EART GUITARS NK-C1 / CP-1 2 Guitars - 1 Brand - Multiple Quality Issues...I LIKE IT ANYWAYS

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EART GUITAR REVIEW Lately I have been seeing EART Guitars all over the web. I have watched a number of KZbin videos and the reviewers rave about the quality of these guitars from China.
The standard features were pretty impressive. Roasted Maple Neck, Stainless Steel Frets, Bone nut and other things you would expect on a higher end guitar.
So, I decided to reach out and see if they would be willing to sponsor a video on my channel.
They agreed, and we settled on a Model and a price for the guitar. I received a discount but still purchased the guitar with my own hard earned money.
I don't mention this in the video, but it was actually a Birthday present.
It arrived really quickly. Only 3 days from Japan. I was super excited and initially thought it was actually pretty good. Once I recovered from my love at first sight blindness and really started to look at it, well that's when the story really began.....
Watch until the end please.
I believe, as a content creator and reviewer I have a duty to be honest with my subscribers. Especially if I know there's a chance you might spend your hard earned money based on something that I might say. I take that responsibility to heart. So what are the odds I got two guitars from the same company that are both lemons? I think it's more likely that the overall quality form this builder maybe isn't as good as some of these fellow content creators claim.
We will learn more when I take these guitars apart and inspect them more closely.
Amazon dot ca links to these guitars
tinyurl.com/2b6ycet9
tinyurl.com/kh7vpb46
Amazon.com links
tinyurl.com/f5stwyxj
Check out Landon Bailey's Guitar Channel lando27music
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[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Consider Supporting The Channel By Getting Your Merch - Here's the Link and THANK YOU! lucas-crossley-guitar.creator-spring.com/

[@martinboucher6225]

Despite the small problems I think the value for money is excellent

[@robertclarkguitar]

To be fair ...I've had the ball sticking in trem block happen on fender and squier.

[@georgeorwell2703]

Babicz full contact aftermarket bridge had the same problem. I just changed the strings last week and had to use the the 6th string I had just pulled out to go in and push some of the other ball ends free.

[@jbdmarketing]

I also have had that issues with some Fender Bridges over the years. I brought a Eart NK- C3 purple recently and cannot believe how good it feels, sounds and the finish. About time someone is making great low cost guitars for everyone.

[@TomBailey]

If it makes you feel any better, strings get caught in the block of my PRS SE Custom 24. It's happened to me with Strats as well.

[@mrbertiep1]

I had that problem with my Fender Strat. Eventually going with Bullet end strings which eliminated the problem.

[@ENSOTAVES]

Thank you for the detailed critical review. You should compare this guitar in its class of 300 price range, not to a 600 to 3000 guitar in order to be fair. Best regards.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

That comparison is being made by other KZbin channels. My goal was to see if it really represents that kind of value. It doesn’t.

[@hheidrick]

I have a lot of guitars. I have setup many also, having the string stick in the tem block is not uncommon at all.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

I have a dozen guitars at the moment. I've owned others over the years as well. Strats and others with similar trem blocks and this is the first time I have had this happen. I've been playing since I was a wee lad :) A luthier friend of mine says this is NOT normal on decent brands. His words, it happens on guitars sold by Walmart or Toys R Us. So I dunno. I also do set ups, fret work etc... so I have some experience as well.

[@erpringle]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar if you do fret work then you should know that these guitars have excellent fret jobs and SS frets and that in itself is a major plus for this price point. I personally hate fret sprout and that is usually what you get with this price range but none here.

[@mk7073]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar Happened to me every time I changed a string on an old Squier strat which was otherwise a reasonably good guitar. Annoying but not a major problem (I just poked out the ball-end with the other end of the string). Given the apparently quite significantly better build quality of the Eart despite the cheaper price I'd personally overlook this.

[@oldschoolfunkster1]

Stuck string ends are VERY common. I don't even see it as a quality issue. Had them stick on acoustic guitars too. Now...if the guitar end doesn't hold, THEN you definitely have a quality issue. So a stuck string is a petty problem that is easy fixed. Wished all guitar fixes were that easy.

[@goldenultra]

For that price it should be manually checked, with a sticker at the back with the name of the person who checked it, and the date it was inspected.

[@BuffaloC305]

I rather like the "unglued nut". I prefer Tusq over any bone (well, on guitars at least - voodoo dances and spells seemed to be enhanced with bone) and I LOVE the idea that I can easily install my $10-15 upgrade without any hassle at all. Heck - I can even trim the Tusq Nut to fit exactly in a clean, unmessy nut-slot! I think that's a definite positive. Of course, when it pops off and flies across the room, and I'm scrambling on hands-and-knees and Moe or Larry trip over me, well... at least that gets big laughs.) I don't share your values on cosmetics at all. I show concern about quality of wood and construction so the guitar lasts and lasts, especially on modders - that's where best-construction is truly tested. I like "being honest and up-front" - I understand your value system but I think you're awfully kind TO YOURSELF. And that's not a compliment. I do appreciate your goal of "not steering watchers wrong" - tip o' the hat for that. I am glad you've made it clear what your value system is. That's what a lot of reviewers do not / cannot do.

[@Andreorsel]

I agree! I have a Japan build Tokai SG with the nut not glued in and once stringed and and tuned it stays in place like a rock!

[@foreseengust]

The dude seems to have an obsessive personality. Blemishes just really bother some people, regardless of something being above expectations in every practical way. Some people would rather get a perfect looking mediocre thing over a much better thing with some imperfections. Or maybe he's just trying to show off how unique he is by not being nice to the company. The issues he mentioned were worth mentioning, but not something worth getting so emotional over.

