The IYV IPF 300 Semi-Hollow Guitar Review

Paul Tyson takes the IYV EPF-300 for a Video Test Drive. IYV Guitar Company is based in Vietnam. They make numerous styles of electric guitar and bass.
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[@DougwhiteheadArrayofsolutions]

Purchased the Telecaster model from Paul. Could not be happier! Amazing guitar that would pass for a vintage Fender. Blind folded, you would never know the difference until you reached for your wallet. Affordable guitar you can purchase from a real person. Paul has been available for all my questions. (This is after the sale.) Rare opportunity that I am glad I took. Rock on Paul, wish I found this years ago. Rock on Paul! 5 Stars.

[@Gene_Cali]

The Body of the Eart tele style guitar is what separates the old from the new. The comfort contours make this tele an extension of the player. I also have this tele. I shielded the pickup cavities, added locking tuners, and upgraded the saddles. ( All were just for my personal preference..guitar was great stock). My tele plays different than other teles..it's more subdued, more reserved, it behaves like a true STUDIO QUALITY instrument. It's not lighting in a bottle, but a True GEM to be appreciated. Enjoy your Purchase..WE Scored!!!

[@alvisgrady3357]

Great playing 👍

[@Axess-sv8nq]

I have the IYV IP-300 TSB solid body PRS-style guitar. It's weighs a ton, is neck-thru body, and the only thing I changed were the tuners (to PRS ones - as I upgraded my actual PRS SE to locking tuners). I love it. And, like I said, I own a PRS as well. They're both great in their own ways!

[@otterhopper]

Thanks for letting us know it's a heavy guitar. One of the reasons I look at hollow bodies is for their light weight.

[@agateenchantmentrockwizard5969]

Great review, I like your style! Amazon just got these in last night and I had to order one. This will be my 3rd IYV and after many years and many different kinds of guitars, I have to say I impressed 😎 with what's coming out of this factory in Vietnam 🇻🇳. When you set yours up did you have issues with the string height and intonation? I've heard other reviewers say that this "wrap around bridge" has been a pain setting for for optimum action. Any advice on this? Overall great job! Thank you 😊

[@studiotyson2963]

Thank You! Sorry for the lengthy delay in my responding to your questions. No - I didn't do anything to the guitar in terms of setup, intonation or bridge adjustments. I'm playing the guitar - straight from the Box - using the strings that came installed with it. I hope you are enjoying yours!

[@dennisg6599]

I just got one of these.. Looks wise.....Amazing!

[@azraelleAJ]

It's not very loud, acoustically, but it's usable for noodling without an amplifier--certainly no worse than any other small body semi-hollowbody--such as a Gretsch G2655 Streamliner Jr.

[@MeekSith777]

Nice, great review. definitely one in my near future.

[@studiotyson2963]

Thanks Glen! IYV definitely makes decent guitars for a very competitive price!

[@277southtombob]

I just ordered one for $160 shipped that is a like new return. I expect to do a fret dress and setup and probably a pickup and electronics swap to get the sound I want but all that is pretty normal for affordable guitars. (I’ve swapped pickups on US made guitars to fit my own personal preferences so that’s really no big thing). These IYV guitars look like great platforms to customize to your preferences. I’ve been looking at a PRS SE semi hollow to customize but this was 1/5th the price.

[@flwolf2000]

Good playing! I wish I could hear it unplugged, since it's semi-hollow.

[@Gene_Cali]

This is a very good looking semi hollow guitar. The flame finish looks excellent. The tones are very good and clean, no brittleness from the pups. As you say we are in a great time for affordable quality guitars from foreign markets. The two areas I seem to always get asked about are " How will these guitars hold up with age? and I am also asked ' why I support a Country with a record of abuse?" lol I just shake my head and play on. Thanks for this Demo. Keep on Rockin'

[@beeftheheat]

@@studiotyson2963 yeah guys-the money is helping them too gotta be. i now have that unbelievable EART Tele, the EART es335, The Indio clear bass with white knobs, and just ordered this little thang last night. All have been Exceptional and have really helped me-had money this year and glad i didn't just get a single more expensive instrument. and speaking of human rights-i'm in Canada and I'll bet just about everyone knows about the hundreds of kids bodies being found at these catholic residential native schools. Long ways to go up here for sure. ps-also got the Squier Starcaster from Amazon in past year-as with EART company (designed in St Louis i think)-USA/Chinese collab on those (nope Indonesia). That's a Quality instrument as well for price. next generation shit happening Right Now! ps-Great Playing!

