Firefly Guitars Vs. Westcreek... is it just the same guitar?? 

I like the looks of the Westcreek, but the pickups in the Firefly sound better, in my opinion.

i closed my eyes during the whole sound comparison section, and i couldn't tell any remarkable difference between the two.

I bought that exact Westcreek guitar recently. It was great out of the box and looks fantastic. The stock pickups are pretty good, tuned down to drop C and it was still fairly clear. As Max mentioned in a pervious video, the neck is fairly thick, its not bad by any means but as someone who prefers a thinner neck, I filed it down and took about an eighth of an inch out of it and It feels a lot better, hopefully in future models it comes with a thinner neck as a stock feature.

All I can say is that I am glad that West Creek came out because you cannot buy Firefly guitars here in Canada, but regarding West Creek you can buy in Canada, and they now have about 6 or more different guitar designs, so that is very good and cool. And yes, they are all very affordable guitars, built very good and most of the reviews here on You Tube have been very positive. You want to buy a Gibson explorer and pay $3000-$6000 dollars, even the Epiphone explorers range from $929-$2500 dollars Canadian, very expensive. Anyways thanks for your input Max on these great budget guitars. Cheers and Rock On!

Trust me I have since the 80's redesigned guitars to be practical for mass production. I have worked closely with factories mostly in Asia. A company would never put the down time into to making 2 near identical guitars when simply changing paint colors and perhaps knobs or pickguards when their was zero reason for the end user to even care.

it's still very likely that these were made in the same factory. Seeing the serial numbers would be very telling. Typically the serial number formats differ between factories, so if they had the same overall format (same number of digits, same prefix letters, etc) then you can be pretty sure they came out of the same factory. The differences in shape and any potential differences in pickups don't mean that they didn't come from the same factory. The fact that the fretboards, frets, inlays, binding, and overall hardware is so similar indicates that these likely did come from the same place.

I believe I have a newer Firefly Explorer-type guitar I got in April 2024, and it now has the notch at the bottom, though it's a shorter notch than on the Westcreek, so it's still different---the notch helps the guitar stay on a regular guitar stand that I have.

I had both of these. The Firefly was setup from the factory much better. Nice low action, right out of the box. No setup needed. The Westcreek was not bad setup wise, but just not as good, at least for my preferences. I gave my Westcreek to a young guy, who was just getting started with guitar, but I kept the Firefly. I like the blue better!

Max, your reviews are the best! Thanks and keep em coming.

Great video. My personal opinion is these are two separate brands that have the same factory building guitars for them to slightly different designs approved by each company. I think the similarities outweigh the differences. My hotter take suspicion is that these come from the same factories that also produce counterfeit guitars 🤔

Great video! I tend to agree with you about those guitars but I'm happy with my Schecter model with the Floyd Rose.

Max ..I got a Firefly West-creek explorer clone I guess ..westcreek body style black pick ups firefly logo on the headstock purple flame top …knobs are in the firefly configuration covers on the back are firefly configurations ..strap knobs are placed different than both of your west creek and firefly ..plays good for my armature skills

I just picked up a West Creek Cerbus blue Sparkle flake. Very 80's plays and sounds great. The tuners could be better but they work.

Interesting comparison, I would be curious to know if the K values on the pickups were the same or if they were different.

I have a few firefly guitars,and a couple west creek although both are great budget guitars along with Leo jamez guitars.

I love my Revenge. I did put Wilkinson cream and black pups in it. Matches the binding really well. Awesome guitar for the money

Hey Max great video as always. I absolutely agree with your opinion ,and you have been fair to point out that QC and soldering could perhaps be a factor in the difference in tone. I myself have bought some of these affordable guitars and like Chibsons,you can tweek them to sound better ,and that's because I have put the effort to upgrade the nut, pups and harness, etc. The steel rounded frets are one great thing, my question is how was the neck and fret set up from the box??? Thanks again Max!! Alex from Toronto Canada.

they aren't made in the same factory, and thats a good thing. and at the same time, it doesn't matter. what matters is quality and performance and both do well overall.

I think that you hit the nail on the head regarding the control cavities. There is no reason in the world that a business would add the complexities to their business that are required to produce two different types of cavities on their otherwise very similar instruments. 🙂

Both made in Weifang, Shandong Province, China. Westcreek by Weifang Hengyl. Firefly by Weifang Jeson (Why it say backed by JSN on the headstock). Other Weifang guitar companies are Weifang Rebon (Reebon Guitars), Weifang HongYun, and Weifang Dison.

the comparison video we all wanted.

