Who should buy $200 guitars? - Firefly FFLGS unboxing and first impressions - Afford-A-SG?

guitarsgarden.com/collections...
Firefly sent me their SG style guitar to check out, how does it compare to previous Fireflys? whats good and whats bad? and who should buy it?
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[@brentclingman5428]

WOW! I was so excited to open my new FIREFLY guitar. What a letdown. The guitar right out of the box was damaged. Not damaged by freight, but was improperly assembled at the factory. I had four or five blisters on the front of the guitar. I look like screws from the top are backing out and were finished over to hide them. Worst of all was the response from Firefly. After sending them photos of the guitar, they offered me $22.00 to cover the damage. NO RLPLACEMENT, NO NOTHING. What a scam. Buyer beware!

[@60CycleHumcast]

OOF! thats bad, ill pin this comment so everyone else can see it.

[@lurklingX]

what the hell, that's HORRIBLE customer service. your piece is *damaged* ! did they ever resolve it for you??

[@brentclingman5428]

@@lurklingX NO!

[@lurklingX]

@@brentclingman5428 arghhh!!!!!!!!

[@brentclingman5428]

@@lurklingX Why spend the money? They are junk with no customer service! You should tell them people are pissed off!

[@DrRock5150]

I've been a pro (full time) musician since 1979. Born in 1952. Yes, I was an original hippy. I own over fifty guitars including two Fireflys, the 335 in red and this same FFLGS. I own vintage Gibson and Fender. Hell, I'm vintage. Are my "expensive" guitars head and shoulders above my two Fireflys? Not even close. I've watched the quality of Gibsons go down, down, down as the prices go up, up, up. Both my Fireflys were in amazing shape with fit, finish, playablity... and inexpensive! I've been on a "inexepensive, not cheap" buying spree the last couple of years buying used Corts, Peavey, Squire Strat/Tele's... I am going to do a series of videos showing these guitars with some I purchased as low as $75 and in mint condition. The Firefly FFLGS being the most expensive of them all. When I was a wee lad you either got a Gibson or Fender or a total piece of crap. I teach 30 students now beside playing live and they can get a wonderfully playing guitar for under $200. These are the days, my friends...

[@shartne]

Man I sure hope I dont get a dud or I will be working on it forever. My HB was really nice fast action good playing guitar really nice it not as big as the real SG gibson though but it plays real nice. Its real tiny. I like it though. Hope the firefly copy of a les paul is as good as my HB SG copy dont know yet though. I can probably fix most problems I hope bet I can.

[@BeamMonsterZeus]

I was telling my mom about the $50 Amazon guitars and super cheap mattresses etc. these days... quality has gone way up.

[@paulgraumann2774]

There was Guild, Rickenbacker, and Gretsch way back then as well, as a matter of fact I am old enough to remember when Fender and Mosrite were the " cheaper guitars"

[@gwugluud]

Ikr? I'm born in 1960, and I wish there would have been things like this back in the 70s. If l would have needed to get a little work done on a $200 guitar before I was 100% happy with it, then sheesh. People don't even know. Lots of spoiled ppl out there.

[@chucklee347]

@@paulgraumann2774 ahhh you forgot samick made by silvertone. I had a strat copy it actually was a great playing and sounding guitar.

[@picksalot1]

It's clear that makers of budget priced guitars are paying attention to video critiques like yours, and are taking steps to improve their products. It's not a coincidence that suddenly we're seeing beautiful fretwork, and much better sounding pickups. I think tonally, the pickups on your last two Firefly guitars sound great. The microphonic sensitivity is a problem, but by pointing it out, I think they'll take notice and figure out how to wax pot the pickups properly so it's not a problem. Just looking at their guitars, you can see they take pride in the work they're doing. And from a business standpoint, it makes sense for them to get the critical features working properly and sounding good.

[@BrewReview]

KZbinrs have become the beta testers and KZbin the preferred feedback loop for a lot of these cheaper import companies for sure.

[@demoniojoe1907]

Because of guitars like the budget ones you review, I now have a few "walls of guitars" like what I see in the background of your studio/garage. In fact, I have 59 guitars now. I know, a bit too much but I'm addicted to working and building up guitars. I do have a few top tier very expensive guitars as well, but I learned how to basically build up a guitar and set it up from installing parts (tremolo bridges, tuning pegs, bolt on necks, etc...) to doing complete wiring regarding installing selector switches and pups on these types of budget guitars. I'm a new subscriber and I totally watch your reviews on budget guitars for research regarding buying new budget guitars. I look forward to your budget guitar reviews every time you put an episode out. Thanks for your honest and thorough opinions for it helps me decide whether or not to buy certain brands that you review. Keep up the great vids. And, love your sense of humor too. Peace.

