As a R&D engineer myself, I can add one additional layer of rant. Very often the smart and technical people most definitely know it's a crap or a horrible product. But if there are managers and CEO's that simply don't listen right from the start. I lost count how often I thought "I told you so". So yeah, the feeling sad part really hits as well 😢
Oh yes, exactly. Mr excell tells You to do this or that so they can have their tables straight (shit together). But You havent even got a chance to familirize yourself with the stuff you have to order for future production etc.
Yup. When I was in manufacturing engineering I experienced that where the owner priced something way too cheap ($2,000 IIRC) off the cuff to a man who then sold a bunch of them based on that cost. The prototype cost us about $12k - $15k to build and worked great. He then redesigned it to be much cheaper and it cost us around $6k - $8k to build - but it no longer worked well and in fact was quite dangerous. I was assigned to "fix it" and get the price down to $1,500, but just the parts we purchased cost us $3,500. The design desperately needed to return to the earlier specifications, but every change I proposed to make it work got shot down. So we put out a bunch of them and ended up taking them all back. We lost money building them, lost money installing them several hundred miles away, and then lost money uninstalling them and refunding the purchase price, all for fear of being sued for not holding the agreed-upon price (which was contested; owner said that's the price for one, buyer said that was the price each for as many as he wanted. Nothing written, of course.) Just dumb luck that no one got seriously injured.
I feel this, engineer too. I've worked on some things that were pretty cool ideas and could've been really great... until management and sales prioritized cutting corners and speed to market over good design practice. It's even worse when these people talk to their technical people as though they're customers too and expect us to believe their sales nonsense as though we're not designing the product. Unfortunate reality of many product/sales oriented businesses I guess.
You and your honesty is very much appreciated here!! I think it is great that you are highlighting this issue and throwing light onto it so we can see the 'behind the scenes'. You can't buy back ones integrity once it is lost - keep doing what you are doing!
Henning, you’re a smart guy and probably have already considered this, but maybe not. We all generally know each other in this community, or are at least aquatinted with each other in some way. We are aware that some of our friends and acquaintances are, shall we say, less than enthusiastic about working with you lately for a variety of reasons, some of which you state here in this heartfelt and very legitimately intentioned “state of the union” type message you are putting forth. But here is something that you and your followers can take some solace in. Our little cesspool of a marketplace can be fun, exciting, frustrating, of course, and also unintentionally revealing if you’re really paying attention. As a manufacturer, how can we learn what is going on out there? How can we anticipate a trend? How can we maybe take advantage of the possibility that the wind is beginning to blow in another direction today? One sure way is to constantly check our own temperature. Ask ourselves the hard questions, obviously, but is it really that obvious? Henning, if you want to hope that what you represent has meaning to us on the manufacturing side, it does. You are a friend, sure, but more importantly, a trusted ally without a doubt. Knowing that some of our colleagues are turning away from you and why, tells us something about where we are in the scheme of things and either how we can adjust, or just maybe why that makes us more confident about the path we are on currently. That’s a valuable bit of insight to anyone who chooses to watch, listen and learn. Thank you, and keep up the great work you most definitely are doing❤
There are more people on your side than you know. Your job means that you talk to us a lot more than we talk to you. I appreciate your honesty and your consistent hard work. You have recommended a lot of the kit that I now call essential. Keep going, you are making a difference.
This is why you are my favorite channel when it comes to guitars and gear. Your passion for sharing great products with your audience and telling the truth about a product is why I love your channel. I think what makes your channel different is you truly care about your audience and the products you review and to me it shows in the videos you make for us. I think there are alot of people who respect and trust your opinion on products. I know I do. There are always going to be companies that only care about the bottom line and not the customer or product and then there are companies that really do care about their customers and products. It is up to us as consumers to decide what companies are reputable and what companies are not. Your channel,at least to me helps me decide which companies to do business with. Your honesty is greatly appreciated by me and I'm sure alot of you viewers. Thank you for all the hard work you do to bring us products that we can trust to spend our hard earned money on. Please keep up the great work you are doing. You are a very valuable resource to alot of us who trust your honesty and opinion. Thank you HP. 🎸🤘🏻
Crikey mate. Don't let them get to you. I've just retired from a job thats lasted me 46 years. Some days the bosses pat you on the back, somedays they don't. Some days the punters thank you for doing your job, most days they don't. Some days the punters spit in your face, some days you can get your revenge on them. Life is full of pitfalls but you must never let it get to you. Keep doing a great job.
Thank you for the sincerity. I bought the UA Astra due to your video, even though you pointed out it's confusing dynamic knob layout, no midi and only 1 preset save. I bought it second hand for a great price and the sounds are fantastic. I would NOT have purchased it if I had not seen it here. You seemed to like the sounds. Your review was honest.
I appreciate your honesty and integrity. I say this with 28 years of experience as a musician who has invested tens of thousands of dollars in lessons and gear. I apologize for the length but I want to give my thoughts on what motivates me to buy new gear and what I think a better influencer business model would be. The music industry has been circling the drain since 2000 and the death of recorded physical media as a viable income source for most musicians. This directly impacts gear manufacturers and, in turn, influencers, by cutting into the amount of money musicians have to spend on new products. In the music industry, especially now, most working musicians cannot make enough money to buy new products at retail price. For software, it is an open secret that musicians often pirate plugins or use open source plugins--software that can be used for years until a change in OS compatibility forces an upgrade. For hardware, musicians wait years for new gear to come onto the used market and then drop in price. As a result, new gear being introduced and promoted now like new pickups and amps might be in common use in 5-10 years. This is nothing new. The music I grew up listening to from the 80s to the 00s was made in studio with old Marshall Plexis, JCM800s/900s, Mesa Dual Rectifiers and Marks, and Peavey 5150s. The studios used the same old gear intelligently for years to produce a variety of great sounding albums. It was about value and keeping costs and overhead down--not buying the newest stuff. Only the highest selling artists recording in the best studios could afford that. For the rest of us, artists who endorsed that old Marshall/Mesa/Peavey gear from the 80s-00s were given discounts to promote that gear and use it live. These marketing costs were passed onto consumers, mainly fans like me, who again waited for those expensive tube heads to show up at a better price on the used market. As a result, *the music gear industry is competing against its own former products in return for profits from a musician/hobbyist industry with shrinking profit margins, a small customer base, and declining demand. This is not a sustainable business model.* This race to the bottom means gear manufacturers cannot afford to make great quality gear at a good price point because the competition is too fierce and the profit margins would be too small. Most gear production has already been outsourced to Asia and there is nowhere else to cut costs. Additionally, with new gear the improvement in sound quality tends to be marginal in return for the high price. Very, very few products are true game changers like the early Line 6 POD gear, the Fractal Axe FX, and the Kemper. Even then the timing of the product's introduction and its marketing campaign have to be just right. As an example, initially Line 6 and its POD products were very divisive, but eventually many musicians fully embraced software modeling over tube amp heads as time went on--if not modelers from Line 6, then modelers from other companies like Fractal and Kemper. *The gear that has value to me is gear used by professional touring acts who use that gear in their backline even when they do not promote it.* As an example, Metallica currently uses Axe FX III units and Matrix power amps even though they have had an endorsement relationship with Mesa Boogie for decades. So, Fractal must make good stuff or a band with millions of dollars at risk would not use it. Yes, Metallica has millions of dollars of real boutique and vintage gear in studio, but the Axe FX III can replicate all of that live for around $2,000. Eventually, good gear like the Axe FX becomes ubiquitous--just like the JCM800, Dual Rectifier, and 5150 did. This is better proof to me of quality than any marketing or influencer's opinion. *I come to influencers more for the tutorial knowledge they have than they products they promote. Influencers are especially useful to me when they are able to use old or common gear to get modern sounds in a specific live or studio context. An example might be when to choose a Kemper or an Axe FX in studio and live situations.* The trend toward upscale, custom, boutique gear is not most musicians' experience. *It is about knowledge, not gear.* *New gear makes the most sense when touring and a vintage piece of gear breaks down and cannot be easily repaired or replaced.* As an example, when I was starting out in the mid 90s, I wanted things like Mesa Triaxis and Marshall JMP-1 preamps because that is what my influences used. But I could not afford that 80s/90s gear until the 00s. Now that gear is old, discontinued, unreliable, and increasingly hard to repair, so upgrading to an older used Axe FX makes sense. Other than situations like these, I see little reason to buy new equipment. *To get more to the point of the video, everyone's business model has a conflict of interest, be it a gear manufacturer, RUclips influencer, or musical artist. Transparency about that business model is more important to me than the model itself. So I appreciate your transparency here.* As far as a lack of bias in reviews, that is a problem in any industry. Here in the United States, we have a famous non-profit publication called "Consumer Reports" that started in 1936 as a subscription magazine. It reviewed products, mainly home appliances and automobiles, with an intention of protecting consumers. Because "Consumer Reports" was paid by its subscriber base and not by the manufacturers whose products "Consumer Reports" was reviewing, "Consumer Reports" could afford to be more objective than if they did paid reviews funded by the product manufacturers. *Since RUclips is now becoming one giant influencer infomercial, it may be a better business model for influencers in many fields to come together as a giant non-profit financed by paid subscribers who send products for influencers to review. Since influencers in a variety of different areas would all be working for the same company, this would diversify income and makes more sense than a self-employed influencer working for himself/herself in a niche industry.* *This is not to discourage self-employed influencers in specialized fields. We need them and their knowledge. We simply need a better business model that allows influencers to be more objective in their reviews while maintaining good relations with industry and keeping manufacturers honest. In return, manufacturers would have a single, reliable, trustworthy influencer connection through which to promote their products.*
Henning, you are one of the most wonderful people ever to have existed. The work you do and then give to us is priceless. I have complete faith in everything you say. Thank you for all that you’ve done, please continue. ❤
Your integrity is your most important asset HP. I know you are straight and brutally honest in your opinions always. Keep doing what you are doing bro.
