Well, well, well.... I was curious about this one, and I wasn't wrong. Once again, it seems that it worths every cent of the price😊 And once again, thank you for one more great video!
Very happy you played it acoustic, I rarely see any reviews simply do that with semi hollows and it tells you a lot about the guitar. The Frost looks very unique compared to the gloss burst, I wonder if it plays more muted than a gloss finish.
Thank you, Jimmy. 🙏🏻 It seemed fitting to do it, so I'm glad that it was helpful. Unfortunately I don't know about the gloss, as I've only ever tried this one...
@@PedalPlatform no, it’s been delayed due to dhl wrongly routing it but should be with me tomorrow. I also ordered a HB dc dlx in black which was ordered a week before which also arrives tomorrow. Fingers crossed there’s no damage!!!
The question I always have about stainless steel frets is how level they are. Action is not just a matter of taking the bridge down. How far down you can go depends on the regularity of the fretwork and while I have sucessfully improved this on many cheap Harley Benton guitars with a little filing, I know stainless steel would be a different matter. Concerning the controls, one thing people overlook is that having two volume and two tone controls is roughly equivalent to halving the value of the pots, which can significantly dull out the sound even when everything is left full open.
You're of course right about the action, it's not just about bridge height, it also depends on fret leveling, nut height, neck relief, etc. That was my failure for not being able to convey on camera everything I was seeing at the time, and just went for the basic factor - which was bridge height. Everything else I could see pointed to a really nice fretwork. Of course the proof of that particular pudding is in the lowering of the bridge and checking for buzzing, which I did afterwards, and managed to get it to where I wanted it without the need to ruin any tools in the process 😉 My other "concern" about steel frets will be to see how fast they chew through a set of strings, but so far, so good, and I have put on quite a few hours of playing with the Aeolus. As for the controls, I will have to disagree with you... My understanding is that when you're in the neck or bridge position, the other half of the circuit is left floating (ground connection notwithstanding) - so from the point of view of the pickups, it's as if it doesn't exist at all - so the pots work as intended. In the middle position, now that's another story...
@@PedalPlatform You're right about circuitry: the selector switch keeps sets of controls apart and the effect I describe only occurs in middle position.
Great video! I didn't order this one, I went with a SC-550 II RAF. I was just looking for any reviews on Harley Benton and found your video. Great stuff. I'm a total beginner, limited budget that kind of stuff. From what i've found through my research so far, Harley Benton seem to me to be the most guitar for the money you spend. You got a thumbs up and a sub! :)
Thank you! 🙏🏻 Yup, Harley Benton are punching way above their price range. I've owned several of them starting in 2016 (Paisley Telecaster, a couple of CSTs, a 5 string bass, etc), and each new model is another step up in quality. And a great side effect is that it ends up forcing the other manufacturers to up their game too... awesome for the consumers! 😃
@@PedalPlatform I asked a friend of mine who happens to be a musician and his only comment was that it's a "budget brand". I was like yep okay but the popularity rise in just 3-4 years shows that people are happy with their products. That means something! Also interestingly I can't find a single 100% negative review. Some have unfortunately gotten cracks in headstock and what not but I blame that on UPS and shipping companies in general. Here in Sweden, the privatized postal service called Postnord, is particularly notorious about playing ball seemingly with the parcels. They have had an increasingly bad reputation.
