The INCREDIBLE Firefly FFST Electric Guitar Detailed Review & Mods

In this video, I show you my newest discovery and guitar purchase, the incredible Firefly FFST. I was expecting to be very let down on this one, but it was the exact opposite.
Just to give context, I am selling my Fender Stratocaster, Kramer Stagemaster, and Schecter Demon 7 to raise money for buying more Fireflies. That is how much I like this guitar. "It is too late, he is already in the hole.", the GAS is very focused at this point in time. I am really excited by the possibility of getting more guitars with specs like this one that I can make into beasts!
Of course, there is always a possibility of this being a "one off" since I have a sample size of 1. That is why I purchased a second one, with the other style trem and neck connection to make sure... Stay tuned for that video in the coming weeks.
Let me know what you think, and please subscribe.
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Chapters
0:00 - Introduction
0:50 - How I Found Out About Firefly and My Purchase Experience With Guitar Garden
2:14 - Video Overview and Next Modifications Planned
2:53 - Let's Look at the Wood Grain and Finish
3:06 - My Reaction, Is the Whole Guitar Industry a Scam? Let's Do the Math...
4:23 - Ash Wood Body is a Very Musical Wood for Tone and Grain
6:30 - Comfort Contour Carves Everywhere You Look
7:14 - Weight
8:14 - The Heel is Slanted
10:06 - Strap Buttons
11:00 - Tight Tolerances on Joints and Connections
11:51 - The Two Point "High Quality Korean" Tremolo
13:18 - 3 Ply Pickguard and General Alignments
14:38 - Input Jack
14:55 - Electronics Quality Check
15:52 - Some Thoughts on Future Modifications and Factory Strings
17:21 - The Roasted Maple Neck, Frets, and Initial Tuning Stability
19:50 - The Jin Ho Locking Tuning Machines
21:05 - More Neck Thoughts, Random Flaming, and Thoughts on Decals
22:42 - The Headstock, Truss Rod Adjustment and the Tools Needed
24:35 - Wrapped Locking Tuning Heads, Easy to Fix
25:00 - String Tree Removal
25:50 - The Bone Nut
27:35 - Check all the Nuts and Screws, Revealed Very Tight Connections
28:26 - Let's Clean the Fretboard and Shine the Frets
32:40 - Back Cavity Examination, Clean Routing, and the Tremolo
35:50 - Taking off the Pickguard to See What's Inside, Electronics and Routing
38:20 - Let's Shield and Ground This Thing While We're at It
Stay tuned for Video 2 where I highlight all my modifications to date.
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Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Send me an email (listed on the about tab for this channel) if you would like to collaborate musically. Thanks for watching!

[@say_when5988]

I have the MadCat from Firefly and absolutely love it!

[@JediJingleMaker]

I love it! I had my eye on that one, but didn't pull the trigger. I like the saddles on that T style guitar, rather than the old school barrel style that is tough to get to 100% intonation. I am really hoping the next drop of fireflies includes some cool telecaster models (with the same bridge as the Mad Cat). Great comment, thanks and I hope ya sub!

[@joeking433]

I got the relic'd one and put a Fender Am Std pickup in the bridge and some hipshot tuners and it's my favorite guitar. And I have more than a dozen guitars, several that cost more than $1000. It's just the best playing Strat I've ever played! The neck is phenomenal.

[@JediJingleMaker]

Yes indeed, I feel the same way. I love the way mine play, I now have 3! Lots more vids on those coming, I continue to mod them with great success and fails. Like you, my other guitars are closer to 1K, and still this is a daily driver for me. The guitar in this video is perhaps the most solid guitar I have ever used to record with. It holds tune and sounds SO good with the SD pups I put in it. Check out the mods I did on this one here, hope ya sub and check out my new album, just dropped it yesterday. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKrFdGqHatyMp5o

[@joeking433]

@@JediJingleMaker Yeah, it has a better sound than most of my $1000 guitars! But I bought two more Fireflys after that one that were abysmal, just the worst and sent them back. I'm not buying any more Firefly guitars. If someone can make this good of a guitar for $159 then it's stupid for them to keep selling them so cheap! Someone could buy all of these guitars from Firefly and double or triple the price! Or they could buy the way to manufacture such a good guitar along with the workers and start a spinoff company and put their own brand name on it and sell it for $500. That's the way of the world these days!

