Grote Hollowbody Unboxing, Demo & Review
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- Just had this Grote Hollow Body ZTVS-001 delivered. Here's my unboxing, demo and review. Hope y'all find it useful! Like and subscribe for more geeky guitar and music related stuff.
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1st. Holding my breath as you unbox the guitar. Abysmal protection, and with that big dent on the box, I thought for sure the side would be caved in. (Glad it was not) 2nd. You are an incredible guitarist and make that guitar sing sweetly. 3rd. Your review is stellar, and your gentle tonality in speaking draws the listener right in. I bought two of these guitars Cherry, and Sunburst, and have done no work to either and am blown away by the VALUE of these guitars. I suppose someday I will fine-tune the set-up/frets etc, but for now having too much fun as is. Thank you for taking the time to make such a quality video review. GREAT JOB SIR!!!!!!
Thanks! Yeah, the packaging made me super nervous...but I think they've figured out something there. I've had guits show up double boxed, foam packed, etc. and fully wrecked. One with the screws ripped out of the pocket. This thing took a BEATING. The video doesn't even show the extent really. Seems like they found a balance between just enough space and just enough material to get most of their guits where they're headed. Thx for watching!
Dang! A review that's got more than 60 seconds of noodling, but a chance to hear what the guitar really sounds like. Good on ya!
Listened again and, darn, missed, first time out, the little bit of Wes Montgomery tossed in. Nice!
Loved that you played over the unboxing
Sounds like you play jazz just fine! Nice playing and nice clean tone. I have the same model (red) and I'm using D'Addario Half Rounds (EHR350) 12/52. They are a nice blend of the qualities of both flat and round wound strings. I like that they retain the unplugged volume of this guitar which is one of my favorite things about it. I have removed the pick guard, upgraded the tuners (Gotoh SG381-04 Keystone) and added a pickup spacer. I also replaced the softwood bridge base with a rosewood one (~$18) and this greatly improved sustain and volume. Not planning any other mods. I just love the sound of the P90 pickup. Best Jazz guitar value around. Thanks for the great video!
Swapping the bridge base is a great thought! I'll definitely give that a shot.
Love your intros , love seeing what to expect while unboxing, but I prefer to hearing your playing while that is happening, and you are a very great presenter, you know your stuff.
Never seen a better review. Didn't miss all the cardboard and shipping tape one bit!
I have the same guitar BTW; it's a lot of fun.
Subscribing.
I just now received mine directly from China. It was packed in a 1” thick styrofoam coffin with adequate support for the neck. It is flawless! It took a month, but it had to go through customs in China, waited for space on a plane, then customs in NY. I got the radio shack cable, an allen wrench, two picks and a polishing cloth. Nice. The frets are smooth, with no fret bloom. Now I have to ser it up.
I just got mine today. Out of the box I just lowered the bridge and tuned it up. Considering cheap strings and one obvious tuning machine with excess slack, this is a great guitar and sounds good. Like you said, some things to fix/upgrade but well worth the price. Works great unplugged also. Great review BTW
Are you able to take your knobs off ?.... I can't get mine off to save my life.... Feels like it's gonna break something.
I have several different guitars that sit on stands around where i sit and play. Seems like every time i sit and start to reach for one or another, this little sweet Grote ends up in my hands. Great video man! Excellent honest review.
Yours is the best review of this guitar because of your fantastic playing.
I'm sold, man. I want one of these super bad now. They've gone up in price since you recorded and published this video, but even still, at $200, it seems like a fantastic deal.
Wow.. great review and very nice Jazz sounds. I really can't do Jazz but I love your playing here. The Guitar and your playing is wonderful from here on my computer. I love the music while you unbox. I generally hate watching someone open a box and never watch that part. But playing while you show it, a fantastic idea. Makes me want to buy one of these. Great job!
Great job, shame to see this channel isn't larger than it is. Awesome playing and review.
Holy smokes dude. That playing in the intro had me glued ! Hats off to you sir. Following for sure 👍
Got a Grote coming today and I must say that I feel better about the purchase after seeing this review. Great Job!
Mine arrives next Thursday!
I can hardly wait!!!!
i’ve probably watched a dozen RUclips reviews on the Grote and it seems to be an absolutely amazing guitar. I’ve already cleared out my schedule for Thursday because I know I likely won’t be doing anything else once the delivery gets here! Looking forward to joining the “Great Grote Club!”
A wonderful insightful review, I couldn't find one on Amazon, needless to say I have one on order from China. Thanks for a great review. 🙏
I just discovered your channel, and I am so thankful that I did. I just ordered one today and I am eagerly awaiting the arrival.
Thx James!
