Firefly FFST Heavy Relic - Review and Demo

[@joeking433]

Yeah, those Firefly Strat necks are phenomenal! It's actually a better neck/fretboard than on my American Strat! I put a Fender pickup in the bridge and some Hipshot locking tuners and it's one of my best guitars!

[@joeking433]

I got the $149 one and it is awesome! I just bought a PRS SE and from a playability aspect it's just as good if not better! The locking tuners are the one downside. I haven't had a tuner on a guitar that has play in it for decades but these tuners have maybe an 1/8" play in it before the gears engage. The strings and pickups aren't that great and it needs a setup but the neck is as good as on any Fender if you ask me! Every note rings out very nicely (which is not the case on so many guitars!) and the frets are polished and smooth! For $150 this is a great deal! It even looks like they used real abalone fretboard dots, and it has stainless steel frets (but probably the really soft grade of stainless steel) and a bone nut. Overall well worth the $150! I'm going to mod it with new tuners and pickups.

[@squirrel-1969]

It's giving off a very cool SRV vibe! All that's needed is some worn SRV stickers by the trem and you have a very sick looking tribute guitar! Fantastic review and demo as usual!👍😆

[@oldasrocks9121]

The burst is just the color coat, as you'd typicaly find before any clear coat. The "trapped" relic under the satin clear is hokey to me. I can however personally attest, it all sands off super easy! Mind your tuners, the gearing grease will be full of sand too. The good thing is they have 6mm peghead holes, I replaced mine with Fender Road Worn split shafts and Aron refunded me my cost. I sanded the metal that had high sandblaster "hair" with 800 grit, knocked it down and made things a bit more real-world. 0000 on the pickguard evens out the random sandblasting too. Sanded the very thin finish off the back of the neck, went right in the 600 dry. Feels even better as bare maple. I got the Tele which rcvd a beating with a Dremel grinder bit after they peeled of the stencil. Ended up sanding the body bare, steamed the dents and scratches best I could, sealed it with garnet shellac. When I get some ambition I'll nitro tobacco burst it and re-relic that a little less heavy handedly.

[@TheTapeFarm]

Thanks for the info.

[@papablue3015]

Looks like the SRV model! Thanks 🤘

[@TheTapeFarm]

I’m sure that’s what they were going after.

[@Ksantipacat]

I have the SSS white over sunburst relic strat. Same scratchy knobs. Pull off the knobs, and underneath you will find layers of plastic pic guard film mixed with sand. Peel these off and you should be good.... Okay, I guess I should have watched the next 3 minutes of your video before commenting. haha! Actually, the three best Fireflys I have are the last three I bought. The relic strat, the Adam Jones Les Paul, and the John 5 telecaster. All three have been head & shoulders above any other Telecaster, FFLP, 338, FFLS etc. I have purchased from Firefly. They are really hitting their stride.

[@TheTapeFarm]

Ha!!! Yes… watch to the end… done that so many times.

[@1satisfiedmind]

Ordered mine yesterday. I was waiting for the Gretschcaster, but fell in love with the StrT. Ordered SRV stickers from Ebay. I have a black loaded pickgaurd w vintage '57 9ickups in a partscaster that im gonna swap in.

[@dean828]

I ordered the white version of this guitar... that one looks A+... was hoping someone would do a review on the SSS version of these guitars!

[@dean828]

I also ordered new Fender pots, switch, and a Pure Tone multi prong stereo jack... and after hearing that the stock pups are microphonic... some Wilkinson M series Alnico 5 pick-ups (wax potted)... to swap out... figure all in with guitar, new parts, and paying my Luthier for the job... around $450... much less than a Mexican, let alone American Fender... and much better guitar than a brand new $500 top end Squire...

[@myoptik3x103]

I bought a Firefly double neck (bass and six string) and I absolutely love it. It even came with a hard shell case and was just under $400.

[@TheTapeFarm]

I did a review on that very guitar.

[@Ksantipacat]

Not my style. Had an Epiphone version of one for a minute. But the prices on those was insane with a case.

[@TheTapeFarm]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqu9e32dnNBohrcsi=QFQ7esXdYPBVTMy2

[@tcase101]

Big fan of firefly guitars. Have one modded and one stock and they are fantastic. Want one of the tele styles

[@BazonBlades]

I grabbed the same model. I love the look of it. My example was pretty good except for a high 16th fret. It was pretty high causing the high E to completely fret out at the 15th. I still need to do video on mine. It's a very interesting guitar in many aspects.

