This Is how a Guitar Should Actually Look.
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- čas přidán 26. 07. 2024
- Steve Klein Stele is unlike anything you've ever seen. It has the amazing Klein guitar body shape and much more.
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0:00 Intro
1:30 Body Design
4:58 annoyance
5:35 Healthier playing
6:12 Strap Pins & Standing
6:36 Body Specs & Weight
6:55 Crazy Headstock & Hardware
9:40 Ugly? Mystery Girl
10:05 Neck
11:10 Annoyance
11:35 Fret Materials
13:03 Annoyance
15:10 Pickups and Tone
17:48 Pickguard & Bridge
18:40 Price & Conclusion - Hudba
WARNING! This is NOT the same as the ovation breadwinner. I wish I said this in the video, but even though the body looks similer to the breadwinner, the breadwinner DOES NOT change the angle of the neck if the guitar is resting on your RIGHT LEG. HOWEVER, the breadwinner is ergonomic in the CLASSICAL POSITION, which the Klein I have isn't. So they are two different designs with different strengths and weaknesses.
"High end modern guitar builder". I have known Steve Kline guitars since the 80's and he was that, all the way back then! I'm from the same "School" of guitar building, where tradition was traded for innovation! Grover Jackson, Hamer, Floyd Rose and Gary Kahler, Steve Kline, Charles Kaman, Dr. Kasha and Richard Schneider, and many others, including myself started using not just "Alternative" but better suited materials and non traditional woods, actual science, and anything that could be done to make guitars stay in tune better, be more ergonomic and comfortable, to play easier, sound better, be more versatile, look cooler... Everything good design should incorporate.
I started building my first guitar in 84, using carbon fiber neck stabilizers, a two way truss rod to adjust for differing string gauges and tunings, so differing tension, Stainless steel frets (from the first batch ever made), Kahler tremolo, Locking nut, full 22 fret access via a heelless design, and under 6 lbs and well balanced (no neck dive). It's been my daily driver from the day I finished it. It was appraised at over $7000 in the mid 90's, and other than the typical preferences in neck profile, pickup sound... every one is amazed by it, including Grover Jackson and other Luthiers. It stays in tune exceptionally well, needs a truss rod adjustment every few years, has a criminally low action, no fret buzz or dead notes, sustains through a coffee break... It also has never had more than a light fret dressing once, and I did that about 3 years ago, because it finally showed a little fret wear after some 35 years.
Steve Cline makes some wicked instruments, but I guess he doesn't use carbon fiber neck reinforcements!
If you play it like a classical guitar , the angle is like the 45* . I always play the 2 I have like that .
Haha -- being in my 60s, my first reaction was, "Hey, that's just a ripoff of an Ovation Deacon (or Breadwinner)!" Oh well, you got me -- and it is beautiful, IMHO. Great video.
Wow! ThAt Is eXaCtLy tHe SaMe aS A oVaTiOn bReAdWinNer!!!
@@tiki_trash No it it's not! Close, but not exactly. Steve Kline did use it as a starting point, but changed some of it to be more ergonomic, lighter...
Definitively on the 'Cannot get past this body shape at all' side but then again that's how almost all people feel about B.C. Rich guitars and some of those are some of my favorite guitars ever (And some other of those go really hard in the opposite direction too btw) so I kinda get how some folks will actually find it appealing in it's uniqueness or just plain beautiful.
Its not a new body design. Google 1970s Ovation Deacon guitar.
Man wish i could find a USA made bc rich stealth ;(
That headstock actually looks kinda sick. It wouldn't look out of place on a modern metal guitar! I've seen other similar looking headstock that are simply ugly, but this one (probably unintentionally) looks interesting in a good way. The utterly magnificent and detailed craftsmanship could have something to do with it. Those open-gear tuners also fit the design perfectly.
This reminds me of the wangcaster haha
Same
I’m saddened that I even know what you’re talking about lol
When he said it was made out of swamp ash my brain went “swamp ass lol”
Well, to the wangcaster design is very human...
The cockandballs-caster
3:50 Great vid, cool guitar, but just FYI, the guitar cushion is meant to be placed on the other leg (left leg not right). This is how classical guitarist do it. It likely solves the ‘issues’ you’re referring to.
That's wild about the truss rod location for such an expensive and modern guitar.