Dude you channel is my number 1 go to for good solid reviews and advice on all things guitar and music because you are very honest and give the best reviews hands down plus added bonus you've got an awesome personality with wicked humour, it's thanks to you that I've saved a lot of money I've then spent elsewhere on something worthwhile which again was due largely in part to the reviews you did on those products and I've never been happier with my music and the gear I create it with since I started watching this channel, don't change don't stop don't slow down keep going at the pace you have set doing what you do coz you do it the best out of all the channels on RUclips and I know I'm not the only person that thinks so, you rock Henning you've got style and class and plenty of both! man!
For the last 3 or 4 years if I consider buying something I always look for reviews from a few select channels and if they (yours is one of them) don't have a video about that thing it's unlikely I'm going to buy. On the other hand with free shipping and free returns the risk is quite small. But I've been banned from ordering from several stores for sending too much stuff back. I'm very grateful for your honesty and also for refusing bad products - for me, as I said before - it is also a a good hint if some channels I trust don't cover the thing at all.
Your reviews offen are a class above whatever everybody else is doing, and honestly, simply not publishing the bad reviews seems like the perfect approach. And hey, nowadays there are a million versions of everything, so if in doubt I can always get the one you DID review ;).
Honesty is priceless. I would rather see a musician who knows the gear speak his/hers mind on a product and not sugar coat the product for their own benefits. If your job is to review gear and you find flaws, electronic issues, or things you are not comfortable about. You have that right to voice your opinions to the companies pushing their products. Pushing a product that is quality is why your true fans respect you. Everyone is out to make $$$, but it takes a real person to think about their audience first. Maybe reviewing a product and only talking about what they could improve and not saying it is shit could help with your audience make up their minds is they want to buy that gear. The company that made or is promoting the gear would still have to pay you for your opinion, but not sew you because you worded your review not in a negative way. Voicing your opinions in more of a way to improve a product rather than ripping them apart.
Your honesty is definitly your trademark !! Never change from your way of working and your way of thinking. Your advices are always very helpfull for us !
I always appreciate the in-depth review videos you do. It helps me decide about certain gear I am looking to purchase. What kind of selfish person would take in a family fleeing from war , then help set them up to continue to work in their own house, literally push him in front of the camera again to get him rolling. Really. How selfish of you Henning. (Of course I am joking, there is no font for sarcasm.) You are great for the music community and I have learned a lot from your videos, not only about gear, but about being a decent human being too.
I first came across your channel many years ago when watching your review of the Vox MV50 mini amp heads. I really liked that you were honest with the pros and cons of the product and it was really refreshing to see this especially when most of the other reviews online did not mention the points you outlined. There will always be those who post those "paid shill" comments but anyone who has spent the time to watch your videos over the years will know that couldn't be further from the truth! Keep up the great work and know that there are many of us who greatly appreciate it :)
So appreciated this video! Thank you for valuing integrity at a premium. This, and the other “rant” video you made have only increased my trust in your reviews. And when the pup came into the video, that did it for me. 🐶🐕 Great stuff. 👍
Don't ever change your ethics. Anonymous people online always spit shit, whether you are doing a great or horrible job. You have a loyal group of people that follows your advice precisely because of your honesty and work ethics. The financial hit do suck bawlls, but is also important that you can sleep well at night and be comfortable with yourself. "Selling out" would only bring damage to your mental health and to the loyal following that you've build over years and years of having a great standard. Some days are just broken, and sometimes there are weeks or months like that. I hope that you have a great fucking year and, from all the way down here in Chile, just know that people really do care about the content of your channel and also about your well being. Don't be so hard on yourself, you are fucking great. Keep it up!
You should charge 50% upfront and then if the company likes the review pay you the rest once you publish it. At least that way you will be paid for your time on a bad review.
I respect the companies who have no issues asking a principled reviewer like yourself to review their products. They're the ones who are most interested in the kind of feedback that will help them to see what they're doing right and what they could be doing better with the product. A review conducted with integrity and objectivity helps me to be more discerning about the quality, usefulness and relevance of a product to me as a musician; especially when I am unable to test it for myself. I am very grateful for that and that is a big reason why your channel is my top one for trusted reviews and insights. Lots of respect to you.
Your candid, straightforward commentary is much appreciated Henning. While I don't buy a lot of gear, I would trust what you have to say about it because it's clear to me you are honest, forthright and that matters. We all know talk is cheap and honesty is easier than ever to fake. Thank you for what you do, not just for the music community, but for the animals too.
Thank you for all you do. It saddens me to know that some of the brands I like, have disrespected you for being honest. BTW, one of the reasons I am good friends with my Sweetwater Engineer is that he has saved me many times from purchasing crap products.
I used to do the same in my shop. Sometimes the boss would stock the cheapest crap just to make a few extra sales, & when he wasn't there, I would tell customers NOT to buy that rubbish! Buy this! A few $100 more, but way BETTER quality, & they NEVER came back with a complaint or fault!
Thanks for your honesty! I really appreciate all your our reviews. You’ve always given the most honest lengthy and in depth reviews on RUclips of products. You’ve saved me and many other customers lots of money with your honesty!!!!😊
I’ve been a fan of yours for many years and will continue. I’m even a proud owner of your Harley Benton Signature guitar (#34). I hear, see and understand your frustration. I wish there was an easy answer, but if there was then I’m sure your works have found that by now. Hang in there, because as always, you are doing a great job. ❤
THE TRUTH! it's a rapidly fading concept..Thanks for all that you do and keep doing it YOUR way (especially grateful for the Blackstar Amped 3 review..spot on)
You’re my #1 Review resource Henning because of your honesty, that has proven time and time again with many products I have purchased both bad and good. It’s a shame these companies cannot deal with wanting to improve a product meant to improve or inspire art. My trust in you is only more so and these brands less and less. This year, less buying and more creating (and maybe get something once in a while if Henning shows some cool stuff, lol) Thank you for all the honesty, laughs and amazing production 🙏
another great video. very informative and unfortunately this is pervasive across our modern markets and economies. Integrity is invaluable though and you have it. I also can empathize where you're coming from especially with companies distancing themselves from honest demos and reviews. I've always valued your opinions and hope a bit of positivity here can help counter the negative BS. Keep on rockin dude!
You're awesome, HP. I love your videos and to me, it's obvious that you're honest and giving us a fair assessment of the products you feature. One thing I really appreciate about your videos is that you always try to point out "who the product is for". One recent example - the Line 6 POD Express. I was considering buying it and thanks to your video, I ended up saving more money to buy something else instead. Not because you said the Express is a bad product, far from it, but you made it clear in your video that it wasn't what I was looking for. I was looking for a good modeler for live and studio and you made it clear in your video that the Express was more suited to beginners or players who just want something that's easy to get a good sound out of quickly and jam around on...but the modeled sounds weren't the most detailed out there. The product I bought instead? A Helix Stomp. So in the end, Line 6 still wins because I got something more expensive than the Express, and I win - because I got the right product FOR ME. I also learned that the Express would be amazing for my daughter who wants to start playing guitar. Everybody wins. Thanks for doing what you do!
Let me say a few things, but first, always appreciate your honesty, and I think that’s something your followers appreciate as well. Ok, now while I’m sure you see and evaluate more products than I do (I’m neither a RUclipsr nor influencer), what product is ever “perfect”? I’ve played with and through lots of gear, and while I might say some things don’t work for me, very few things (and I can count them on one hand) are “bad”. I’ve seen other influencers take positions on gear that they’re clearly not vibing with, and say, I’m just going to walk you through what it does, without making a recommendation. True their influence holds some sway, and gives visibility to some imperfect products. Perhaps your evaluation takes too many things into account. Some people focus on sound quality, others durability, some just aesthetics, or user-friendliness. I have old products, new products, name brands, one man shops, and quality can be all over the place. A one man shop that can focus on quality, vs a large brand that shit slips through. And I’ve purchased expensive gear that’s had some shitty flaws, and cheap gear that’s impeccable. However I still have a hard time calling things “bad”. Nothing is perfect. It’s perfect for you, or it’s perfect in a particular situation, but everyone lives with a few flaws if it works for them. I understand the conundrum you’re in. How do you sincerely promote something you don’t believe in. And how do you deal with the loss in time, and possible damage to a working relationship when evaluating a product that you feel you can’t promote. However, that’s your reputation and what you bring to the table. Maybe there’s a new deal you can all strike with brands - a non-refundable evaluation fee. It covers your time and effort even if you decide not to move forward. You’re not strictly an ad platform, or a megaphone for brands. You offer real world evaluations, and unfettered views on gear, to your subscribers. A brand either accepts that or not. If other “influencers” are simply going to say nice things about every product that pay them it’s gonna show. Marketing and influencing is about saying nice things and trying to get people to buy products. If finding good things to say about the products crossing your path is becoming difficult, maybe you’re dealing with the wrong brands, or possibly you’re being too hard on the products you’re evaluating. True it can’t all be a love fest, but that’s what influencers do. Where have I ever seen people talk shit about products? Mostly never. I see people say, “this isn’t for me, but it might work for you”, and I think that’s how they sleep at night. That’s their little disclaimer.