[@chaseelearning]

I just ordered the same exact one after watching. $179 plus $27 in shipping. Can't beat that. I have been wanting an SG Style and love the way it looks. Thanks for the review.

[@mikeg.9238]

Check out Grote SG's!

[@phowell333]

Does it have neck dive?

[@shawnawesome7770]

Just ordered one too, let me know how it works out for you.

[@mikeg.9238]

@@phowell333 Not the Grote....

[@sunn_bass]

Nice video. I am fascinated with inexpensive guitars and effects. Years back when I played live I was a gear snob, but inexpensive stuff in the 80s and early 90s was generally junk so i never paid attention to the stuff. But over the past few years I've seen a lot of great gear for low prices. I loved your affordaboard videos. Keep up the great reviews and ways of keeping the hobby (or profession) interesting.

[@frankcarter6427]

that's me too - in the mid 70s when I started playing, there was no playable cheap gear, there absolutely is now

[@s9plus20]

Nice review Ryan. You talked me into one, just put in the order! Killer outtake piece!

[@garcol42]

I may be in a camp by myself but I’m a big fan of microphonic pickups. They’re actually the reason I didn’t change the pickups in my global sg, not only do I like the sound but they’re very microphonic and it sounds cool to me

[@markallen2984]

I've never been a big fan of SG shape, but this Firefly looks really nice to me

[@kscinkc]

I just bought my first firefly and it was $169. I love it! I’m not in a band and just play for fun. Feels great! I think your review is spot on.

[@54321becker]

I recently bought an Epiphone SG. After seeing this demo I wish I had gotten the Firefly instead. I like the 3 Firefly's that I have. Ryan's Firefly videos have helped me make informed decisions on guitar purchases! Always very honest and entertaining. No guitar fan boy crap!

[@frankcarter6427]

if it stays in tune for 5 minutes, it's better than a gibson SG

[@Superjet113]

Ok, Glenn Frikker

[@somekindarobot]

Really good video dude, I've been going back and fourth with myself about getting this exact guitar. I wan an SG style guitar to learn on and this might be the one for me.

[@bradshannon862]

I love my FFLG! I did add a GFS Xtrem, roller bridge, GFS hot Liverpool mini bucker bridge pickup, a Gretsch Fidelisonic P90 Neck pickup an on/on/on switch for series/split/parallel, all new CTS pots, new tuners, knobs, drilled out the side for a tele style jack and added some pickguard flare.I love it.

[@mveitchmunich]

I've been taking down the gloss finish on my inexpensive guitar necks following a video I watched using 12000 grit wet sand pads to start and working down to 2500. Really does the job of getting a smooth satin finish. Definitely an improvement. You can get the whole pad set cheaply online.

[@lowelldukeman9698]

I bought that exact guitar three weeks ago. I did the following to the instrument: 1. Straighten neck 2. Oil fret bd. 3. Nut was cut high, corrected that 4. Fret ends, and polish frets (there was fret sprout on mine) 5. Set up, for proper action. The pickups are microphonic, no crazy squeal through a Marshall stack, just good tone after setting the height to “my” liking. (Vintage PAF) resistance=7.68k ohms neck, 9.68k ohms bridge. Still looking for any flaws in the finish. All controls work properly, neck is excellent, plays great. Yes, it is definitely fun to play! I have several different brands of higher end pick ups in my parts drawer. I’m not going to put $180.00 pick ups, in a $180.00 guitar. It sound’s great, play’s great, and look’s great.

[@mikeg.9238]

Check out the Grote SG's , they're even nicer with a binded fretboard , frets were completely leveled. I paid $159 with tax and was shocked how nice they are. I didn't even have to adjust the truss rod and intonation was perfect. I just lowered the action. I was very surprised how good it was , feels like a $600 guitar and has some weight to it. Gives it great sustain!

[@jessiejames2155]

Hi there ! Digging your reviews !! I just got the F.F. 338 . It's really clean ! ...Im learning alot !!

[@dirttaq]

Really appreciate you reviewing budget guitars, but I appreciate your honesty even more. Based on your reviews (and others) of Firefly in the past, I went with the IYV IJZ-300 instead. I’d love to hear your opinions on the IYV brand as well! Hopefully they hit you up sometime!

[@TVguy9999]

Solid review. Solid guitar 🎸😎. I like the pickups. For this price point...it all works.

[@bobbusby5058]

I really like the pickguard shape, its different and not overbearing.