The adjustable truss rod wheel at the 24th fret should be standard design by now
I think the concept of guitar player ergonomics is one that as someone who has been playing for over 30 years, I never really thought about. Until recently when I started getting pains in my shoulder going down through my forearm to my farm. We live pretty sure it has something to do with how I am sitting in the guitar and playing. So I will probably be checking out your ergonomics course.
Also, love the channel keep up the great work and wishing you the Best.
I’ve heard this from just about every guitar player over 40. Sometimes it’s shoulder, a lot of times lower back. For me it was wrist. Anyway, I wish you a happy recovery and thanks for supporting.
Funnily enough, when switching from bass to guitar, one of the first things I found about my old stratocaster is that I hated playing it. It hurts my right arm to play because it doesn't kick out to my right side far enough. Never could play for very long, it just wasn't comfortable. Eventually I ended up with a firebird style guitar (Hagstrom Fantomen if you care), and now the bridge sits farther to my right. I don't have to scrunch my shoulders together to play it, and it is so much more comfortable
I'm glad you said that, as we speak my left wrist is very sore from paying my new guitar. I hate getting older. @@andrefludd
Bill Frisell used a headless klein guitar throughout his career, he got some really versatile tones, from grindy thrash to chicken picking rockabilly while playing in Naked City. He used different gutiars but it was always a sight to see him playing the klein in pictures.
i've seen your reviews pop up every now and then and never checked them out too much, but man, i gotta say i love how you highlight every little detail that's there. there are some things that often get overlooked or are just never mentioned but you really go into the depths of it
Thank you :)
Glad to meet you, informative video.
Thank you Andre!
🤓👍
0:25 I HAVE HAD THIS SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD ALL DAY AND THEN U STARTED PLAYING IT JUST AS I WAS WHISTLING IT AND IT FREAKED ME OUT.
I only started learning how to play guitar about a little over a month ago & I'm documenting my entire journey on here so watching this was super interesting to watch!
Thanks for another great review! You got me thinking: I practice sitting down (with my Tele or Strat) and then play shows standing up. Now that I think about it, that’s kind of dumb. We joke about not being able to play the fancy stuff we play when practicing at a live show like it’s a psychological thing. But if you practice sitting down and THEN CHANGE EVERYTHING for a show, it’s going to get tricky.
I've been waiting for this one. Great video! Totally agree on the truss rod issue that's a bummer. ...... but man, what a killer instrument. I'm jealous.
TRUSS ROD ADJUSTMENT WITHOUT REMOVING THE NECK! I know this comment may be a bit late to the game, but I can confirm that what an earlier commenter suggested does, in fact, work! Here's how. Unscrew the pick guard and detune the strings enough (but not too much) so that you can pull the pick guard up and slide it back out of the way. That's it. There's enough room to fit the requisite Allen wrench in the truss rod. When done, slide the pick guard back in place, Tune up, Check the adjustment. Repeat the process if necessary. While not perfect, this is an infinitely better procedure than having to remove the neck and strings again and again.
Yay! Great to see you take a look at the sTele 👍🏻
Strandberg guitars are the best ergonomically, sound great and even fit on a suitcase so for people who travel often Strandberg are the best!
I tried one and absolutely hated it. The neck profile just didn’t work for me. I came from classical guitar and I found my thumb constantly wanting to slide towards the high e string, preventing me from ever getting that “anchored” feeling
Absolutely love your reviews! They're perhaps the most genuine on CZcams. I'm really enjoying deep diving into your channel 🤘🤘
This was my friend’s guitar! I work at a little shop in Iowa and we’ve gotten a few in. I’ve got one, and it’s easily the most comfortable guitar I’ve ever played.
It’s amazing! I’m happy I got it
i like it. Looks like a modern lute. And the gig bag looks like..... a sitar case! Sady the trussrod placement is a total deal breaker.
I still advocate for people to try sitting down with a Flying V held in a classical position. Learning to play standing-up with it, where they can be a tad neck heavy, is still not that difficult. I will admit that for those seeking an alternative form factor, design efforts such as these do provide interesting options. Cheers~
I agree, except that my flying V is not neck heavy at all when standing. It balances at a perfect 45, if not a bit higher. Best standing balance on a guitar I've ever felt.