You are doing a great and ridiculously super useful job at least for me. I don’t remember how many times I followed your advices without any “surprise “. Thanks a lot!
Honesty is painful, but so is everything else good for you. Dont ever change your morals for greed. Your honesty is THE reason I watch your videos. I sincerely appreciate your efforts, and will continue to support in any way I can. You litterally saved me thousands of dollars. Thank you.
Henning, as a person who is just starting in the guitar world I have to thank channels like yours because of their honesty and integrity. Around 3 years ago when I was trying to find my first electric guitar, I saw your review of the Ibanez Gio GRG131EX-BFK. I really liked your transparency and I was looking for an affordable metal axe for a student like me. So I took your advice and I bought that guitar. You were absolutely right about it!! The value for the money on that one is better than a lot of guitars that I tried latter, and still will be my main instrument for some years. So despite those awful comments keep in mind that also you have a lot of people thankful with what you do. Your job is essential for beginners like me so we don't fall in all the scam.
Without the platform itself being able to support you 100%, you buying all the product yourself, it's kind of a dead end business model to be able to create truly honest reviews. I empathize. Maybe the best you can really do is point out the positives, like the others try to do. You always have the quality and entertainment value going for you, so that's something to hang your hat on. Best of luck to you!
Ich habe 20+ Jahre als IT-Redakteur und -Autor gearbeitet und musste mir bei jeder Gelegenheit anhören, wir wären doch eh alle von Microsoft bezahlt. Sogar heute kommen noch solche Kommentare. Die sitzen tief und kommen immer dann wieder zum Vorschein, wenn der Kopf sich gerade nicht wehren kann (so morgens um halb drei, wenn man mal kurz aufwacht). Anyway, ich kann Deinen Frust nachvollziehen. Mehr als ein „lass Dich nicht unterkriegen“ habe ich leider auch nicht im Angebot. Vielleicht hilft es Dir, ab und an ein bissl mehr in den Glen Fricker-Modus zu schalten wie hier im Video so um 3:30.
Henning has been having real existential crises lately. I like that he is sharing them with us, that he is voicing his justified frustrations, and I feel sorry for him. As movies have taught us, it is always easier to go along with the storm-troopers than to live as "rebel scum" Jedi. Capitulation with evil often comes with a better paycheck. I'd quote Hamlet's introspective "slings and arrows" soliloquy here, but ain't nobody got time for Shakespeare these days, and it shows in society. But that's a different rant altogether.
That honesty and integrity is what makes you one of the good channels. You are doing it right, and you are definitely NOT a paid shill. However, there is another problem. As you indicated, good reviews of bad products will come out anyway. In these days of online only purchasing (no try before you buy at a brick-and-mortar store), the average consumer is putting more faith than ever in gear reviews. If they look up reviews and everything is positive and great (only seeing reviews from those who take the pay for a glowing review), they may be led into a bad purchase. That consumer may not always know which of those reviews to trust or not. So while not putting out bad reviews protects your livelihood, it does a disservice to consumers looking for honest feedback good OR bad. The system provides no path to reviews of bad products. The only way around this problem is to have a review company whose income stream does not come from the marketing teams of these companies in exchange for reviews. And to keep a company from cutting off the product stream after a bad review, the reviewer can't depend on the products being provided from the companies directly. There has to be budget to purchase these products independently of the parent companies. Obviously, funding such a review organization is the big issue. But until such a thing could exist, what you are doing now is the best you can do. Maintain your credibility above all else. The people who will say anything for a paycheck are usually pretty obvious. Don't let a few trolls in the comments detract you from the value you provide to your viewers.
Whenever I'm interested in a product, my first step in the research is to see if you have made a video on it. You normally hit all the things I want to know. I'm saving for a Pentatone preamp partly because of your review. This was a very interesting video. Thanks Henning
Now you have a new subscriber. As a guitar gear related fanatic, I really appreciate honesty and integrity. I have only watched a few of your videos, but your working ethic, accuracy and precision it's 2nd to none. Also entertaining and educational.
I think this is the way to do it. Be honest, but respectful. Be fair, and reliable. Most guitar channels reduces their "reviews" to product presentations. Well, no. I can get that on the companies website. I want YOUR opinion, good or bad. So at least they should share if they are "not so happy" with a product. Fair enough. I bought products where the review was not a happy one. But the product was exactly what I needed.
Some of us have figured out that if a handful of guys like you- that are honest, ethical reviewers- don't have a video on a product that's from a relatively mainstream manufacturer and readily available- there is probably a reason why. They've avoided it to try preserve their relationship with the company- which I totally understand and don't hold against them. We appreciate you guys-even the vids you don't make- help inform our buying decisions- and so far, I've been pretty impressed with everything you've recommended. These companies that are choosing to not work with you should really think about that.
This is why there are only two of these guitar gear reviews channels I trust. I listen to a lot of them, but when I am serious about possibly purchasing a product, you and one other channel hold weight with me. And of the two? You're much more informative. Thanks Henning.
Henning, you’re my favourite reviewer. I rarely buy expensive gear unless you’ve reviewed it. You’re a pillar of the community, and it should be mandatory for every company to send their stuff to you. It’s almost like getting it UL certified. If it’s expensive, I probably won’t buy it if they were too afraid to send it to you.
You're the best Henning...period. Your standards and honest opinions are what keep me coming back. Be you, not what others tell you to be. Keep up the great work!
Thank you for the honesty. You made me a bigger viewer of your channel. Really for two reasons. First, you will not pimp bad products, and secondly, there are times I feel that channels do "bad" reviews to look cool. The narratives are always so self promoting. If YOU push a product I am going to think it is really that good. Thanks
I dont think there is any youtube channel that has made me buy more stuff from Thomann than this channel. Seeing the way you go in depth of stuff and really show how the product works and giving genuine impressions of the product. While i do understand why that is scary for companies when a video calling out shitty products can lead to worse sales. But fuck it. the companies need to learn what they can improve on the stuff and the only way they can learn that is finding the people who know what they're talking about and is being honest about what works and doesn't work.
I like watching your videos because they are well made, the music you play to showcase the product, your conclusions, and your humour. There are others who I no longer watch because I don't think they can be unbiased. So,even though I can rarely buy anything, I appreciate your work very much.
Many of us appreciate the brutal honesty and humor. I love your aproach and how to conclude the products value and for whom it may be best for.( And your guitar play is awesome. ) keep making videos.
These companies need to hire you when developing the product, rather than when trying to get a demo made. This was particularly apparent with the recent Aero guitar debacle 😂
The cost to you is high, but the benefit to us is vast. I trust your word, so much so, that I bought a used macmull stinger, blind, that I would not have been able to return, and would have had difficulty in selling. It is so good, that it has changed everything for me, and I will be selling all my other guitars, because whenever I pick up a guitar, I want it to be that one. I owe you my gratitude, for enlightening me about your experience. Thank you, I am truly in love with that guitar.
Great and accurate rant. We, out here, appreciate your candour and honesty. Please keep doing what you do, it really does help us gear consumers make informed decisions and not waste a shitload of money.
I like you for your honesty. In terms of sound almost everything is subjective, but if a pedal, guitar or amp is badly designed, has missing features or software that crashes, these are things a buyer should be aware of. And yes, that poodle should make everyone smile.
Henning - the old phrase (probably misquoting here?) "Unto thyself be true" is the only way to be. YOU epitomise this - in all your reviews and it is noted and appreciated. What you say about the background to all this - R&D, marketing, people who don't listen to (or want to hear) the truth applies to all businesses - witness the gigantic fails in the car market. What you do is very useful, is well done and worth watching. You are the "go to" reviewer (I hate the word "influencer" - I can make up my own mind after research!) - you are reliable and honest. Your integrity and sense of decency far outweigh the extra money you could be getting paid. Paid - because you could not say "earning" - if you didn't really endorse it truthfully. Your reviews are honest, and worthwhile and you are doing the right thing by sticking to your principles. Long may you continue to perform this public service and be, hopefully, well rewarded for doing it! You are worth it! Good Man!!!!
Respect for you and your work Henning...once again, you're genuine and honest, no one can buy that or take it away from you...and I'm sure a lot of people would love to be that way. Principles and values go first and that's why we're here
Man, it is so refreshing to hear somebody being bluntly honest about this. (That’s also why I love Glenn Fricker’s videos). Because there are so much bad products out there being sold as this so called wonderfull instrument, or so called fantastic gear. Don’t let those negative people get to you. They obviously don’t get the point. Stay positive man, you absolutely do the right thing. ❤ By the way, about that Aeroband thing. What a piece of shit that is. 😅
“Often the way an object comes into being isn’t because a bunch of designers sat down and said ‘what are the 10 most important problems that we can solve?’. There’s a company that’s writing a check, and what that company wants is more SKUs… They want more stuff and they want more people to buy it.” - Rob Walker
I've been watching your videos for a few years and always noticed that you point out the good and the bad even in the pedals/gear you like. I buy mostly budget gear, pedals under $150. I like watching videos to hear the possibilities of a new products, and i don't expect them to be pure perfection. I don't think there's anything dishonest about preserving a relationship with a company for future endeavors.
