I just played one of these at a guitar center. The body shape in person I liked much more then I thought I would. First impression was I was very pleased with the overall quality. It was the first time I played a Sterling guitar . The neck pickup did sound a bit muddy . But that could possibly be cured with adjustments on the amp . Turn down the bass and increase the treble to see if that would help . At home I have an EP boost pedal and a Boss equalizer pedal to possibly clear things up with at pickup. Now I’m curious about a Cutless ct 50 model sterling with single coils. Though I surprisingly liked the body of the mariposa . The neck was excellent especially for this price .
Your two favorite parts were my two favorite parts, the neck and the body shape/comfort. I spend a ton of time with Fender Jaguars and this guitar just felt right at home to me. The neck was also great, as was the hardware. With a nice fret dressing this guitar would be even better, thankfully it's not very expensive! The Cutless is pretty good, but I went for this because it was far less traditional. All about preference
Bro the Sterling brand is solid as hell. I have a Sterling Ray34PB and it fucking rules. It sounds and feels, basically, as good as an EBMM. Though, the model I got is just under 1k$ , but even the cheap 300$ models sound great and do very well at giving you the Stingray sound. The SSS Cutlass kicks fucking ass, bro. It is my favorite non-Fender strat. I love the headstock, tho I know some people really don't. The pickups are very nice and do a great job at giving you that dank ass Strat Quack. The necks are great. Fast and comfortable. Controls all feel perfect. The HSS is nice too, but I just don't jive with Humbuckers on my Strats...they just don't feel like they belong, to me lol. A strat, in my mind, is 3 singles. Humbuckers for heavy distortion and I don't believe a Strats tone should be ruined by that shit lmao. Maybe some slight overdrive, only a little more than what you get from a cranked tube amp. You, basically, can't go wrong with any Sterling guitar. I will, most likely, be ordering one of their Albert Lee models, soon. The P90 style pickups they made for it are god damn sweet as hell
A lot can be done with basics, I actually never use a kill switch on any guitar except my Jazzmaster when I'm gigging out. Those things can be so noisy!
It's a really underrated model, and given you can snag them for like 450 "new" if you call some places that sell a lot of EBMM stuff it's a steal for sure.
Thank you so much! I think with a little bit of modifying this would be a serious contender for a gigging/budget guitar... just really needs a neck pickup swap desperately.
I enjoyed your review, been really curious about this guitar, but now knowing the frets are kind of rough and the fact I really like neck pickups I'm not sure
I used a little bit of Gorgomyte on the frets and it really helped a lot, but just know from the factory they are indeed a bit rough if you're used to higher quality fret work.
@@lamelamelame8 No no, the gorgomyte actually will polish the frets surprisingly well. Just be sure to use clean parts per the fret, that product genuinely amazes me with how effective it is.
At this price, it's kind of crazy how good guitars are. Once you get passed the fact that the majority of these big brand guitars are made in indonesia ( which shouldn't matter to some people, however to some that really bothers them ) the value is really hard to beat.
Is this basically a Fender Blacktop Jaguar with a trem and no tone control?... Hoping somebody answers "Yes" as I don't need another guitar but am tempted
Not at all, this has a 25.5 scale length which is the same as a jazzmaster compared to the jags 24. It actually makes a big difference in feel and string tension 🤣
@@AudiomoMusic i Will definitely do. I know the strat will sound awesome and the PRS I am curious, since it has the tci pick ups (warm and lower output) and not the 8515 wich are much higher output..
I appreciated your focus with relating to us your impressions of the pickups. I'm guessing this guitar is inspired by the company's signature guitar for St. Vincent?
Thanks! I try to be honest to a fault sometimes, but nobody is paying me or anything so I can give my opinion with no worries. This guitar is actually a unique one designed for omar rodriguez, it's kind of similar to the st. vincent but IMO much better looking and a bit more comfortable.
It's all about the fret polishing, but when you sit back and think about it... the fact that the majority of the guitars in this price range suffer from this issue makes a lot of sense. The manual labor hours required for doing this correctly would add at least a hundred bucks to the price.
@@AudiomoMusic Would a fret polish really add that much?! I do my own and it literally takes minutes, especially if the frets are already reasonable. Ok it's done manually but these guitars are made in Indonesia, where labour costs are a lot lower than they probably should be... Can't get my head around why a massive manufacturer would skimp on such a simple thing at this price
fender dont even polish their frets on guitars that cost over a grand from mexico OR production USA models. If you get a maple necked fender from either of those factories the lacquer will still be on the frets. I agree with you they should be doing it, but right now they want to save every penny possible to maximize profits.
@@AudiomoMusic ill see if i can find one and try it out for you and let you know. I saw a vid where someone, in Germany, I think, said it cost $4,000 euro's and can't be found.