They are a budget brand, no doubt, but some of their recent offerings wouldn't be out of place at twice the asking price. 😶 Even some of the cheaper stuff can be an excellent base for DIY upgrades, which is what I ended up doing to my Tele: new tuners, nut, pickups. And yes, I spent more on the upgrades than on the guitar itself, but a) it still has better stuff than similarly priced guitars from other manufacturers, b) it's my spec, and c) I had fun doing it. 😆 For an extreme example of this, check out @EytschPi42 's video where he takes the original HB SC550 and goes absolutely bonkers on it: th-cam.com/video/jb4QCHyaeSs/w-d-xo.html 🤣 As long as yours has a decent setup, with nice action, good neck relief, etc, you should be good for a while 😃
@@PedalPlatform I feel like they definitely have a place in the range as a beginner friendly alternative. I looked at different cheaper brands and I can draw a comparison to Gear4music. They have several in house brands. None of which are reviewed much on TH-cam (red flag 1) and the reviews that do exist are all negative (red flag 2). To me as a beginner, that made me look elsewhere. Gear4music have an affiliate in Sweden so it'd be easier to get the stuff home. Thomann ships everything from Germany. I'm worried UPS will fuck up with something. Other than that, I think I'm very happy with my purchase. BTW on amps, my musician friend adviced to go for the 12" version Amp. He said "anything under 12" will sound like ass". Would you agree or do you have a different take?
So far I've been very lucky with UPS, everything I've ordered from Thomann (and it has been a lot since 2016 😬😬😬) has got here in perfect conditions... I hope yours does too! As for amps: I also tend to prefer some 12" speakers, but I also find it will depend a lot on the volume at which you'll be playing at most of the time. A 12" speaker at bedroom volume is barely moving, so it might not sound that great either, but then again it also depends on the speaker brand, etc, as different speakers will sound different anyway - it's actually the one thing that can make the biggest change on the sound of your whole rig. As an example, both the 50W and 100W Boss Katana come with 12" speakers, but the 100W has a larger magnet, which gives it a beefier sound signature at the same volume... 12" Celestion V30's also sound completely different to 12" Celestion Greenbacks, and you can find countless debates on which one is better. On the other hand, Marshall puts 10" speakers on their Studio series combos, and they don't sound bad either. I know this doesn't really help clear things up, but it is mostly a matter of personal preference. For the time being, my way of solving it is by not using speaker cabs at all. I plug my amps into a Torpedo Captor, use Impulse Responses for cabinet simulations, and play through headphones or studio monitors. It doesn't give you the same punch a cab would at loud volumes, but my neighbours don't hate me as much. 😁
3.7 Kg / 7.1 lb. It's not exactly light, it's actually quite substantial. The mahogany center block probably has a lot to do with that, but on the other hand it has sustain for days... 😶
Hi, I've bought it some months ago, I like it very much, but I think it has frets too much cut towards the middle of the neck.. As you say, frets are no edgy at all but too much cut than strings tend to strech out of neck. What do you think about? After months I've always the same little problem. Not with other guitars. Anyway, I love it. Thanks a lot.
I guess it's a string spacing thing, it's relatively wide with the strings close to the edges, but I'm good with that. I have other guitars that are closer, so it's a matter of compensating a bit and trying not to push down on the high E string 😬😁
Hey. Great video. I'm thinking about getting this guitar but the only potential issue would be the weight. Do you still have this guitar, and can you tell me how much it weighs? Not necessarily in absolute terms, but relatively speaking (how it feels, how it compares to other guitars you own, etc.). Thanks a bunch in advance!
I can tell you both 😁Mine weighs 3.7 kgs / 8.12 lbs, which is roughly the same as my Strat, and definitely lighter than most Les Pauls. 👍🏻 It's not a featherweight, but also not too heavy.
tempted to get this one. heard the matt finish kind of wears off after a while. whats your experience so far? considering this only because the finish looks superb compared to the tobacco burst...which is like...every other thing available.. also.., still enjoying playing it?
Still enjoying playing it :) Just last night spent a couple of hours jamming into the Marshall Origin with a Joyo Zip Amp and it feels really lovely. As for the finish, mine's still looking great... I'll see how it goes, but if my Ibanez RG with a matte burl top is anything to go by, I suspect it's not exactly wearing off, it might just get polished from rubbing against fingers, hands, etc. Hope you enjoy it if you get it! 😄
well, i will tell you this. the heart wants what the heart wants in this case it is the frost flame. 8 to 10 weeks before its back in stock. but seems like my heart is likely to remain set on it. hopefully they have made some improvements on the f holes ( at least a bit!) without compromising on anything else ! would be nice if the also change the dot inlays to blocks...but i know im just pushing it too far haha
It isn’t that a matte finish wears off. It absorbs body oil which can give it a sheen in areas. The back of the neck is usually the first thing to do this.