There are a lot of reviewers where it's clear they're simply reading from the company's script. Your videos are NEVER like that. Your reviews are more like having a conversation about a product. That's why we come back. We feel like we're just hanging out with you while you try out something new. Your honesty comes through every time.
I get exactly what you’re saying. What touches me the most in your statement here is the loneliness and frustration you must be enduring. Expressing and sharing this here is a big step, for yourself: your self respect and feeling of self worth. Powerful. I know you have some (‘respectable’) colleagues in this RUclips-world you seem close with. Some of wich many of us hold in high regard. I do hope some of them share your vision (amongst yourselves) and will keep on doing so. Just to ventilate and share some of that frustration and loneliness. All people should know never ever to trust any (!) salesperson nor anyone who is directly affiliated with them! I know this sounds pessimistic and unfriendly. I can afford not to care. People should know and accept that being not trustworthy is inherent to the job of any salesman/-woman/-X when there’s products concerned they sell. Do I trust Lee, Danish Pete when they pitch a product in one of their many videos? Of course not! Not one bit! It’s there job to sell us stuff. They might be very trustworthy human beings in real life of course, but certainly not on the job! Do I fully trust any of the ‘influencers’ I like so much, like yourself, fully? For 100%? No, of course not. You’re all at work. You people entertain me first, and sometimes I let myself being influenced to check out stuff for myself. Do I blindly trust the judgement of my bassist collegues on- or offline (in the flesh) on any musical product? No, not anymore (😆). Should they trust my judgment than? Nope, same thing. But these are judgements and visions we can choose to consider. They are just that. But that’s something totally different than trusting any salesperson on their own product. Never! That’s just the way it is. When we’re very lucky, we can trust some people close to us, family and friends. Ourselves even... That’s the whole psychological point here: people want to belong. To their family, friends, anyone they see every day. Doesn’t matter if they only ‘meet’ on RUclips! Like nice people with a sense of humor in videos by music shops, like influencers on any subject, politicians, anybody. They need to reach peoploïds like myself to sell stuff and/or ideas. That’s why people like yourself are being paid money to make all of these videos to begin with. A very lonely job, I think. A very hard one too, especially when you have to fight to remain your credibility and self respect. Good luck! Thank you for your honesty and openness! I regard this very video as one of the best you ever did. And the idiots? Who are they? Well, that’s one thing we all do share together: it’s us, we’re all idiots. It runs in the family. 😄 Best regards, Admar 🖖
Man, your attitude is the reason, why I am interested in yor opinion on stuff! Please keep that attitude. I understand that it's business and money doesn't smell bad (as we say in Czech 😉 ) but please stay true to yourself.
I do not have the same taste in fashion than you and even not in music, but I watch you, because I think you are passionate and honest. Keep up your good work.
And that is why I am subscribed and watch your videos. Don’t let those trolls get to you. Keep up the good work, stay honest, and good things will come to you. 🍻
It's tough to have integrity in a world where "doesn't matter got paid" seems to be the mantra. Keep your head up. Your honesty might be lost on brand names, but I promise you it's not lost on your audience.
I like your videos because you will always explain why you think a product has flaws. It is then up to us to decide to test it in person or simply order it online. I don't think you're dishonest for declining to review a product. Keep up the good work.
I have been following you awhile now along with others you associate with and have nothing but the utmost respect for you. Ethics, morality, are treated today like “commodities” and easily bought. Stay true, I’ll be here. We can tell the difference between a shill and man with integrity.
When I buy a product and realize that there is zero chance that the company thought it was actually a good product worth releasing, there's now a 90% chance I'm never buying another product from that company ever again - customers need to hold companies accountable for this and make betraying customer trust more costly than writing off the R&D cost, etc. Customer trust should be one of the most valuable things to companies, and I don't understand how it isn't for them. And channels that have integrity, like yours, are a way for them to build this trust by putting the products in your hands and letting you give your honest opinion on things. And if I was a decision maker at one of those companies, and you told me you didn't feel comfortable making a video on it because the product sucked, it'd tell me two things - one, that we really need to figure out where we went wrong on the product and if we can fix it, and two, that you're on the list of people I *need* to get future products to, and probably early. The gear industry is crowded with a bunch of people chasing the next big shiny hype thing, but there's still a lot of people that would prefer to buy the version of the product from a brand they trust if it is at all competitive.
Keep being strong Henning! Your audience appreciates you. I watched 20 videos of tonex one, but bought it😊 through your affiliate link after watching your video!
I know you didn‘t make this video in order to garner all kinds of oozing praise from the community. But that is what you truly deserve for your integrity! And I think the vast majority of your regular viewers (me included) come here precisely for that reason, and because we know you make gear reviews (and related topics) fun and insightful and often musically very appealing. That said, the phenomenon you are so astutely sketching out is running rampant throughout society today, and is certainly not limited to the gear reviewing world. Whether one looks at those pushing experimental „treatments“ on us, or megalomaniacal agendas, or centralized digital currencies, or whatever - it all comes down to way too many people leaving their morals at the gate, taking the money to feed their families (and creature comforts), and promoting things they know full well are sketchy to say the least, and in many cases outright harmful. It seems to be an overall collapse of moral uprightness in the name of self-preservation or self-aggrandizement. You therefore do not suffer alone! There are a great many folks out there who are standing up for what is true and right…and losing cash and more in the process. With the gifts you bring to the community, you could even ditch this music gear business altogether and find a new niche for yourself, since the system is rigged against you (and other honest folks). It would be a painful shift, for sure, but maybe worth pondering at some point, well before you lose your sanity (and/or your will to trudge on). Your humanity speaks for itself, and life will support you no matter which path you choose to take, as long as it is in alignment with who you are, and what you are here for. Deep respect for you, brother!
The pedal thing, Them not working with you. I think most pedals are overpriced for the sound they deliver. Working 8 hours before taxes, to pay for something that you give up on after 20 minutes. It’s not okay and there’s a lot of it out there. People who sell these things used say “it sounds fantastic” trying to get some of their money back. This is especially something I see with Overdrive/ Distortion pedals. I appreciate your honesty in these matters, since I have too buy most things online these days. The shops where you can tryout things are sadly closing. 10 years ago there were 5 shops within 30 minutes from me, now there is 1 hour to the closest. If they have what I’m looking for. Keep up the good work man ❤ from Denmark. 🎸🎶😊
Continue the honest and hard work, even if you don’t see results right away but you will harvest the great work you have been doing! Thank you for the videos.
Its hard to know exactly who are the ones who make the video saying a product is nice, when they dont think so, BUT your channel is one that I always like to go that I trust what you say. So at least if there is any help, I keep coming back to your channel all the time when I want to learn form a product. So thank you and keep up the amazing work! You deserve at least 500k subs. I think you mean to the laney loudpedals to a recent product?
@@PacificNatureTV Yeah totally, Ryan will always take the money and do a soft push of absolute trash. At least that seems to be the trend with his channel. I used watch regularly but not so much as of late.
Bleib wie du bist! Lass die Dummschwätzer nicht an dich ran. Es ist hart, wenn die eigene Integrität infrage gestellt wird, wenn man viel dafür tut, die Integrität hochzuhalten. Ich kaufe dir deine Vorstellung von Moral zu 100% ab. Ich finde es im Übrigen sehr mutig und richtig, dass du in die Offensive gehst und mal erklärst, wie die Industrie eigentlich funktioniert. Man kann das dann gut finden oder nicht, das bleibt jedem selbst überlassen.
100% truth right here. The amount of times I also "dont" say things on videos but we all know.... It's hard to not say anything but a few of us talk in group chats to keep our sanity in check.
If this is any consolation: I never really heard of you before. And then I started getting your videos pushed to me. But the only videos that were getting pushed were your "rant" videos. These alone made me subscribe. (I'm just a crappy guitarist who spends way too much money on gear 😂). So if you really think about it, if you weren't the honest person that you are, people like me would've never discovered you in the first place. Keep it up.
Thanks for these videos Henning. I have to say your videos are go to when I'm considering a pedal. Maybe I should slightly assume if you haven't made a video the pedal may not be the one I want/need.
As a R&D engineer myself, I can add one additional layer of rant. Very often the smart and technical people most definitely know it's a crap or a horrible product. But if there are managers and CEO's that simply don't listen right from the start. I lost count how often I thought "I told you so".
So yeah, the feeling sad part really hits as well 😢
Oh yes, exactly. Mr excell tells You to do this or that so they can have their tables straight (shit together). But You havent even got a chance to familirize yourself with the stuff you have to order for future production etc.
Working in telecommunications, let me just add, sales mgt can also greatly add to stupid product decisions.
Yup. When I was in manufacturing engineering I experienced that where the owner priced something way too cheap ($2,000 IIRC) off the cuff to a man who then sold a bunch of them based on that cost. The prototype cost us about $12k - $15k to build and worked great. He then redesigned it to be much cheaper and it cost us around $6k - $8k to build - but it no longer worked well and in fact was quite dangerous. I was assigned to "fix it" and get the price down to $1,500, but just the parts we purchased cost us $3,500. The design desperately needed to return to the earlier specifications, but every change I proposed to make it work got shot down. So we put out a bunch of them and ended up taking them all back. We lost money building them, lost money installing them several hundred miles away, and then lost money uninstalling them and refunding the purchase price, all for fear of being sued for not holding the agreed-upon price (which was contested; owner said that's the price for one, buyer said that was the price each for as many as he wanted. Nothing written, of course.) Just dumb luck that no one got seriously injured.
