The Magical Guitar UNICORN delivers: Solar X!!
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 23 июл 2024
- Today, we get a visit from the Magical Guitar Unicorn - he dropped off a Solar X: It's weird, it's pointy, and it's METAL AF! Here's a look!
Get it at this Thomann Affiliate Link: www.thomannmusic.com/solar_gu...
Get the Northern Mauler at: smgpedals.com/
Disclosure: Solar sent me the guitar, no cash has changed hands, nor do they get to see the video before it goes live!
0:00 NEW GUITAR DAY!!!
0:14 Unboxing
2:23 Uh oh...
3:19 Plugged In Out Of Box
4:35 First Impressions
7:49 What I Like
11:10 Neck Pickup
11:24 Cleans
11:48 Made for Metal!
13:34 Specs
14:23 SMG Ratings
18:09 Mauler Outro
Join the SMG Discord! Share mixes, get feedback, make better records!
/ discord
The Intro & Outro song - "The Eagle Has Landed"
• The Fiddlin' Bens & He...
Get the Tracks to THE EAGLE HAS LANDED:
spectremedia.ca/eagle-has-lan...
Reaper skin is "Fusion Beta"
Subscribe to SpectreSoundStudios and help the channel grow!
More subs=more of the most honest music gear reviews on RUclips! bit.ly/1SfU1m4
About Spectre Sound Studios:
I'm Glenn Fricker, engineer here at Spectre Sound Studios. I love making records, and after doing it for sixteen years, I want to pass on what I've learned. On my channel you can find tutorials on how to record guitar, bass, real drums and vocals. There's reviews and demos of tube amps, amp sims, drums, mics, preamps, outboard gear, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, and plugin effects.
We've covered Moon on the Water, played Bias FX, given you the absolute best in Stupid Musician Texts, ranted & raved about bass guitar, and this channel is where The Eagle has Landed.
Everything you've wanted to learn about recording Hard Rock & Heavy Metal can be found right here on this channel!
I also respond to your comments & questions: The best make it into the SMG Viewer's Comments series of videos. Loads of fun, lots of laughs.
Thanks for checking out my channel & please subscribe!
We need a T shirt of Glenn as Uncle Sam pointing his finger at you saying “ Tone is in the speaker!”
if someone bashes the art out for other old world leaders... imagine a canadian on a shirt like that, or emperor chin.
Or a Sun Tzu version
Yes, or something like that!
More “tone is in the filters”, being the speaker a big one 😂
Will there be an asterisk that reads “this message is paid for and brought to you by Celestion speakers”
Love how Glenn trolls RUclips by censoring his profanities, and as soon as one minute clears he drops "bullshit"
Bonus points for metalocalypse bend
In the words of Dime “ tune this MF’r somebody”
Seriously I think Ola nailed the X shape it’s like he took all the best X shapes and blended them together.
Jackson Kelly Star is still the best X shape.
You can tell Glenn's been practicing those pinch harmonics. Wish I had those chops
Your pinch harmonics are killing it since you learned that new technique. Nice!
Wow! I’ve never heard of “Bukkake” wood before… just loads of tone!
Don't go in dry, use the "wet" setting for maximum toan
The quotes, holy shit 🤣
"this issss ... one of those red ones"
"let's check out the neck pickup" 5 seconds later: "yes, it definitely does the neck pickup-thing"
"it's literally the line 6 of output jacks design"
Also: Lets do an Ibanez review. I haven't seen an Ibanez on your channel so far.
yeeeah it got the cleans but this is a metal show so if youre about those cleans GOOO SOMEWHERE EEELSE!!!
that one got me cracking up :D
“Guitar squeals like a mfer”
Glenn's "strap on" joke never gets old! After watching this I'm probably getting XF1.6FPB this summer at some point.
I'm getting the green one myself this summer seems wrong that a dime guitar wouldn't have a Floyd so the solar dime slime is a must
@@Berserker-lw6kd Oh I get what you are saying, but I love the look of FPB too much. Also I'm kinda exited to get my first guitar with Evertune on it.