Great idea, then I can say I prefer the smaller body, roasted maple neck + fretboard, locking tuners, etc, of this one! 😆 It's just my opinion, and if I didn't have anything to complain about people would probably say I'm a paid shill, so... 🤷🏻♂️ can't win. 😉
@@PedalPlatform Ouh, it was only a hint - a little bit thin- skinned today? I know there was a reason why i didn't subscribed... Wish you luck on your way
The reason you didn't subscribe was because you didn't want to, not because of my possible response to your hint 😉 Unless you have a crystal ball, in which case I'd love to know where to get one too - but with 4 knobs and a roasted maple neck 😆 My response was intended as a joke, I'm sorry if it didn't come out that way. 😉
@@PedalPlatform This kind of discussion will lead nowhere. Not subscribing and giving a thumb down was the result of your way to say what you think, not your thinking/judgement. And your answer is the same way of expression, maybe something that could be changed easily if you really mean what you've written above. Btw.: if you like the Aeolus and want four knobs, drill two holes and change the wiring. No big deal with that plate on the back. Personaly i don't like it because of the "extra" big F- holes, they are ugly imao. And Tesla PUs are in some HB35s too. Live long and prosper
You're probably right, it might not lead anywhere, but you might find it amusing that I'm actually enjoying our back and forth. Your ideas are good - of course I can change the wiring on the Aeolus (the back plate would probably that a piece of cake) and I could also get an HB35 or any other 335 clone such as a Sire H7. But this video wasn't about that - it is an Aeolus review / out of the box 1st impressions, and I was being dead serious when I said that if I don't criticise the guitar in some way, I'll probably get called a paid shill, or worse - and being honest, the control layout and the f-holes (mostly the location, rather than the size) are the only two things that I dislike about it so far. As for the way I said it - I'm a sarcastic git (at least that's what my wife says!). Of course you're free to thumbs down the video because of it, and I am thankful - really - for your explanation of why you did it, as most people will just drop a thumbs down and go away without explaining if they hated the product, the video, the presenter, or if their dog just bit their ankle at the exact time they were about to hit the thumbs up and pressed the wrong button by accident. So - yeah, thanks for stopping by, and honestly - without a hint of sarcasm - thank you for the interaction. 👍🏻
Wholeheartedly agree - but I draw a distinction between critique and criticism: - Critique is welcome, and usually helps everybody (at the expense of some ego, of course). I also find it usually comes from people who are in the same arena you are, fighting the same fight. They know what's involved in doing this stuff, they know how hard it is, what can go wrong, what will or won't translate on camera / audio, etc. And with that knowledge comes a level of critique that is usually designed to leave both parties better off than they were before the interaction. - Criticism will be handled appropriately, usually with a degree of snark. And an invitation to join me in the arena. 😉
![ทางเดินชีวิต - ธีเดช ทองอภิชาติ x อ.ไข่ มาลีฮวนน่า [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1f3wcG16dd4/mqdefault.jpg)
Just bought the exact instrument. In a word, Brilliant! The Ford Jaguar S type Swiss Army Knife for stage.
Never thought of it that way, but I guess it fits! 😁 Hope you enjoy yours!
Nah, that's a Strandberg
Well, well, well.... I was curious about this one, and I wasn't wrong. Once again, it seems that it worths every cent of the price😊
And once again, thank you for one more great video!
Thank you! 🙏🏻
Very happy you played it acoustic, I rarely see any reviews simply do that with semi hollows and it tells you a lot about the guitar. The Frost looks very unique compared to the gloss burst, I wonder if it plays more muted than a gloss finish.
Thank you, Jimmy. 🙏🏻 It seemed fitting to do it, so I'm glad that it was helpful. Unfortunately I don't know about the gloss, as I've only ever tried this one...
It should be more open than the gloss. Remember John Lennon and George Harrison stripped down their Casinos just for this reason.