[@midnite_in_november]

It’s the same as a normal sg lol

[@midnite_in_november]

Besides small tweaks of course but it’s not “different”

[@BoltRM]

@@midnite_in_november A good bit smaller.

[@midnite_in_november]

@@BoltRM no it’s not there’s two different style pick guards Gibson use on sg’s one like this and the big one

[@TobiasBray]

I don't know. I'm in the crowd where mine was a dud and like others, my customer service emails are never returned. Nut fell off, frets are not polished, ground buzz when hands off. Return policy has me getting a refund of the cost of the guitar - what I paid to have them ship it to me - the shipping cost back to them--there is a reason why they are no longer sold on Amazon. Hassle-free returns and a full refund. So nice that they offer well-crafted guitars for vloggers to review.

[@60CycleHumcast]

That’s a huge bummer. I’ll pin your comment so others can see it.

[@johncrawford4104]

I had issues with 2 of mine I bought from them. I bought a black and a sunburst LP. The black had a single high fret which wasn't terrible... however the sunburst might as well have been rolling hills with the frets being uneven all over the place =(.

[@legacyShredder1]

@@amremorse Other companies sell millions of useable instruments without any major defects at the $200 price point and below, so competition demands a specific quality at a bare minimum. This is a basic law of economics. It's expected for the instrument to work properly without falling apart while being in the same or better condition as it's competitors within the same price bracket. Note that usable without defects is not the same as super high quality, handmade, fine instrument. Useable without defects means that it works perfectly for it's intended purpose without anything breaking during normal usage nor are the components broken or improperly made.

[@TobiasBray]

Problems with their acoustics as well. Uncured wood. The guitars start to buzz whenever the barometer moves. Major brands that build overseas and sell at sub $300 don’t have these problems because they have standards.

[@ornerycuss5804]

I have a firefly LP and love it so much I ordered the LG today. I also recommended one to someone else and he loves his as well. I will likely be buying a V for my birthday

[@WagsFilms]

Have 3 fireflies love working on them!! Replaced all the tuners with grovers and Seymour duncan pickups and now they rock!! Good guitars to learn from absolutely

[@yournightmareracing1754]

Stock strings, or did you change them out? If so, what strings did you go with?

[@massfusionstudio]

Nice build. I'll grab one of them next. I love the LP and the 338 is amazing.

[@scottdwhite50]

I have a Firefly LP Classic and a 338 and I enjoy playing them as much as 70s Gibsons I used to own. They both have inherently good tone, construction, and playability, even without changing the pickups,bridge, etc. They are FANTASTIC guitars for the money!

[@nicholasmercorella5318]

I love my Firefly LP. My son stole it to use in his high school band concert, he want it for the humbuckers and way I keep the strings tuned. His guitars are mostly single coil, and his LP he keeps detuned with heavy strings for metal. When his concert is done I hope to get it back. Worth the $200

[@alanswanson7515]

Nice review Ryan. I believe the LG/SG Firefly line is the best model they make! I've got the 3 pickup Yellow and the Spalted Maple Elite models and the tuning stability and playability is unmatched compared to the LP models. I just purchased a Walnut ($179) SG with uncovered higher output (9.4k and 13.6k) pickups and we'll see if that takes care of the low output and squeal.

[@mikeg.9238]

The FF338's are pretty sweet also!

[@terryenglish7132]

I'm thinking about the Yellow 3 pickup one myself. Do you know if its 3 routes for the 3 pickups, or one big route from neck to bridge ? Thanks.

[@joeking433]

Expensive guitars always let me down. They never live up to expectations while a $200 guitar often surprises me how good it is after I set it up and mod it some. Like Squiers, after I set them up and switch out the pickups I really can't tell the difference between them and a $1500 Fender, especially one that hasn't been set up.

[@IncendiaDivinus]

So true Joe ! I picked up a Squier in the early 2000's and it sounds and feels way better than my 1700$ Ultra plus Fender !! Every Gibson snub has back problems from their weight and some wont stay in tune - not saying that they are 'All' shit but for $3000 I expect no issues !! Stay safe Sir !

[@joeking433]

@@IncendiaDivinus I just bought another cheap guitar on Amazon to work on, an $88 Indio guitar, and it's awesome for $88! These Indio guitars blow me away as to how good they are for the money!

[@cdavidlake2]

Right? I've started exploring more inexpensive instruments after getting weary of finding so many QC issues on mid-range (and higher) guitars.

[@Mor-Gain]

I totally dig it! For $200 it is something I would definitely buy one of my kids to learn on and would probably be a better bet than the $150 pawn shop squire I started with lol. And to boot, the finish is really pretty and I like the pickguard!