@@JustinBA007 I literally began playing guitar on a Flying V, so learning to negotiate any guitar while standing up may have contributed to my formative experience. If neck heaviness were to occur however, by no means is it a "deal breaker," or at all difficult to negotiate. Of course it's no longer an issue for me, and I would continue to emphasize the extensive benefits of playing the Flying V. As you say, the balance on yours is impeccable, and many others may share this experience. I remain a devout Flying V advocate, and quite enjoyed reading your endorsement of the instrument. Cheers~
As someone who doesn't practice as much as they should because of discomfort, I really should check out your course, and even though aesthetically this guitar really doesnt do it for me, I apreciate any design that serves to maximise a certain goal.
I’ve certainly been there as well (a full year of pain). That’s why I take the topic so seriously
I'm not sure what kind of discomfort you mean, but exercising with finger weights really helps me, and doing hand stretches before bed and I usually wear wrist splints. I work with my hands so I can't afford to have problems with carpal tunnel syndrome and other forms of RSI. The weights aren't cheap around $120 for a pair last I checked, but they're well worth it. You could of course get a similar effect securing some nickles to your fingers and just looking up different exercises you can do, nickles weigh around 5 grams each where the weights use 10 gram rods. Not a huge fan of the 'one size fits all' as they can kinda loosen, especially the one you use on your thumb so I try to stick to the same ones for my thumb and pinky, I might try the ones that adjust. Another issue is the rods can get loose and fall out, but I just put some clear tape on them so they fit in more snugly.
These are what I'm talking about:
czcams.com/video/I0KalxGjfWk/video.html
@@brians1793 Mainly posture related issues, my back is curved a bit too much, and looking down at my guitar whilst I practice gets uncomfortable over time.
this looks so cool! i love the way the guitar looks! it just makes it look quite cool
Thank you for another first-class video: your videos are always detailed and intelligent. I learn something new from each of them, and they're always entertaining.
Great Videos
Your content transcends other channels.
Nice to have real world advice.
I like the headstock and tuner layout for being...intelligent in lieu of stupidly lazy. Bear in mind this is wood and not a piece of the space shuttle, so yes it is harder to make but...not rocket science. I cant get on board with the body, however. It reminds me of that weird fish nobody likes. My favorite Tele is the Squire Master Chambered Telecaster, incidentally. The set neck HH/Gibson control layout and Les Paul scale length let me get as close to a Les Paul as possible without making me eat my hat and buy a Gibson. I somehow managed to buy one that was preserved in a time capsule for 20 years and...whew its perfect. For me. Smooth outro btw, Doc.
Great review on not just what makes that guitar great, but what you should be looking for in a high-end guitar. Always look forward to another thoughtful Friday video.
Bill Frisell and Tim Miller got me very interested in Klein guitars almost to the same level Allan Holdsworth got me interested in Steinberger guitars. Still have yet to see one in real life
Hey Andre! I've spent some time watching many of your older videos and I love the content. I just wanted to recognize how good your camera setup looks in these newer videos!
Thank you! All the same room and the same lights. Just a couple tweaks and mastering my gear
As I’m getting older, I find myself gravitating more towards modern and/or ergonomic guitars. The design is not for everyone for sure, but it looks comfortable to play. Glad I found your channel!
Nothing wrong with a strat. Comfort contours, baby.
@@tiki_trash true, I’m not a strat player until I had back problems for playing les paul for years. Then I bought the strat and I was blown away by how comfy it is compared to les paul!
@@emeritusiv1366 They do feel nice and the neck pickup is one of my favorite guitar sounds.
@@emeritusiv1366 That neck pickup, oh yeah. It's just in the perfect place. Leo hit out of the ballpark with that one.
Gibson got it right in 1957 with the Flying V.. I got one shortly after getting serious and only play classical position when sitting down. I can’t even own any other guitar shape now 🤘🏻😂
That headstock is also clearly designed to minimize the lateral or horizontal break angle of the strings after the zero fret to just enough to be in tune but not so much as to cause extra stress on the strings. This should help with some amount of tuning stability and lessen breakage for the strings I’d guess
Thanks! Just found you, sub'd and liked. Beginning player shopping electrics. You're the first I've found who discusses seated ergonomics.
Glad to have you. I discuss a lot more great beginner info in the newsletter and course. Hope to see you there!
Hey Andre , I'm excited to hear you've made lessons regarding ergonomics.