Your vibrato is excellent ! Review makes me want to buy the guitar 🙂
Thank you! 🙏🏻 It's a lovely instrument, worth more than its price would suggest. 😃
A very good review, i am seriously considering getting one on the strength of this. Great playing also.
Solid review. Thank you for sharing this!
Very good looking guitar
Yeah, it's rather pleasing on the eye. 😄
It is a an amazing guitar. I purchased this previously but haven’t received it yet.
Have you got it yet? 😁
@@PedalPlatform no, it’s been delayed due to dhl wrongly routing it but should be with me tomorrow. I also ordered a HB dc dlx in black which was ordered a week before which also arrives tomorrow. Fingers crossed there’s no damage!!!
Ah bugger, I hope they get to you unharmed! 🙏🏻
The question I always have about stainless steel frets is how level they are. Action is not just a matter of taking the bridge down. How far down you can go depends on the regularity of the fretwork and while I have sucessfully improved this on many cheap Harley Benton guitars with a little filing, I know stainless steel would be a different matter.
Concerning the controls, one thing people overlook is that having two volume and two tone controls is roughly equivalent to halving the value of the pots, which can significantly dull out the sound even when everything is left full open.
You're of course right about the action, it's not just about bridge height, it also depends on fret leveling, nut height, neck relief, etc. That was my failure for not being able to convey on camera everything I was seeing at the time, and just went for the basic factor - which was bridge height. Everything else I could see pointed to a really nice fretwork. Of course the proof of that particular pudding is in the lowering of the bridge and checking for buzzing, which I did afterwards, and managed to get it to where I wanted it without the need to ruin any tools in the process 😉
My other "concern" about steel frets will be to see how fast they chew through a set of strings, but so far, so good, and I have put on quite a few hours of playing with the Aeolus.
As for the controls, I will have to disagree with you... My understanding is that when you're in the neck or bridge position, the other half of the circuit is left floating (ground connection notwithstanding) - so from the point of view of the pickups, it's as if it doesn't exist at all - so the pots work as intended. In the middle position, now that's another story...
@@PedalPlatform You're right about circuitry: the selector switch keeps sets of controls apart and the effect I describe only occurs in middle position.
Great video! I didn't order this one, I went with a SC-550 II RAF. I was just looking for any reviews on Harley Benton and found your video. Great stuff. I'm a total beginner, limited budget that kind of stuff. From what i've found through my research so far, Harley Benton seem to me to be the most guitar for the money you spend.
You got a thumbs up and a sub! :)
Thank you! 🙏🏻 Yup, Harley Benton are punching way above their price range. I've owned several of them starting in 2016 (Paisley Telecaster, a couple of CSTs, a 5 string bass, etc), and each new model is another step up in quality. And a great side effect is that it ends up forcing the other manufacturers to up their game too... awesome for the consumers! 😃
@@PedalPlatform I asked a friend of mine who happens to be a musician and his only comment was that it's a "budget brand". I was like yep okay but the popularity rise in just 3-4 years shows that people are happy with their products. That means something! Also interestingly I can't find a single 100% negative review. Some have unfortunately gotten cracks in headstock and what not but I blame that on UPS and shipping companies in general. Here in Sweden, the privatized postal service called Postnord, is particularly notorious about playing ball seemingly with the parcels. They have had an increasingly bad reputation.
They are a budget brand, no doubt, but some of their recent offerings wouldn't be out of place at twice the asking price. 😶 Even some of the cheaper stuff can be an excellent base for DIY upgrades, which is what I ended up doing to my Tele: new tuners, nut, pickups. And yes, I spent more on the upgrades than on the guitar itself, but a) it still has better stuff than similarly priced guitars from other manufacturers, b) it's my spec, and c) I had fun doing it. 😆 For an extreme example of this, check out @EytschPi42 's video where he takes the original HB SC550 and goes absolutely bonkers on it: th-cam.com/video/jb4QCHyaeSs/w-d-xo.html 🤣 As long as yours has a decent setup, with nice action, good neck relief, etc, you should be good for a while 😃
@@PedalPlatform I feel like they definitely have a place in the range as a beginner friendly alternative. I looked at different cheaper brands and I can draw a comparison to Gear4music. They have several in house brands. None of which are reviewed much on TH-cam (red flag 1) and the reviews that do exist are all negative (red flag 2). To me as a beginner, that made me look elsewhere. Gear4music have an affiliate in Sweden so it'd be easier to get the stuff home. Thomann ships everything from Germany. I'm worried UPS will fuck up with something. Other than that, I think I'm very happy with my purchase.
