I just got one of these in. I saw the picture and thought I'd use the body for a project. The body is way nice. I was surprised. I figured the neck had to be junk. I checked it out and the neck was level and the frets were level. All I did was lightly smooth the edges and polished all the frets. I had one string that was barely sharp. I like the bridge too. I replaced the strings and put on a set of Grover tuners I had laying around for a year. I had planned to replace all the electronics and the pickups, but I think I'll leave them alone for awhile. This guitar could easily be a $300-$500 guitar. Maybe I got a 1 in a million, I don't know. Very pleased with mine though.
I still play mine regularly. All I had to do was file down the sharp fret edges. There are a couple of comments on here of people who got a bad one, but most are well-made. Thanks for the comment!
I own three IYV guitars and I know some people find issues. I must have been luck because all three came flawless. I bought the Green Les Paul and it was so nice the next week I bought the Mustang Hybrid and it was again incredible and Finally I bought the hollow body with solid wood running down the center jazz guitar and I have to say yes it can play jazz but this this guitar can Rock out. I’ve been playing and teaching and gigging 40+ years. I own high-end guitars and I will go as far as to say the quality of these instruments or something you would expect to pay five times the amount for. I gig and also work as a studio guitarist and they just can’t get over it and the studios. They say I’ve never heard of something like this I said yeah I think they’re kind of new maybe unknown but they sure are fantastic guitars and I’ve got three perfect specimens. I’m not impressed with the way they’re packed and I am surprised they actually get anywhere in one piece but all three of mine did without a scratch or a malfunction of Any guitar part.
I've got this same exact guitar. It's killer. I love it, and I just couldn't believe what I was able to get for $169 bucks. It didn't need much - just a pretty significant truss rod adjustment, because the strings were laying on the fret-board when I unboxed it. After 5 minutes, and a simple adjustment.... BOOM! The guitar is killer, and the pick-ups on mine are smokin' hot. I was stunned.
I have had mine a little over a week, and blown away. Plays perfectly (after dropping the action some) doesn't fret out anywhere. Pickups are crazy good!! Best $147 I ever spent on a guitar. Yep, was on sale!
I bought mine as a Christmas present to myself. From what I've read, they're made in the Harley Benton Factory and that makes sense because HB has the same guitar, the only difference is the headstock which is more Tele Style on the HB. What pisses me off about this Guitar is... it has become my Go To guitar as I seem to grab it whenever I play. That's a problem because my Gibson USA LP and SG as well as my Fender USA Strats and Tele's are collecting dust. I love everything about this guitar, the finish, the tone and most importantly... the feel (comfort). Glad I decided to take the chance on it.
I believe it's the other way around. IYV makes some guitars for HB as well as ESP and others. I have two HB's but the VAT is what turns me off of them now. Otherwise they are great deals! I have an IJZ 300 and really like it.
You are quite a good player and your natural speaking style makes for a good review. I was intrigued with this guitar after watching Jimmy Stewart's review but it was your playing and the sounds you got that convinced me to buy one. Thank you, I'm very glad I did!
Nice licks and really appreciate hearing the guitar through the Spark (another Spark owner here). I also appreciate not drowning the guitar in a bunch of reverb too. It really has a nice presence to it's nature resonance. Its a beauty 😍 Good job!
I have this same guitar , took it to my guitar tech . He did fret work and lowered the action , new strings . I do have fender player series telecaster . I play IYV more currently.. underrated lil guitar .
*I have 3 IYV's, two of them are the same 200NA model that's neck-thru sycamore and there's absolutely no brand out there like them. The other is a neck-thru PRS clone and it's nice than the cheap PRS's that sell for a grand.* They also make guitars for Harley Benton so I'm not surprised. *Right now, guitars are at a peak in quality in terms of cost. $230 guitars today are literally matching the $2300 American made version.* I'm a symphonic shred-n-sweep style guitarist and also a college educated electronics engineer. *My standards are unusually high granted I can modify or fix anything.*
just got an IYV jaguar acoustisonic and the thing is amazing. I am sold on their guitars. Less than a G&L tribute or Squire Classic vibe and better neck and fretwork imo.
You are way too modest man! Great playing and a very good honest review. Very very informative and your playing is absolutely great . I got one after your review and am totally satisfied. IYV (misspelled IVY by Amazon) make some great cheap guitars. Thanks!
It's not misspelled..... it is IYV, it's actually the initials of the maker/founder according to what I read......I am probably going to get the "Bronco, or Musicmaster or whatever it is...... unbelievable..... The first time I played a Vietnamese guitar, it was an ESP Les Paul type and I was floored. I believe these guitars are a sleeper, and I've been wanting to get a guitar made in Vietnam. Harley Benton guitars are (some of them) made in Vietnam too, probably at the same factory as the ESP, because they look identical. Anyway, congrats on your guitar, and I think I'm gonna snap one up now, before the price goes up. Cheers!
-the man who designed the guitars, was a Korean man named Inyen Vena.. the guitars are named after him... "IYV", for short... some people call them "Inyen Vena's" instead of "IYV's"
Just got mine today. I have number of guitars, Fender Strat, Gibson Les Paul, ESP, Godin. I was absolutely pleasantly surprised with the overall quality and setup out of the box. For the price, this is extremely good. The frets were nice and smooth, the nut was fine as well. The only thing I did was change the strings to Ernie Ball 9's and conditioned the fretboard while at it, as it looked a bit dry. Bottom line, very impressed with build and quality and it plays extremely well. I especially love the neck pickup with the tone pot turned down a bit through my Fender Deluxe amp with a bit of chorus.
You're making me miss my 40 Fender Deluxe...I sold it because everywhere I play, people said it was too loud! I had to file the frets to get them a little smoother on mine, and yes, the fretboard conditioning (I use the ernie ball wipes), but you're right. This guitar holds it's own.
Just delivered. I was concerned no double box, but guitar is in good shape. Looks nice, a few minor imperfections. Satin neck is gr8. No sharp frets. light as a feather. Nice set up, action low but not too low, no buzz. Tuned right up and intonation surprisingly close. Bought this for the P90s, they are crisp and clean. Tone and vol nobs/pots smooth, 3 way switch seems solid. After about an hour with it, I'm pretty happy. Will be gr8 4 some Stones covers and the like.
I like the way these guys call themselves amateurs. We're mostly all amateurs unless you make a living playing and you play very well.. BTW, I have one of these and it's a great guitar for the money.
I smoothed the fret ends down with a sanding block and very fine sandpaper to polish. Now it's silky smooth up and down the neck. How are the frets on yours?
I have the IYV 8-string lap steel guitar which served as their prototype in the 2013 NAMM Convention. It is a remarkable build! I thought how could be so remarkable at the price. The answer rests with the fact that skilled luthiers earned about $8,000/yr in 2021! This guitar will always be part of my collection.
IYV guitars are well-made guitars. They're budget guitars, sure, but these guitars come pretty well stocked right out of the box. I have the LP tribute model but I have been thinking of getting another one. IYV guitars will probably be worth a few bucks 10 to 20 years from now. And, if the company folds, or gets gobbled by a bigger company, that'll just make them go up in value even faster. It's not a bad little guitar at all!
"With almost no defectiveness", lol. Jk, I always get a kick out of the descriptions they put on their instruments. I have 3 of their guitars, the lp included and for the money you just can't beat it. I just bought an epiphone sg g400 pro that doesn't hold a candle to my Iyv's which is pretty crazy considering the price difference. The days were in now with the quality of cheap instruments is a great time to be a guitar player. I wish I had the accessibility to them back when I started as opposed to now but its not stopping me from checking a few out. I'm not a guitar snob at all and will continue to take advantage of all these great guitars that are being put out today compared to when I first started playing. Cheers🍻
@scott fisher Well, they are putting detail and care into their setups from what I know and there's a value there for people who don't do that themselves. And for sure some of their models have some nicer binding (including abalone for those who like that). And they do have a LOT more colors and options that what we can get inthe US from IVY. But they can't compare in bang for buck with IVY. AIO/Wolf are pushing $500. That's not so budget. Lots of selctions/variety with Xaviere for a lot less.
