So, i bought this guitar and it's now my favorite guitar. But i did have to make a few changes. The tuning machines were a bit rough, so I swapped those for some tone ninjas which seem to be working fine so far. They also lock. The nut was a bit tall, so i put a graph tech nut on there and did a lot of fret work. The frets are medium height, i wasn't sure if i would like that but i do. Especially after a lot of filing and polishing. I kept having string breakage. I do not play jazz, i really pounded on this instrument. This was mostly on the D string and e string and the culprit were the string saddles, which place a tremendous pressure on a fine, sharp point and the edges of the tail piece tube where the strings make contact. I filed those down with a set of needle files and replaced the string saddles with graph tech string saddles. There is nothing wrong with these pickups, but I am going to change the pickups for fishman fluence tosin abasi pickups just because this guitar is now my favorite. I've also done other little things like a custom pickguard, truss rod cover and I'm considering fretboard inlays, but that's entirely cosmetic. I placed glow in the dark side position dots directly below the regular ones, which is really all you need. Especially in the dark. I love it. So thanks for the great video which turned me onto it. These guitars are wonderful. They just need a bit of fine tuning and a few better parts and it's better than a gipson. 🤷♂️
I bought one of these before seeing this video. Some striang buzz that got fixed and I put in Benedetto pickups! This is now a sweet guitar on par with others selling for thousands!!
Nice to see a 7 string that's not made for metal. An honest Chinese guitar that doesn't seem like a clone of another brands design. What's it like for tuning stability?
@@guitarman430 Not sure if you've found a working contact for them yet, if not try contacting "Asian Customized Guitar Store" on Ali. He's got pretty decent English and lists Grote brand products on his store, should be able to fill the missing link.
Thinking about buying one of these for my first 7 string. I've been really inspired by George Van Eps lately and this seems like a good affordable way to break into the 7 string world. Thanks for the great review!
I purchase one of Grote Guitars for learning more jazz theory. I've had this guitar since the beginning of the year 2017. The company was little werid i got the guitar without the pick guard. I order the guitar with. They sent a guard it totally was misaligned. I didn't fit because of that. The guitar itself plays great I had my name place on the headstock that came out awesome. For rest of the guitar after set up it plays very well. Good for studying seven string concepts for the price.
Hi, nice review and thanks for playing tunes I know well in a style I want to learn myself! Makes it much easier to decide. I'm going to my first electric after 40 years of playing classical, so the wider fret board on this won't be a problem, I'll just have to adjust to the feel of steel strings, (and an additional one after seeing this video.) I'm moving to electric to play using headphones most of the time so as to not wake my housemates. But, I have some questions, how loud is this unplugged? Will I be able to play in my room at night without annoying everyone else? I was about to pull the trigger on an LP clone as a solid body will be the quietest, and I like the LP shape. But, I would prefer a semi-hollow, and with this I keep close to the LP styling. I've been repairing and setting up my own instruments for years, so I can fix any imperfections once I learn enough to need it. The unplugged volume could be the only deal-breaker.
I have played it unplugged and it can be heard. Is it loud enough to be heard by the player? Yes. Is it too loud? No. Will bother anyone? Not if they are reasonable people. Hope this helps.
Any other suggestions for a 7 string hollow? Seems none of the big brands make them at this time. May end up going with one like this grote, or else keep checking the used market.
@@riverheightsmusic I think thats what I am going to shoot for. There was definitely at least one up on reverb the first time look, but I held off on it thinking my 7 string itch might not be that serious. I think Im going to go for it soon and start switching over to a 7
Seems nice enough. How are these acoustically? I know that's not really the point but I'm having a hard time finding an affordable acoustic 7 string to do stripped down versions of my band's music. Just wondering how loud it is unplugged and whether getting one cheap would be enough to get some volume and maybe also play through an amp if I need to cut through the rest of the band (similar to what one of the guitarists for The Contortionist did in their Rediscovered session). In short, is it fairly loud acoustically so that I can do mellow versions of metal songs that use baritone and standard range throughout?
