Why I dislike Solar Guitars  

This dude has more amps than riffs that I know

"I have a Solar guitar..." And literally everything else.

Tons of guitars fretboards shrink causing fret tangs to become sharp including expensive USA models.

That wall of amps is bucketlist material for sure.

argh, why am I baited into clicking when I see the word "clickbait"??! DAMN YOU, LOOOOOOOU!! \o/

I have a Solar S1.7PB directly ordered from their website last October. It was super fast to get delivered (ok sent from Spain to Switzerland so not so "far" to go). For a guitar coming out of Indonesia the QC was impeccable. My fretboard has no issue of sharpness, the guitar had no issue with paint and was super in tune thanks to the evertune bridge. Frankly I had a Jackson around the same price point which I had to bring to a luthier for fretwork (that one you could cut yourself...) and the whole action of the strings was wonky, made me think twice of buying another guitar made in Indonesia. The only thing I dislike on the Solars are the Duncan Solar pickups (they do sell models with Fishmans Fluence now), Ola made them to fit his tone and they are great for that but for me they are too flat, I have an ESP KH2 and when you plug it in you get more of a "wow" effect than the Solar, but maybe I am biased with active pickups. Nevertheless I ordered some Bareknuckle Ragnaroks and will have them fitted in my Solar. If you are in the market for a metal guitar that looks cool and has a good price/quality ratio then Solar Guitars is really a good choice.

I played around 20 solar guitars so far and own some myself. They are flawless.

I wanna play dominos with all of your gear.

Bro. Wood can sit in Indonesia for a lifetime. As soon as it's shipped outside that humid climate the relative humidity changes. This isnt a hard concept to grasp.

Oh man I almost got one of those Ola washburns years ago, got a used Schecter with stock nazgul and sentients instead, no regrets!

I bought a solar AB1.6S and I am really not having a good time with it. The volume pot is scratchy and cuts out in some places and the maple fretboard developed a tiny crack which I imagine will grow. Solar has offered to pay for the repair but I think I am just going to return it depending on how much shipping is. Even if I get this fixed this isn't a guitar I can trust anymore.

My Solar story: This happened about a year after Solar started. I was interested in ordering a guitar with an Evertune but, due to nerve damage in my hands, can't play .009-gauge strings. I emailed their customer service department and explained the situation then asked if they could put on a set of 11s and reset the intonation (since I had no experience with the Evertune). I offered to pay for the strings and any shop time required since I knew it would take a little time. About a week later I received this email response: "No." I then asked it the guitar came with a manual for the bridge so I could do it myself. Absolutely no response. About that time I started seeing dozens of videos online of issues with their guitars (mostly fretboard cracking, etc.) and decided to wait for another manufacturer to offer the Evertune. I don't blame Ola personally but that's some pretty crap customer service. Even if they didn't want to do the work, or couldn't for whatever reason, there are much more professional ways to treat your customer.

It was his signature guitar. Hence why he uses the same design.

I think that strap peg is going to eventually break off. Not a whole lot of structure there for it. Especially with the strap locks which put even more leverage on the screw. If you'll notice Ibanez does their strap pegs with the screw at an angle to get into the meat of hte upper horn. I was looking at the Keith Merrow sigs, and I hated the strap peg location on those too, but Im guessing that's why they're doing it. Hopefully yours holds up. That Ceriatone sounds fantastic!

My 2 year old Solar was pristine. It sucks that Covid affected their quality control. That being said, they’re offering refunds/replacements and are working on correcting the QC problem. Not much more they can do IMO.