Was just asked to do a setup on one of these for a friend. My first impressions weren’t great, a lot of stuff needed to be adjusted in terms of the action and intonation. However, once I finally got that straightened out and plugged it in, I was very surprised at how good the sound quality was on this thing. For context, I was comparing it to my main axe, a Jackson Dinky with Seymour Duncans and a Floyd Rose Special. I had to do a double take after realizing how good the sound quality was on this little Ivy guitar, especially on the bridge pickup. I’m used to Duncans, and these pickups still impressed me. The neck pickup was less impressive to me. Still sounded decent, but my only complaint was that it was a bit more watered down and muddy on the low end (though it was beefy and sounded good in the mids). Still not even remotely a fair comparison, I was comparing to seymore Duncans (and I am picky with my tones.) Still, the bridge pickup really impressed me a lot, and the neck pickup was still decent (albeit not quite as good, but still plenty serviceable. It probably just needed some EQ work to remove out some of the rumbly lows, I bet I could have dialed it in pretty quickly in the DAW a high pass filter or a parametric EQ.) I will say, these guitars do feel very cheaply made. This isn’t a criticism, you expect that on any guitar on this price range, and this guitar is no exception. They do play quite well once you get them set up, and it’s an odd feeling because it literally feels like a $100 bottom of the barrel axe, but it plays like something that costs five times as much. You pick it up and expect it to have terrible playability, but then you plug it in and realize that this thing actually sounds great, and it’s pretty comfortable to play on too (and to shred on, it has the output for it), despite having some of the cheapest feeling wood I’ve ever seen on a guitar. 😂 Do be prepared to do a proper setup, it sounds much better once you do. The sound quality was a pleasant surprise to see on a guitar that was this cheap though, really does not sound like a $150 guitar
I've reviewed a few of these guitars - good value for the money. Inyen Vina is a Korean company that manufactures in Viet Nam. I believe the factory has made some Harley Bentons too.
Thanks! I thought I had heard it was Korean, but when the guitar came and it said "Made in Vietnam," I started to wonder. Now it makes sense! Thanks for the info. I want to try a Harley Benton. Do you have any experience with their fusion models?
IYV makes guitars for many manufacturers. The fretboard looks to be of Jatoba, a reddish-brown wood common in many of todays guitars. Those P90's sound great and the bound quilted finish is amazing. I ordered one because they actually make a lefty [Yea.!!]. Unfortunately, it's on backorder. Like you, I always have my eye out for hidden gems like this but there are fewer choices for us lefty's although I've managed to accrue over 20 so far lol, so I resemble your shirt in that respect. I always do my own fretwork/setup and use only graph-tech nuts. Music Nomad makes some decent Luthier tools that don't cost the big Stew-Mac bucks but I would recommend getting the Stew-Mac fret end dressing file.
I just picked up a IYV center block, hollow body that someone bought a year ago and never tried it. for 200 Canadian, and I got to see it first. It plays great. Could use strings , but first impressions are pretty darned good. It's absolutely amazing what is available these days. The tuners are kind of cheap. Money well spent!
I just jammed mine out last night at band practice , we covered things from Beatles , Petty, Dictators, Bob Welch, Springsteen . This guitar is a friken steal buy one ☝️, P90s have great character. Finish is gorgeous, I put 10-56 on mine . Very happy , a bit of neck dive is only drawback .
I ordered one of these a few minutes ago. Hadn't seen the video, but been chomping at the bit to try some P90's and was looking at an oldish used Squier Tele. Whatcha know, the best of both worlds!
I got their green Les Paul style, and I love it. I did a modicum of setup, that's it. I liked the humbuckers enough that I think I'm gonna put em in the GFS yellowburst one I just got, I already pulled em out of the lp and replaced em with a set of Warman P-90s.
You're playing is pretty good, better than mine for sure! You may want to practice with a metronome to get your timing down. That lick at 6:07 is all Jimmy.
Mira compre la 300 EGR bellísimo verde esmeralda tengo una fender strato y una ephipone sg ya tengo un rato tocando guitarra y me pareció una buena elección es una buena guitarra
In answer to your shirt...All of them!! lol On a more serious note, after watching many reviews on this particular model, I am seriously considering adding one to my stable. I already have 2 other IYV guitars and was surprised at the quality, although one came upgraded ( jag/stang copy had tuners changed out to wilkinsons and the pickups were changed to grey bottoms).
I just found one for $145 and snapped it up... prayin' its not a pile o !@#&$ when it arrives lol... I just received one of the EART telecasters and I am stunned at how nice it is for #200 excellent fit and finish, holds tune solidly, good pickup sound, only nit picky issue ive found so far is the frets while polished and beautifully rounded are varying degrees back off the edge of the fret board... most are about .08 mm - 1.3 mm back but a cpl have almost 2mm setback on one side with 1mm easy on the other... figure if you have 1.2 set back on each side thats almost 2.5mm of missing fret you cant use.... I'd rather dress my own fret ends and shite if it means we get full length frets....
@@generalawareness101 I hear you. Once tried 11's on my Les Paul. Couldn't bend much of anything. I don't know how SRV did it with 13's. I mean, he played half step down most of the time, but still.
@@justinbishopmusic Yeah, 13's LOL. You might as well be playing on Rebar at that point. Hell, just go to Home Depot and buy some Romex then string the guitar to play with that.
Ok what songs should I learn? And what strings do you recommend for standard D? I was using 8s but I suspect heavier gauge is in order for that tuning.
Keep checking! They come back in stock regularly. I also really enjoy their jazz/blues style here: www.amazon.com/IJZ-300-TSB-Solid-Body-Electric-Sunburst/dp/B0107BCV1M/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=iyv+jazz&qid=1633283665&sr=8-1 You can hear me play it here: ruclips.net/video/LFv8Lbbwcvw/видео.html
They are just short of amazing guitars...I don't have a guitar from Iyv i have an 8 string lap steel, that is nothing short of incredible..roller nut and just solid perfect steel......It would cost between 2 and 3 thousand for an American custom lap steel...I have an IYV L5 COPY Coming i hope i am as impressed with it!
man this guitar is kicking ass cheap and good looking good sound. i just saw it on amazon today and im looking for bad review guess what none. im gonna get one
Made by the Charles Dickens Guitar Co. out of Vietnam. 5 years old kids must make 3 a day to get a meal. Then they sell them to Bezos who was able to crush their selling price by 85% in exchange for 25 years exclusivity contract. It is silly hour on Friday folks. Nice video. I will tell a friend to have a look at this one. Glad to see Asians are able to mKe some solid products. It is just a matter of time before someone in Asia comes up with some great original model.
Interesting hyperbole there bud. BTW American companies make guitars in Asia and also copy each other extensively. I can buy an "S" style guitar from just about everyone but Gibson. The reverse is true about an "LP" style. These designs are generic. There's only so much you can do with 6 strings and 20 something frets.
I think the guitar looks awesome and sounds pretty good too, but I think the amazon job description is really hilarious. Why is the seller saying how to fix their guitar in the job description? "almost no defectiveness" "Hammer the buzzing fret down a bit to fix the buzzing sound. You can widen the pot a bit to make it fit to the knob"
I'd love to get one but i'm sure i'd have to put money into it just to make it reliable. At the very least some tuning pegs and nut. It seems to go out of tune easily based on your sound samples
Yes, you are correct. And the pickups are a bit microphonic for high gain stuff. It's fun for what it is at that price point and the aesthetics are nice, but the overall reliability is a little shotty. But I think some better tuners might really be all you would need. The nut, though it looks funny (squared off), is actually done well in terms of the string action. I ended up filing the fret ends down to make it smoother. I recently installed some Fender locking tuners on another guitar, with an investment of about $50, so I will probably do the same to this guitar.
