metal pads with a slot in it. I imagine the Eart plays as good as the Fender, and you'll never need to replace the frets.
That was my first thought too, but the coating was too thick. I would have been there forever. :) I seriously love the frets on the Eart! If I ever get a custom shop from somewhere, I'll get rounded edges and stainless on it for sure.
The fret kisser has saved me so much time. I'm a tech, and it's one of the best tool purchases I've ever made. Also, Joe Duplantier of Gojira plays teles all the time and they're a death metal band. He even makes the twang sound heavy.
I bought a cheap 'fret tester' (5 sided metal doohickey) , sanding beam, and one of those fret kissers, along with a crowning file. Best money ever spent. Turns a headache into instant playability without buzz or spending much $. I have a kit Tele and a cheap Vietnamese one I paid $120 for. They both play really well with about 1.74 mm action, no buzz, great intonation (surprisingly) and the bridge single coil sounds great with gain.
Thanks for the great video! It made me buy the exact same model as you have. I thought I'd send it back if I didn't like it. But I fell in love with the neck immediately. So I kept it! Do you remember, if the bridge cavity is routed to fit a humbucker as well? Or would I have to chisel myself?
Glad you liked the video and the neck! That’s awesome you decided to keep it. As for the bridge cavity on the EART Telecaster, I couldn’t remember, so I opened it up. Unfortunately, it’s not routed for a humbucker. The neck pickup is, but not the bridge
@@DustinRadtke Wow! Thanks for looking under the bridge! Looks like I have to buy an EART T-380 then as well. I was interested in the 9.25" - 14" compound radius fretboard anyways :-)
I have played for years and even though I do not play country cowboy, I believe if I had to be cornered to one electric guitar....no doubt by my wife.....It would be a tele. I do not believe what the headstock says matters as much as what the guitar says to my soul. Doesn't matter who played it. I am not going to sound like Brad Paisely or Roy Buchanan even if I had the signature model. I thank you for speaking intelligently and not playing ever riff I have ever learned throughout the video. It is a sign you are a gigging musician and not a basement blaster. Peace in all you do. Kenny
Totally get where you’re coming from! I agree it is all how it feels in your hands and what it inspires in you. Really appreciate the kind words, and I’m glad the video came across that way!
Thx Dustin, I have an Eart Tele along with five others . The Eart is a great guitar. The value is rising. The neck is fantastic but my other fav fender tele has a longer neck. Slightly. Not enough to really matter .
Oops. I didn't mean to send yet. Good review and comparison. I really liked being educated about the Fender. I DID look at some Fender Player Strats when looking at my new PRS as well, and I noticed the really THICK gloss on the fretboard, now I'm glad I passed if it tends to be on the frets too. Look forward to checking out more of your content!
Thanks for the kind words! I never expected to like the Telecaster guitars or budget guitars in general, but here we are! It's a good time to be a guitar player.
That's not just the Mexican strats. Fender has done that forever on maple necks. Painting right over the frets. I never understood it. I prefer rosewood so I never even thought about it. It's completely absurd that they do that.
Really? I had no idea! People thought I was talking crazy until I started chipping it off the fretwire. Good to know! I really like rosewood fingerboards; they feel more natural. You've inspired me to pick up another guitar just to have rosewood again. Variety is good!
@@DustinRadtke I noticed it on a Clapton Strat I was messing with at a Sam Ash one day in the late 90's. The strings wear through and make a contact patch. But when it's new it's like it's sticky. I knew from that day I would never play a maple board. I was gonna get that guitar too. Had the push button boost and lace sensor pickups. Was very disappointed. Never bought another Fender PERIOD to be honest. Still have my 96 American Std.
Playing since 1971...off/on....played a Tele in college out of nece$$ity...when I grew up and picked the eguitar back up in my 40's...I bought Gibsons, etc...tons of guitars. Now.....just give me a Squier CV50 Tele with Lindy Fralin Blues Specials and I'm content. Got it for only $300, used/mint. What to do with my other 20+ guitars....sell and buy some handwired amps.
@@DustinRadtke Guess what...I bought ANOTHER Tele yesterday...couldn't pass up on another CV50 in Danish PURPLE from Andertons...lefty....on sale. Plan to drop a set of Lollars to see how it compares to stock as well as its older brother sporting Fralins! I'm sick. But, I did sell my Gibson SG Standard on Reverb yesterday so cash flow and Mrs won't care. ;-)
Dang you! I saw the bullet and the roadworn and I did not love them. I love the purple and the neck color on the classic vibe. I didn't know this was a thing, might have to buy one now.