[@spottedsaint957]

Hey Ryan, before too long your beard is going to be playing your guitars for you. 😁

[@joehansonguitar]

Awesome review! Just subscribed to your channel

[@studiotyson2963]

Sounds pretty darn good to my ears. I think they've nailed this SG clone pretty well. To me, that is a lot of sound for very little $$.

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

Those frets remind me of the ones on my Ibanez GSR200 bass, really nicely done for the price. My Squier Bullet Telecaster isn’t bad, but I can definitely feel a difference. They are not sharp, but feel a bit rough on the ends. The pickups on my guitar & my bass can also pick up my phone speaker, but that’s because speakers have metal coils in them that vibrate, it’s not picking up the actual sound.

[@Metalblog666]

That might be the coolest color scheme on a guitar I've ever seen. Can't find one anywhere now!

[@GlorifyGodInEverything]

Bought a Jackson JS 32 dinky arch top in natural wood with the same mind set of customizing it. It's fun trying to make a lower quality instrument match or surpass higher quality instruments. Just takes time, energy and smart purchases.

[@TheTwangKings]

Looks very nice and seems pretty versatile... plenty of twang. An effects processor can fill out the tone on the bridge pickup if needed. I use a strat for jazz sometimes.

[@drb9223]

Another awesome video!

[@synystervail9847]

I like the way this review is honestly laid out, you sort of walked us through every impression as you were having it! Great Channel! But on a more serious note I'm commenting regarding your car's extended warranty!!! HAHA...

[@60CycleHumcast]

Ive come to realize my main job is to experience gear for people. I just try my best to express everything I'm experiencing and let the viewer come to their own conclusions.

[@synystervail9847]

@@60CycleHumcast That comes across and I appreciate the style personally.

[@peskypesky]

That neck pickup sounds great!! Really impressive.

[@jaymesmustaine684]

I just received my 2nd Firefly V today and it like the first one was amazing right out of the box.

[@cugir321]

Microphonic is the least of my worries....if that's the only problem you hit the lottery. Nothing a hot plate, and 3.00 box of parrafin wax from walmart won't fix (if you have a soldering iron) ....wax pot them correctly. Easy fix. Those pickups sound good without a lot of gain. wonder what the resistance is on the pickups. A good Eq with a line level can do wonders on those pickups. You can get the punch.

[@jbh219]

If you choose right, some of the sub $200 guitars compete with the $500 guitars of 15 years ago. I think the big companies really have to watch themselves - high quality doesn't have to mean high prices

[@frankstone919]

We have a $135. Blue burst 335 style Firefly that was bought a few years back. The neck is still straight but , it is kept in a hard case. I've made a few mods to it , Bigsby style vibrato , roller bridge and locking tuners. I like the pickups as is.

[@garydmercer]

I have the 335 firefly style guitar, Les paul style guitar and a telecaster model from firefly. All three guitars were set up ok and play well. Each guitar has small issues. No deal breakers. So three guitars for the price of one decent guitar. Works for me.

[@willcresson8776]

They're great for people with more time than money, those who enjoy tinkering as a hobby, and (especially) beginners. Truly, there has never been a better time to be a beginning guitarist. $200 will get you a functional instrument with everything that matters, one that will hold up to years of use and upgrades.

[@avgmaster1]

I just spent $387 modding my firefly what a great guitar!

[@GRBAquatics]

Awesome Demo/Review, Thanks. I am in Australia and have never seen a Firefly guitar, but they always impress with Looks and Sound at very affordable prices. We in Australia have a 'local' Company "Artist Guitars" that have Factory in China making some Outstanding affordable guitars, apparently they Have Online Store/Warehouse in USA. Would love to see a Review of them. Thankyou. Cheers

[@Relayer56]

Would love to see you review some IYV guitars. Priced around $170, generally, and if Amazon reviews are to be believed, very good values.

[@ehdforlife]

I have a Firefly LP. Here is the deal with the microphonic thing. If you're in a small room with high gain, just about any guitar is going to screech. I'm not saying that Firefly guitars are perfect, but I've seen huge bands screaming into their pickups on stages where they're cranked. But in a good home studio you'd have the cabinets in another room, and mic'ed. I simply turn my cab sideways and I don't deal with any feedback, but I'm not cranking my Amp, or doing high gain metal. And these guitars are designed more for hard rock, blues, jazz. Firefly's are jot perfect but the whole microphonic thing is not an issue. Unless you're a planning to use the guitar for high gain metal in a small room.

[@ehdforlife]

One caveat, if you're playing cramped clubs, where you have no room between you and the crowd there might he some issues.