[@oldschoolfunkster1]

@@foreseengust ... I agree. It's almost like he's trying too hard to be the devil's advocate and really trying not to be like everyone else review. The the strings getting stuck in the tremolo bar...is like standard issue when installing new strings. And I have about 100 guitars to prove it. Rare when ALL the strings easily come out. Even on acoustics. So to complain about that is kind of peevish.

[@user-xr3cy9nq1i]

First real review

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Than you my friend! I sort felt the same way.

[@DarkMatterEclipse]

First real review? I watched another review where buddy had a problem at the toggle switch, that's not real? I had the same problem with a Fender product so...

[@didtoknan8128]

Thank your for sharing your opinion ! I can't wait for the next video about them !

[@stanleyhache6407]

I purchased an EART E335. No blemishes and amazing straight out of the box. I am totally thrilled at the bang for the buck.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

DB did a review of one of those. It looked pretty decent.

[@masvader08]

I feel like considering all the premium features like the roasted maple and the stainless steel frets and also the fact that the guitar feels good, sounds good and can be set up properly just makes the other small blemishes look irrelevant. Its all minor and mostly esthetic from the looks of it and the guitar looks great. The only thing i would call out is the pins on the fretboard but other than that i feel like you just might not be vibing with the guitar. Im curious to try these guitars cause so far it seems like the pros outnumber the cons.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Konoha, the challenge is that some of the cons you don't see until you get the guitar in your hands. What I would suggest is to buy one where you have a good return policy. That way, if you're not entirely happy you can send it back. I do like this guitar, the trick is that once you have seen some consistent quality issues it becomes hard to look past them. Thanks for your comment and taking the time to watch the video. I am always interested in the opinions of others. Cheers!

[@michaelj.morris1979]

Thanks for your honesty!

[@bradprather6749]

Good video. That being said, I didn't buy an Eart or Firefly for perfection, but for overall value. To be fair, I could find flaws in my Les Paul or Strat if I wanted to be picky, but I won't. I can see why a professional such as yourself might be bothered by a string getting stuck ..... but most of us are just not. Again, good video and we are all thankful for your input. 🎸

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Appreciate the feedback Brad. Cheers!

[@gergemall]

Thank you Lucas . Gonna get one . Just found your channel .

[@stanleyhache1626]

I purchased an EART E-335 a year ago and it's flawless. I'm not paid for my comments and can tell you that I'm 5 star satisfied. Greatest value on the market.

[@itzed]

I’ve had strings get stuck in Fender trem blocks as well.

[@user-ce4fb1ne5g]

Great review but would have been more helpful if you played the guitars

[@monmixer]

I have seen the glowing and am interested in the guitar. that is what brought me here and the fact that the neck seems to be worth the price of their entry level strat alone. I'm looking forward to the under the video. I didn't see it in your videos.

[@bradleyclosson5042]

Finally an honest review. Thank you!

[@delv2473]

When you say contacted them direct , was that a dealer in Canada or direct with China. I actually work in China and am having trouble contacting them . Easy enought to just buy but for questions difficult. Their website is very limited. Very interested in getting the tele and the reviews of the necks mostly say good things.

[@AlexBagSpb]

Lucas, I have seen almost all reviews on EART guitars and no complaints about changing strings or factory holes on fretboard. They ordered eart guitars on Amazon. May be only you have flaws like these with the guitars?

[@kirbonite]

I appreciate the honest review.. I subscribed because of your honesty

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you Kirby.

[@kirbonite]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar sure. If it ever works out. I'd love to see a review of their 335 model. Ibanez AS 53's have ceramic pickups and sound good but at least i know what i"m getting with Ibanez. still learning about this company.

[@padawan9127]

Fair play for the honest review. I just came from my first video on this brand and it was made out to be fantastic. Although I would like to see what the EAT-1 with 3 single sized humbuckers is like which is at a little higher price

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Padawan. I think it’s a crap shoot. I’m sure some are better than others. They reel you in with features;). It’s not all bad but it’s enough for me to be skeptical.

[@padawan9127]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar ya you probably hit the nail on the head, highlight the features but then it’s pot luck for the customer

[@ahryn81]

I ordered one of the headless as a mod/project guitar and have been REALLY surprised at the quality. my expectations were low and EART exceeded them.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Awesome news.

[@hotrodsgarage]

I bought the much cheaper $200 SSS standard guitar awhile back. I inspected it thoroughly and apart from the neck pocket crack which is pretty common among these style of guitars I was impressed with the fit and finish. My father saw it and he liked it so much I gave it to him. I've ordered a second one and it has yet to arrive. If I run into any issues I will update you here. If I were going to pay more money for a higher spec'd guitar I think I would look elsewhere. Paying more money for an instrument definitely increases expectations. Dig the video. Good luck with your new guitars.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thanks for your feedback James. The fit and finish is decent. Did your second guitar arrive yet? Was it the NK-C1 that you ordered? Cheers!

[@jeffberg8015]

Good review of both the good and the bad. My feeling is that when you get a guitar for less than $500 you just hope that the flaws are ones you can live with. If I were looking for a Strat, considering the features you get, I'd have little problem with those issues at that price, but I'm a tinkerer and small problems such as the tight string holes in the trem or a loose nut can be easily corrected. What's more important to me is if the bones are good. My Epiphone had comparable issues at a similar price, but I corrected them and love the guitar.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Great points Jeff. Thanks for sharing ! Cheers.