Crazy seeing your guitar progression over the past year man its actually insane
Hahahaha!
I recently bought my own northern mauler and it kicks ass! Thank you for bringing the old chainsaw tone back and making this beautiful pedal 🤘 - great video glenn!
What a great vid to watch after a doctor's appointment! Us fossils have to see them, you know.
When it comes to tuning stability a few things come to mind, from this video. You seem to have a rather aggressive attack. If the strings are a slightly thinner gauge then you are used to, and slightly higher action as well, it will feel out of tune. If you just opened the package and started playing without giving the guitar time to adjust to the room's temperature and humidity, that could be a factor as well. Because it'll keep changing and adjusting for a few hours. Wood may not affect tone, but it certainly does behave rather moodily.
I find it strange that people don't use right-angle cables by default. Unless, you play a strat with the goofy front jack plate, or an ultra modern guitar with some recessed jack on the back of the guitar, a right-angle cable is a better option for pretty much any guitar.
Wouldnt be glenn if there wasnt any drama
I also hate the output jack placement
Even more so because of the precedent set with the solar V with the output jack on the back of the lower wing. Why solar decided to put the output jack on the inside of the lower horn is beyond me, even having it on the front like an SG would've been better
new guitar day is always the most magical day of the week!
I know people say this every single video but still, looks like the practice is really paying off Glenn! Hit those pinches perfectly great work.
The nice thing about the tooling mark in the fretboard is that its ebony, meaning you can use a small drop of starbond black CA glue and a small needle file to fix it. If you don't have black CA glue you can gently sand with the grain using 400 grit sandpaper over the tool mark to fill the hole and add a drop of water-thin CA glue, although it will take a bit more filing and sanding after to get it looking good. Thanks for the review, Glenn.
I think I will still be picking one up as the ergonomics for the right arm look perfect! Grew up playing classical (getting into metal now) and the one and only thing that drives me crazy about my schecter Omen Elite is I can’t rest my elbow properly. Only thing that is a drag is that jack placement.
man new guitar day is the guitarest day of all new days , its powerful.
It*s so awesome that you use the Dethklok sound for your *beeps* xD
Love the pinch harmonics, reminds me of Dethklok! Nice Hellclub shirt dude!
I'm glad you pointed out the input jack placement, seems there could be a much better spot.
Your reviews are great and make me think so much more about the quality of a guitar, so I want to know if you could do an episode on any Ibanez guitars. I want a professionals opinion on them.
The bit about the new strings after you swapped pick ups made me lol.
Good fucking morning!!!! This is exactly what I wanna watch right now
Hellfire Club T-shirt??! I would have figured you for a I ❤Hot Moms shirt kinda fella!!! 😜🤘🏻
This is an awesome video, are you playing with the preamp pedal in to the computer or is there a real cab with some mic´s infront of it or something like that ?
Damnd good for you the knew axe looks cool as hell any way
Might wanna check the nut slot. I got a Solar recently that had a serious flaw in how the nut slot was cut, and it causes me tuning issues.
Hi Glenn ! Your Vids are gold as always , i laughed my ass off . Thats a serious shred axe . Greetings from Germany 🤘🤘🤘🤘
Love this channel! I've just picked up guitar again after being on hiatus for a decade or so. Can you or anyone provide some insight into the settings you're using for the sound when you jam around 12:20? I'm using a Fender Mustang III V.2 100 Watt Amp, and I haven't found any settings that are quite like this yet. Thanks!!
🤩 wow wow!!! Oh sweet sweet tinkled strings!! A guitar that comes often, a dream 💭 thing and looks like 👍 it can walk up and call a rock party 🎉 out of air!!! Jeez thanks 😊
Cool guitar and cool t-shirt!
You are a metal channel and you are absolutely right about pick ups being irrelevant at high gain. But I tend to play multiple genres and like to just enjoy the sound of the pick ups clean with no effects. In a mix you can’t tell my three guitars apart on high gain, but they sound different clean, one has double p90s, one is a single coil tele and I have an HSH Ibanez. But clean, you really hear the difference. Of course I tend to prefer a more 12 o clock EQ as well. Thanks for what you do Glenn. You make that thing squeal.