I ordered the firefly, and the vendor substituted and shipped me the Westcreek. I am thrilled with this guitar and will be using to gig at some point in the near future. I have more expensive guitars, Gretsch, schecter, and Ibanez. The Westcreek plays as well as any of them.

In your future videos, it would be great if you could check the pickup output. I Asked 6stringstanger and bald shredder to do this, and they do it in every video now

Nice video Max. I bought the same color Westcreek guitar. I had to raise the action as I had fret buzz. I have upgraded the bridge pick up with a spare I had from a Jackson guitar and it sounds much better. 😊

I like the horn and the knob placement of the Westcreek. Not a fan of that little curve on the bottom near the strap button though.

Amazing what you can get for a couple of hundred bucks these days. I bought a Censtar 24 fret Ibanaez style guitar, put in some good pickups and simplified wiring, and it keeps up with or exceeds my expensive guitars. Stainless steel frets, too.

I have that revenge in purple my best friend bought it for me as a divorce present. I love it, it competes no problem with my 02 Gibson classic and every custom i have ever owned, Dean USA and Korean Models, is ten times better than a prs s2. It just needs some pickups and electronics upgrades. Incredible value

Awesome review! It is amazing what is available at the lower price point for guitars these days. Thanks for all the helpful info. It was great to run into you and talk about guitars for a few at Sharkys the other day! If you ever want to collab on a video... or jam in the freeway tunnels, let me know! haha. Have a good one!

Most guitars made in China are assembled in one industrial city in Southern China dedicated to making musical instruments. So, it's quite possible that many of the same parts would appear on these guitars since the parts factories are right next door to each other.

Great video comparison! I find myself watching your picking hand. You're a great player! Ever had breakfast at the Maltby cafe? I live close to Woodinville....You go back a ways I think.

Hmm... what are the possibilities of two different manufactures buying necks from the same outsource. Hence the essentially identical head stock, frets, neck and fret board wood. Each manufacturer slaps the same neck onto their only somewhat dissimilar bodies, hardware and electronics. Makes sense to me. BTW All manufactures out source something on their products.

Interesting comparison... Yeah the West Creek Guitars are definitely Awesome 😎. Both Firefly and West Creek make good guitars. Cheers 🍻 🥃🥃 🎸 🎵🎶🎶🎶

It might be worth pulling the pickups long enough to flip them over and see if they have the same maker's mark on the back. A lot of cheap imports seem to use the same humbuckers, across multiple brands.

I like them both.

despite the obvious similarities, definitely 2 different guitars, warmer, more mid-rangy tone on the Firefly (at least that's how I hear it), sharper and more high range on the Westcreek.... Firefly for me, thank you very much!

I like the shape of the Westcreek better! but want it as a BASS GUITAR

I disagree with you Max. As a CNC programmer, it wouldn't take much editing to the program to get the difference you see in the two guitars. One factory- two guitars...easy.

Honestly @ the end of the day those bodies are just a model they stick in a CNC machine. The only reason to keep the cavities the same is to maybe save a few pennies on covers by ordering bulk. Or we could have two factories using the same necks from a supplier, because neither want to spend money on machinery and time to make their own necks.

The purple guitar has hotter pick ups !!And it’s sounds clearer. Overall it sounds better to my ears

The new Firefly body has a notch and a different horn more like the Westcreek. I prefer the older Firefly body like you have.

I have a WC Revenge from the first batch that showed up on Amazon back in late ‘22. Absolutely love it, it is hands-down the best of the 10 axes in my humble budget-friendly collection. Came right out of the box that way needing only minor intonation adjustments. I have an old screen cap of the Amazon listing that shows it spec’s with a maple neck, whereas I recall FF having mahogany. That - and pickups of course (which vary wildly within the same models from FF) could be a big reason for the brighter sound on the WC.

Your playing demos always make me want to go listen to "2 Minutes to Midnight" by Iron Maiden

love the wreck sound and shape

The West creek is the better sounding of the two with a much fuller range of sound from the pickups. I own a couple of Fireflys and they are great budget guitars. I like that Westcreek gutiar better for the full sound not being muted like the Firefly guitars. That one difference in sound can be atributed to the capacitors being of proper UF .022 is th optimum with a 400 v output for a humbucker pickup. I personally if I could get them is the Mallory .022 Uf 600v electrolytic capapcitors for humbuckers Like I used with the Di Marzio super distortion II humbuckers that created such great tone and susutain on a guitar that built my self.