[@JediJingleMaker]

Bummer getting 2 duds in a row. Good move sending them back. I get the feeling there is no way they can continue to be this cheap even with some crappers being sent out. I see some of their models are over $250 now, so it looks like they are already increasing prices strategically.

[@AnAxetoGrind]

The detail of your reviews is absolutely next level; like the Nutnfancy of youtube.

[@JediJingleMaker]

Thanks so much @AnAxetoGrind! Super stoked you like it. I will have 2 more vids at least related to this guitar, a comparison with my Schecter NJ and I will cover all the mods I have made to it. By putting about $150 into it, it is now a rock solid tuning tone dragon. I am in love with this guitar currently.

[@AngryTruckerBob]

I just ordered one today!

[@JediJingleMaker]

Nice, let me know what you think of it. I have 3 and it is hard for me to resist a 4th... Hope ya sub! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rH-5gISDeK2tnKs

[@Jarvis_aka_UgunnH8This]

Great review brother, The only thing I might add is that the neck has a compound radius. I bought 2 of these last month. 1 of the older relic'd ones and 1 of the new ones just like you reviewed. Keep up the good work. I subscribed to see more.

[@JediJingleMaker]

Thanks for the info, the sub, and great point on the compound radius, which is yet another important feature of this fine instrument. I also purchased one of the relic'd models so it sounds like we have the same 2 guitars! I love that. I will admit, after I played the relic model, all I could think was, "I wish I bought a 3rd"... That Ash wood tone is so magical IMO, are you modifying yours at all?

[@Jarvis_aka_UgunnH8This]

@@JediJingleMaker actually I put fender locking tuners on the relic and was planning on putting some Texas grit pickups in it but I really like the way the original pickups sound in that one. It needed shielding just like yours but other than that it rivals some old fenders I have. I was really shocked honestly. So I am going to put those pickups in the my newer one like you reviewed. All in all I was very impressed with both of the guitars, a very nice relic job on the older model as well. I am a strat guy and a tinkerer so I am sure I will pick up a few more once they are back in stock. For me it’s hard not to at that price point.

[@JediJingleMaker]

Thanks for even more info! I also plan to get some more of these, if they have a swamp ash telecaster I am in. They had one up with a roasted Mahogany body and flamed roasted maple neck in the last drop which I am still kicking myself for not buying. BTW, on their Instagram page they say another drop will happen "around February 10" so it is almost here, I have a little FOMO on $180 dream guitars. I was also totally shocked by the FFST (I bought 1, then immediately another in disbelief it was even possible, I expected to be ripped off and that sure did not happen). The value is insane IMO, for me the proof in in the playing and the 2 I have play great. After I read your comment, I checked out the Fender relic tuners, nice. I agree on the pickups, I like them, they are not microphonic and are more of a classic rock tone to my ears, which is great. The pickups on the other FFST I ordered were not as good, but that didn't matter to me at all since I love swapping pickups and playing with different tones, already have Seymour Duncan Omega pups in that one and it sounds SO good with that ash wood. I actually posted my Strat and old Kramer Stagemaster on Reverb to fund and make room for more exploration into these guitars.

[@joeking433]

@@Jarvis_aka_UgunnH8This Yeah, I was amazed that the FFST was really better than my American Strat in some respects. Mostly the neck is superb! The QC is lacking, however on many of their guitars. Some are great, like the FFST Relic, some are not good like the one I just sent back, the Gibson double cut Jr. It had too low of a neck so you couldn't put the action low enough. Even my FFST had a problem where the cord plug couldn't click in the input jack. I had to screw in the jack so it stuck out of the hole further which was a minor inconvenience. I also have a Firefly SG clone which has been perfect.