Soundin' good, Glenn!
Looks sweet. I really wish some manufacturers would start putting stratocaster style output jacks on guitars, where they come out of the front at a slight angle. Not a huge fan of strats, but those output jacks seem like they keep things out of the way really well.
Well, I should have watched until the end of the video, because Glenn said it anyways.
I like how charvel use the Strat Jack on the bottom back corner of the guitar, it’s really ingenious
@@brandonjackson5865 Or how my Jackson RR3 has the strat jack on the top horn, cable is out of the way and guitar sits rather perfectly in the lap
I have that exact same guitar! The jack placement is definitely a little annoying but other than that, it's a solid instrument. Great stuff as always Glenn.
No locking tuners ( no will help when its tuned) and the output jack ?
Solar is becoming my new favorite guitar brand. My v in the same color as this one, is one of my top 5 guitars, and I own 27 guitars. Lol
I have an old 80s Ibanez X-series with a similar body shape and i love how comfy it is to sit with. I Saw Ola playing one of these in a video the other day and got curious. I think I found a shiny new replacement for my old worn out workhorse. Shame about the output jack though, might wait to see if they do a second run that fixes that while i'm saving up.
I’d hang onto the old Ibanez if I were you, maybe retire it to studio or a couch guitar, those old X series Ibanez are far better than most 1000 dollar guitars you get now a days. Most companies have stepped up their mid level guitars, but some companies like Ibanez and 90s MiJ Jacksons were quietly making excellent affordable guitars way back then.
I have a Destroyer II I’ll finish rebuilding one of these days.
@@brandonjackson5865 oh I have no plans to get rid of her, in fact I just sunk in some new pickups and knob pots last week to replace the groddy old crackly ones. practically all new electronics plus some Grover Locking tuners for extra measure. Shes got more life in her than ever. What I want is something similar but a little more comfy, as the ibanez isnt perfect in that regard, a set-in neck, and maybe some extra gadgets and gizmos to play with like coil taps or maybe even a Floyd Rose.
@@johnosfirewalker8517 no doubt , I gave about 200 around 97 for my old Destroyer and they sell for 800 to 1000 now. I didn’t like the factory red color on it and took it apart a few months after I bought it to repaint and rebuild it, it’s been in various stages of restomod ever since, I wish I’d left it alone now lol
@@brandonjackson5865 I have a black one but I saw the red ones in an ad in an old magazine. I kinda dig it with the red fretboard and all. Has an 80s glam flare that'd be a good match with my Gio strat.
Hi Glenn, maybe I lost some episodes but how did we come from pickups partially matters as they act on the sound as filters on the EQ (not largely as an EQ or a speaker), to pickups don’t fuckin matter? Best from Italy :)
Good review. The 2.x models typically don’t come with locking tuners.
Cheers from NZ 😎🎸🤘
Thumbs up just for the intro!
I kinda wish the output jack was in the upper horn. I don't know how difficult that would be manufacturing-wise but it would be nice and out of the way.
How does the neck shape/thickness compare to some of the other guitars you've played? Slightly thicker than the LTD Arrow? I've had the purple burst X-type in my shopping cart for like 2 weeks and haven't pulled the trigger yet. Thanks for your always entertaining and informative reviews!
11:44 after that I expected to hear The Metal by Tenacios D
Ok, I’m learning that! Great suggestion
I like it, “that’s for sure”
Hey glen, quick question for you or anyone else that has an answer. I know wood doesn’t effect tone at all but, does the type of wood effect resonance? Or is that in the body shape?
A couple of builders in the '80s tested and measured what Glenn has, and yet enough people still don't listen to Glenn. It was one Japanese brand and a smaller American brand that did their treats separately, and I remember that greater surface area = greater resonance.
But I'm not sure that that resonance would translate to an electrified tone. It might just have to do with how the guitar feels to play.
