This was a lot of fun to play and the pickups in this are some of the most versatile yet! The feel of this guitar is great and the pickups are some of the nicest I've tried this year. Let me know what you think. Check it out using the links below. 🛒 DI Music Australia - www.di-musiconline.com.au/who-we-work-with/ 🛒 Guitar Center -guitar-center.pxf.io/GjMkzV (affiliate link to Guitar Center)
Back in about 2006, the Rep for Michael Kelly came into the store I was managing. I wound up buying every guitar he had with him. Great company. Great guitars.
Great Job Shane! I love the way you play blues and the chords you’re playing are hard to decipher because you’re a lefty. Lol. Any thoughts of a few quick walk through lessons or tips for us? Chords and intervals? That would be awesome and I’m sure other viewers would love it too. Thank for the great demo! 👍
Finally a review of my exact model. Thanks! I do love it from a tone , build and of course looks perspective, but I have an issue with the nut possibly having too much relief, to the point where playing basic chords (or indeed any note) at or near the headstock causes the strings to bend a little and alter the pitch, throwing the tuning out. Don't know if others have had this issue with their Patriot OP's. As I say I love it in every other respect, but this is definitely an issue with my particular Decree.
Had my Patriot custom ltd for years and its still my fave lp style guitar, actually just bought the decree last week coz it was on a deal in caramel burst flame. The fret board isn't as 'rolled' but still pristine finishing in binding.. but the pickups are pretty good, whereas the Rockfield's tended to squeal a bit in live gigs. Got an Earvana nut on the custom and will do same on decree, though the intonation is excellent ootb. I'm tempted to go Dimarzio or Duncan's in a vintage output (And I think white pickups would look outstanding with the colour 😁)
I have this exact L-handed model and would definitely recommend it, although I do find the tone pots have a strange taper which basically means it sounds fairly bright most of the way until you turn it right down, and that's where you hear the sharp tonal drop-off. Lovely fretboard, the feel of the neck is a delight imho, it holds tuning pretty well and it was fairly playable out of the box, although a little truss rod adjustment sorted the problem I had with fretting at the first position, where this would cause the strings to bend slightly, so that almost any chord played in the first fret position would be out of tune with the rest of the fretboard. As I say, a little tightening of the truss rod completely cured that issue. Overall very good value for money and a lot of bang - and versatility - for the buck. And that finish is wonderful, although the MK pics of it are misleading.
This has got to be one of the nicest quality instruments you have ever reviewed!!!!!!! This will jar Gibson's and Fender's world Thru the body strings a nice touch.
Hey, how’s the attention to detail on the left handed elements? I notice they’ve got the truss rod cover upside down. Are the pots (especially the push pull pots) actually left handed audio taper or have they messed that up like most manufacturers seem to do?
Thanks mate. I've showcased plenty of guitars over the last few years outside of just blues players. :) I always try and mix things up. It's a monster of a guitar. :)
I have the cheaper base model Decree and the Rockfield pups sound pretty damn good for the price of the guitar. I did put in a set of Duncans, but, put t he Rockfields back in just sounded better in that guitar.
Stopped by local Guitar Center after work. Back on the used wall there was this Michael Kelley Patriot in Vintage White with aged bronze hardware, pickup covers and abalone fret markers. Pulled it down. Plugged it in. Played it a bit. Bought it. Took it home. Loving it.
2nd. last time I was this early on a new video. I had long hair and playing in a metal band....! Oh, other than the Harley Benton CST24, and Revstar RSP20CR I currently own. and mentioned to you in live chat a few times Shane. I picked up one of these Korean Michael Kelly guitars a while back, strat style '67 with a seymour duncan in the bridge, plays sensationally, and the SD sounds good enough for me!
Seems nice, but the past few years I have taken a dislike to a black on black with black highlights colour scheme. Love the heel, but the neck dive is strange considering it is not a light guitar.
I had a Patriot Decree once but only because I couldn't get an Epiphone Les Paul in the local music shop. It was a fine guitar but it's no looker. Sold it on to fund a Tokai purchase instead.
Very Nice Demo Shane. Guitar Sounds pretty Good and there are some real Nice Michael Kelly Guitars available. For me... I feel it needs a more radical Headtock Shape to suit the aesthetic of this one... Just Me though. Well Played.
Just recieved mine today.........absolutely gorgeous both asthetically and in playability. I got mine straight out of the factory, had to do some minor setup ie minor truss rod adjustment and tightning a couple of pieces of hardware but all normal. once setup.....wow. I payed $450 (RRP $1095). My opinion........WOW, this is a great guitar at RRP yet alone on sale price. Plays as good as my Gibson LP tribute. Highly reccomend. Note.....the bridge i thought was placed on backwards, but this is not the case as they seem to have gone this way with the bridge. Rock-on!
