NOVO GUITAR REVIEW | What can it add to my collection?

In this video I review the Novo Serus J guitar with p-90 pickups! I include several sound comparisons, specs, and describe its playability.
Happy to answer any questions in the comments!
Rock on!
Jonathan Z

[@RatherBeRiffing]

The issue with the bar falling out is now solved! Thank you to everyone who shared advice. It simply needed to be pressed in with a lot of pressure. Thanks again!

[@JP-gt8qr]

Bit of Eric Johnson style of playing is purely joyful, and great review as well.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks for the kind words! Love EJ! I saw him live recently and was such a joy to experience.

[@andyguerrero6500]

I also noticed the Eric Johnson influence on his playing at the beginning, I love how this dude plays

[@chrisbyrneguitar]

Your channel HAS to blow up. Incredible playing and tone, great in depth and well spoken review, I could go on but this level of quality overall deserves to get noticed!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you for the kind words and feedback, Chris!

[@ccaputa]

I listened to the entire video first with just my headphones and didn't watch. It sounded incredible in every way. I live in Nashville and have played a couple Novos, but they're usually custom made and not a lot floating around. I'm glad you like it, it sounds great. You're playing is awesome as usual!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks for the words - means a lot! That was my impression too - hard to try before you buy. I got lucky to find a used one locally.

[@BeastMadeReviews]

oh about the string tension. I went down a DEEP rabbit hole about this a while back. I think the reason it's tighter is because of the added length for the Mastery Bridge. Apparently the tightness or looseness of the strings isn't necessarily about the scale length, but the stringed length. That's why teles feel tighter that strats. The added tension of the increased string length makes the guitar feel different.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

That makes total sense to me and explains why the other Novo I played was slinkier (it had a Strat trem on it). Thanks for sharing!

[@maxpeck4154]

That is correct. Simple physics.

[@6oundStudio]

actual tension doesn't change though. the bendiness of strings does a bit. toplock would change tension drastically if it was the case.

[@BeastMadeReviews]

@@6oundStudio I'm not an engineer, so I'm using the word "tension" for the feel of "less string bendiness". The top load tactic is another good point. It shortens the length of the strings and makes it feel more bendy.

[@maxpeck4154]

@@6oundStudio Toplock? Do you mean topLOAD in reference to a Tele?

[@lorenzo-agnes]

Finally it's here! My Novo Serus J is my favorite guitar in my collection. Absolutely a piece of art to make music with. It's an ice metallic blue over three color sunburst, with Lollar gold foils. It's a lifer :)

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Resoundingly agree, Lorenzo! Love the specs on yours and I must try gold foils someday!

[@Moe-Ama]

I really believe that your channel will blow up at some point man! I’ve been playing my Novo Serus S for a few years now, and I don't imagine playing another brand now!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you - I appreciate that sentiment greatly! The other Novo I played was a Serus S and was also super cool! I bet yours is killer!

[@youKnowWho3311]

As usual, Heavenly tones and lines sir!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you - much appreciated!!

[@ivanradkov]

awesome playing!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you!

[@davemassie3726]

I have a 2018 Novo Serus T. P-45 neck - single coil bridge. Amazing sounding and playing guitar! Love it! Your novo looks and sounds great! Thanks for sharing. Peace

[@drewbarries]

Chalk up another killer guitar in your collection. That’s a particularly nice one, best specs and lovely color too, congrats!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you, Drew! I’m enjoying it!

[@macauley70]

This time we have not waited months for a new video hahah... thank you very much. I love your way of playing, your improvisations/compositions... congratulations. I think it is an incredible guitar, and I would like to know your opinion about people who think that offset guitars are less comfortable to play, large and not completely balanced. On the other hand, I want to comment that I believe we are undoubtedly in the best time in history to buy a guitar, whether high-end, mid-range or low-end. The level of current guitar construction is incredible. I don't know if you think the same. Greetings from the sunny Barcelona

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Greetings! Thank you for the kind words! Haha … I’m glad you appreciated a quicker release this time! I didn’t experience any comfort issues with this offset (it is my first one though). I did notice you can’t lean them anywhere without a stand or they fall over so have to be careful with that. I agree we are in the best of times with guitar quality and options at any price point . Truly incredible guitars out there!

[@Darrick-o3o]

I think your intro song is really good, nice job man...cool guitars

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you - much appreciated!

[@BrianDonnelly68]

Nice. I've owned two Novos - there Serus T and a Serus S. I moved them both along, although found them to be wonderful instruments. Neither had particularly high string tension as far as I was concerned. The T was wonderful, but the body size was just uncomfortably big for me. The S was a bit more ergonomic but it was a little sonically dull. But the necks and playability on both were some of the best I've ever played, and I'm on the lookout for one of their single pickup Solus F1's...

