Mayones Aquila Elite S: UNBIASED REVIEW (spoiler, it's amazing) 

You can definitely add a 5-way to the plini model! Tone pot would be a bit of a big job, but I never use a tone pot for rock and metal, only for more delicate stuff :)

I appreciate that William!! I may do more reviews. I got the Neural DSP Quad Cortex at the same time as this guitar, so reviewing that machine would be an appropriate next step probably.

Preesh!! 🙏🏼

thanks so much!! This one definitely took some time to put together haha.

Ayyy thank you much! Glad it was fun :) More guitar reviews on the way. I have the Mateus Asato sig, Tim Henson sig, and Plini signature Sälen model all on deck.

Thanks, Andy! I’ve been searching for a long time, it’s nice to finally settle on something. 😅 It’s a culmination of the last 12 years of trial and error with guitar specs.

ayyy! let’s go! Thanks for that 😇

I appreciate that much. I just haven’t made a lot of content for myself. I’m busy making films for other people! haha. I think that baritone aquila is SICK. i want one.

There are alot of gear guys out there

I’m glad it was useful to you! Are you shopping for an Aquila?

Oh man, I really appreciate that! I do commercial videography on the side of my guitar teaching business 😁😁 I’m glad you enjoyed it. What spec did you end up ordering on your aquila???

@@Plant_Based_Riffs well, I'll have the "standard" specs on the Aquila S with a blue top. I struggled to find a dealer that had this guitar, when I found one, he said that the current delays to get one of these from mayones is 13 to 15 months... But he had already ordered one months ago, so I reserved it right away! So didn't really have the choice of the specs, but I wanted the blue top anyway! Will probably swap the pickups for silos as well, tho!

@@axelongaro1261 nice that works out well! I'm now very interested in Nolly's new signature pickup, the Ploymath. I think I might try those in the Aquila soon. I really do love the VHII set, so I'm going to be sticking to these for a while. Do you know if you got a mahogany body or a swamp ash one?

​@@Plant_Based_Riffs I'll have the swamp ash one as well! My guitar will come with a set of Lollar imperial, which I believe are P.A.F. clones, I'm quite surprised that they decided to put "vintage" type of Pickups in such a modern looking guitar. I wasn't aware of the new Nolly pickups. After hearing the demo, now I'll have to buy these someday as well! But I guess you can't go wrong with bare knuckles pickups!

Thanks much! Hit me up on instagram if you have any questions about it 💪🏻 @plant_based_riffs

ayy. love that. :) what color did you get?

@@Plant_Based_Riffs it's a Trans custom colour, like a blue burst it's so beautiful

Thanks so much man! You da goat.

Yup! Same exact neck wood and finish. :)

Thank you much! I have a song on spotify with another one on the way within the next month hopefully! I appreciate the streams and the support :]

haha YES! 🏆 that was my goal. 😂 Thanks a bunch.

Mayones is king, no question 💪🏻

the core classic is so appealing. I love the subtlety of the carve. what finish did you get?

hahaaaa! Man you’re camping out for black friday in April with that 100k subs remark 😂 hopefully one day! And you’re going to absolutely love it. What are your specs?

haha My main comparison point between the two would be that the trem feels better on the Aquila, I also like the shape of the neck better on the Aquila, the components are in the correct place for my hands, and the Aquila sits up from my leg a bit more. The PRS leg carve is so deep that the strings are kinda low, and so PRS bodies are typically less comfortable for me to play sitting down. Also, this is a flat top, like a strat, so there is no little edge that digs into my forearm like there is on a PRS. Still love my PRS tho, but will be setting it up for D Standard probably. As far as smell goes, it smells delightful, but not as good as a PRS fresh out of a case 😂 That case glue is magical. 🤣🔮💫

Yo! I’m gonna have to confirm. I’m currently moving across the country but I’m sitting in the AirBnB with the mayo in my lap as I type this lolol. I am nearly positive that position 2 is the bridge-side coil on both pups, and position 4 is the neck-side coil on both pups. :) I personally prefer 2 to be the inside coils, and 4 to be the neck-side coil of the neck pup by itself, but this is a cool arrangement too. Different vibes! I swapped the pups for the polymath set and had it wired the same as factory.

@@Plant_Based_Riffs That's so awesome haha. I definitely agree with you about inner coils and outer neck split as those are my favourite split positions too (although I do like neck in parallel as well). The polymath is one of my favourite pickup sets ever, so it's super cool that you got it installed on the aquila. All the best for your travels!

Awesome! That’s a worthy goal. You will love it and cherish it as an heirloom to pass down.