Glen, thoughts on how much clarity matters in a pickup? Like in a "garbage in, garbage out" way? I've had a few really cheap ceramic humbuckers and they just muddy up the sound, even using good amp sims and IRs. I like playing Blackgaze nowadays, and I'm starting to prefer single coils for the clarity. A video comparing singlecoils vs humbuckers in the same guita would be cool, I'm pretty confident emg makes humbucker sized singlecoils. I know your can you play metal on a tele video had something similiar, but I haven't seen that in ages... Probably gonna have to rewatch that soon.
Ola....I know you are watching, big fan. Any thoughts/comments on the input jack?
The Intro was cute. And i am not sorry xD. Well done!
So what do the S and the R stand for? I see OLA in the middle
How's the weight? I bought a used solar a2.7 and it's seriously heavy.. like hanging a desk on my shoulders...
I also would like to know how heavy this guitar is
How do you like the strap button placement?
NEW GUITAR DAY!!! had my laughing so hard I fell of my chair. Happy Wednesday Glenn
Glad I could put a smile on your face.
I built a custom ML and used a fender recessed input jack in the bottom wing
Fuckin love your channel man, you are hilarious....
Will that Laney Leonhart pedal go into the amp 1 iridium as a preamp?
Damn, I sure am impressed with Tsunami cables!
Is Glen capable of making a video without mentioning the pickup drama?
No.
Hell no !!!!!!
It’s only drama in his mind. The fact that he has to keep bringing up proves he has no idea what he’s talking about
can you try out a 1968 fender twin reverb with the northern mauler pedal
It actually had a nice warmth when clean
Congrats on the Mauler, Glenn. Revv is the best, and your pedal fucking slaps, like we'd all expect from you.
Well you said the guitar should look cool, if the output jack were in the front, it would look worse? maybe one of those recessed ones on the other side of the horn would work?
Glenn your outro had Kyuss like vibes.
as a songwriter, I use the guitars that work for me in the studio; my 2009 Schecter devil custom, which can be found online via reverb, or eBay, for less than 1k, is my go to. because it stays in tune. its neck feels great, and the intonation is spot on.
last year, I traded a lefty Angel of Deth V for a lefty les Paul tribute, and I have been fighting that fucker since day one... the slash pickups were shit, so I dropped in Phat cats- I mean P-90's in a humbucker hole... ok. now it sounds great, but the fucking intonation is maxed on the tune-o-matic, so I'm dumping another 200 in a hipshot with more range to intonate. the pots were noisy, so I bought new LEFT handed CTS 500k pots- yeah, fuck off Gibson- every single other guitar I own, the knobs turn one way for lefties, but not you assholes.... ugh...if it wasn't for the fact I've wanted to own a LP since is was 14 years old- and I'm fucking OLD now- id have Monterey Pop'ed this fucker by now... chose the guitar that works for your situation... if its on the road, pick one that can be hammered with sweat, beer, dropped constantly, and still be reliable. if its for fucking about, pick what feels best in your hands. if its for tracking guitars.... DON'T USE A FUCKING GIBSON, unless you're willing to become a fucking luthier, and invest in making their product playable....
oh, and before I forget..
FUCK YOU GLENN... with love.
average lefty guitarist experience. I just got a LTD sn-1007 ht baritone and hope it delivers
@@Sebgeetarman i had a lefty EC-1000, i bought for 350.00 in 2012- wish I’d never sold it! What a awesome guitar!!
There is honestly ZERO reasons why any guitar above 200 eu/USD to not have locking tuners on it. It's not like they cost 200 like back when they just got released. Today you can find gotohs for 50 usd/eu, and other brands are even cheaper. Especially on a reverse headstock guitar like this.
That said, as a owner of a solar guitar (and yes, with locking tuners lol) what i love about them is the neck and the frets. The neck is neither too chonky not too thin and the super jumbo frets really make a difference in slides bends and vibratos, it almost feels like you're playing a scalloped neck since they're so chonky.