[@audiomonster303]

I have a JSN Les Paul DC and it plays amazing, honestly as good as my Gibson SG, I did change all the components out though. Pickups pots and switch all to gibson stuff

[@johndoe-nk1cu]

I picked up the limited run of the Scorpion SG. They send it with the pickguard optional. I love the neck on these, chunky and fast.

[@timothyoo7]

I have a LP Firefly and I am more than happy with it. I am constantly trying to keep myself from buying another one.

[@Quinton-zu6hy]

PS, I just bought an SG Firefly Listening to you play the guitar I am well satisfied with my purchase !

[@toddhatfield5329]

I just got the "racing stripe" 338 in red...fret ends are like a cheese graters. Super sharp. The action is high. I cranked the bridge down as far as it will go and still too high but now the 1st fret everything is dead, fine on all the other frets. The nut is cut too high, so I'm going to have to do some fret work. Finish is pretty great, very minor flaws, which is expected. The neck carve is great, so I'm hoping I can get everything dialed in.

[@terryenglish7132]

I have the Explorer version, basically the same w a different body. Forget the price, its fine as a guitar. I have their hollow body , P-90 Tele as well, also a fine guitar. The only negative I have found is that all the V & T controls interact w both p-ups. The P-ups sound good, if somewhat microphonic.

[@danielcastillo1225]

Awesome looking guitar, l've never seen these on sale anywhere near by. So l'm assume you gotta order these on line. Looks they're worth the price

[@sassycat]

Thank you for your honesty in reviewing the products you are sent, too many fall victim to "the grift" (as I call it). Also thank you for keeping on reviewing the low priced and budget items. There will always be some kid looking for their first guitar, and pulling up one of your videos to watch.

[@daviddenson3324]

I'm about to buy an FFLPS from them tomorrow. With these guitars you are really paying for the beautiful design/colored body, a good neck, and good frets. They make an excellent foundation to add your own pups, tuners and maybe even an electronics upgrade if you think they need it. For around $200.....worth every penny. I paid a few hundred more for an Epiphone LP Custom and still wanted to upgrade to a Seymour Duncan in the bridge and Grover locking tuners. Plus it seems they have upped their game since your video. So. yeah, Firefly is worth every penny.

[@crappyfellow]

I've purchased two Firefly's. I wax potted the pickups in both and now both guitars are no longer microphonic. You should do a video on wax potting.

[@glenkepic3208]

Cool guitar. Not in love with the finish or creme bits but nice. btw, $75.00 for a HSS S type about 10 years ago. Still plays great.

[@adamjolin]

You give yourself a hard time about your guitar skills. But I wish I was as good as you! Keep up the great work Ryan!

[@delilah9741]

Wow an SG that stays in tune for an hour. 😯 I though SG isn't for me, but now... maybe. Good video.

[@timothypotter2137]

These guitars a just mod platforms. They generally need new pickups, different electronics, and a good set up, including neck work. These are hobbyist delights. The aftermarket loves these type of guitars.

[@audiomonster303]

Gonna be honest it sounds Amazing with just clean tones, we will see what gain brings!

[@2500MSUB]

I purchased a firefly V and it’s a good platform to mod, I immediately changed the hardware and tuners, pickups leave something to be desired. If you are starting out everything is perfectly serviceable. In regards to cosmetic issues, my Gibson SG was not perfect cosmetically but it’s looked at as being handmade and the headstock says Gibson so it’s “okay”. The binding on the firefly was better than on my Gibson. That said the Gibson is better in all regards and will appreciate in value the Firefly will always be a 200 dollar guitar. I won’t be buying another Firefly but I am happy with my V and will be happier when I swap out the pick ups.

[@wesleymorris1]

A really good soldering iron for 50 bucks is the one from harbor freight. It's a station,it will be the only one you will ever need. It's cools in between soldering, so the tips last for hundred hours. At least mine has.

[@gastonmannlicher8077]

Who should buy? The bastards that buy them then post them for sale at double retail.

[@dejavoodoo7204]

19:00 ;a man after my own heart. ,and yep, they do cut through the mix:) (so bright they must be wet down with reverb of some kind to take the edge off). *that kind of wax potting seems fairly common, its the proper vacuum wax potting method that is required.