I feel this, engineer too. I've worked on some things that were pretty cool ideas and could've been really great... until management and sales prioritized cutting corners and speed to market over good design practice. It's even worse when these people talk to their technical people as though they're customers too and expect us to believe their sales nonsense as though we're not designing the product. Unfortunate reality of many product/sales oriented businesses I guess.
You and your honesty is very much appreciated here!! I think it is great that you are highlighting this issue and throwing light onto it so we can see the 'behind the scenes'. You can't buy back ones integrity once it is lost - keep doing what you are doing!
Approach should be - check whether HP reviewed. If he and other whom You trust haven`t, You know what to do.
Henning, you’re a smart guy and probably have already considered this, but maybe not. We all generally know each other in this community, or are at least aquatinted with each other in some way. We are aware that some of our friends and acquaintances are, shall we say, less than enthusiastic about working with you lately for a variety of reasons, some of which you state here in this heartfelt and very legitimately intentioned “state of the union” type message you are putting forth. But here is something that you and your followers can take some solace in. Our little cesspool of a marketplace can be fun, exciting, frustrating, of course, and also unintentionally revealing if you’re really paying attention. As a manufacturer, how can we learn what is going on out there? How can we anticipate a trend? How can we maybe take advantage of the possibility that the wind is beginning to blow in another direction today? One sure way is to constantly check our own temperature. Ask ourselves the hard questions, obviously, but is it really that obvious? Henning, if you want to hope that what you represent has meaning to us on the manufacturing side, it does. You are a friend, sure, but more importantly, a trusted ally without a doubt. Knowing that some of our colleagues are turning away from you and why, tells us something about where we are in the scheme of things and either how we can adjust, or just maybe why that makes us more confident about the path we are on currently. That’s a valuable bit of insight to anyone who chooses to watch, listen and learn. Thank you, and keep up the great work you most definitely are doing❤
Much love to you Steven...thanks!
There are more people on your side than you know.
Your job means that you talk to us a lot more than we talk to you.
I appreciate your honesty and your consistent hard work.
You have recommended a lot of the kit that I now call essential. Keep going, you are making a difference.
This is why you are my favorite channel when it comes to guitars and gear. Your passion for sharing great products with your audience and telling the truth about a product is why I love your channel. I think what makes your channel different is you truly care about your audience and the products you review and to me it shows in the videos you make for us. I think there are alot of people who respect and trust your opinion on products. I know I do. There are always going to be companies that only care about the bottom line and not the customer or product and then there are companies that really do care about their customers and products. It is up to us as consumers to decide what companies are reputable and what companies are not. Your channel,at least to me helps me decide which companies to do business with. Your honesty is greatly appreciated by me and I'm sure alot of you viewers. Thank you for all the hard work you do to bring us products that we can trust to spend our hard earned money on. Please keep up the great work you are doing. You are a very valuable resource to alot of us who trust your honesty and opinion. Thank you HP. 🎸🤘🏻
Crikey mate. Don't let them get to you. I've just retired from a job thats lasted me 46 years. Some days the bosses pat you on the back, somedays they don't. Some days the punters thank you for doing your job, most days they don't. Some days the punters spit in your face, some days you can get your revenge on them. Life is full of pitfalls but you must never let it get to you. Keep doing a great job.
Thank you for the sincerity. I bought the UA Astra due to your video, even though you pointed out it's confusing dynamic knob layout, no midi and only 1 preset save. I bought it second hand for a great price and the sounds are fantastic. I would NOT have purchased it if I had not seen it here. You seemed to like the sounds. Your review was honest.
I appreciate your honesty and integrity.
I say this with 28 years of experience as a musician who has invested tens of thousands of dollars in lessons and gear.
I apologize for the length but I want to give my thoughts on what motivates me to buy new gear and what I think a better influencer business model would be.
The music industry has been circling the drain since 2000 and the death of recorded physical media as a viable income source for most musicians. This directly impacts gear manufacturers and, in turn, influencers, by cutting into the amount of money musicians have to spend on new products.
In the music industry, especially now, most working musicians cannot make enough money to buy new products at retail price. For software, it is an open secret that musicians often pirate plugins or use open source plugins--software that can be used for years until a change in OS compatibility forces an upgrade. For hardware, musicians wait years for new gear to come onto the used market and then drop in price. As a result, new gear being introduced and promoted now like new pickups and amps might be in common use in 5-10 years.
This is nothing new. The music I grew up listening to from the 80s to the 00s was made in studio with old Marshall Plexis, JCM800s/900s, Mesa Dual Rectifiers and Marks, and Peavey 5150s. The studios used the same old gear intelligently for years to produce a variety of great sounding albums. It was about value and keeping costs and overhead down--not buying the newest stuff. Only the highest selling artists recording in the best studios could afford that.
For the rest of us, artists who endorsed that old Marshall/Mesa/Peavey gear from the 80s-00s were given discounts to promote that gear and use it live. These marketing costs were passed onto consumers, mainly fans like me, who again waited for those expensive tube heads to show up at a better price on the used market.
As a result, *the music gear industry is competing against its own former products in return for profits from a musician/hobbyist industry with shrinking profit margins, a small customer base, and declining demand. This is not a sustainable business model.*
This race to the bottom means gear manufacturers cannot afford to make great quality gear at a good price point because the competition is too fierce and the profit margins would be too small. Most gear production has already been outsourced to Asia and there is nowhere else to cut costs. Additionally, with new gear the improvement in sound quality tends to be marginal in return for the high price.
Very, very few products are true game changers like the early Line 6 POD gear, the Fractal Axe FX, and the Kemper. Even then the timing of the product's introduction and its marketing campaign have to be just right. As an example, initially Line 6 and its POD products were very divisive, but eventually many musicians fully embraced software modeling over tube amp heads as time went on--if not modelers from Line 6, then modelers from other companies like Fractal and Kemper.
*The gear that has value to me is gear used by professional touring acts who use that gear in their backline even when they do not promote it.* As an example, Metallica currently uses Axe FX III units and Matrix power amps even though they have had an endorsement relationship with Mesa Boogie for decades. So, Fractal must make good stuff or a band with millions of dollars at risk would not use it. Yes, Metallica has millions of dollars of real boutique and vintage gear in studio, but the Axe FX III can replicate all of that live for around $2,000.
Eventually, good gear like the Axe FX becomes ubiquitous--just like the JCM800, Dual Rectifier, and 5150 did. This is better proof to me of quality than any marketing or influencer's opinion.
*I come to influencers more for the tutorial knowledge they have than they products they promote. Influencers are especially useful to me when they are able to use old or common gear to get modern sounds in a specific live or studio context. An example might be when to choose a Kemper or an Axe FX in studio and live situations.* The trend toward upscale, custom, boutique gear is not most musicians' experience. *It is about knowledge, not gear.*
*New gear makes the most sense when touring and a vintage piece of gear breaks down and cannot be easily repaired or replaced.* As an example, when I was starting out in the mid 90s, I wanted things like Mesa Triaxis and Marshall JMP-1 preamps because that is what my influences used. But I could not afford that 80s/90s gear until the 00s. Now that gear is old, discontinued, unreliable, and increasingly hard to repair, so upgrading to an older used Axe FX makes sense. Other than situations like these, I see little reason to buy new equipment.
*To get more to the point of the video, everyone's business model has a conflict of interest, be it a gear manufacturer, RUclips influencer, or musical artist. Transparency about that business model is more important to me than the model itself. So I appreciate your transparency here.*
As far as a lack of bias in reviews, that is a problem in any industry.
Here in the United States, we have a famous non-profit publication called "Consumer Reports" that started in 1936 as a subscription magazine. It reviewed products, mainly home appliances and automobiles, with an intention of protecting consumers. Because "Consumer Reports" was paid by its subscriber base and not by the manufacturers whose products "Consumer Reports" was reviewing, "Consumer Reports" could afford to be more objective than if they did paid reviews funded by the product manufacturers.
*Since RUclips is now becoming one giant influencer infomercial, it may be a better business model for influencers in many fields to come together as a giant non-profit financed by paid subscribers who send products for influencers to review. Since influencers in a variety of different areas would all be working for the same company, this would diversify income and makes more sense than a self-employed influencer working for himself/herself in a niche industry.*
*This is not to discourage self-employed influencers in specialized fields. We need them and their knowledge. We simply need a better business model that allows influencers to be more objective in their reviews while maintaining good relations with industry and keeping manufacturers honest. In return, manufacturers would have a single, reliable, trustworthy influencer connection through which to promote their products.*
Henning, you are one of the most wonderful people ever to have existed. The work you do and then give to us is priceless. I have complete faith in everything you say. Thank you for all that you’ve done, please continue. ❤
Your integrity is your most important asset HP. I know you are straight and brutally honest in your opinions always.
Keep doing what you are doing bro.
Absolutely loving this Rant series! 😎👌
Insights are gold 🏆
and couldn't have came along at a better time Re my own YT journey.
Thank ya! 🙏
Dude you channel is my number 1 go to for good solid reviews and advice on all things guitar and music because you are very honest and give the best reviews hands down plus added bonus you've got an awesome personality with wicked humour, it's thanks to you that I've saved a lot of money I've then spent elsewhere on something worthwhile which again was due largely in part to the reviews you did on those products and I've never been happier with my music and the gear I create it with since I started watching this channel, don't change don't stop don't slow down keep going at the pace you have set doing what you do coz you do it the best out of all the channels on RUclips and I know I'm not the only person that thinks so, you rock Henning you've got style and class and plenty of both! man!