About a year ago, I saw a Michael Dolsey Guitars model that looked almost exactly like this; but with a more standard T headstock and Duncan Designed P90's. Just saw an add on these IYV guitars, so I checked out your video. I'm guessing they might be made at the same factory? or re-branded leftovers, as I haven't seen MDG made in a few years?
Just bought this as my first ever guitar and got some books on learning how to play etc. Should I do anything to it? Change the string or something? Any advise is highly welcomed.
The strings that came on mine were fine. When they start showing signs of corrosion (rust, changing color, etc), you’ll want to change them. I recommend Ernie Ball 9s (“Super Slinky” in a pink package). You can measure the height of the strings at the 12th fret. Should be 2mm or less. If it’s more, you may need to use the Allen wrench that came with it to tighten the truss rod a turn (but it’s probably better to take it to a shop if it needs adjustment…ask for a “setup”). You can also adjust the height of the saddles. There’s RUclips videos on this, but mine came playable right out of the box, so you’re probably fine as it is. Here’s a list of some beginner videos I’ve made: ruclips.net/p/PLRz3ek9zER1itIHLiu04LcEG6EyOkhGtV start at the end with the “Chords 101” video, then “Blues 101.” Justin Guitar also has great beginner videos. Best of luck and let me know what questions you have along the way.
I think it depends on how much gain you plan to use…the humbuckers will be less noisy for metal/rock. This tele style has p90s which sound better clean. In my opinion, both play well with similar neck shape. The tele neck is unfinished which is the modern preference. The jazz box is glossy so your hand may stick a little more. If it means anything, I sold the jazz box but kept the tele. But they are both great! You can’t go wrong with either!
Hey Justin, just curious for those of us who can't have just one more! Which would you choose, this guitar or your Squire affinity Telecaster? Before you upgraded stuff on it.
It really comes down to your budget and the time you want. The Squier has that classic “twang” while this has a more rock feel. If I could only have one guitar though, I’d go with P90s because of the versatility.
You know, it really could be. But it looks so good in person and even up close, it doesn't diminish anything for me. Whatever it is, it's very convincing.
Normally, you don't have any movement from a Flame or Quilt top photo finish (like lower end Ibanez guitars). The grain on this, moves with the light which means it's more than likely a thin veneer... and I love it!
Nice review Justin! I was thinking between this and the IYV ITF-300 NA Tele Semi-Hollow Body. This one is $270 in Canada and the 300NA is $195. Any recommendations? Thanks!
Looks like the 300 comes with humbucker pickups while this 400 comes with p90s. They are similar, but p90s are a little closer to your classic Strat or tele single-coil sound. I guess it depends on what style you want to play. I think p90s are more versatile since you can turn the volume down and sound like single coil or turn it up to sound like a humbucker. If you play metal, go with the 300 and get the humbuckers. Most other styles, the 400 might be better. I suspect the quality will be about the same. The 400 costs more because of the veneer and double f holes. Hope this helps.
@@justinbishopmusic Thanks for the thorough response Justin. I enjoy loads of genres from rock, to jazz, to blues, metal, pop, etc. The main guitar I want to get is a PRS SE Standard but have to wait until July for it, so I wanted a cheap guitar for the meantime. You're right about the pickup difference between the 300 and the 400 .The PRS has humbuckers with a coil splitter, & with this 400 being a hollow body with the P90s I'm very tempted to get this model despite the price difference. Sounds like it's got some twang and bite. You think it's not crunchy enough for Metal? Thanks!
@@omairsh8 It's not so much that it's "not crunchy enough," it's just that it's a single coil which is inherently more noisy than a "hum"bucker (pickups designed to eliminate the hum). If you put a ton of gain on a single coil, you just get more noise. The tradeoff is that the clean and crunchy sounds from single coils are just more "glassy" I think is the expression. So again, I guess it comes down to what you think you'll be playing the most. If you're looking to have hi gain all the time, go with the humbuckers. If you'll mostly be playing a mix, go with the p90s. This guy explains it well: ruclips.net/video/DSSVvNXytjE/видео.html One more thing, if you're going to get a PRS later, it has humbuckers, and the coil splitting gets you close but not quite the same as real sing coils, so having another guitar with p90s on hand might be a good idea so that you can get that authentic single coil sound when you want. Good luck!
@@justinbishopmusic Thanks again Justin much appreciated! Yeah I have the same thought process, get the 400 now so that I have a single coil guitar, and then get the PRS later if needed with the humbuckers, so I'll get to enjoy both. Just ordered the IYV 400, excited to see it in person! Thanks again man :)
I got one of this a few days ago. I want to love it but it came with several issues to the point where i'm trying to decide whether to return it or not. First the good: it looks great, the trans red flame top is gorgeous, they really upped their fret game with nice filed corners on each and every one, nice satin finish on the neck, electronics are all great and work out of the box, nice low action and don't know what strings it came with but they sound fine, i really like the sound of the guitar when it all goes smooth (when there is no string buzz). The iffy: it badly needs a set up, intonation is off by a few degrees on every string, action is low but there is serious string buzz on the 5th and 6th string (hope its fixable but won't know til i take it to a luthier, i can't tell where its buzzing from as all frets seem even and strings don't appear to be hitting it...). The bad: My guitar came unfinished, i had to check several reviews to make sure, but mine came with the inside wood untreated without any shielded paint, i don't seem to get any feedback with my little blackstar F3 amp but probably be an issue if i ever used it to gig, there are also scratches on the neck around 12/13 th fret, the binding on the F holes is also a crap job and looks half done, several red spots taint the binding as well, the tuner pegs are weak and the guitar requires frequent tuning. Over all i really like the guitar, but i'm concerned the string buzzing could be structural and not fixable. The lack of shielded paint bothers me as it shows that the guitar is unfinished. Having said that, i feel these are issues particular to the individual guitar that i received and may not reflect someone else's experience who is more lucky with the model they get.
Thanks for the info! Yes, quality control is always spotty at this price point. You might have a high fret causing some buzzing, but that’s an easy fix for a luthier. I’ve done it myself but you can mess it up if you go too far.
@@justinbishopmusic My pleasure, i should thank you for the review as it was a big reason why i bought it. I actually find the guitar keeps getting better each day, meant to take it in for a setup today and decided it could wait as it performed great yesterday with little buzz even. Think just keeping it out and letting the wood acclimate did the trick. Love the tone of the guitar, and honestly haven't touched my squier or any of my other guitars since i got this one. I've looked around and it seems that not coming with the inner wood shield painted seems to be a common occurrence and honestly it doesn't seem to be affecting the guitar's performance at all so i'm keeping it as is. Looks nicer with the cream of the wood matching the neck anyways. The tuners aren't as bad as i initially thought neither, with the guitar keeping itself in tune for over 24 hours, just that little slack they have is a bit annoying. Eventually will probably replace the tuners with wilkinsons, put a rolling string tree and a bone nut, but asides from that the guitar's tone is as beautiful as it looks.
I just got this guitar and I can't get the buzzing out. How and does yours have the black point on the inside? That could be part of the problem. My didn't come with it. Love it besides, but if I can't get rid of the buzz it's gotta go.
Are you referring to fret buzz or pickup hum? If it’s fret buzz, you can adjust the action (straighten truss rod and raise the saddles). If it’s single coil 60-cycle pickup hum, that’s common, especially at high gain with single coil pickups. A noise gate can help. It’s also possible you have a grounding issue of some kind. If it’s very loud, yeah…send it back.