[@edmili9760]

I have owned the 338 (twice) the TL, the LP Elite and now the PR. Playing since 1964 as a serious guitarist and owning over 40 guitars during that span of all price ranges and brands here is what I think of Firefly guitars in general. As many have said one has to be realistic about what you expect at this price point. If your a beginner this a very good starting point. If your a novice player with a few tweeks in general it makes for a decent instrument. If you are a working player you can look at it like this, with a reasonable amount of money at your favorite repairman he can turn it in to a good piece you can use all the time without the worry of your 59 Les Paul or 57 Stratocaster or your $8000.00 10 Top PRS disappearing after the show or getting damaged by a careless roadie or whatever else can happen. I still own 3 of the Firefly's and use them all the time. Yes, I did put some money in them but not so much as it wasn't worth the investment. Even with the money you invest, you will still be miles away from what your vintage and collectable pieces would cost you to replace and if something did happen, God forbid, your not out the small fortune that the other ones cost you. So at the end of the day, IMHO, Fireflys in general are a great modding platform especially at their initial cost.

[@boriscat1999]

when you buy an inexpensive instrument it's on you to pull all the little bits of plastic sheet off it. because for the factory to do it is extra time and money. the plastic for pickguards is covered in a protected sheet so it doesn't get scratched when they are cutting it. some places will quickly ripped the plastic off when they put the strings on, but I don't understand why they bother because bits are stuck under the screw heads anyways.

[@MobileDecay]

I bought an SX guitar for less than $200. It wasn't microphonic. I upgraded it and still came in under $200. with some budget pickups, a new nut and a roller bridge. I polished the frets which didn't really need much attention and did a neck adjustment. It's my favorite guitar. It's better than the $600. Epiphone Les Paul that I had sold to buy the SX. This guitar looks awesome though if you wanna upgrade the pickups. They should sell these guitars without pickups.

[@BrentAdams]

Both the L.P. and SG styles that you got in look great (for those liking those styles of guitars.... that's not me) but I would not be happy with the microphonic pickups. When you add in the cost of replacing pickups....I'd choose something else over the Firefly brand personally. I've bought 3 Harley Benton guitars (2 CST Series...and 1 "Classic Series" ..a 12 string) A CST-24-T solid body and a CST-24-HB semi-hollowbody ... and each was a "B-Stock" (zero issues with either!) and they were under $210.00 each...including the shipping to my door! No microphonic pickup issues....and pretty darn nice finish work on each. The third H.B. was a 12 string...the Classic Series (think Rickenbacker styling) and the only thing "sloppy" was inside of the "F" hole chambered out area being rough. I did the most setup work on the 12 string. It had some back-bow on the neck and needed to pickups raised and 2 sets of strings needed to be intonated. The 12 string was $320.00 delivered! Great guitars at amazing prices. I greatly appreciate your channel, your enthusiasm, and that you welcome the inexpensive stuff that some other channels turn their noses up at. Good look at the Firefly! UPDATE! I did grab a Firefly Guitar! I went for the FFJA Jazzmaster style ... and I got it to do a project of creating a guitar that is between a standard & a baritone. I got a little heavier strings and tuned it to "C#". It has the lowest cost Wilkinson trem which works great (I did need to find an arm that had a longer "insert" section to raise it a little higher over the volume knob. Decent tone...probably a little beefier than standard Jazzmaster pickups.... not quite as jangly, but I'm going for more of an Ambient Guitar sound so that is just what I need.

[@zuperdee]

This guitar, with that slight offset shape, is almost like a cross between a Gibson SG and a Fender Jazzmaster. In fact, I believe this Firefly is more a copy of the ESP Viper than anything else. I wonder if that’s why the pick guard has that wonky contour-maybe it was designed for a standard SG, and they shoehorned it on to their model, not realizing it didn’t quite fit the offset contours. Just a thought.

[@rindred]

I was going to suggest it's shaped like the Viper or the Guild S-100. The Firefly's pickguard is still unique, but kind of resembles the S-100's only it covers more of the top surface.

[@DMSProduktions]

I tend to agree!

[@cdavidlake2]

Quite plausible theory.

[@jfinester]

The increase in quality at the lower end of the price spectrum is amazing. For that thing to be $200 is the equivalent of being able to buy a decent guitar in the 1960s for $20. And even cheap guitars back then weren’t that cheap! My first electric guitar was $85, a St. George-branded Teisco, the sort that brings $300-$400 in today’s overinflated vintage market. It was a piece of cr@p in 1964, and it would still be a piece of cr@p today in 2022. For that Firefly to have some issues (that are mostly fixable) at $200 is to be expected. If the neck’s good and the overall construction is solid, you’re good to go, even if you have to install double the cost of the guitar in parts. I actually really liked the sound of the pickups, but the microphonic feedback would drive me nuts. So-replace the pickups, pots and wiring and you’d have a pretty nice guitar!