The problem with the new guitars (but not all of them, eg Ibanez) is that the wood is dried in specialized machine dryers (it looks like either a metal cauldron, or a mini room / chamber connected by a pipe with warm air and a condenser, etc.). The wood dries quickly and does not look natural, it also loses the natural amount of moisture very quickly. As a result, in the following years, strange things happen in its structure, e.g. frets protruding from the top or side, warping of the wood of the guitar's fingerboard, Basically, sometime between 1990 and 2008, when you bought a guitar, you had no problems with the frets sticking out. Because the wood was stored for a long time in piles in warehouses where it was dried (even for 10 years). Of course, it was not only about the right warehouse, but also the right internal and external climate. I have 2 older Washburns bought straight from the store / distributor. The first WG580 from 1999, made in Korea, bought in 2011! (it hung in the shop for over 10 years, all dusty) - no problems with anything, in particular frets, sound, tuning. Second Washburn X40 guitar produced in Korea in 2008-2010 more or less, bought new in 2013 - no problems with anything, especially frets, timbre, tuning. However, I already had a few new guitars with problems with tuning and frets, for example: 1. Samick made in Indonesia in 2013, the frets on the fretboard are uneven - one higher, the other normal, the sound is deaf in several places. In general, warping often occurs after leaving the factory, because the wood is briefly stored in the original factory, and also intensively dried. Even after completing the instrument, the guitars leave the factory very quickly and are shipped to the distributor in a container. There is no time to analyze the problem, because these instruments will have problems with the tuning, sound, and bridge and its setting anyway. It is worth buying a used, proven instrument that has already arranged itself naturally. And if the new one is either Gibson, or Fender or Ibanez, Jackson from high models (even the USA).

The Solar i got from TDS is flawless and amazing, love it.

That amp sounds amazing!!!! Also, is that guitar in C# standard?

I have two Solar guitars and I am very happy with the purchases! Mine have no flaws and are really well done! As for the sound, I used them for the first two albums with results, although in my opinion, excellent! So 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻 for Solar and Ola !!!

4:40 sorry but that's the truth, modern wood for guitars gets cut and artificially dried in a chamber or the new trend: roasted. companies don't have time for cheap guitars under 2k to get proper naturally dried wood. so it can still shrink. especially the guitars that lay in shipment containers on the top. just imagen sun burning down on the containers for days. if you don't have properly dried wood it will shrink. Then you have no end control before sale at big stores and online sellers. so you basically get the guitar without anybody looking at it since shipping. companies claim that they do but just imagen opening every guitar they got sent.... they don't even have the employee capacity for it. they calculate that some people will send guitars with problems back anyway and the ones they don't.... well it's their problem. So always go to small stores, the check the guitars and even set them up the way you like and at least in my region you get the same price as thomann or so.

I want a video where you plug every single amp in line with the guitar signal and play them all simultaneously 🙌

Phillip McKnight and he lives in AZ!! Mind blowing collection of heads and cabs. I wouldn’t even know how to act in that room!! 🤣

Sounds good to me. Unless anyone buys a Steinburg, Music Man or PRS theres going to be some manufacturer drawbacks. These seem more like minor issues 🤔

All of my solar guitars are flawless. Not the biggest fan of Duncan Solar pickups, but that’s easy to fix. They are selling like hot cakes, and the company is so nimble they always coming out with new guitars. I haven’t seen many bad reviews.

Damn... sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Solar, I'm picky and except for the cheap finish (chips easily), I couldn't be happier with mine! (S2.6c)

The only thing I needed for my solar was a proper setup.

Yep, Phillip McKnight! Awesome dude. I bought my Ibanez RG1560MJB off Phil when he had his guitar shop in Arizona. Guy knows his stuff! "Know your gear"!

I've got a solar v6.2tbr on the way right now, and I can't wait. I played a friend's, and I couldn't believe what he had for the money. So I immediately ordered one of my own. Awsome guitars. And if something isn't quite right, I'll fix it. It's gonna look good next to my dean ml's, and my mustaine, angel of deth. 🤘😆🤘

I have literally none of the issues you’re mentioning... i personally hate it when the strap is on top and i don’t have problems with it tilting over and i was the first one to buy one in Belgium. The only thing i’ve changed recently are the pickups now it’s fitted with fishman fluence modern. 👍

If wood isn't cured and dried properly, it'll move, expand and/or shrink based on moisture and temperature. When guitars are too quickly made, especially in far eastern factories, they can have those issues. It sucks, but it's an easy-ish fix. The more worrying problem from quickly milled and improperly processed lumber is the neck twisting or warping to the point a truss rod adjustment won't fix it.

