@@dominic5602 capacitance (filter), the wiring and impedance control an electric guitar’s exact tone. The rest is in the fingers of the specific guitarist and the setup / playability of the guitar.
Roasted maple necks are also cheaper to manufacture because roasting the wood make it available in two years instead of four years for regular maple. So you should be seeing roasted necks as normal going forward. 😮
For $999 i vote for the Ibanez RG 550 Genesis! Made in Japan, Gotoh made original Edge trem. HSH pu' configuration with a 5 way with plenty of tone options and coil cuts, Wizard neck shape which is the fastest shape ever. Plus the body shape is just awesome like a futuristic strat. You can get it in this Yellow color or road flare red and Purple neon. I like the PN color the most. I do admit SBS is giving a great deal here for $369! all you really need is some duncans and you are good to go. That floyd on those is not as bad as you made out to be!
Yeah definitely agree with Ibanez as the in-between option. The SBS / Guitar Fetish lines are all great values. The Guitar Max Signature Harley Benton though is the real winner in terms of value. Spec-wise there's no comparison
Yes, the RG550 Genesis Series is the way to go, superior to the HM Strat re-issue in every way. Another alternative would be a Charvel Pro Mod Series San Dimas or So-Cal or DK24 model. The HM Strat re-issue is a total rip-off, the original had a DiMarzio Super 3 in the bridge not that crappy Fender humbucker and also came with a Schaller Floyd-style bridge ( Schaller makes the OFR and their own "Lockmeister" is considered a great bridge) not a cheapo Floyd Special.
@ MAX, The floyd rose on the SBS is not all that bad. If the player does not over tighten the screws it works absolutely fine as it should. The problem is when inexperienced players new to FR trems over tighten the screws at the saddle when you lock the string in. Also NEVER adjust the action height while the strings are at pitch! This causes the knife edges to wear faster on any trem!
Probably could put a set of those Amazon stainless steel Floyd Rose saddles on either one of those and it would help. Like you said the knife edges are going to wear quicker on any of the ones made with cheaper materials but I’ve heard good things about those stainless saddles.
I played that yellow HM Strat when you brought it to my house last year. Loved it! The neck was great. I wanted to keep it. I have yet to try an SBS guitar.
The push of your guitar at the end cracked me up, totally caught me by surprise but your not wrong at all about the specs being superior! I love the sbs models but just wish they threw a 24 fret one in there at least for the hh models.
Honestly i would just add the extra $500 and get a Ibanez RG 550 Genesis brand new instead of the SBS and i would Never pay $1200 for the HM strat in the first place! Those are only worth maybe $600 tops!
The point is Floyd Rose Special and every like cheap Floyd version totally sucks. The bridges are getting flubby in no matter of time and the springs are way more noise. Moreover the dont get a fine „drill“ sound compared to the original floyd. So an original floyd is like 500 box. You will not find that in cheap guitars. And that is necessary if you need your guitar for touring or professional recordings trust me your producer will kill you otherwise 😅 High quality Ibanez bridges or gotho floyd are working well too but not the floyd special and 500 shit. Moreover the working conditions of a lot of cheap guitars are not that good. You really want to support industries in Indonesia? Another point are the pickups if you want something that is good from di marzio, duncan, bare knuckle (which is even more expensive) you have to invest. Than you should know that cheap guitars often having a terrible fret work and no stainless steel. So feel free to upgrade your 500$ guitar for at least 1000$ if you can do all that stuff yourself. And than you can just buy an more expensive for example Ibanez Prestige that already comes with good specs 😂
@rocketpigrecords3719 It's real Roasted Maple. He has already spoken on this before. It's not a "Finish" like they said on their listing before. It's Solid Roasted maple from Canada.
Love the shameless self plug! Loved the video and all three guitars are on my to do list. You’re giving me a todo list longer than a freaking Lenard Cohen song! Mad love for ya Max!
I owned one of the original Strats of this one you have here. I loved it for less than a week until the peg of the Floyd Rose snapped off the body and took a huge chunk of wood with it. This was I'd say back in the mid 90's I bought it used. The shop I bought it from was nice enough to take the guitar back and I traded it in on a nice white washed Charvel.
I always switch out my trem arms to a push in model with a set screw. works so much better than the regular screw on type. Even the OE floyd bars come loose. The push in ones are great you can adjust it so it stays where you put it. No issues.
$1200 and only a FR Special? I just bought an EVH Striped Series (White) for €969 (about US$1040) and it has an EVH rebranded FR 1000 on it. Wonderful guitar, plays and sounds amazing. 🤘😎🤘
i've got an "E Series" Squier, Made in Japan '86, and Contemporary Strat originally sold to the Japanese Market only. HSS, with 3 Toggles, #3 Splits the Hum, no pickguard and a Gibson 24.75" Scale and hardly any fret wear and a few big scabs in the paint, but O.W. unplayed. I bought it for $100 bucks 12 years ago and it sat for 10 years and i finally did a set up, gave it new strings, took off the Floyd that some one installed, installed a stock 6 pt trem and it plays like a dream. Built in Japan when even "Fenders" were built in the same Factory and considered to be equal in quality and playability. I wouldn't sell it for a dime less than $1000.
