Why Guitar Repair Rates Are Going Up So Fast

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Subject Index
00:00 Intro
00:40 Why I've been responding to more comments
03:59 Why did I say I wouldn't review another Harley Benton product?
11:50 Is there anything you want from a pedal you cannot get at the moment?
16:59 What are the Pros and Cons of sticking to one guitar as a beginner?
21:40 My first nice guitar was the wrong guitar for me.
27:20 Eart guitars are too good?
29:38 Do guitar necks like bolt on vs neck thru affect tone?
• Talking Bolt On Vs Nec...
38:48 Reviewing pickups
44:42 How Long do you try and Bond with a guitar?
50:50 After market guitar pickups are a scam?
58:07Should Artists Make Signature Guitars Or their Own Brands
58:08 John Mayer Should start A guitar company like Eddie Van Halen?
1:15:50 What instruments have I experimented with?
1:17:48 Why buy a reissue over a vintage
guitar
1:27:22 Why Guitar Repair Rates Are Going Up So Fast
1:45:20 I still do not know why I was invited to a museum event
1:58:21 Should ypu buy a vintage amp or a new recording rig?
2:05:02 Is all gear good and it is the player?
2:12:37 The new David Grissom PRS DGT SE?
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[@dennisrohm6372]

Never to old, I'm 68 and have been playing seriously, for about 3 years. Have gotten better than I ever expected.

[@RobotShlomo]

Best decision I ever made was picking up a guitar. If someone asks, I always say it's a worthwhile investment of your time learning an instrument, no matter what your age.

[@JoshuaC923]

That's awesome

[@prsman101]

I'm 68 as well. I first started playing when I was10 years old.

[@JSK515D]

love that you love playing. i started in my 40's and for me its a tough thing that i absolutely love. just not any good at all. i play every day but i collect them and build them so its all worth it.

[@aidantalbot9495]

first ding is the deepest : )

[@popskustom7382]

I think people buy the silver sky because it’s a PRS strat not because It’s John Mayer’s guitar.

[@JBrimhall]

That's why I bought mine (Because it's a PRS Strat)

[@DavidHBurkart]

Was at Good Friday service, so its the replay for me tonight. Happy Easter everyone.

[@Gene_Cali]

Phil, Thanks for the Time stamps,..I listen completely,..but it's awesome to go back to specific subject matter and opinions. Thanks for your time and energy!!

[@lunamatic9775]

Well before the internet, I was once laughed out of a conversation with some metalhead friends when I said I thought Prince was one of the best guitarists ever. They thought he was like a lot of the other pop artists of the time and had session guitarists play the solos on his songs. The man has played every instrument of some entire albums... These guys are still great friends but at the time they only ever listened to one style and never branched out of it until much later. Nothing wrong with expanding your horizons with both listening to different genres and trying different guitars!

[@Trashslayer76]

Don't care how good of a guitar player Jon Mayer is. To me, the dude just drips Massengill...

[@leslieperry3001]

Epiphone ES 339 is my favorite guitar out of my collection. I have several high end guitars but I just love the way it feels and sounds.

[@budgetguitaristcom]

I have one, too. It's damn cool.

[@SpecialReserve]

I'm happy with my PRS Starla, I don't give a monkeys if no other person buys one, or an artist endorses one. Makes in more special to me because of that. :)

[@The-11]

I love my Yamaha THR5 ! I've been using it as my practice amp for a few years and it's great. I've even taken it to jam w/ friends and you can use batteries if your traveling. The best thing is it isn't complicated like the spark. No aps or BS.

[@ryanandring2688]

Thanks as always for the episode Phil! Hope all is well :)

[@Barbarapape]

The one piece of advice that i was given by a guitar store salesman was, if a guitar does not make you want to pick it up and play it in the store, it never will. I have stopped buying guitars mail order, far too many have arrived with issues including shipping damage, that the savings if any are just not worth it. The same applies to amps, what sounds and plays well for one person does not mean you will like it. Bonding with a new guitar should be there the first time you play it, yes some you will bond with more than others but if you dread playing it, then it's time to sell it.

[@Barbarapape]

@@pharmerdavid1432 If you want a rare guitar at a sensible price, then buying online is your only option. I was referring to buying new guitars. I am also capable of upgrading and setting up a guitar, even new guitars can be upgraded with better parts and a good setup. Here in the UK the choice of new and used guitars are limited to mass market models, anything else has to be imported and with the latest hike in shipping prices this is fast becoming too expensive.

[@Rahn1975]

I’m with you. I’ve bought and sold online hundreds of times in the last handful of years. I’m done with that. Now, I have to just make an accidental connection, preferably close to home so I can support my local stores, imperfect as they may be.

[@Barbarapape]

@@Rahn1975 Here in the UK a lot of local stores have closed due to too many people buying online. I try to support the only one within reasonable travelling distance left. They have become friends, and let me know when a new batch of interesting gear arrives. Buying blind and relying on KZbin reviews is taking a big risk.