Like the color shape and clean tones of the FFLX. Like the distorted tones of the Westcreek. Westcreek pickups are brighter

I own one of each. Both are SG types. The West Creek played and sounded much better and was setup perfect out of the box. Not to say the Firefly was horrible it wasn't.

Would you ever consider doing a collab with Glen of Spectre Sound studios, as he is also in the journey for great affordable guitars. I think your expertise in guitar and his knowledge of soundstudios and music production as a whole, would be a very interesting synergy. Great video!

West Creek sounded better to me but the first volume knob might get in the way though. Both of them are on my pawn shop list.

No! They are of different colors! Totally different!

It's quite possible they come from the same Chinese factory with the ability to rapidly switch production with CNC methods. Sound wise they split me because at times I liked one and then the other on different tonal settings. I have the Westcreek Revenge and it is a well made guitar and is very well finished for the budget price point. The Firefly is in the same ball park really - I prefer the Westcreek looks marginally but they are pretty much the same guitar!

They both sounded great! I wouldn't say one is better than the other.

I was actually pretty surprised at how different they sounded. I mean, it's not huge difference, but enough to definitely notice. I thought the Westcreek was a bit crisper than the Firefly.

The configuration and the placement of the knobs is different I actually bump mine all the time and prefer them to not be directly underneath my back pickup

There’s a lot of different cuts in the body shape. Judging by that and the cuts for the controls and the placement of the controls, I would say the bodies were made in different factories, but the necks were probably made in the same factory.

There's a firefly on guitars garden right now with that notch cutout

Ah, when you took the gain down the character came out. The Firefly has more warmth, the Westcreek more cut. The Firefly for being the only guitarist in a 3-piece, the Westcreek for being lead in a 4-piece

I love my Westcreek Revenge!

Both sound great. I like the more humbucker warmth of the Westcreek. That’s a good comparison. What’s the price point comparison?

Great Demo..I think that the West Creek has a heavier brighter sound than the Firefly..

i’d say just throw some seymour duncan’s in either one and some locking tuners and you’d have a stage ready shredder,i’d take the blue one if it came in a left handed version

The colour is different, but when i heard you playing my choice is the yellow one! 🤤

Max they are different, similar looking but definitely different

Definitely a question a lot of Firefly fans have been asking. The only problem is that the Firefly you were using is the old version. The new one they sell on Amazon is even more like the West Creek as far as body goes.

My FF seems to be a good copy of a schecter which I like a lot

Up and down picking it

Both are amazing guitars

Q: Will you take Tyco or Lego? A: Yes. The Westcreek model puts me in mind of the body shapes that Dean has been making that keep triggering Gibson to take Armadillo to court. Nothing against Firefly, but I think that’s partly why I would probably most likely get the Westcreek model if I wanted one of these for me.

The Firefly pickups seems to have more tonal dynamics to me. Thanks

Firefly has a new design got the purple one from Amazon when they released it

which came with better intonation and fretwork?

I think the Westcreek surely sounded better on the palmmutes, thus better for metal! Other than that, no major differences in sound. I prefer the shape and color of the Westcreek as well 💜 Too bad it's NEVER been available to order from the German Amazon, which is the only place that I've found it here in Europe... And I do believe they might be coming from the same factory, they just use different blueprints for the shapes to differentiate the brands, as almost everything else is the same, as u pointed out. One thing that is telling is the package! If they came packed EXACTLY the same, they probably come from the same factory!

Imo the purple pickups are better quality smoother harmonics balance sustain, just my opinion tho

I think you are correct

I haven't tried Westcreek yet, but I own two Fireflies, a FFSP with the stainless frets and a 7-string Aerosonic (semi-hollow body). As for the two guitars in this video, they "could" be from the same company. With everything CNC machined these days it's literally just a software choice to switch between one guitar to another. I do think they utilize the same neck at the core.

Awesome video Max 🎉

Your reviews of budget guitars is great. Lots of info. 🤘🎸🎶

i've had the firefly explorer 1 1/2 years now and i still love it. ofcourse i gave it better pickups. but the one thing im not a huge fan of, is that its quite buzzy. could be the steel frets or maybe needs a higher quality bridge? or is it just because the wood is very hollow? but anyway, i love this thing and its the longest lasting (cheap) guitar i've ever owned after 15yrs, that i still use and isn't just sitting on the wall looking cool. yes i've never kept a guitar that was under $500 for more than a year, i recycle guitars alot and get bored easily.