All those Ellie Mae by the cement pond chords. Outstanding!!!
Y'all come back now
Invite Earl Scruggs to come on by with the rest of the Boys.
Great review. Love that you didn't concentrate on distortion but displayed the fundamental tones in such a comprehensive way. It might be a great guitar for western swing, too.
Just here to leave one of those “I can’t believe you don’t have more subscribers” comments. Your videos are great!
Beautiful rich, full sound.
Kudos to your playing
Man, that is just sweet.... speaking about your playing and that picking from the bridge to the PU. Nice.
Great Playing and Excellent Guitar Review! Can't believe what you get for the money! Sounds fantastic! Subscribed!
I did just put a spacer in mine and i did put the pick-guard back on too. Looks good either way, but i like the Art-Deco style scratch plate. If not for that i would also left it off. I have bought so many guitars over the years, and for the price (even 3-4 times the price) i think this is my favorite. I am an old guy and a few years ago owned over 170 high end guitars. Funny how little things can make you feel good sometimes. Thanks for the great review video!
Excellent review: I picked the same one up a year ago, and your evaluation is dead on. Highly recommend, but you’ll need to factor in another hundred bucks or so to the purchase price for a necessary professional set-up.
What size are the frets? Small, medium? Jumbo? Thanks
I really like how you played through the unboxing rather than talked through like others do. Much more informative and nice playing!
I just got one last week. A lot of guitar for the buck.
Hello. What size Frets are on it?
Thanks
Great review....I wish you filmed setting up the guitar......Guitar sounded awesome
Right up my street this lovely wee guitar, regardless of its price point. Doing a little bit of work to get it just right can often be part of the fun. I could imagine this guitar being the first one I pick up ... and I have a few ( much more expensive instruments ) in my collection. Fabulous tone and wonderful playing brother. Thank you.
Sounds and looks incredible! Thank you for the review!
Excellent. It appears to be far better than it should be.
No lie, I've watched this video at least 5 times: fantasizing about donating enough plasma to cop it at $300 (this video probably helped nearly double the price). I've gotta have it!
Wow.. a V neck for the Loar eh. I had in my possession for many years a strat with a very pronounced V neck. I wish all guitars had V necks. I can play comfortably for hours with a V neck. They just sit in the cusp from my thumb to my forefinger perfectly.
Love your playing style..
It has a jazz feel..really cool guitar..
Just found this video - thank you so much for doing a review of a guitar that's not marinated in overdrive/fuzz, especially as it's a 'jazz box'. Very impressed - great playing and nice guitar for my style (jump-blues & jazz-ish)
How wonderful it is to feel "clean." Merry Christmas, MNS.
Sounds Beautiful. They have gone up now in 2022, but still not badly priced. Just cant find them in any of the local music stores. So Amazon it is I guess. I have all the tools, files and such so why not. Thanks for the review, hearing one played so well always helps when the only option is online.
Wow, top guitar. Perfect sound.
I'm apparently late to the party, but awesome job on this video my friend, and you're not too bad on the old eardrums either!
I'm not quite the player you are, but I've been at it a long time (several decades) and I can totally relate with several things you said about having "a thing" for thinline archtops for reasons all their own. For me, I never thought about even touching one until 2008 or so, when picking up somebody's junky old Harmony Broadway after being asked to play a little at a small back patio gathering/party. Anyway, to my astonishment, I basically fell in love with the stupid piece of junk, and I eventually ended up buying an Epi 335-PRO because of that little experience. Anyway, the Groat model in this video reminds me a lot of a 50's or 60's Epiphone Granada that I played once, which I liked even more. That said, since the price sure can't be beat, I might just have to buy one of these. Anyway, thanks again for posting this video.
God bless & take care
Awesome playing, what a sweet sounding instrument
Im gonna buy one to play Lumineers music, that will be sweet.
Tone is also in the hands!!...
I have been thinking of buying on of these for the acoustic value. Plus I can plug it in and the p 90 set up is fine. I was looking at the firefly in the same price range but this appears to be a better deal. I'm not a jazz player but like I say it's somewhat acoustic also. It appears the bridge is not floating. the firefly has 2 P -90's same price range.
I have the 335 version of this. Upgraded and I love it. Thinking about getting this one too. I played the epiphone and DeAngelico and I like the grote better at less than half the price
Excellent review. Well spoken and with great detail. Thanks for sharing...
Looks like love on first sight!
that’s similar to the size of the solid body or semi solid body of BNG little sister guitars and man those sound great too!
90% of the guitar tone is the person playing. Guitar is still good for the money.
Great review, like your playing very much. Best to you from the U.K. 👍👏
Sounds great! 🎉
love the review, love the guitar, and love your playin....