[@jimgray774]

I own that and it's sweet,came all setup tuned and flawless,it's my favorite one and I own many prs and fenders and Gibsons so there

[@flwolf2000]

Well it just goes to show that in the hands of a real player even a cheap guitar sounds great. Good job old boy!

[@studiotyson2963]

😂 Ha Ha! Thank You F.L. Wolf2000! These guitars are quite amazing and even though the price is low, the quality is astonishingly HIGH!

[@Juanrodrigue5331]

​@@studiotyson2963what neck profile is ,60s or 50s, the scale is like gibson 24.70?

[@Joe-mz6dc]

Excellent guitar for the price.

[@vince8081]

It's the originals Harley Benton (who change their factory recently). Ivy rebranded them and selling it nowadays. Good guitars (very good mod platform)

[@gyslainbeauchamp9241]

great review

[@studiotyson2963]

Thank You! IYV is definitely a good brand!

[@phillipholt6005]

I want to get the Monoprice Boardwalk semihollow sunburst guitar!

[@alvaroruizruiz7538]

That has to come from the same factory that the harley benton cst24 hb from thomann, it has different horns but it is the same guitar

[@stanv1175]

IYV Makes many of the Harley Benton guitars.

[@RaptorV1USA]

sweet,,,i just bought the neck thru solid version. I have 2 of the HB CST's one with P90s one with EMG's both are awesome freekin guitars bot5h have been significantly upgraded ( tuners pots wiring switch jack ... pretty much everything... and they just howl and play easy and fast.

[@phunkyjunkee]

Does this one have a coil split?

[@jerryjohnson575]

you make it sound great.... from Vietnam Saigon the war,,etc now the guitar

[@DanStinson-mz9fy]

Quick question so I have a IYV silver without the F holes, I get quite a bit of buzz from the amps. How can I fix that?

[@studiotyson2963]

@@DanStinson-mz9fy - so that means it’s the Solid Body version w/ Neck Thru Body design. I had a couple of those but didn’t review them and I ended up sending them back because I ordered by mistake. My recollection is that it was fairly heavy guitar compared to the semi hollow one that I’m playing in this video. If you’re getting buzz (string buzz), try raising the string height at the bridge. Also make sure to remove the plastic wrap that’s normally on the pickups when the guitar arrives from the factory.

[@jameshamilton2298]

Got one with a broken headstock for 19.49 at goodwill. Looked well worth it in parts. Is it worth repairing the headstock or should i cut the neck off?

[@CraigBradley-c8p]

❤

[@luv_monga]

How does it sound acoustically?

[@sodapopkidd]

If I decided to replace the bridge, is the body sturdy enough for a Bigsby?

[@mr.smithgnrsmith7808]

My pops is buddies with Mr.Gibbons and whenever they come around Baltimore we meet up and hang out with Billy…usually eat crabs and smoke pot, lol

[@darrellmalone4055]

How much does it cost?

[@RobTackettCovers]

What I don't really get in regard to IYV's 24 fret kinda Strat cut refined, but with a lot of Les Paul in there (aka PRS) guitars is that none of them offer a trem model...and I hope that is a yet...they offer a trem on a neck thru guitar, but it is cut and built more like an early release Carvin DC 200...

[@studiotyson2963]

I believe that IYV makes another model - which has the same PRS style shape - but is a solid-body w/ neck-thru design - which includes a Tremolo Bar. I believe it's called the IYV IP-300 TSB. That model appears to be "unavailable" right now - but they've had it for a while. That being said, so far I have yet to see a PRS clone that has a reliable Tremolo. The ones I've seen personally - can't do Floating Trem. In other words, Tremolo can only be used for dive-type whammy - but you cannot go up. Here's a link to a Reverb Page with photos for that model. reverb.com/item/42878601-iyv-ip-300-tsb-2020-tobacco-sunburst

[@RobTackettCovers]

@@studiotyson2963 Thanks for responding👍

[@studiotyson2963]

@@RobTackettCovers - I see that you had already mentioned that you've seen that model (IYV IP-300 TSB with Neck Through). Yes, it probably does look something like a Carvin guitar. I don't know that it would be possible to put a Tremolo Bridge on a Semi-Hollow Guitar - due to the amount of stress that it might exert on the semi-hollow body. Or if they did, it would probably end up looking like a Bigsby Tremolo - with a huge contraption on the bridge end of the guitar. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the Bigsby system. Just too BIG and heavy.