I am a guitar teacher, in my 25 years teaching experience, i must say: if the "cheap guitar" push you to practise, learn and dream, that is way better than any expensive indtrument money can buy
Interesting. Just at first look I would have thought the SBS was the more expensive because of the roasted maple neck and having the truss rod adjustment at the bottom of the neck.
I prefer the hm strats because the originals were solid. I own 7 of these guitars some original and some reissues. Currently looking for an 88-89 ice blue but it’s rare
If you're going to replace the bar on the floyd, get the push-in style bar (still only around $20). I'm not sure why they even still bother with the screw-on style anymore, and it doesn't seem to be related to the price. I have 2 Schecters that came with the hot-rodded floyd specials and those have the push-in bars, which are far superior to the screw-on bars that came with the floyd 1000 bridges on both my Solar and Charvel guitars. I replaced the bars on both those guitars and it makes a world of difference.
When distortion is added, the differences are extremely minimal. Typically at the higher price range guitars tend to feel and play better in the hands. However, if you find yourself a good guitar tech/Luthier the gap shrinks even more.
The biggest difference between a cheap and expensive guitar will always be how they feel to play. But the more expensive it gets, the less of a difference there will be. A 500 vs 1500 dollar guitar will feel very different, but a 1500 vs 2500 dollar guitar you won't feel as much of a difference. When I look for a new guitar, I first see if it looks great, then play is to see if it feels great, and lastly listen if it sounds great.
I own the Fender HM Strat, same specs, except for the hot-rail pickup. I made the following modifications: upgrade to Floyd Rose Original Satin Gold (+$350), Upgraded to 37mm Fat Brass L Shaped 37MM (+40), upgraded to super heavy tremolo claw (+50), Vinyl Wrapped body with Neon Orange (+$60), Pro fret level and dressing with string tension (+$150). I also modified the tremolo spring cavity cover so that the larger 37mm block can fit without touching the cover, and made some small routing adjustments around the brass block to give whammy up/down more room to move freely without bottoming out. I'm considering refretting with stainless steel some time this year, and possibly having a single-coil sustainiac installed in the neck position. I have a Schecter with a sustainiac so it isn't a priority. Just wanted to share in case anyone was interested in making upgrades to their HM Strat. Cheerio... er, Cheers
HM Strat. haha im biased i have one. But.. I also have an Ibanez rg550 an rg655 and loads of other guitars. I also have an old squire hm strat too which i love. it was my first guitar. theres just something about the HM strat i love. the feel of the neck playing it. My advice try the guitars before you buy them. Different guitars will vibe with you differently. My most goto guitar is actualy a cheap Ibanez that I did up. a white Ibanez pegasus. now i have the blue pegasus and the white one. the blue one is perfect it came out of the factory perfect the white one was not. it has finish issues on the back of the neck the nut wasnt right it was too low causing fret buzz. but i repaired the nut issue. and I actualy love it i gravitate to it all the time.
I remember the HM Strat being released in the late 80s. They seemed to be competing with the model series by Charvel, which in my opinion were great guitars, and better than the Strat. The HM were originally made in Japan, and then in the US by 1990.
Usually I'd go for the underdog but the HM Strat has a brighter, cleaner sound. Nothing against the SBS, it sounds good. The strats sound is more for me though
The SBS strat has more punch in both pick-ups.. a little less low end in the bridge pickup.. just a little bit more punch. More volume in both pick ups. It’s sounds way better than the fender. I prefer the sound with the cheaper SBS! The neck humbucker is reminiscent of the DiMarzio Liquifire with a little less attack if that makes sense. And I swear the bridge is reminiscent of the DiMarzio crunchlab with a little less low end. Wow. Big difference in sound. All someone would need to do is upgrade the Tremlo. The fender’s bridge. Pick up was lacking as well. Not enough gain. And FYI I have a your signature Harley Benton on order! Can’t wait. Took me a minute… I’m due for a new guitar.
For clean tones I would say the SBS has a darker , warmer , tone , because of the roasted maple neck , for hair metal , skin melting shredding , then the Super Strat , I would definitely say the SBS is worth the modification upgrades it would take to make it your go to gig guitar , or daily player , so I would go for the SBS , for clean tone , price , and reverse headstock ! Thank you Max , great video !