Very nice guitar, great tone and playing
Very nice it's kind of like the old classic Gibson guitars way back it's very vintage looking
Yes. Appears to be modeled after the ES-125T. My dad had one back in the day ...
Sponginess? You probably are talking about compression. There is a sort of plosive to the strings similar to a person speaking the P sound. The trapeze tail piece and shallow angle of the strings going over the bridge cause less tension on the strings. Which makes it easier to bend the strings. This contributes to the compression sound. The strings have a little less resistance as they are plucked. They move more before the release of the pick gets the strings fully vibrating. Maybe that slightly lower tension is what you describe as sponginess.
On Les Paul style guitars, elevating the Stop Bar Tailpiece will lessen the tension of the strings. Some people even top wrap their strings _over_ the Stop Bar Tailpiece for lower tension. To me, a wrap around bridge does not create that same feeling. The tension is higher.
Fantastic!
What gauge strings do you recommend & brand. Awesome review . Thank you so much 👍🎸🎶
I've been considering one of these, but something I've noticed is a lack of either a gig bag or case being made available for the Jazz Guitar style (neither Grote nor Redid labels seem to show them anywhere). If you have found a suitable bag or hard case, could you share what make and model you use (or modified for use)? Thank you so much, and thank you for your videos ~
From personal experience, the allure of these super inexpensive instruments is strong, but let’s crunch the numbers…
I bought a Grote hollow body Jazz guitar, not this one, but with a cutaway, for $300. Within a year, I had to replace the pots, switch, jack, pickups, and tuners, and get a fret job. The wiring cost about $60, the pickups $150 each, the tuners were $100, and the fret job was $100. A total of $860. For that price I could have gotten an Epiphone or Ibanez, or something along those lines.
This was a year ago, your mileage may vary.
Great job friend! Thank You.
OK man I got one that’s beautiful. It sounds pretty good out of the box but what strings are you using?
I had high frets on my 1000€ semihollow Ibanez.
Have you Removed the stick-back tape off the bottom of the bridge?
Was gonna try some different knobs on mine, but they seem to be put on with epoxy, or something.... Haha..... Awesome guitar though!
Great video. Was wondering was amp and settings you are using?
Would you be kind enough to tell where you purchased this from?
Great review!
is the color you are showing the standard sunburst? It looks more reddish color
How's the neck profile? I'm looking for a slimmer neck for finger picking blues playing.
It has a little chunk to it but definitely still within the "C" profile. For me, this guit shines when the action's not too low. So the little extra beef on the neck tends to make that a little more comfy than if were thinner. Of course, different hands will tell different stories.
Nice tone...wondering what amplifier he is using to achieve that.
If I wanted to sound like Izzy Stradlin did with that kind of guitar on the Appetite album, how good would be my chances?
DOESTHIS STAY IN TUNE AND IS IT QUIET OR NOISY PICKUP
How have the frets held up over 3 years of playing? Did they evaporate from ware and care?
It's not a daily driver for me, so YMMV. For the use it gets in my studio - maybe averaging a session or two a month - there's no appreciable wear. The frets themselves are well within 'regular" med to med jumbo sizing and although I don't have any inside info, most nickel/silver frets on top the planet are 18% nickel and bought as bulk. So I'd be very surprised, all things being equal, if these would wear any faster than most. IMO, the choice of string and a player's left hand technique are likely to be the two biggest factors in how quickly a level or refret is needed.
Do you know of a good hard case for this guitar??🙏🏻
You don't play jazz? Sounds like you do. :-)
I've subscribed! Do you recommend this guitar for a beginning electric player? Played acoustic for years, and I find this model quite appealing. What do you say?
Coming from acoustic, yeah I think it's fine. And a super fun gtr for me. But if you're trying to "go electric" with this purchase, maybe the 338 (I responded to your comment on that vid) might be a better choice. But only because it's more of a departure. This gtr is more mellow and a great strummer, but I wouldn't rec it for learning more lead type stuff necessarily.
Sounds great, what amp, or amp simulation are you using?
Don’t recall the setting from this vid, but I use Helix Native for most of my videos, running inside Logic. Go-to amp models are the Grammatico bright, the AC15 and the Dr. X.
Did you use the factory strings on for the review or change them out? If so, what did you replace them with?
Don’t recall, but there’s a good chance I replaced them. I generally use NYXLs…..XLs if I’m still contemplating changing gauges - just cuz the NYXLs are a bit pricey.
Your review of this guitar differs from others in one important way. You have the decency, as an experienced player to warn off beginners from getting this guitar that would certainly not be helpful in their development.
