FOJILL Stratocaster Copy! A LOT OF GUITAR FOR THE MONEY ALREADY BUT Add Fender Pickups and BAM!!

[@TheGuitologist]

I'm with you, Sean. This thing could need a complete rewire and setup and it would still be worth $99 for me. The neck looks great, actually. And I like that color.

[@smmyers5956]

Common mistake with bolt on guitars. The screw hole should be drilled out so that the threads don't grip the body at all. Threading thru the body makes it VERY difficult to get the neck pulled tight to the body leaving gaps and often necessitates a shim to correct. Sean have you tried stainless inserts into the guitar neck and using machine thread screws instead of wood screws? Cheap enough to do and is especially good if you have an old style truss rod that adjusts at the heel.

[@jeffrowlette]

I agree 100000%

[@MashaT22]

Much better! It’s interesting to see the difference between the one you gave me and Trey’s. I mean, they are two different models and the one I got cost a few bucks more (like $20-$30 as I recall off the top of my head) - and so maybe the factory alloys a fraction of a few seconds extra to work on the model that costs a tad more along the assembly line. At the end of the day, for $99, it didn’t take much at all to make this Fojill a great player. Kinda shocked that those pickups were barely wound, but you popped in a great new set for him to enjoy. A little tightening on the tuning peg knobs, a little TLC on the frets, adjust the truss rod a hair . . . and shazam! I think the most “difficult” thing would be the soldering - and that’s a skill anyone can learn. This is probably a great guitar to learn how to do guitar work since it’s a low cost that is difficult to screw up. I don’t understand why they bother with these trems at this price point, but with a routed cavity, someone can buy a replacement trem and learn how to install it - but don’t expect them to work and hold tuning at this price unless you replace the entire thing along with the tuners. The tuners are great as-is for a decked setup, but might be another story if you try floating a trem. Practice all sorts of repair/setup skill on a guitar like this, and watch Sean’s videos for help . . . you’ll learn in no time! I wonder how Trey thinks this Fojill stacks up against the Fesley he opened now that Sean fixed it up. If his Fojill neck is as buttery as mine, he’s got an amazing player there now! Can’t wait to see his reaction when he gets it back!

[@pharmerdavid1432]

A roasted neck with a slab rosewood fretboard on $99 stratocaster? Really pretty too, similar to the "Miami blue" Fender uses on Pro models. I can see why Trey picked that model, and with you to optimize it for him - now he has a killer strat...........!

[@jerryhatrick5860]

Hav e a few. Files. Many years of screwing guitars up. We'll long time ago.Still scared. Of frets. Except minor. Tweaking... . What turned me.Off was the price at screw me Mac. Got some stuff off temu, basic things hard to screw up but enough to het going. I have 5 guitars that need love maybe a few more I lost count. But my best sounding best players I gig with blows people's minds they don't say fender Gibson or auhr or whatever. But this cannel is home now. And you are a great teacher. I have confidence now to start assembling and working on these guitars. Just to sell them. Because I have my main 4 they are all I need.

[@Roy_Gaber]

Sweet! I recently did the same with a Firefly Mad Cat, I put Fender Tex Mex pups in it (well the bridge and neck pups only of course) and it rocks the house. Thanks Sean and Cathy for yet another great video.

[@RA-ew8rv]

FFST Ash Wood Body ELECTRIC GUITARS (Black&Silver Color) - an outstanding guitar for a mod . New pups and a S/S trem (big block) You'd be surprised the tone change you get changing out the Bridge/Assembly on either the Strats or Teles from FireFly. Cheers

[@rogerboswell5483]

After watching your channel I fixed my cheap guitar now it's really good..

[@scarmyguitar]

awesome!

[@benspoliticsandnewsbencook9151]

Man I look forward to all your stuff. Seriously I have learned an insane amount from watching you break these guitars down and making them play amazing!

[@hopper0801]

Hey Sean and Kathy! My name is Nick, and I just found yalls channel today, and have been watching non stop today 😅. I am just now learning to play on my acoustic guitar. I can’t wait to learn and get my first Strat, learn to play and tinker like you do. Thanks for the awesome videos 😊

[@scarmyguitar]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@bouzoukiman5000]

I would gladly pay someone 99 bucks to build me a guitar with problems and a nice paint job. Fixing it is easy people just need confidence, a little readin up, and the right tools

[@danedearmond4905]

Agreed. Watching Sean's channel inspired me to give it a shot myself (as I am a fairly handy guy, just never thought to try as generally speaking, I'm a drummer not a guitarist) but I now have 4 really well set-up and playable guitars. One Fender, One Squire, One Leo Jaymz LP style, and One DIY Ibanez style... I've made modifications to all of them, and think they're all quite nice now...

