I think that Jet will be the brand to go for as they introduce upgrades, 2024 should be interesting. As for Fender, i havn't bought any for years, as you know the last two are still in sealed boxes! This year due to a long time off work i have not bought any new gear, this might change in 2024. Enjoy the wedding Steve.💒🙂👍💓
@@Barbarapape Thank ya Barbara! 😃🙏 I think you're right Re Jet next year 😁 There's also a couple of Harley Benton releases I'm looking forward to too! 😁 Happy new year to you and yours when it comes 🥳🙏
With respect to the rest of the content and guitars (and time and effort spent on the rest of the video) it was all over after a couple of mins. The Jet Js400 is guitar of the year for me also. And I’ve only gotten 2 of them 🤷♂️🤣. But as you said, there are new ones on the way soon with upgrades so let’s see ha. It’s the guitar I pick up all the time. The guitar I practice on (learning songs is practicing right? 🤭) and the guitar I gig. It’s got it all. And like you’ve mentioned it’s a modders dream. Like Borat described his first ever JS400 ‘Great Success’ 🤣😎🙌
Ha! 😂 Cheers mate! 🙏 Sounds like we pretty much have the same experience with the Jet. Maybe I should have did the list in reverse order 🙈 - and I'd say YES - learning songs should be part of everyone's practice routine 😁👍 I'm keen to see what Jet have in store for 2024 - that totally rhymed 😎🤙
@@stevecassidyguitar dude, you’re a Poet and you don’t even know it 🤣🤷♂️. Yep, I went there 🤦♂️. Cheers for all the great content this year and the very best for 2024 mate 👏👍
You've rapidly become one of my favourite guitar based RU-vidrs! Well done matey and I'm really looking forward to seeing more from you in the New year. Hope you have a happy and safe one!
Great recap of 2023’s good, bad, and indifferent Steve. Your honesty, candid approach, and presentation style is really engaging and refreshing keep up the good work. After a bit of searching I’ve found that Thomann sell Harley Benton staggered locking tuners for £35 in a nickel finish. They look like the same staggered locking tuners that are on the Harley Benton Fusion lll’s, which have worked brilliantly on my fusion lll with the string tree removed. Disclaimer, I also upgraded the bridge/trem to a Wilkinson WVS 130, 2-post, locking saddles. This is the same bridge used on the Suhr Pete Thorn signature HSS & HH models.
Thank ya very much mate! Hugely appreciated😀🙏 Thank you for the reminder! I keep forgetting about those HB staggered tuners 🙈 It's weird and annoying they only come in Nickel though. I think that's why my mind decides to forget they exist. Can we have chrome ones please Mr Benton? 🧐 Also great shout Re the WVS Trem 👌. On Wilkinson's Reverb page they sell Just the locking saddles too - the WLS 130's. (Wow! Just googled them again - they've went way up in price! £92.50 delivered 🤯) I have a couple of sets of these on Gotoh 510 Trems - that's the perfect combo for me 😁👌
@@stevecassidyguitar whoa, I didn’t realise that Wilkinson are charging £92.50 just for the locking saddles now. My Suhr has a Gotoh 510 bridge and I’d never thought about fitting the locking saddles to it, that’s a great shout. I got to have a good chat with Trev Wilkinson (lovely man) about the WVS 130 trem earlier this year. Trev’s a friend of a good pal of mine who’ makes ‘vintage correct’ boutique pickups and does some limited custom guitar builds. Trev told me he invented the WVS 130 bridge a while ago but hadn’t done much with it until Pete Thorn via John Suhr asked if he could produce a more stable trem than the Gotoh 510’s that Suhr were fitting to his Pete Thorn Standard signature models. It’s probably the publicity and ‘traction’ around this that have ‘allowed’ Wilkinson to push up the prices of the WVS 130. I’m sure the whole trem unit was £230 when I bought it to replace the cheaper Wilkinson that was already on the Harley Benton fusion. Unfortunately, the trem post holes on the Fusion’s are not compatible with the WVS 130, so they had to be ‘filled and re-drilled to fit it. Looking forward to your videos in 2024 Steve. All the best.👍🎸
@@steviesynapse Awesome info - thank for sharing mate 😀👍 This is without a doubt my favourite thing about this whole RU-vid thing - the learning and sharing - great stuff mate - thanks again 👌The only downside to the locking saddles (for me) is If I break a string at a gig (this hadn't happened to me in about 15 years until the other week, so it's fresh in my mind) and I quite recklessly don't bring a spare guitar to gigs 😬. Locking tuners are great for swift string changes - but the locking saddles are 1 more barrier, 1 more hex key (try to find it quick in the dark 🙈) and I only get 1 song (4ish mins) to change a string. Luckily the recent string break didn't happen on my guitar with the locking saddles. 😅 (I plan on doing a vid about this 😁)