[@alainvey]

Thanks for this, I’ve found other reviews to be somewhat lacking in detail. What is the weight of the blue one, out of interest?

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you. I don’t have an accurate scale for this but I would say about 7.5 lbs. it’s not bad at all. It really is a decent guitar. Just disappointed to find those pins in the fretboard.

[@stringdoc]

Hi Lucas, this is the first of 😮your videos I've seen. I really appreciate your honesty and just subscribed to your channel. Your review makes me question some of the other reviews I've seen on Eart guitars. I also wonder if you would have gotten the same high degree of customer service if they hadn't known you were a reviewer. I will still probably buy one of their LP clones at some point because I've always wanted a lightweight LP. Glad I got to see this. Those are both gorgeous guitars! Best wishes for a great future for you and your channel!

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hey Stringdoc. Thanks for the kind words. Honestly, the guy who ran EART sent me a message on instagram asking me to review one of his new line of guitars (latitude). Told me he would pay me 200 if I ordered a guitar off Amazon and gave a review. So, yeah. There’s that. Also lots of guys with affiliate links too. I don’t know. The guitars aren’t bad but I think there are better options where the money goes to countries that don’t want to see our way of life destroyed. Just my two cents. Cheers.

[@979259]

I'm looking to get an S type to rebuild. I have a few of the tele copes made by eart and I like them enough. If you have played one, is it worth upgrading to the CP1 if I plan on gutting the pickups and rewiring everything? I want the best neck : price ratio on a strat copy, more or less.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Did they sell those to you as having roasted maple necks? The first guitar I got from them was advertised as having roasted Maple. It doesn’t.

[@davefoster6156]

We all appreciate your honesty. I also bought a cheap guitar (from Glarry) and same as you I really like the guitar. I had a high setup and some other small things, the fret ends on my guitar are sharp as hell (but all the frets were absolutely level!) BUT the guitar plays great and sounds great so overall... I am happy with the guitar. I suspect that you have similar issues. I guess to get a truly playable guitar right out of the box you have to either get lucky or spend 5 or maybe 10 times what we spent on these instruments. The dream guitar for me costs as much as a small car! Not going to be buying that guitar until I hit the lotto. Thanks for your video

[@lynoj777]

Honestly will bring you to success… great video ! More power to your channel

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you very much!

[@wangluyi]

Really like your honest review. Very detailed oriented. Really cut my gas on this particular brand. Another one I have been lured for a while is called sire Larry carlton guitar. Haven’t seen any KZbin reviews giving bad opinions on it. But indeed looking for the true honest review before purchase.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Luyi I think the Sire brand is probably on another level compared to this. I’d like to get my hands on one for sure. These days, it seems you have to buy from somewhere that has a good return policy. Cheers.

[@wangluyi]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar hope guitar center can carry the sire model soon. They carried the basses already. Another guitar I have been eyed on is the shijie ste however they are priced high.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

I think Sheiji looks to be worth the money. I think it’s a great example of you get what you pay for ;). Cheers.

[@wangluyi]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar well, it is a bit hard to get one and also without trying it is hard to judge for how it worth. If you ever got a chance to try one, definitely would like to know your honest opinion.

[@jamestejada3673]

They are posted on Reverb .But shipping us like 181.00 or so ,for U.S. at least.

[@dadudezpr]

You are awesome dude!

[@AerikWatson]

I kind of like the matching headstock (though not a fan of the blue myself). My Fender acoustic has that as well, red body and matching red headstock. :) Other than that most of what you talk about is Greek to me, but I understood "it plays nice" :) Glad you are honest about it though, even if it's not what they want to hear.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you Aerik. I really do like this guitar. If had been defect free I would have had no problem writing the first guitar off as "one off". That's a little more challenging now.

[@weedeeeter]

I bought their classic T-Style, and I am satisfied. I didn't even change the pickups as it sounds like a tele enough to me

[@kieranflemingify]

tbf one of my fenders does that string getting stuck thing so even the big guys have that issue too

[@chadandrews98]

Thanks for being honest! Based on at least 2 super reviews I ordered one. It hasn’t come yet but I plan to examine it carefully. Uneven frets will be a deal breaker. A pristine guitar can be returned to the company within 15 days, the return shipping will be on me. Other reviews suggest the cavities need shielding and if you want to put in a USA switch( on Tele anyway) you may need to do some routing

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hope you have a great experience! Let me know how it turns out. Cheers!!

[@GWShark1]

Thanks for the honest review and I think I understand the way you feel. I had a similar experience not with a guitar but with an elliptical for exercise. Yes, I got a replacement from the company after A LOT of emails and getting the BBB involved. I do not know how long the new one will last... At the end, I still think my equipment suck and the way I made my mind over the issues was asking me these questions a) Would a XXXX (insert your item here) priced the same have the same (or similar) QC issues in TWO back to back pieces that I buy? b) Does the XXXX coming from this company live to their claims? Is it worth paying less money for something I might be able to use, that in theory has higher quality (pieces) for that price, but that lacks QC? If the answer is no to them, then I would feel cheated and not recommend it. You need to walk the talk to get respect, otherwise you show yourself as a big mouth. My Boss used to say, "you know, a ton of pretty crap is still a lot of crap."

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Well said! Thanks for taking the time to share. Cheers.

[@user-xr3cy9nq1i]

For 400$ you can buy harley benton fusion with roasted maple

[@thornwivans]

I have seen another video where people struggled with a string change...but still i'm liking what I see with these...for the price Im gonna get one!