[@MrCamarokid83]

The tools are the expensive part

[@michaelmillican5592]

Not all the tools you need are expensive. If you're doing a basic setup, the tools are pretty cheap. If you're building a guitar, then it gets expensive.

[@doknox]

​@@michaelmillican5592na. I've built a buncha guitars with just your average power tools and hand tools. You do need some specific guitar tools but they aren't expensive. Made my own templates for pickup and control cavities too. It just takes a little longer and a little more work this way, which I don't mind.

[@mikeglazier5993]

​@@doknoxthere is a channel, (Tchinks I believe is the name) where he makes a tele using nothing but pretty basic hand tools and makes a killer guitar. Like you pointed out, you can build a guitar with fairly basic tools, they don't even need to be power tools

[@bobperu1]

Weren't no 99$ guitars when I was a kid WTF.. lol

[@PipeCat1965]

I watch this one repeatedly, just to see his eyes dart around and get big when he hears the new tone. True joy. I LOVE those Vintera pickups, man. Have heard them compared to a lot of other Fenders as well as off-brand SC's and they always win.

[@kennyg63]

A lot of us don’t have a fret press , files , and or experience setting up a guitar. A standard setup does not include a rebuild. For my money and time I would prefer a more expensive guitar.

[@doknox]

I bought a cheap harley benton strat and it was perfect. Put a bone nut on, changed the pickups and the switch, added a treble bleed and it's a beast!

[@matthew3792]

I can't watch any of the other channels because they don't work on them or fix them most of them dont even change strings your the man

[@CorbenEdward]

I got a 1975 Guyatone short scale P-bass used for $200 at a thrift shop refinished in that same colour. I call that bass "Skyblue". The blue is cracking off and exposing the original white finish in some spots it looks like clouds. That guitar would be a beautiful match made in the sky for my bass. lol

[@oddshot60]

Sean, a couple weeks back you said something about making a vid on how to make cheap pickups sound good. These cheap guitars have almost nothing but cheap pickups on them. You should have lots of parts to make a video with.

[@johnmartin5147]

I hope this hint helps you. I saw you drilling into a painted guitar and worried about tear out. One way to avoid this is to run your drill backwards until the bit is about a 1/16th of an inch deep and past what tears out then switch the drill to forward and finish the cut. This won't help the other side if you have to drill through it. I've done this and it worked well for me. It reminds me a friend when he cuts vinyl siding turns his power saw blade backwards to cut it. It scrapes the vinyl away instead of cutting it. Still gets the job done. I enjoy your videos.

[@bobperu1]

Saw backward is how you cut plexiglass without shattering it and also laminate counter tops.

[@jasonmast1982]

I got this exact color of this brand 3 months ago . put some Ernie ball 9's and i shimmed the neck slightly . straight as an arrow . also i thought the pickups were better than any Squier pickups. The neck is slightly chunky but once you get used to it it's fine. also my Gig bag that came with mine was much nicer than the one here in the video.

[@oldcrackadated]

Amazing how it turned out , your good at what you do

[@jaketheasshole]

Hey brother I don't build or work on guitars, but your content has got me wanting to start working on guitars and doing modifications and fret jobs lol. I have a request, since I am a bass player it would be awesome to see you work on a bass guitar at least once. I know bass is not your instrument of choice, however working on a bass is very similar to working on a guitar and the bass players of the world would love a video of you fixing up an old Fender p-bass for instance. Your fan BASS would grow if you did a bass video once in a while. I'm a youtuber as well and appreciate your content man keep up the good work!

[@user-yx6lv5kn1n]

I love watching you set up and play those guitars, man. God bless yall.

[@scarmyguitar]

God Bless you too!

[@Mr.PhatsVarietyVibesShow]

those picks ups are like 100 bucks plus the guitar, it would be interesting to watch Sean make his own picks ups for this guitar.....

[@JD-ps9vd]

You rock Sean! Don’t know if I would throw $100 pickups on a $100 guitar but you sure make it interesting to watch. Don’t know why im addicted to this channel but keep it up!

[@ludoFernandes]

Still got d blues 😂 seems yr fav color. Yeah man ,does sound real bluesy, 🎸👌👍

[@mhester99]

For a guitar of this price I’d have probably put in some pickups from Fleor, GuitarMadness, Wilkinson, GFS etc for 25-45% the cost of the Fenders…. But nice job and I love your vids!