Apart from classical guitarists, you're one of the few guitarists I've seen who mention how it's extremely important to be aware of your posture , the position of your guitar, and so forth.
I really value your input, and I will be picking up your course in the hope it can help me avoid injury and be sure not to cause more back pain. You've put so much into the course, and I'm excited to get a better understanding of music theory too.
Anyway, thank you for making videos and for making your lessons affordable. I was recommended to learn Alexander technique by a guitar teacher, and it was going to cost over 2,000 dollars for a month of lessons 😂.. so I ended up getting a headless guitar instead.
Out of curiosity, do you have experience with Alexander technique ? :) rock on!
Thanks for checking it out! I am not certified in Alexander technique, but I have studied with two musicians who are certified practitioners
I love Fly Me To The Moon on guitar. Just beautiful.
I would love to hear more about classical position and problems. My biggest gripe is that the neck sticks out WAY too far (some necks stick out much more than others), which means you either need long arms, stretch a ton, and/or must be prepared to have your fretting arm fall asleep. You may also end up bashing your headstock by accident when you inevitably have to reach for a new pick or adjust an amp and forget that the headstock is sticking out much farther than normal. (Note: I definitely don’t speak from personal experience! 😂) The aforementioned issues would never be a problem while playing a standard sized (ie: 25.5” and below) acoustic guitar in classical position since the necks are physically shorter in length and/or are set further into the body.
Anyway, I’d love to hear about other issues you encounter. That one drives me batty. I only own a single acoustic guitar, but I occasionally borrow an electric from a friend - it becomes a giant annoyance very quickly, and I always resort to make myself uncomfortable in the standard seated position because I just can’t reach all the low registers comfortably- even with my long arms.
well you just described it perfectly. I actually had that in the video and cut it out for time, but it’s almost like you said my exact gripe word for word. It also introduces a slight twist into the torso if you are stretching
I'd love to see one of these in a bolder finish. The lines are so exotic that I think it could look really cool in Ferrari red or Lamborghini yellow or whatever, especially with some matte/satin black worked in there to really make it pop. (Sides of the head steps would probably look really cool against bright paint.)
Great information, I learned some stuff.
When it comes to modern guitars and pickups, whether or not to use vintage spec vs noiseless, my preferred solution is to utilize regular pickups but have them all hooked up to a “slave coil” or “dummy coil” that is reverse wound/reverse polarity to eliminate the hum while still maintaining the original pickup’s unique voice
Thanks to your way of looking at musical related subjects, very rarely to finish a video except yours made my like addicted to you videos and opinions and would like to know more!! As if you gave a magical spiritual power that attracts the mind to listen and follow!! WOW.. thank you the world is lucky to have people like you sir regards from ENGLAND 🏴🙏🏼🌈👍👍
It’s wild Andre, wild!
Great review. Thank you. I can’t see myself buying a guitar that looks like this. And the antiquated truss rod adjustment makes no sense to me at all. But I think you are right to value clever design and ergonomics over a dogmatic adherence to “classical style”. We should all be looking for the instruments of our time, not reliving a past that will never be here again.
I have an LSL that is a hybrid telecaster and Stratocaster. It brings over much of ergonomic benefit of a strat to a tele while also looking unique. It’s a small innovation in the right direction.
It’s a pity there are not more affordable ergonomic options.
Your comparison off inflation-adjusted prices is useful. But let’s also remember that technology and production processes have advanced tremendously since the 1960s. This is why an iPhone today is way more powerful than it was 10 years ago but costs a similar amount. But your point is still well made.
Fender should really put a small edge radius bevel on many Telecasters, at least at high contact and pressure points. That hard 90° angle is worse than the lack of belly cut and forearm cut. That would not alter the basic image of the instrument if anyone cared.
It's so easy to manufacture a bolt on design with reduced heel obstruction as well. Like just do that, nobody sees it from the front anyway. Even new PRS ones kind of suck for the big prices.
The BC Rich Gunslinger has a bolt joint you don't even feel.
As much as it looks out of the ordinary while just holding it, while playing it I think it looks really cool! Great review
Thank you!
