Hi Henning and thanks for the review. Honest and nice. Some of the things you mention, like the lack of gigbag and locking tuners is something we’ve already changed for the second Limited Edition series. So it has already been addressed/changed ! Regarding the QC, every Solar Guitar has been QC:ed by either me or my colleagues Greg or Xavier at the factory. We go there for every batch to do it ourselves before it gets shipped out to Spain. Regarding the Evertune, it takes a little getting used to and to wrap your head around, you definitely do not need a guitar tech. I would recommend reading the manual before arrival so you understand how to change string gauges, tunings and setting it so the individual strings bend.
Hey Ola, a million people snow told me that you check many guitars yourself... that is great to hear. Gigbag and locking tuners.... AWESOME! That's what we love to hear! Since this was a "first impression" video, the Evertune definitely didn't get a fair review here because I didn't go into detail and really find out how to set it up. I am totally open to taking a look at the second Ltd run to give my audience another impression and then really check out the Evertune! I am game if you are! Two more videos coming for the V and the E ! Thanks Ola
No gigbags please. People not needing any, have to pay for them and it also is an unnecessary waste of ressources. These are like smartphone chargers. You have over 10 of them lying around at home, while needing 2. Someone who spends over 1000 bucks for a guitar will probably want a better gigbag than the one the guitar is shipped with.
I love how he fiddles with the tuning pegs twisting them all over without understanding the least bit how the Evertune system works and then says it wasn't setup to bend out of the box. He likely removed the bite point where it was able to bend when he was turning the knobs.
Oh my God, I am in love. In love. This has solidified my decision, in going for a Solar and also not paying extra for the evertune bridge. Thanks so much!
Mr. Hening I have to admitt. Iv'e never took your reviews either compailing or serious till you reviewed Chapman guitars at Thomann what was deleted from youtube(although i hope it didn't affect your future reviews). No wonder why they don't want to send any gear to You ;D. Hope you will keep those reviews as real as they can be.
Thanks Henning for this honest review. I must say I’m buying this guitar from local dealer. Although I tried to investigate a bit more about this beautiful looking guitar, you just made me come into second thoughts..... to late to regret at this point.
This actual model does in fact not have locking tuners. The locking version has a notch on top of the tuning peg. Because of this the website specs on this guitar does not list locking tuners.
André Johansen EytschPi42 Oh, sorry. I got it on my A1.6, that’s why I thought it would also be on this because it’s €100 more. I see it now on the pictures that it is not locking.
EytschPi42, thanks for your informative, detailed (and fun) reviews. I have a question: do you feel locking tuners would be an improvement considering It has Evertune bridge and never goes out of tune? Considering that would mean less string winding, would It be a problem to fine adjust the right tension? Thanks again!
The only benefit would be the faster string changes. Which is a great benefit, you can overcome that if you buy wierd stuff like this: www.ernieball.com/guitar-accessories/string-winders but come on, locking tuners are much easier to have.
But wait, you did do a Chapman guitar review... Remember that Chappers Strat style that wouldn't stay in tune, had the pickup selector switch that didn't work and basically sounded like crapola? Or was that the video you pulled down a day or so after posting... Hmm, I can't remember now :)
I remember a day when any guitar over $500.00 USD had a hard shell case included. Of course this was the early 90's and would be equivalent to a $900.00 USD guitar now. I would expect a hard shell case for that amount of money.
My Rondo Agile Reaper custom came with a hard shell case. I don't know if the cheap guitars have one. When I bought at my Ibenez Universe I believe I had to buy the hardshell case, bought I could be wrong lol It was so damn long ago.
Yeah it' got his rep all over this. Maybe when they get a lot bigger that may change but it's good on his part. Don't want them to be shit when you start or you're dead in the water and wouldn't recover.
Allan Lajoie Not completely true. He tried checked every batch except for one (Because he was on tour). I actually have a solar from the batch he didn’t check himself. The guitars in that batch were checked by someone else. That person actually did an amazing job and the guitar is absolutely amazing.
Thanks for the review! I am very interested in Solar Guitars. So it is good to get some honest opinions before planning a day trip to the big T ;-) I agree on the gigbag topic. I very well remember buying my Hamer Californian USA used in a local store in the late 90s. It still clocked in at 1200DM (yes, it was that long ago, haha) and the shop dude said "of course you get a hardcase for a guitar of that price!". A few years later I got a new Schecter Hellraiser, which still was about 900€, and it came without anything. I was confused as hell about it coming without a case and even with some flaws in the finish. At least I could convince the dealer to send me a case (that would have been 100 extra bucks to spend) for free as a compensation for the finish flaws since it played great and I didn't want to go through the hassle of returning it because of that ;-)
I don't know much about Solar guitars, but my guess is that the top is Maple with a maple veneer on top, rather than a maple veneer on mahagony. Thus, the 'reveal' binding would be maple not mahogany. Korean PRS SE's do this, for example.
I think the review was refreshing. It was honest, said in a completely respectful manner and if I wanted a Solar, wouldn’t detract me from buying one. The guitar is clearly aimed at metal players and I think it wholly delivers on that. Plus no one should be above critique; after all, every one of us can be better & it’s that feedback from bosses, spouses, friends, etc. that allows us to do so.
Nice. It's good to finally see the Solars in your hands. Merciless review. Regarding Chapman Guitars, I was actually going to buy one of the 499 range Single Cuts when I have the money. Now I am not so sure. Side question: Would you accept people lending you guitars for review, like their Chapmans? That might be a way to get your hands on them.
I don't really want to get into that... I'd like to get something either from the brand or, in this case, from a store that doesn't know me, so I really know I am getting what everybody else would be getting.