[@scottanderson4175]

Bro I have 2 FFST guitars I put a Seymour Duncan 59 in the bridge of my white guitar and my chameleon blue is untouched and they both sound feel and play amazingly 🥂

[@JediJingleMaker]

Heck ya! I am currently attempting to resist the Chameleon Blue Strat, you push me closer. I now have 3 FFSTs and it is an embarrassment of riches for sure. I love these pound puppy guitars. Hope ya sub, check out me playing my Alpha Fly. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHfCZaFrZ8h6aaM

[@joeking433]

Yeah, I put a pickup from a 2008 American Standard in the bridge and I actually like it better than my Fender Strats. Did your FFST have a bad output jack? Mine wouldn't click in all the way, I had to take the jack and screw it all the way in.

[@joeking433]

Yeah, I always switch out the bridge pickup in my Firefly guitars, too. I use the bridge pickup 90% of the time.

[@finaljesus]

i love these guitars i want one they get some good reviews

[@JediJingleMaker]

Yeah, I bought it just to see if the reports were true. Turns out they are pretty close. The guitar is an excellent instrument after a small collection of upgrades.

[@RGBloke]

we don't get Firefly in UK, looking forward to seeing how it compares to the schecter (now £950 in UK). My schecter Nick Johnson wasn't perfect as new, so don't expect a $200 one to be either. It looks like a really great buy, you're obviously loving it, nice shielding job. ps leave the firefly sticker on

[@JediJingleMaker]

Exactly, my Schecter NJ is not 5 times as good as the firefly, it blows my mind actually. In the comparison video I will deep dive on comparing each aspect of each, and to be honest, it is anyone's call which one is better. I have both my fender Strat and my Kramer Stagemaster on Reverb currently to simply drum up funds to buy more Fireflies, I am hooked. I received my second Firefly today (now I have a sample set of 2) and now I am a solid fan of the brand, the second one I bought had even better fret work, plays like a dream, and draws me to it if that makes any sense. I am loving it, but always bracing for the let down, heh.

[@joeking433]

The reason you can get good guitars for cheap now compared to when you were a kid are CNC machines! It doesn't take nearly as much hand work as it used to, which drove up the price. Also there weren't many musicians who wanted guitars so that also drove up the price. Interesting thing, when Henry Ford was putting out the Model T Ford in the early 20th century a Gibson guitar was about the same price! LOL!

[@JediJingleMaker]

I think you're right, it is the CNC machines. The connections in these new fireflies are super tight in the 3 I got (FFSTs). The screw and bolt connections are also tight (torque tools?).

[@ericlarsenhbeleatherworks4992]

After buying 2 of these. One has staggered tuners and a real gotoh 510 copy….bloody nice trem. It plays f’n flawlessly. The paisley version has regular ht tuners and a cheaper trem….both are steals for the money but the 1st one is mind blowingly nice.

[@JediJingleMaker]

Yeah, I know what you mean, it is worth just spinning the wheel to see what you get. I now have 7... Out of the 7, at least 4 are some of my favorite guitars after some mods. The 2 point trem blew my mind on a few of them, super solid. I hope you sub and check out my original music, thanks! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqbFaIWwZ96sjtk

[@internetselling]

30:58 - Does this fret polish cream work with Steel frets? Seems like design for nickel, can’t find any info to see if works with steel frets.

[@JediJingleMaker]

It worked very well for me, and I have used it on 2 FFs with the stainless steel frets with good success, the frets on this guitar were much better, in fact really great, after the simple fret polish method I used (polish cream and paper towel). I now have a little rotary and jewelers rouge polish, so I will be trying that method next, there will be a video coming soon on that, it is on my working list. Hope ya sub and check out my original music kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXPTqHivicaXjM0

[@oldasrocks9121]

The shielding on the pickguard makes continuity with the system ground. I appreciate the Kluson shield plate, the pot lockwashers usually tear thru the pickguard shielding tape, not so with the Kluson shield. Its thin enough to easily cut for HSS and so forth They've upgraded their bridge in this last batch, good thing, the previous one was a dog. Musiclily might have a full size steel block to upgrade (your bridge may in fact be the Musiclily 510 knock off, if FF got a bargain.) Soak as much old solder off as you can with braid, its lead free. You can tell if you mix it with your own solder the joint will look chalky and almost white. The extra route is nice to have, good spot for mini toggles, coil split, Gilmour switch, etc.