Dude, I work in a guitar shop. Guitars of all levels have fret ends poke out, especially in the fall/winter. We charge $25 to file em. No thing! I do it on pretty much every guitar that comes through the shop this time of year.

I hate this Solar guitar too! Nothing better than a ESP and a Jackson custom shop

Frets... Steve Vai article years ago on guitar necks. Stated that if you cannot pull the strings around the edge of the fretboard and play a note on the back edged of the neck, it's no good. Lousy fret job. That edge has to be perfectly smooth.

Ola isn't going to like this...

the thumbnail makes you look like jared dines

I had an interest in Solar Guitars, but now Jackson announced Dinkys made in Japan for $2kish. This is the guitar I've been waiting for. I never cared for the S solar models with the deep scallops on the horns or the headstock shape. Solar guitars look like great value though, and the specs are pretty competitive at the price.

Wow what an amazing amp collection. And what a killer bunch of ESP's, gear heaven right there.

Oversized frets are a common thing. Wood will shrink and expand depending on the humidity and temperature. Now I have heard of quality control issues with Solar guitars, but overall they are pretty decent guitars. Any of the issues I’ve seen, are resolved quickly.

Of you have an arsenal of ESP guitars, you won’t find much in a Solar guitars unless you’re not handing them over to pro luthier to have it playable.

Actually many of those old Washburn Solars were made by Parker.

Are you like one of those rock stars or an amp sales rep? Why do you have so many amps?

I have a Washburn Parellaxe pre Solar and love it.

Amazing wall of sound.

How in the Hell did you get the pilot hole in that horn? I have a Solar as well. I hate the strap pin on the back for the same reason. I got set up to do it, but backed out of fear of screwing up the ax. Any tips would be helpful. Thank you.

My Solar 2.7 tbr got after a month a cracked fretboard, the replacement had a brocken neck pickup, the next one fretsprout. These are all known issues that should be mentioned.

I played a Washburn once and I liked it. Not the nicest guitar I have played but I liked the feel of it

1. You hid your like to dislike ratio so that is saying this has gotten alot of negative response. 2. That is not technically a Solar. Its washburn.

I ordered one of those amps. He is making me a custom one with more gain than standard. Thanks man!

I used to have a Washburn and have a Solar now and didn't have any issues with either. I imagine with Washburn at least the QC was hit or miss. Harley Benton is notorious for that problem.

Ceriatone! As a Malaysian, I'm so proud!

Dude! You have a ton of ESP’s.. why would you use Washburn?!

:) I love Solar Guitars!!! I love Washburn Guitars!! I love all together!! Never had problems with these guitars.......is true!!

Wood shrinks - fact. No one does decent fretwork on 1000 buck guitars - fact. Recently had my hands on NK guitars headless sevenstring - it had best fretwork, same as on Dingwall bass, literally same. Price differences was 5 times. Nk - 500 American money papers, Dingwall - 2500 American money papers. So many brands just cheap out on fretwork, its tudious, takes time, e.t.c. Some smaller companies tend to do decent job in comparison with bigger brands. Couple years back learnt do complete fretwork, for me since asd fret work doesnt matter, one evenings time job and no hasle.

Maybe you can get in touch with Ola to lend you a new Solar so you can compare the two.

Also just noticed those strings are installed in reverse... I always thought the reinforced ends were better at the bridge end, but have read many with FRs string them that way. How often do you change your strings?

It could be worse like spending way more for a custom kiesel and when it's not built the way you wanted it you get bashed all over social media about.

I like talking straight forward to people

3:00 - Many Warlocks, especially the 7 string versions, don’t have that balance with all straps. They can certainly have neck dive.