@@bslazekan5778 I know man , just doesn't seem necessary on an evertune guitar. I have the E1.6 Solar and with my drill bit string winder it takes like 2 seconds to put a string on.
If you have Evertune you don't need locking tuners,yes the strings need a couple more winds,But once you done it you don't have to do it again,and if the gigbag is cheap you can buy it,no big deal! But the veneer thing i agree with you!
I K N O W !!!! LOL I only said that because he bitched about it being slower to re-string without locking tuners...and quoting myself(probably Ola also said that) ''once you done it,you don't need to do it again'' so its not a big deal if it doesn't have locking tuners
You could have easily said this is a perfect guitar to make nice with Ola, but you didn't. You were brutally honest, and for that, I feel you have exceptional integrity and provide a 100% authentic review. Its unfortunate these days that you have to pay upwards of $2k - $3k for a maker to include a hard-shell case. For guitars that are less readily available to test in person, we rely on honest reviews. This was one of the best reviews I've seen, and helped me in my decision process.
I havent known Henning for a long time, only recently got back from more a computer gaming time to pick up guitar again, after a long long long time. In order to get away from the computer stuff, which isnt easy for me after so many years and very good memories, i have dumped most of my RUclips bookmarks, which were centered aorund gaming. Now slowly getting nice channels here on RUclips when it comes to making music and all that. And also this channel here, which I really enjoy. Henning is really entertaining and nicely geeky and his german english is simply adorable I think. I am from Germany too, so I know how that is. ;) Anyways, after stating my joy for this channel & henning, to the topic at hand. ;) I have to agree with Henning on the fact that with a guitar on that price range, a gig bag or even a simple case wouldnt be so much to ask. I mean, its quite a lot of money, at least for most of us, and to only get it in a damn cardboard package is somewhat lame, to say the least. It doesnt matter which company it is, if its Solar or others. The fact is, a few things shouldnt be too much to ask when you buy a new guitar. Also, a multitool like you get on Ibanez prestige guitars (dont know if also with premium), should be also included, when you buy a guitar over 300 Euro or more. Lets face it, these tools cost a couple pennys in China or whatever, thats simply no excuse to only give that with really expensive stuff. Companies really cheap out on these little things, when they could really make people happy with including these things, and which they wouldnt really pay that much more for. So there is no big loss. Sometimes I think they only put these things with the expensive guitars, simply they can make a statement, that only if you buy something expensive, you get something extra, even if that extra only cost them 50 cents in production. Shame on them. @Henning: Dont you make any videos anymore with Kiana ? I found them really enjoyable, you two together had a great chemistry which translated into the videos quite a bit. Is she not doing music stuff anymore ?
My gosh that set up with that guitar and amplifier sounds so so so so so good, Revv and Solar are a match made in heaven from what I can hear. By the way, you can play metal, don’t sell yourself short Henning. Also you’re a great guitar player overall. I like your choice in chords, never trying to be flashy or boastful. Thank you for your channel, you rock! Lastly, I’m gonna have to “borrow” a couple of your ideas. Lol
This whole gig bag thing makes me wonder why they don't pack the guitar in the gig bag? I see it where the bag is loose in the box. That's crazy. When I asked a vendor about this (Thomann) they said they wouldn't ship it this way. Something about affecting the warranty.
chapman don't really have anything that you could constructively criticize on the upper mid level guitars like the Modern series. it pretty much comes down to personal preference.
Most of the hate directed at Chapman has less to do with their brand and more to do with the fact that some people either dislike or envy Rob and his RUclips presence.
EytschPi42 I bet a gofundme page for a review would raise the cost of a guitar pretty quickly... Guitar then to be sold and proceeds to charity. 🤓 Of course; easier if they just sent one!
Maybe the veneer thing is simply because it was meant to be a warm sounding mahogany body, Henning. Doesnt really want the extra high from the maple, but still want to make it look pretty n quiltedy
Dude !! I was just watching this on Smart TV & had to get on computer to tell you ... Ola actually travels to the factory when the complete run has been done & setup. He personally plays and checks out each and every guitar. The signed paper is his signature as he signs these from a stack after he has given the OK to the whole production run. Check his channel. Now what Thomann has done with these and how many "reviewers" have had their grubby mits on them is a question. Keep up the great content !!!
I have an ESP Custom shop Horizon that has natural binding, I think it looks better than the typical white or cream colored binding. One less thing to go wrong I guess. I like Ola’s guitars.
Just watched the review and trying to find this exact model and can’t find it anywhere 😔. Such a beauty. Will be a more of S1.6ETQOB LTD available? The finish is so beautiful. I want it 😩
EytschPi42 I gotta say really impressed with you responding. I’m contemplating selling my Slick Guitar and buying a low end Solar, in your opinion is this an upgrade or a no go?
EytschPi42 Seems like many people don't realize this feature of using locking tuners. I for one have never had a guitar with them on it, so that didn't help me at figuring this out. So what is the process like stepwise when using locking tuners to change the strings out?
Ola has a video on him personally quality checking his guitars. He’s mentioned doing them in runs/batches which may or may not allow him to effectively do this.
Great (and honest) review Henning. I too will never understand why some guitar manufacturers don't include a gig bag (at the very least) or a case - the cost could easily be absorbed into the 1200 Euro asking price... I also agree with you about the Evertune system and why it wasn't set up for bending out-of-the-box. And to have those blemishes in a cheap-looking veneer top, is just very wrong - how did it pass QC?
The blemishes tree something that can be overlooked if you have to go through many guitars in QC... I only noticed in the very end and I have VERY good lighting here.
Fair enough, I suppose in normal light, no-one would ever have spotted it... And let's face it, there have been a lot worse QC issues from some major brands (mentioninG no names..)