@@DustinRadtke Purple color CV50 only available in Europe...cost me $75 to ship from England. Lefty only get the butterscotch in US...HAD to get the purple. Act quick....sale won't last. ;-)
Every time I buy any guitar that’s 1/2 the price of the original us models , I spend way too much time and money to get it stage ready . So I just step up from now on . You get what you pay for
I totally get it. I’d rather pay more if it means less work, but sometimes even the name-brand guitars need a lot of tweaking. It's always a bit of a gamble!
in a year of playing the eart everyday your frets will still be in brand new condition with the fender if you are a working musician within 6 months you are gonna need a fret job
I have owned Fender mim Player and Vibe sold them both, bought the EART Tele in wine color, new strings, intonation, lowered the action a few turns, I play it a lot, kinda nice to put my late 90's Fender Strat on the back burner for awhile!
I tried a Firefly guitar; it was beautiful, but the neck was terrible and needed fixing. I'll take a look at what Donner has to offer, thanks for the suggestion!
You said you never wanted a Tele and you later said you wanted a Fender Tele forever. Dude… Try to pay SOME attention to what you’re vlogging. And by the way: The Fender blows that other piece of crap out of the water, not to mention its HORRIBLE frets which don’t even reach the edges of the neck. That fret work is an embarrassment.
![Natanael Cano - Amor Eterno [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EO4prCs6WpM/mqdefault.jpg)
Too bad you didn't review the Eart before you modded the pickups..
Dang it, I totally had that part in the video! I must have deleted it by accident.
The original pickups in the EART were a tad on the darker side for a telecaster. The bridge was passable for sure, but the neck was really dark. I swapped in the Chopper T in the bridge and the Twang King int he neck so it was like the Kotzen model guitar.
Those companies making guitars between $400 and $2,000 have not yet discovered that people would like to have stainless steel frets.
I love the Eart. I have one that I kept stock and one that I upgraded with Tonerider pickups. Highly recommended.
I have an incoming EART 380 and an order in Tonerider too. Classic Alnico 4 in bridge and Rebel P90 in the neck.
I have the EART Telecaster and LOVE IT!!! It was my first stainless steel fretted guitar too,and now I'm addicted to them. Lol. I also love PRS SE guitars. I own two, and my girlfriend is buying me a new one for Father's Day tomorrow. I actually bought a Squire Classic Vibe Telecaster that has Fender pickups in it, single coil bridge, and humbucker on the neck... I like the EART far better. You are right, it just feels GREAT! The NECK pick-up... so dark and unique, it almost has a humbucker sound to it.
The first Eart T-style was built for comfort. I have 4 Eart guitars in different styles, and they are solidly built and play extremely well. Eart listens to it's customers. Thanks Dustin, for sharing. \m/.
I was really impressed when I got mine. I thought there was no way I'd like it at that price point, but I was wrong!
I have The EART T380 Guitar and absolutely love it.
Me too, and I own two Teles that I love as well. The Eart holds it's own. for $1000 less.
Same!
I have a headless Eart and I'm happy with it.
When replacing pickups on overseas made guitars you have to check the bridge spacing. Many require “F” Spaced pickups.. Dimarzio has both normal spaced and “F” spaced pickups.
interesting, I didn't have the option for the Chopper T, but maybe I can toss a fender bridge in there. I might change my brown one to have gold hardware, so I could swap that over.
Interesting indeed
I just got my first Tele after playing for forty years. I had never played one before buying this one. Now I’m hooked.
There is just something bout them!
First i heard about the bridge alignment on the Eart. I guess it's something to check. Maybe you get a replacement from GFS that would fit better somehow.
And you did it right. Use your fingers to get rid of the plastic finish. You don't want to damage the fret when you get rid of the plastic. If you want to then do a fret job you can still do that.
On those poly finished over frets' you can tape off the fretboard' use some paint stripper' I get it in the spray can' spray some in a small container and use a small paint brush' brush it on the frets' will usually take 2 applications and it will remove the poly.
I've done several like that and usually takes about 45 minutes.
For that screw use and easy out, drill into screw, then use a left handed drill bit, both ideas should work fine..
I'll look into it, thanks!
I have owned a eart t380 for a few months and it is amazing. Feels honestly better than my squier classic vibe (im a beginner so budget is good)
100% My EART feels better than almost any guitar I've owned at a fraction of the cost. Short of an artist's guitar, I'm not sure I'd buy any major name brand guitars anymore.