[@oldasrocks9121]

Confirmed: the paint practically wipes off with 100 grit by hand. The sealer coat is another story, much tougher than sanding sealer, and all the dirt "accents" are under the first sealer coat. Good news: You definitely could soften the stenciled edges easily. Pickups: they are made with bobbins for thicker ceramic magnets with the integral spacer "posts" and a shimmed alnico magnet. The steel keeper on the screw post side just floats around in there, repotting won't help, it will always vibrate, so taking the cover off wont cure it either. I've rehabbed a couple of these, you need the correct length slugs (slugs for ceramics are longer,) spacers and a nickel steel back plate to make it worth it. The ceramic has enough gauss to keep the keeper in place. Left the cover off, It was still pretty meh, sadly. Proly overwound with 43 gauge magnet wire and overpotted. Did another one with the "correct" ceramic magnet, ended up at almost 18K, hot enough for Joan Jett. I've been putting post 2013 Epiphones and Artec Giovannis in the humbucker Fireflys I have, both are great for the money, both are built like Buicks. Flipped the neck magnet in a set of Epi Probucker 2&3s for some Greeny sounds, swapped in alnico 2s for the 5s in a set of Alnico Classic Pros which made them very fun, put an unmolested set of Probucker 1&2s in my super&sale $109 FF338 with the rainbow flag paint job and its become the first guitar I reach for to take to my guitar lessons (its since been sanded down to the, um, lemon burst? flame top under the rainbow, which led to a variety of other indulgences because I am officially in love...) All that said the FF pickups are good enough in a pinch but once your touch and pick dynamics and musicianshio develops to a certain degree beyong proficiency swap 'em out for good uns.

[@TheTapeFarm]

Awesome info man. Thanks on behalf of everybody. Yeah… I’ll just get some new pickups. Actual Fender pups aren’t too bad cost wise. Again thanks for all the great info!!

[@MichaelVician]

It's the pickguard plastic protection under the knobs.

[@TheTapeFarm]

4:02

[@zuperdee]

Wow… That FFST looks almost like a Stevie Ray Vaughan-style Strat, without SRV on the pickguard-I have a feeling that may be what Firefly was aiming for! It seems like Firefly has REALLY been improving in specs and in quality lately! I recently got a new Firefly FFTL to replace my old Firefly FFTL Nashville model, as the old one just never really inspired me. The new FFTL is better in nearly every aspect, including the fretwork, the quality of the hardware, and the quality of the woodwork. The neck pocket, which was incredibly loose in the old Nashville one, is much tighter in the new one, too. Like you, I haven’t really wanted to do anything to mine, either. The ONLY things I’ve done are putting on compensated saddles and cleaning/oiling the fretboard. It’s not perfect-there are some minor finish imperfections, the pickups are not the greatest, and the quality of the soldering work is honestly kind of shoddy, but for less than $200, I’m willing to play this guitar for a while until I feel ready to upgrade the pickups and electronics. I hope to post a video review of my FFTL and comparison to the old version soon. Their Troublemaker Telecaster clones and their Mad Cat clone look interesting, too.

[@Ksantipacat]

I have the mad cat. I'm a huge prince fan, so I had to buy one. Feel and finish as just a step below the relic strats and the FFLP. Adam Jones I got. Not bad mind you, just not insanely good, like the others

[@zuperdee]

@@Ksantipacat That kind of makes sense-my guess is that the FFTL Mad Cat is from an earlier run than the others. I notice in the picture on their website that it also has the truss rod adjustment at the headstock end, unlike their newer Fender clones which have that heel-end spoke wheel adjustment. I love that heel-end truss rod adjustment on my new FFTL!

[@TheTapeFarm]

My Mad Cat Review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqS8gXipnZVlfLcsi=bLg-kH83zemWvB3d

[@Ksantipacat]

@@TheTapeFarm I watch them all. Always enjoy your reviews.

[@TheTapeFarm]

@@Ksantipacat thanks man!!

[@msantos7948]

Great review. Please note that the fretboard has a 9.5" to 14" compound radius.

[@TheTapeFarm]

yeah... thanks... I just did the radius measurement at the 1st and 12th... it flatten outs pretty quick after that. It's 14 at the 14th.

[@TheTapeFarm]

anything beyond the 12th fret is pretty rare real estate for my playing :^)

[@RickAltizerMusic]

Another great video. Can’t believe you get all that for $200. How do they do that? Thanks for awesome channel!!

[@TheTapeFarm]

Magic elves… and CNC machines.

[@matts8657]

Cool guitar for the money! Demo reminded me of UFO!

[@TheTapeFarm]

DANG!! I'll take a UFO comparison any day!

[@zinfandru7089]

The neck is a compound radius 9.5" to 14"

[@TheTapeFarm]

Yup. Found that out after. I usually just measure at the 12th fret. It does flatten out after that. Thanks.

[@n.s.3812]

Microphonic pickups doesn't necessarily mean bad. For instance, the new Guild Kim Thayil Signature Polara has, by intention and at the request of Kim, microphonic pickups, and the guitar sounds fantastic

[@TheTapeFarm]

Agreed. I’ve pointed out that fact in many other videos.