[@Louie_n_Poppy]

Hi Lucas, Great review. What import duties did you pay? I'm also in Canada and have been contemplating one of these guitars - maybe a Tele style.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi James. I would buy from Amazon if you can. Then you won’t have to worry about that. That said, it was under 30 dollars for each guitar. If you get one from Amazon and you aren’t satisfied you could return it. Overall these have potential to be very good. Expect to upgrade the electronics or at least add some shielding to the pick up cavity and pick guard. Cheers!!

[@typhoolin]

I have the NK-C3 - which is the same model you show here in the beginning. I think you meant to call it that - but you called it the NK-C1 - which is actually the Telecaster model. I experienced similar issue with the ball-end of the strings not wanting to come out from the Tremolo Block on my EART NK-C3 Strat - but with a bit of effort and a toothpick I was able to do it. I seriously doubt that anyone doing video reviews of this brand are being intentionally dishonest. I mean, what benefit would that bring to them as an influencer? Other than that, good info except most people are not going to go into this level of examination when purchasing a guitar.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Paul you are so right. I goofed on the model number. Thanks for setting me straight there. My only expectation when I ordered the guitar is that it wouldn't be defective. I count the nut, broken neck joint and un level frets as things you should not find on a new instrument. It's funny how many folks think that's nit picking. To me a new guitar should be free of defects whether it's a Squire or a Custom Shop model makes no difference. I think the gain for people to maybe embellish the truth on youtube product demos is the free gear or payment they get in compensation for doing the demo in the first place. One KZbinr described the wiring in this guitar as a work of art. I can tell you mine is not. It has some cold solder joints which you really shouldn't find on a 500 dollar guitar and 0 shielding. To be clear, I didn't expect good electronics at this price and in truth bought the guitar for the neck and body with the expectation that I would be replacing the electronics so I don't really care about the poor soldering and lack of shielding. My point though, is that one guy says its a good as anything you would find on a 2,000 dollar guitar. It isn't. How can it be? In truth, I really like the CP1. The NK is also good for the money but based on my experience I would tell folks to order from a business that will accept returns so you can send it back if you find similar quality issues. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. I also appreciate the correction. Cheers!!!

[@typhoolin]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar - I totally understand and agree that it’s a pain to get those ball-ends out of the tremolo block. The nut thing seems a bit odd and I agree it should’ve been glued before it left the factory. I was surprised to see frets weren’t level - up at the high-end of the guitar.... but at least it was a location that most players probably won’t play. I’ve done reviews on their EART Explorer-1 model as well as their Telecaster and most recently the Stratocaster NK-C3. So far, I’ve been very impressed. I have 25 other electric guitars from Gibson, Fender, Charvel, Schecter, Ibanez, etc. that I’ve been collecting for over 3 decades. Seems like EART generally compares favorably to most of those from what I’ve seen so far.

[@Jamaicangurl81]

I got their Telecaster and (perhaps I'm not a professional by any means) I'm pretty happy with mine. I'm surprised at the quality for the price and for a brand that not many have heard of. I took mine to my local luthier and he was impressed with it. I was not expecting much.. I was even expecting to return it (like I did with Glarry.. Those are terrible to me). Is mine perfect? No.. But it's sub $300 and you get a lot for that price. I've seen quality control issues on prestige model Ibanez... I feel like you're nitpicking a lot on little things for the price of the guitar.. But obviously it's your money (and your opinion). Sad you weren't happy with them.. Though it seems by the end you were torn about how you feel.

[@neilsandy2]

looking forward to further analysis:-)

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

It’s coming. I wish I had more hours in the day:). Cheers!!

[@neilsandy2]

Sounds good... thanks Lucas

[@cmharris67]

Thanks for the video! What is the weight on the blue HSS?

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi C.M. I would say between 7.5 and 8lbs. In that range.

[@bongocharm1332]

Bought the headless and the selector switch is sketchy. Tone drops out all together at times. But for the money I'm still really happy with it.

[@phantomas62]

Bought the pink one last month and you’re right about where they cut. Ceramic pups and generic hardware. I’ve since replaced the pickups and electronics and got a pretty decent guitar. My only quality complaint was a dot that was clearly not sanded flush to fretboard. But neck and fretworks are among the best i’ve seen !!!

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

That's great news. What did you go with for pick ups and electronics?

[@phantomas62]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar I had some tex-mex singles and gfs ‘59 laying around. Gfs is way too dark for this guitar so i plan to replace by a tonerider AC4 before going on buy a new one. I did a Suhr HSS style rewiring, pots are ok but tone value for the singles are too bright at 500k, 250k is the way to go. They attempt a treble bleed cap on volume pot which i get rid i may install a proper one in a future.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

@@phantomas62 I think I will grab an obsidian wiring harness for this. I can solder but I'm pretty sure it might take me some time to find the right pick up combination. I just have to check to see if the shaft sizes in the pickguard are the same size. I haven't checked. I have a couple of Alnico 5 single coils laying around. I might just leave the humbucker for now. I have to shield this thing though. The noise drives me bonkers. Those fretboard locating pins are super small. I didn't notice them for the longest time.

[@jesselemasters8676]

I have one of their headless guitars, and aside from an issue I had with the bridge pickup it's one of my favorite guitars.

[@robnuckols2017]

Great review, thanks. I was just looking into these. I don't think they are considered higher end in China. There are some Chinese brands that go for much higher, like Shijie.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you Rob! Yeah Shejie appears to be on a another level.

[@bobmarsh914]

Always love an honest review. Too many fake reviews on KZbin. Thanks.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you sir:). Have a good day and thanks for taking time to watch.