Interesting comment about the neck, the standard and the element yammies are MII , as are many of the MKG's models. Strangely enough, there is no distributor or dealer here, in Indo, for the MKG's. Why? population 275 mil and rising . As confuscious say, I smell wat .
Hey Shane. Enjoyed the video but I’m surprised that you say it’s heavy at 7.5lbs. That is lighter than most guitars these days, especially LP style guitars.
I might have mentioned this when you reviewed another Michael Kelly model , but when I hear Michael Kelly, I think of Boston’s finest Nick in the States!!!😆🤙🏾 This a cool LP styled guitar that doesn’t hurt the wallet. I do like the overall color and look of this guitar, it’s sleek and modern while having a hint of that traditional shape. Dig the video style Shane, keep it up!🎸🎸🎸🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾
100% we all owe Nick props for introducing the internet to this brand back in the day. I miss his videos. Hopefully he’ll start posting again down the track. 😊👍
Hey all! All is good at home. She’s fully healthy. I just juggled 2 jobs for the last year and change that left me wiped. I hope to do something again soon!
At $459.00 in the States its definitely a deal. This bird in the hand rocks some classic tones. The coil split doubles the possibilities. Very comfortable neck profile. I saw one in a wine red color with extremely pronounced wood grain. It's the affordable Gibson Les Paul option. Your video does a great job of tone demonstration. All around good rock clean or gained sound.
@zur13l13 what you consider hair splitting is merely context, scripture interpreting scripture, the historical interpretation, logic, and avoiding the 'adding or subtracting' from Scripture. Christ will return with kinds words....or with a sword?
I have owned American strats and tele’s. I just sold an custom shop peavey for 1500.00. I now own 2 MK guitars. I have a 20th anniversary patriot with Seymour Duncan 59 in neck and JB in bridge,coil split. Also a 55 mod tele style with Seymour Duncan mini in neck and a stag mag in the bridge,also splittable. For the money, you can’t beat them. Thanks for reviewing Michael Kelly .nice job Shane. Gary from Sarasota, Fl.
Not sure if you know Shane but yor links are not great. Guitar Centre goes to a change country page for Aust and the DI goes to a crazy "pick a store" page that sends folks in loops. MK makes great instruments All the best 👍✌😎
I've had one and MK give such a huge bang for the buck in terms of quality and versatility that I'll eventually get another onel They also have killer Strats and Teles.. Those Rockfield pickups are very good indeed..
I'm just curious...it looks like in the video you fingers are blackened......this didn't come from the guitar neck right? The specs say the fretboard in Ebony!
@@intheblues Thank you! I've never owned a guitar with an Ebony fretboard! I guess it is quite common for manufactures using a dye for the ebony fretboard. Looks like a nice guitar! Thank you for the review!
I have a 2009 Michael Kelly Patriot Decree. It's a solid, no nonsense guitar with the coil split. For the price point, it's hard to beat. Great review Shane. Thanks from Arizona.
Amazing sounding guitar and I like the experiments you are doing with the presentation format - I wish my Les Paul (4.1kg 9.0 LBS apparently normal weight) was as light as Michael Kelly Patriot which you said was 7.85 LBS.
Great Vid and Sound Shane! Years ago I had a LH Patriot Custom which I just loved the sound of but the split coil sound was very LOW VOLUME. About half the volume of Humbucker mode. AND IT WEIGHED A TON. I was use to playing LPs but this was SO Heavy I’d have cramps during a Set in my Neck and Back. Please keep up the Good Work my friend and Cheers from Salem, Ohio US.
I hear you (lol) on the coil-splitting. I have the exact guitar he's reviewing here and It IS quite low. Personally, I don't mind the weight though, and have owned much heavier guitars than this one, so it doesn't seem an issue to me personally. But definitely agree on the coil tap volume.
I like it a lot. From a design perspective, I have two gripes. 1. It looks like it's shrugging one shoulder. I know, they have to find ways to come up with variations of the original LP body shape, but the symmetry seems off here. 2. I wish guitar makers would shop around for better graphic designers when it comes to logo design. This logo screams "budget". It would be better to just use a very simple, stripped down typeface. The worst logo I've ever seen is the "V" of Vigier, a maker of expensive high end guitars and basses. So ... you never know.
Thank you for the great demo, review, and video. As I always say, everything about guitars is a matter of personal preference, what's great for you might be the worst ever for me, and of course the reverse is equally true. I said that to say that what I liked most about this guitar are the push-pull split-coil on both humbuckers! We both thrive on different sounds, and you know I have to comment on the pleasing cleans. Please keep the great videos coming, Shane.
@@intheblues One thing I left out that was a pleasant surprise...When I searched Michael Kelly Patriot Decree is, there is a store that has them in stock right at 185 miles from me!! Bonus!!!!
I play many different type and brands of guitars, and I must say MK guitars are absolutely great instruments. High quality for the price point, comfortable and play well.