You’ve now established your style, Steve, and it’s clear how many of us are enjoying it. This was another really entertaining video, all the better for being so honest and clear (as usual). A couple of questions. 1. The main considerations in buying a guitar (for me) are price, look, sound, feel and-yes I have to admit it-associations. You cover all of these and yet, sometimes, I’m guessing that people would rather hold off a while and get something a bit more expensive that didn’t need modding and looked/felt/sounded a bit better. I wondered if you could do, on Strats say, your personal ‘price no object’ video. What would you have if price wasn’t an issue? 2. Single cuts. Gibson Les Paul Tributes (the cheapest Gibson LP) have chambered bodies. They aren’t heavy. I for one would still like to see your video on why you don’t like single-cuts. This would take us perhaps into that very subtle territory where everything seems good and yet....Meanwhile I’m eager to see your review of your first year on YT. Keep the great videos coming!
Thank ya very much mate 😃🙏 These questions and feedback are always hugely appreciated 😃👍 You've just gave me an idea for 2 videos here! 😃👍 I'm thinking the click bait title for the 1st one could be.. "where is my dream strat? 🤔" 😁👍 As for single cuts... I actually do want to like them 😆 That way I could have more in common with more viewers (not that I'm all about the views). But mainly it's the weight, neck profile, flat radius and I'm not a massive fan of Humbuckers in general. From what I learned this year... I reckon the 60's slim D profile, chambered and P90's would fit me best. But I've just had an epiphany (not epiphone) right now, while writing this.... 🤔 I can't think of a LP player who has been much of an influence on me 🤔 I was never really into slash etc... So that's video idea no.2 ! Cheers again mate! You're giving me gold here! 😁👌
@@stevecassidyguitar Hi Steve. Delighted to hear that you're getting ideas for single-cut videos. I agree you hit on a major point towards the end of your reply. It was probably Neil Young and James Dean Bradfield who got me serioulsy into LPs. There's no question that, if a player you admire like a particular instrument, it will stimulate curiosity at least. In the case of JDB he seems got his white LP custom chielfy because Steve Jones (as well as Slash) had one, though the way those two use the same instrument is extremely different! I'd urge you to check out the recently discontinued LP Tribute models, which are light (for a LP), can be got with P90s and don't have too flat a board. Even if you end up saying you still don't like LPs, I'd love to see a video giving your take on the question in detail.
Neck profile is the most critical component of a guitar for me no question. Low weight is second Third is tuning stability which can be improved (usually with hardware changes at the nut, bridge, vibrato system etc) The electronics etc can be changed fairly easily but people tend to do this almost automatically without giving stock stuff a chance
I can't argue with any of this! 😎👌 I'm also "almost" the same as you, But I too often am guilty of putting price and looks somewhere between your 1 and 2 🙈
Steve mate, have been a bit quiet of late but have watched, liked and enjoyed all your vids. Been a bit tough of late - work contract unexpectedly ended, house flooded & then most sadly lovely Mum in law very unexpectedly passed away on 23rd Dec. Hoping for better next year. Really enjoyed your content though & wish you health and happiness for 24. - Keep it up mate, Wayne
Awww Wayne I'm really sorry to hear this. That's a lot of hard blows in a short space of time. When it rains it pours eh. I'm sure 2024 will be better to you. Wishing all the best to you and yours 🙏 and thank you so much for all your support this year - hugely appreciated 🙏
Boss Katana Air was a boxy, tinny disappointment as was the Yamaha THRii. Settled on the Spark and a Blackstar HTR1 for some tube sounds. Couldn't get on with the Harley Benton SC 550ii, neck was not for me. Loved the Harley Benton TE62 and a Fender SA345 Ovangol electro-acoustic. Had a couple of Sire L7's but everyone had the saddle too close to the bridge causing the strings to impinge on the saddle preventing proper intonation. The guitar I pick up first is my Ramirez classical. Love your vids. Keep it going.