I say that because that is exactly who these cheapo companies are targeting with the price point. I have been back into guitar playing for 3 years now and am currently an intermediate player. My early development (years ago) was frustrated by purchasing a cheap guitar with terrible workmanship. If you are new and you have only 260.00 to spend (the Grote plus upgrades), do yourself a favor and buy a decent used guitar from a known manufacturer.
But, if you have some luthier skills and want to take a flier, go ahead and get this guitar. If you are that skilled then you already know what your getting for your money.
well done!
Buen sonido, buena interpretación, buena grabación.
I was thinking of getting one of these, but now that you tell me they come needing fret work, I will definitely not buy one of these.
I tried the exact guitar at the store. Didn't like it all. Wouldn't stay in tube and the sound was uneventful. No way I wouldn't pay more than what there asking as it's not even worth that.
No need for distortion for these guitars , it's for jazz and rock and roll
One of the best guitar reviews I've ever watched. Bravo, good sir!
If you are willing to invest a little money in some decent luthier tools and watch some videos, inexpensive guitars are fantastic deals for your average Joe or Joanne. If you screw up your first attempts your out very little money. Buy a cheap Glarry and use it to learn how to level frets, shim necks, replace nuts etc.Trust me, I’ve seen $500+ guitars with fret issues. Once you have the tools and some knowledge, you can turn cheap guitars into great players.
Absolutely!
I agree completely. There's no need to spend big anymore. Well trained and equipped factories around the world. 60 years of play and a room full of guitars, the ones I grab to record are usually the very inexpensive ones. I have many high end, brand name guitars that required more work than this Grote. I also agree, a trapezoid tailpiece is great for that 'spongyness'. 😍 Thanks Sir!
This must be some kind of really good guitar..he's like the sixth guy I've seen promoting it..
❤
Great review! Time mark 14:39 100% Wes Montgomery tone I'm hearing... It's that great p90 in the neck position love that sound. I have not done a review on it yet, but I got a Grote "thinline tele-style" guitar for $99.00 new, that I feel the same way. Seems like this Grote company really has better quality control than others out there. Have a great upcoming holiday season.. all the best!
From Leo: Great demo, your chops really bring out the best of that guitar. I bought one a year ago, after pricing a Guild T50. It took a little set up and fret work to get it playing well, about the same as you. The Kluson Contemporary tuners were a great drop in replacement. Loved the tone except for the hum from the lighting where I play. I made an adapter out of an old dog ear cover to mount a Filtertron neck pick up. Sweet, articulate tones, without the hum problem. Like you said, very low money, and can be really good with some additional attention to detail.
Excellent review and some tasty playing. A year ago I bought a Grote 335 purple and gold guitar and did exactly the same fret work you described to get it to the level I wanted. I also added a Duesenberg Les Trem (flat arm) in place of the stop tail. This guitar now plays and looks way above the purchase price. I also love the thin body style.
Great video, thanks for playing Wes Montgomery octaves, they sounded very good!
that sounds like a high end jazz box
Interesting video . The Chinese have learned the art of building guitars . Nice tone on your Grote , and it helps to show off the guitar when you play it so nicely !
i've watched 2 of your videos so far and the presentation is fantastic. looking forward to more videos!
GOOD REVIEW ! I love my Grote . I didn't have all the fret issues as you , they were dirty and needed polished but no uneven frets or sharp ends . The nut on mine needed a little work . It sounds just like yours and for $160 bucks I love it . I'm going to replace the tuners a place a bone nut on it . Thanks for the review. I'm as happy as you . take care .
It makes a huge difference when the reviewer is a great player. This is the case here. While the specs matter, the sonic truth is evident in the performance. Strikingly good instrument that just speaks. It's hard to evaluate a guitar when the reviewer just fumbles some weak noodling. You get the sense of dynamics and how it would make MUSIC. So, this video wins for all. Nice.
Excellent job young man. I think this is my third video and as long as you do this type of video, I’ll be watching. None better. From a retired old man in the great state of Florida, Sebastian, that can only afford cheap, love it.🤐
What amp are you playing through?
I bought one of these on the strength of your review. I had one high fret to lower and used some OOOO steel wool to polish all the frets a little.When I changed the strings the bridge seems to have some sticky tape under it to hold it in place. Do you think that interferes with the vibrations being transfered to the body? Thanks for the review, I think you steered me right.
The tape is a fairly usual find. I don’t think the interference would outweigh the benefits of having the bridge stay put.
About the pronunciation of The Loar. I assume it is named for famed 1920s builder/designer Lloyd Loar. Every interview I have heard where he is mentioned pronounced his last name as Low-are. Maybe we can assume this is the same?
Awesome review, one of the best I have seen in a very long time. 🙏