For the last 3 or 4 years if I consider buying something I always look for reviews from a few select channels and if they (yours is one of them) don't have a video about that thing it's unlikely I'm going to buy. On the other hand with free shipping and free returns the risk is quite small. But I've been banned from ordering from several stores for sending too much stuff back.
I'm very grateful for your honesty and also for refusing bad products - for me, as I said before - it is also a a good hint if some channels I trust don't cover the thing at all.
Thank for your honesty that’s the main reason why I started following you keep going man ❤
LOVE TO YOU HENNING, NEVER CHANGE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONESTY OVER THE YEARS.
Your reviews offen are a class above whatever everybody else is doing, and honestly, simply not publishing the bad reviews seems like the perfect approach. And hey, nowadays there are a million versions of everything, so if in doubt I can always get the one you DID review ;).
Honesty is priceless. I would rather see a musician who knows the gear speak his/hers mind on a product and not sugar coat the product for their own benefits. If your job is to review gear and you find flaws, electronic issues, or things you are not comfortable about. You have that right to voice your opinions to the companies pushing their products. Pushing a product that is quality is why your true fans respect you. Everyone is out to make $$$, but it takes a real person to think about their audience first. Maybe reviewing a product and only talking about what they could improve and not saying it is shit could help with your audience make up their minds is they want to buy that gear. The company that made or is promoting the gear would still have to pay you for your opinion, but not sew you because you worded your review not in a negative way. Voicing your opinions in more of a way to improve a product rather than ripping them apart.
Your honesty is definitly your trademark !!
Never change from your way of working and your way of thinking.
Your advices are always very helpfull for us !
I always appreciate the in-depth review videos you do. It helps me decide about certain gear I am looking to purchase.
What kind of selfish person would take in a family fleeing from war , then help set them up to continue to work in their own house, literally push him in front of the camera again to get him rolling. Really. How selfish of you Henning. (Of course I am joking, there is no font for sarcasm.)
You are great for the music community and I have learned a lot from your videos, not only about gear, but about being a decent human being too.
I first came across your channel many years ago when watching your review of the Vox MV50 mini amp heads. I really liked that you were honest with the pros and cons of the product and it was really refreshing to see this especially when most of the other reviews online did not mention the points you outlined. There will always be those who post those "paid shill" comments but anyone who has spent the time to watch your videos over the years will know that couldn't be further from the truth! Keep up the great work and know that there are many of us who greatly appreciate it :)
So appreciated this video! Thank you for valuing integrity at a premium. This, and the other “rant” video you made have only increased my trust in your reviews. And when the pup came into the video, that did it for me. 🐶🐕 Great stuff. 👍
Bro, I kinda want to buy the purple thing.
Well said - however, sometimes people (or should I say fanboys) don't want to hear the truth to justify their purchase...
Don't ever change your ethics. Anonymous people online always spit shit, whether you are doing a great or horrible job. You have a loyal group of people that follows your advice precisely because of your honesty and work ethics. The financial hit do suck bawlls, but is also important that you can sleep well at night and be comfortable with yourself. "Selling out" would only bring damage to your mental health and to the loyal following that you've build over years and years of having a great standard. Some days are just broken, and sometimes there are weeks or months like that. I hope that you have a great fucking year and, from all the way down here in Chile, just know that people really do care about the content of your channel and also about your well being. Don't be so hard on yourself, you are fucking great. Keep it up!
You should charge 50% upfront and then if the company likes the review pay you the rest once you publish it. At least that way you will be paid for your time on a bad review.
I respect the companies who have no issues asking a principled reviewer like yourself to review their products. They're the ones who are most interested in the kind of feedback that will help them to see what they're doing right and what they could be doing better with the product. A review conducted with integrity and objectivity helps me to be more discerning about the quality, usefulness and relevance of a product to me as a musician; especially when I am unable to test it for myself. I am very grateful for that and that is a big reason why your channel is my top one for trusted reviews and insights. Lots of respect to you.
Your candid, straightforward commentary is much appreciated Henning. While I don't buy a lot of gear, I would trust what you have to say about it because it's clear to me you are honest, forthright and that matters. We all know talk is cheap and honesty is easier than ever to fake. Thank you for what you do, not just for the music community, but for the animals too.
Thank you for all you do. It saddens me to know that some of the brands I like, have disrespected you for being honest. BTW, one of the reasons I am good friends with my Sweetwater Engineer is that he has saved me many times from purchasing crap products.
I used to do the same in my shop. Sometimes the boss would stock the cheapest crap just to make a few extra sales, & when he wasn't there, I would tell customers NOT to buy that rubbish! Buy this! A few $100 more, but way BETTER quality, & they NEVER came back with a complaint or fault!
Thanks for your honesty! I really appreciate all your our reviews. You’ve always given the most honest lengthy and in depth reviews on RUclips of products. You’ve saved me and many other customers lots of money with your honesty!!!!😊
You are the one. I trust your judgment. Maybe not about fashion but sure for music stuff. Cheers man 😎
I’ve been a fan of yours for many years and will continue. I’m even a proud owner of your Harley Benton Signature guitar (#34). I hear, see and understand your frustration. I wish there was an easy answer, but if there was then I’m sure your works have found that by now. Hang in there, because as always, you are doing a great job. ❤
THE TRUTH! it's a rapidly fading concept..Thanks for all that you do and keep doing it YOUR way (especially grateful for the Blackstar Amped 3 review..spot on)
You’re my #1 Review resource Henning because of your honesty, that has proven time and time again with many products I have purchased both bad and good. It’s a shame these companies cannot deal with wanting to improve a product meant to improve or inspire art. My trust in you is only more so and these brands less and less. This year, less buying and more creating (and maybe get something once in a while if Henning shows some cool stuff, lol) Thank you for all the honesty, laughs and amazing production 🙏
You a classy dude Henning! Leaving money on the table for the sake of integrity is a hard line to maintain. Very honourable ❤
another great video. very informative and unfortunately this is pervasive across our modern markets and economies. Integrity is invaluable though and you have it. I also can empathize where you're coming from especially with companies distancing themselves from honest demos and reviews. I've always valued your opinions and hope a bit of positivity here can help counter the negative BS. Keep on rockin dude!
You're awesome, HP. I love your videos and to me, it's obvious that you're honest and giving us a fair assessment of the products you feature. One thing I really appreciate about your videos is that you always try to point out "who the product is for". One recent example - the Line 6 POD Express. I was considering buying it and thanks to your video, I ended up saving more money to buy something else instead. Not because you said the Express is a bad product, far from it, but you made it clear in your video that it wasn't what I was looking for. I was looking for a good modeler for live and studio and you made it clear in your video that the Express was more suited to beginners or players who just want something that's easy to get a good sound out of quickly and jam around on...but the modeled sounds weren't the most detailed out there. The product I bought instead? A Helix Stomp. So in the end, Line 6 still wins because I got something more expensive than the Express, and I win - because I got the right product FOR ME. I also learned that the Express would be amazing for my daughter who wants to start playing guitar. Everybody wins. Thanks for doing what you do!
Let me say a few things, but first, always appreciate your honesty, and I think that’s something your followers appreciate as well. Ok, now while I’m sure you see and evaluate more products than I do (I’m neither a RUclipsr nor influencer), what product is ever “perfect”? I’ve played with and through lots of gear, and while I might say some things don’t work for me, very few things (and I can count them on one hand) are “bad”. I’ve seen other influencers take positions on gear that they’re clearly not vibing with, and say, I’m just going to walk you through what it does, without making a recommendation. True their influence holds some sway, and gives visibility to some imperfect products. Perhaps your evaluation takes too many things into account. Some people focus on sound quality, others durability, some just aesthetics, or user-friendliness. I have old products, new products, name brands, one man shops, and quality can be all over the place. A one man shop that can focus on quality, vs a large brand that shit slips through. And I’ve purchased expensive gear that’s had some shitty flaws, and cheap gear that’s impeccable. However I still have a hard time calling things “bad”. Nothing is perfect. It’s perfect for you, or it’s perfect in a particular situation, but everyone lives with a few flaws if it works for them. I understand the conundrum you’re in. How do you sincerely promote something you don’t believe in. And how do you deal with the loss in time, and possible damage to a working relationship when evaluating a product that you feel you can’t promote. However, that’s your reputation and what you bring to the table. Maybe there’s a new deal you can all strike with brands - a non-refundable evaluation fee. It covers your time and effort even if you decide not to move forward. You’re not strictly an ad platform, or a megaphone for brands. You offer real world evaluations, and unfettered views on gear, to your subscribers. A brand either accepts that or not. If other “influencers” are simply going to say nice things about every product that pay them it’s gonna show. Marketing and influencing is about saying nice things and trying to get people to buy products. If finding good things to say about the products crossing your path is becoming difficult, maybe you’re dealing with the wrong brands, or possibly you’re being too hard on the products you’re evaluating. True it can’t all be a love fest, but that’s what influencers do. Where have I ever seen people talk shit about products? Mostly never. I see people say, “this isn’t for me, but it might work for you”, and I think that’s how they sleep at night. That’s their little disclaimer.
“And it's a sad, sad, sad, sad feelin'
When you're livin' on those in-betweens
But it's okay” - J. Mellencamp
You are doing a great and ridiculously super useful job at least for me. I don’t remember how many times I followed your advices without any “surprise “. Thanks a lot!