@@Plant_Based_Riffs I have wanted a Mayones for a very long time however I'm too poor to ever own one as I only have a part time job because of my dissociative disorders. That said, I loved your quirky reviews and top notch playing, had to sub. Btw, your cat is gorgeous:)

@@MICKEYISLOWD There are many more affordable brands who deliver on high quality. Mayones is good, but the PRS S2 series are really quite phenomenal if you’re looking for a ton of value in a less expensive guitar. I wouldn’t say my Mayo is worth like 2.5 the price of a PRS S2.

@@Plant_Based_Riffs I recently played a Yamaha Pacifica which is the 1221 model. It has a Compound Radius, very low profile so counter sunk bridge, all the knobs and toggle switch is in the perfect place like an Ibanez. It has a slim body and deep cutaways and importantly very light weight 'cause of the basswood body. It feels effortless to play. The only problem is finding one for sale as they haven't made them for decades. I put out searches to notify me if and when one is available. The other model is the 921 version with 22 frets instead of 24 and either will do. I like the Strat moderns that PRS and other companies have made popular, also the Nick Johnston signature model by Schechter is a budget version. My guitar has 8 gauge strings only because the action is very high or it frets out starting at the 15th frets and on the low E string it buzzes all over which I can't stand. It is a shame because it's very lightweight and has good sounding ceramic Pups. I want to play 9-10s strings with a low action all done with the Plek machine which is worth it in my opinion. The Mayones had a Plek action where all strings had perfection action and bending was effortless with SS frets and that action.

@@MICKEYISLOWD Plek is a good system, but even then some things need to be adjusted after the fact. Plek gets you very close tho!! :)

Yep! Still have it and it still rocks! I have picked up a suhr modern that I really love as well. I called this Mayo the “best 24 fret guitar money can buy” but truth be told, I haven’t played every 24 fret guitar haha. There are tons of other great ones :)

haha they’re so unappreciative 😂🤣

Sure do! Hit me up on my instagram @plant_based_riffs and I can get those to you! It will be the tab for the full version of this song titled “Self Luminous Red.”

Hit me up on instagram and I'll give you the rundown if you'd like. :] more conducive to conversations @plant_based_riffs

i’ve played a few! very well made instruments. :)

Thanks! I actually feel bad - Shoulda shouted out the dealer. I got it from Sebastopol Music.

@@Plant_Based_Riffs right on! Guessed as much. They have very nice and unique pieces of mayones.

@@TheSoundsOfSirens for sure. Mayones sent out an email with a bunch of instruments for the 2021 show guitars, and Alain picked this one and a few others. Had I not been searching for Aquilas every single day online, I wouldn’t have gotten to it fast enough probably.

Keep searching! I found this one by accident after looking around reverb for several weeks - just to see if anything would pop up! One will pop up eventually :)

​@@Plant_Based_Riffs Found you beucase of the AM7 review, but sub'd cuz.. wow, love your playing. Did you swap in some Polymaths in the Aquila? I think i saw the etch. Would love a review of those, or the Silos if that's what you dropped in.

@@sagenev Thank you! Yeah I did eventually sup in the polymaths. They are absolutely incredible. I should do a review. They are very punchy and mid forward. Definitely really awesome.

@@Plant_Based_Riffs Yeah, please review them. Would love to hear you take on them. While you're at it, review the new Suhr.

@@sagenev reverb.com/item/65917796-mayones-aquila-elite-s-6? Here’s pretty much the exact same spec as mine, color and pickups are different, but I changed the pups anyway as you know! :)

Ditto. To top it off, TA would have a perfectly cut nut.

Man, it’s not even a question for me. Mayones all day. I have played (and owned) several PRSs, and they are phenomenal, but you already have the carve top thing with the regius, and the Aquila is just a delicious guitar. The neck is a little thicker than most PRS neck carves it seems, and of course the top is flat with an arm bevel, so if you’re really wanting another carve top, the PRS may be the deal. I really like flat tops and strat-esque bodies that sit high on my lap. PRS seems to sink a little low down, which isn’t a huge deal, but it’s just not my first preference. The good news: it’s 2024, guitars are all sick, so you could go either way and end up with a very high quality guitar.

@@Plant_Based_Riffs thanks for the reply brother, I thought the same thing about the carved top thing! I'm actually more inclined towards the Mayones! The beefier neck is a plus for me as well

@@alejandroglz.b.4590 Nice! That sounds like the Aquila will do the trick then! Enjoy man :] I still love my PRS 408, but it's just a completely different guitar.

Oh man, I’m glad to hear! The duvell’s are suhWEET. What woods did you go with?

@@Plant_Based_Riffs it’s a poplar burl top, mahog body. Natural matte finish. It’s Basically the Duvell elite 7 you see as soon as you open the custom order configurator without changing any options lol

@@donray8914 oh nice! Don’t fix what ain’t broke 😆

Thank you! I like your username, how long have you been vegan?