[@picksalot1]

I got some hearts on comments I had made on some of Phil's previous videos, and thought I was being spammed or trolled. 😂 Thanks Phil

[@Kevzilla100]

When the artist tells you something about their line, they may be early, but they're rarely wrong. J Mascis told people his Jazzmaster would be discontinued over a year ago, but it only recently disappeared from the Fender website. Great show!

[@mojo-hand4539]

Phil - thanks for answering my question! Happy Easter bro. 🙂

[@TroyShahanMusic]

I love your reviews. I just hit subscribe. You do a really wonderful job of taking the emotion out of reviewing a guitar- You stick to the cold hard facts. That’s valuable for musicians who don’t have a lot of money, but want to make great music.

[@ericlewis9638]

@ 36:05…. Yep there’s the dog! Thanks for another great video Phil! As usual I learned a lot about brands, bolt on necks, set ups, etc… THANK YOU!

[@GearGasms]

I’d have told Harley Benton to pack sand. Not a fan

[@cheezyridr]

i can do my own set ups, but i rarely do, and here is why: most times, when i buy a NEW guitar, it needs the fret ends done, sometimes fret level, sometimes the nut is plastic, so i have it replaced. having that stuff done, they're going to need to do a basic set up anyhow. might as well let them do the rest, so when they hand your guitar back to you, it's 100% ready to go, and as perfect as it can be. if i need to tweak things over time, i can do that myself, but i have a good baseline. my local guy does exceptional work, and they're VERY busy. i never complain about the price because my instrument always comes back amazing. sure, i wish the turn-around was quicker, but that's life. i have a few guitars, so doing without one of them for a few weeks is no hardship. i do my own wiring when needed, it's not that hard, but a quality soldering station (and related tools) is an absolute must.

[@Stardust31b]

Your point about pickups is spot on. I have a Jackson with Seymour Duncan’s and an epiphone with Burstbuckers; the tone is so different between them. It’s nice to be able to have unique tones.

[@auntjenifer7774]

I've got a Jackson with stock and a Hamer Flying V with Duncan alnico2 blah blah and the Jackson pickups sounds just like the vintage 80's and 70's Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio and the Duncan's sound like blah. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@captainprivate3768]

People definitely get sidetracked with G-A-S over practicing and developing skill, or thinking that the next bit of gear is gonna be what gets "the sound" that you're looking for. I have been guilty of this at times. I don't think it's countering an actual argument so much as just something some people need to hear. The most important component in getting and sounding good is you, not the gear.

[@grantmoon624]

I’ve honestly wondered how guitar repairmen made enough to pay the bills

[@guero1422]

I've noticed that too with higher actions sounding better. Higher action sounds better because the strings ring out more and sound clearer. I first noticed that when I switched the same EMG pickup to a different guitar. I've tried different guitars all equipped with EMG pickups, and I notice that light body guitars have a weak sounds unplugged which translates into a weak sound when plugged in. The opposite was true of heavier and denser guitars. More defined sounds with bass unplugged translates into a more defined sound with bass plugged in as well. Also I do notice that thicker strings do empathize the bass frequencies more and do add a little more overall definition and clarity.

[@trushack]

Whoa...there's going to be (or possibly going to be) a DGT SE?!?! I'd be stoked for that.

[@spokes28]

Have you watched any of Jim Lil’s videos on where guitar tone comes from? He performs some extraordinary tests in search of. Thank you for your videos, I look forward to them every week.

[@DouglasChristian]

It probably wasn’t your intention, but I will not consider an HB after hearing they sent you a bill.

[@ryanandring2688]

Do you have a timestamp by chance? I’m slowly making my way through but am intrigued ahah

[@DouglasChristian]

@@ryanandring2688 9:42

[@mojo-hand4539]

Yeah that was a bit of a shocker.

[@welntaod]

As better context to my setup question, I’ve done my own setups for 20+ years - I own every Dan Erlewine book & have moderate DIY skills. I left my guitar to my local shop to vet them towards having other work performed (acoustic neck reset, older electric refret). Based on leaving them a guitar in excellent shape w/ no complicating factors (Floyd Rose, Evertune) and their promised turnaround time of less/day, I expected to pay $75 +/-. Instead I paid $160 and the guitar was actually returned full of fingerprints & improperly setup - I supplied new strings (different gauge) and they setup w/ old strings. When I complained, they acknowledged the problem and duplicated the work (and prints). Where I’d hoped in developing a better relationship w/ my local mom and pop guitar store, it seems like I’ll only return to buy strings and accessories and I’ll farm out significant work to luthiers elsewhere in-state.

[@PhillipMcKnight]

Sounds like a bad tech, I agree I would go back.

[@MaTTheWish]

I had same issue, it was my first time to a luthier. Overpaid and then had to learn to set it up myself. I think he simply changed my strings for 85 dollars. Sawdust in the case and guitar. Grease and fingerprints on the tweed case and guitar. Ripped off.