@@justinbishopmusic it’s definitely the pickups. I need to try it on something better than a BOSS 5. Do you think the Katana or the Mustang II would be a better representation?
@@jameshayes3225 the katana has a noise gate option, so it would be better, probably. If you can upload a video or sound recording of it, I can probably tell if it’s normal 60-cycle hum or something worse.
There is so much to choose from these days for under $200 that if you've got a kid who's interested in learning to play, you'd be a damn fool to buy a name brand like Fender or a Gibson. Nearly any one of them is much more than a beginner's guitar. Your playing is proof enough of that. Besides, they are great mod platforms if you think modest improvements will make it better.
A few tiny blemishes, but overall very solid. It could be temperature variations damaged yours. Can you send it back? Some companies offer a discount if you take a picture and show them.
@@justinbishopmusic Yeah I can send back to Amazon with no problem. Would rather it look right than have a discount. Have started the return process. Hopefully my issue isn’t pervasive
The replacement came super fast. I'm so bummed, it also has bad binding especially on the upper F hole. The binding is incomplete. does not cover the wood completely. Even a little spot on the body that didn't cover properly. Looks like they are out of stock on Amazon now. Maybe that's a good thing. Perhaps the next batch will be better. I sent Inyev Vena an email but no reply
@@justinbishopmusic It's just not properly applied. the body spot has a little gouge when some is missing. The good thing is that you can red where it doesn't cover completely, meaning that the top is actually a painted veneer vs a photo - right?
@@voiceofreason8594 nice! Hope you got a good one that plays well. I still reach for mine after a year. I had to file some fret ends down, but otherwise, it’s been great.
@@justinbishopmusic Did you find the guitar to be "neck heavy"? When playing live, it pulls downward from the neck. That was a big turnoff for me with this particular guitar.
@@MichaelJacques I think “neck dive” is pretty common with the hollow and semi-hollow designs. On my particular guitar, it’s pretty balanced, and I didn’t actually notice any neck dive, but there is some on D’Angelico DC mini. I guess this is why it’s always better if you can play one in person before you buy. Have you tried any of their other models?
These are great guitars. But, be warned, hey have a horrible resale value on the used market. So an IYV is something you’ll strictly buy for your own use. That said, I’ve spoken with Inyen Vina Guitars many times. They’re the builder of many brands, such as Harley Benton (you’ll notice many of the same Harley Bentons on Thomann’s website). They’re pretty great builds and only sell through Amazon in the USA. They may require a setup, but that’s nothing the average hobbyist cannot solve.
@@justinbishopmusic I’ve tried a few. They’re good guitars, but I’m not entirely sold on them. I have one of their fusion HH Tele’s and it needed a new wiring harness, which I rebuilt myself. Now it’s pretty good. But, speaking strictly for me, isn’t anything I’d pay and wait that long for again. The only other import guitar I’d wait an extended period for a second time is Shijie.
Doesn’t seem like it... they sell out so quick and I’ve notice the “scalpers” are buying them out and reselling them for 350-400 on reverb and Facebook marketplace.
Resale???? I have 17 Electrics and 4 Acoustics from Gibson to Fender to Schecter as well as a couple of Custom Built Neck Through models and this IYV. Selling is not something I'm interested in. If you're worried about Resale Value... Drop a few Grand (or more!) into a Gibson LP or a Fender USA Strat or a Custom Shop model from either of these two companies. Otherwise... buy what you enjoy playing.
@@LoneWolf-ni1zj And I have 36 guitars between Fender, Gibson, PRS, Taylor, Martin, and others. But sometimes certain brands can help get more of your money back on the used market, whereas these get pennies on the dollar. You’re clearly not worried about that, which is cool. But there are others who are.
I just got one of these in. I saw the picture and thought I'd use the body for a project. The body is way nice. I was surprised. I figured the neck had to be junk. I checked it out and the neck was level and the frets were level. All I did was lightly smooth the edges and polished all the frets. I had one string that was barely sharp. I like the bridge too. I replaced the strings and put on a set of Grover tuners I had laying around for a year. I had planned to replace all the electronics and the pickups, but I think I'll leave them alone for awhile. This guitar could easily be a $300-$500 guitar. Maybe I got a 1 in a million, I don't know. Very pleased with mine though.
I still play mine regularly. All I had to do was file down the sharp fret edges. There are a couple of comments on here of people who got a bad one, but most are well-made. Thanks for the comment!
I’m getting mine in two days. I’m a guitarist for almost 50 years and have a passion for it. Really looking forward to trying it
@@davidarchibald3755 I just bought the Jazz 300, and I’m loving it too! They make solid gear.
I have a PRS Core Custom 24, Epiphone Les Paul, Fender Professional II Strat and I find myself playing this more than any other guitar
I own three IYV guitars and I know some people find issues. I must have been luck because all three came flawless. I bought the Green Les Paul and it was so nice the next week I bought the Mustang Hybrid and it was again incredible and Finally I bought the hollow body with solid wood running down the center jazz guitar and I have to say yes it can play jazz but this this guitar can Rock out. I’ve been playing and teaching and gigging 40+ years. I own high-end guitars and I will go as far as to say the quality of these instruments or something you would expect to pay five times the amount for. I gig and also work as a studio guitarist and they just can’t get over it and the studios. They say I’ve never heard of something like this I said yeah I think they’re kind of new maybe unknown but they sure are fantastic guitars and I’ve got three perfect specimens. I’m not impressed with the way they’re packed and I am surprised they actually get anywhere in one piece but all three of mine did without a scratch or a malfunction of Any guitar part.
I've got this same exact guitar. It's killer. I love it, and I just couldn't believe what I was able to get for $169 bucks. It didn't need much - just a pretty significant truss rod adjustment, because the strings were laying on the fret-board when I unboxed it. After 5 minutes, and a simple adjustment.... BOOM! The guitar is killer, and the pick-ups on mine are smokin' hot. I was stunned.
I have had mine a little over a week, and blown away. Plays perfectly (after dropping the action some) doesn't fret out anywhere. Pickups are crazy good!! Best $147 I ever spent on a guitar. Yep, was on sale!
I bought mine as a Christmas present to myself. From what I've read, they're made in the Harley Benton Factory and that makes sense because HB has the same guitar, the only difference is the headstock which is more Tele Style on the HB. What pisses me off about this Guitar is... it has become my Go To guitar as I seem to grab it whenever I play. That's a problem because my Gibson USA LP and SG as well as my Fender USA Strats and Tele's are collecting dust. I love everything about this guitar, the finish, the tone and most importantly... the feel (comfort). Glad I decided to take the chance on it.
I believe it's the other way around. IYV makes some guitars for HB as well as ESP and others. I have two HB's but the VAT is what turns me off of them now. Otherwise they are great deals! I have an IJZ 300 and really like it.
Wow.
I thought IYV guitars were made in Vietnam 🇻🇳
You are quite a good player and your natural speaking style makes for a good review. I was intrigued with this guitar after watching Jimmy Stewart's review but it was your playing and the sounds you got that convinced me to buy one. Thank you, I'm very glad I did!
Thank you!
Your version of Little Wing intro is so chilled, love it! Getting my IYV IJZ300 next week, hurray!
Dude your shred game is on point! Don't sell yourself short! Sweet guitar for the money.
Thanks man! I’m trying to get it smoother and cleaner like you do with the gain all cranked up. Baby steps. It’s fun to fly!
Nice licks and really appreciate hearing the guitar through the Spark (another Spark owner here). I also appreciate not drowning the guitar in a bunch of reverb too. It really has a nice presence to it's nature resonance. Its a beauty 😍
Good job!
I have this same guitar , took it to my guitar tech . He did fret work and lowered the action , new strings . I do have fender player series telecaster . I play IYV more currently.. underrated lil guitar .
For sure! I keep coming back to it. I have a couple of Fenders as well.