BTW on amps, my musician friend adviced to go for the 12" version Amp. He said "anything under 12" will sound like ass". Would you agree or do you have a different take?
So far I've been very lucky with UPS, everything I've ordered from Thomann (and it has been a lot since 2016 😬😬😬) has got here in perfect conditions... I hope yours does too!
As for amps: I also tend to prefer some 12" speakers, but I also find it will depend a lot on the volume at which you'll be playing at most of the time. A 12" speaker at bedroom volume is barely moving, so it might not sound that great either, but then again it also depends on the speaker brand, etc, as different speakers will sound different anyway - it's actually the one thing that can make the biggest change on the sound of your whole rig. As an example, both the 50W and 100W Boss Katana come with 12" speakers, but the 100W has a larger magnet, which gives it a beefier sound signature at the same volume... 12" Celestion V30's also sound completely different to 12" Celestion Greenbacks, and you can find countless debates on which one is better. On the other hand, Marshall puts 10" speakers on their Studio series combos, and they don't sound bad either.
I know this doesn't really help clear things up, but it is mostly a matter of personal preference. For the time being, my way of solving it is by not using speaker cabs at all. I plug my amps into a Torpedo Captor, use Impulse Responses for cabinet simulations, and play through headphones or studio monitors. It doesn't give you the same punch a cab would at loud volumes, but my neighbours don't hate me as much. 😁
This is best ever reviewed why the subscribe button for, thank you Sir 👍🏻
Thank you! 🙏🏻
Gorgeous!
It is, they knocked out of the park with this one!
I like the satin finish. and the general look of this guitar. It looks and sound like a way more expensive one.
It really does!
Only disappointed that they are not available for left hand players.
Shoot them an email, they have quite a few left handed guitars in their range, so I wonder if they'll also release this one? 🤔
I am looking for at light hollowbody ;-)
How much does this one weigh?
3.7 Kg / 7.1 lb. It's not exactly light, it's actually quite substantial. The mahogany center block probably has a lot to do with that, but on the other hand it has sustain for days... 😶
Get your Aeolus here: redir.love/DhFtmGcQ (Thomann affiliate link)
Hi, I've bought it some months ago, I like it very much, but I think it has frets too much cut towards the middle of the neck.. As you say, frets are no edgy at all but too much cut than strings tend to strech out of neck. What do you think about? After months I've always the same little problem. Not with other guitars. Anyway, I love it. Thanks a lot.
I guess it's a string spacing thing, it's relatively wide with the strings close to the edges, but I'm good with that. I have other guitars that are closer, so it's a matter of compensating a bit and trying not to push down on the high E string 😬😁
Hey. Great video. I'm thinking about getting this guitar but the only potential issue would be the weight. Do you still have this guitar, and can you tell me how much it weighs? Not necessarily in absolute terms, but relatively speaking (how it feels, how it compares to other guitars you own, etc.). Thanks a bunch in advance!
I can tell you both 😁Mine weighs 3.7 kgs / 8.12 lbs, which is roughly the same as my Strat, and definitely lighter than most Les Pauls. 👍🏻 It's not a featherweight, but also not too heavy.
@@PedalPlatform Thanks a bunch for the answer!
tempted to get this one. heard the matt finish kind of wears off after a while. whats your experience so far? considering this only because the finish looks superb compared to the tobacco burst...which is like...every other thing available..
also.., still enjoying playing it?