[@janglestick]

Any ideas on the Nut Width ?

[@studiotyson2963]

I'm sorry but I don't know.

[@janglestick]

@@studiotyson2963 Thank you for the response. Given that it is somewhat modeled on the PRS I think it is a slightly smaller neck. I'm looking for a slightly wider neck for a bit of fingerpicking.

[@studiotyson2963]

@@janglestick - this guitar is currently listed on Amazon for $208. It looks like it’s in-stock too. I took a look at the specs but didn’t see any info regarding Nut Width.

[@janglestick]

@@studiotyson2963 Gotcha sorry I thought whoever had hands on the guitar might still have an impression of fingerstyle nut or not ... thanks for checking on the Nut Size spec ! thanks for the time!

[@studiotyson2963]

@ - I sold the 2 that I had a few years ago. They are great guitars - I just have too many electric guitars. Had to sell em.

[@nadinecole1052]

How many computers are helping it

[@RaptorV1USA]

move along Nadine....

[@Mike-ol7xp]

What About The Intonation Situation???

[@RaptorV1USA]

situation...? lol either its intonated or not if that s what you mean ... if not,.. its not hard to do. prob 30 YT videos that'll talk you thru it step by step. Any average joe should be able to manage it in 20 min

[@brettatton]

CNC just means a machine wound the coils exactly. I think all the IYV pickups are inscribed with 'Destiny CNC Wound'.

[@brettatton]

@@Great-Documentaries CNC stands for Computerized Numerical Control...so yes you can make a CNC pickup winding machine. I don't know where you are coming from but I've been around for pretty much the whole history of the technology...since the late 1970s anyways. You can CNC any machine you care to. BTW I have two IYV guitars...they are so well built...it is amazing.

[@RaptorV1USA]

its just marketing fluff virtually ALL mass produced inexpensive pickups are "CNC" or wound by some computer controlled system .. some do it better than others but for the most part they are all very similar. Toneriders, Dragonfire, Ghostwinders, GFS etc...all good quality options & rock solid..

[@matthewotremba9230]

I realized 15 years ago I don't like Carved top types Or I would be all over that as a strat lover I dislike a neck that is angled back as well Can't do it Maybe a flying v Sorry for that Gibson , and that soooooo many companies ,,,,,,,, ARE KICKIN YOUR ASS , and making superior copies

[@CraigBradley-c8p]

You can not assess the tonal quality of a guitar when running it through any kind of processor..

[@CraigBradley-c8p]

So. What is the price and where can you order one?

[@nadinecole1052]

These guys play through $3,000 dollars amps it will help any guitar

[@studiotyson2963]

No. I'm playing it through a BOSS Katana 100W Amp Head - which sells for $249.00. Not running through anything else other than a basic 12" Speaker Cabinet and using a low-cost Audio Technica Condensor Mic ($130) and then 48v Mic signal goes into a Zoom Livetrak L-12 mixer. These are ALL very low-cost items.

[@TheBigMclargehuge]

Not trying to be elitist but it really sounds like doo. Something fatiguing and annoying about the highs and complete lack of punchy lower mid.

[@studiotyson2963]

That might be due to the Volume Settings and the amp that I'm using. On quite a few of these samples I'm playing with the Volume Knob dialed back to around 60%. Not sure that the issue would be a problem with the guitar itself. More likely a signal chain issue or possibly not enough volume coming from the guitar. What speakers are you using or listening on? Standard Speakers? Headphones? Earbuds, iPhone Built-in Speaker? For best results please use standard stereo speakers or headphones/earbuds connected to iPhone OR via Bluetooth Speaker.

[@mr.smithgnrsmith7808]

That’s one awesome body shape ….looks much better than a PRS imo….I live in Maryland and have played many nice PRS’s and none do it for me…don’t know exactly what it is but not a fan

[@mr.smithgnrsmith7808]

How much are they? Thanks Paul

[@RaptorV1USA]

i just paid $220 for the neck thru solid body version....

[@CraigBradley-c8p]

So. What is the price and where can you order one?

[@studiotyson2963]

These are usually avail on Amazon or EBay. They had them on both sites just a few months ago. I haven't checked lately though. It's been a few years since I created this video.