I play a Sterling Silo 30 and it sounds like a dream. I'm also a big fan of At the Drive-in (Omar Rodriguez designed this guitar with Music Man). I love that green color. I really really wanted to like this guitar. I just don't like the way it sounds. It's sterile. It's like they tried so hard to not sound like a Fender or a Gibson that it just doesn't sound like anything. I liked the bridge pickup with a lot of distortion - it sounds like a proper metal guitar. But that's just it, metal guitars only sound good with a really sharp, crisp distortion. Not to mention, this isn't a metal guitar. It looks too 50s, and those aren't even active pickups. It's beautiful, especially the Ernie Ball black one with the gold in the pick guard. But man it just sounds so boring. While I was shopping for this guitar though, I did come across the Sterling Axis, which I didn't even know was a thing. With a 5 way switch on 2 humbuckers, if you split the pickups, you can make it sing like some of the best Teles you've ever heard. The looks are pretty uninspired, with a single cut away T body, and those awful corny looking colors and finishes... The Mariposa would definitely win in a beauty contest. But the Axis just sings.
![ปฏิเสธไม่ไหว (Crush on you) - LIPTA feat. No One Else [TEASER MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VC689EgdSIw/mqdefault.jpg)
I just found out about this guitar! Great demo. I love the looks. It definitely looks like it came out of the 1950s.
I just played one of these at a guitar center. The body shape in person I liked much more then I thought I would. First impression was I was very pleased with the overall quality. It was the first time I played a Sterling guitar . The neck pickup did sound a bit muddy . But that could possibly be cured with adjustments on the amp . Turn down the bass and increase the treble to see if that would help . At home I have an EP boost pedal and a Boss equalizer pedal to possibly clear things up with at pickup.
Now I’m curious about a Cutless ct 50 model sterling with single coils. Though I surprisingly liked the body of the mariposa . The neck was excellent especially for this price .
Your two favorite parts were my two favorite parts, the neck and the body shape/comfort. I spend a ton of time with Fender Jaguars and this guitar just felt right at home to me. The neck was also great, as was the hardware. With a nice fret dressing this guitar would be even better, thankfully it's not very expensive!
The Cutless is pretty good, but I went for this because it was far less traditional. All about preference
Bro the Sterling brand is solid as hell. I have a Sterling Ray34PB and it fucking rules. It sounds and feels, basically, as good as an EBMM. Though, the model I got is just under 1k$ , but even the cheap 300$ models sound great and do very well at giving you the Stingray sound.
The SSS Cutlass kicks fucking ass, bro. It is my favorite non-Fender strat. I love the headstock, tho I know some people really don't. The pickups are very nice and do a great job at giving you that dank ass Strat Quack. The necks are great. Fast and comfortable. Controls all feel perfect. The HSS is nice too, but I just don't jive with Humbuckers on my Strats...they just don't feel like they belong, to me lol. A strat, in my mind, is 3 singles. Humbuckers for heavy distortion and I don't believe a Strats tone should be ruined by that shit lmao. Maybe some slight overdrive, only a little more than what you get from a cranked tube amp.
You, basically, can't go wrong with any Sterling guitar. I will, most likely, be ordering one of their Albert Lee models, soon. The P90 style pickups they made for it are god damn sweet as hell
It sure as hell sounds good, and has just as good playability as a 60s vibe strat, and a great sound
2 volume knobs, eh? That would let you treat the pickup switch as a kill switch if you wanted to. Kind of handy. Great playing as ever my man!
A lot can be done with basics, I actually never use a kill switch on any guitar except my Jazzmaster when I'm gigging out. Those things can be so noisy!
I just played one of these and I was really impressed. The tremolo was smooth and the neck was nearly as comfortable as my MM Albert Lee.
It's a really underrated model, and given you can snag them for like 450 "new" if you call some places that sell a lot of EBMM stuff it's a steal for sure.
Great video! Great playing and a fantastic looking guitar
Thank you so much! I think with a little bit of modifying this would be a serious contender for a gigging/budget guitar... just really needs a neck pickup swap desperately.
What amp you using? Beautiful guitar
That's actually not an amp at all... that's a line 6 helix
Excited to see this guitar
I was too, but now I'm REALLY excited to try the ernie ball version!
I enjoyed your review, been really curious about this guitar, but now knowing the frets are kind of rough and the fact I really like neck pickups I'm not sure
I used a little bit of Gorgomyte on the frets and it really helped a lot, but just know from the factory they are indeed a bit rough if you're used to higher quality fret work.
@@AudiomoMusic im under the impression gorgomyte conditions the fret board, but would I have to file them at all?
@@lamelamelame8 No no, the gorgomyte actually will polish the frets surprisingly well. Just be sure to use clean parts per the fret, that product genuinely amazes me with how effective it is.
