Hartwood Charger review

It's been a minute! Hope y'all are well. Here's my rundown and review of the Hartwood Charger. Stoked to find another budget brand offering some original designs... an an offset to boot!
00:00 Intro
00:22 Out of box soundcheck (playing pre-setup)
01:39 Talkie talkie, aboutisms
02:24 Pricing
02:35 Aesthetic rundown
03:47 Specs & finish talk
07:27 Factory setup
08:36 Post-setup discussion and deep dive
11:37 Some issues?
12:13 Final thoughts, plans. waxing philosophical
17:27 Oodles of noodles (playing, post setup)

[@jonesvox1]

How refreshing to find a channel like yours without 90% of the reviews done with dimed gain and shredding. Nice, tasteful playing and no wasted showboat time. 👍🏼 Subscribed

[@markbeckett6071]

I bought one of these last week and all I can say is WOW! I just love the slight distortion you get from the pickups. Not sure it's because they are budget ones but who cares. Totally different sound to my Jazzmaster. Compliments it perfectly. Out of the box literally all I have done is tune it and remove some cellophane. Just love it! Get one! Today!

[@donniehba795]

I regularly (as in almost every day) watch 2 dozen KZbinrs and you are consistently my favorite. I love how you identify so many things that I want to know and distinguish between the technical and subjective. My only complaint is that you haven't posted much lately. So more great videos, please! (And, as always, I love your playing...)

[@OnAir21]

That’s pretty awesome! I’ll have to check these out. Thanks for sharing, and welcome back!

[@bankrakoczi4899]

I've got this guitar back in 2020 in strawberry milkshake and love it to bits. So unique look, the playing is comfortable and it is well made ( for that price especially ). My only concern were the pickups, they were extremely muddy in most cases so I've replaced the tone pot to push-pull ones and the coil splitting solved my problem for no money. Also nice review, enjoyed the video, cheers

[@kurtvonnegut1]

I bought one of these on the strength of this review and you are spot on. They are excellent value for money. It plays beautifully. Thanks my friend!

[@davel2491]

awesome playing as always, and a really interesting guitar. happy holidays man!

[@thecrippledrummer]

Very cool looking guitar. This’d be great with P90s.

[@mr8ty8]

P-rail90 in the neck and pearly gates in the bridge 👌🏻

[@bradshannon862]

Best review I have seen on Hartwood. Fair, honest, unbiased and from a real player (awesome playing BTW) It's refreshing when I find a brand that excited me to find a GOOD review with great sound and a person who knows their craft. Also a person who is intelligent enough to weigh pros and cons with regards to the price point . Nicely done sir! I can safely say you convinced me to get this guitar with this awesome review... and I am a broke, retired, disabled vet waiting on a disability decision! I either have to sell gear or sacrifice having things I like and save for months to get even a guitar at this price these days.

[@gantronyc]

That is a good looking guitar. Amazing what is being made these days for such little money. Thanks for the video!

[@chrisdenney2997]

heck yeah.. missed your vids brother.. Back with a beauty!

[@budgetgearguru4211]

Dude I want one now. Great studio space you have there too

[@drno2141]

good on u ! got a hartwood 335 copy same color . revival model i guess is the name. love that guitar. real sound and vibe coming from her. just changed the tuners with locking ones and put roller saddles..that's it. should consider having parallel series push push pots and out of phase. pickups sound a bit darker too but they work really fine, so i kept them.

[@macauley70]

superb episode, nice guitar

[@dondemille9655]

If I buy this guitar, it will be the 3rd one because of watching your channel, I have the Slick SL57 and the SL51. I have to say I love them both! Was hoping you may do a follow up video on the Charger. Or an update. I REALLY love the look, right in my wheelhouse with the retro styling and color. Roasted maple neck and locking tuners, too? And all under $400 US. Man, I am looking for any enabling type excuse to push me over the edge and buying this. Heck, I should just get it for the price, not like taking a chance on a Suhr or something?! Love the channel, take care. Don in Pine Lake, GA USA

[@DanDjurdjevicplus]

That’s an awesome guitar!

