Westcreek Racer! Ready, Set, Go!

[@greggaedeke2386]

JMan! Perfect!! That jam at the end was sick brother..lol. Thanks for the tips!!

[@j-man9457]

Hahaha right on, thanks man!

[@calbrockocat8728]

Another great guitar at an affordable price. Really wish for a lefty because I'd buy their V shape in a heartbeat! Great picking, J, and another cool review!

[@j-man9457]

Thanks buddy.... I've put the bug in their ear many times haha

[@eearts]

I have the yellow one and absolutely love the neck. The pickups are not bad for the money.

[@j-man9457]

@@eearts cool man! My buddy has the yellow one too. Yeah these are amazing for the price. 😃

[@TheJohnburghardt]

Great review. I will give this one a try. I like the look of these racers.

[@j-man9457]

Thanks John. Yeah if you like the SG style guitars, these are fantastic! Mine needed a basic set up as all my guitars do, but once dialed in, it's super fun to play!

[@chrisbevan9717]

Dude... Best Demo ever!!!! THX MAN.

[@j-man9457]

Thanks Chris! Much appreciated!

[@danrunnoft6642]

Did J-Man just become an SG(ish) man? I've been wanting to get one of those for myself, but so far I've resisted the urge. Don't know how much longer I can hold out. I can have one by Wednesday for $189 US, without even having to put my shoes on.

[@j-man9457]

What the are double that here after taxes! If you get a good one, it’s well worth it!

[@danrunnoft6642]

@@j-man9457 I live in Oregon, so no sales tax.

[@j-man9457]

@@danrunnoft6642 do you have an appartment in your basement? 😂😂😂

[@danrunnoft6642]

@@j-man9457 Actually, I do, but there is an attractive female living down there currently. If she ever moves out, you're in. 👍

[@denisconor648]

Makes you think love it.

[@j-man9457]

Thanks man! 👍

[@clarits]

beautiful performance and very nice video. love it

[@j-man9457]

Thank you. Much appreciated!

[@wasteddude9387]

I thought you already had that one. Do you have six WestCreeks now? I have the red racer too. I’m so proud of that company. I love each good review I hear about them.

[@j-man9457]

Nope never had this one! I reviewed all the Westcreek models except for the double neck one ...,😀 These are nice axes!

[@randolphl.reidjr.4473]

Thanks just bought one!

[@j-man9457]

Cool! What color? Let me know how you like it?

[@randolphl.reidjr.4473]

@j-man9457 Absolutely... I got the yellow one, it will be here Friday - I'm stoked! I have bought several lower end models over the years, only to find that you get what you pay for.. hopefully this will end on a much more positive note! Cheers!

[@j-man9457]

@@randolphl.reidjr.4473 it will no doubt need to be set up to dial it in, but right out of the box is very impressive from my experience! Good luck😉

[@10bunks12]

I just got the yellow one. And I have to say for a just over $200 guitar out of the box it was 90% perfect and ready to go.

[@j-man9457]

Awesome man, glad to hear it. Thanks for sharing your experience. Yeah these are awesome eh? Enjoy, and Rock on! 😉

[@garypannone7755]

I like it and it sounds great. How is the neck width and thickness at the first fret?

[@j-man9457]

At the first fret 43mm wide & 23mm thick including the fret but without the strings! 😀

[@TedTalksGuitars]

J-Man, Would you happen to know what locking tuners might work on WestCreek RACER? The tuners seem fine on mine, but I don't like the hassle of restringing guitars without locking tuners. Yep, I am lazy (smile).

[@j-man9457]

Hey I hear ya... Musiclily make awesome locking tuners. Available on Amazon. You want the 3 per side set...

[@theshadowoftruth7561]

I love mine. I thought the neck felt real comfortable in my hands. I got the Red one also! I bought it to put two humbucker sized P90s I had taken out of a Guitar I Traded to someone else.

[@j-man9457]

Sweet! How do the P-90s sound?

[@theshadowoftruth7561]

@@j-man9457 I love the sound of P90s. I got this set from Guitar Fetish. I had them in another guitar a Firefly FFLX. Loved the sound but found out I hated the Explorer Shape. So When I traded the Firefly FFLX I put the original pickups back in. I then had to find another Guitar to put them in and Chose the Racer. A match made in heaven.