@@AudiomoMusic oh wow I had no idea, thank you for the recommendation 🙏
Does it tire you out playing standing up? That makes a difference for me sometimes when a guitar doesn’t feel right in the sitting position
No, it's very, very light so standing is no issue at all. Overall, it is a very comfortable guitar.
That guitar sounding it good, I like it.
I have a newer one that I'll be checking out tomorrow in a video!
Great guitars these sterlings..it's a music man but built in Indonesia. I own a jp100 Koa..beautiful and just excellent playable
Just smooth out the fret edges, dress the frets and this thing is ready to go, it's an insane bargain
Can’t say it’s not a looker, I would be interested In picking one up try for sure.
At this price, it's kind of crazy how good guitars are. Once you get passed the fact that the majority of these big brand guitars are made in indonesia ( which shouldn't matter to some people, however to some that really bothers them ) the value is really hard to beat.
“I’m used to a more elite fretboard”🤓
Damn right! hahahahaha
Is this basically a Fender Blacktop Jaguar with a trem and no tone control?... Hoping somebody answers "Yes" as I don't need another guitar but am tempted
Not at all, this has a 25.5 scale length which is the same as a jazzmaster compared to the jags 24. It actually makes a big difference in feel and string tension 🤣
@@AudiomoMusic Not what I needed to hear but also what I wanted to hear... Anyone want to buy a Les Paul CM? 😂
It looks nice. Btw Thanks for the amp.🤘🏼
Let me know once you actually pick it up, I want to hear the strat and PRS through it!
@@AudiomoMusic i Will definitely do. I know the strat will sound awesome and the PRS I am curious, since it has the tci pick ups (warm and lower output) and not the 8515 wich are much higher output..
It’s so cheap in the US! I have my eyes on one of these but they’re close to £700 so erming and ahhing atm
That was part of the appeal to me! It's so cheap, pretty, playable, and sounds great on that bridge pickup!
How is it different from a Sterling Albert Lee ?
That's a great question, I have never played the Albert Lee and I can't give any other insight more than just a google search would 😅
I appreciated your focus with relating to us your impressions of the pickups. I'm guessing this guitar is inspired by the company's signature guitar for St. Vincent?
Thanks! I try to be honest to a fault sometimes, but nobody is paying me or anything so I can give my opinion with no worries. This guitar is actually a unique one designed for omar rodriguez, it's kind of similar to the st. vincent but IMO much better looking and a bit more comfortable.
Nice review Jim, the guitar is cool, maybe just some minor fret work. Thanks man.
It's all about the fret polishing, but when you sit back and think about it... the fact that the majority of the guitars in this price range suffer from this issue makes a lot of sense. The manual labor hours required for doing this correctly would add at least a hundred bucks to the price.
@@AudiomoMusic Would a fret polish really add that much?! I do my own and it literally takes minutes, especially if the frets are already reasonable. Ok it's done manually but these guitars are made in Indonesia, where labour costs are a lot lower than they probably should be... Can't get my head around why a massive manufacturer would skimp on such a simple thing at this price
fender dont even polish their frets on guitars that cost over a grand from mexico OR production USA models. If you get a maple necked fender from either of those factories the lacquer will still be on the frets.
I agree with you they should be doing it, but right now they want to save every penny possible to maximize profits.
She's clear as a bell.
I would love to play the USA version of this guitar, I can only imagine now well it plays
@@AudiomoMusic ill see if i can find one and try it out for you and let you know. I saw a vid where someone, in Germany, I think, said it cost $4,000 euro's and can't be found.
I heard you say PRS. I am thinking hard on a Mcarty or Aria(?) SE. Any thoughts?
Slim or fat neck?
Definitely on the modern/slimmer side of things
I’m a Jackson, ESP, and Sterling JP player. I own the Mariposa. It’s too fat for my taste
I play a Sterling Silo 30 and it sounds like a dream. I'm also a big fan of At the Drive-in (Omar Rodriguez designed this guitar with Music Man). I love that green color. I really really wanted to like this guitar. I just don't like the way it sounds. It's sterile. It's like they tried so hard to not sound like a Fender or a Gibson that it just doesn't sound like anything. I liked the bridge pickup with a lot of distortion - it sounds like a proper metal guitar. But that's just it, metal guitars only sound good with a really sharp, crisp distortion. Not to mention, this isn't a metal guitar. It looks too 50s, and those aren't even active pickups. It's beautiful, especially the Ernie Ball black one with the gold in the pick guard. But man it just sounds so boring. While I was shopping for this guitar though, I did come across the Sterling Axis, which I didn't even know was a thing. With a 5 way switch on 2 humbuckers, if you split the pickups, you can make it sing like some of the best Teles you've ever heard. The looks are pretty uninspired, with a single cut away T body, and those awful corny looking colors and finishes... The Mariposa would definitely win in a beauty contest. But the Axis just sings.