I've been playing guitar for 55 years and I have played many different types and manufacturers - how a guitar "should" look is something I never thought important. To me, a guitar is a guitar - the design of a guitar is up to the designer and that is what makes guitars so interesting, but there have been so many attempts to break away from the Tele/Strat/LP shaped create something that looked different - from Flying V. Explorers, Corvus, Danelectros, Rickies, Parker Fly to mention a few. What I find boring are the modified Teles - a "new" guitar is released? - its a Tele. Don't get me wrong, I have Crinson Tele and it is a beast of a guitar, but I take it to gigs only as a backup. My workhorse guitar is a 93 strat with Lace pups and a Bare Knuckle humbucker in the bridge - and that does everything I need it to.
When somebody brings out what is essentially a Tele in on odd shaped body and tells me that "This is how a Guitar Should Actually Look" , I'll look at it , say "nnnnggghhh!" and move on. If you like this guitar, then great , but don't claim it is what a guitar should look like.
This is so cool to see; I've never understood why the commonly used form factors make no sense to hold and play in a sitting position. I'd like to find and try one out in a shop at some point, because this is one of my biggest gripes with most guitars in general.
Amazing review as always from you, interesting guitar not what I would play but I love an ergonomic guitars like the Parker guitars and it sounds great! But what where they thinking with that truss rode placement that’s criminal at that price 😂
Many people hold their guitars wrong when they sit. Try putting the treble side upper bout on the left leg and the bass side lower bout on the right leg. Bingo! Very comfortable, good neck angle. This is illustrated and explained in the first few pages of any beginner classical guitar book.
Editing was on point this video 👌 also, double stuff Oreos are indeed the standard.
This took SO LONG 😂. Thanks for noticing
Your video quality keeps getting better.
Thanks for noticing :)
Single coils in series are some of my favorite high gain tones. Try putting the single coil back in the bridge and replace the switch with a 4 way so one of the middle positions can be series. I have a freeway 10 position switch in my Strandberg classic 6 trem with a set of bareknuckle old guard sss pickups. I used a 500k pot in the tone position and 250k pot in the volume position with a treble bleed and it is my most versatile guitar. I can go from really high gain muddy tones(bridge and middle in series with tone rolled back) to edge of break up spanky(bridge with tone about 7-8) to a perfect bluesy sound (neck with tone about 3-4).I've read about Strandberg's having some not so great QC issues recently and however founded or unfounded those claims are, my classic 6 trem I purchased spring 2021 came perfectly set up out of the box and has been so stable I haven't even needed to touch the truss rod. I've only swapped the electronics using a custom sss deco boom sss pickguard with the bridge slanted to look like a strat (I know there is no need to slant due to the fanned frets) and play it pretty much daily.
The ergonomic body design is very reminiscent of the 1970s Ovation Deacon/Breadwinner, Glen Campbell used to play a 12-string model.
The neck angle isn’t the same but they do look similar. Funny enough, I almost played a solo arrangement of Wichita Lineman for this video, but it was a bit too slow paced.
This is very cool -- thanks for sharing. I'm sure your music instructional videos are awesome; however, you are very talented when it comes to critiquing guitar design. I believe you found your calling :) I believe I saw you in walking down Newark Avenue a few Saturdays ago. I was eating outdoors in front of Grace O'Malley's
Thank you! Yes, that was most likely me! I'm always walking somewhere in Jersey City.
Erganomics... Man, I would sit for hours in my parents storage room with a converted 12 string to a 6 string and I would fidget and move around while playing trying to find that perfect position and that 45 degree angle was always where I landed lol. Since it was the 90's I always wore my guitar strung low lol, but when sitting down it was classical positioning because it felt so natural. Guitar teachers, music instructors that deal with the guitar, should definitely go over positioning, or ergonomics. It can make learning so much easier when you aren't in pain lol.
Wait a minute!!! They should make half stuffed Oreo's!!! 🧐 Way less sugar, and more chocolaty goodness!!! 😋 Come at me bro!!!😜
I always get a kick out of your deep dive reviews. Ergonomics. playability & weight have become critical in my choice of an instrument, so when you bring out something new, I'm all ears. That said, what are your thoughts on Dean Gordon guitars?
If you want to see something crazy Andre, inspect an NS stick... The strings are attach sideways at BOTH ends of :)
This headstock design looks cool, but is deficient on a couple of points. It has three contact/friction points of strings against steel before the machine head - the zero fret, the first post after it, and the second post at the edge of the headstock. It also has lateral break angle on that first post. Good designs have straight string pull through a nut made of lubricated material and then directly into the machine head. Most other bad designs offer at least the option to compensate for their deficiency with a String Butler or a similar solution with roller posts that reduce friction overall an at the nut specifically. You'd need to get them custom to fix this piece.
