Usa Custom Shop Solar Guitars? Options

[Todd Simpson]

Here is OLA talking about the history of his SOLAR brand and how things came about. This video is about the USA WASHBURN CUSTOM SHOP version of his SOLAR line. This is one of one. Hand built by the same guys who hand built guitars for DIME BAG.

QUESTION: WOULD YOU PAY THE EXTRA FOR A USA CUSTOM SHOP SOLAR?

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[Steve Gilfield]

Ola said the 'Artist series' of the Solar guitars, are basically what he would have asked for a custom-made guitar.

I'm pretty sure they copied as much as they could his old Washburn model with added new features.

So if you want a "custom shop" kind of solar guitar, go with those.

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[Todd Simpson]

Would you think it was worth it to have a "USA CUSTOM" Solar? They are already the some of the best "INDO" guitars being made today from what I've read. Still, every guitar can always be better. If it doubled the price to have it entirely hand built, would it be worth it?

Ola said the 'Artist series' of the Solar guitars, are basically what he would have asked for a custom-made guitar.

I'm pretty sure they copied as much as they could his old Washburn model with added new features.

So if you want a "custom shop" kind of solar guitar, go with those.

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[Steve Gilfield]

Would you think it was worth it to have a "USA CUSTOM" Solar? They are already the some of the best "INDO" guitars being made today from what I've read. Still, every guitar can always be better. If it doubled the price to have it entirely hand built, would it be worth it?

For Ola, who is a Dime fanboy, I think it was worth having a USA custom-made guitar from the same people who did Dime's guitars.

I played 3 standard series Solar guitars and they are great for their money, so why pay the extra money for custom-shop guitars when you can have great results with the standard series?

I am not really buying the hand-built thing; I find it as a way for companies to charge crazy amounts for an instrument that can be made with a machine without the human-error factor. What we are paying extra is the master luthier's adjustments and some special woods (don't get me started on wood selection!)

Machines are now extremely accurate and can replicate any specs you like down to the millimeter.

So why take the risk of having an instrument with probably human-errors, and not let a machine replicate my favourite guitar, and at the end have a good luthier check it for any adjustments?

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[klasaine]

You're paying for it's "re-sale" value.

With USA made Fender and Gibson and even MIJ Ibanez, it's pretty much a sure thing that your guitar will never drop in value and will most probably increase in value. The 'handmade' angle doesn't matter.

It will all depend on how long Ola is a semi celeb in the YT guitar universe - ?

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[Steve Gilfield]

You're paying for it's "re-sale" value.

With USA made Fender and Gibson and even MIJ Ibanez, it's pretty much a sure thing that your guitar will never drop in value and will most probably increase in value. The 'handmade' angle doesn't matter.

It will all depend on how long Ola is a semi celeb in the YT guitar universe - ?

100% agree!

I have seen a lot of people who tried to re-sale (at a high price) a modded Squier and failed, even though it deserved the money asked.

But if you do not intend on selling, it's up to the guitar which is the most comfortable to play. Basically, which guitar has the best neck for you

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[klasaine]

But if you do not intend on selling, it's up to the guitar which is the most comfortable to play. Basically, which guitar has the best neck for you

Exactly.
I have a Japanese Fender Jazzmaster and a Mexican Tele that I love and are 'keepers'. They didn't cost me much and frankly, they're not worth much but they are great sounding and great playing guitars. I do have a couple of Gibsons, a 335 and a vintage LP 'special' that I did buy because I got a great deal on them and I know they will be worth way more than I paid for them (they already are) and at some point I will sell them. Someone will offer me way too much money to pass up. I buy and sell all the time. It's fun and I make some dough.
As passionate as I am about guitars (and amps) - they are just tools. There are ALWAYS good ones out there at a price you can afford if you're willing to look and be patient.

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[Todd Simpson]

I'd tend to agree It was a prototype after all so it makes sense that it came from the custom shop as that's where most of their initial prototypes come from, as I gather. So it was never going to be part of a line, just a proto. I am curious if it feels much different than his off the rack guitars. I've heard only good things about the solar line. I have yet to put my hands on one though. I've not seen any on the used rack in guitar center, that's for sure. It's probably a good sign, people are keeping them.

Certainly machines are very good at doing what builders used to do. Even today though, hand finished necks on the Ibanez guitars do tend to be a bit better than the computer/machine finished necks, which still do require a human at some points. But certainly not everyone agrees on this point. In the end it comes down to how a given guitar feels to a given player. A good example is the old Ibanez RG5XX line, which all had hand finished necks. This line was rebranded as the "Prestige" line. The guitars that didnt' get the hand finished necks were various "INDO" Ibbys'. Even then, some folks prefer the Indo ibbys to the MIJ Ibby's and see the MIJ Ibbys as a cork sniffer thing.

For Ola, who is a Dime fanboy, I think it was worth having a USA custom-made guitar from the same people who did Dime's guitars.

I played 3 standard series Solar guitars and they are great for their money, so why pay the extra money for custom-shop guitars when you can have great results with the standard series?

I am not really buying the hand-built thing; I find it as a way for companies to charge crazy amounts for an instrument that can be made with a machine without the human-error factor. What we are paying extra is the master luthier's adjustments and some special woods (don't get me started on wood selection!)

Machines are now extremely accurate and can replicate any specs you like down to the millimeter.

So why take the risk of having an instrument with probably human-errors, and not let a machine replicate my favourite guitar, and at the end have a good luthier check it for any adjustments?

I'm with ya In the end, it really comes down to a given guitar and a given player.

100% agree!

I have seen a lot of people who tried to re-sale (at a high price) a modded Squier and failed, even though it deserved the money asked.

But if you do not intend on selling, it's up to the guitar which is the most comfortable to play. Basically, which guitar has the best neck for you

Yup. It's not hard to tell which ones are the "keepers" imho, just from playing them for a bit. I sold my precious IBANEZ 3570z when someone offered me way to much to pass up. I still have my ancient rg560 and rg7620 and they are both so beat up from gigging that they don't have much curb appeal. They ares still my favorite guitars though

Exactly.
I have a Japanese Fender Jazzmaster and a Mexican Tele that I love and are 'keepers'. They didn't cost me much and frankly, they're not worth much but they are great sounding and great playing guitars. I do have a couple of Gibsons, a 335 and a vintage LP 'special' that I did buy because I got a great deal on them and I know they will be worth way more than I paid for them (they already are) and at some point I will sell them. Someone will offer me way too much money to pass up. I buy and sell all the time. It's fun and I make some dough.
As passionate as I am about guitars (and amps) - they are just tools. There are ALWAYS good ones out there at a price you can afford if you're willing to look and be patient.

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

Don't miss today's free blues, jazz & country licks. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!