The musiclily are my first ever locking Tuner and i don't like them either. My gear of the year is a Harley Benton CLJ-503CE. I needed a good sounding acoustic and A-B-tested until i kept the CLJ. Got mine in a very scratched shape, but it sounds very good. Maybe those songs, dents and scratches are the reason for the great tone...
Steve - I'm fairly new to your channel and I've been working through all of your video's in the last two weeks and I've thoroughly enjoyed them, love your presenting style which is such fun and you are a great guitar player as well. Your demo's are always to the point and honest which is cool, looking forward to more of your stuff this year, cheers 🎸😄
Thank you very much mate! Hugely appreciated and welcome top the channel! 😀🙏 You've made my day mate! It's the channels 1st birthday today too! 🎂😀 Going Live at 6pm tonight - hope you can make it 😁👍
As usual, you are super fun to watch! My thumbs down gear this year was my HB SC450 Gold Top. The first arrived broken thanks to UPS and the second had fret level issues. My big thumbs up is for my new used 2016 model Gretsch Pro Jet in silver sparkle - the G5435, I believe. More thumbsup for a pair of budget friendly analog pedals from Flamma; the FC17 Delay and the FC14 Chorus. WHy spend more on a box with transistiors and the like in it? All those parts are super cheap. Happy New Year, Specs!!
Nice one mate! Thank you,! 😃🙏 I didn't realise your HB ordeal was this year 😬 Great to hear the Gretsch and Flamma gear has been great tho! 🥳👌 All the best to you and yours for the new year when it comes mate 😃🙏
I’ve been binge watching Steve 😂! Very interesting, my two best GAS items last year were my Cort Bass, an ex Demo model (Cort factory) I got for £350, it’s the same spec as an Ibanez SR600 and plays like a dream, brings me to my second item, a Harley Benton Bass Amp (My Blackstar ID Core BEAM wasn’t up to it! It’s the HB80B, a Solid state 40W combo that goes up to 80W with an add on 1x12 CAB. It’s got a 1x12 Celestion speaker plus a horn as standard and Compressor and Tube emulator circuit - it sounds absolutely badass only downside it it’s bl@@dy heavy 😂. I’ll get on with a bit more binge watching now………
Ha! Thank you for including the vids in your Binge! 😂👍 Sounds like a great score on the cort bass 😎👌 Also good to know about the BEAM amps not being up to the job for bass. I was always curious about them. I use a pair of Peavey Vyper VIP amps at my teaching job to cover, Guitar and bass. They're great (for that purpose) but getting old now and not functioning as well as they used to. I think my days of heavy amps are behind me now tho 🤖
@@stevecassidyguitar Don’t get me wrong, the BEAM doesn’t sound bad but with 2x 5” speakers it just doesn’t shift any air so you just can’t really feel it like you should. Check that HB Bass amp out, it’s only £145 and it sounds great and rattles the windows 😆
@@DarrellW_UK That makes sense Re the BEAM I think that's probably why I never pulled the trigger on it back then. HB Bass amp sounds like a good shout, but not something I'm in the market for atm - thanks for the recommendation tho 😀👍
Guitar of the year for me was the Harley Benton DC Deluxe Gotoh unbelievable guitar for the price it was a b stock £159 best playing guitar I have bought in a very long time
The year has flown by, and it's interesting to see again some of the guitars you have tried out. I have not really purchased many guitar-related items this year, but I did get a Jet JS-400 at Christmas, which I am really enjoying; now, the string tree has been replaced. I plan to do some mods to it over the year, although I am fairly happy with the stock hardware and could play the guitar for hours. It was good to be reminded of some of the changes you did with yours so I will have to rewatch the upgrade video again. All the best Steve, for 2024 and I wish you nothing but luck for the year ahead and hope you meet all your RU-vid goals and continue to grow your channel.