[@scarmyguitar]

Right on!

[@jeffrowlette]

Mine will be here Monday. Sean, you are making my addiction worse. I bought that exact blue model...I'll change the pickups, work the next and frets, and set it up. Damn-it Sean....!!!!!!

[@jeffoldham9743]

Just received the strat model Fojill from Amazon. Out of the box I gave it a quick tune and checked out the intonation and I am blown away with the sound and setup. You’re right Fender should be ashamed. Smooth neck and no sprout.

[@kevinduncan7301]

This is great. Got this one a week ago. On sale ! No sharp frets, loose tuners or neck bow. Action was .25. Thanks man. I need another guitar like a new hemorrhoid but I don’t regret this one!

[@briannelms158]

Pups and setup made a world of difference!! Nice job Sean!!

[@shaneworden1325]

Thanks Sean. Watching you tune these cheap guitars. Literally brings a smile to my face 😊

[@davidkent2804]

There is elusive presence with some classic and expensive guitars, set up properly of course. This has that, which is inexplicable. I always went for cheap guitars and did the fix-up as you suggested because I wanted the quirkes and character. I felt that gave me a performance edge. When you plugged in the corrected Fojill it just came out screaming. Nice job.

[@Mr3DBob]

I think this guitar sounded the best of all your videos I've seen. You play a similar set each time, which gives us a comparison on the guitars. This one sounds best.

[@mattgeo1545]

So I bought the Ibanez look a like....brother!, out of the box, after tune, no string change.....this H-S-H ROCKS!! I am amazed by the shopping list you provide me....and my wife hates you😮!

[@karlbrown4635]

Thanks for making this video been shopping around for an affordable strat kit to build but everything cheap had garbage neck pocket. Love the roasted maple neck. Just ordered the cool retro green one to throw some 50s pickups in. Its a 2nd guitar for myself and something for my buddy to learn on when he comes by. Was 10% off too $97 delivered, comes saturday Im pumped for my first strat build played an ibanez sa 160 for years, always wanted to build a strat 1st affordable option with quality neck and bone nut. Like the lighter wood as I have a neck injury.

[@jasonmast1982]

i cannot believe the pickups they that were in yours . the ones that came with mine are super hot

[@karenparnell8214]

Truly like yalls videos thanks

[@taz4965]

What would you recommend as a minimum tool kit for doing mainly maintenance but occasion fret levelling and dressing?

[@scarmyguitar]

In the description Bro!

[@user-nl6mk5vu3z]

Keep scarring it up All for the good

[@9999plato]

Great video! I just got their Tele it was quite acceptable out of the box It tuned up fine but needs the "examination" for me to really know. The pickups, jury's out because I have only used a small spark practice amp to listen to the pups and that's no basis for a decision. I just put Tone kings in my CV Tele a week ago with a 4 way and compensating saddles, big improvement. Ill have to decide on this one but initial impressions prior to checking and dremel polishing the frets it it's got at least great bones to build on ( sounds good acoustically, lively) if you dont mind the finish.Never cared for the preworn finish but this would certainly make it bar gig drunk safe. Now I know what I was feeling on this neck, a 16: radius, that will certainly do it. Thanks.

[@billulman3254]

What a difference a little bit of setup and good set of pickups can do!

[@windslipper]

I love your vids,brother Thank you and your Mrs

[@scarmyguitar]

Thank you too

[@Ron_Masterjohn]

❤Hammy❤ awesome seeing you. 🙏I pray and think of you all the time they figure out what you need to get back to your good health🙏

[@mauibill7233]

I've been buying guitars off Aliexpress and paying a little more for a nicer one. The Strat I got had pickups that ohmmed out exactly like the Fender Vintera's you put in that one. I did a few little mods and now it's one of my favorites.

[@Ambientnauts]

I wonder if the "Ashthorpe 39-Inch Electric Guitar" Amazon is selling now is the same guitar but with different colors. Thanks for doing these in depth investigations and reviews!

[@Ron_Masterjohn]

Another great video. Thanks Sean and Cathy. ❤️🐕❤️

[@TranceMasterJack]

You need to get some of those Gibson $1,000 pickups and test em out for us!

[@danedearmond4905]

$1000 pickups... lol.... I've seen a few A/B comparison videos of that Gibson PAF set and I found them completely underwhelming. But the Gibson's DO come in a nice case, which as we all know is VITAL when purchasing guitar pickups...