The Firefly sounds the best. More harmonics.

I'm looking at Guitarsgarden right now, and the Firelfy FFVK body now looks identical to the Westcreek. I think you're comparing an older model maybe?

I like the lighter blue one, it sounds a bit " Fatter", and is great colour. Great review, many thanks from Dave, in Hastings, South England, Coolio, Bruv!

I like the sound and the look of both guitars. The blue one looks better to me, but I'd need it to be Left Handed can I get a lefty one or not regards Michael.

Is it just me, or do the mids sound more scooped on the firefly?

As neither one has their own Factory in there, just branding via a Chinese company. It is very likely that even if they are different brands or companies, they are made in the same factories

Firefly now has the notch

Objectively, the Westcreek seems to have some advantages... but on an emotional level I kinda just like the Firefly more. The body profile looks nicer to me, and though the sound isn't as punchy, it has a kind of chipper quality to it that's very pleasant.

I had to do another comment about cnc issues because it’s an interesting topic to me. As far as whether they were made in different factories, I initially agreed about trying to rationalize the oddly specific differences. But I saw a comment about cnc programming, and now I’m not as sure as I was. It’s true that it’s just a matter of entering a program. But I have questions about whether it’s worth it. Is it really as easy as entering some new math? If the same cnc is used to make two similar designs, is one copied and modified for the other? I tried to think of how physical labor would be a factor, but as far as I could figure, it’s just another build, like any other model contracted for production. I’m thinking maybe those guys had a point. Maybe those odd little differences would have a significant impacr if there was no cnc, but I don’t think it’s a big deal with cnc programming. Dude, thanks for the interesting cognitive exercise. 🤜💥🤛

I don't have a Firefly but will get one

Dangit currently unavailable

The Westcreek's bottom bump (cut-out shape?) might poke my eye out if I was running with it. If course, that notch also makes a great nose-placement when balancing that unit on the bridge of my nose. Others point out that the bump has protective qualities to save the strap button when standing on a vertically-held guitar, riding it down a hilly street (X Sports style, right?). The Firefly's smooth bottom would probably let the strap button get worn flat in the half a block. I don't know if you've taken them out and flung them like boomerangs - which one makes the best boomerage return? (That was one of the first practical uses of the X-body when engaged in combat - "fling an X-body guitar across the top of charging calvary, decapitate many and yet still get it back." No wonder Gibson tried to protect their weapons-shape technology!)

Agreed. The Firefly has a bit too much treble for me. The Westcreek sounds fatter. I like the look of the Firefly better though. Amazing what you can get for a few bucks these days. Dealers seem to be stuck with tons of Les Paul Standards and overpriced Strats that aren’t selling.

Keep doing these videos. I want to know about what you can get for very little money. I found a Chinese luthier about 12 years ago that would build or source almost any electric guitar I wanted for under $300, including case and shipping. I never got ripped off, the quality was decent and shipping took a long time 😞. I had no expectations. When I got a good guitar I was thrilled! They are all players after some simple adjustments. I gig them out and have never been called on it. They are tools for me to make a living. If I drop one, oh well. If one gets lifted while I am taking a leak, sucks for me. No one in the audience cares. They came to drink and try to meet girls. $5K guitars? Put them on your wall!

Very good demo

How hard would it be for the same guitar manufacturing company to get a customer request for a different routing speck for the set neck joint...just a different routing design program...easy peasy pock and easy

Dude what’s with the hallicrafter in the background? I have the sx111

Bingo, “to the Max”! Awesome video, bro. Ever since I saw them in one of those China apps, I sometimes wondered about the similarities/differences. The WestCreek one was there for a little while, then it was gone and the FireFly showed up. Made me real curious. I like the WestCreek better because of the sound quality. The WestCreek just sounds stronger by a noticeable notch that’s hard to miss in every setting. Is ir just a matter of pickups? Thanks for the bullseye topic. 🤜💥🤛

And I love it. Just really heavy

But, how do these compare to the Dean guitar of the similar bodystyle?

I had both of these models. I sent the FireFly back. The quality and playability just wasn't there compared to the Westcreek. Could have been isolated to the one I received.

I had a Westcreek V. Could not keep it in tune. I liked it. Sold it. The Ex type I like better. I want a FireFly thou.

Same factory building different brands, just like the CORT guitar plant. If the guitars are actually assembled in a different plant, I would say the necks are built at the same plant