Is This Cheap Hollow-Body A Deal? - Unboxing, Demo, Review

damianbacci.com Recently I've seen a few people posting videos of this very cheap Grote Jazz Hollow-Body sold on Amazon. I thought it would be fun to see what all the commotion is about. Enjoy the review. :)

[@RichardONeil]

This video is so refreshing. A dude that doesn't snob out! He tells us that it is not the best guitar, but for under $200 that it is fun to play. It sounded great and looks great. Damian is one of the best on KZbin!

[@Damianblf]

Thank you Richard. I really appreciate the kind words. Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@transformer889]

I don't understand if it looks great and sounds great so what is the problem, just because of the price it is junk , I like somebody judge this guitar by giving it a test drive without knowing the price

[@NoWayOut55]

@@transformer889 When my Wife and I visited friends back east. My one mission was to find a decent acoustic guitar. Where I went was a hotbed of guitars! There were guitars of almost every makeand model. I was looking for one particular Axe. It was a guild fg30. And it has great sound and tone. All of my friends back there were chiding me for not looking at Gibson Hummingbirds, Yamaha Acoustic, Gretsch, Takamine and Martin's. I wanted a Guild. And I found it in a small pawnshop downtown. I've never given much thought to the higher priced items. As such, 12 years later, I play it religiously every day. The ONLY way to play, is what particular Guitar you find and love from the moment you pick it up. Be Well Transformer. And don't forget to practice everyday!!🤝👍👍👍

[@jujijime]

Love your positivity and complete lack of cynicism. Thanks for sharing your talents with us!

[@Damianblf]

Thank you brother. I really appreciate the kind words. :) Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@johnmonroney8614]

Hes Japanese

[@johnmonroney8614]

Nice 20" in the back. Redline?

[@biggayal4149]

@@Damianblf what's that bike behind you?

[@bowenlennon178]

I know Im asking the wrong place but does anybody know of a trick to log back into an instagram account? I somehow lost my password. I would appreciate any assistance you can give me.

[@jamesmcgrath1952]

Nice playing. I'm 68 years old and a brandy new beginner. I just bought my first guitar. I bought a Gretsch G5420T in Aspen green. I'll never be good but I have fun trying to learn lol. Good Vid.

[@eventhisidistaken]

If you want it bad enough, you can do it, even at 68. It takes 10000 hours to master an instrument. For example, 4 hours of playing per day for 6 years. But to get good, not master, is about 1/4 of that. 1 hour per day for 6 years, or 2 per day for 3 years, and you'd be good enough to play rythm for local gigs, if that were your goal.

[@NeoRichardBlake]

@@eventhisidistaken This is some good perspective. And it demonstrates why I still suck after a little more than 2 years. I just don't practice enough, nor correctly. :) I have fun though, and I'm only playing for me, so it works out. ;)

[@lilymae4131]

I'm 65 and just started. I don't expect to get great, but it passes the time and the improvement I do get is rewarding. Have fun and enjoy.

[@AllenGoodman]

Thanks for the motivation, I am 51 and enjoy plucking around. 👍

[@gilb8072]

I am your age too, recently retired and I have taken up the guitar and piano. I don't expect to play in a band but it is satisfying to see that I can learn to play some easy tunes after only a month of practicing an hour a day (30 minutes for each before I go to bed). KZbin has so much material to build your confidence. Good luck!

[@honzo1078]

In my observation, a guy who can really play an instrument can play the instrument, from cheap to quality, and make them all sound pretty good. I once bought a cheap tenor sax and took it to a repair shop to get repadded. Even with old, dried out pads (two missing!) and dry pivots, this guy played some hot jazz and some cool blues. When it was all fixed up, I struggled to get any kind of tone out of it all. Sigh...

[@johndeeregreen4592]

Absolutely. In my over 40 years of musical experience, I can play any decent guitar and make it sound fine. As long as the fretwork is good enough to not lacerate via the fret ends and the action isn't stupid high - with dead frets - I can play something on it. Fact is, I have gigged with Epiphone and Squier instruments with my Gibsons and Fenders... one of my cherished instruments is a Korean Squier Strat my wife bought me.