[@murano185]

For context to my question that you answered (thanks by the way!) my old teacher is in his seventies and was a professional session musician and guitar repairer in London in the 70s. I had to sensationalise somewhat in order to keep the character limit, his point is essentially that there's only a few types of wire used, a few types of magnets used and numbers of winds to get output levels, so he was trying to say that he felt a lot of after market pickups are based on marketing to people not knowing how to make adjustments to what they have, and that compared to the crap pickups they had back in his day even the cheapest of the cheap pickups in a £100 squier are better than what was on his guitars in the 60s. He finds it weird that people buy new guitars and then immediately put different pickups in it

[@PhillipMcKnight]

I agree you should play your guitar for a while before thinking of swapping pickups, you may find my new pickup video this week interesting.

[@murano185]

@@PhillipMcKnight I can't wait to see it. Thank you and hello from the UK. I love your work. By the way speaking of pickups have you heard of/tried Iron Gear? They're a British brand and ridiculously cheap but great.

[@thedrycleaners3086]

This channel is invaluable. Thank you to Phillip for all the knowledge this channel has provided me. Can someone inform me where Phillip gets the questions for the Friday shows? I am assuming some Patreon function? Thank you

[@PhillipMcKnight]

You can send them to [e-mail] or join the live show

[@ontherockofchrist]

100% 💯 correct on the set up helping with the sustain.i use to play slam to the frett board with 9s an notice after I set one up one day like I like it it lost it's mojo.

[@davidepaolo276]

love the sneakers with suit look!

[@jimcamp2423]

Just my experiences with setups. A bare minimum set up, truss rod adjustment , saddle height adjustment. That's assuming the nut was cut properly, the frets are level. The bolt on neck pocket has the right neck angle. If techs broke out their services ^ made it so that it added up to the $ 50 setup, they'd find they weren't wasting time. It makes no sense to charge $ 150 setup for a sub $ 200 Chinese guitar. I think there should be an assessment fee for a new customer, never before setup guitar that the tech has never seen. Perhaps apply that to the setup total price like a doctor might roll an office visit copay into the procedures performed. Just for an example. Let's say the assessment is $ 19.99 for determining the nut cut & whether the neck is straight, frets are level & saddle heights approximate the fretboard radius. A Spring tune up could be $ 29.99 & that includes the assessment & any slight adjustments ? No set up should take more than 30-45 minutes if you know what you're doing, have all the tools to measure even the $ 100 Chinese guitars. Fret edge rolling & leveling & other services start to approach repairs really. I guess a good rule is, if it takes more than a truss rod & saddle screw hex wrench to adjust it, it really starts to become repair work & righting what the manufacturer may not have done right. Bottom line, get good at doing your own setups or pay those folks to do the work.

[@jackrex7817]

Hell yes on the Homebrew Electronics Detox EQ! One of my favorite pedals of all time! Its like having a second channel on my Plexi!!

[@joesharpe7685]

I love your point about making a relationship with a tech and the sweethearting. I’m a tech and I’ll often throw little bits in for free or if the guitar just needs a new battery or something silly I won’t charge, especially with new customers I think it makes a lasting impression and return customers are really what holds it all together. I’m sometimes too quick to be nice and I lose time and money haha! So I’ve got to find my balance a little more I think

[@danielrentel9747]

One of your best podcasts yet!

[@PhillipMcKnight]

Wow, thanks!

[@RandallHayter]

Can an artist get great music from crap gear? Yes. Short story: I worked for a company that has multiple digital studios and stores archived master recordings for a lot of labels and artists, including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Petty and Lynne’s song “Learning To Fly” has dozens of tracks and most are meticulously labeled, but one in particular is just listed as “cup”. This track runs throughout the song. It’s a cup hitting a table! Of all the potential percussion instruments they had in the studio, the sound they wanted came from drink ware. You never notice it when you listen to the song, but mix down that master without the cup and it sounds incomplete. The cup, at least in some part, makes the song.

[@msh6865]

I think I've heard that cup! In the percussion break approx 3/4's of the way through the song? I just thought it was a snare rim strike run through a funky filter. Amazing!

[@ldfox11]

Eart is good but they have quality control problems. I bought mine through Amazon because of their return policy. First guitar, frets were staggered, sent it back. Second guitar could not be intonated and other problems, sent it back. Third time was a charm and was like yours. I've heard that people buying directly from Eart have trouble with returns and with Amazon I didn't have to pay return shipping.

[@allgrainbrewer10]

I bought one Harley Benton. The shipping was so horrible I would never buy from them again. They threw an acoustic into a 3x3 foot box, with no packing or padding. Never again

[@pbshobby4183]

Another vote for PRS quality: my new SE Standard 24-08 transparent blue arrived in perfect condition, set up just the way I like it and with playability that rivals my vintage core custom 24. The newer pickups are brighter and hotter than the VB/HFS vintage ones. This is a great budget-friendly entry to the reliable PRS guitar line. It’s a beautiful design, masterfully built.

[@cheezyridr]

i did their factory tour a couple years ago. it's like the willy wonka of guitar factories. an amazing, magical place. if you are anywhere near stephensville md, definitely go. you won't be disappointed.

[@billywebb4325]

I'm 75 now and still play out. I believe that learning new music and song lyrics keeps me active physically and mentally. Playing in a variety band is has been very enlightening and fulfilling for me.