@@Plant_Based_Riffs I'm vegan since May 2013. Just saw your Instagram name. Are you vegan as well? I watched my neighbours chickens from the window after eating chicken nuggets. I liked them so much and realized I ate one of them. That's how it all began. Before Corona I was an animal activist, mostly with Anonymous for the Voiceless.

@@rockinvegan1765 That’s awesome, and that’s so sad about the chicken 😔. I watched some slaughterhouse footage and that was enough for me. The fear, the unnecessary torture. So devastating. But yeah, I’m vegan fa sho! My instagram is @Plant_based_riffs 😅 I wear it on my sleeve basically haha. I’ve only been vegan since november of 2015, but I’ve really enjoyed it. I feel way more healthy.

@@Plant_Based_Riffs Wow, that's really a long time. I'm always happy to meet other vegans :) Glad you enjoy it. For me it was the best decision in my life. It is really unnecessary tortue. I will never understand why most people don't get it. I'm so sad about it. This is the only thing I don't like being vegan, the ignorance of others. I'm plant based as well and eat like Dr. Gregers Daily Dozen. I think this is a great concept. Plant Based Riffs is a great name. I will follow you on Instagram. Stefan

@@rockinvegan1765 I’m not familiar with the Daily Dozen thing, I’ll have to look it up! But yeah man, glad to meet another guitarist in solidarity 💪🏼🌱

I will say the neck is relatively thick for a modern guitar. Maybe slightly less mass than a Suhr Classic S. It’s thicker than my PRS pattern thin neck and my Charvel GG sig that I mentioned, but it’s definitely still modern and playable. I typically enjoy a slightly thicker neck on a guitar more than one that is pencil thin. It’s kinda like shaking the hand of an old friend versus holding a dead fish. But I wouldn’t necessarily call it a THICC neck lol. I can imagine the Regius silhouette has a thinner neck to be sure.

@@Plant_Based_Riffs Haha I like that comparison! Okay well that doesn't sound too bad. I'm not really into the super thin kinda like Ibanez wizard profile either. But I don't care for baseball bats for necks either haha. Thanks for the feedback! Time to hunt for one of these myself

@Przemek Good question. I would say that the Aquila feels very strat-y. That's why I like it. The neck is certainly not as thin as an ibanez wizard neck for sure,

@@VentusGuitar it is a baseball neck bro at least to my hands. It’s chunky and round.

@@byronh77 I got one myself and it is pretty big but not massive I've gotten pretty used to it

I have! They are delightful instruments. :) Definitely some of the best.

Hey! Here’s a comment I posted answering someone else’s similar question:😁 I will say the neck is relatively thick for a modern guitar. Maybe slightly less mass than a Suhr Classic S. It’s thicker than my PRS pattern thin neck and my Charvel GG sig that I mentioned, but it’s definitely still modern and playable. I typically enjoy a slightly thicker neck on a guitar more than one that is pencil thin. It’s kinda like shaking the hand of an old friend versus holding a dead fish. But I wouldn’t necessarily call it a THICC neck lol. I can imagine the Regius silhouette has a thinner neck to be sure.

@@Plant_Based_Riffs awesome, thank you sir 🙏🏻🙂

hahahaha Nah I mean no disrespect, but it IS true. You almost don’t want the knobs to move because one might be busy thrashing about on stage. Don’t want an awkward volume drop haha. I think the scale length is 25.5” but don’t quote me on that 😯

@@Plant_Based_Riffs None taken, how could I take offense when my Duvell didn't come with a tone knob, loop hole.

Nope. Would love to try one tho!

yup!

@@Plant_Based_Riffs thin U neck or C?

@@Plant_Based_Riffs they using Jescar or Dunlop?

@@BagusWibisono I wouldn’t call it a thin neck. But it’s a C shape. There’s a comment here somewhere where I describe the neck more. As far as frets go, I assume they’re jescar, but you’ll have to ask Mayones directly for that info :)

I had a JP13 for a while which was very similar (if not exactly) the same as the JP15. Really nice guitar! Neck was a little skinny, but it played better than my JP6 at the time. I’ve never played a Suhr Modern, but everyone i’ve talked to has always told me that they are very stiff playing guitars. I love my Suhr Classic Antique though!!

Thank you! No idea who John Brown is 🥶🥶

@@Plant_Based_Riffs guitarist for monuments and fellsilent

@@Plant_Based_Riffs worth checking out monuments they are good!

@@jordanmuller2735 Oh yeah! I’ve heard of Monuments - I think I even have some of their stuff in a spotify playlist. I need to listen while paying attention to it though haha. Thanks for the recommendation :)