[@OldeDog_NewTricks]

Yup. I ride off road motorcycles, and I get so sick of all the guys with more money than sense deliberating excessively over all the tech specs of which is the best. My reply is always get better at riding. 99% chance that if you have to ask random people online their opinion then you can’t outperform your machine.

[@pierrederesistance]

You're really not supposed to play this well on a KZbin guitar demo. There was no horrible out of tune bending or wobbly vibrato. Also your phrasing was great. I can't support any of this.

[@Damianblf]

Thank you for the comment. :) Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@mattheweastel129]

Exactly right

[@sdfswords]

Spoken like a true Francais, Sacre Bleu!

[@oldmanofcotati]

I agree. I was offended deeply. Or maybe deeply offended. I don't know. I will buy one of these guitars.

[@williamsherman1089]

You go hep-cat!

[@leslawrenson9305]

I wandered here by accident - not my style of playing, and I'm not interested in budget guitars. But your presentation hooked me from the off, and I stayed to the end. Can't pay you a bigger compliment.

[@Damianblf]

Thank you Les. Much appreciated. :) Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@ColonelAngus2023]

If you ever want to give a guitar as a gift to a beginner, I highly recommend the Telecaster model. Best $125 I've ever spent.

[@jamesfrancisco3130]

I think the #1 thing I got from your video was: a great guitarist can make anything sound good! You, sir, are an exceptionally talented guitarist. Thank you!

[@milowagon]

Great, honest and enjoyable demo. The playing was terrific and the vintage tones very authentic.

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for watching. Much appreciated. Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@Coverswithchords1]

I want one too! Been noodling happily for decades on low budget guitars and I love it. Pure fun, no worries about damage or loss.

[@felineth56]

Love you Damian! You are a great player, great teacher and a great human being, I've been learning a lot from you, and you play the music I love! Having people like you on you tube is so refreshing especially in those difficult times!....

[@TropicalLatitude]

Damian could make a broomstick sound good. Great review.

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for watching Kevin and thank you for the kind words. :) Stay Safe & Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@marksmith402]

Very True!

[@chrismosley409]

My thoughts exactly. It’s the player not the guitar.

[@bluwng]

That is the most common insult to a manufacturer that is veiled as a compliment . So this guitar can be pure crap but Damien made it sound good? There are shit instruments that are unplayable and no player posses magic to make it playable.

[@idessaoutlaw]

@@bluwng You're right. Damian has scored a nice guitar for a bargain price. 🎸🎶💃🕺👌😎🤳

[@jimvandemoter6961]

Major props for using heavier strings with a wound 'G.' I used to have a Guild X-500 and I used a 12 ga set with a wound 'G' and it really gave me the jazz tone. Also more props for your playing, you old jazz man, you.

[@silvrface]

If you don't use a wound G with most wood bridges the intonation will be WAY off! The wound 3rd has to be closer to the neck than a plain 3rd; it's hard to get a clear view but it appears he changed the intonation on the tune-o-matic type bridge and moved the 3rd string saddle forward.

[@Alanoffer]

This goes to prove it’s the player not the guitar . As long as the thing innovates and it’s got a pick up it’ll work

[@pablocortando1]

Damian ,this is the first review I’ve seen you do,not disappointed.great work

[@Damianblf]

Thank you Emma. You're right, this is my very first review. :) Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@jeffmiller2008]

You can make ANYTHING sound killer. You’re an inspiration for me!

[@ravenslaves]

If we're being perfectly honest, and we've been there, not all of those old vintage guitars were always that great. Gretsch, for example, had some pretty bad Quality Control. And not every Gibson or Epiphone that came off the line was "spectacular". SO, if I can get a decent guitar at $200 that's probably as good as a lot of the originals...then that's a damn good deal. And at that price, I can mod it anyway I like, without any guilt at all. ...or just leave it stock....sounded like a ES-T to me.

[@bobweird2399]

I have played some really, really bad modern Gibson 335's before. As you say, price is drfiniely not equal to quality.