Even with the Evertune it seemed ever so slightly out of tune in places. Especially on the clean tones. Or maybe I'm not as pitch correct as I think I am! :/
If he couldn't adjust the Evertune , then of course he couldn't "tune" it. Had he RTFM he could have made sure it was in tune as he does for any other guitar he has reviewed
Henning, just check out Ola's channel, he does QC himself, they are made in Indonesia, then shipped to Spain and distributed from there. (And Thomann etc...)
Waiting for my ordered S1.6PB-27 and watching meanwhile YT for Solar guitars... EytschPi die Evertune ist nicht nur tourende Musiker etwas - es gibt nichts was einen mehr abtörnt beim Recording als ständig die Stimmung der Gitarre (-en) nachkontrollieren zu müssen und sie ggf. zu Stimmen. Da ist die Evertune einfach genial weil sie die Stimmung hält. Und die Umstellung der Gitarre so dass man Bendings machen kann, ist super einfach wenn man mal den Dreh raus hat ;P Und DANKE für das Review! Deine Rewievs sind immer Unterhaltsam und Informativ.
So, you liked it better than the chapmans, I assume Hope one of the other two guitars is the baritone version. I had an Ibanez RGD Iron label. As others have noted, bad fret job, and it needed a neck shim!
I just returned an Ibanez RG450. Not the top of the line, but I expected some decent QC, This looked like it was routed with a ripsaw. Returned it on the site. My lefty Ghost fret will be in Monday, and I have my bag of upgrade parts. Locking tuners, Dimarzio Liquid Fire pups, Dimarzio pots, jack, and switch. The VP of GC bought it for me, so I can get them exposures at our shows. They need to randomly give a dozen of these away to get a more varied set of reviews. I'll take your cheapest lefty, and take it to the local Seattle guitar show, and take orders from the small shops for you. :-)
from a business perspective a new company not putting locking tuners on the guitar and not including a gig bag/case makes sense because then they can add these to the next wave of guitars sparking new interest in the brand . So someone who owns one may then sell their current model to get the new model with those features the second hand market has an increase in this model giving the company coverage then if those who buy the second hand guitars love them they'll look at getting a brand new one with extra features and so on. That's how I see it anyway, but for an existing company at that price bracket you best give me at least a gig bag lol
I’m actually really interested to try the evertune thing which I’ve not. I think it’s like the tuners are locked in the neck and you should adjust the bridge to get it right n’yeah I’m getting Solar V2 soon
Quote from Ola's comment ''Some of the things you mention, like the lack of gigbag and locking tuners is something we’ve already changed for the second Limited Edition series'' are all the S types Limited Edition? They all don't come with a gigbag..
Can you review the Harley Benton Fusion-HSH Roasted Maple, when they are out (3 weeks I guess)? It is a really pretty guitar at a higher price point than the regular harley benton stuff.
Was excited about getting one of these but couldn't find anything about how the guitar actually FEELS. Since I have a fetish for Wizard necks, I'll be looking elsewhere. Thanks for another great review!
Am I missing something about the gig bag rant? Didn’t he take the gig bag out of the box and throw it to the side at the 3:01 mark??? Is he trying to say it should have been shipped inside the gig bag??? Decent review though, even though he didn’t take the time to read up on the ever tune and give an actual informative review on how it functions and performs!!!
Auch , wenn ich der einzige bin, der auf deutsch schreibt, muss ich wirklich sagen , dass ich 2 Dinge richtig gut finde : 1. das Review, ( Ende mit Englisch😬) wirklich klasse !! 2. das Ola sich die Zeit für eine Antwort nimmt und die Kritik annimmt !
I was just about to comment the same. I don't always agree with Henning but I do always respect his experience. It's good to see that despite having a freaking showroom full of guitars himself he still gets that for some of us an instrument costing £1000+ might be a once in a lifetime purchase and, as such, it would be nice to see the manufacturers acknowledge this with respectful packaging.
No. A cheap gig bag worsens the "experience", it's like those cheap cables people throw away, asking why they had to buy some extra-junk they didn't want. So it has to be a good gigbag, or soft case, or hard case… but which one of these? People have their preferences. Go for one and it will be wrong two times out of three, people thinking, "well, I didn't want to spend money on this, I prefer that other type". So you leave it up to them to spend their money the way they want.
very good review. I like when people are honest and give people shit on some things that may be kind of minor. But at that price you want something worth the price.
That gig bag did not belong to the guitar, it was something else that I had shipped in the same box... would have been really nice if it came with that one!
I really like the body shape. The horns are just right, IMO. Other than that, I don't know if I'd be a fan of the Evertune or hate it and I agree with you: At that price range, locking tuners shouldn't be a topic of discussion... and a gigbag just gives that nice, fuzzy feeling when unpacking. Veneer is fine, IMO, if the price is justified otherwise by the hardware used and the production quality. As for the video: I would have preferred a comparison with the cheaper Solar guitars you got instead of all those different amps in the sounds section. According to the specs, they all use the same pickups, tuners and nut.... so that leaves me wondering: On the manufacturer's site, I could buy a A2.6C for 699€ or a S1.6ET LTD for 1299€. That's a price increase of 600€ or 86%. Differences, visuals aside? Mahagony neck vs. maple neck, Evertune bridge vs. "fixed bridge" and locking tuners (seems they changed that?) vs. non-locking ones. So... if the S1.6ET is a good instrument for 1299€ and I can do without the Evertune system, the 699€ A2.6C should basically be a steal? (Funnily enough, on the manufacturer's site, the 1299€ one also comes with a gigbag.) I get why you give us all these different amps, but a comparison between the guitar models would have been more interesting to me.