Honesty is painful, but so is everything else good for you. Dont ever change your morals for greed. Your honesty is THE reason I watch your videos. I sincerely appreciate your efforts, and will continue to support in any way I can. You litterally saved me thousands of dollars. Thank you.
I gotta say, I love your attitude and integrity. You are very appreciated! Keep on the great work
Henning, as a person who is just starting in the guitar world I have to thank channels like yours because of their honesty and integrity.
Around 3 years ago when I was trying to find my first electric guitar, I saw your review of the Ibanez Gio GRG131EX-BFK. I really liked your transparency and I was looking for an affordable metal axe for a student like me. So I took your advice and I bought that guitar.
You were absolutely right about it!! The value for the money on that one is better than a lot of guitars that I tried latter, and still will be my main instrument for some years.
So despite those awful comments keep in mind that also you have a lot of people thankful with what you do. Your job is essential for beginners like me so we don't fall in all the scam.
Just be yourself and f**k the rest! Honesty is priceless, that is why you are still one of my favourite youtubers!
Without the platform itself being able to support you 100%, you buying all the product yourself, it's kind of a dead end business model to be able to create truly honest reviews. I empathize. Maybe the best you can really do is point out the positives, like the others try to do. You always have the quality and entertainment value going for you, so that's something to hang your hat on. Best of luck to you!
Ich habe 20+ Jahre als IT-Redakteur und -Autor gearbeitet und musste mir bei jeder Gelegenheit anhören, wir wären doch eh alle von Microsoft bezahlt. Sogar heute kommen noch solche Kommentare. Die sitzen tief und kommen immer dann wieder zum Vorschein, wenn der Kopf sich gerade nicht wehren kann (so morgens um halb drei, wenn man mal kurz aufwacht).
Anyway, ich kann Deinen Frust nachvollziehen. Mehr als ein „lass Dich nicht unterkriegen“ habe ich leider auch nicht im Angebot. Vielleicht hilft es Dir, ab und an ein bissl mehr in den Glen Fricker-Modus zu schalten wie hier im Video so um 3:30.
Henning has been having real existential crises lately. I like that he is sharing them with us, that he is voicing his justified frustrations, and I feel sorry for him. As movies have taught us, it is always easier to go along with the storm-troopers than to live as "rebel scum" Jedi. Capitulation with evil often comes with a better paycheck. I'd quote Hamlet's introspective "slings and arrows" soliloquy here, but ain't nobody got time for Shakespeare these days, and it shows in society. But that's a different rant altogether.
This is EXACTLY why I'll always come to this channel first for gear reviews, and I'm not the only one. Something for brands to consider.
That honesty and integrity is what makes you one of the good channels. You are doing it right, and you are definitely NOT a paid shill.
However, there is another problem. As you indicated, good reviews of bad products will come out anyway. In these days of online only purchasing (no try before you buy at a brick-and-mortar store), the average consumer is putting more faith than ever in gear reviews. If they look up reviews and everything is positive and great (only seeing reviews from those who take the pay for a glowing review), they may be led into a bad purchase. That consumer may not always know which of those reviews to trust or not. So while not putting out bad reviews protects your livelihood, it does a disservice to consumers looking for honest feedback good OR bad. The system provides no path to reviews of bad products.
The only way around this problem is to have a review company whose income stream does not come from the marketing teams of these companies in exchange for reviews. And to keep a company from cutting off the product stream after a bad review, the reviewer can't depend on the products being provided from the companies directly. There has to be budget to purchase these products independently of the parent companies. Obviously, funding such a review organization is the big issue.
But until such a thing could exist, what you are doing now is the best you can do. Maintain your credibility above all else. The people who will say anything for a paycheck are usually pretty obvious. Don't let a few trolls in the comments detract you from the value you provide to your viewers.
Whenever I'm interested in a product, my first step in the research is to see if you have made a video on it. You normally hit all the things I want to know. I'm saving for a Pentatone preamp partly because of your review. This was a very interesting video. Thanks Henning
Now you have a new subscriber. As a guitar gear related fanatic, I really appreciate honesty and integrity. I have only watched a few of your videos, but your working ethic, accuracy and precision it's 2nd to none. Also entertaining and educational.
I think this is the way to do it. Be honest, but respectful. Be fair, and reliable. Most guitar channels reduces their "reviews" to product presentations. Well, no. I can get that on the companies website. I want YOUR opinion, good or bad. So at least they should share if they are "not so happy" with a product. Fair enough. I bought products where the review was not a happy one. But the product was exactly what I needed.
Some of us have figured out that if a handful of guys like you- that are honest, ethical reviewers- don't have a video on a product that's from a relatively mainstream manufacturer and readily available- there is probably a reason why. They've avoided it to try preserve their relationship with the company- which I totally understand and don't hold against them. We appreciate you guys-even the vids you don't make- help inform our buying decisions- and so far, I've been pretty impressed with everything you've recommended. These companies that are choosing to not work with you should really think about that.
Your honesty is greatly appreciated. I love your channel. Best wishes
This is why there are only two of these guitar gear reviews channels I trust. I listen to a lot of them, but when I am serious about possibly purchasing a product, you and one other channel hold weight with me. And of the two? You're much more informative. Thanks Henning.
Henning, you’re my favourite reviewer. I rarely buy expensive gear unless you’ve reviewed it. You’re a pillar of the community, and it should be mandatory for every company to send their stuff to you. It’s almost like getting it UL certified. If it’s expensive, I probably won’t buy it if they were too afraid to send it to you.
And thank YOU for showing us that there are still people out there with honour, integrity and morals.
You're the best Henning...period. Your standards and honest opinions are what keep me coming back. Be you, not what others tell you to be. Keep up the great work!
Thank you for the honesty. You made me a bigger viewer of your channel. Really for two reasons. First, you will not pimp bad products, and secondly, there are times I feel that channels do "bad" reviews to look cool. The narratives are always so self promoting. If YOU push a product I am going to think it is really that good. Thanks
I dont think there is any youtube channel that has made me buy more stuff from Thomann than this channel. Seeing the way you go in depth of stuff and really show how the product works and giving genuine impressions of the product. While i do understand why that is scary for companies when a video calling out shitty products can lead to worse sales. But fuck it. the companies need to learn what they can improve on the stuff and the only way they can learn that is finding the people who know what they're talking about and is being honest about what works and doesn't work.
Bin voll deiner Meinung...zum Glück gibt es die 30 Tage Geld zurück Garantie, wenn man mal besch...Dinge kauft.
I like watching your videos because they are well made, the music you play to showcase the product, your conclusions, and your humour. There are others who I no longer watch because I don't think they can be unbiased. So,even though I can rarely buy anything, I appreciate your work very much.
Many of us appreciate the brutal honesty and humor. I love your aproach and how to conclude the products value and for whom it may be best for.( And your guitar play is awesome. ) keep making videos.
These companies need to hire you when developing the product, rather than when trying to get a demo made. This was particularly apparent with the recent Aero guitar debacle 😂
The cost to you is high, but the benefit to us is vast.
I trust your word, so much so, that I bought a used macmull stinger, blind, that I would not have been able to return, and would have had difficulty in selling.
It is so good, that it has changed everything for me, and I will be selling all my other guitars, because whenever I pick up a guitar, I want it to be that one.
I owe you my gratitude, for enlightening me about your experience.
Thank you, I am truly in love with that guitar.
Great and accurate rant. We, out here, appreciate your candour and honesty. Please keep doing what you do, it really does help us gear consumers make informed decisions and not waste a shitload of money.
I like you for your honesty. In terms of sound almost everything is subjective, but if a pedal, guitar or amp is badly designed, has missing features or software that crashes, these are things a buyer should be aware of. And yes, that poodle should make everyone smile.
Another great video....we love your content, i'm here since the begin of your channel and i'm grateful for it.
Henning - the old phrase (probably misquoting here?) "Unto thyself be true" is the only way to be.
YOU epitomise this - in all your reviews and it is noted and appreciated.
What you say about the background to all this - R&D, marketing, people who don't listen to (or want to hear) the truth applies to all businesses - witness the gigantic fails in the car market.
What you do is very useful, is well done and worth watching.
You are the "go to" reviewer (I hate the word "influencer" - I can make up my own mind after research!) - you are reliable and honest.
Your integrity and sense of decency far outweigh the extra money you could be getting paid.
Paid - because you could not say "earning" - if you didn't really endorse it truthfully.
Your reviews are honest, and worthwhile and you are doing the right thing by sticking to your principles.
Long may you continue to perform this public service and be, hopefully, well rewarded for doing it!
You are worth it!
Good Man!!!!
You're a good person with a good heart. Your honesty will pay off. I wouldn't give any credence to those negative comments.
Respect for you and your work Henning...once again, you're genuine and honest, no one can buy that or take it away from you...and I'm sure a lot of people would love to be that way. Principles and values go first and that's why we're here
Word! I can’t stand watching these fake / lying channels…
So glad there still are a few honest people out here like you🤘🏻
Man, it is so refreshing to hear somebody being bluntly honest about this. (That’s also why I love Glenn Fricker’s videos). Because there are so much bad products out there being sold as this so called wonderfull instrument, or so called fantastic gear. Don’t let those negative people get to you. They obviously don’t get the point. Stay positive man, you absolutely do the right thing. ❤
By the way, about that Aeroband thing. What a piece of shit that is. 😅
“Often the way an object comes into being isn’t because a bunch of designers sat down and said ‘what are the 10 most important problems that we can solve?’. There’s a company that’s writing a check, and what that company wants is more SKUs… They want more stuff and they want more people to buy it.”