[@jamesmurry5910]

I find that the skinnier the string gauge the more “intonation problems“ not tone, but intonation

[@drzainnas]

Thank you phil

[@dragondizave4531]

Hey good you are doing what you are! I just relocated to the tri state area of fort Mohave… currently staying in needles Cali but spending time with my folks over by bullhead city. Any way im a guitarist and fan of the channel. Might move to fort Mohave looking at living arrangements.

[@popskustom7382]

Phil, ZZounds has a CE24 for 1599.00. Nitro finish, no maple cap. I just got one in Egyptian gold. Such a great deal. Also, I think it has 57/08 pups

[@jray5363]

To the lefty looking for a 59 Danelectro, GOOD LUCK! Sounds like a unicorn hunt. I’d have to agree with Phil on that one. Unless you’re Joe Bonnamassa, with feelers out all over the world, it’ll be hard to find anything decent. It’s a romantic idea, but I think most vintage is crap. I doubt vintage dealers would agree, but oh well. At one time, the most expensive guitar I owned was a 52 re-issue tele. I went way past my comfort level for a little taste of what they made back in the day. It was a bitter taste indeed! On a good day, with the right amp, and the right settings, and if the wind blew in just the right direction, it would sound average at best. I like the guitar, but it was way overpriced. I’ve gotten modern guitars for 1/3 of the price, that blow it out of the water. I’ll always want that 67 birth year guitar Phil was talking about, but that’s $20,000 I can think of better uses for. I wonder sometimes whether there are any vintage lefties out there at all. If Jimi couldn’t find one, you have to wonder. Come to think of it, he did have a Danelectro, so there might still be a unicorn floating around.

[@QueenWaspGo]

Yeah I had to take a 90's Duo Sonic I bought from shop goodwill to my luthier because I had a hunk of wood that broke in the body cavity by the neck pocket because fedex slammed the box on my porch. I was worried that there was larger damage beneath the neck but it was fine. I had some work that I needed to do to the guitar like take care of some major fretsprout, solder a new output jack, and ream the tuning peg holes for some new tuners. My luthier told me he charges $100 now for any labor, another $100+ for fretwork, and considering what I paid for the guitar and my competence, he told me to do it myself because I knew what I was doing. He didn't charge me for looking at it and verified that my trussrod didn't snap at the weld from the drop. Didn't charge me a dime for looking at it. I bought strings from him and plan on buying my next guitar from him as a thank you.

[@dubdelay]

I had over thirty guitars in my first three years of playing... I think it helped. Now I have a mere four and a bass.

[@LumaTo]

I went to a guitar tech for my 80's Deering Intermediate and found out that the only thing they needed to do was adjust the banjo bridge up some. They thought they were going to have to do more work. Took only 15 minutes, but I was waiting 3 weeks for my Banjo. They just had no idea how it was going to go until they actually have time to look at the instrument. They gave me a discount on the next setup, which I used for a secondhand PRS SE which needed much more setup.

[@JSK515D]

I'm in Buffalo NY and my setups cost $50 + strings. I get the action set, pickup height adjusted, intonation and neck adjustments and fret conditioning as well as a polish.

[@guitarschoolnorthampton1870]

It’s definitely in the practice. If you only have the guitar you can have at the time (usually some mass produced crappy nylon string acoustic from Argos) do as much learning and practicing on you can in it. Prove to your folks that you’re serious and when you get that next level instrument, your playing will improve 200% seconds after switching the amp on. If you’re lucky enough to have access to multiple guitars from the get go, make the most of the of it and the try them all, but practice more!

[@migosoffset2]

i’m not sure if 1980s in vintage, but i have a cheap epipiphone samick made S-310 and it has a great feeling neck and decent sound. The overall build quality feels very nice

[@JSK515D]

My Fender Jag is nicked up, but i love it that way!

[@maxmustardman298]

Im curious about the pedal youve mentioned there Phil, the detox eq. Cant find any current reviews, but from what the existing videos tell me I fail to see how it does things different than a normal eq pedal with a volume control. I never thought about cleaning amps up like that, however Ive seen peeps using a volume pot in front of the amp.

[@onkelpool]

I imagine the last 45 years I know my gear. This acquaintance began with fierce controversy over the neck of a classical guitar - glued or bolted? In the distant pre-Internet era, descriptions had to be retrieved from libraries, and the reasoning of the 18th and 19th century luthiers - why more expensive concert instruments had necks with bolt? The reason given was the non-identity of the replacement strings, which meant that the mensure had to be fine-tuned each time they were changed. Very convincing justification! Btw, with such a fine-tuning it is possible to detect the amazing effect of an acoustic instrument today called sustain :)

[@marzarnold9039]

Hey Phil how about an episode dedicated to bass guitars and amps.

[@duffy315]

Regarding the setups, I buy a lot of guitars from Sam Ash and buy their warranty. I think it is an extra $100, for Two years, but it comes with 8 setups on that guitar over two years. Just pay for the strings.