[@jeromewagschal9485]

The "carve" is called a "comfort carve"...Great guitar...I got the Strawberry Milkshake one and I changed the pickups and I installed a roller bridge and a Les Trem system...and a tusq nut just like you...Except for that it's an amazing instrument and what made me get it was the combination of the Jazzmaster body, the set neck and the tilted headstock...And later I also got the Speedway model...I mean, at this price I might even get a 3rd one...

[@mikeg.9238]

That's a slick guitar , not a fan of the split pickguard but not a deal breaker. Never heard of these , can't keep up with all these newer budget brands. Still pretty sweet looking though!

[@patrickwhite4151]

That's a nice-looking guitar. Sounds great too.

[@vincemincevince]

great review i appreciate a review done by some one who knows how to upset a guitar

[@JoeBaermann]

Relief is 1st to 12th not 24th. With a totally clean dry neutral set amp the pickups do sound pretty dull compared to my other guitars, as soon as a healthy amount of clipping is aded they sound great though, so not going to bother changing them, for squicky cleans I can just use other guitars. I took a chance to get a nearly new Charger, no idea what has be done to it, the frets are perfectly leveled after a return, had an issue fretting the 12th fret, but needs to be recrowned, so going to get the tool needed for that. Frets ends are also going to be rounded at their corners. I also changed the washer under the spring, since the fibre washer did loosen the nut, I might switch it out with a Dusenberg though, since the wiggle stick on those is easier to mount/demount, unless there is some clever aftermarked solution available. Neck is real comfortable for my fretting hand, just as on my HB Fusion 3 roasted and Jet JS-500, modern C necks and satin finish has become my #1 choice. Will also replace the toggle switch at some point and the jack socket. As for the bridge, saddles on the cheap ones are usually not the issue, the bar underneath is though, they usually bow from radius to flat after 4-5 years. There was a tiny bit of play on my tuners too, I did tighten the peg screws and inserts on the poles slightly, that did help, just be carefull not to tighten to much.

[@dctat2]

I used to have an Ibanez Jet King that looked just like that

[@indybingyi]

I'm thinking of getting this axe, but I really don't want another heavy guitar. How's the weight? I couldn't find any information about it online

[@Afroman86]

How would you rate build quailty against say a Squier Classic Vibe ?

[@larryperez5761]

Like your playing style, where and how did you learn it?

[@1972Georges]

what is this Brand about?? Just found a Lefty Hartwood Revival and consider buying it. Where are they made? Who is the owner? Pls.

[@tharvoldstobu3365]

Does it stay in tune?

[@anthonyarnett8774]

No new videos? 😔 I genuinely enjoy them.

[@MFKitten]

Thoughts on this guitar today? I'm considering it right now.

[@MusicNerdStuff]

I think if the aesthetic appeals to you, it’s a good deal. The build quality on mine is really impressive at the price point. Leave room in the budget (or in your timeline if you’re doing it) for a pro setup. As with any guitar in this price range, that’s the most likely corner cut.

[@MFKitten]

@@MusicNerdStuff that's what I figured. The pink one is really speaking to me, and the fact that it's set neck with a modern heel really seems like what I'm after.

[@RoyLouden]

How much does it weigh? My disabilities have a limit.

[@thecrippledrummer]

You can buy these for $275 now.

[@Turbo_Toad]

If only it had a 30" neck, can't go back to smaller necks.

[@kimmolingonheimo]

Im just saying as an owner of 5 Yamaha Pacifica 112Vs, that: AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK FOR A BRANNEW GUITAR! 😎😎😎😎😎

[@antoniodeblasiis7876]

Don't buy this guitar at all, mine came with a damaged fretboard, a cheap binding sinks under the metal frets and there are bare parts between the fretboard and the binding. Gear4music when you report this is only offering you products to lubricate the fingerboard and it creates problems to accept the three-year warranty that the guitar has. Bad sales policy