[@willcresson8776]

$60 for a set of GFS pickups, another $30 for a pre-wired harness, and you're at $300+/- for a solid guitar that'll last you for years. Heck, even when I was growing up in the early 2000s (iirc I got my first guitar in 2003), $200 got you garbage new and almost nothing on the used market. In the days before craigslist and the internet brick and morter shops had no incentive to be price competitive.

[@Viper-dz2kw]

I have several 200-300$ guitars mainly purchased as guitars to be set in extra tunings for live shows and then one expensive guitar specifically for studio stuff

[@jvin248]

Ryan, for your first mod on that guitar: rotate the bridge pickup 180, lower it, and raise the screw pole 3/16ths, then adjust the height for volume output you want. I've done this on several guitars and it gives a P90 style of tone. Screw poles of a real P90 are just about in that same distance from the bridge. Beefier and thicker bridge pickup tone that way.

[@BoltRM]

I might try that thanks 😏

[@shawnawesome7770]

I also might give this a try on a guitar i have

[@BoltRM]

I liked the stock pickups, especially the neck. I prefer bridge pickups aren't too bright & these were decent, but I would like them to be a little warmer. Loved the Sonic pups he has in the Gibson, but I saw they go for about $140 a set. Not bad, not cheap either.

[@terryenglish7132]

This does make a obvious if not huge difference and requires no soldering. I notice the p-ups together sound better too.

[@johnenglish8261]

You know, I have figured out the perfect guitar body for you. The nose of a surfboard with a giant shark bite on the back end. Luv the channel. Rock on.👍✌️

[@guitardaze812]

I have the same guitar, I think it’s firefly’s best pickup attempt yet,you would think by now,that they would finally get it right,the rest of the guitar is fine,just a little steel wool on the back of the neck might help,or will it require more sanding,to get rid of the gloss,not a bad guitar other wise.

[@gregsguitartone]

Love mine! I did have to wax pot the pickups though. Fixed the squealing.

[@mycorrhizae86]

Modded guitars are fun!!! I bought a $188 Harley Benton (as a mod platform), put +$350 of upgrades in it, and it is one of my favorite guitars that I have ever played. Yes, I could have spent that on a good condition used guitar with similar specs, but I wanted the experience and personalization that comes from a mod project. I actually clicked on this video to see if Firefly guitars would fit into the same category. As long as the guitar is made of decent wood, has a comfortable neck, a workable fretboard and action out of the box, and decent paint it will function as a good mod platform. The SG in the video had good looking body wood and finish (there were acceptable blemishes), a serviceable neck which can be softened with a scrub pad to get that "satin" feel, frets that are very acceptable even if not polished, and plays (when tuned) out of the box without extensive work. That gives me a great starting spot. I can then tidy up the frets, replace pickups, replace nut/bridge if needed, locking tuners, straplocks, cosmetic additions, and swapped plastics/pickguards when applicable.

[@howardmaryon]

Minor quality control issues of the cosmetic variety aside, the Firefly brand, having been taken up by Amazon as a global retailer, is undeniably great value for money. You could say that these instruments are ok for a beginner, but they will need a “ proper” quitar as they get more skilful. A decent guitar tech could fettle a Firefly or a Harley Benton into a very playable machine, and the use of inexpensive components and woods, and leaving it to the customer to sort out minor wrinkles is how these companies work.

[@Amp497]

I like it, and I just may may buy one. It sounds better than my 2004 Epiphone SG with vibrola. I think I'll be selling that SG. It never did sound right.

[@antv4408]

I genuinely did a double take on your thumbnail. That thing is gorgeous

[@altriplett9099]

First thing I do, if I plan on keeping any guitar, or bass, is to remove that gloss finish( if not already satin) , from the neck, and refinish with a few coats of tung oil

[@RichWithWisdom]

I got a 200. L/P from Amazon (IYV) spent another 200. with a lithier for full set up & it's great. I wouldof been happy using it for the 38 years I played clubs etc. with a Gibson L/P custom. Yes, the pickups have a different tone than the humbuckersdo but no one can tell but myself out of the average person so yes you can actually gig just fine with a properly set up 200. guitar. I picked up a Fender Starcaster to fill in and it needs a full setup too....

[@mikeg.9238]

I can't speak on the Firefly SG's , iv'e heard mixed reviews. But let me tell you the Grote SG's kick ass! I bought one last year for $159 with tax , i bought it for a mod project. I was completely blown away by the QC on it , was perfect with no flaws , blemishes etc. I installed locking tuner's and swapped out the pickups with SD's , i kept the original ones that came with it because they're actually pretty damn good and might use them for a future project. The guitar plays and feels like my $600 Epiphone SG G400 Pro , i can't believe how nice it is. Even has the pearloid block inlays....