*I have 3 IYV's, two of them are the same 200NA model that's neck-thru sycamore and there's absolutely no brand out there like them. The other is a neck-thru PRS clone and it's nice than the cheap PRS's that sell for a grand.* They also make guitars for Harley Benton so I'm not surprised.
*Right now, guitars are at a peak in quality in terms of cost. $230 guitars today are literally matching the $2300 American made version.* I'm a symphonic shred-n-sweep style guitarist and also a college educated electronics engineer. *My standards are unusually high granted I can modify or fix anything.*
Got mine 4 months ago. Fixed up a few things and it's great. My only p90 axe.
Thanks for the review and commentary. What a beautiful guitar. All the best.
I’m still playing it! Since then I’ve bought some Fender guitars, and the neck feels very similar. It’s a great value!
just got an IYV jaguar acoustisonic and the thing is amazing. I am sold on their guitars. Less than a G&L tribute or Squire Classic vibe and better neck and fretwork imo.
I just ordered one of these an hour ago. I have the ITF-300 that I got from a friend who did just a little fret work to it, and it plays SUPERB!
You are way too modest man! Great playing and a very good honest review. Very very informative and your playing is absolutely great . I got one after your review and am totally satisfied. IYV (misspelled IVY by Amazon) make some great cheap guitars. Thanks!
It's not misspelled..... it is IYV, it's actually the initials of the maker/founder according to what I read......I am probably going to get the "Bronco, or Musicmaster or whatever it is...... unbelievable..... The first time I played a Vietnamese guitar, it was an ESP Les Paul type and I was floored. I believe these guitars are a sleeper, and I've been wanting to get a guitar made in Vietnam. Harley Benton guitars are (some of them) made in Vietnam too, probably at the same factory as the ESP, because they look identical. Anyway, congrats on your guitar, and I think I'm gonna snap one up now, before the price goes up. Cheers!
-the man who designed the guitars, was a Korean man named Inyen Vena.. the guitars are named after him... "IYV", for short... some people call them "Inyen Vena's" instead of "IYV's"
Just got mine today. I have number of guitars, Fender Strat, Gibson Les Paul, ESP, Godin. I was absolutely pleasantly surprised with the overall quality and setup out of the box. For the price, this is extremely good. The frets were nice and smooth, the nut was fine as well. The only thing I did was change the strings to Ernie Ball 9's and conditioned the fretboard while at it, as it looked a bit dry. Bottom line, very impressed with build and quality and it plays extremely well. I especially love the neck pickup with the tone pot turned down a bit through my Fender Deluxe amp with a bit of chorus.
You're making me miss my 40 Fender Deluxe...I sold it because everywhere I play, people said it was too loud! I had to file the frets to get them a little smoother on mine, and yes, the fretboard conditioning (I use the ernie ball wipes), but you're right. This guitar holds it's own.
Just delivered. I was concerned no double box, but guitar is in good shape. Looks nice, a few minor imperfections. Satin neck is gr8. No sharp frets. light as a feather. Nice set up, action low but not too low, no buzz. Tuned right up and intonation surprisingly close. Bought this for the P90s, they are crisp and clean. Tone and vol nobs/pots smooth, 3 way switch seems solid. After about an hour with it, I'm pretty happy. Will be gr8 4 some Stones covers and the like.
I like the way these guys call themselves amateurs. We're mostly all amateurs unless you make a living playing and you play very well..
BTW, I have one of these and it's a great guitar for the money.
Got it, Love it. $174 on Amazon delivered
I smoothed the fret ends down with a sanding block and very fine sandpaper to polish. Now it's silky smooth up and down the neck. How are the frets on yours?
I have the IYV 8-string lap steel guitar which served as their prototype in the 2013 NAMM Convention. It is a remarkable build! I thought how could be so remarkable at the price. The answer rests with the fact that skilled luthiers earned about $8,000/yr in 2021! This guitar will always be part of my collection.
$8,000 a year! Wow! I’m feeling a little guilty here.
It’s a great guitar for the money. I really love the P90 pickups.
IYV guitars are well-made guitars. They're budget guitars, sure, but these guitars come pretty well stocked right out of the box. I have the LP tribute model but I have been thinking of getting another one. IYV guitars will probably be worth a few bucks 10 to 20 years from now. And, if the company folds, or gets gobbled by a bigger company, that'll just make them go up in value even faster. It's not a bad little guitar at all!
Good to know the Les Paul style is great too!
Awesome tone from this thing. Thanks for doing the video.
Thanks! It's the Spark 40 amp by positive grid. I've recently got a small Blackstar tube amp, and it sounds even better.
Thanx, dude, I just saw one on Facebook marketplace. I'm gonna get it
I bought an IYV Les paul. It's amazing, way better than an epiphone. There made by a cnc machine, kinda the way keisel makes their guitars
"With almost no defectiveness", lol. Jk, I always get a kick out of the descriptions they put on their instruments. I have 3 of their guitars, the lp included and for the money you just can't beat it. I just bought an epiphone sg g400 pro that doesn't hold a candle to my Iyv's which is pretty crazy considering the price difference. The days were in now with the quality of cheap instruments is a great time to be a guitar player. I wish I had the accessibility to them back when I started as opposed to now but its not stopping me from checking a few out. I'm not a guitar snob at all and will continue to take advantage of all these great guitars that are being put out today compared to when I first started playing. Cheers🍻
Equal to, maybe. Better? Hehehehe
Destiny pups are used on AIO and Wolf guitars at 3x this price
@scott fisher Well, they are putting detail and care into their setups from what I know and there's a value there for people who don't do that themselves. And for sure some of their models have some nicer binding (including abalone for those who like that). And they do have a LOT more colors and options that what we can get inthe US from IVY. But they can't compare in bang for buck with IVY. AIO/Wolf are pushing $500. That's not so budget. Lots of selctions/variety with Xaviere for a lot less.
@scott fisher I just ordered one too. They dropped the prices on everything except the spalted Tele. $145 for the ITF-400. Couldn’t pass it up.
Was just asked to do a setup on one of these for a friend. My first impressions weren’t great, a lot of stuff needed to be adjusted in terms of the action and intonation. However, once I finally got that straightened out and plugged it in, I was very surprised at how good the sound quality was on this thing.
For context, I was comparing it to my main axe, a Jackson Dinky with Seymour Duncans and a Floyd Rose Special. I had to do a double take after realizing how good the sound quality was on this little Ivy guitar, especially on the bridge pickup. I’m used to Duncans, and these pickups still impressed me.
The neck pickup was less impressive to me. Still sounded decent, but my only complaint was that it was a bit more watered down and muddy on the low end (though it was beefy and sounded good in the mids). Still not even remotely a fair comparison, I was comparing to seymore Duncans (and I am picky with my tones.) Still, the bridge pickup really impressed me a lot, and the neck pickup was still decent (albeit not quite as good, but still plenty serviceable. It probably just needed some EQ work to remove out some of the rumbly lows, I bet I could have dialed it in pretty quickly in the DAW a high pass filter or a parametric EQ.)
I will say, these guitars do feel very cheaply made. This isn’t a criticism, you expect that on any guitar on this price range, and this guitar is no exception. They do play quite well once you get them set up, and it’s an odd feeling because it literally feels like a $100 bottom of the barrel axe, but it plays like something that costs five times as much. You pick it up and expect it to have terrible playability, but then you plug it in and realize that this thing actually sounds great, and it’s pretty comfortable to play on too (and to shred on, it has the output for it), despite having some of the cheapest feeling wood I’ve ever seen on a guitar. 😂
Do be prepared to do a proper setup, it sounds much better once you do. The sound quality was a pleasant surprise to see on a guitar that was this cheap though, really does not sound like a $150 guitar
Great review, Justin! I really enjoyed your playing! Nice licks!