I also don't buy that it offers weight relief, the longer metal rods on the headstock necessary to reach through its entire width along with the additional metal posts are going to weigh more than the wood removed, and there's still more wood because it's six tuners in a straight line. The pegs on the tuning posts have a smaller diameter than normal that will make turning them require more force, which I find strange for an ergonomy-oriented product.
Something like a Music Man style 4+2 headstock has none of these issues. This design seems simultaneously both over- and underengineered for the sake of being different.
But I do like the guitar in general. It looks cool and we definitely should be paying way more attention to musician's health and posture issues. That demonstration of the guitar neck being parallel to the floor with Andre fully bending his fretting hand wrist had me wince both professionally as a teacher and personally as a two-times tendonitis sufferer.
Quoting high-quality research from a few years ago from memory that I cba to look up this moment: among trained music performance majors only piano players have a greater rate of work-related injury than guitarists, of which over three quarters have reported having some form of repetitive-strain injury at some point. We can do better as both players and teachers, and having equipment that supports us in this by design is not a trivial point!
Okay, after all you did succeed to provoke me to comment. Noiseless guitar pickups do not sound as single coil pickups. They are good only for people who don’t know the single coil sound and cannot cherish it. I had a set of custom made Strat noiseless pickups with four wires. I wired the pups thru a switch that switched the electrical polarity of the lower coils. In one position of the switch I have noiseless pups, in the other-true single coils. The noiseless pickups sounded phenomenal, they were really great! But being flipped into the true single coil mode they gave so much more frequencies, so much more information!
After that experience I now think all single coil pups should be made as reversable noiseless ones, so that player could switch between noiseless mode and true single coil mode.
18:26 Nooo! They are bad! Six individual barrel saddles don’t leave enough room for the strings, they have to bend around springs creating a lateral tension. Combine that with the string placement on one side of such saddle and you have a significant force that tips over all saddles.
What you wanna see instead-but either you don’t know or you forgot-Wilkinson Swivel Saddles that pivot on the screw that holds them. You can adjust action of each string.
Suhr Asato T uses those.
The whole 45 degree issue when sitting is the reason I play a V. I can play in the classical position so much easier and even slighter lesser of an angle than classical (the standard 45 or so). That's why my guitar collection comprises of primarily Jackson flying V's.
Andre, keep going! You'll get 6 digit subs in no time!
I don't really agree, that that is necessarily, how a guitar should look. You can get used to the shape of most guitars and play them just fine. But I like your delivery. I like how you go deep into the details. You got yourself a new subscriber! :)
Great video.
Tip. ... If yiu concerned about standing vs seated playing and dont like the classical position.... Tighten your guitar strap. Bring it up closer to your chest a bit while sitting
Hey Andre! I recently bought your course and I'm really enjoying your lessons. The only note I have is that it would be nice if you provided your chord & scale diagrams in .gp5 format.
I’ll provide that in the next update. Thanks for the suggestion and always feel free to email me any others!
Lol love the annoyance meter! I need me one of those!
That body seems like it would make a difficult reach for someone short arms like myself though.
The sculpted strat you showed around the 5 minute mark looks like a better fit.
The knee stool you showed intrigues me too. What are those called? Who makes them?
Love your channel Andre! I build guitars and it’s great to hear such a detailed perspective from a seasoned player. You make me consider things that I have never thought of before. Lots of food for thought regarding future guitar builds! I fully endorse your quest for perfection 😉 By the way, Stewmac does there own version of Evo Gold. From a builders perspective, for technical reasons that are hard to put in to words, I actually prefer their product. Regarding noiseless pickups, I love the EMG 57/66 set. What are your thoughts on actives?
I think active pickups are underrated especially emgs. I had a hss set and they were great.
@@andrefludd the clarity and string separation is hard to beat.
It’s definitely a weird looking guitar. It’s not ugly or beautiful… it’s just confusing to look at 😂. Sounds great though. To me it looks like a giant lute with that headstock.
