Guild Surfliner Deluxe vs Reverend Double Agent OG - Comparing two great sub-$1000 guitars

[@joseph_lacy]

Dude because of your Surfliner demo I ended up picking one up! It’s now my #2 for playing live

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Love to hear it! Surfliner is such a fun guitar

[@Dorachagi1]

Nice comparison! I'm a VERY happy Double Agent OG owner, but the Guild looks and sounds beautiful as well!

[@AmbientEndeavors]

thanks for watching! Yeah , both guitars are pretty dang cool. I've got a lot of use out of the Surfliner DLX and love the tonal range of each of the pickup positions, but every time I plug the Double Agent in I remember how much I love the bass contour on the Reverends. Both solid choices!

[@MayonnaiseOreo]

Your Double Agent OG video was a big influence on me buying one back in February. I got the limited color orchid pink with the black pickguard and ebony fretboard. Your Surfliner video immediately made me want one too. Lol.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Ahhh that’s rad! Glad you found it helpful! Surfliner is way fun!

[@mijwil]

Good demo. I preferred the articulation of the Guild with the effects you were using. Sounded really nice. The Reverend sounded like it could use some EQ assistance, although I thought it was better with chords. Honestly I don’t believe anyone would be disappointed with either choice.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

yeah totally agree - I end up using the bass contour a lot on the reverend, feels like a full freq at max, and then definitely benefits from some eq carving. The Surfliner is a bit more scooped and carved in a way that I think is voiced to my liking as is.

[@DIGITAL7Media]

Literally have been eyeing both of these. But my heart do often goes to Gretsch guitars.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

ooo , which Gretsch(s) are you eyeing?

[@YoungMasterpiece]

Greetings from a fellow ambient & melody noise guitar explorer and tone seeker, very kool channel. I got my eyes on these beautiful guitars for some months now, although Reverend is a bit pricey for my current range. Best regards from Mne, Europe. Mladen

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Hey thanks for stopping by! 🙏🏼

[@jamiepregnell6603]

Guild sounds amazing, love the tone you're getting from these, also what camera are you using to film these?

[@AmbientEndeavors]

every video I do with it makes me fall more in love with the Surfliner ha. I'm using a Black Magic Pocket Cinema 6K 👍🏻

[@blockerryan]

Nice comparison! I really love the way the HB2 sounds. I’m really close to pulling the trigger on a Surfliner Deluxe.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

love it! yeah everything I play this thing I feel that way - it is just the right vibe for this guitar. indie rock vibes, slightly ratty but not crazy. I dig it!

[@deddiev1718]

It’s a great guitar. I got the green one after I saw this video

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Love it !

[@dougc84]

i’m really considering picking up a used guild thunderbird. they’re so. damn. cool.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

oh wow I forgot about those , what a wild body style! super cool

[@pwlebrun4573]

I was surprised, the Reverend’s pickups were hotter than I expected. I love the idea of the bass contour/rolloff pot, and I wish other makers offered it. OTOH the idea of a Strat with the (approximate) shape and trem of a Jazzmaster is really, really cool.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

the Strat-like tones in the Surfliner DLX = def one of my favorite parts about it. It just kinda begs those indie rock / midwest emo kind of vibes.

[@ILikeToPlayGuitarToo]

I have the exact same reverend and it has a really good sound, what I didn’t like was the neck that it came with.. supposedly it should be roasted and it just has like a dull white pale color, no roasted at all and looks cheap.. comparing it to my other one the Matt West Signature it looks so different, the Matt West has this nice roasted color.. also the OG has a little bit of fret buzz. It’s not that noticeable through the amp tho. It has a nice sound, just the one I have I didn’t like the neck and it could be fixed by getting a new one from reverend but I don’t think they sell them anywhere :(

[@AmbientEndeavors]

ahh yeah. I hear ya. I'd say the neck on mine is a bit underwhelming too. Feels and plays fine, but honest really have that deep roasted look that the Guild and some other "roasted" necks I have here possess.

[@allje]

Picked up the Guild based on the vid! Thanks! Curious on your thoughts about swapping the single coils. What style pickup would physically fit in the neck and middle positions?

[@AmbientEndeavors]

rad! How are you liking it! I would *imagine* you could put standard Strat pickups in there? I haven't really investigated that tbh - I'm a big fan of the SC's. Ive debated swapping the HB. But overall it's just been really fun to play as-is. Gotta ask what COLOR you got?!

[@allje]

@@AmbientEndeavors I had to go all black! I'm really loving the way it plays (especially the feel of that roasted maple neck), but I am having some tuning instability. I looked up another vid with some suggestions on how to fix and am wondering if it's worth swapping out the tuners. Are you having any issues with that?

[@Alegua7]

The sound is not bad... Guild guitars are versatil😎

[@AmbientEndeavors]

They sure are!

[@Cluless02]

Yeah both sound fabulous. Do they make lefties?

[@AmbientEndeavors]

no lefty Surfliners :/ Reverend does offer the Double Agent OG in lefty :D

[@thomasprice3887]

Solid comparison video. Even though I am a tele player, I think the Guild would be my choice between the two. I do wonder if you could swap out the white pickguard for a tortise shell though 🤔

[@AmbientEndeavors]

Would be cool!! Might be able to send one to a custom mfg and get it cut! ..now I’m curious…

[@thomasprice3887]

@AmbientEndeavors that would be my choice if I had a shell/pastel color guitar like that (currently about to do that for my Nick Johnston signature tele)

[@masterofreality230]

Wth? No Surf rock? lol jk Cool comparison.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

lol. I think the name does it a huge disservice - I’m sure it *can* do surf but man is it fun for so much more. I guess the same could be said about “Jazzmaster” - not sure I’ve ever heard jazz played on it 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@masterofreality230]

@@AmbientEndeavors 🤣 Right, I dont have a single coil guitar yet, so I am looking at either Strats, Tels or Jazzmasters. Been a long time Les Paul guy. Its just a name, but I couldnt help myself. Good content though, all jokes aside.

[@Markleford]

Both are mighty fine guitars, and you did a very nice demo of both, but tell me again -- Why even do a comparison/"shootout" between two vastly different designs? And why would anyone actually ask your choice between a two pickup fixed bridge vs a three pickup vibrato bridge? Is a Strat vs Les Paul video up next? Is this just peak GuitarTube silliness for clicks? Is a "versus" video the algorithm magic bullet for views over simply doing two separate demos? I dunno, man. I was confused when I read the title, and still perplexed (or dismayed?) after I finished the video. Appreciated the playing, though.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

man, didn't mean to ruin your day ha! it's sincerely a question I've gotten at least a dozen times between the comments sections of both YT videos and over on IG. I like to try and hit topics viewers have when there's a contingent of interest/curiosity, so I figured I'd do that. OFC there are numerous points of divergence, but for my focused audience, these two specific guitars do kind of rise to the top in terms of price point and general "non-traditional , import , sub $1000" guitars. But this was never dubbed as an apples to apples comparison, merely a side by side walkthrough for those that have both guitars on their "list" and want to run em down together. 🤷🏻‍♂️