Thanks for the review and demo, I bought one last night, based your review, and another guy's. Got it off of Reverb for $125. Cant wait to play it
Sounds like a good deal! 👍
I've reviewed a few of these guitars - good value for the money. Inyen Vina is a Korean company that manufactures in Viet Nam. I believe the factory has made some Harley Bentons too.
Thanks! I thought I had heard it was Korean, but when the guitar came and it said "Made in Vietnam," I started to wonder. Now it makes sense! Thanks for the info. I want to try a Harley Benton. Do you have any experience with their fusion models?
@@justinbishopmusic Yes, there is a video on a fusion model from a year or so ago. Very nice for the price.
IYV makes guitars for many manufacturers. The fretboard looks to be of Jatoba, a reddish-brown wood common in many of todays guitars. Those P90's sound great and the bound quilted finish is amazing. I ordered one because they actually make a lefty [Yea.!!]. Unfortunately, it's on backorder. Like you, I always have my eye out for hidden gems like this but there are fewer choices for us lefty's although I've managed to accrue over 20 so far lol, so I resemble your shirt in that respect. I always do my own fretwork/setup and use only graph-tech nuts. Music Nomad makes some decent Luthier tools that don't cost the big Stew-Mac bucks but I would recommend getting the Stew-Mac fret end dressing file.
I just picked up a IYV center block, hollow body that someone bought a year ago and never tried it. for 200 Canadian, and I got to see it first. It plays great. Could use strings , but first impressions are pretty darned good. It's absolutely amazing what is available these days. The tuners are kind of cheap. Money well spent!
I just jammed mine out last night at band practice , we covered things from Beatles , Petty, Dictators, Bob Welch, Springsteen . This guitar is a friken steal buy one ☝️, P90s have great character. Finish is gorgeous, I put 10-56 on mine . Very happy , a bit of neck dive is only drawback .
Nice! It really is an all-around workhorse. I think P90s are the most versatile pickups. Gotta get back into Petty and Springsteen!
Your fret board is different than mine,which has a dark rosewood look ! Very pleased with this great value treasure none the less. Thanks for the vid
Nice licks and great sounding axe! Good job!
I ordered one of these a few minutes ago. Hadn't seen the video, but been chomping at the bit to try some P90's and was looking at an oldish used Squier Tele. Whatcha know, the best of both worlds!
Thanks for this and your awesome playing . Iyv guitars are amazing instruments 🙌🙌🙌
I got their green Les Paul style, and I love it. I did a modicum of setup, that's it. I liked the humbuckers enough that I think I'm gonna put em in the GFS yellowburst one I just got, I already pulled em out of the lp and replaced em with a set of Warman P-90s.
You're playing is pretty good, better than mine for sure!
You may want to practice with a metronome to get your timing down.
That lick at 6:07 is all Jimmy.
If I could play like that, I'd have a lot more fun.
Mira compre la 300 EGR bellísimo verde esmeralda tengo una fender strato y una ephipone sg ya tengo un rato tocando guitarra y me pareció una buena elección es una buena guitarra
I just Ordered the green lp style iyv. I get it on Friday. I’m hoping it’s a good guitar
Might have to adjust the action on the saddles and maybe tighten the truss rod, but I’ve been happy with mine.
@@justinbishopmusic I bought it to learn how to do all off that
@@chrisallen3885 Cool, I want to hear it! Post a video.
P90s just sound great!!! Thanks for the video.
Inyen Vina is GREAT! I owe three and this very guitar may be the next or that LP copy if sell again be one that NOT green.
$169??? Its gorgeous and sounds great! That would be a great guitar to have to play. I shoulda bought one for my first guitar....
Your video intro is really cool. New and innovative.
Great job on your video, I picked up one ,thanks
Nice playing. Might flip the switch on one!
I still have it and love it! Since then I bought two American Fenders. The neck on this one is darn close…maybe a hair thinner.
Liked and subbed. I dig your style!
In answer to your shirt...All of them!! lol On a more serious note, after watching many reviews on this particular model, I am seriously considering adding one to my stable. I already have 2 other IYV guitars and was surprised at the quality, although one came upgraded ( jag/stang copy had tuners changed out to wilkinsons and the pickups were changed to grey bottoms).
It’s a keeper! I still play it almost daily. I keep it at the kitchen table for when the kids are snacking and on their iPads 🥴😂
I bought the guitar. I love it!
I just found one for $145 and snapped it up... prayin' its not a pile o !@#&$ when it arrives lol...
I just received one of the EART telecasters and I am stunned at how nice it is for #200 excellent fit and finish, holds tune solidly, good pickup sound, only nit picky issue ive found so far is the frets while polished and beautifully rounded are varying degrees back off the edge of the fret board... most are about .08 mm - 1.3 mm back but a cpl have almost 2mm setback on one side with 1mm easy on the other... figure if you have 1.2 set back on each side thats almost 2.5mm of missing fret you cant use....
I'd rather dress my own fret ends and shite if it means we get full length frets....
Oh, now you done done it as Gilmour is who I always wanted to emulate.
I may have “blisters on me fingers” from all those bends! I’m switching to 8s from now on! Gilmour is a boss.
@@justinbishopmusic I like 9's but 8 is pretty thin. 10's sound best to me but OUCH!!
@@generalawareness101 I hear you. Once tried 11's on my Les Paul. Couldn't bend much of anything. I don't know how SRV did it with 13's. I mean, he played half step down most of the time, but still.
@@justinbishopmusic Yeah, 13's LOL. You might as well be playing on Rebar at that point. Hell, just go to Home Depot and buy some Romex then string the guitar to play with that.
I heard try clear nail polish on squeaky bridge springs.
Great idea!
Could you do another video with this guitar tuned in standard D please ? I would love to hear what that sounds like😁Thanks Justin.
Ok what songs should I learn? And what strings do you recommend for standard D? I was using 8s but I suspect heavier gauge is in order for that tuning.
@@justinbishopmusic I think you would need nines or tens for D tuning. Not sure some blues or something like voodoo child
*THE HUNT IS ON!*
I'm searching for one right now! Says "temporary out of stock" ...which is Always the case with this cheap but Great guitars.
Keep checking! They come back in stock regularly. I also really enjoy their jazz/blues style here: www.amazon.com/IJZ-300-TSB-Solid-Body-Electric-Sunburst/dp/B0107BCV1M/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=iyv+jazz&qid=1633283665&sr=8-1 You can hear me play it here: ruclips.net/video/LFv8Lbbwcvw/видео.html
@@justinbishopmusic Thanks a lot friend!
They are just short of amazing guitars...I don't have a guitar from Iyv i have an 8 string lap steel, that is nothing short of incredible..roller nut and just solid perfect steel......It would cost between 2 and 3 thousand for an American custom lap steel...I have an IYV L5 COPY Coming i hope i am as impressed with it!
Looks exactly like a Harley Benton! Except for the headstock the Harley has a nice tele headstock! Much nicer looking
I just bought it on an Amazon deal for $145. Is September 23rd 2021
Great review!
This is the exact model that Harley Benton made lasts years, same factory. Only the headstock and pickup brand seems different.
Yes I think so. I wonder what the differences would be in playability since the Harley Benton costs more.
@@justinbishopmusic No HB has change their factory, so this guitar is the exactly the same, just different headstock and logo. It's a great guitar.
man this guitar is kicking ass cheap and good looking good sound. i just saw it on amazon today and im looking for bad review guess what none. im gonna get one
I would guess the fret-board is Jatoba
Made by the Charles Dickens Guitar Co. out of Vietnam. 5 years old kids must make 3 a day to get a meal. Then they sell them to Bezos who was able to crush their selling price by 85% in exchange for 25 years exclusivity contract. It is silly hour on Friday folks. Nice video. I will tell a friend to have a look at this one. Glad to see Asians are able to mKe some solid products. It is just a matter of time before someone in Asia comes up with some great original model.