[@kevinmorrice]

ive heard a guy playing 2 old 40's gibson acoustics, same model, unrestored, one sounded like a cat in a blender and the other sounded like a world class choir

[@darrengallagher8051]

Love the playing as always brother.your enthusiasm is infectious ( maybe not the perfect word for these times) I always head straight for a guitar with a smile after watching your videos.please keep up the good work its very much needed especially now🎸

[@Damianblf]

Thank you Darren for the kind words. Keep on rockin' my friend. :)

[@TRHARTAmericanArtist]

Damien, thanks for the reveal. I bought one and love it. I can't believe how well it plays. I'll probably get some better tuners, but it is great. Thanks so much buddy and keep rockin'.

[@TheContinuum7]

Hey Damian, as always your video does not disappoint! You made that bargain sing right outta the box. I myself am NOT a guitar snob as I found that a real bargain can be turned into a great sounding guitar. Thanks for the demo and keep doing what you do- you rock! Stay safe buddy!

[@kervinrodriguez1833]

Love the demo, the guitar looks and sounds great. I’m thinking of getting one after seeing this.

[@matthewrussell1299]

I can't believe how much it sounds like a high-end Gretch. Amazing!!

[@elnawdydawg]

Dig it! Your personal message was exactly what I needed at this moment in my life. Thank you.

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for watching the review George. Glad you enjoyed the message at the end. Keep on rockin' buddy! DAMIAN

[@rockets4kids]

The most amazing thing about that guitar is that it arrived in one piece!

[@AdventureSlogger]

Thanks Damian. Love your channel and your positivity!

[@chimubarrueco4266]

Waiting for a video after you upgrade this guitar! Amazing! Saludos desde Chile!

[@dlmullins9054]

You play so effortlessly and are a great informative reviewer. Enjoyed it and learned a lot. Thanks!

[@Damianblf]

Thank you. I really appreciate it. :)

[@yellowmagicdog3350]

this is so great! I think the tone you are getting from that guitar right out of the box is fantastic! Amazing!!!

[@randalldick3935]

Thanks for that comprehensive review. Nice playing shows the capabilities of the guitar all over the fret board.

[@Damianblf]

Thank you :)

[@naduncan100]

I really enjoyed your presentation and comments about the Grote guitar. I bought mine yesterday and so far it sounds great and I am really looking forward to spending some time with it !

[@Damianblf]

Thank you Neil. Enjoy your new Grote. :)

[@donnymac575]

Love your playing, double stops, chords, single notes, etc. ❤

[@harleyveejay]

Damian, thank you for your positive attitude and great videos. This review was really enjoyable, stay healthy please, we need you.

[@xrayexmd]

Always a pleasure to hear you play!

[@TheHifiEnvelope]

I bought one of these in this same finish. I swapped out the tuners for some Grovers, put a bone nut on it, raised the pick up, and tweaked the intonation. With these few improvements it has become an instrument I really enjoy playing. I find a surprising amount of sweet spots with the stock pick up and will be keeping it.

[@barbmelle3136]

From Leo: Thanks for your demo. What a great rock a billy guitar. You are right abut the P-90. I have shimmed several of them and that really opens up the sound of that P-90. 5/64th's off the string seems to be the sweet spot. In a day when a couple of premium replacement pickups cost $200, that is an amazing guitar.

[@allenongchangco9162]

Thanks for the video Damian. Finally bought one after seeing your video. Saw other youtubers review but you showed its sonic possibilities. My first hollowbody. Came in today with no problems. Thanks again and keep on jazzin'

[@Damianblf]

Awesome. Glad to hear you got a good one like me. Congrats and enjoy the guitar. :) Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@makemontanamyhome]

Damian, Great review! Your playing is outstanding!! These are a great value for a cheap hollow body. I love mine. Thanks for sharing !!!

[@johnwelch557]

I've bought guitars since the late 50's and haven't stopped. I have several inexpensive brands from $100. to $500. None disappoint. Today's world is entirely different, so participate in it! Thanks!