- Rob Walker
We love and appreciate you and your honesty Henning. Thank you for being genuine
I've been watching your videos for a few years and always noticed that you point out the good and the bad even in the pedals/gear you like. I buy mostly budget gear, pedals under $150. I like watching videos to hear the possibilities of a new products, and i don't expect them to be pure perfection.
I don't think there's anything dishonest about preserving a relationship with a company for future endeavors.
There are a lot of reviewers where it's clear they're simply reading from the company's script. Your videos are NEVER like that. Your reviews are more like having a conversation about a product. That's why we come back. We feel like we're just hanging out with you while you try out something new. Your honesty comes through every time.
Brother, it can be hard to live an honorable life. But keep up the good work. You're one of the few people who's opinion I ACTUALLY value.
I get exactly what you’re saying.
What touches me the most in your statement here is the loneliness and frustration you must be enduring.
Expressing and sharing this here is a big step, for yourself: your self respect and feeling of self worth. Powerful.
I know you have some (‘respectable’) colleagues in this RUclips-world you seem close with. Some of wich many of us hold in high regard. I do hope some of them share your vision (amongst yourselves) and will keep on doing so. Just to ventilate and share some of that frustration and loneliness.
All people should know never ever to trust any (!) salesperson nor anyone who is directly affiliated with them!
I know this sounds pessimistic and unfriendly. I can afford not to care.
People should know and accept that being not trustworthy is inherent to the job of any salesman/-woman/-X when there’s products concerned they sell.
Do I trust Lee, Danish Pete when they pitch a product in one of their many videos? Of course not! Not one bit! It’s there job to sell us stuff. They might be very trustworthy human beings in real life of course, but certainly not on the job!
Do I fully trust any of the ‘influencers’ I like so much, like yourself, fully? For 100%? No, of course not. You’re all at work. You people entertain me first, and sometimes I let myself being influenced to check out stuff for myself.
Do I blindly trust the judgement of my bassist collegues on- or offline (in the flesh) on any musical product? No, not anymore (😆). Should they trust my judgment than? Nope, same thing.
But these are judgements and visions we can choose to consider. They are just that.
But that’s something totally different than trusting any salesperson on their own product. Never!
That’s just the way it is.
When we’re very lucky, we can trust some people close to us, family and friends. Ourselves even...
That’s the whole psychological point here: people want to belong. To their family, friends, anyone they see every day. Doesn’t matter if they only ‘meet’ on RUclips! Like nice people with a sense of humor in videos by music shops, like influencers on any subject, politicians, anybody.
They need to reach peoploïds like myself to sell stuff and/or ideas.
That’s why people like yourself are being paid money to make all of these videos to begin with.
A very lonely job, I think.
A very hard one too, especially when you have to fight to remain your credibility and self respect.
Good luck!
Thank you for your honesty and openness!
I regard this very video as one of the best you ever did.
And the idiots? Who are they? Well, that’s one thing we all do share together: it’s us, we’re all idiots. It runs in the family. 😄
Best regards,
Admar
🖖
Man, your attitude is the reason, why I am interested in yor opinion on stuff! Please keep that attitude. I understand that it's business and money doesn't smell bad (as we say in Czech 😉 ) but please stay true to yourself.
This is an invaluable series man, you've legitimately lit a fire under my ass and it's appreciated
I do not have the same taste in fashion than you and even not in music, but I watch you, because I think you are passionate and honest. Keep up your good work.
And that is why I am subscribed and watch your videos. Don’t let those trolls get to you. Keep up the good work, stay honest, and good things will come to you. 🍻
It's tough to have integrity in a world where "doesn't matter got paid" seems to be the mantra. Keep your head up. Your honesty might be lost on brand names, but I promise you it's not lost on your audience.
I like your videos because you will always explain why you think a product has flaws. It is then up to us to decide to test it in person or simply order it online. I don't think you're dishonest for declining to review a product. Keep up the good work.
I have been following you awhile now along with others you associate with and have nothing but the utmost respect for you. Ethics, morality, are treated today like “commodities” and easily bought. Stay true, I’ll be here. We can tell the difference between a shill and man with integrity.
Your "I don't know"s never fail to make me laugh haha
When I buy a product and realize that there is zero chance that the company thought it was actually a good product worth releasing, there's now a 90% chance I'm never buying another product from that company ever again - customers need to hold companies accountable for this and make betraying customer trust more costly than writing off the R&D cost, etc. Customer trust should be one of the most valuable things to companies, and I don't understand how it isn't for them. And channels that have integrity, like yours, are a way for them to build this trust by putting the products in your hands and letting you give your honest opinion on things. And if I was a decision maker at one of those companies, and you told me you didn't feel comfortable making a video on it because the product sucked, it'd tell me two things - one, that we really need to figure out where we went wrong on the product and if we can fix it, and two, that you're on the list of people I *need* to get future products to, and probably early.
The gear industry is crowded with a bunch of people chasing the next big shiny hype thing, but there's still a lot of people that would prefer to buy the version of the product from a brand they trust if it is at all competitive.
Keep being strong Henning! Your audience appreciates you. I watched 20 videos of tonex one, but bought it😊 through your affiliate link after watching your video!
I know you didn‘t make this video in order to garner all kinds of oozing praise from the community. But that is what you truly deserve for your integrity! And I think the vast majority of your regular viewers (me included) come here precisely for that reason, and because we know you make gear reviews (and related topics) fun and insightful and often musically very appealing. That said, the phenomenon you are so astutely sketching out is running rampant throughout society today, and is certainly not limited to the gear reviewing world. Whether one looks at those pushing experimental „treatments“ on us, or megalomaniacal agendas, or centralized digital currencies, or whatever - it all comes down to way too many people leaving their morals at the gate, taking the money to feed their families (and creature comforts), and promoting things they know full well are sketchy to say the least, and in many cases outright harmful. It seems to be an overall collapse of moral uprightness in the name of self-preservation or self-aggrandizement. You therefore do not suffer alone! There are a great many folks out there who are standing up for what is true and right…and losing cash and more in the process. With the gifts you bring to the community, you could even ditch this music gear business altogether and find a new niche for yourself, since the system is rigged against you (and other honest folks). It would be a painful shift, for sure, but maybe worth pondering at some point, well before you lose your sanity (and/or your will to trudge on). Your humanity speaks for itself, and life will support you no matter which path you choose to take, as long as it is in alignment with who you are, and what you are here for. Deep respect for you, brother!
The pedal thing, Them not working with you. I think most pedals are overpriced for the sound they deliver. Working 8 hours before taxes, to pay for something that you give up on after 20 minutes. It’s not okay and there’s a lot of it out there. People who sell these things used say “it sounds fantastic” trying to get some of their money back. This is especially something I see with Overdrive/ Distortion pedals. I appreciate your honesty in these matters, since I have too buy most things online these days. The shops where you can tryout things are sadly closing. 10 years ago there were 5 shops within 30 minutes from me, now there is 1 hour to the closest. If they have what I’m looking for. Keep up the good work man ❤ from Denmark. 🎸🎶😊
Your honesty is what we all need so we can̈ buy great products with our hard earned money. It matters what you say to all of us. God bless you.
Continue the honest and hard work, even if you don’t see results right away but you will harvest the great work you have been doing! Thank you for the videos.
Its hard to know exactly who are the ones who make the video saying a product is nice, when they dont think so, BUT your channel is one that I always like to go that I trust what you say. So at least if there is any help, I keep coming back to your channel all the time when I want to learn form a product. So thank you and keep up the amazing work! You deserve at least 500k subs.
I think you mean to the laney loudpedals to a recent product?
Thanks!
Be sure to check out 60 Cycle Hum's video on why channels who buy the reviewed product may be no better because of the commission on included links.
lmfao, 60H is exactly the type of channel hes talking about. The temu/chinese product reference was pretty on the nose about that lol..
@@PacificNatureTV Yeah, me and lots of others gave him hell about Temu
@@PacificNatureTV Yeah totally, Ryan will always take the money and do a soft push of absolute trash. At least that seems to be the trend with his channel. I used watch regularly but not so much as of late.
Bleib wie du bist! Lass die Dummschwätzer nicht an dich ran. Es ist hart, wenn die eigene Integrität infrage gestellt wird, wenn man viel dafür tut, die Integrität hochzuhalten. Ich kaufe dir deine Vorstellung von Moral zu 100% ab. Ich finde es im Übrigen sehr mutig und richtig, dass du in die Offensive gehst und mal erklärst, wie die Industrie eigentlich funktioniert. Man kann das dann gut finden oder nicht, das bleibt jedem selbst überlassen.
100% truth right here. The amount of times I also "dont" say things on videos but we all know.... It's hard to not say anything but a few of us talk in group chats to keep our sanity in check.
If this is any consolation: I never really heard of you before. And then I started getting your videos pushed to me. But the only videos that were getting pushed were your "rant" videos. These alone made me subscribe. (I'm just a crappy guitarist who spends way too much money on gear 😂). So if you really think about it, if you weren't the honest person that you are, people like me would've never discovered you in the first place. Keep it up.
Thanks for these videos Henning. I have to say your videos are go to when I'm considering a pedal. Maybe I should slightly assume if you haven't made a video the pedal may not be the one I want/need.
honesty is everything and I very much appreciate yours thank you!