[@j-man9457]

@@theshadowoftruth7561 Nice! Good to know! I love P90s as well🤘😉

[@markredsicker9392]

J, try a Tagima guitar if you haven't yet. I had a Jazz master style with p90s that had the best build quality of any budget guitar I've tried. Really great and in the same price range

[@j-man9457]

Tagima? Sounds interesting. Where do I get that, Amazon?

[@JAL-cc8jd]

I was on vacation in Florida a few months ago and went into a small music store. They had a brand new Tagima Strat-style guitar on display there. I think it was $269. I didn’t play it, but it felt great and the quality and workmanship was pretty amazing. I was very tempted to buy it, but I’m not a Strat guy. I ended up getting a new Gibson SG from another local store and got a killer deal on it. I still may give a Tagima a try sometime because I really was impressed with it.

[@guitarzan0515]

Ah, the SG, always wanted one, built one, works great, but not a favorite 🤔 Yup even with that guitar your licks make it tick!💥💪👍🤙

[@j-man9457]

Yeah great guitar and build quality. However Gibson style guitars never felt right in my hands... This one will go to a new home eventually...😃

[@theguitarprofessionals8584]

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRACER!!!!!!!!!!! Pretty Cool!!!!!!!! My name is Chuck I drive a truck I like to FFfish!

[@j-man9457]

Is your truck Racer red? ♥️

[@theguitarprofessionals8584]

Just the tip!!!!!!

[@johnjolly9519]

Thanks for the review Jay! It looks like the Westcreek guitars are pretty consistent in quality now. I have a DC by them which is the lowest price in their range. It still a decent guitar especially for the money. I like the Racer in solid black w/o the strip & uncovered pups. I hope someday you will check out the Grote GR Standard. It looks like your style ie Tele, black hardware, SS ball end frets, & 6 roller saddles. I have heard that the pups are junk & the reviews are all over the board. Which probably means quality control is substandard. It would be interesting to see what you think. ✌🏻🌵

[@j-man9457]

Thanks buddy! I’ll look up the Grote. It’s hard to beat these Westcreeks for sure 😃

[@valueofnothing2487]

Is that real rosewood?

[@j-man9457]

According to the specs, yes it is real Rosewood! Some nice grain in it for sure!

[@birdman316]

sweet guitar brother! it has sweet tones! i missed the pup readings...might go back n look....

[@j-man9457]

Didn't even check lol ... same pickups as in the Helios so probably the 10 to 12 K range would be my guess

[@LennyLeach-g6f]

I bought two of these when I found them, one yellow and one black. They both arrived in beautiful condition.But the yellow one was packed in searl foam and the black one was placked in a foam. Here's where it gets weird, The black one had a thinner neck and the yellow one was chunkier. Anyone have any ideas on this?Or what the next one might be?

[@j-man9457]

Hmmm maybe one of them was an older stock earlier model and the other was a newer released model?

[@ikipearl]

Are you familiar with Leo Jaymz Electric Guitar Monsoon Series with Reverse Headstock

[@j-man9457]

Yes but I can't get them here in Canada. The Tele versions were available on amazon.ca from an American seller but they were 3 times the price!😕

[@paulcatarino2209]

How would you classify the neck shape/carve? I'm looking for it to be medium C to '50s chucky.

[@j-man9457]

It's chunkier than a fender slim C for sure but not like the old base ball necks of the old teles hahaha It feels good in the hands and I have small paws so I don’t like super chunky necks...

[@wagonet]

I reallg like thrse cheaper guitars so i can expand my collection on a budget

[@TechnoRiff]

@J-Man - This SG style guitar seems to bring out more of the Townshend and heavier side of your playing! Is there any neck dive as reported by some SG players? I've not been a fan of side mounted jacks due to potential stress and breakage; I do like that magnetic system you showed. It looks like Westcreek did the right sort of thing with making the 12th fret marker larger and more prominent as opposed to their Helios/Double Trouble models; perhaps even a nod towards PRS with the smaller markers going higher?

[@j-man9457]

Definitely some neck dive here. Typical SG. Just a right angle plug would solve any stress issues at the jack. Guitar is nice and light and yes the Fret inlays are very classy. Perhaps yes for the PRS thing but I can't comment as I've never had one...🤔 Yeah the magnetic breakaway jacks are pretty cool. 😁

[@zuperdee]

@@j-man9457 I was actually wondering about neck dive on this one, too! I think some Epiphone SGs have been said to be well balanced, but as you say, most SGs traditionally do tend to be neck heavy-it’s mostly due to the thin lightweight body, coupled with way the neck attaches to the body at the 22nd fret, which pushes the center of gravity even further outside the guitar body… Not to mention that it leaves VERY little room for the mortise and tenon joint on the neck, which made the neck joint on many older Gibson SGs rather weak. (Gibson did try to strengthen the neck joint in later years.) The SG also doesn’t have as nice a sound on the neck pickup as the LP, since the neck pickup sits closer to the bridge on an SG than it does on an LP.