[@Damianblf]

Thank you John for checking out the review. Much appreciated. Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@Jazzper31]

Please, when you' re done modding it with a setup and wood bridge, post an update!

[@Skipster18]

Way above expectation for this guitar. Thanks for the demonstration!

[@slmcmorris7902]

Great review and excellent playing. I just bought the Grote 335 copy, and overall I am impressed. It's a great mod platform guitar. Now you got me sold on adding this one to my collection, too

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for watching Sean. I'll be another Grote review soon on the channel.

[@TheElectricfishmusic]

Sweet playing man! I loved that little over the fretboard jump at 9:45. I don't need another guitar, but I'm ordering one.

[@SuperChillin11]

Very cool review and Guitar! Enjoyed your demeanor Damian, not pretentious at all, very approachable. Keep at it!

[@roberthadam548]

Great review Damien !! The guitar sounds and looked very cool ! Your playing is great 👍 I think I will be buying one of those !!

[@sbrown1953]

Very enjoyable demonstration, you really brought out the best in that guitar.

[@Damianblf]

Thank you. I really appreciate it. :)

[@hellodavidryan]

This was a lot of fun. Thanks for braving the crazy cheap realms on our behalf.

[@alanhardman2447]

Nice! Looking at it straight-on, I would never have guessed it would be a thin-line axe! And it sounds absolutely marvelous at ANY "price point. "

[@jamesgretsch4894]

Nice playing. That is exactly the type of playing I love and brings out the best in that sort of guitar. Thanks for the great demo!

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for watching James. Much appreciated. Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@stevehughes1510]

Thanks Damian for all that you do.........and thanks for the quotes they're real good and reassuring.....cheers!!

[@Damianblf]

Thank you Steve :) Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@Deliquescentinsight]

That sounds like a respectable guitar! Sounds in tune, and very true! Helps that you are a seasoned player of course, but $189 is a steal.

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for watching the review Michael. Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@a.jacobson2932]

Love the style. Made me stroll down memory lane,...the memory of my Dad & Mom's era...very nostalgic. Thumbs up and I may now start to practice some rock-a-Billy rifts in between the Metallica, Megadeath, Sabbath, songs that are part of my routine. BTW, you got my sub. Keep up the good work. There is a niche for nostalgia in this era so it's always good to see that others might be interested in it as well..

[@rogerdavidson3716]

Thanks for the great unbiased review Damian....and thanks for the ongoing positivity mate 👍👍👍

[@Damianblf]

Thank you Roger. Much appreciated. :)

[@billyellis1597]

Awesome playing and a very beautiful guitar..sounded great..

[@magnoliasstressus]

Thanks for this Damian! Enjoyed the review and the playing...

[@Damianblf]

Thank you for watching the review. :)

[@lewisbirkett4428]

Wow might be tempted to get one of these as an entry level jazz guitar. Stayed for the amazing playing too

[@brainstain2904]

Great guitar Damian and great video keep um coming!

[@dlmullins9054]

I am awaiting mine today. Same one and tracking says scheduled for delivery today on Christmas eve! You do great reviews, Thanks!

[@kirkscobey3031]

First time viewer! Love your playing! Like the guitar too! I might have to look for one!

[@cynthiaguy8818]

What a great review.. Thank you for your words of wisdom. Hope you have a great New Year too.🎸❤🧘‍♀️🕊❤🎸

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for watching & Happy New Year to you as well. :)

[@vikramjitbanerjeetuki]

Great playing and fantastic tones👍👍👍

[@drews879]

Sounds good , you play very well. It was a pleasure hearing you play! I like the guitar, it's a very good deal!

[@AncientApparatus]

First time seeing your channel & I'm very impressed & like your style.

[@Northeastken]

Very nice guitar for under $200. The fantastic playing by Damian B. Made it sound spectacular. great job with the demo

[@Lalairu]

If frets are nice and stays in tune... sounds good to me! Thanks for the review!