[@MrRafaelMatiazoguita]

Hi Lucas, great review. I’ve been thinking to buy a Eart SSS guitar and replace all the pickguard and pickups with a pickguard loaded dimarzio pickups hs3 / hs4. Do you think it would be a good idea ?

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Rafael, I can tell you that the single coil pickups on the guitars I got from Eart are Ceramic magnet type. The pots are actually full size pots but overall I think this is where they are saving some of the money. Now I have yet to try to fit a standard pickguard so there's a possibility the holes won't line up. I plan to check that when I take it apart tonight. I do plan to replace at least the single coils. I would buy from Amazon or somewhere with a good return policy. Then if you do get some quality problems you can just send it back. Good luck! Cheers!!

[@MrRafaelMatiazoguita]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar I prefer Alnico V pickups instead Ceramic. My pickguard is loaded 2 HS3 and 1 hs4 pickups which they’re alnico V. In general I see Eart SSS has good woods and finishing. Although I prefer maple fretboard. I see SSS just has rosewood fretboard option.

[@kennethm.3296]

@@MrRafaelMatiazoguita I have the SSS model and it is not an easy thing to mod. The nut isn't 42mm but 41 and the SSS route is shallow and I had to route it deeper to out a fender switch in it.

[@kennethm.3296]

Monoprice would be a better buy. Btw the Eart SSS model isn't shielded inside and mine came cracked in the neck pocket

[@johnjolly9519]

FYI, the 60 Cycle Hum channel mentioned your Eart review & showed your photos of the exposed alignment neck pins.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hey John. Yeah I found that yesterday. Looks like he has a different model and it it was without the issues I’ve had so that’s good. Still no shielding though and a standard pick guard won’t fit his either. As long as he doesn’t have to route the body it could be ok for mods.

[@johnjolly9519]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar Maybe Eart will listen to you if you suggest that they sell parts such as pickguards, pickups, knobs, tuning machines, etc. Similar to Fender. Or maybe a custom shop mod program?

[@twowaymuir]

You comments are very informative, but sure would like to see and hear it played through a tube amp?

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Sound samples will be in the next video.

[@yamaoctave3928]

Just watched another video of their LP, it is dead on arrival no sound with the problem of short in the 3 way switch but the guy like it anyway as the specs is just too nice to let off.

[@TarynnElizabeth619]

I bought an Indonesian made Ibanez Jem, that had horrible fret work and the fret board wood was crap. So much so, that when i emailed Steve Vai, who I've known since the 90's about it, he was pretty upset. i brought it to one of his shows, Steve and Thomas (His tech) looked at it. They both were shocked Ibanez would have let it leave the factory. Now i do own 2 Japanese Ibanez guitars, both stellar, and a USA Custom as well, courtesy of Steve, but seriously, even with the fret positioning pin locations showing, and the strings sticking in the trem block, those Eart guitars are still stellar, specially for the money. Shit, you have to pay easily over a grand or even over 2 grand to get a guitar from anyone else with the quality fret work on an Eart.It almost looks like they have a Pleck machine in their factory.

[@imogoat5693]

I have the headless and love it. Only issue is the bridge pickup is covered and a little microphonic. The frets looked amazing. Not sure they're really SS

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

I wonder the same about the frets, I'm also curious about the carbon fiber reinforcement in the neck. Sadly, there would only be one way to find out lol. Cheers!

[@Peasmouldia]

I bought a Epi LP three years ago. I've had to dress the frets twice. There's a decent bit left, but at this rate I'm looking at a refret in a couple of years. I play a lot, but I have a few guitars. Other than time, how would you know if the Eart really has SS frets? Ta.

[@barbmelle3136]

From Leo: I have found that lower end brands do vary widely in quality control. It is generally luck of the draw if you get a good one or a marginal one. Not just guitars, pretty much everything of discount products. Double check the ball end issue, it might have been the strings they used. I was given some china string sets, and they turned my fingers black and stick in the block. D'Adarrio's did not stick.. For that money, we can get used Mexicn Fenders that do not commonly have many quality issues.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Well said! Cheers.

[@theroguetomato5362]

I made a partscaster and had the same problem with the trem block I bought. Ball end of the strings get stuck. It's a 2 point bridge just like the one on your guitar.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi The Rogue Tomato - Thanks for sharing your experience. Can you tell me, What 2 point trem did you use on your parts caster? Cheers!

[@theroguetomato5362]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar Dopro Chrome 2 Point ST Strat Style Guitar Tremolo Bridge Locking System, bought on Amazon

[@Stratisfied22]

For the price and what you get there those issues are welcomed. if I buy a guitar and thats all that wrong then i'm pretty happy.

[@AlexBagSpb]

did you send them your opinion on the guitars? may be they will improve the quality.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Alex. I did. I sent them photos and videos of the problems I was having. At first, they down played. Even asked me if I've ever bought a guitar before lol. I've been playing since I was a kid. I really feel like initially they were pushing back. I had to be pretty persistent. I should have just ordered from Amazon then I could have sent it back no questions asked. I do hope they would see this and make an effort to improve their quality. As consumers, I think we have to "check" manufactures when they send out sub par stuff. The guitars have potential. With a little more care on Earts part they could be killer.