Swap out the pickups with a couple of P90s? It sounds pretty good, as you pointed slightly basy, but for a couple of hunny, I'd say it was money well spent. You got chops brother!! Jack Lake Simcoe Ontario
Hey Jack, thanks for the kind words. I am going to get my $200 out of what I got and then re-evaluate. I am thinking of swapping out everything after that year.
Its been 2 years now, what do you think? Would you recommend it? Did you ever change the pickups? I kinda want to buy the same guitar, same manufacturer etc. I see they have one in a very nice black/grey color available now.
Hey, I just got my Grote 7 string semi hollow. Thank you so much for your video and replying to me. I found one in sunburst color. 200 shipped to my door. I opted for one with only a neck pickup and no pick guard. I think it sounds incredible considering where it came from and the price. I can't wait to start writing with it. Thanks again, and one more thing, not only have you helped me find a great instrument, but you inspire me with your playing.
thanks for your review! just ordered one, hope they worked out those little details on the neck. very nice looking guitar. did you replace any electronics/pickups? any issues on the long run? cheers!
Cliff Barcliff I have not. I have decided it is my travel/flying/outdoor gig guitar. I like this guitar for that. Any modification would cost more that the actual guitar. I have gotten good at having a less bassy sound.
Robert, I just received in the mail the same model. In your review you said you lowered the action and put on new strings. How did you lower the action and what strings would you recommend. Did you have to adjust the neck? Thanks, Cliff
Hi Cliff, I lowered the action at the tun-o-matic bridge. Because mine was fresh off the factory floor (the finish still smelled) I spent a lot of time adjusting the truss rod. I tried flatwounds but round wounds worked better. I have used Fender and D'addario and both are fine always 11's
Your review page has gone missing... I'm considering one of these to convert to a wide neck 6 string, as I'm 6'6" (198.12 cm) with giant hands & long fingers to match. Matt Raines has a similar axe for $1200... Eastman does for $2500+... I have an 8 string Strat-type that was converted to 6 string, and it's got a really wide neck (54mm nut w/47.5mm E to E there), 72mm@saddle! --- this is for 6 string, not 7, so E to E...). I'm looking into Luthier built 8 string width 6 string true archtop for big bucks and a one year+ wait, so maybe one of these in the interim, even if it's a little small? And importantly, to test if it is the "Goldilocks" size. I'm new to guitar, but sax since 1973 and keys since 1969 (Hammond Organ, originally). IS THERE ANY WAY you could kindly measure the nut, nut E to B (lowest string for yours as a 7...) @ the nut, E to B @ the 12th string and E to B @ the bridge /saddle? I would really appreciate it. I enjoy your playing!
Thanks for the heads up, I changed web providers and the url got changed 48mm at the nut 62mm at the 12th fret Bridges are pretty standardized but, the string width is 64mm at the bridge Hope this helps!
@@riverheightsmusic Hi! Thank you! Is that 48mm FOR the nut, or 48mm top to bottom string AT the nut? Yeah, it's the string width I'm interested in - the wider the better at the bridge. 64mm is actually bigger than the 61mm the Eastman yields @ the bridge. Would this Grote compare favorably to the Eastman or Raines 7 strings, if you know? The guy in England who converted my Strat-type advises using one of these for the "donor" instrument.
Grote seen it come in a 12-string model also I haven't seen it in an 8 string I seen the 7 string like you're playing 7 hollow body some of them they call them seven string jazz I see some people upgrade them with dual Fishman Fluence pickups & on eBay a few other sites I seen some other models also agility & Ninja & ghost few other brands I seen & I seen videos on 7 string & 8 string 12 string but not too many on 9 string guitars I wanted to know if you can do a review on a 9-string guitar I seen some guitars to make them with more strings now but they play them with the more strings but people say they are afraid to play the 9 string that it's too much too with the duel humbuckers you probably can get a 9 string on eBay or one of the sites for and do a review on it
Dude! You ROCK! or I gues *jazz.* It's good, whatever you call it. Be a little nicer if you reviewed the guitar more & played less tho.' You got chops, how about sharing the 411 on this ultra-cheap geetar?