[@BoltRM]

You've posted at least several times here about your Grote 😒

[@mikeg.9238]

@@BoltRM Are you a stalker or something , big fucking deal!

[@tankdarla637]

Thats a nice looking SG!

[@porforyticbasalt]

their green finishes look neat, i am curious about the P90 looking one

[@DreidMusicalX]

I have bought a Bass for $60.00 and turned it into a a more expensive one upgrading it and changing the bridge and every part on it. haha! Its now about $500 and plays like it too. I did a lot of work on it though. I also did a Telecaster the same way. Its great if you get good bones body and neck the rest can more than likely be worked. But any of these $200 guitars were better than the 2 years I spent learning on.

[@johnwright6983]

I still have my gold 338. I'm glad I have it. It's true that fixing the issues is a ton of the draw.

[@steverolfeca]

Speaking as someone who will be celebrating their 70th birthday this year, you have no idea how significant this is. When I was hoping for my first guitar, the equivalent of $200 got you a guitar-shaped object- we weren’t quibbling about inlays, because a guitar from Sears didn’t HAVE any!

[@dbspecials1200]

Thanks to Firefly for providing for this content. reviews on guitars like this are more interesting than guitars 10X as much because with those you pretty much know what you're getting for the price. imo with the budget guitars there are more chances to be surprised by what they give in that range. but again, we also know what we can expect.. it's good fun. I'd like to start a collection of $200 guitars, just to see the differences in the brands. make a nice display..

[@57RickH]

I just got the Firefly Tele and the only thing about it that probably needs adjustment is the low E string and maybe the A are a little too close to the frets. Other than that, it's a heck of a bargain and a joy to play.

[@iamgodbringmecake]

That microphonic car warranty thing was hilarious

[@EXSENTRIX]

WOULD LOVE TO SEE A SATIN OR MATTE BLACK FIREFLY SG STYLE! SOMETHING FOR METAL PLAYERS. 🤘🏼😁

[@gt-37guy6]

Looks like a solid straight guitar for the $$. Ya, You always have to change pickups in these...lol. Hey is there poly protective film on that little piece by the neck? I see there is poly on the rear cover! ?

[@edryba4867]

No dead spots in the upper neck at all! It’s a really good sounding guitar. I’ve been trying to get a firefly for MONTHS, but I guess everyone else is faster than me. I know these are made in a small Chinese shop, so it’s not like they crank out hundreds of ‘em at a time. And by the time you find out someone has any for sale, THEY’RE GONE! Listen to that thing! It really sounds great! If you think the bridge pickup sounds a bit thin, well, that’s why they make EQ pedals. And I like the action FAST, right out of the box. I just wish they’d send some to Amazon, already! I’ve been looking for a Firefly for MONTHS!!! A Firefly Tele-type guitar sounds like a TON of fun!

[@tjstevens001]

Look at Guitar Garden, they have a good selection.

[@edryba4867]

@@tjstevens001 Are they online or what?

[@mikedr1549]

Even with minor issues this is exactly one zillion times better than the first guitar I bought in 1981 for $200.

[@Mike_Spor]

Right???? !!!! My first lp guitar was pure kkkeeerrrap.

[@SoggyBacco]

one of my favorite guitars is a $200 ibanez ax120. it did need a lot of setup and i am going to replace the pickups cuz of squealing on high gain but it plays great and doesnt sound like a cheapo either

[@SoggyBacco]

@@GB-sn8sw ibanez has a lot of great options in the budget range

[@mtguitar5150]

These need love out of the box, but with a patient effort and some skill you can have a player for the price of a decent drive pedal

[@mtguitar5150]

I got an all black lp so no finish issues, but it needed a little level, and the bridge was bad, I haven't plugged and redrilled but the post holes needed shims, that said it's a pretty Les Paul for the price, whatever they are they sell like hot cakes

[@kevincrozier8625]

I have never even seen any Firefly's around home here in Illinois. I do have a Epiphone LP Special II. I changed out the pups on it and it sounds and plays great. I have a Squire Tele body that I got a piece of crap neck on it for the time being. Changed out the pups in that also. I paid less than $200 each. The LP was in one of those combo packages and it was still about $180. That was back in 2016. The Tele I got for right about $90. But I am interested to find a Firefly or an IYV or something like that. I just don't trust getting them shipped to me. Basically to me it's like buying a car....I wanna test drive it...lol. So I tend to look at pawn shops, garage sales or thrift stores. Been lucky that way since the 70's.