[@TheMerc1950]

Nice playing as always! I'd love to know how it looks after some scotch bright attention.

[@TheTapeFarm]

Coming up with a game plan for that and some other things….

[@TheMerc1950]

@@TheTapeFarm I bought the white relic version of this after watching the video. Currently don't have a strat. 😂 How is the trem on these?

[@TheMerc1950]

@TheTapeFarm got the guitar today. Pretty impressed honestly. I haven't floated the trem yet, but dang, the neck feels great!!! Would definitely recommend for a first strat for sure!!

[@TheMerc1950]

@TheTapeFarm also, where do you get the shorter grub screws for these. I'm a big palm muter and good Lord my right hand is about raw now.

[@overcome8628]

Firefly is getting better; I have 8 of them. My advice is you better know how to set up a guitar or have it set up after you buy one.

[@kevinjones8190]

Keith, i just ordered exact one yesterday for $189. Question for you is this, do you think the ash body is roasted to give it a carmel like color? reason i ask is i have the off white tele with a P90 neck that is roasted and it is very very dark. Firefly doesn't always get all the facts and stats just right from my observation. Thanks for the video as always!

[@TheTapeFarm]

Not really sure. I can say is the wood is darker than raw ash bodies that I’ve seen. So maybe. What I am sure of is it has quickly become the favorite strat in my collection. I have a 1990’s MIM ‘57 that is awesome, but I enjoy playing this one more.

[@viologiko44]

It sucks that they dont send these to europe..I really wanted this one.

[@TheTapeFarm]

Agreed.

[@tymanngruter1808]

Is it better to switch the pick-ups? Thanx for your test. 🎯

[@TheTapeFarm]

It depends. If you’re happy with the pickups, wax potting is fairly simple to do and way cheaper. Especially if you already have the wax, which I do. But of you’d like to get a different sound or if your not happy with the pick ups then replacing them makes sense.

[@alanswanson7515]

Let's talk trem. Did it come decked. Did you float it. Is it stable. Screw or push in. Do you even use it ??????

[@TheTapeFarm]

For me, it was decked. Which is where I would probably put it to begin with. Not a big trem user myself. The product it comes with is a screw in. The rod is also not “relic’d” for whatever that is worth.

[@joeking433]

Spend a few bucks on some CTS pots and a good switch.

[@TheTapeFarm]

Already done.

[@MichaelCoughlanmusic]

#TRACKED #DEMO #PLAGUE

[@timesurfingalien]

Why pay for a pre destroyed finish.? If it's earned it's cool!! Relicing is the equivalent of buying a Sons of Anarchy vest and calling yourself a biker. IMO

[@TheTapeFarm]

That’s fair. Like I said, I’m kind of so so about relics, but this one thought was pretty cool. And at this price point it was worth a shot. But I totally get the anti-relic line of thinking.

[@stevemqn4053]

Almost no one can earn that look anymore. The modern polyester finish is almost indestructible.

[@tedfin2004]

Are you watching Fender? :)

[@oldasrocks9121]

I'm sure Fender has no such blip on their radar

[@IIIDontLie2MeIII]

i just cant play it with that head...lol

[@matthiassoellner]

Ok, this guitar is only $200, but the “relic work” looks pretty unreal.

[@TheTapeFarm]

From a few feet away it’s pretty impressive, IMO.

[@oldasrocks9121]

I absolutely do not understand the greater public "debate" and hullabaloo over whether the loaded pickguard and hardware on these have been randomly sandblasted. By the sandblaster guy on the factory line. Who never had that particular job before... Even after you shake sandblasting media out of yours on video for the whole world to see. I'm baffled

[@TheTapeFarm]

Was not aware of any public debate… just pointing out what I found. Personally I don’t think it’s a big deal. It’s a $200 guitar… a really good $200 guitar…. A really good and unique $200 guitar. So cleaning out a bit of sand blasting media isn’t that big of deal in my book.

[@oldasrocks9121]

@@TheTapeFarmThe FF factory affiliated Facebook group members. I got hard-trolled by FFFanboys over my video disassembling the relic'd Tele. A handful (who generously took time off from defending Elon on Reddit 😶) insisted sandblasting had no part in making the guitar. It's a good thing, and I'm glad, the Strats turned out better than the Tele. I hope some Teles turned out better than mine but I can't see how, there is certain neck pocket stuff and the meaningfully misaligned control cavity route, hogged out neck screw holes in the body and so on. The bodies are routed with the same CNC template, one's off they're mostly all off. There's a hand made sloped gouge in the neck pocket to accommodate the truss rod wheel, the worst of a couple solutions. It was thrown together. And the sand in the tuners gear grease. So the relicing was more of an insult on top of injury. Not the same result as your Strat.