Henning, there’s a few reasons you’re at 72k subs and Robs at 500k. I saw you blame the audience for misunderstanding your Chapman video. Seriously man, not cool. Your reviews always position you as the expert or intend to show YOUR reaction and you think the audience will then make a decision based on your advice. This only partly true. We are looking for not only your opinion on quality/comparable market value but more importantly who would might it suit, what use cases would it be good for, what alternatives might One consider. You’re a smart guy and produce high quality video. I hope you can learn from feedback like this and help even more people thereby helping your own growth.
I'm not a metal player but I love watching Ola's channel & might buy one just because they look so cool....as far as Chapman guitars, I had the Bea model and it was decent, a little on the heavy side & tone wise very dark.. just ended up not being what I wanted...that's the risk you take ordering online 😏😏
I had a luthier put stainless steel frets on my Agile Reaper at a exorbitant cost, but it was worth it. I would consider a Solar guitar if it had Stainless, and I also would like some longer scale options, for lower tunings.
He personally checks every guitar!! He doesn't check how they're packed. But every one he's received and other ppl have been double boxed and fine. Have you ever been completely pleased. I think you might be unpleaseable . I would love to receive my guitar like that
I am a reviewer. It is my job to find flaws and point them out. I compare the features to other instruments in the same price range. This is what a review is. It’s a good guitar. Don’t take offense because you bought it...
I have one of the older Washburn parallax Ola guitars. Same body shape and tuners but a cheap bridge. Anyway I still rate this guitar as incredible after many years
Its the glue seeping threw the veneer pushed through in the clamping process. Those were probably the points with most pressure applied. Instead of even pressure. That's why you don't veneer a 1300 dollar guitar plus say you have a whooopsie and you put a nice 8 inch long 1/16 inch dig in it wood top fixable pain in ass but fixable. Veneer you ain't fixing it maybe make it less noticeable but I don't care how good you are at finishing your gonna see it.
Yeah Ola checks them himself and has made 2 Videos about it! ;P - thx for this helpful review! if u get the chance... pls! check out the FGNs that thomann has in stock atm! i think they are totally under the radar...
Hi Henning and thanks for the review. Honest and nice. Some of the things you mention, like the lack of gigbag and locking tuners is something we’ve already changed for the second Limited Edition series. So it has already been addressed/changed !
Regarding the QC, every Solar Guitar has been QC:ed by either me or my colleagues Greg or Xavier at the factory. We go there for every batch to do it ourselves before it gets shipped out to Spain.
Regarding the Evertune, it takes a little getting used to and to wrap your head around, you definitely do not need a guitar tech. I would recommend reading the manual before arrival so you understand how to change string gauges, tunings and setting it so the individual strings bend.
Ola Englund I have a guitar from the batch you didn’t check yourself and I can confirm that your colleagues did an amazing job.
Hey Ola,
a million people snow told me that you check many guitars yourself... that is great to hear.
Gigbag and locking tuners.... AWESOME! That's what we love to hear!
Since this was a "first impression" video, the Evertune definitely didn't get a fair review here because I didn't go into detail and really find out how to set it up.
I am totally open to taking a look at the second Ltd run to give my audience another impression and then really check out the Evertune! I am game if you are!
Two more videos coming for the V and the E !
Thanks Ola
Hey, you're good at playing guitar.
Ola Englund Good guy Ola
No gigbags please. People not needing any, have to pay for them and it also is an unnecessary waste of ressources.
These are like smartphone chargers. You have over 10 of them lying around at home, while needing 2.
Someone who spends over 1000 bucks for a guitar will probably want a better gigbag than the one the guitar is shipped with.
I love how he fiddles with the tuning pegs twisting them all over without understanding the least bit how the Evertune system works and then says it wasn't setup to bend out of the box. He likely removed the bite point where it was able to bend when he was turning the knobs.
@@kevinsingh811 oof
Ah Henning, your 'no gig bag' rant is why I watch these videos. You get it man, you get it!
Oh my God, I am in love. In love. This has solidified my decision, in going for a Solar and also not paying extra for the evertune bridge. Thanks so much!
Mr. Hening I have to admitt. Iv'e never took your reviews either compailing or serious till you reviewed Chapman guitars at Thomann what was deleted from youtube(although i hope it didn't affect your future reviews). No wonder why they don't want to send any gear to You ;D. Hope you will keep those reviews as real as they can be.
i missed this....
Yup, I missed this too. Crap.
Was he that negative about the chapman guitar of why?
Great honest review,
21:00 mushy as f...
Thanks Henning for this honest review. I must say I’m buying this guitar from local dealer. Although I tried to investigate a bit more about this beautiful looking guitar, you just made me come into second thoughts..... to late to regret at this point.
Your honesty is so refreshing! Thank you for that.
It has locking tuners. Not the usual though, It locks when you turn the tuners.
really? That would be cool and something that it didn’t say in the specs... the windings also didn’t really show that... but I might be very wrong
This actual model does in fact not have locking tuners. The locking version has a notch on top of the tuning peg. Because of this the website specs on this guitar does not list locking tuners.
André Johansen EytschPi42 Oh, sorry. I got it on my A1.6, that’s why I thought it would also be on this because it’s €100 more. I see it now on the pictures that it is not locking.
EytschPi42, thanks for your informative, detailed (and fun) reviews. I have a question: do you feel locking tuners would be an improvement considering It has Evertune bridge and never goes out of tune? Considering that would mean less string winding, would It be a problem to fine adjust the right tension? Thanks again!
The only benefit would be the faster string changes. Which is a great benefit, you can overcome that if you buy wierd stuff like this: www.ernieball.com/guitar-accessories/string-winders but come on, locking tuners are much easier to have.