Thank you so much Richard 😃🙏 your support this year has been huge and greatly appreciated 🙏 All the best to you and yours mate &... You scored the guitar of the year imo 😁👌
Ha. You've got the PRS illness I once had too - "Soulless" & etc. Play them & you realize you're just not used to actual quality & predictability, regardless of price. As far as too heavy single cuts, I'm with you & the Great Mr Phil. Gretch solid bodies get to 6.5lbs if you're careful & low weight limits the size of my collection, fortunately....
Thanks for the insights mate 😎🙏 My mate has a PRS CE that I've tried and I liked it much more... But it's still not for me 😬 I'm always open though. I fancy trying out the SE DGT at some point 👹
Good afternoon from Spain, first of all, congratulations on your channel👏👏👏👏👏 The last guitar I bought is a Larry Carlton S3, it is a wonderful guitar and I recommend it for you to review in 2024. Finally, I encourage you to continue with the channel and congratulate you for the great work you do.🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🤘
Congrats on your RU-vid anniversary, and thank you for all the quality videos and in-depth reviews! I'm curious to see your full review of the Harley Benton CST24 HB. I want to add a semi-hollow to my collection at some point, so I'm contemplating the HB-35, TE-69 and CST-24HB, but like you I'm also not a PRS guy at all. My father even had a pre-factory '87 PRS Custom 24, and I hated how the neck felt in my hand. Even though I like both Fender and Gibson necks, it's the PRS that tries to fit in-between that I just can't stand. It's like my brain can't decide how to put my hand around it.
Thank you very much mate! 🙏 Re my thoughts (full review) on the HB CST 24HB... they'll be subjective. My hand doesn't love the neck profile - yours might tho 🤷♂️ The good thing is - Thomann have a great returns policy, you could probably order em all and return the ones ya don't like 👹 I can't relate too much to your quandary unfortunately as I've never got on with Gibson necks either 🙈
I am impressed by the fact you have the video from your videos up and ready to use 😅 this was much more enjoyable than many other 2023 recap videos I have watched. Glad that on number is the Fazley I picked up 😂 congrats on your success and progress.
Thank ya very much Raf! 🙏 This means a lot as I know you have your own channel and are a YT connoisseur 😎👌 Having 1 year of content in the bag certainly helps to draw clips from 😂👍
Hey Mr. Guitar, I subscribed last week for free and now you're offering a 90% off sale?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Why do I not feel ripped off? Hmmm. Also trying to figure out what you have more of, guitars or glasses. I keep getting confused and loosing count. Another great video!!! Hey how about kickin' out the jams and showing off your chops. I've only seen you play little samples to demo something. Seriously Steve-o how about an extended solo or mix. I'm sure your subs (as in subscribers) would really enjoy it and it wouldn't take long to produce. How ¡bout it Steve?
Hello! 👋😃 Well firstly... Thank you for subscribing before the big sale 😆👍 Apologies for the rip off - no refunds I'm afraid 😳 Good point Re not playing enough.... TBH.... I struggle to play when the camera is on 😬🙈 Even the wee snippets can take me up to 20 takes - no joke 🙈 I dont have this problem without the camera on and I gig most weekends without too much trouble too 🤷♂️ Anyway mate... Great suggestion - thank you, it's definitely something I want to improve on, so will get to it in the new year 😃👍 I think the longest playing clip I have is with a Jam track at the end of the Charvel review vid 😃 Thanks again mate! 🙏
Hey up Steve. Great video. I remember that CST 24 video, what a near miss. Would look amazing with my other 9 HB’s 👀🤣 Best gear I’ve played this year would probably be a 70’s Strat all original. Stunning thing, mega bucks but awesome. Best value gear the Sonicake Matribox. Great versatility for less than £100 smackaroos. All the best for the new year pal. Keep up the bloody great work. 🙌🙌🎸
You've got 9 Harley Bentons!?!? 🤯 I don't blame you - they make great stuff! 👌 Some people might argue to buy 1 single "great" guitar with that kind of money - But I'm with you - I'd rather have the variety 😁👍 Heard great things about the Matribox too - nice score!