[@VidMashUp]

The regular spark is already pretty mini. I mean it's not like a little desktop amp but it's pretty small.

[@Mikex0123]

Speaking of Eart, an Eart strat style review might be interesting.

[@ronfalkoff]

I will say this I will agree with the power of the musician but the PRS Paul’s guitar switching became the 24-08 and that innovation is more impressive than the silver sky innovation…not hating the silver sky the appreciation of the 24-08 innovation to me is more impressive

[@VidMashUp]

I have a possible answer to what you said about random comments. What I've been finding is that when KZbin continues to another video after having watched one that you actually wanted to watch you could end up typing a comment based on the previous video into the comment section of the new video that it automatically played. But in most cases they're probably just weirdos.

[@krum41]

Thanks!

[@PhillipMcKnight]

Hi Chris, Thank you as well

[@michaeljensen1625]

Phil, thanks so much for always sharing your knowledge. I've had trouble getting this question answered from anyone online, but I dont live in an area where I can try these guitars I'll have to just order one. Hoping you can share your knowledge. Sire H7 vs Epiphone inspired by Gibson ES-335 vs Ibanez AS93 If you were buying one, which would you buy?

[@ratwynd]

Whichever one you choose, buy it from a seller that has a good, no fault return policy if you are buying it unseen. I once owned a AS73 Ibanez, very much like the AS93 with plainer woods. It played really well but I was not happy with the sound of the PUPs, it got traded for a Guild, which was later traded toward a Martin D-16e. I have owned 4 Ibanez, none stuck around. Have heard good reports on the Sire but never played one. I won't buy Epiphone or any other CCP made guitar, as the slave labor content is uncertain.

[@davesnothere2879]

The ct 50 cutlass I got was forgotten shop display with price tags and plastic pick guard cover still on dicovered years later in packaging. It has unfinished maple soft V satin neck lock in tuners no unnecessary roasted maple neck obviously. The big difference to the one phil demo'd was superior electonics ,pots and switches wiring and pups due to the savings of the neck. I think it could be a 2015 or 14 not sure if you can find that model that would be the go imo.

[@davesnothere2879]

It was a simple black with white pick guard, anyone know which year it could be?

[@joedavis8481]

Rory Gallagher's strat spent a week in a muddy ditch and was imo the best sounding guitar ever 🎸🤟🍻

[@aaronkelley4985]

I would love to have that Harley Benton guitar yoi fixed. Not because it's brand but because you fixed it. I like your vids a lot. I find that I agree with you on many subjects. I guess I'm kinda a fan boy if I'm using that correctly.lol. I would buy it if you are planning to sell it or maybe even give it away. I'm disabled from a broken back years ago. So guitar has become my passion though I've been playing for years, now I'm taking it way more seriously. Thanks

[@xerogh1821]

Spark Mini? They probably should have named it the "Static" or "Particle"...

[@joedavis8481]

I just picked up a Danelectro 56 u3 reissue in a bitchin tweed hsc for $250..... it rocks 🎸🤟🍻

[@dime85sg]

The negative reviews get more attention because it seems more honest. KZbin is full of positive reviews even when we know the product doesn't deserve it.

[@Hikaru109Ichijyo]

Funny how a VOX came up, been spending last 40 days looking up VOX stuff looking to get one that sounds close to a '64 or '65 . . . if its a legit vintage vox and you / or know someone who can verify it . . . and want that exact sound, grab it. But Vintage amps also need a really great amp tech as weird stuff will happen. Also one thing to think about: there are tons of people who have gotten custom boutique amps make a exact copy of a VOX of 196X (they even know the differences of each year), also JMI amps out in UK have a waiting list and they out Vox's Vox. THe boutique will be much less than the vintage and easier on the maintenance. As a beginner, I stated on flamenco, went classical, then acoustic steel, then electric. My most guitar progress when I moved away from home and only had my recording king resonator as my only guitar . . . Yeah there is a shortage of guitar luthiers, and techs. Not surprising a good tech will charge well .. . skilled techs are highly sought after I think the Silver SKy is the melding of three, PRS quality, very iconic guitar type (stratocaster S shape), and Mayer . . . also remember the price is good for what you get. John Petrucci is because music man is good quality guitars and playability, even though MM is not in the top 3 guitar fiddle makers. Also it is situational, coming off a guitar shortage and lots of new players and maybe some of them want something better or acoustic wanted to test electric . . . and the big names hiking prices up left and right and their quality going down with COVID 19 excuse . . . Like the iconic P-51 mustang of WW 2 (they found the merlin a pefect engine for that airframe, entrance into the war was timed, as the war was shifting to allie's favor, AMericans were figuring out air combat and aces were sent back to train the newbs, they had a African American Squadron formed that was trying to prove itself), it was right place, right time, and right set up) The Fender JOhn Mayer sig model wasn't the top one of their strat line (I think the both Erics sold more) Slash and Gibson, everyone knows that SLash'es best and well known LP (the one that was said to have saved GIbson) is not even Gibson made and knows Slash and Gibson are just cashing in on the popularity . . . Slash even said during an interview he keeps gravitating towards that infamous clone LP of his. Someone posted about that bass guy saying Gretsch G2220 has humbuckers in its advertising but its actually single coil (not even try to get p90 ish either) . . . its funny harley benton is gettin dinged by "quality gear" channels like Casino, and I notice they are copying all sorts of guitar related stuff, like they have the mini vox headphone amps (same shape and colors), but wow imagine if you are customer and Harley Benton sends a messed guitar and when you ask for a new one, they sit on it or go "meh?" and let it go. After your experience phil, I understand.