Still enjoying playing it :) Just last night spent a couple of hours jamming into the Marshall Origin with a Joyo Zip Amp and it feels really lovely. As for the finish, mine's still looking great... I'll see how it goes, but if my Ibanez RG with a matte burl top is anything to go by, I suspect it's not exactly wearing off, it might just get polished from rubbing against fingers, hands, etc. Hope you enjoy it if you get it! 😄
well, i will tell you this. the heart wants what the heart wants
in this case it is the frost flame. 8 to 10 weeks before its back in stock. but seems like my heart is likely to remain set on it. hopefully they have made some improvements on the f holes ( at least a bit!) without compromising on anything else ! would be nice if the also change the dot inlays to blocks...but i know im just pushing it too far haha
Block inlays on this would look absolutely stunning. 😍
It isn’t that a matte finish wears off. It absorbs body oil which can give it a sheen in areas. The back of the neck is usually the first thing to do this.
It has Malcolm Young tone in it.
If you prefer four pots take a HB 35 ....
Great idea, then I can say I prefer the smaller body, roasted maple neck + fretboard, locking tuners, etc, of this one! 😆
It's just my opinion, and if I didn't have anything to complain about people would probably say I'm a paid shill, so... 🤷🏻♂️ can't win. 😉
@@PedalPlatform Ouh, it was only a hint - a little bit thin- skinned today?
I know there was a reason why i didn't subscribed...
Wish you luck on your way
The reason you didn't subscribe was because you didn't want to, not because of my possible response to your hint 😉 Unless you have a crystal ball, in which case I'd love to know where to get one too - but with 4 knobs and a roasted maple neck 😆
My response was intended as a joke, I'm sorry if it didn't come out that way. 😉
@@PedalPlatform This kind of discussion will lead nowhere. Not subscribing and giving a thumb down was the result of your way to say what you think, not your thinking/judgement.
And your answer is the same way of expression, maybe something that could be changed easily if you really mean what you've written above.
Btw.: if you like the Aeolus and want four knobs, drill two holes and change the wiring. No big deal with that plate on the back.
Personaly i don't like it because of the "extra" big F- holes, they are ugly imao. And Tesla PUs are in some HB35s too.
Live long and prosper
You're probably right, it might not lead anywhere, but you might find it amusing that I'm actually enjoying our back and forth.
Your ideas are good - of course I can change the wiring on the Aeolus (the back plate would probably that a piece of cake) and I could also get an HB35 or any other 335 clone such as a Sire H7. But this video wasn't about that - it is an Aeolus review / out of the box 1st impressions, and I was being dead serious when I said that if I don't criticise the guitar in some way, I'll probably get called a paid shill, or worse - and being honest, the control layout and the f-holes (mostly the location, rather than the size) are the only two things that I dislike about it so far.
As for the way I said it - I'm a sarcastic git (at least that's what my wife says!). Of course you're free to thumbs down the video because of it, and I am thankful - really - for your explanation of why you did it, as most people will just drop a thumbs down and go away without explaining if they hated the product, the video, the presenter, or if their dog just bit their ankle at the exact time they were about to hit the thumbs up and pressed the wrong button by accident.
So - yeah, thanks for stopping by, and honestly - without a hint of sarcasm - thank you for the interaction. 👍🏻
That’s the worst sound I’ve ever heard emanating from a guitar. Perhaps it’s u’r choice of tone… need more examples.
Excellent, looking forward to hearing your video! 🙏🏻
@@PedalPlatform people are allowed to critique bro
Wholeheartedly agree - but I draw a distinction between critique and criticism:
- Critique is welcome, and usually helps everybody (at the expense of some ego, of course). I also find it usually comes from people who are in the same arena you are, fighting the same fight. They know what's involved in doing this stuff, they know how hard it is, what can go wrong, what will or won't translate on camera / audio, etc. And with that knowledge comes a level of critique that is usually designed to leave both parties better off than they were before the interaction.
- Criticism will be handled appropriately, usually with a degree of snark. And an invitation to join me in the arena. 😉