[@neilsandy2]

I was thinking about buying the first one you got as I prefer Maple neck. putting the issues aside how would you compare the sound and feel of the two thanks... is the 1st one heavy in weight:-)

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Nelisandy2. Honestly, I haven't spent too much time with the first one. As expected both guitars have budget electronics. Tone wise, it's similar to a strat but different since both bodies are Mahogany. It's punchy and articulate which is nice. The pots are full size which is a plus but the pick ups are inexpensive ceramic magnet pickups. Also, there appears to absolutely no shielding inside the pickup cavity or on the back of the pickguard. It is possible that shielding paint is under the colored paint but I think it's unlikely. All of this isn't to say the guitars won't sound good but I would expect to have to upgrade the electronics. There's some noise with the single coils due to the lack of shielding. I knew it would be like this when I bought the guitar. I have purchased some copper shielding and plan to shield the cavities of the guitars as well as the back of the pickguard. I think, based on the fact that I have had 2 of these with issues I would look elsewhere OR I would buy from Amazon and just return it if it wasn't up to par. Because I bought direct I'm kinda stuck. As a comparison, I just picked up a Chinese Made Ibanez Talman TM330 for 300 dollars. That's about 80 dollars less than the first guitar I show in this video. It's a much better guitar than either of these. It has and Alder Body, 3 Alnico Single coil puck ups (no ceramic pickups). The pickup cavity is painted with black shielding paint. Very good strat tones since its an alder body with a maple neck. Very playable with it's 12" radius as well. A few upgrades and you're pretty close to the prestige version of this guitar. I don't know, I will spend more time with both the NK and the CP guitars but I'm just a little put off by the consistent quality control issues. I guess it's just me but everyone else on the net seems to love them. I like them, but there might be better deals out there depending on what you want.

[@neilsandy3345]

Thanks so much for the detailed reply much appreciated. I have to wonder if other reviewers are so in love with the neck and frets that they don't bother with the other stuff?

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

I don’t think that would be fair. Also, the frets on both guitars aren’t perfectly level. I have done some fretwork. Level and crown so I have some tools and understanding of what to look for. I doubt most players do that kind of thing. Put a fret rocker on it and check. Like I said, I would order from Amazon because it’s easy if you don’t like it it’s a simple return. I would have returned the first guitar for sure. Again, not because I was expecting a thousand dollar guitar for 360 dollars. But because I would expect a new guitar to be free of defects. Hopefully that makes sense. Some think I’m being too fussy but I wouldn’t accept a Squire with defects either. Cheers.

[@neilsandy3345]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar i would be interested in the 1st guitar if you were interested in selling it I am located in Canada myself so it would be pretty easy...thanks.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Eart and I have talked about doing a contest to give this guitar away. It’s going to take some time to work out the details but stay tuned. I would feel better to pay it forward than to profit from what Eart has done for me. Hope that makes sense. I really like the blue one. It is a good guitar and when I’m done upgrading it would be even better. Cheers.

[@Nighthawkrun]

You were honest, that's all is needed

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you!

[@EladAshkenazi]

Hey Lucas. I have a question for you, if you don't mind me asking. Did you manage to have an actual conversation with Eart in English? I'm trying to ask them if they are interested in giving me a discount on the NK-C1 and in return i'd make a video for it, but i keep getting mixed answers from them. First they're saying "Yes, of course!" and then just referring me to the website and saying "no discount", i seriously don't understand what's happening with their representatives. Would like to know how you went about it, if you don't mind talking about it. Thanks

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Elad. I would say broken English. Definitely some language barrier.

[@EladAshkenazi]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar Well done for actually making it happen. I see that every youtuber got some sort of deal with them (be it a discount or completely free) however when i reach them they don't even know what i'm talking about. And it doesn't look like it's about amount of subscribers either, i saw people with less subs than me who got a discounted unit. Oh well... Their loss. I'll stick with Harley Benton, at least they have some sort of customer service.

[@6strman]

Strings get stuck in the block of my PRS Se standard 24 8. The Tremelo blocks must come from the same manufacture in Asia. Maybe they should start supplying an extra Allen key to knock tje strings out. Or not. that would raise the price.

[@grantsly9548]

Love the video and greatly appreciate the detail and your honest opinion

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you Grant! Cheers.

[@shanebargy1732]

Still seems like a pretty good deal. Thanks for the honest review. Budget guitars...but Two Rock in the background! 😎

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

SO true. I bought the Two Rock head used for a grand. The cabinet belonged to Matt Schofield. :) Still that rig wasn't much more than a deluxe reverb reissue. Still thrift my friend. Cheers!

[@shanebargy1732]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar I'm the opposite...$4,000 guitar and a small 15 watt fender...I like your strategy better!

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

geez I dunno I kinda like your strategy :) Cheers Shane!

[@snaxandviolence]

Thank you so much for making an honest review of these... Dishonest influencers have cost me so much time and I'm really tired of it

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had some bad experiences. For what it’s worth your comment made my day James. I couldn’t sleep well if I thought I wasn’t being honest. Thank you!!!

[@Andreorsel]

I own a expensive Japan made Tokai and the nut is also not glued in. It does not need to be if is made well and fits perfectly (which mine does) and the benefit is you can replace it very easy. When stringed and tuned it does not move at all.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

I appreciate the comment Andre but because wood expands and contracts the nut absolutely should be glued in. They are easy to replace when glued in as well. I’ve replaced or modified many. It’s not hard. Which was not really my point. A new guitar should not ship with so many defects. The guitar with the nut issue was nearly 400 dollars here in Canada. Not acceptable in my opinion. Cheers.

[@Andreorsel]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar , never had any issues whatsoever with my Tokai with the nut not glued in. I also have a pretty decent classical guitar with the nut not glued in. Anyways, i agree that there are to many issues with that EART guitar. For me, i find most guitars under a 1000 Euro always have issues.