Holy 1.21 Jiggawatts the AMPAGE

Dude Wood naturally expands and contracts even its being dry for a 100 years do to temperature changes. You need to get it right.

quick question, but first i wanted to say i absolutely love your style and all your videos, im definitely a fan please keep up all the amazing content!! my question is, since you own a original 5150, why do you have two 6505s? ive played a few 6505s and to my ear they sound just a bit worse than any 5150 even both of my EVH 50w 5150iii’s and if the tone isnt worse ive heard the q.c can be spotty, to your ear what do you think, and is the stories of the qc and lack of durability true? thank you in advance! 🤝🤘

I don’t see why y’all are shitting on this guy. He brought up legitimate issues with the build. It’s probably improved since becoming an independent manufacturer, but y’all are just getting feelings hurt over someone having a negative opinion about something that involves Ola. I love Ola, and treat his mouth as my Bible with almost everything he says, but come on. Even my beloved ESPs have a few things I complain about. He didn’t say he disliked the brand as a whole, just talked about what he disliked, and corrected those issues himself. Y’all gonna tell me you’ve never changed out tuners or a nut on your favorite axes? Calm down. This is the kind of content we as guitarists learn and grow from as musicians.

You look like you've won every first fight you've ever been in. Also, goddamn, that's a lot of nice gear.

I would get mad but I don't own a Solar guitar so I can't. I prefer Jackson and ESP/LTD and some Dean.

4:05 Actually, that IS exactly what's happening. Part of the savings of an import guitar is they have lower standards for manufacture. They can't afford to be sitting on milled ebony for 8 years otherwise they wouldn't be competitive priced to other similar manufacturers. Even top USA custom shops aren't aging wood as much as the used to.

I have a solar guitar. I love it, but I changed the the position of the the neck bolt as well. Neck dive as well as back pain was an issue with that set up. Annoyed the fuck out of me. Sounds fantastic but it was a back breaker. I was like guys “how come nobody mentions these guitars are heavy as fuck???” Love mine. This greatly annoyed me as well. Everything else about the guitar is flawless. I must say it was challenging to drill on that tip of the horn lol! I can’t believe no one else had this issue.

with all those amps stacked on each cab how do you pick the amp head ? Do you just reach behind and plug the right head in or do you have some kind of amp switcher hooked up ?

Hey Lou, I also own one of these older Washburn Solars but the 7 string V model, the balance issue is also a thing on this one, it neck dives much more than my Jackson King V. No other issues on mine. Also, this is one of your best sounding tones so far. If you like Ceriatone, check out a Splawn Quick Rod, another killer Marshall Plexi - JCM800 inspired amp, they can be had sometimes for cheap used. Got mine with KT88s not too long and it sent my JVM210H packing. Un abrazo hermano.

The only thing that's held me back from buying one is the fact I'd have to buy it without playing it first and I so very rarely feel comfortable doing that. I've been burned before. I've never had a chance to play a Solar but they've interested me for a long time because as far as import guitars go, they have a TON of options and they're all sort of spec'd and built the way I want a guitar to be as far as my tastes go. Reverse headstock, hipshot bridge, direct mount H-H pickup config, ebony board, stainless steel frets, luminlays, I mean they're just very modern purpose built "metal" mass production guitars. They're definitely sort of carving out a niche in the import market that other brands aren't fully capitalizing on imo. Not that the bigger brands don't make guitars with these kinds of specs, they do, but they're usually fewer and far between, or a signature guitar, or the finish options are way more limited, etc. Solar is cranking out TONS of guitars, tons of finishes, hardtail, floyd or evertune, extended scale, multi-scale, 27+ frets, you name it. If I do eventually pull the trigger on one and buy it, it's going to be the S1.6H. Solar has one in a sort of flame top blue burst that looks gorgeous. And for basically a grand, the specs are VERY competitive and seem like a good deal as far as a NEW guitar goes. The only other thing making me cautious is all the drama surrounding cracking fretboards with Solar guitars. Ola says the rate of this issue occurring falls well within "industry norms" or whatever, but no one wants to buy a guitar only to wind up with a cracked fingerboard after a year. I can't say I've EVER had a fingerboard crack on me like some of the pictures I've seen floating around. Whether it was a $300 guitar or a $2500 guitar.