I learned a long time ago to just always practice standing. It increases situational awareness too, you wouldn’t want to trip on your cord on stage (but seriously get a wireless setup, the more affordable digital ones these days like the Senn XSW-D / EW-D or Shure PGXD / GLXD are fantastic)
Before I get started on all this, let me first say that I very much enjoyed your keen attention to detail in the design and ergonomics departments. You review these instruments the exact way I feel I would need in a review if I was on the market, zeroing in on a purchase, and usually get hung up and freeze on pulling the trigger having been unable to quell the nagging questions I have regarding the fit and finish, that being the SOLE justification in deciding to take that kind of plunge on a sight-unseen instrument that I don't have immediate local access to try before I buy. Change *nothing* on the way you do these videos, please!
The high action and the "quack" are exactly why I will never be able to tolerate a Telecaster. Having the adjacent string pairs SHARE a saddle is just insanity, especially that middle saddle, the two strings will NEVER intonate properly and I don't care how compensated their saddles are! It's also completely a junk esthetic, from the headstock, to the ashtray, and everything in between.
Also, I'm sure you must have heard that buzzing eating through your clean fingerstyle chords at the end, even through those noiseless pickups. It's probably a grounding issue, especially if as I suspect the issue subsides when you touch the ashtray (I know that term actually refers to the COVER over the bridge [+pickup, not pictured], but I think it still suits the design pretty well). I would make it a point to give the electrical connections a good close once-over, maybe whenever you have the neck taken off for its next truss rod adjustment. The ONLY way I could ever see that design justified is if it was to discourage players from making adjustments at tension. BUT, those who are sinking that kind of bread into a nice boutique instrument, 10 out of 10 times will know how to set a neck properly, and they will all be glad, if not stoked to tell you they DAMN SURE don't need nor appreciate their hands being held and forced like that.
Eeesh...
Thanks for your comment and support. Yea I do agree there is probably a grounding issue with the guitar. Thanks for reminding me. I need to put that on the to do list :).
Always loved Kleins. I've wanted one for at least 20 years now. I don't even remember who I saw using one first, but it was definitely here on CZcams. Too bad he's only made a handful of basses over the years. Highly unlikely I'll be able to play one!
I have nothing but bad things to say about custom built instruments.
I have played lots of high end luthier-built guitars. I have never played one that was even remotely close to being worth the money. They always look nice and have all kinds of features but the sound and/or playability is always just OK. I'd love to be blown away but it has never happened.
I watched your video with Phillip McKnight. Great video! I have an Ibanez Reb Beach Voyager that is cut out like this one. Well, not quite like this one. When you are playing it, does it jack you up that it is tuned upside down?
Note on pickup noise: A friend bought a Suhr Jazz bass years ago. The thing sounded great, but the pickups it came with with vintage style and were VERY noisy. I know what builders are going for, but sometimes going for a more modern sound isn’t a bad idea especially if it’ll reduce pickup noise. It led to him eventually selling it for something more modern.
I had an old Ovation Deacon I played in the 80s and left in the closet when I got married. It was a really nice guitar but I lost it in Hurricane Katrina. This guitar should have the wider cutout on the butt of the guitar like the Ovations had. Too bad nobody is making that body shape these days. EDIT: And I just discovered Eastwood (of course) is making a replica but with real mini-HBs rather than single coils in mini--HB dress like the Ovations had.
Teles, yeah, I don't like how they look but I fell in love with the neck pickup.
That qwack u chase is in the saddle nuts banging against the saddle casing I usually mute that wit adhesive cork sheets from dollar tree
Posture is why I play Flying V’s and Dean ML’s perfection in classical position.
… Plus they look cool
I love the Klein body, but I ALWAYS think of the Klein-bergers I've seen, Klein body with Steinberger hardware and headless neck.
The truss rod access is a deal breaker for me on any guitar. You can't set the neck relief properly, while the neck isn't under tension of the strings. It's fundamentally flawed. This design should have never made it past a napkin sketch.
As a long time classical guitarist, having the tuner pegs point down seems normal. I also found the standard classical way of holding the guitar uncomfortable, but perfect when it comes to placing the guitar neck where it needs to be for precise playing with the least effort. I cannot play with the waist on my right leg and the neck horizontal. I typically play now with the lower bout, (right where the Telecaster output jack sits), placed on my right leg, and wedge the body under my arm. I did manage to snag a Performaxe, which does help, and I can place it where I need it to be, but you can't leave it attached to the guitar if you have nitro paint. Both of my solid bodies have nitrocellulose paint.