[@VidMashUp]

I think the downside to having one guitar is the same as the upside - muscle memory. I do feel like learning on different guitars increases the amount of work it takes to become proficient at certain things, but once you become proficient at those things you are able to do them regardless on the type of guitar you're doing them with. Of course, I may only be saying that because I started playing when I was much older and had four or five guitars within the first year so I really don't know the path of learning with a single guitar. I know that having several guitars inspired me to play more. So I guess my point is really meaningless.

[@ratwynd]

Different guitars allow you not only different voices but can have very different play techniques. I learned guitar basics on a cheap 12 string. Later got my first good guitar, a J-50. Played it until it needed a refret and new bridge and after that was done played it a lot longer. Lately, about 3 years ago began to learn some electric guitar. It required a whole new way of playing, more subtle control, less kinetic in most cases. Have been learning the new way of playing and it has opened a lot of paths I could not really go down with acoustic alone. Sometimes still have problems with overpowering on the electric, slowly getting better and more controlled. But the J-50 has gained some sisters too on the acoustic wall and has not been forgotten either, although she gets a bit less attention now than she did in her first 45 years or so.

[@hectorcruz1162]

Thanks for your contribution to the hobby. If someone is not a purist, why would they ever need more than one modeling amp and no pedals?

[@WillKellyHardKnocksGtrs]

As a professional Luthier / Repairman, I can tell you EVERYTHING is more expensive, and there isn't one thing I regularly use that costs less now than two years ago... That, and the inflative cost of living index is continually rising, so my rates have to keep up.

[@VidMashUp]

I'm probably late to the party, but tax day is April 18th this year! Still, I filed an extension. 😐

[@PearlJamaholic]

One thing I never see mentioned about the Silver Sky, is that it would probably sell well even without John Mayer's name on it. People wanted a PRS strat for awhile. It took Mayer to make PRS give the people what they wanted. I wonder how much the Silver Sky is driven by Mayer's name and fanbase, and now much of it is cause it's a PRS strat.

[@maxmustardman298]

They had already made a strat years ago, the 305 for instance. Which actually didnt look like a complete rip off. But yeah, didnt look like a strat and no high profile artist played it afaik.

[@stweartstreetstringworks7011]

when Phil makes a fiter-tron I'm all in, $350 a set... all in, did i say.

[@jamesonsnow782]

Phil-tertrons lol

[@jetobey5656]

Not a real regular. To get to the "title" topic it took you around 1 and 1/2 hours. I first learned to build acoustics in 1969-70. I also did repairs. But my profession was law--a real trial lawyer who did hundreds of major felony trials and specialized in homicides. I just built now and rhen and repaired some, for "stress relief." Now in retirement I am building seriously and doing repairs. In a 300K metro area, it turns out I am the only person around who can do a neck reset or even a bridge re-glue. I do very precise setups. My standard is in .001. I give the client a sheet with all important measurements that I set. I even give residual humidity in my shop when the work was done and the guitar handed back. Well over $100 minimum is not unusual for me to charge. Acoustics are routinely the expensive services--screwdrivers don't play much of a role in acoustic repairs; the tasks on acoustics are much more difficult and harder to hit the balance. It does not take long to reach $150+. An electric usually ends up at $100 and change. I used to own , build and drive sprint cars and doing an electric is like setting up my race car, assuming no crash damage. The requirements are similar---I am talking about a $50+ thousand race car that reaches 150 mph on dirt, and what I do, I bet my life on. Thus, it cannot be casual, but it takes knowledge and precision tools, but it is mostly repetitive. SO, electrics are simple after the first few and therefore, cheaper.

[@baileywatts1304]

Pedals that I wannt that I can't find on the market right now? I really want a pedal with a couple of effect loops built into it and a wet/dry mix controlled with an expression pedal. If there is something out there like that I don't know where it is yet. I'm prepared to get a stack of electrical engineering books and make one myself if I have to.

[@Alexander-iq5yq]

Id never say aftermarket pickups are a scam but theyre not for me. Ive always found it kind of strange how popular it is considering theyre sold unheard/unseen. You dont know what theyre going to sound like. You dont know if theyll be better than what you have. You can spend a ton chasing better tone through pickups and end up nowhere. Id rather buy a quality guitar and just leave it as it is and let them have their own personality. Each to their own though, I know it can be a fun process and not just about results.

[@216trixie]

You can listen to demos before you buy.

[@cheezyridr]

i disagree. i have a buddy who put a $200 evh frankenstein in a $300 dean. it sounds amazing. i bought the same pick up and put it in my strat, and i get even better results than he did. lwer end guitars sometimes come with farty pick ups. if you like the guitar but the pick us are crap, they're easy to change.