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Helpful to know. Thanks, Brian. Another commenter mentioned the string length caused by the Mastery bridge may be creating the extra bit of tension. I’d love to try a Solus F1. Let me know what you think if you end up landing one.

[@BeastMadeReviews]

Another great video and great playing! I'm on the fence about Novo, personally. I'm sure they play great, and they sound great. But the looks turn me off a bit. I love the wood and finish, but the shape is a little ugly to me. I also really take issue with the blocky neck heel. Nowadays, I think there is no excuse to have a blocky heel. BUT it does sound incredible. I love how the P90s sounds punchy, but clear, and the low end is full and JUST at the point where it starts to get wooly (which I love).

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Well said! That is a great description of how I’m hearing it as well. I can totally see how the shape could be polarizing. Those p-90’s are killer indeed!

[@CoffeeDrinker71]

Stellar playing and tones as always! Love the lighting and other subtle effects in your editing. Mind if I ask which camera/lens combo you are using? Cheers!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you, Brian! I use a Canon 80D with Canon EFS 18-135mm lens. Cheers!

[@CoffeeDrinker71]

@@RatherBeRiffing Great, thank you for the reply! That Canon really captures a very warm vibe! Love it!

[@tonygann5748]

Got a custom Novo MIris P2 a couple of years, back. If I dont play everyday, I feel as though I have missed out on something. Great guitar, Great people. Enjoyed your video , Will subscribe now. ( Also yes, I bought because of Rhett Schulls videos )

[@RatherBeRiffing]

I bet it’s killer and would love to try one. Thanks for the comment and sub!

[@david.mourlam]

What was your signal chain for the beginning jam? Definitely Eric Johnson vibes but the specific overdrive sound is so hard to get in my rig haha! Looking for some direction. Great playing as always, love your videos! Also the tapping on the guitar around 15:15 is ridiculously resonant, super cool to see the quality from just tapping!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you! I used a BK Butler Tube Driver boosting a Vemuram Jan Ray into a pair of blackface style amps in stereo set clean with a Keeley Halo for delay. I was blown away by the tapping resonance when I listened back so kept that in. I’m glad you noticed that!

[@zach7j]

Those p-90’s sound great.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Right!? Love them!

[@stevendurantini7182]

Another video that makes me want to drop everything and go play. The usual amazing tone and playing. 🔥🎸

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you, Steven - that's what it's all about at the end of the day! Go play!

[@bluzzjazz]

Very nice presentation. I had a Serus J built to my specs, took about 7 months to get it, which was in 2020. Ice Blue Metallic with blocks and neck binding. Went we Lollar Mini HBs and Mastery trem. Was on fence about P-90s but didn't want to deal with the extra noise and I have P90s in another guitar. It is one of the finest guitars I have ever owned, and I've sold and still own a bunch. It plays great, the Lollars are exceptional in it. I never thought I'd own a "pine" guitar, but my prejudice was not warranted. It is crazy resonate.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you! Thanks for sharing your experience with Novo. I've been really impressed as well and seems to be a strong consensus among Novo owners here in the comments! I'd love to spec one someday.

[@khalilhabib9607]

Damn. Sounds amazing and great playing

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you!

[@Vermonster23]

I too have a mastery on my Jazzmaster… I think you just have to push it down a little harder and it won’t pop out like that. If you takeoff the vibrato, there is an adjustment inside and you can tighten the action of your tremolo arm.

[@ashleymusik2445]

That‘s the way

[@JJSurma]

I'm a lefty, and when I saw a Serus J pop up as a pre-made guitar (not a custom) on their IG, I pounced. You can imagine how rare a lefty Novo is! It looked amazing in person (even better than on-line), and my initial impression was that it was really well-made. As someone who's played a fair amount of P-90 guitars but has never fallen in love with any of them, I wasn't impressed overly with the pickups...but maybe P-90s aren't for me? On the plus side, the pine body was light as a feather...I could play it all night and have zero issues. That said, it was similar enough in tone and playing experience to my Jazzmaster that it didn't fill a unique hole in my collection, so I decided to send it back. A gorgeous and well-made guitar, but not worth the money in my opinion. Just my 2 cents!

[@cmonsterz]

Sounds beautiful, Jon! Aesthetically speaking, these never have “spoken” to me, but they do appeal to me from a sonic perspective. A local luthier named Eben Cole makes something similar to this and I’ve flirted with the idea of buying one from him.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you! I know what you mean. It’s the best when a guitar speaks on all dimensions aesthetically, sonically, and feel. I like its sound and feel the best. Its looks have grown on me, but isn’t my typical taste.