This shape is VERY similar to the old Breadwinner/Deacon models by Ovation, but the zero fret is genius
Great guitar, and from an ergo perspective, big improvement. I'm just stuggling with why the thicker strings kink sideways as the go over the zero fret.
Interesting topic. This is the first I've heard of this model. (I live under an old rock) I have seen them on videos but I assumed they were Ovation Electrics from the shape. Didn't pay attention to the shape of the headstock. Cheers!
4:47 really nice tone; what's your equipment on that?
My first thought was, “That looks like my Ovation”. I find the body style aesthetically pleasing. Having heard your comments on the headstock, I am willing to suspend judgement-it may be worth the compromise in appearance. That spike doesn’t seem to integrate with the curves of the body.
Interesting.. I'm still a novice player but am over the visual thing (mostly) however I am having a tough time with this one. It just looks like a sunfish. Lol.
Sorry hope you don't mind my stupid comment! I have been enjoying your content.
As I'm getting older, I tend to care much more about ergonomics, playability, and other practical aspects, but much less about "beauty" (which is in the eye of the beholder).
Very informative video. Playing guitar sitting down is quite uncomfortable if you're using any standard designed electric or acoustic. This is for sure the design I'd use but pretty much all guitar's built like this are very expensive, the most simple and free fix is to just play standing. That's what I've done since my days of even playing guitar hero, because even that was too annoying to sit down and play.
The truss rod thing is very very frustrating. I'd cry if I had to unstring it and remove the neck for a slight 1/4 turn adjustment.....that might be too much or not enough. But you'll only know when you restring it. I've already got a headache.
Oh.. I use a guitar strap and I adjust it to keep the guitar in the same angle both seated and standing. Works for me...
Just as i was about to accept this shape as is, you mentioned the truss rod and i completely lost it. There's no way i would pay even 100 bucks for that. Who would care about all the cool specs if you have to take the whole neck off everytime? God ..
It looks beautiful to me, it gives me airs of Holdsworth guitars
There's so much that's so right about this guitar, it's SUPER confusing that the truss rod is so difficult to adjust. Can the truss rod adjustment be accessed by removing the pick guard?
Everyone who isn’t disabled should be learning to play while standing. I figured that out pretty fast during being self taught. I realized pretty quickly “woah, it’s hard to play standing up cuz I’m used to sitting down while playing… hmmm… how about I take this more seriously and start playing only while standing up.”
But that makes sense to learn while standing. Because I’m not going to become a celebrated guitar hero and perform all my hit songs on stage *sitting*. I’ve never played sitting since I had that awakening. Now playing sitting down for me is nearly impossible. But I could see it going the other way too, and I’d rather be standing up taking it seriously.
You are constantly learning habits bad and good while learning guitar. I recommend people play standing as often as possible because then it becomes a good habit that you condition into yourself.
TL/DR you ain’t gonna be able to run across the stage doing the chuck berry duck walk while sitting down, so why sit down and play guitar?
what is that song from the intro? or is it original?
edit: this is such a non issue, but the thing for elevating it that you showed initially is quite interesting
One of my favorite “ergonomic” body styles (which most will disagree with) is the Gibson Explorer. Seated? Neck strap
andre what do you think about fret buzz vs low action? I think every guitarist should embrace a little bit of fret buzz because to make it crystal clear requires too high action. a little bit of jangle is good. In the studio if they require it to be crystal clear then just get a studio musician with his guitar set up incredibly high to do the part. I think you strike the strings very lightly to reduce fret buzz? I tend to strike them too hard but I can't change that now.
This looks like guitar you'd like, or better yet it looks like a guitar you'd design yourself.
Somehow this vid came up in my reccs outta nowhere. Great review, but a couple things I would have liked to see: 1) with this body shape, how your forearm/wrist feel? 2) how it sounds distorted (rock/metal). PS: any guitar that's $2gs SHOULD have independent saddles! PPS, and I h8 playing sitting down (and singing especially). The body style appeals to me, but there's SO many other high quality guitars in this price range.
Jeff Beck, played straight out or slightly down, but I think it’s his right hand that necessitated that.
I simply don’t sit and play, can’t do it, bad angles, especially to play chords