What i love the least (at least on my guitar) is the really cheap electronic components that they used. After a month of intense playing, the volume pot started crackling and the 5 way switch started to feel a bit too loose (and yes, i did use a contact cleaner on the crackling pot, it didn't work, it was just a bad pot). And the pots are mini pots, not full sized 500k ohm ones. Not that it makes a big difference, but you'd expect full sized pots on a 1200 eu instruments.
I have literally never had a guitar with locking tuners, and honestly don't care at all. Maybe there's something to having to do some work to change strings on a guitar you care about.
@@keithferris9574trust me. Once you'll get a guitar with locking tuners, you'll never look back. Until then, yeah, you're used to the standard ones. But once you go locking and restring literally takes 3 minutes, it's a game changer. Not to mention if you live gig like i do and a string breaks and you're not John Petrucci that has 10 guitars but just a backup one.
@@keithferris9574 it's a huge time saver in terms of restringing and adds better tuning stability. Not hard to see why most people prefer them.
@@davidepannone6021 bullshit,I have them on one of my guitars and I’m not running put to replace the Grover’s on any of my others,there no “game changer” and doesn’t stay in tune any better of different from any other guitar I have without them,but if you believe it good for you
@@tommilitello198 ok chump
Hey dude, when can we expect the follow up video on the Slate VSX?
It looks super cool!
But no locking tuners?
No 24 frets?
Weird jack location?
I’ll check the website to see if there are other variations.
Cool review 👍
I really need to get one of these. I grew up with only a Dean ML to learn on, so I'm extremely used to playing that shape in classical position. Normal position feels uncomfortable to me, and nothing sits in classical position as perfectly as the ML shape. V's almost do, but that extra bottom "horn" on the ML shape props the neck up perfectly even if you sit with your legs wide. That output location is a bit of an issue, but I already have and use a right angle cable anyway, luckily! haha
Look like my 80's Kramer Focus 5000 without the floyd...Nice.
I would not put the jack on the front (ruins the look) but in the middle of the top horn, like on a Rhoads.
Another thing to note is that the case is included in the price. That is not the case for other (even more expensive) Solar models. That makes this a really good deal pricewise, even if locking tuners are missing.
Did you change something about how you record. Like the camera or editing? This is crisp af
There are only 22 frets and the toggle is in an awkward place. If I could get a customised Solar X I'd move the toggle nearer to the volume and tone knobs and I'd have 24 frets. They're the only design changes I'd likely make but if I was offered a stock one with a Floyd Rose I definitely would not turn it down. Oh yeah! That output jack is in an awkward spot too! Totally agree with you on that Glenn.
Ill take that with block inlays
I reckon that layout is a bit of a 'tribute' to the dean ML since he is a huge dime fan.
What a killer look this gituar..but does Not matter i am ex Bass player thanks to you Glenn
It's so much more convinient to change the speakers to fine tune your tone. Whenever I buy a new guitar I always buy a new 2x12 or 4x12 cab with it and then start experimenting with different speaker sets. I usually go through 5-6 sets to get the sound I want from that guitar. It's abit cumbersome to have 4-5 speaker cabs live on stage to match them to the guitar I'm playing per song but so worth it. I don't know how else I could have different guitars sound different through the same rig.
Try single coils. Or different string material. Just remember that “in the lap” tone is VASTLY different than what’s coming out of the speaker.
@@SpectreSoundStudios Have you done tests on the string material on heavy sounds? I'd love to hear that.
Shape reminds me of the old Carvin "pointy" models. Which is a good thing.
When I was a kid, I really wanted a Washburn Dime guitar but with a regular string through bridge instead of a Floyd. This is cool, it reminds me of one of those. I'd go for black satin, though.
14:14 right here at the top-right, it's a 7 string but they also make a 6s with the same specs
@@plumbummusic2051 I'm not sure if you meant to reply to me or another commenter but yeah, it's great to have variety!
@@finishin.my.coffee8780 I was actually mentioning that Solar has a string through tune-o-matic X in black satin, if you'd like to get one for yourself
@@plumbummusic2051 I would, I'm just trying to decide which one to get and when is the right time to get it.
I love that you managed to get a load of clichés in the first minute!
did you stretch the strings?