[@MWL865]

Great video quality and congrats on the guitar! That Mastery vibrato arm should not be that loose. It is either not pushed in all the way (takes a lot of pressure sometimes to pop in), OR the internal set screw on the arm needs tightening. If you need to adjust the set screw for the arm, you can only do this by removing the assembly so you can do this at next string change. Also, Mastery has crazy-tight tolerances. Once the arm is in, there's no need to take it out...even when cased.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks for the kind words and very helpful info! That makes total sense and will need to do so during next string change.

[@Musickbox8]

Came in to say the same thing. Good catch!

[@Kaisermb1]

Easily the most enjoyable guitar I've owned. It sounds a feels amazing and has a very distinct character. I've also noticed that the Mastery system gives the guitar a tiny bit of natural reverb. It's really a cool quality.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Nice! I got to try their full line up in their showroom and I wanted them all 😃.

[@seanzinger]

Great video! Never played a Novo. You’ve got some killer tones here out of it.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you! Cool guitars. I got to try the whole line up in their show room. I was impressed with them all.

[@mickylicky5265]

Well recorded....sweet tones man!.....

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you!

[@martymaker]

also, you are an amazing player and the frallins sound fair out. Excellent guitar. I need to build sth out of pine too. 🤩

[@alfonsoobando3616]

If the tremolo arm is falling out, it’s because it’s not in all the way. In 10 years of having mastery, I’ve ever had that issue.

[@1dragon9447]

Sounds beautiful coming out of my cell phone. Can only imagine how it must sound in real life

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks! It’s a great sounding guitar.

[@lukasschwengeler8094]

You can press the bar down with force and it will click into place. Be brave. The Mastery is built that way. Then it will no longer fall out. The guys in the store had no idea.

[@grantglover1799]

Great playing! Love the guitar though the vibrato arm thing is a shame, but sure there’s a fix for that somehow. I know it’s a small thing, but I can’t get over how much detail they went into with the nut and how it looks on camera. It’s flawless! Think it’s a great guitar!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you! Many kind commenters have suggested solutions so I think there is a solve for it. Indeed the nut and build quality is impeccable!

[@jips123]

It is definitely worth the 2000 usd price tag.

[@BrianDonnelly68]

Closer to $3000 US

[@RatherBeRiffing]

$3,499 USD

[@maxpeck4154]

If the bar is falling out of your Mastery vibrato, then it is NOT pushed in all the way. It has a machined tip that locks it in place. I've had 3 Serus Js and a Jazzmaster that I put a Mastery vibrato on and 1) you are supposed to leave the arm in at all times, even in the case, and 2) it takes a lot of effort to get it to pop in, and it's very pronounced when it does - you'll know when it's installed properly. Just push it hard and when it seems like you are pushing a little TOO hard it will pop in.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks will give that a try!

[@marktucker7583]

Super clean neck. Like it better than Strat neck pickup

[@RatherBeRiffing]

It’s killer! I’m really enjoying it.

[@texasreddirt1408]

I have some great guitars but my Serus J is hard to put down.

[@rams1528]

Love your demos, however do you have any new licks?😅

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you! Ha - yes, the opening has been repeated a few times. I thought it suited the guitar well!

[@mooseymoose]

There is no “supposed” in torrefication. It results in identical characteristics to what is produced by time. It’s well established and measurable.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks for the clarification and info. I’m a big fan of torrefication and wish I’d realized my incorrect word choice there.

[@dragan4658]

If you close your eyes and focus on the sound, this could easily be a Gibson or a Fender as it has amazing sounds, a quality guitar! Where's the beer? Lol. Thanks for sharing Johnny!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Agree - well said! Beer next time!

[@dragan4658]

@RatherBeRiffing I was just looking as I've seen many of your excellent guitar videos and you would Crack open a beer. Lol.

[@megalove_music]

beautiful playing! beutiful guitar!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you!

[@LA3Music]

I’m surprised the shop didn’t adjust the trem bar. There should be a claw inside that the bar sits in that they should just need to tighten. On a mastery you are not supposed to take the bar out. It also needs to snap in you should hear a light snap if it’s engaged correctly. Just remember not to remove it after

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you!

[@hilaryburrows9487]

Sounds great, but not strat sounding in my opinion.They make a strat style, is it Miris?

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Agree. The Idris is their Strat model. I tried one in their showroom and it was killer. I may go for the HSS version someday.