[@JustInTimeToDance]

That's a beautiful guitar. I was talking about the first one. But the second one was nice looking too.

[@annetteryan5110]

Wowww... I admire your sincerity in this video review. That type of heartfelt honesty, is absolutely admirable & much appreciated. I'm not surprised you're from Canada. The folks I personally know from Canada have been people with integrity.. just like you bro.. and I would like to thank you for your no- B.S. approach... May God bless you.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you so much for this! I've taken a bit of flak for my thoughts. Your comment made my day!

[@tigerbalm666]

These guitars will skyrocket in price very soon! No way you can get all these features for so little $...

[@RaptorV1USA]

They will not skyrocket in price...you are dreaming..... way too much quality competition in the Generic strat. 300-450 price range, no heritage, no matter how many utubers shout how perfect they are... quality used mexi strats can be had for 400-450...I Just picked up a perfect used Schecter Omen 6 Extreme with an amazing quilted maple top and HS for $225.......NO $300 guitar will "skyrocket" on the used market and eart has already set their retail price..... Buy one and upgrade the hell out of it to make it right.... youll drop another 150+ at least...and you'll be happy to sell it for 80% of what you paid.....but expect to take a 25-35% hit or you will be sorely dissappointed.

[@terencehealy5110]

Hi I'm over in the UK and I was concidering a eart or squire 70s vibe there both Hss.... I still can't make my mind up I do like stainless Steel frets though

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Yeah SS frets are great. People seem to like their T style guitars. I have t tried one.

[@chucklee2995]

Look, obviously we're all different, those pins on the fret board may mean nonthing to the other guy, and honestly it's not necessarily a bad thing, I just think you're one of those that never gets what they ordered, I had a friend that could eat at outback 5 times a week, and I swear everytime she tasted it, she would raise hell, it never was cooked right, or it was too cold, or too much seasoning, EVERYTIME,so I know you're being honest I believe you, but I do think you're one of them, and I truly do not mean that in a bashing way, I'm just being honest😉

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

I’m not at all offended. I am surprised at how many people think that it’s ok to order a new guitar and expect the customer to be happy even if it has obvious defects. Between the price and the import fees it was close to 400 dollars. I would expect a defect free instrument regardless of whether it’s a Squire or a Custom Shop guitar. A new anything should be free of defects and shouldn’t get a pass because of the price. I’m not one of those guys I just expect a new product to be free of defects. That said, I do appreciate your feedback. Cheers!

[@chucklee2995]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar I get it, and that's probably why I a lot of times get stuck with lemons because I'm willing to accept less than decent sometimes and it is crazy, I know I shouldn't, I'm not wealthy, my money means a lot, and you are right, I shouldn't except so little, for something that means so much,

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Good to chat with you Chuck. Cheers!!

[@DMetal-yv6gl]

Enjoyed and Appreciate an honest review, as you say we are dipping into are wallet and even though it is cheap I would still be expecting it to be without issues/faults. Have also subcribed.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you D. Metal. Much appreciated! Cheers.

[@ultimatesteve]

ive seen all of these issues on LTD's that cost 2x as much. in fact i bought 2 ec256s that everyone on youtube loves, and both had frets that were both raised and in need of a level once seated properly. the first one i returned, the second one i bought as b stock at half price so i kept it and fixed the frets myself. now i really like that guitar, but i also really like my cheap iyv. its getting hard to justify expensive guitars for me.

[@tigerbalm666]

Would Fender Bullet strings fit?

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Tigerbalm. I haven’t tried those. I have tried a couple of different brands including Fender (just not fender bullets) I think the ball ends are a standards size but I’m not sure.

[@tigerbalm666]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar After using Bullets, I never go back to traditional ends as the tapered shape of the Bullets doesn't catch in the holes. Try them, I think it will solve your issue.

[@BTR-music-art]

Thank you an honest review, if everyone gave an honest review. I think the quality of guitars would go up.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

That’s the hope my friend. Cheers.

[@mbuby7]

I got three of them and I had all of these issues, but after the fretwork made by myself they play great. Good guitars for the price. Just need a good quality control.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Marcelo, Just curious but they list these as stainless steel frets. Were you able to confirm that when you did the fretwork.

[@mbuby7]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar I don’t have knowledge enough. I really don’t know

[@iwandegreef]

Would be interesting comparison with the sire larry carlton s7. simular pricing

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

I think the Sire would be better. If I had the resources I’d buy one and review it. They look pretty good.

[@johnsmith-ug5tp]

Personally, I will stick with the squier classic vibe line. The Indonesian made ones are really nice and superior to the formerly made in china ones.

[@samueltractorton2088]

I dig the painted headstock.

[@63stratoman]

I think the issues with the strings through the trem block has been a common issue with all Eart Guitars. I just acquired a Tele Thinline from them which does not have the trem but is still string-through and I watched a youtube video where someone was having issues with it so perhaps use a drill and (carefully) ream them out some and the problem should go away? I also wonder if the trem blocks from Guitarfetish would fit? Overall I am quite happy with my guitar! I would rather pluck down $500 and be pleasantly surprised with the value than spend $3,000 only to find quality issues that should not be there at this price point! Gibson especially is notorious for this!

[@shaneworden1325]

Great video. I just cant believe 2 in a row with QC issues. Like....is anyone at the factory checking this shit?

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thanks Shane!