What tuning did you use?
mother of piano lows, that side cable tip made electrical current sound so herzy and ring. (Sarcasm).
whats the outro song?
My personal favorite x shape guitar is the jackson warrior shape
Solar do offer locking tuners on the Evertune and Floyd Rose versions of the X. This one is the $999 USD which looks to be a base version. I don't consider them standard at this price point from my experience anyway. The only guitar I own that does have them is my Solar 1.6, but I have Ibanez and LTD that cost more that don't have them. The Ibanez is a brand new RG421 as well.
Killer guitar!!! 🤘
Are locking tuners important to you strictly for studio applications or all around? I thought they were necessary w whammy bars but I've never been bothered by the lack of them on my hardtail. I'm told they're a pain in the ass to adjust but perhaps that's just w Floyd's.
locking tuners do just that....lock. You just tighten them down once you've fed the string through and got it wound on. Easy peasy.
@@trevor_mounts_music I understand the function of a locking tuner. My question is whether it's more tedious to tune bc there are more steps as I understand it. If one string changes tension for whatever reason it will have a relative effect on the intonation of the instrument as a whole bc the combined string tension is unevenly distributed in their adherence to the mathematical formula that defines the harmonic series. The angle of the string break, the placement of the tuning pegs, neck relief, temperature and humidity effect this equilibrium. Put some locking tuners on a guitar in the Sahara, take it to the Amazon, and see how that intonation sets.
If you have a well cultivated technical relationship w your instrument and good relative or perfect pitch (and perhaps an 'outboard' tuner too if you prefer), provided you're not working in a studio, how important is the utility of a locking tuner to you? That is my question. Glen is obviously production oriented so I can see the value in well tuned instrument. If you have a shitty embouchure the conductor will stifle and replace you. Glen can't do that with bands that commission him. All he can do is give them a different guitar.
I think your reviews are excellent - I just wish you reviewed a few basses sometimes.
The last time was the boiled strings episode I think. Five years ago already, wow: ruclips.net/video/9rytRyxIl0A/видео.html
Why?
He did do the video on the bass with the wammy bar as well, but I’m not sure if that counts as a review.
@@Rebar77_real I've seen it. It was interesting - and as usual, evidence-based, which I love.
Looks cool love the finish on that guitar. Hate the output jack location and also agree it needs looking tuners as well
What plugin were you using on the demo? It sounds great
Tonex and Prism
If you buy with Floyd or Evertune then it comes with locking tuners.
@@SpectreSoundStudios thank you. Sounds great
@terryosborne272 OK thanks for the heads up on that. I really dig these solar guitars. I'd probably go for a different body shape though lol
and about those tracks cliping in Reaper?
I know it's sort of their trademark, but I just can't allow a reversed headstock under my roof, no matter the shape. I plenty like that inlay though.
Robot Chicken cutaway...... LOVE YOU GLENN!
Did you ever take into consideration that you’re also getting a different sound based off how far/close the bridge pickup is to the bridge?
Yes. I’ve stated that numerous times.
@@SpectreSoundStudios right on! I’m pretty sure that’s why you were getting slightly different sounds from each pickup in the pickup comparison video.
Remember that Mustaine V you deemed very expensive? Check this - Kirk Hammett "Greeny” Les Paul Standard costs just $3,199.00. And Kirk Hammett "Greeny" 1959 Les Paul Standard costs $19,999.00. So for the equivalent of only 1 "1959 greeny" you could buy 16 copies of this type X you showed us today.
That’s insane!!
At least you could tell us what special day this is, preferably in the beginning of the video ...
The pinch harmonics! Haha fuck yea Glen 🤟
Just like Christmas only starts when Hans Gruber falls from Nakatome Tower, so is a SpectreSound guitar review only really complete when Glenn plays Painkiller. I think you left out a part there, Glenn.
I can’t wait to have new guitar day lol
great strap / neckdive test LOL
What kind of tone wood is it made out of, bro? 😅😊
Considering I don’t play with my leg on the back of the guitar, that input jack is in the perfect location. Lol