Just got me the Jet JT350 Butterscotch used and next up will probably be the JS400 like you got or the LPB like the one you modded. Squier Esprit? Never heard of it and seems to be hard to find in Germany. My gear was only the HB TE-52 NT. Absolutely lovely in nearly all regards except for the weight. Crazy heavy and just does not make me want to play it. Is basswood soo ugly that we cannot get a natural/butterscotch version?
Nice score with the Jet mate 😃👍 The Squier Esprit's are discontinued and quite rare - great guitars though 👍 I hear ya Re the weight. I just reluctantly sold my Jet JS450 because it was too heavy for gigging - absolutely stunning guitar too 😢
Thank you very much mate! 😀🙏 Re pedals... I'm not really much of a pedal guy 😬 I bought one pedal this year I'm planning on doing a video on, but normally... pedals aren't really for me. Which is a shame because they're great for clicks n views etc 😜
Regarding staggered locking tuners - I understand Harley Benton Parts Locking Tuners 6L NI are supposed to be pretty good. They only seem to do Nickel finish though. I haven't tried these personally, but Henning Pauly seems to rate them according to several of his Harley Benton guitar review videos on his EytschPi42 RU-vid channel. I believe these are the tuners Harley Benton fit to their Fusion-III guitars.
Great shout mate! 😃👌 Yes I was aware of these - I've also neve tried them yet, they do tick all the boxes - my only gripe is they only come in the Nickel finish - That seems weird too 🙃. Will give them a go regardless next time i'm ordering from Thomann 👍Thanks mate!
I just bought the Eart dmx 10 my only complaint so far is that it is extremely light maybe under 6 pounds. Haven't changed the strings yet to check the quality of the trem block. The pickups sound good to me I guess it one of there upper models.
Nice one mate! 😎👌 6lbs- ISH sounds like a dream for gigging 😁. But I know what you mean... It's good to still feel a bit of weight. Chuck on some elixir strings and live your best life 😁👌
Well spotted mate 🤓😁👍 There are reasons.. but it's a loooong story 🙈 I explained it all recently in htis livestream: ru-vid.com-hbygmladas?si=QrYwyfxcoUYnH6zC It's just from 25:50 - 28:24 - please ignore the terrible audio - I've been trying to improve my Livestreaming skills and set 🙈👍
And the nominees for best my gear of 2023 are… Squier 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster (love this thing although I’ve just ordered a Creamery wide range humbucker to put in the bridge) Strymon Cloudburst (ok so it’s a cliche for the worship guitarist wot I are, but it’s still great!j DSM & Humboldt Simplifier mk2 (great solution for going direct if you still want to use pedals) And for the ‘good but not for me’ special award… Reverend Charger 290 (great sounds but in reality it’s too heavy for. In truth I’m giving myself a black mark here, I drove 4 hours down to Andertons to try out some guitars and still came back with something not quite perfect! 🤷♂️) Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy (just far too dark on the repeats to the point you barely tell it was on)
Mate! I've been Gassing hard for the Squier 40th Jazzmaster this past couple of weeks! Kicking myself I missed out on the black Friday discounts 🙈 I'm also a big fan of creamery pickups - have a WRHB set in my starcaster 👌 That guy makes great pickups! Ya can't come home from Andertons empty handed tho right? 😜
@@stevecassidyguitar yeah they are pretty scarce out there now, a couple on eBay and the odd one in shops (Peach has a blue one but it’s 8lbs 9oz). And yes the long drive there (and back) definitely influenced my decision, I actually gained more contentment in ordering guitars online from that trip as it is clear I can’t be trusted to make good decisions when I’m there in the flesh!! Hope the wedding gig went well!!
@@antonyedwardson9900 Thank you mate - the wedding gig was a great last gig of the year for us😀👍 It's the SFG JM I fancy 😁 But yeesh that's a Heavy one from peach. How's the weight of yours? Are JM's typically heavier guitars? I don't know much about them - that's why I'm keen to try em out.... and I really getting into Jangly tones these days 😁
@@stevecassidyguitar from memory mine was 7lbs 12, I ordered it from Peach as they lost the weight of all there guitars over a certain price and I didn’t want to risk getting a boat anchor. I think they are generally a little heavier than S types as the bodies are slightly bigger but if you shop around there are acceptable ones out there. I’m trying to talk myself out of buying a Fender Player special edition JM at least until the new pickup arrives and I get to see what difference it makes to the Squier. However I’m currently losing the argument!! 😂
Happy new year when it comes pal. Still trying to decide on wether to buy a jet js 400 or a sire s3 for a mod. Hopefully make my mind up soon and get one ordered.