[@JediJingleMaker]

Thanks, that is such a killer tip on the larger block from musiclily, wow! One question, what is the soak the braid in reference to? Do you mean on the ground wire to the volume pot? I am learning, thanks.

[@oldasrocks9121]

@@JediJingleMaker Desoldering braid, Google that

[@JediJingleMaker]

I did and it is a game changer for me. This video kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXvWl5WjmtmUh6c I need a desoldering braid or solder sucker ASAP.

[@dcarsondavis]

I purchased this same guitar over Christmas. I have a few questions if anyone could be of help. 1. The volume knob doesn't seem to gradually change. There's not much difference between 3 and 10 but it fully drops off fast between 3 and 0. Is that normal or something with the electronics I can fix or replace with a better quality one? 2. The tone knobs don't seem to change much. Usually there's a much more mellow tone in one direction and brighter in the other. There's very little change when I turn the knob. 3. The humbucker is very bright. Much brighter than the middle single coil. I don't know much about electronics in guitars so any info would help. Thanks.

[@JediJingleMaker]

I like the question and I think it is par for the course on a guitar under $200. What you described with the volume and tone pots can usually easily be fixed by installing a higher quality potentiometers. The pickups that come with it are "okay", but you could install much better pickups and get whatever tone you want. I put a $130 Seymour Duncan Omega humbucker in the bridge and it is crazy how good it sounds (for what I am looking for) and I am waiting for 2 single coil pickups to arrive. I will show the complete process of installing those on the channel. I was reticent to work on the electronics on my guitars until this year, now I realize how easy and fun it is. To do it yourself, make sure you have a solder iron that allows you to set the temperature. I got mine for $40 at Harbor Freight. Here is the best video I know of for getting into this kind of stuff. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHOafJtroKebqbs Also, here is a short video I made to demonstrate the tone after some basic mods. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHfCZaFrZ8h6aaM Hope ya sub!

[@joeking433]

Yeah, that's normal. They're not linear pots, they're the typical audio pots.

[@MrNamePerson]

I've been looking at these quite a bit. Two things I'm concerned about; the main thing is the oddness of the stainless steel frets, and that they don't come all the way to the edge of the fingerboard on top. That just seems really strange to me and I can't figure out why they would do that. The other thing is the radius of the neck. I'm just not sure about that and since it's coming from another country I'm not sure when I will risk getting a guitar that I just don't like because of the neck. I do hope that's not the case. If you could address these issues that I have I really appreciate it. Thanks for the cool video.

[@JediJingleMaker]

Good to be skeptical. All I can say is my experience inspired me to buy more. The neck is wonderful in terms of playability, I mean I love it. It seems like a Schecter slim c sorta feel and is the 12 to 14 compound radius, which I checked with a gauge. The frets play great also on all the Fireflies I have purchased, no issue with the frets not going to the edge of the fret board. That being said, there is definitely a chance you will get a disaster guitar. Out of the 7 I bought, one was a train wreck. However, at least 4 of them are absolutely awesome, so for the money I think it is worth it. Expect to do some mods and a setup for sure. I hope you sub and check out my original music, thanks! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqbFaIWwZ96sjtk

[@frossbog]

You don't have to run a ground wire to the shielding tape as long as it makes contact with the shielding on the pickguard, which is already grounded via the volume and tone pots.

[@JediJingleMaker]

I agree, I do it just in case. Hope ya sub to see the phase 2 mods! Also check out my original music if interested, kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXPTqHivicaXjM0 , I am recording a song currently using this guitar, so that will be released in the next month.

[@dr.furrytoe443]

what strings are your go to for this? do you recommend I replace the strings and just remove the first-string tree only and just leave the bottom one?