[@reddoggie100]

I feel like EVH evolved his guitars from a super Strat. JM just seems to be supporting a classic Strat w PRS quality. Nothing wrong either way just my take.

[@gregorywilson3318]

Salutations! ??? I have been wanting to have an evertune bridge installed on my cheap beloved Squier Strat’. Q: How much should I exspect to pay and what is the normal time to be expected to have it done? I also want to upgrade the nut to black tusk or anything better than what I am currently using (stock nut the guitar came with from factory). I have 11-54 gauge strings so the strings don’t sit flush and I am usually struggling with keeping the tuning good enough not to annoy me when I play. Too bad you are in Arizona? California for me. Thanx for all the great content and for taking time to read this and hopefully help me figure this future project of mine out! Joyous Blessings of balanced positivity to you and your Loved ones!!! ☯️

[@maxmustardman298]

I wonder if Zakk Wylde still pursues his amp line, but I think its dead in the water. I certainly would have favoured the amps over his viking guitars. As we know hot rodded kinda marshalls friedman style are still a thing, and with a distributor like schecte probablyr at an interesting price point

[@shanew6332]

Hey Phil! I recently got a good condition American Deluxe Stratocaster from 2006 for $645. It has one paint chip and some basic finish cracks near the neck pocket (only finish deep). I don't know much about the market, would you consider that a decent buy?

[@patrickfoster4586]

That was a steal!!! Any US built Strat under a grand is killer. If it needs it take it to a skilled luthier and get a good set up and any repairs if needed and you'll have one of the best sounding, best playing guitars ever made. Fender always used their top shelf pickups on the US stuff so you're good to go there- those pups sound amazing. Bottom line- great purchase.

[@tonedragon8616]

Anyone going down the pickup rabbit hole first look locally for winder. I can get handmade to spec (if wanted) pickups from a local winder that are almost half the price of fender,dimarzio, Seymour, frail , lindy and more like 3 to 4 times cheaper then the HIGH end pickups makers.

[@war2thegrave]

What does johm mayer know about guitars other than how to make wimpy music for wine aunts?

[@benmac3898]

Obsidian Wire makes a 4-way toggle switch for Tele's is that a gimick and is it neccesity?

[@billybat5790]

i work at samash and the system is old af and extrememly incovenient. takes a lot of time to make returns and trades and the computers are slow & phones drop calls if customers are held ffor too long. and when sammy ash came over; he was mainly preoccupied how things look and that the banners were too wrinkly. i cant see myself working there for too long. already had 4 coworkers leave cause 15$ aint enough. and if i sell a few warranties/samash cards i can get a whole Alex Hamilton.. no commisson and employee discount is eh but i make the best out of it

[@geldner]

RE: SUSTAIN & TONE Phil, if you haven't already, check some of the videos from Jim Lill. He has done some interesting tests on guitar tone & sustain by actually building guitars with different woods, finishes, etc. He's also demonstrated that something like 80% of the sustain comes from pickups. Here's one of his: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6a5q6qYoLqIpK8

[@terryshrk]

I cant find the Tauras Servo pedal anywhere. ,..and if I did its most likely going to cost a couple hundred bucks,.! Why not move forward on yoru own pedal but at a lower price point We can all use another $50 pedal that is unique ,.well made and sounds great. Everyone might enjoy watching a guitar KZbin video about $5000 clones but few can afford andfewer have seen those unicorn devices.

[@paulcoleman3081]

I have a Tele which is a top-loader and I'm constantly being told by other Tele owning mates that it's inferior to a string-through Tele and it'll never sustain properly. Mine sounds as good theirs and is good to play - I've gigged with it no problem. What they don't like is when I point out that top-loading can't be inferior to string-through because of, well... Gibson! Have they ever heard of them?

[@ChrisPanagopulos]

Exactly! And if they want a Tele comparison, tell them to go listen to Jim Campilongo. If they’re getting better “sustain” out of their string through than he does with his top loader straight into a Princeton, then they’ll have to prove it!

[@mojo-hand4539]

Tell them to listen to Led Zeppelin I and then drop the mic.

[@paulcoleman3081]

@@mojo-hand4539 Exactly. Some of my favourite guitar sounds on record. Boom!

[@chrisquinn9104]

I was having a hard time telling if you meant best selling PRS guitar of all time, or the guitar that is currently selling/shipping the most

[@budgetguitaristcom]

To me, guitars are like golf clubs. If I want a track that sounds like SRV or EC or JM, I need a Strat. If I want something that sounds similar to a Strat but different, I want a Tele. The Jaguar/Jagmaster/Mustang has a unique sound, a 12 string guitar has a unique sound, a humbucker guitar has a sound. But the differences between all of my humbucker guitars when going through gain is so small that I might not be able to tell the difference in a recording. You can't make a humbucker guitar sound like a Strat - no pickup coil split trickery will make it so. If you could only have one guitar, a Super Strat is a pretty good choice.