[@muzicgr8]

Wow another great setup on a cheap guitar Awesome Man

[@PipeCat1965]

Dude, I don't get angry that you cost me money, because the money you cost me is usually pretty reasonable, and I end up with something nice! Note: A friend of mine is gonna see this comment and accuse me of having another GAS attack! (PS: This is a sarcastic compliment, as my pal and I follow your recommendations pretty frequently.)

[@timmooney7528]

Out of curiosity, if the guitar was sent to a shop, how much would the average bench service prices be for straightening a neck and re-leveling and de-burring the frets? Including lowering the action closer to the frets?

[@RA-ew8rv]

If you have a good tech the person will charge $85 -$125, but it will only get you a basic setup (new strings, a turn on the truss rod, check the nut slot and adjust, set bridges saddle, intonate. A lousy one will "attempt" to do everything that Sean just did and do most everything poorly and charge you $65 - $85. But back to the good tech, if he did everything thing Sean did (minus the electronics), that would get you up to $225. If you just want new electronics it would be the price of PUPs and an install cost of $125. Understand there are a lot of guys that can do this work real well because they've played for decades and only work on their own equipment. I've played for 50 years and have never taken a guitar in for work since I was 14. Learned quickly there are a lot of bad techs.

[@timmooney7528]

@@RA-ew8rv Thanks. I'm handy with a soldering iron, so wiring pickups is no problem. It's the fret dressing and leveling is my concern. I lack the specialized tools/ measuring gages, and don't do enough setups to justify spending several hundred dollars for the specialized stuff. The "hidden" cost is in the labor and tooling required to make a "budget" guitar into something useful.

[@TheDrunkenScoundrel]

A quick look at this tells me I bet it is made in the same factory as the entry level Tagimas. The tuners, trem, saddles, and neckplate (complete with rubber thingy underneath) are identical. This is a GOOD indication. I spent $100 getting my $179 Tagima Strat set up by a terrific luthier an dit gets more playing time than my USA Charvel.

[@TFShaw]

That guitar sounds killer now Sean! Nice playing too!

[@davidmarkham4391]

A red torty pickguard and cream covers and knobs and that is a grunge machine

[@David-lq5us]

Sounded great and not to much work involved but I nervous have the looks of a pick guard thanks for entertaining me

[@TedTalksGuitars]

Have you ever tried a Fojill telecaster model? I was thinking of picking one up to see what the deal is with those. Just curious if you have ever had your hands on one.

[@bpabustan]

I would suggest also changing the tremolo system and the pots. There are good quality parts in GFS for really low price. It will still cost lower than the cheapest Squier.

[@jaminjimlp]

Love that little bluesy Stevie Ray lick you were doing there brother pretty sweet

[@johny3barr]

Have a Great Evening Sean, Cathy, & Everyone Scarred ... Live Free or Die, From Pew Hampshire !!!

[@jeffrowlette]

That blue is freaking BEAUTIFUL 👌

[@MattSchmitt]

I'm learning how to play and I hope I can play as well as you one day!

[@David-mg5ml]

Not bad really ! I'd like to get my older 09 Trinity River acoustic TAAF dreadnought, Scarred .

[@davidsummerville351]

I play unplugged a lot so dry sound is important. Great sounding pickups. Love channel, thanks.

[@DougHinVA]

twin saddle height screws are almost always 10MM long in import Strats,,,, So keep 8MM ones at home and use them!

[@elwalker9034]

Very entertaining. Nice work. How much $$$ would you estimate a shop would charge for the work you did?

[@chi-dog738]

Around $150 for the labor

[@zolar55]

I always play them unplugged first too!

[@AndyThomas_mrblitz]

sounds great! amazing

[@cebjr]

You scarred that baby Sean. Nice job thing sounds amazing.

[@RickRomanelli]

Cool dude. I've been digging your stuff.

[@isaifuertes1077]

Do you have any guitar kits available? I love the guitar bodies you sent to Guns and Guitars, amazing work

[@davidcole5183]

I didn't get to see you and Kathy last night. I was wondering if you have much experience with the hot rail humbuckers replacing the single coils in a tele or a strat?

[@randallkrasomil280]

Great video Sean! You’ve really helped me a lot since I’m on my 2nd build with an identical Strat but it’s a Kit from SM and it’s very low quality. Looking forward to sprucing it up! Rock on!

[@marlan3rd]

Interesting, I had not thought about using electrical tape to bind up the wiring. Does the position of the tremolo springs make any difference?