Interesting hyperbole there bud.
BTW American companies make guitars in Asia and also copy each other extensively.
I can buy an "S" style guitar from just about everyone but Gibson. The reverse is true about an "LP" style.
These designs are generic. There's only so much you can do with 6 strings and 20 something frets.
3yrs later are you still playing it.
I am! Since then I’ve bought several Fenders. This neck feels very close, and I’ve kept the stock pickups. It’s still a great guitar!
I think the guitar looks awesome and sounds pretty good too, but I think the amazon job description is really hilarious. Why is the seller saying how to fix their guitar in the job description?
"almost no defectiveness"
"Hammer the buzzing fret down a bit to fix the buzzing sound. You can widen the pot a bit to make it fit to the knob"
What’s the bluesy song around 8:30? Looks fun to play
It’s one I learned from Paul Davids here: ruclips.net/video/NsZIzzvCutI/видео.html
@@justinbishopmusic thank you!
I'd love to get one but i'm sure i'd have to put money into it just to make it reliable. At the very least some tuning pegs and nut. It seems to go out of tune easily based on your sound samples
Yes, you are correct. And the pickups are a bit microphonic for high gain stuff. It's fun for what it is at that price point and the aesthetics are nice, but the overall reliability is a little shotty. But I think some better tuners might really be all you would need. The nut, though it looks funny (squared off), is actually done well in terms of the string action. I ended up filing the fret ends down to make it smoother. I recently installed some Fender locking tuners on another guitar, with an investment of about $50, so I will probably do the same to this guitar.
I put Fender Locking Tuners on mine (easy job) and D'addario Strings... and it's perfect as it is. Enjoy!
Looks the same as the Harley Benton TE90QM trans red
I noticed that too. I wonder if there’s a connection.
@@justinbishopmusic It's the same guitar. Made in the same factory, in Vietnam - pretty sure.
@@jimmyz2098 I have the TE-90QM (HB) version. It was designed by IYV but is now made in Indonesia
IYV USA website coming soon
It's identical EXCEPT for the Headstock which resembles the Tele headstock instead of the Strat Headstock.
I love iyv guitars best guitars I've owned
How do you get to the electronics ( pots-switch)? no cover at the back.
I hope I never have to! I think it's like a hollow-body in that you are stuck trying to reach everything through the f-holes.
FISH TANK TUBING CHECK YOU TUBE VID
About a year ago, I saw a Michael Dolsey Guitars model that looked almost exactly like this; but with a more standard T headstock and Duncan Designed P90's. Just saw an add on these IYV guitars, so I checked out your video. I'm guessing they might be made at the same factory? or re-branded leftovers, as I haven't seen MDG made in a few years?
Iyv is the owner of the factory in vietnam, they make some guitar for harley benton, esp , etc…
Just bought this as my first ever guitar and got some books on learning how to play etc. Should I do anything to it? Change the string or something? Any advise is highly welcomed.
The strings that came on mine were fine. When they start showing signs of corrosion (rust, changing color, etc), you’ll want to change them. I recommend Ernie Ball 9s (“Super Slinky” in a pink package). You can measure the height of the strings at the 12th fret. Should be 2mm or less. If it’s more, you may need to use the Allen wrench that came with it to tighten the truss rod a turn (but it’s probably better to take it to a shop if it needs adjustment…ask for a “setup”). You can also adjust the height of the saddles. There’s RUclips videos on this, but mine came playable right out of the box, so you’re probably fine as it is. Here’s a list of some beginner videos I’ve made: ruclips.net/p/PLRz3ek9zER1itIHLiu04LcEG6EyOkhGtV start at the end with the “Chords 101” video, then “Blues 101.” Justin Guitar also has great beginner videos. Best of luck and let me know what questions you have along the way.
@@justinbishopmusic Thank you so much! You rock (pun intended). Will be subscribing
-Mr. Bishop.. which IYV is your preference... this T-Style w/ P-90's, or your IYV IJZ-300 Jazzbox w/ humbuckers ??
I think it depends on how much gain you plan to use…the humbuckers will be less noisy for metal/rock. This tele style has p90s which sound better clean. In my opinion, both play well with similar neck shape. The tele neck is unfinished which is the modern preference. The jazz box is glossy so your hand may stick a little more. If it means anything, I sold the jazz box but kept the tele. But they are both great! You can’t go wrong with either!
@@justinbishopmusic -do you prefer P-90's over single-coil's/humbucker's ??
@@mattwilliam4803 yes, I think p90s are the most versatile pickup.
Hey Justin, just curious for those of us who can't have just one more! Which would you choose, this guitar or your Squire affinity Telecaster? Before you upgraded stuff on it.
It really comes down to your budget and the time you want. The Squier has that classic “twang” while this has a more rock feel. If I could only have one guitar though, I’d go with P90s because of the versatility.
*Squier
I am wondering if the top is just a photo finish
You know, it really could be. But it looks so good in person and even up close, it doesn't diminish anything for me. Whatever it is, it's very convincing.
@@justinbishopmusic nice thanks for the reply
Normally, you don't have any movement from a Flame or Quilt top photo finish (like lower end Ibanez guitars). The grain on this, moves with the light which means it's more than likely a thin veneer... and I love it!
@@LoneWolf-ni1zj nice ty
Nice review Justin! I was thinking between this and the IYV ITF-300 NA Tele Semi-Hollow Body. This one is $270 in Canada and the 300NA is $195. Any recommendations? Thanks!
Looks like the 300 comes with humbucker pickups while this 400 comes with p90s. They are similar, but p90s are a little closer to your classic Strat or tele single-coil sound. I guess it depends on what style you want to play. I think p90s are more versatile since you can turn the volume down and sound like single coil or turn it up to sound like a humbucker. If you play metal, go with the 300 and get the humbuckers. Most other styles, the 400 might be better. I suspect the quality will be about the same. The 400 costs more because of the veneer and double f holes. Hope this helps.
@@justinbishopmusic Thanks for the thorough response Justin. I enjoy loads of genres from rock, to jazz, to blues, metal, pop, etc.
The main guitar I want to get is a PRS SE Standard but have to wait until July for it, so I wanted a cheap guitar for the meantime. You're right about the pickup difference between the 300 and the 400 .The PRS has humbuckers with a coil splitter, & with this 400 being a hollow body with the P90s I'm very tempted to get this model despite the price difference. Sounds like it's got some twang and bite. You think it's not crunchy enough for Metal? Thanks!
@@omairsh8 It's not so much that it's "not crunchy enough," it's just that it's a single coil which is inherently more noisy than a "hum"bucker (pickups designed to eliminate the hum). If you put a ton of gain on a single coil, you just get more noise. The tradeoff is that the clean and crunchy sounds from single coils are just more "glassy" I think is the expression. So again, I guess it comes down to what you think you'll be playing the most. If you're looking to have hi gain all the time, go with the humbuckers. If you'll mostly be playing a mix, go with the p90s. This guy explains it well: ruclips.net/video/DSSVvNXytjE/видео.html One more thing, if you're going to get a PRS later, it has humbuckers, and the coil splitting gets you close but not quite the same as real sing coils, so having another guitar with p90s on hand might be a good idea so that you can get that authentic single coil sound when you want. Good luck!
@@justinbishopmusic Thanks again Justin much appreciated! Yeah I have the same thought process, get the 400 now so that I have a single coil guitar, and then get the PRS later if needed with the humbuckers, so I'll get to enjoy both. Just ordered the IYV 400, excited to see it in person! Thanks again man :)
Awesome I subbed
Thanks, man! Let me know if you have any questions.