Usually when building a Telecaster the fret level and crowning is done after the gloss coat is sprayed onto the fretboard as the level and crowning removes the clear coat that has stuck to the frets, or a very thin masking tape can be applied to the frets and cut flush although I don't think Fender have ever used this method.
Interesting. They must have had a gone crazy spraying mine, it's pretty thick. I really had to chip at it.
I've got an American Standard Tele with a 9.5" radius neck. It's not a baseball bat, but it is certainly thicker than my Player Plus Strat. I will not be buying another Player Plus Fender. The noiseless pups drop output in the in-between positions. I don't know if your Tele does that, but I find it irritating Anyway I love my Tele.
There is a slight cut as it shifts positions, but I think I've only had one guitar that didn't do that. I'm just happy it doesn't pop when switching.
Gosh, when I was first starting out to play Guitar, in the mid 1970's, I just had to have a Brand Name Guitar. Gibson or Fender. I couldn't afford either Brand, but I sure wanted one. Then when I could afford one, I did purchase a nice American made Fender Strat along with a Fender Precision Bass.
Only to discover my Fender Branded gear impressed no one but other Fender Fans. Gibson fans could care less, and the folks in the crowd just wanted good music regardless of the Brand of gear. Which taught me to just buy the gear I like even if it is some No Name Brand few would recognize.
I bought a very nice Ibanez from the late 1970's and it is an incredible High Quality Guitar, and I still have it to this day, and it is my all time favorite guitar. Go figure!
I used to be the same way, only wanting certain brands. But you're right, the crowd couldn’t care less. They just want good music and a fun time!
Ibanez makes some really good guitars.
Get that finish off the frets with steel wool. Use tape to protect the frets or one of those metal pads with a slot in it. I imagine the Eart plays as good as the Fender, and you'll never need to replace the frets.
That was my first thought too, but the coating was too thick. I would have been there forever. :)
I seriously love the frets on the Eart! If I ever get a custom shop from somewhere, I'll get rounded edges and stainless on it for sure.
The fret kisser has saved me so much time. I'm a tech, and it's one of the best tool purchases I've ever made.
Also, Joe Duplantier of Gojira plays teles all the time and they're a death metal band. He even makes the twang sound heavy.
I was so happy when I heard about this tool. So much less work to achieve really great results.
I bought a cheap 'fret tester' (5 sided metal doohickey) , sanding beam, and one of those fret kissers, along with a crowning file. Best money ever spent. Turns a headache into instant playability without buzz or spending much $. I have a kit Tele and a cheap Vietnamese one I paid $120 for. They both play really well with about 1.74 mm action, no buzz, great intonation (surprisingly) and the bridge single coil sounds great with gain.
Thanks for the great video! It made me buy the exact same model as you have. I thought I'd send it back if I didn't like it. But I fell in love with the neck immediately. So I kept it! Do you remember, if the bridge cavity is routed to fit a humbucker as well? Or would I have to chisel myself?
Glad you liked the video and the neck! That’s awesome you decided to keep it. As for the bridge cavity on the EART Telecaster, I couldn’t remember, so I opened it up. Unfortunately, it’s not routed for a humbucker. The neck pickup is, but not the bridge
@@DustinRadtke Wow! Thanks for looking under the bridge! Looks like I have to buy an EART T-380 then as well. I was interested in the 9.25" - 14" compound radius fretboard anyways :-)
I have played for years and even though I do not play country cowboy, I believe if I had to be cornered to one electric guitar....no doubt by my wife.....It would be a tele. I do not believe what the headstock says matters as much as what the guitar says to my soul. Doesn't matter who played it. I am not going to sound like Brad Paisely or Roy Buchanan even if I had the signature model. I thank you for speaking intelligently and not playing ever riff I have ever learned throughout the video. It is a sign you are a gigging musician and not a basement blaster. Peace in all you do. Kenny
Totally get where you’re coming from! I agree it is all how it feels in your hands and what it inspires in you. Really appreciate the kind words, and I’m glad the video came across that way!
Thx Dustin, I have an Eart Tele along with five others . The Eart is a great guitar. The value is rising. The neck is fantastic but my other fav fender tele has a longer neck. Slightly. Not enough to really matter .