Holy shit. This is an actual review... I don't know if I've ever seen someone review a guitar with this much depth and honesty!! Refreshing.
10:10 IT HAS EVERTUNE!!! locking tuners would be stupid. I'll take the Grovers all day.
With the Evertune is there a need for locking tuners? I honestly don't think so.
much easier for changing strings, not for tuning stability
But wait, you did do a Chapman guitar review... Remember that Chappers Strat style that wouldn't stay in tune, had the pickup selector switch that didn't work and basically sounded like crapola? Or was that the video you pulled down a day or so after posting... Hmm, I can't remember now :)
I remember a day when any guitar over $500.00 USD had a hard shell case included. Of course this was the early 90's and would be equivalent to a $900.00 USD guitar now. I would expect a hard shell case for that amount of money.
My Rondo Agile Reaper custom came with a hard shell case. I don't know if the cheap guitars have one. When I bought at my Ibenez Universe I believe I had to buy the hardshell case, bought I could be wrong lol It was so damn long ago.
I spent almost $900 on my schecter V-1 Classic, and had to shell out $140 for the case.
BOOMER ALERT
I don't want to pay for the case, if I don't need it. Just a waste of space and money. If it is included, it would surely add to the price.
I think Ola checks every one himself. He takes trips to every batch made and qc's them.
He made a very awesome video about that too...
Allan Lajoie Seriously? That's awesome if true.
Yeah it' got his rep all over this. Maybe when they get a lot bigger that may change but it's good on his part. Don't want them to be shit when you start or you're dead in the water and wouldn't recover.
Allan Lajoie Not completely true. He tried checked every batch except for one (Because he was on tour). I actually have a solar from the batch he didn’t check himself. The guitars in that batch were checked by someone else. That person actually did an amazing job and the guitar is absolutely amazing.
I think he missed one.
Why do you need locking tuners with the Evertune? I have a few ever tune setups and prefer Evertune over lockers. It works a lot better
Locking tuners just make restringing way faster
Andy James has a good vid on how to adjust the Evertune, which is very informative. I like the pickups on these guitars, they sound awesome!
Thanx Henning for the review. Nice pro and con graphics. I love the Sound of the revv amps.
Thanks for the review! I am very interested in Solar Guitars. So it is good to get some honest opinions before planning a day trip to the big T ;-)
I agree on the gigbag topic. I very well remember buying my Hamer Californian USA used in a local store in the late 90s. It still clocked in at 1200DM (yes, it was that long ago, haha) and the shop dude said "of course you get a hardcase for a guitar of that price!". A few years later I got a new Schecter Hellraiser, which still was about 900€, and it came without anything. I was confused as hell about it coming without a case and even with some flaws in the finish. At least I could convince the dealer to send me a case (that would have been 100 extra bucks to spend) for free as a compensation for the finish flaws since it played great and I didn't want to go through the hassle of returning it because of that ;-)
I don't know much about Solar guitars, but my guess is that the top is Maple with a maple veneer on top, rather than a maple veneer on mahagony. Thus, the 'reveal' binding would be maple not mahogany. Korean PRS SE's do this, for example.
I think the review was refreshing. It was honest, said in a completely respectful manner and if I wanted a Solar, wouldn’t detract me from buying one. The guitar is clearly aimed at metal players and I think it wholly delivers on that. Plus no one should be above critique; after all, every one of us can be better & it’s that feedback from bosses, spouses, friends, etc. that allows us to do so.
Amazing review, fair and honest. Thanks!!!
I have the Blue Baritone A2.6, The Red A2.6 and the black E2.6. I love them. I need to get the V2.6 soon
V2.6 review coming soon
Nice. It's good to finally see the Solars in your hands. Merciless review.
Regarding Chapman Guitars, I was actually going to buy one of the 499 range Single Cuts when I have the money. Now I am not so sure.
Side question: Would you accept people lending you guitars for review, like their Chapmans? That might be a way to get your hands on them.
I don't really want to get into that... I'd like to get something either from the brand or, in this case, from a store that doesn't know me, so I really know I am getting what everybody else would be getting.
If you actually watch Ola's vlog , he flys down and does QA on all the guitars. Knowing is half the battle ;)
...and why do you need locking tuners with an Evertune bridge :P
@@rjmcmooseknuckle This is late but locking tuners makes it much easier and quicker to change strings
@@bslazekan5778 I know man , just doesn't seem necessary on an evertune guitar. I have the E1.6 Solar and with my drill bit string winder it takes like 2 seconds to put a string on.
If you have Evertune you don't need locking tuners,yes the strings need a couple more winds,But once you done it you don't have to do it again,and if the gigbag is cheap you can buy it,no big deal!
But the veneer thing i agree with you!
I T I S N O T A B O U T T U N I N G S T A B I L I T Y
I K N O W !!!! LOL I only said that because he bitched about it being slower to re-string without locking tuners...and quoting myself(probably Ola also said that) ''once you done it,you don't need to do it again'' so its not a big deal if it doesn't have locking tuners
You could have easily said this is a perfect guitar to make nice with Ola, but you didn't. You were brutally honest, and for that, I feel you have exceptional integrity and provide a 100% authentic review. Its unfortunate these days that you have to pay upwards of $2k - $3k for a maker to include a hard-shell case. For guitars that are less readily available to test in person, we rely on honest reviews. This was one of the best reviews I've seen, and helped me in my decision process.