[@Shaunquirk89]

Are you using an amp for these sound samples? Great sounds! Great tone and playing

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Real amps (Two Rock Bloomfield Drive and Blankenship Twinplex) into two Suhr reactive loads with Friedman 4x12 impulse responses.

[@Gaslight.Guitar]

Great video!! Can you see the side dots? The dots on my F1 are super dark.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

No problem seeing mine (same color as dot inlays)

[@JS-nf1sn]

Another great video. Eyes closed, and I hear Eric Johnson.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you!

[@IndyRockStar]

I've chasing that guitar for a while. If you decide you don't want it I'll buy it from you for what you paid and shipping. Or I have a Gibson Custom Shop SG 64 Reissue if your interested. Either way I want that guitar.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

If I ever decide to sell, I know who to contact first!

[@2dazetake]

These Novo guitars, have me rethinking my belief that wood doesn't affect tone of a guitar, does pine have a resonance that other wood doesn't, I would say it's a combo between the pickups and body, the price is almost worth it, but not all of them sound like Rhetts Novo, just like all guitars some play like butter and one exactly like it may not.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

I'm not sure what it is, but it's probably the loudest electric solids body guitar I've owned.

[@JohnMcNicholas]

I have one a love it so much. I use it for most of my lessons. My bar never falls out though! Wonder if there's a way to lock it in?

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Nice to hear from another Novo owner! Good to know your bar stays. Another commenter explained how I can lock mine so there’s hope!

[@ludlow555]

Is it me imagine or is this a pretty dark-sounding guitar? Also, that bar looks to stick up from the mount pretty far. Seems like it would get in the way. As far as the bar falling out, when I stripped out the threads in a Strat vibrato I would buy small plain black rubber hair ties. I’d cut a piece then push it into the mounting hole with the bar, making sure most of it was at the side of it. It would be held in place and I could have it sit where I wanted.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

I did find the bar sits pretty high. Thank for the tip! I haven't found the guitar to be overly dark in person.

[@chrohm]

what are you playing through amp/plugin wise? do you have a touch of chorus dialed in?

[@RatherBeRiffing]

I'm playing through a Two Rock Bloomfield Drive and Blankenship Twinplex in stereo. I do have an almost undetectable amount of modulation dialed in - nice ears!

[@chrohm]

thanks, this is how I would dial in bonamassa :) great playing and ears on you

[@RatherBeRiffing]

@@chrohm thank you! Indeed he does something similar with trem right? (Or was it Leslie?)

[@chrohm]

@@RatherBeRiffing I think he uses a carl martin chorus

[@dustyparker4806]

That thing is so loud acoustically. Wow.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Right!? It's uncanny.

[@martymaker]

one tip. please put 8ts on it. 8 to 38 strings. Ernie Ball. Bending will greatly improve. I am never going back higher.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

I'll have to try that! I like my guitars to play easy. Some have 9.5's.

[@jimcairns1633]

What’s the drive on the intro? . Slick and sexy. Nice axe

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you! BK Butker Tube Driver boosting a Vemuram Jan Ray.

[@capefearcapt4679]

To be honest I couldn't tell much about the general tone of the guitar as all the demonstrations were way too processed.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks for the feedback. I’d like to incorporate some more amp in the room sounds in future demos to highlight that perspective more.

[@martinpaoletta]

What's your signal path? Really trying to get similar tones with my P90s guitar but failing miserably, it's really bassy.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Hmmm… never had that issue with p-90’s. Have you tried experimenting without pickup height? I made a video to help explain my signal chain linked below. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iafOeGiLgr-IjLssi=janueasvCKV2owBZ

[@bluematrix5001]

it is weird, the sound is good, and you play great but somehow it feels stiff....is not you as you play awesome...is just how translates that guitar...

[@buck7477]

My Solus H2 is even cooler! Pearl Block Inlays, compound radius, white binding on the neck! Ebony fingerboard. Stainless steel frets.

[@silviopimentel7247]

Thats to bad the only true way the guitar was heard was when unplugged. Plugged couldn't hear it souded like it in the other room, buried by reverb and delay!

[@russbradley7914]

Ark ee type, not arch type

[@thomashenry472]

To much gain sounds like a mess..all nuances are killed ...

[@robertgray6631]

Why spend that much money and it’s not perfect. With the complaints and malfunctions that you have demonstrated is from poor quality parts and workmanship.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Turned out to be user error. The bar needs to be forced in with a lot of pressure. Now it stays and works perfectly.

[@bolotskih675]

that rumbling on the background is very annoying