[@j-man9457]

@@zuperdee yes. Excellent deductions... The neck. Pup on this one isn't bad at all. It's decently thick yet still articulate.

[@j-man9457]

@@zuperdee yes. Excellent deductions... The neck. Pup on this one isn't bad at all. It's decently thick yet still articulate.

[@TechnoRiff]

@@j-man9457 I just don’t like having to have a cord handy that has a right angle plug. Their Helios and Double Trouble are only guitars I’ve encountered that have a smaller less prominent 12th fret marker. Sure wish they’d use the Racer’s design…

[@zuperdee]

I know what you mean-the SG is NOT my style of guitar either! That said, this guitar seems to have VERY good build quality, and if you think about it: For just $300, it looks like you had to do a LOT less work on this one than you did on both of those significantly more expensive Michael Kelly guitars! The frets on this one may not be SS, but they appear to be very smooth and well dressed, and with just 3 minor high spots that are easily spot-leveled, I say that’s NOT bad at all!!! The electronics appear to be solid too, with full size pots, which as I recall is better even than you get on brands like IYV or EART.

[@j-man9457]

Yeah for sure 100%. Very solid axe great QC on this one for sure!

[@zuperdee]

@@j-man9457 So is this one getting passed on to a good home?

[@j-man9457]

@@zuperdee yes sir. Eventually... Not an SG type guy. Love the scale length though😃

[@zuperdee]

@@j-man9457 I know what you mean… The Gibson scale length is easier to do bends and spread-out chord shapes on. More difficult to maintain good intonation on while playing though.

[@flppr1]

What is the scale length of this gtar, JMan? ​@@j-man9457

[@dekion261]

Is the neck a baseball bat?

[@j-man9457]

@@dekion261 no not at all. It is more of a D shape than a C shape but I have small hands and I find it super easy to play!

[@dekion261]

@@j-man9457 Thank you. Something to consider further. I just wish they made a 24 fret model like some of the modern SGs from Gibson and Epi.

[@j-man9457]

@dekion261 yeah I hear ya, but on this body style 24 frets makes for a longer neck and these SG styles are long in the neck as is... I personally rather 22 frets 😀 But maybe if I was a shredder those extra 2 frets would make a difference🤔

[@dekion261]

@@j-man9457 I may have reference wrong by era, but i know before we look at bolt ones, and special neckthrough custom jobs done by private luthiers out there, and Gibson or anyone else's attempt at 24 fret SG guitars. we have two neck joints yes? set in. one where the neck comes out more than the other. I think the 24 frets go inward toward the body more like the non 60s (or late 60s?) heel joint does, so it doesn't seem longer. this has that 60s joint to the body where the neck is out more where other SGs had it see more inwards. you see this type of joint on more lower budget knock offs of SGs. this neck joint is the one i perfer overall. but the other way with 24 frets oppossed to 22 doesn't look bad. I think firefly did one model like that, and i believe LTD has aside from Gibson and Epi, of course.

[@j-man9457]

@dekion261 hmmm interesting. Thanks good to know! I'm a tele guy so really no clue hahaha!

[@rmsavig2204]

A basic setup. Wood is wood. $300.00 guitars work just fine. There is little to no difference compared to a $2000.00 guitar. Unless you need an expensive name brand.

[@j-man9457]

100% agree man! Amazing value right here!

[@finemeat]

Damn J-Man, I got the yellow one too! Just been waiting for you to show me how to play it😀

[@j-man9457]

Hahaha well sorry buddy, you’ve come to the wrong place,😂😂😂

[@2bikemikesguitartopics145]

​@j-man9457 No he didn't

[@2bikemikesguitartopics145]

Another great job. The sparkle in this one is nice. The yellow has none, and that's good cuz sparkle wouldn't match my truck. Was it a return?

[@j-man9457]

@@2bikemikesguitartopics145 hahaha thanks brother!

[@j-man9457]

@@2bikemikesguitartopics145 spoke to a amazon on the phone. This one was bought but the the order was cancelled. So she let me have it as an open box 75 bucks off ...😀