I havent known Henning for a long time, only recently got back from more a computer gaming time to pick up guitar again, after a long long long time. In order to get away from the computer stuff, which isnt easy for me after so many years and very good memories, i have dumped most of my RUclips bookmarks, which were centered aorund gaming. Now slowly getting nice channels here on RUclips when it comes to making music and all that. And also this channel here, which I really enjoy. Henning is really entertaining and nicely geeky and his german english is simply adorable I think. I am from Germany too, so I know how that is. ;) Anyways, after stating my joy for this channel & henning, to the topic at hand. ;)
I have to agree with Henning on the fact that with a guitar on that price range, a gig bag or even a simple case wouldnt be so much to ask. I mean, its quite a lot of money, at least for most of us, and to only get it in a damn cardboard package is somewhat lame, to say the least. It doesnt matter which company it is, if its Solar or others. The fact is, a few things shouldnt be too much to ask when you buy a new guitar. Also, a multitool like you get on Ibanez prestige guitars (dont know if also with premium), should be also included, when you buy a guitar over 300 Euro or more. Lets face it, these tools cost a couple pennys in China or whatever, thats simply no excuse to only give that with really expensive stuff.
Companies really cheap out on these little things, when they could really make people happy with including these things, and which they wouldnt really pay that much more for. So there is no big loss. Sometimes I think they only put these things with the expensive guitars, simply they can make a statement, that only if you buy something expensive, you get something extra, even if that extra only cost them 50 cents in production. Shame on them.
@Henning: Dont you make any videos anymore with Kiana ? I found them really enjoyable, you two together had a great chemistry which translated into the videos quite a bit. Is she not doing music stuff anymore ?
Kiana is studying now and lives a bit farther away.... she just can't come here that often anymore.
Oh, thats a damn shame. You two really had the greatest chemistry. Entertainment pure. Its was big (thats what she said ^^) entertainment.
Nice review buddy ! :D (and I saw myself in the beginning of the vid in the Solar artist page...awesome ;)!! Hahah)
...You have 3 subs
My gosh that set up with that guitar and amplifier sounds so so so so so good, Revv and Solar are a match made in heaven from what I can hear.
By the way, you can play metal, don’t sell yourself short Henning. Also you’re a great guitar player overall. I like your choice in chords, never trying to be flashy or boastful. Thank you for your channel, you rock! Lastly, I’m gonna have to “borrow” a couple of your ideas. Lol
This whole gig bag thing makes me wonder why they don't pack the guitar in the gig bag? I see it where the bag is loose in the box. That's crazy. When I asked a vendor about this (Thomann) they said they wouldn't ship it this way. Something about affecting the warranty.
The gig bag that was in the box was NOT related to the solar guitar, that was a separate product. The solar guitar came without a gig bag.
Chapman know you will tell the truth, that is why they fear you
Stephen Kennedy lol chapman...
chapman don't really have anything that you could constructively criticize on the upper mid level guitars like the Modern series. it pretty much comes down to personal preference.
My Chapman is great. Sorry to disappoint. Would love a Solar to go with it though.
Most of the hate directed at Chapman has less to do with their brand and more to do with the fact that some people either dislike or envy Rob and his RUclips presence.
chapman is crap. i agree a fad that will be forgoton like steve erkel
Damn man thanks for that honesty, I hope ola Englund would take this review more as constructive criticism than just hate.
I hope so too
Nice guitar overall. Now then: the internet needs a Henning review of a Chapman guitar!
tell them
EytschPi42 I bet a gofundme page for a review would raise the cost of a guitar pretty quickly...
Guitar then to be sold and proceeds to charity. 🤓
Of course; easier if they just sent one!
Only sound is mushy as hell
Maybe the veneer thing is simply because it was meant to be a warm sounding mahogany body, Henning. Doesnt really want the extra high from the maple, but still want to make it look pretty n quiltedy
that is of course very possible!
Wouldn't the evertune system make locking tuners unneccessary?
Dude !! I was just watching this on Smart TV & had to get on computer to tell you ... Ola actually travels to the factory when the complete run has been done & setup. He personally plays and checks out each and every guitar. The signed paper is his signature as he signs these from a stack after he has given the OK to the whole production run.
Check his channel.
Now what Thomann has done with these and how many "reviewers" have had their grubby mits on them is a question.
Keep up the great content !!!
These are made in Indonesia, and he inspects each one in batches at the factory as per a video he made documenting that process. S o PENIS!
I have an ESP Custom shop Horizon that has natural binding, I think it looks better than the typical white or cream colored binding. One less thing to go wrong I guess. I like Ola’s guitars.
Just watched the review and trying to find this exact model and can’t find it anywhere 😔. Such a beauty.
Will be a more of S1.6ETQOB LTD available? The finish is so beautiful. I want it 😩
Sold. The painted neck on this one has absolutely sold me!
why did you turn the volume up at 11:45 ?
It looks like there is no need for locking tuners if an evertune device is installed.
not fur tuning stability, but for string changing convenience
So if it's setup to bend, to system doesn't work anymore?
Also confused does it not come with a gig bag @3:01 ? Or is my english like failing me here. (American, but we're shit)
the one I reviewed didn't, but I think they now have gigbags
EytschPi42 I gotta say really impressed with you responding. I’m contemplating selling my Slick Guitar and buying a low end Solar, in your opinion is this an upgrade or a no go?
19:19>> How do you manage to make it sound so out of tune?
Is it the evertune system ?
What would be the benefit of locking tuners in a guitar that stays in tune so well with the Evertune bridge?
the locking tuners, for me, are not for tuning stability, but rather for convenient string changing
EytschPi42 Seems like many people don't realize this feature of using locking tuners. I for one have never had a guitar with them on it, so that didn't help me at figuring this out. So what is the process like stepwise when using locking tuners to change the strings out?