[@JediJingleMaker]

Great questions. I prefer Ernie Ball Super Slinky strings when on a budget, but my favorites are the NYXL 9-42s. I have the super slinkys on the FFST and they work great. I definitely recommend removing both string trees and replace only the one with a better string tree like a graphite one or a roller tree. Hope ya sub! Here is a track I recorded with this guitar, with upgraded SD Omega Pup in the bridge. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rH-5gISDeK2tnKs

[@dr.furrytoe443]

Def will sub

[@dr.furrytoe443]

Also: I plan to do everything on the video with exception of replacing the hardware for now. Im not very skilled and was going to add the copper tape etc . I see u added a grounding wire. Did u Souter that? How important is doing the tape and or the grounding wire? Also: im just a novice player . Mainly just man cave playing. Any amp reccs. No plans to be in a band etc.

[@JediJingleMaker]

Thanks, I appreciate it!

[@JediJingleMaker]

Excellent, and good luck! It is a great thing to learn how to work on your instruments, opens up lots of possibilities. I added a grounding wire and used a wire connector and screw to secure it to the foil in the cavity. The important thing is that you get 2 sided conductivity tape so that it conducts on both sides. Here is what I use amzn.to/3XpQLxs We are all novice players on some level, always something to learn or some new area to explore. No need to perform, all that stuff is optional and can be fun, but also can be a big distraction from just enjoying the playing and making music. I think the best thing about all the inexpensive guitars available nowadays is that many more people can get into music. When I started, you needed to spend about $1000 to get something decent, now you really can get something decent for about $200. That being said, anytime you order a guitar on line there is risk in it and the possibility of getting a "dud".

[@GuitarP0RN]

Got one for my brother. String trees are the first thing that had to be replaced because they were majorly binding, causing tuning issues.

[@JediJingleMaker]

Exactly, I am not a fan of those string trees. A graphite or roller style is far superior in terms of tuning. This was not holding tune well at all out of the box, now it is rock solid tuning.

[@adamcarter1266]

What mods did you do for the tuning stability? I just bought one and it says bone nut on the website. ​@JediJingleMaker

[@joeking433]

I didn't replace mine, they were fine. Maybe yours were bent somehow.

[@GuitarP0RN]

@@joeking433 Both of my Firefly baritones, super tele, and brother's strat had the same tuning issues. String trees were definitely the problem. They use the super cheap ones, even the Squier versions are a lot better

[@joeking433]

@@GuitarP0RN I have a FFST an it has them with no tuning issues. I might change them out just to see if there is a difference.

[@bluematrix5001]

seems that the Bridge Studs spacing is 52mm so the Gotoh 510 wont fit

[@JediJingleMaker]

Oddly enough, I love the bridge on these things, which really surprised me. I never expected a $200 guitar to impress me and this one is honestly one of my favorite guitars which compares favorably to my Schecter NJ and Fender Stratocaster. Although I have owned boat anchors that were lighter, the tone is crazy good from all the vibration the wood produces. Hope you sub and check out my original music. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqbFaIWwZ96sjtk

[@joshualumpkin1042]

I'm looking to get my first guitar. Would this be a good option?

[@JediJingleMaker]

Thanks for the excellent question! First, congrats on deciding to play guitar, great decision in my book! My answer to your question is Yes, I would. However, it will definitely need a pro setup ($60) and I would recommend putting in new saddles ($15) and new string trees ($15). You would need the setup done on almost any value level guitar you get. The alternative is something like a Squier, etc. I bought 1 to see if they were any good (lots of hype about them). The first one blew me away honestly. So I bought a second one, also a gem. Now, I purchased a third one and it is on the way. I have played for 40 years and love to play the 2 I have. There is no way to know if the next one will be a complete "dud", however that is true of any inexpensive guitar, sort of a roll of the dice. I use them as awesome modification platforms which also helps me learn how to work on my more expensive guitars. Hope ya sub! Here is a quick demo of what it sounds like after I installed a Seymour Duncan pickup in the bridge position and more. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHfCZaFrZ8h6aaM

[@joeking433]

It would be a phenomenal first guitar! Really easy to play!

[@joeking433]

They make the FFST's out of either mahogany or ash. Mahogany is much lighter than ash. My FFST is mahogany and weighs 7 lbs. They mention if it's mahogany or ash on some models on the website.

[@JediJingleMaker]

I got a telecaster firefly and they say it is mahogany, it is much lighter than the ash strat fireflies I have. I love the ash guitars, they sound so good, the whole thing vibrates.