[@toddflowers8052]

I have an Epiphone Century James Bay model and it looks almost identical ! I'd buy that Grote in a heart beat too ! Always good to see you Damian ! 😎🎸🎶👍

[@analogalien]

Great demo Damian. Keep it coming brother. :)

[@aWildJosh213]

I own the red variant of this guitar and I LOVE mine. It has a bit of red paint on the binding and that's the only flaw that I can see so far other than the horrible pack job. I use distortion when I play and this guitar actually sounds good with crunchy/distorted tones.

[@marksahagian7226]

I bought mine in a bit of a minor lock-down freakout. I completely love it. Trading some gear and getting a red one ASAP.

[@12babyapes59]

I went all hook line and sinker on this guitar got the cherry red one, and priced at 169$ Amazon of course, changed strings after high E popped but that was a given. Sounds great, fret ends are very good, only a couple need some buffing but not a problem , setup good out of the box, great buy.

[@marksmith402]

Damien, you are hilarious and informative! Sounding way better than I do, and I just picked up a matte black Gretsch Rat Rod!! But hey, makes me feel like Izzy...😁😎 Great Job!! Love Your Stuff!!

[@oggrease7720]

You jam wow honestly love your style great tones in your playing awesome attitude to teach !! Great inspiration!!!! Thanks

[@Damianblf]

Thank you for watching the review & for the kind words. :) Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@glassslide]

Congrats on the guitar---at that price point I thought it sounded GREAT, a couple of minor upgrades and its a real usable guitar, awesome video!!

[@MarkMcCluney]

Wonderful vid and a very nice instrument for the price. Thank you Damo.

[@fatabeeno]

That was a fine demo and your playing is superb. looks and sounds like a good knock off.

[@zenmaster6780]

Great playing! Sold me on this guitar. I’ve been looking at it for weeks

[@scotta.blanchat]

That was a super review, Holmes. Thanks a million! I bought that exact guitar.

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for watching & enjoy the guitar. :)

[@scotta.blanchat]

Mine is actually the red colored. Bad!

[@ryban1001]

You got that baby singing! Beautiful playing put a smile on my face!

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for watching Ryan :)

[@ryban1001]

Damian Bacci thank you for creating!!!

[@12BITJuNGLEOuTTHeRe]

Very cool! You made that guitar sing dude!

[@seanhartman6496]

Hey, my old Rocket-88 bandmate! I stumbled upon this video and started watching it before I noticed the name of your channel and stared in disbelief for a few moments. Had to click on the link to your website to see some more familiar photos and video of you (it's been a few years!) Awesome work man, Keep it up!

[@Damianblf]

Hey Sean, it's good to hear from you. It's been forever since we last saw each other. Hope all is well with you. If your're still in Florida we'll have to get together sometime.

[@jonathanmartin3375]

Heck of a review. I may just pick one of these up!

[@paparingo5163]

Love your playing, and the guitar sounds great!

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for watching :)

[@u3all81]

Damian, I gotta say I really enjoy your channel.... I plan to visit and check you lessons out more!! I really love Rockabilly! Stay safe and healthy!!!

[@greatvanzini]

I just got my T50 last week! What was I thinking? Oh the pain!!!! Good job. Great show & tell. Dang, I was joking but now hearing you play it, maybe I need a backup! LOL.

[@wmfthe5th376]

I've got one of these, and I love it. I added a 1/8" shim under the pickup. I also swapped the ceramic magnets in the pickup with Alnico 4 magnets, which I think improved the tone. The biggest thing - the bridge was held on with double stick tape, and was poorly contoured to fit the soundboard. Removing the tape, and contouring to get more surface area against the body made a very noticeable improvement in the sound, particularly with regard to sympathetic resonance and acoustic volume. The bridge/neck has a weird radius; about 16 degrees. I would do the bridge fitting work before you replace it outright; I think the metal one sounds alright, to be honest.

[@Damianblf]

Thanks for the comment and the heads up. Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@3cardmonty602]

What’s the Scale length? 24.75” (Gibson Scale) or 25.5” (Fender) ?