Is it sent in standard E
Ola has a video on him personally quality checking his guitars. He’s mentioned doing them in runs/batches which may or may not allow him to effectively do this.
with evertune you don't need locking tuners.... duh... ;(
06:53 "i hope this guitar in TUNE"
The whole idea of 1000 pages manual book😂😂
Locking tuners with a evertune bridge seem unnecessary, unless you change strings every day.
Great (and honest) review Henning. I too will never understand why some guitar manufacturers don't include a gig bag (at the very least) or a case - the cost could easily be absorbed into the 1200 Euro asking price... I also agree with you about the Evertune system and why it wasn't set up for bending out-of-the-box. And to have those blemishes in a cheap-looking veneer top, is just very wrong - how did it pass QC?
The blemishes tree something that can be overlooked if you have to go through many guitars in QC... I only noticed in the very end and I have VERY good lighting here.
Fair enough, I suppose in normal light, no-one would ever have spotted it... And let's face it, there have been a lot worse QC issues from some major brands (mentioninG no names..)
Even with the Evertune it seemed ever so slightly out of tune in places. Especially on the clean tones. Or maybe I'm not as pitch correct as I think I am! :/
It's clearly out of tune. Nothing wrong with your ears.
If he couldn't adjust the Evertune , then of course he couldn't "tune" it. Had he RTFM he could have made sure it was in tune as he does for any other guitar he has reviewed
Henning, just check out Ola's channel, he does QC himself, they are made in Indonesia, then shipped to Spain and distributed from there. (And Thomann etc...)
Waiting for my ordered S1.6PB-27 and watching meanwhile YT for Solar guitars... EytschPi die Evertune ist nicht nur tourende Musiker etwas - es gibt nichts was einen mehr abtörnt beim Recording als ständig die Stimmung der Gitarre (-en) nachkontrollieren zu müssen und sie ggf. zu Stimmen. Da ist die Evertune einfach genial weil sie die Stimmung hält. Und die Umstellung der Gitarre so dass man Bendings machen kann, ist super einfach wenn man mal den Dreh raus hat ;P
Und DANKE für das Review! Deine Rewievs sind immer Unterhaltsam und Informativ.
will it chug?
So, you liked it better than the chapmans, I assume
Hope one of the other two guitars is the baritone version. I had an Ibanez RGD Iron label. As others have noted, bad fret job, and it needed a neck shim!
I just returned an Ibanez RG450. Not the top of the line, but I expected some decent QC, This looked like it was routed with a ripsaw. Returned it on the site. My lefty Ghost fret will be in Monday, and I have my bag of upgrade parts. Locking tuners, Dimarzio Liquid Fire pups, Dimarzio pots, jack, and switch.
The VP of GC bought it for me, so I can get them exposures at our shows. They need to randomly give a dozen of these away to get a more varied set of reviews. I'll take your cheapest lefty, and take it to the local Seattle guitar show, and take orders from the small shops for you. :-)
You don't get true maple tops unless it's custom shop for like 25 years now with any manufacturer really.
R350 is Radius 350mm (close to 14 inches, about like the Nick Johnston Schecter).
from a business perspective a new company not putting locking tuners on the guitar and not including a gig bag/case makes sense because then they can add these to the next wave of guitars sparking new interest in the brand .
So someone who owns one may then sell their current model to get the new model with those features the second hand market has an increase in this model giving the company coverage then if those who buy the second hand guitars love them they'll look at getting a brand new one with extra features and so on.
That's how I see it anyway, but for an existing company at that price bracket you best give me at least a gig bag lol
I’m actually really interested to try the evertune thing which I’ve not. I think it’s like the tuners are locked in the neck and you should adjust the bridge to get it right n’yeah I’m getting Solar V2 soon
Quote from Ola's comment ''Some of the things you mention, like the lack of gigbag and locking tuners is something we’ve already changed for the second Limited Edition series'' are all the S types Limited Edition? They all don't come with a gigbag..
good question... I think the blue one is limited to 50... the others? I think they are the regular series....
The other guitars are regular models, but they are the only guitars in the whole lineup not coming with a gigbag..
Can you review the Harley Benton Fusion-HSH Roasted Maple, when they are out (3 weeks I guess)? It is a really pretty guitar at a higher price point than the regular harley benton stuff.
Will do
Was excited about getting one of these but couldn't find anything about how the guitar actually FEELS. Since I have a fetish for Wizard necks, I'll be looking elsewhere. Thanks for another great review!
Am I missing something about the gig bag rant? Didn’t he take the gig bag out of the box and throw it to the side at the 3:01 mark??? Is he trying to say it should have been shipped inside the gig bag??? Decent review though, even though he didn’t take the time to read up on the ever tune and give an actual informative review on how it functions and performs!!!
the gig bag in the box was not from Solar and was shipped to me for a different review.
Auch , wenn ich der einzige bin, der auf deutsch schreibt, muss ich wirklich sagen , dass ich 2 Dinge richtig gut finde : 1. das Review, ( Ende mit Englisch😬) wirklich klasse !!
2. das Ola sich die Zeit für eine Antwort nimmt und die Kritik annimmt !
Nut width? Thanks in advance!
Can you please tell me how I can get a wall of heads that I can easily switch between I love that so much
Hi Henning.
Love your channel
Ola englund checks every guitar him self in the factory.
There is a RUclips vlog about it on his RUclips.
Right on Henning, I agree 1000%, people work hard to buy a want, not a need, so the least a company can do it include even a cheap gig bag!!
I was just about to comment the same. I don't always agree with Henning but I do always respect his experience. It's good to see that despite having a freaking showroom full of guitars himself he still gets that for some of us an instrument costing £1000+ might be a once in a lifetime purchase and, as such, it would be nice to see the manufacturers acknowledge this with respectful packaging.