[@markusfinkler9625]

Lucas - Common some qc issues- did You ever buy a f... american made Les Paul from the big G (Like Generally Messed Up). They cost 4 to 5 times the price of this let me call it budget instrument. But You're right the refrence videos in YT are not very professionel unless they get paid for while they would not be honest. Thanks for Your honest review and sharing Your thoughts and opinion.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you Markus! Cheers.

[@Zack-hn2ui]

Sawtooth is better !! No strings change problems at all !! Original germany made floyd rose !! Under 400$ you should check them out !! Thanks for the honesty !! Great review !! And your videos arn't too long !! Its perfect !!

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you Zack. Much appreciated. I will check them out as well. Cheers!

[@tigerbalm666]

Seems like EART really JACKED UP their prices on som models!

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Not sure what’s going on. I got an email from them that they fired the guy who was running it. Two days later he started a new brand called Latitude.

[@Hickeroar]

Some people are highly opinionated that the nut should NOT be glued in, and it should be friction fit. Unfortunately this didn't have either, but it's pretty minor.

[@hansbaumann2408]

Thank you for being one of the few honest youtubers!

[@alancosens]

I give little shit what a guitar looks like but having the fretboard done right is essential.

[@machineryman7197]

This video is interesting. I bought a tele style guitar from Eart and the fret levelling was atrocious. I had to file down those upper frets almost to a nub because so many frets wouldnt sound.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

That must have been a difficult job if the frets are in fact stainless steel. Did they claim the neck is roasted maple? I bet it’s not. If you remove the nut or take the neck off look at the bare wood in the screw holes or where the nut was. I have an Eart NK C1 (I think that’s the model) and they claimed it was roasted maple. The color of the wood under the nut and in the screw holes is different. It’s not roasted. I highly doubt I will ever buy won’t buy another off brand Chinese guitar.

[@machineryman7197]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar Heres the thing. When i was sanding the 22nd fret the first time, i forgot to tape up the wood and i ended up scraping it a bit. The color underneath was lighter...

[@machineryman7197]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar So i doubt its roasted. It does play well now but it was a lot of money and work. Shoulda got an Agile or Wolf guitar, those are fantastic off brands.

[@MegaPortenio]

Great review. I don’t think that I would buy a guitar that has issues ( hum, noise) string change. It’s a shame that a guitar with Stainless Steel frets has issues. If I have to start changing things, like pick ups and other problems mentioned by you ( I am just a beginner- Intermediate player), how much I would have to spend giving the guitar to a Luthier?? Thank you for your honesty: that doesn’t have a price!!

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi David. How much you might spend could vary a lot depending on where you are in the world. Honestly if you bought one on Amazon you could inspect it and if you don’t like it return it. The guitar isn’t bad at all it’s just not worth more than what they are asking for it. Other youtubers were comparing this to high end boutique guitars and it’s not in that category in my opinion. If it was I would not have had any issues at all.

[@MegaPortenio]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar Thank you for responding ( I live in Central Florida)!

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Ah warm sunny weather year round. Lucky man!

[@MegaPortenio]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar Lucky now that I am retired, most of my life fighting with the snow in NY!👍

[@JohnSmith-ck9tp]

Now that people trust you, you can sell them anything. Great review, in all seriousness.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thank you John. I appreciate the kind words. Cheers!

[@davejohnsonmusic]

You should've plugged them in and played, so we could hear how it actually sounds.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Watch the second video.

[@Joe_Hunter]

Thanks for the honest review. I feel like there are so many content producers who are not giving honest reviews. I've been thinking about trying one of these for a while but have been hesitant. While these guitars of this caliber have some nice features... those features don't automatically make a good guitar, just the same as minor finish or quality oversights don't immediately make it a bad guitar. Those quality issues would never be seen even on a considerably cheaper Ibanez... which would make me wonder what else was overlooked that might be critical to the playability. Good job on this video.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Hi Joe! Yeah it's a funny one. They suck you in with the features for sure. That combined with the reviews I read and watched made me want to give it a try. It's not all bad but I also don't think it isn't quite the premium instrument it is made out to be elsewhere. Cheers!

[@donalddemille5910]

Man, I can't decide between the CP-1 and keep $450 in my pocket for something else or get the Shecter Nick Johnston HSS at $899. Leaning towards the Eart right now. Need the money for gas!

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Save for the Schecter. Well known brand and Nick is awesome. If you ever want to flip it the resale would be better

[@milehigh8382]

I was lucky,I bought the explorer 1 OMG the best guitar for the $ I ever bought!!!!

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Awesome!!

[@N3RFTHIS]

I agree. I got the explorer 1. High/low frets and the pickups aren't good at all. Not what they are hyped up to be.

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Thanks for the feedback. Lots of hype around these guys when they came out. I was a bit disappointed with my experience personally. Apparently I was one of few. Of course I also don’t have an Amazon link in my description;).

[@N3RFTHIS]

@@LucasCrossleyGuitar haha exactly. I'm sure some good ones get through to consumers. But the little issues are obvious. The pickups aren't potted and are slightly microphonic. Lots of noise. I have 2 high frets and one low fret which really sucks. Stainless is harder to level. If I had to choose, id get a cheap used cort katana over my Eart explorer. The necks are great and the frets could be amazing. But the rest is poor quality.

[@googleboy7]

Just bought n EART Tele. In my opinion EART rocks! And I've been rocking for 60 years. :-)) Shàlom/gw

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Glad it worked out for you.

[@gergemall]

Love mine ! Best neck ever

[@LucasCrossleyGuitar]

Glad you can say that. Definitely not my experience. The first guitar they described as roasted maple actually isn’t. So there’s that too.