Thank you mate! Same to you - A happy new year to you & yours - In a few hours 😁👍 I noticed Andertons have the Sire S3's discounted. Very tempting, but for me, I'd only be buying one for the channel as some people have asked me to review one. But to be honest, I'm not too keen on rosewood boards, and something about the Sire body shape doesn't do it for me, I think it's the extended upper horn - not sure. Keen to hear your thoughts if you do get one though 😀👍
@@stevecassidyguitar yeh the sire horn is what's swinging me towards the Jet. The sire looks more ibanez. Stuff it am getting a Jet, if i don't like it, I'm blaming you lol
@@derekjohnson5720 😂 You can thank me for saving ya £100 😜 More cash for mods 😁. Seriously though mate don't let me sway ya - you get what ya like 😁 Actually this might help... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GVidRT0SaLg.html I'm not suggesting to watch the vid.. but have a look at the comments section - loadsa people saying they prefer their Jets over their USA Strats, even 1 or 2 guys comparing to their Fender custom shops. 🤯I'm not alone 😀
Very good point mate 👍 - Although it did win the shoot out, that was more due to do with the specs on paper. My Top 5 list was quite selfish tho 🙈 The Shore's 12" radius fretboard is the only thing that put me off, but that's a big deal for me on an S type. The unfortunately now Discontinued Fazley Phyinca 720 and 820's are still my favourite Fazleys due to the 9.5" radius. 😎👌
@@stevecassidyguitarThanks for getting back to me mate. I've looked into fretboard radius's & it seems like you're into curves... 👻 The Fazley Sunrise Shore looks to be decent value & i love it's look (would've loved it more if they'd put a boat on it, as you suggested, lol), versatility & tone (great playing by yourself). My only hands on experience with guitars is trying some out in stores, quite a few years ago... I'm right handed, but found strumming with left & fretting with right most comfortable. The Fazley only seems to be available right handed, so if i was to get that, i'd probably turn it upside down, or even lay it horizontally. My use case would be unique to most, where i'd jam / mess around (with the use of various pedals, which i'm well versed with) in unconventional ways & sample & loop anything that sounded decent...
@@G.Man- Hold on mate... You're a Righty that prefers Lefty? I don't think I've came across that one before 😀 Massive respect to you for going against the grain and doing your thing mate 😎👌 It's not that I'm into curves specifically - I'm a total Goldilocks - 7.25" is too curved, 12" is too flat and 9.5" is... just right 😜 (For me... for an F type) Andertons (not my current favourites 🧐🧐) Have quite a few Lefties in thier Sale ust now. I've hear good things about the Sire Larry Carlton S3 but never tried one
@@stevecassidyguitar Hello mate, sorry for the late reply... Doing your own thing & not following the crowd (expecially during the last few years...) isn't an easy road to take, but i can only be true to myself, do what feels right & follow my own path... Eric Gale is a right-handed guitarist who plays right-handed guitar turned upside down (without re-stringing), as his older left-handed brothers played that way, so he practiced the same way & never second-guessed the non-traditional technique... Also, 'MonoNeon is right-handed, but plays left-handed upside down on a right-handed bass guitar, which allows him to bend the upper strings a lot. Because he does everything upside down, his slapping style/technique is unique, yet he still uses his thumb for slaps and his fingers for pops.' Thanks for the suggestions, i'll check them out. Keep doing your thing, it's appreciated!!
I tried a set of Guyker locking tuners a few years ago - they were not good quality at all 😬 but it's been a few years. I'd be up for trying them again 😀👍
@@darrengill1987 Ah! We're practically neighbours! 😀👍 Coolz mate 👍 It will be near Feb before I'm done with it for completing the vid etc - I've got a load of vids to get out before this one still have some parts to film (I'm way behind 😬) I'll give you a shout here - first dibs before I list it for sale elsewhere. I hope that's cool 👍