No. A cheap gig bag worsens the "experience", it's like those cheap cables people throw away, asking why they had to buy some extra-junk they didn't want.
So it has to be a good gigbag, or soft case, or hard case… but which one of these? People have their preferences. Go for one and it will be wrong two times out of three, people thinking, "well, I didn't want to spend money on this, I prefer that other type".
So you leave it up to them to spend their money the way they want.
"I'm not going to look at the specs..."
"...it says in the specs..."
I love you reviews!!
very good review. I like when people are honest and give people shit on some things that may be kind of minor. But at that price you want something worth the price.
I got an A.26C and it has fret buzz :(
It's an electric guitar.
@@orangecarbad8892Yes I know it's an electric guitar, so what?
Springs are totally metal tension things.
Why TF would you need locking tuners with an Evertune bridge?
string changing
He does go to the factory and check all the guitars himself, he recently uploaded a vlog doing this.
I love how you can just switch amps with a click. Nice. Ampete switcher ?
Did you literally throw the gig bag in the beginning, only to complain that it didn’t come with one?
That gig bag did not belong to the guitar, it was something else that I had shipped in the same box... would have been really nice if it came with that one!
EytschPi42 oh gotcha. Thanks for the reply. Subscribe!!!
Damn that's a great looking guitar.
Doesn't need locking tuners it has an everyone bridge
I really love the bright clean tones on this, I'm surprised.
I really like the body shape. The horns are just right, IMO.
Other than that, I don't know if I'd be a fan of the Evertune or hate it and I agree with you: At that price range, locking tuners shouldn't be a topic of discussion... and a gigbag just gives that nice, fuzzy feeling when unpacking. Veneer is fine, IMO, if the price is justified otherwise by the hardware used and the production quality.
As for the video: I would have preferred a comparison with the cheaper Solar guitars you got instead of all those different amps in the sounds section. According to the specs, they all use the same pickups, tuners and nut.... so that leaves me wondering: On the manufacturer's site, I could buy a A2.6C for 699€ or a S1.6ET LTD for 1299€. That's a price increase of 600€ or 86%.
Differences, visuals aside? Mahagony neck vs. maple neck, Evertune bridge vs. "fixed bridge" and locking tuners (seems they changed that?) vs. non-locking ones. So... if the S1.6ET is a good instrument for 1299€ and I can do without the Evertune system, the 699€ A2.6C should basically be a steal?
(Funnily enough, on the manufacturer's site, the 1299€ one also comes with a gigbag.)
I get why you give us all these different amps, but a comparison between the guitar models would have been more interesting to me.
Anybody else who thinks the sound is terribly fuzzy??
Henning, there’s a few reasons you’re at 72k subs and Robs at 500k. I saw you blame the audience for misunderstanding your Chapman video. Seriously man, not cool. Your reviews always position you as the expert or intend to show YOUR reaction and you think the audience will then make a decision based on your advice. This only partly true. We are looking for not only your opinion on quality/comparable market value but more importantly who would might it suit, what use cases would it be good for, what alternatives might One consider. You’re a smart guy and produce high quality video. I hope you can learn from feedback like this and help even more people thereby helping your own growth.
I'm not a metal player but I love watching Ola's channel & might buy one just because they look so cool....as far as Chapman guitars, I had the Bea model and it was decent, a little on the heavy side & tone wise very dark.. just ended up not being what I wanted...that's the risk you take ordering online 😏😏
I'd consider one if they'd come with stainless steel frets.
I had a luthier put stainless steel frets on my Agile Reaper at a exorbitant cost, but it was worth it. I would consider a Solar guitar if it had Stainless, and I also would like some longer scale options, for lower tunings.
He personally checks every guitar!! He doesn't check how they're packed. But every one he's received and other ppl have been double boxed and fine. Have you ever been completely pleased. I think you might be unpleaseable . I would love to receive my guitar like that
I am a reviewer. It is my job to find flaws and point them out. I compare the features to other instruments in the same price range.
This is what a review is.
It’s a good guitar. Don’t take offense because you bought it...
Doesn't Arnold from unbiased gear reviews have a review on the chapman guitars? anyways im with you that its great to see a decent review on these
In 1998 I bought a made in China guitar marketed by Marshall in a kit. It was $199 Canadian. It came with a gig bag. Just saying.
So completely agree...im of the opinion a hardcase should be standard with any guitar purchase
"judging a guitar on clean"
Ah, I See You're a Man of Culture As Well
I have one of the older Washburn parallax Ola guitars. Same body shape and tuners but a cheap bridge. Anyway I still rate this guitar as incredible after many years
17:00 the price based on evertune. (+300$)
I see the beautiful RG550 hanging in the background in every video and hope to soon get a full review of this beauty... :-)
nope...there was a first impression video, that's it!
Hi! this guitar in single cut or a ltd ec 1000 with seymour duncans? :P
Its the glue seeping threw the veneer pushed through in the clamping process. Those were probably the points with most pressure applied. Instead of even pressure. That's why you don't veneer a 1300 dollar guitar plus say you have a whooopsie and you put a nice 8 inch long 1/16 inch dig in it wood top fixable pain in ass but fixable. Veneer you ain't fixing it maybe make it less noticeable but I don't care how good you are at finishing your gonna see it.
Hello that’s a great review . May you tell me which lights you use for your video ? That ones on the wall near the monitors...
those are normal household LED panels.... but the main light in me is a Lightpanels Gemini 2x1
Setting up a Evertune is ridiculously easy and quick. Best investment I ever made.
good to know! Thanks!
Yeah Ola checks them himself and has made 2 Videos about it! ;P - thx for this helpful review! if u get the chance... pls! check out the FGNs that thomann has in stock atm! i think they are totally under the radar...