[@stoneysdead689]

I can honestly say that I didn't buy either of the 2 guitars I own, an Affinity Strat and an Epi Les Paul standard, because someone iconic played them. In fact, I didn't really pay much attention to what kind of guitar my heroes played- I loved Randy Rhodes, Gilmour, Hammet, Freeley, Stevie Ray, Page, Hendrix, Petrucci, Dime Bag (rest in peace), etc.- it was such an eclectic group- I would've never been able to decide because they all play drastically different rigs. To the guy in the chat asking about tube amps versus getting an audio interface and a good DAW- go with the audio interface bud. Unless you still gig, play live- then I might go with the tube amp. But if you're just playing at home now- like me, I'm in my fifties and done with the band thing- the audio interface is the way to go- trust me. For a fraction of the cost, you can emulate any tone you want and if you go with a really good plugin or modeling platform like Line 6 Catalyst or PG Spark- they sound amazing. If I had to go buy the physical gear it would take to get all the different tone shaping capabilities and effects I get this way- I would spends 100s of thousands of dollars- really. Plus- it gives you recording capabilities as well- you can add backing tracks or create them yourself; you can collaborate with ppl all over the world without ever leaving home, and you can continue to download new effects, edit existing effects, and add different amps and cab sims- the possibilities are mind boggling. For an old dude like me, it's a trip to think we can get all this at home now for just a few hundred bucks. All my friends are selling off their tube amps and stuff and investing the money in this kind of thing now- makes more sense. Our wives are happier too- no more screaming loud tube amps. Does kind of suck though that we no longer have an excuse to turn it up.

[@edpetrikk2027]

If you love what you play ( as in songs ) you’ll never be stressed anymore …( or something like that ) 😎🎸👍

[@IamMusicNerd]

When I travel I just take my Boss Katana Head instead of the TH5 or Spark. The Katana head by itself is nearly as small, and has a built in speaker that sounds as good as those others, and I far prefer the tone in the Katana over the TH5 or Spark.

[@bigbokiptd]

How is built in speaker of the head? Usable for bedroom practice?

[@bigbokiptd]

@@Soloist1983 GREAT, thank you so much for your detailed response. Really appreciate it!

[@itsalwayssomething7490]

I think the spark shines through headphones, and doesn't sound the same through the speaker.

[@msh6865]

I owned a HM Strat when they were first released back in the late 80's. Then sold it a few years later like an idiot. I've been tempted to pick up one of the reissues that came out a couple years ago. But, I've seen a lot of reviews that say they aren't nearly as good as the originals. Is this a case of the reissue falling short?

[@yormajesty]

Yes, Learn to do as much of the work, on Your Guitar, as You possibly can (Making neck pockets deeper, is where I'm most apprehensive), but if You're willing to try, You'll be surprised, how much Money, You can save Yourself.

[@zacharytaylor8425]

I have a soldano hot rod 50. I boost it with a mesa boost pedal. I want to boost it for rythems but I also want a volume boost for solos. It's run out of headroom so it's not getting any louder just noisier. Any solutions? I have a eq pedal that works well with my fender amps but my soldano won't get louder with it. I'm open to all solutions. By the way I play very distorted metal so I drive the amp pretty hard.

[@PhillipMcKnight]

Try the boost or the eq in the effects loop.it will boost volume more than gain.

[@Watergrovey]

Eddie had the cred. He invented the super Strat, Floyd rose, d-tuna, Wolfgang, etc. Also, he helped design one of the most iconic high gain amps. It was decades before he came up with his own brand, which included the guitars, but it’s my guess the amps are the real money makers for the brand. I’ve never owned an EVH, Musicman, or Peavey guitar (not that I wouldn’t like to) but I’ve owned a 6505 mini and a 5150 3 mini. Plus, he was Eddie van frickin’ Halen. If John Mayer came up with a new guitar on his own brand, I suspect it would look and sound pretty much as a Strat.

[@budgetguitaristcom]

I think John Mayer's goal has always been to get the best Strat sound he possibly could. Eddie wanted to invent a new sound. I'm not convinced one approach is superior to the other. If someone doesn't like the Van Halen tone, then he blames Eddie for thousands of players trying to achieve it. I like the EVH tone, personally, but the jazz and bluegrass players aren't impressed by it, necessarily.

[@hughschick6847]

Ritchie Blackmore invented the superstrat, and… Floyd Rose invented the Floyd Rose. Eddie’s accomplishments are staggering nonetheless.

[@zarimekmal3551]

? Phil & fellas, what if Epiphone was the one that make Mayer's guitar?

[@stoneysdead689]

I would say yes, pickups can stretch more than they're given credit for and cover a wider spectrum than you expect with the use of an EQ pedal and a decent pre-amp section. But they can only stretch so far- it's silly to say aftermarket pickups are a scam- that's someone who doesn't understand the gear they're playing through. And tbh- I would be a bit nervous if that person was my "teacher'- that's a really ignorant statement. They might be able to teach how to play but- they're not going to be much help in the gear department and that's an important part of teaching electric guitar imo.