[@Jupiter2ignite]

Is... is that a pizza hut hat you're wearing sir? 😂😅

[@timesurfingalien]

It's already Sean blue. And now it's Scarred for life

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

I think this is the first cheap Strat clone where the headstock does not make me want to throw up. Kinda looks like its own thing instead of being just 25% different.

[@JasonViator]

Yup saw him whip it out last nite. He was making it sing!!! That boi has chops!!! Hook him up Sean!

[@jamieingram4998]

Great video and work. 💯🤘

[@JohnnyTex7]

I've been seeing a lot of roasted neck guitars can you tell if it's real or not just a thought.

[@scarmyguitar]

They are real.

[@colincooke6417]

Shaun do you ship your strat necks with the lettering on the fretboard like the ones on ya wall

[@user-nl6mk5vu3z]

Don't stop scaring That fajita sounds good now

[@raymondtuckerjr1886]

Dang, Bruh, those Fender pick-ups are more than this guitar, making it a $220 guitar if you don't do anything else....I dunno Sean.

[@garymitchell625]

Sounded great after a little work. Good job !!

[@justobserving7045]

Yo Boss, sonic blue is way lighter than that btw.

[@squirelova1815]

Well, unfortunately, a really "cheap" guitar can be decently constructed and then may even be set up to play perfectly at the factory but, by the time any new or "green" wood on it changes and settles while traveling across an ocean in a hot shipping container and for months even, then things can drastically shift or warp, and frets may "sprout" too. Sometimes all that can happen after the guitar arrives at your home even when it was just fine out of the box the first day, so, there's a difference between a real problem "fix"and an acclimation adjustment and every guitar is individually unique too.

[@SharifSalukis]

My Yamaha 112, was a birthday present from my wife in 2001.Over the years I have changed all the hardware, electronics, and pickups, several times. I must be on at least my seventh set of strings. I have enjoyed it all this time.

[@MisterJWJ71]

I'd call that a sky blue.

[@rainsilversplash4376]

Sounds good, but you easily DOUBLED the cost of the guitar. OTOH, it sounds like a real Strat at that price!

[@MrMeadfoot]

The S.M.G is the top man !

[@TheHiddenBooger47]

Sounds way better

[@morgan79347]

Did you do a bridge pickup reading?

[@petercase9583]

That was fun, I can’t believe they can produce them that cheep.

[@birdman316]

that bridge be a lil twangy wooo!! great job brother!

[@mrkleen9511]

Another quick fix by the maestro! Way to go big fella!

[@PaulSmith-zi3sn]

I think I'm gonna get 1 !!!

[@radkeela2]

Hello Sean and Kathy

[@Megzamani]

Thank you.

[@danpost4755]

Great project!

[@Nallv2]

I scored a $60 Dlaso strat on temu as soon as it comes in I'll see what items I need to transform it hopefully I get as lucky as you did with your temu Dlaso

[@jimcamp2423]

Looks like a Richard Petty Blue or even MLB Philadelphia Phillies Powder Blue uniform colors. Sounded great after some work to it. Would've been interesting to see how the original pickups would've sounded with the set up adjustments, maybe pickup heights adjusted . Even with the Fender pickups for additional cost, I think those are another $ 120-130, unless there's a set on sale that get them down to around $ 100. Crazy that there were frets lifting & every tuning knob was loose ? Truss rod was also relaxed. That's one of the first things I check for, does the truss rod work, does the neck respond to be loosened & then tightened to at least where it was out of the box & in this guitar's case, tightened for lower relief.

[@jimcamp2423]

One of the things I look for with any guitar is the "neck pocket sandwich". That's a side profile of the neck pocket area. There's going to be the body as a layer (electric blue with the Fojill). Next layer is the pickguard, followed by a layer of maple (roasted or not). The 4th layer is the Rosewood fretboard with frets on top of that. With Fender Strats, that sandwich is guaranteed for non-maple fretboard guitars. That's when I have a good idea it might need a shim without having to disassemble everything and using a caliper to measure neck pocket dimensions and the heel end of the neck.

[@jamescolvin575]

Great tone from a budget guitar. Value galore.

[@edwinstovall3334]

Does the unplugged tone matter when you turn up the axe? I say it does -- unless you never play it unplugged. I don't, myself. Still, all the unplugging does is take electricity out of the system. The guitar is going to vibrate much the same way unless you're playing with enough gain to feed the guitar back. The acoustic tone is where the guitar starts; the player decides the rest by making choices.

[@BurningHearts70]

Nice…hey what do you think of Guyker locking tuners?