I got one of this a few days ago. I want to love it but it came with several issues to the point where i'm trying to decide whether to return it or not. First the good: it looks great, the trans red flame top is gorgeous, they really upped their fret game with nice filed corners on each and every one, nice satin finish on the neck, electronics are all great and work out of the box, nice low action and don't know what strings it came with but they sound fine, i really like the sound of the guitar when it all goes smooth (when there is no string buzz). The iffy: it badly needs a set up, intonation is off by a few degrees on every string, action is low but there is serious string buzz on the 5th and 6th string (hope its fixable but won't know til i take it to a luthier, i can't tell where its buzzing from as all frets seem even and strings don't appear to be hitting it...). The bad: My guitar came unfinished, i had to check several reviews to make sure, but mine came with the inside wood untreated without any shielded paint, i don't seem to get any feedback with my little blackstar F3 amp but probably be an issue if i ever used it to gig, there are also scratches on the neck around 12/13 th fret, the binding on the F holes is also a crap job and looks half done, several red spots taint the binding as well, the tuner pegs are weak and the guitar requires frequent tuning.
Over all i really like the guitar, but i'm concerned the string buzzing could be structural and not fixable. The lack of shielded paint bothers me as it shows that the guitar is unfinished. Having said that, i feel these are issues particular to the individual guitar that i received and may not reflect someone else's experience who is more lucky with the model they get.
Thanks for the info! Yes, quality control is always spotty at this price point. You might have a high fret causing some buzzing, but that’s an easy fix for a luthier. I’ve done it myself but you can mess it up if you go too far.
@@justinbishopmusic My pleasure, i should thank you for the review as it was a big reason why i bought it. I actually find the guitar keeps getting better each day, meant to take it in for a setup today and decided it could wait as it performed great yesterday with little buzz even. Think just keeping it out and letting the wood acclimate did the trick. Love the tone of the guitar, and honestly haven't touched my squier or any of my other guitars since i got this one. I've looked around and it seems that not coming with the inner wood shield painted seems to be a common occurrence and honestly it doesn't seem to be affecting the guitar's performance at all so i'm keeping it as is. Looks nicer with the cream of the wood matching the neck anyways. The tuners aren't as bad as i initially thought neither, with the guitar keeping itself in tune for over 24 hours, just that little slack they have is a bit annoying. Eventually will probably replace the tuners with wilkinsons, put a rolling string tree and a bone nut, but asides from that the guitar's tone is as beautiful as it looks.
I just got this guitar and I can't get the buzzing out. How and does yours have the black point on the inside? That could be part of the problem. My didn't come with it. Love it besides, but if I can't get rid of the buzz it's gotta go.
Are you referring to fret buzz or pickup hum? If it’s fret buzz, you can adjust the action (straighten truss rod and raise the saddles). If it’s single coil 60-cycle pickup hum, that’s common, especially at high gain with single coil pickups. A noise gate can help. It’s also possible you have a grounding issue of some kind. If it’s very loud, yeah…send it back.
@@justinbishopmusic it’s definitely the pickups. I need to try it on something better than a BOSS 5. Do you think the Katana or the Mustang II would be a better representation?
@@jameshayes3225 the katana has a noise gate option, so it would be better, probably. If you can upload a video or sound recording of it, I can probably tell if it’s normal 60-cycle hum or something worse.
@@jameshayes3225 you can email me at justindbishop@gmail.com
Love mine ❤️ well worth the $$ .
There is so much to choose from these days for under $200 that if you've got a kid who's interested in learning to play, you'd be a damn fool to buy a name brand like Fender or a Gibson. Nearly any one of them is much more than a beginner's guitar. Your playing is proof enough of that.
Besides, they are great mod platforms if you think modest improvements will make it better.
Thanks! I still have this one and play it all the time. Neck reminds me of my Fender. Can’t beat the price!
How was the binding on yours?. Just got mine and it’s sloppy. Especially on F holes
A few tiny blemishes, but overall very solid. It could be temperature variations damaged yours. Can you send it back? Some companies offer a discount if you take a picture and show them.
@@justinbishopmusic Yeah I can send back to Amazon with no problem. Would rather it look right than have a discount. Have started the return process. Hopefully my issue isn’t pervasive
The replacement came super fast. I'm so bummed, it also has bad binding especially on the upper F hole. The binding is incomplete. does not cover the wood completely. Even a little spot on the body that didn't cover properly. Looks like they are out of stock on Amazon now. Maybe that's a good thing. Perhaps the next batch will be better. I sent Inyev Vena an email but no reply
@@mhester99 oh no! I’m so sorry. That’s the biggest problem with cheaper guitars... quality control. I hope you get some resolution.
@@justinbishopmusic It's just not properly applied. the body spot has a little gouge when some is missing. The good thing is that you can red where it doesn't cover completely, meaning that the top is actually a painted veneer vs a photo - right?
Harley Benton sells a guitar just about like that but probably would better pick up
That lick sound like some Jimi Hendrix shiznit.
I love mine.
Great!
Can anyone give me an accurate weight on this guitar? (NOT bath scales) All guitars can vary in weight with exact same models having a 25% difference
Sorry I don’t have accurate scales, but it is comparable to my other guitars in the 8-pound range.
@@justinbishopmusic I just received mine Yesterday. 6lbs 3 oz
@@voiceofreason8594 nice! Hope you got a good one that plays well. I still reach for mine after a year. I had to file some fret ends down, but otherwise, it’s been great.
Currently 143 bucks
8534 Satterfield Spurs
137 Bertha Lake
It’s not veneer. It’s wood.
I don't watch videos with the text plastered all over the screen.
Nice review. These IYV guitars are very good for the money. check my review of it. short n' sweet.
Nice playing! I subbed.
@@justinbishopmusic Did you find the guitar to be "neck heavy"? When playing live, it pulls downward from the neck. That was a big turnoff for me with this particular guitar.
@@MichaelJacques I think “neck dive” is pretty common with the hollow and semi-hollow designs. On my particular guitar, it’s pretty balanced, and I didn’t actually notice any neck dive, but there is some on D’Angelico DC mini. I guess this is why it’s always better if you can play one in person before you buy. Have you tried any of their other models?
Inyenvina guitars
These are great guitars. But, be warned, hey have a horrible resale value on the used market. So an IYV is something you’ll strictly buy for your own use.
That said, I’ve spoken with Inyen Vina Guitars many times. They’re the builder of many brands, such as Harley Benton (you’ll notice many of the same Harley Bentons on Thomann’s website). They’re pretty great builds and only sell through Amazon in the USA. They may require a setup, but that’s nothing the average hobbyist cannot solve.
Good to know. Thanks for sharing. Have you tried other Harley Bentons? I’m thinking of the fusion or jazzmaster next.
@@justinbishopmusic I’ve tried a few. They’re good guitars, but I’m not entirely sold on them. I have one of their fusion HH Tele’s and it needed a new wiring harness, which I rebuilt myself. Now it’s pretty good. But, speaking strictly for me, isn’t anything I’d pay and wait that long for again. The only other import guitar I’d wait an extended period for a second time is Shijie.
Doesn’t seem like it... they sell out so quick and I’ve notice the “scalpers” are buying them out and reselling them for 350-400 on reverb and Facebook marketplace.
Resale???? I have 17 Electrics and 4 Acoustics from Gibson to Fender to Schecter as well as a couple of Custom Built Neck Through models and this IYV. Selling is not something I'm interested in. If you're worried about Resale Value... Drop a few Grand (or more!) into a Gibson LP or a Fender USA Strat or a Custom Shop model from either of these two companies. Otherwise... buy what you enjoy playing.
@@LoneWolf-ni1zj And I have 36 guitars between Fender, Gibson, PRS, Taylor, Martin, and others. But sometimes certain brands can help get more of your money back on the used market, whereas these get pennies on the dollar. You’re clearly not worried about that, which is cool. But there are others who are.
82204 Crooks Mountains