I got a Solar with Evertune and it is my favourite over all custom shop Jackson guitars etc what I have. 🤘🏻

Are all these heads yours?

Ive been following the Solar FB group. The sharp frets are a common problem. QC issues.

Dude, I always get so jealous looking at your arsenal!

This is exactly why I completely stopped playing my Ibanez, the neck dive is damn ridiculous..... But I play my Solar everyday \m/

Dude, I still just can’t get over the wall of amps 🤘🏻😎🔥

All guitars are subject to fret sprout, especially if you don't maintain the humidity in your house and/or in your guitar case. I just fixed the fret ends on my 2018 Strat yesterday. It had been sitting untouched all winter as I was slowly gathering parts to upgrade with. I got it out last week and it was a hand shredder. I went a little slower than Phil, doing each fret end individually. It gets really dry here in NY in the winter and I don't have a full house humidifier.

That fret sprout/sharpness can happen even on old wood. I had a guitar re-fretted in the summer (very humid here) and I got a little fret sprout on it over the winter (very dry). It happens.

Hi Louis! At the beginning I though that you were going to have "issues" with Truck driver Shawn!!!! He has a bunch of Solars, all kida beasts! I was tempted to buy a Solar but...I have no space in my apartment...so I got a Boss SD1 instead...(yep I´m like a child...We all are!!), and yes...I´m a dirty mind jerk face!!! :)

I too use those picks! Great versatility.

Ola only wants to know “if it will CHUG” lol

Fretboards do shrink, especially mass produced cheaper guitars, the wood used may not be bad quality but if it’s still got a higher water content... of course that’s exaggerating, but once it completely dries out that tiny bit of water... frets become that little bit more sharp... PRS did a video about this and why they Ultra age wood so it’s dry BEFORE the guitar building process.

just subscribed. I'm interested in knowing more about Kiesel guitars, have you tried or reviewed one?

I would've taken the rear strap-lock and put it on the back and placed more down near the output jack to compensate for the imbalance instead while having a cleaner look not seeing straps on each end of the guitar... it works nicely as I do this to every guitar I have!🤘😁

I need the dots on the fretboard, I realized. All of their guitars lack dots on the fretboard.

I'd get a Ceriatone but I just bought an ENGL Fireball, Danielle would kick my ass if I bought another amp now... but im looking at the Yeti, Chupacabra and the JCM800 2203 HW

badass amps bro!

That straplock is sketchy. Its too thin IMO to have it like that. But I agree, I hate the strap lock in the back. I relocate them on SG's all the time. Neck dive blows.

Phil McKnight ...Arizona

Dude, why don't you put on a DiMarzio clip-lock? That would reduce the momentum for axial damage with about 90%

Hey Louis, how come you never play the riffs that are in your intro in any of your videos? Also, do you use the same string gauge in all of your guitars?

gracias jefe .....dig the honesty...what washburn model is that?

Wow huge amp tone you got there.

One thing i don't like in the Solar is the contours on the front side of the cutaways....i

Phillip McKnight and fret sprout is real

Actually wood fretboards do shrink every year in the winter time. The only way to deal with this is to round the fret edges which is something EBMM does. There is a good Dan Erlwine video on how to do this. It creates a ballpoint pen feel on the ends of your frets and man they are the best. Some touch may be needed from time to time, but long tern this is the best way to deal with frets. As an aside, a lot of overseas guitar cos stain the ebony and that also wets the wood again...

Dude please get and review the Peavey Valveking 100w. Put a nice boost in front of it and see what you think

I was literally yelling “Sanding block!”. 😂😂😂

Don't jump around with that thing or you WILL split that horn. It was on the back for good reason.

Love both my high end Solars and I have a few ltds, bc rich, legator and charvels at the same price point and there's something about the solars I like more. My N7FX LEGATOR is like 2,300$ and my 1300 Solar plays just as good if not better.

Do Solar guitar neck actually crack after some weeks or months or getting a brand new guitar or does it give any other kind of problems?? I am planning on getting a new solar guitar.. please guide me sir.. thank you.. 😄✌🏻