Oops. I didn't mean to send yet. Good review and comparison. I really liked being educated about the Fender. I DID look at some Fender Player Strats when looking at my new PRS as well, and I noticed the really THICK gloss on the fretboard, now I'm glad I passed if it tends to be on the frets too. Look forward to checking out more of your content!
Thanks for the kind words! I never expected to like the Telecaster guitars or budget guitars in general, but here we are! It's a good time to be a guitar player.
@@DustinRadtke yes it IS!!!
That's not just the Mexican strats. Fender has done that forever on maple necks. Painting right over the frets. I never understood it. I prefer rosewood so I never even thought about it. It's completely absurd that they do that.
Really? I had no idea! People thought I was talking crazy until I started chipping it off the fretwire. Good to know!
I really like rosewood fingerboards; they feel more natural. You've inspired me to pick up another guitar just to have rosewood again. Variety is good!
@@DustinRadtke I noticed it on a Clapton Strat I was messing with at a Sam Ash one day in the late 90's. The strings wear through and make a contact patch. But when it's new it's like it's sticky. I knew from that day I would never play a maple board. I was gonna get that guitar too. Had the push button boost and lace sensor pickups. Was very disappointed. Never bought another Fender PERIOD to be honest. Still have my 96 American Std.
Playing since 1971...off/on....played a Tele in college out of nece$$ity...when I grew up and picked the eguitar back up in my 40's...I bought Gibsons, etc...tons of guitars. Now.....just give me a Squier CV50 Tele with Lindy Fralin Blues Specials and I'm content. Got it for only $300, used/mint. What to do with my other 20+ guitars....sell and buy some handwired amps.
I think I'll still buy one of each big guitars at some point, but playing my Tele just feels right.
@@DustinRadtke Guess what...I bought ANOTHER Tele yesterday...couldn't pass up on another CV50 in Danish PURPLE from Andertons...lefty....on sale. Plan to drop a set of Lollars to see how it compares to stock as well as its older brother sporting Fralins! I'm sick. But, I did sell my Gibson SG Standard on Reverb yesterday so cash flow and Mrs won't care. ;-)
Dang you! I saw the bullet and the roadworn and I did not love them. I love the purple and the neck color on the classic vibe. I didn't know this was a thing, might have to buy one now.
@@DustinRadtke Purple color CV50 only available in Europe...cost me $75 to ship from England. Lefty only get the butterscotch in US...HAD to get the purple. Act quick....sale won't last. ;-)
Every time I buy any guitar that’s 1/2 the price of the original us models , I spend way too much time and money to get it stage ready . So I just step up from now on . You get what you pay for
I totally get it. I’d rather pay more if it means less work, but sometimes even the name-brand guitars need a lot of tweaking. It's always a bit of a gamble!
in a year of playing the eart everyday your frets will still be in brand new condition with the fender if you are a working musician within 6 months you are gonna need a fret job
You must be playing like crazy to burn out frets in 6 months. :)
$300 plus the cost of new PUPS...Lol, I tend to upgrade inexpensive guitars too. Particularly if I like how the guitar feels in my hands.
That's valid. Really I could have left it stock, but man that Kotzen guitar sounded so good.
Where did you get the custom pickguard?
I got it off Amazon.
amzn.to/3JKJoZu
@@DustinRadtke Thanks for the reply / help. That was quick! 😃👍
So you basically don't like anything about it except it's cheap
If you’re talking about the EART, I actually loved the stainless steel frets, the neck color, and the body color.
I have owned Fender mim Player and Vibe sold them both, bought the EART Tele in wine color, new strings, intonation, lowered the action a few turns, I play it a lot, kinda nice to put my late 90's Fender Strat on the back burner for awhile!
I really like mine, it does play really nice. Those frets are so nice.
I have never had SS frets bends are like Buddha! 😊
I got my Eart tele before they had a yellow. $269.00. Greatest deal. The neck alone was the finest piece of maple I'll ever afford. 😁
I agree, the neck on mine is really nice.
You wany cheap? Check out Donners teles.I bought one for $200 Canadian. Not bad I have to say.
I tried a Firefly guitar; it was beautiful, but the neck was terrible and needed fixing.
I'll take a look at what Donner has to offer, thanks for the suggestion!
❤ 14:46
You said you never wanted a Tele and you later said you wanted a Fender Tele forever.
Dude…
Try to pay SOME attention to what you’re vlogging. And by the way:
The Fender blows that other piece of crap out of the water, not to mention its HORRIBLE frets which don’t even reach the edges of the neck.
That fret work is an embarrassment.
EART