[@jeffames5385]

I added a pickup shim, upgraded the tuners and replaced the softwood bridge support with a rosewood one - HUGE improvements for a very low cost. The fretboard is very thirsty for several applications of mineral oil. My intonation was a bit off and I cleaned up the nominal fret sprout with a 3M sanding sponge. What a bargain!

[@Damianblf]

Thanks Jeff for sharing that and thank you for watching the review. :)

[@christoguichard4311]

Loved it! Love your playing too!

[@Damianblf]

Thank you very much. :)

[@IrishBog]

Just bought the Rockabilly course ! I so enjoyed learning the Sleepwalk lesson. Thanks !

[@Damianblf]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate the support. :) Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@AllenGoodman]

Sounds good and great playing. Fair & honest review, thanks ! 👍

[@JBM_71]

Hey Damien, that guitar sounds the bee's knees. And my compliments on your playing. 😊

[@Damianblf]

Thank you John Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@Jim-dn6pp]

Hey Damien, I agree with Kevin. You could make any guitar sound great. Thanks for the review!

[@tycer18]

Nice to hear the positivity at the end, thanks for that. I'd love this gem in the natural finish but can't find her anywhere!

[@camilo1455]

On Amazon last week (I think)

[@norman2999]

I want to see/hear Brother Damien swingin' AND rockin' & rollin' with a three-stringed-electric-shovel-guitar!! I swear by Bill Haley's Comets, Brother Damien can pick-up anything with strings (get it? pick-up? groan!!), and he'll make it sound Absolutely-Awesome and Super-Swingin'!!!! There's no way around it, Brothers & Sisters, play & practice, along with a healthy dose of nature-given talent!!!! Brother Damien, you inspire us to pick-up(!!) our guitars and and you bring joy to us when you help us to play something we never did before. Thank you for your time, for sharing your knowledge, and for giving us a chance to get better at something that we love soooo much!!!! You are a total class act, Brother!! As for the new Grote, maybe a pick-up(!!) swap? Or just leave it alone and play the heck out of it?! Either way, HAVE FUN!! Take care, Bro!! Your fan & Guitar Bro in Montreal, Canada, Norman.

[@Damianblf]

Thank you Norman for those kind words. They mean a lot to me. Keep on Rockin' my friend :) DAMIAN

[@mikemurdock7234]

Been playing cheap guitars for a long time. Squier and Epiphone do a great job with the budget guitars. I love hollow body guitars now LOL. Watching your channel, you're always playing them. Last year I finally treated myself and bought an Epiphone ES-339, and it's quickly become my favorite guitar I've ever owned. Amazingly, it was much cheaper than my Gibson Les Paul and completely blows that guitar out the water. It's something about the ES that sounds lively and has a better feel than my Les Paul. It's been 8 months now and I still don't want to go back to playing my Gibson

[@cven1103]

Great review, nice guitar and terrific playing.

[@fortierma64]

Sounds really good for it’s price point. Makes me want to get one.

[@stephenhawkingsfootballboo7885]

All I can say is... WOW! I stumbled upon your channel looking for Grote reviews and instantly became a fan. THANK YOU for reviewing this guitar the way it should be done. I've wanted a quality review of the Grote for awhile and with a few exceptions I usually come across dudes with 1/4 your talent 'playing' through effects pedals until is sounds like mush (some even TAP on these - blasphemy!). Your chill vibe and exemplary chops are beyond refreshing. Consider me subscribed!

[@Damianblf]

Thank you for subscribing and thanks for checking out the review. Glad you enjoyed it. Keep on Rockin' DAMIAN

[@SB-ok3xc]

Awesome! I really love that first jazz lick did you post a lesson of it already? Greetings from sunny Sicily! 😎

[@davidquintana8395]

i dig the way you groove man ... it's the most .. hehe rock on.. thank you very much !

[@thomasdondero519]

I have 12 guitars and try to not buy any more at age 70 playing since 13 still love em and this is so tempting may have to get it great review and enjoy your other vids and lessons thanks much for sharing your gift/talent with us

[@glen7695]

Some very cool Brian Setzer sounds around 8:00. Very nice.

[@Citizen_J]

Very warm sound. Was nice