Under a high gain situation there was barley a noticeable difference, both guitars sound great so I guess it boils down to playability and price! It goes to show you that the money should go to a good amp
9:02 the Fender Farted out with the overdrive kicked in the Fender sounded heavier. Clean the SBS sounded slightly better to my ears. Max you sig guitar is sweet my fav color also. Ill take the Max sig guitar
The SBS pickups certainly sound better to my ears. The bridge splits out much better as well. The fender sounds thin, and the split is even thinner and noticable volume loss. I am NOT sad that I sold off my HM...other than the fact that it was #69...in pink..lol Ive become a big SBS fan and need the new Showroom models.
I would go for the SBS and your signature guitar I already bought and was delivered two mounts ago. It's an Awaysome guitar, everything thing you said about it is 100% true!
The neck, the fret finishing - SO important in terms of playability. My best axe is an ESP E-II and it's the NECK that just makes it so much easier to play than anything else I have - including my LTDs.
@@CS_Murphy_R9 Couldn't agree more, brother. I kind of homed in on ESP when I first started playing. My first guitar ever was a cheap Yamaha starter., When i decided I wanted to keep going with it, I bought a used Ibanez because I thought that was what all the cool kids used. From a quality standpoint I wasn't impressed - in fact, I actually played the Yamaha more than the Ibanez. So I bought an LTD 201 model and was blown away - I've had ALL KINDS of guitars since including a Les Paul Standard tobacco burst (a pretty good guitar) and a Studio (I now have an LTD EC-1000 that blows them both away), an SG Special, a Gibson Flying V that I still have, and Epi Explorer I also still have, a Jackson DK3, just a bunch of stuff I went through. But for my money, the E-II line is about the best you're going to get - attention to detail is astonishing. If you can find a used one in great condition for a good price like I did, DO NOT HESITATE. The LTD Deluxe 1000s are also awesome. I just don't really take chances with anything else in the upper price ranges (1k+). It's not worth rolling the dice. I'd trade my Flying V in on a Deluxe LTD in a heartbeat. I have 6 electrics right now, 3 of them are ESPs.
I closed my eyes as soon as you started to use high gain. There was literally no difference while using gain. Occasionally I would open my eyes and was surprised that I hadn't even noticed that you changed guitars.
I had many super strat type guitar, highend to entry level . Ibanez AZ Prestige 2402F, Charvel DK24, Charvel Pro Mod So-Cal Style1, Kramer striker, even the Harley Benton Fusion. Last month I grab your Guitar MAX Fusion Signature from thomann (Sold out in 6 hours). Holy shit, it is an amazing guitar! The neck feels like Ibanez AZ and better than Fusion III and the floyd rose 1000 stay in tune very well. Before I got the guitar, I plan to change them to DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan set. But the tesla pickups are pretty good! No need to change right now If there is another color or model in the feature. I definitely will get another one.
Since, for the price of that HM Strat I could buy that SBS AND the Mustang GTX100 that you're playing them through, I'm going to have to go with the SBS and the GTX100.
SBS for me. The warmth of that rosewood really lights up the tone......I have 2 Strats myself and a PRS and the PRS really gives the Strats a run for their money
Roasted maple necks are also cheaper to manufacture because roasting the wood make it available in two years instead of four years for regular maple. So you should be seeing roasted necks as normal going forward.
When I was young, I was an avid tennis player and had the pleasure of going to a Harry Hopman tennis camp. We all lined up on the court with our 4 rackets, grip tape, etc. and this elderly gentleman walks onto the court with a bent aluminum, broken strings, no grip covering racket and proceeded to school every one of us. It was Mr. Hopman. I learned then, in most cases it’s not the equipment but the persons talent. Cheers all.
Yep... there is a difference in the sound. The SBS seems a little "warmer". Both are pleasing to the ear. I believe I would keep my $840. Thanx for the comparison.
Max, another great video great content.I was shocked at the coil split sounds the sbs guitar made it was single coil like. I don't hear a 800.00 dollar difference, great video.
Don't apologize Max congratulations on your signature guitar also I had no idea I've been kind of out of the loop for a little bit but congratulations dude and I'm looking at it and my son plays and I'm trying to see what he thinks of your guitar cuz he's looking for another one
Spend $16 and just put a push in style Floyd Rose bar setup on it. Just unbolt the original input throw it in the garbage put the new push in style one in there and then you're all set.
It’s February 2024 as I comment. I just turned loose of my super Strat, a 2002 Brian Moore i9f. If I wanted this type of guitar again, I doubt I would choose between one of these two. I would instead consider taking a second whack at a Steinberger-type headless guitar. I briefly had a white Spirit-by-Steinberger GT Pro, and I would’ve kept it if I thought I could’ve kept the high E in tune (it kept dropping to Middle C after I swapped out the stock headpiece for one from the Synapse line).
I honestly didn't hear any real difference except maybe clean? And I say maybe because the SBS just sounded louder, not that there was any real tone difference. And that could just be down to the fact that the HM Strat has a single coil sized humbucker in the neck, so it can't output as much as the full sized humbucker in the SBS. Either way, they both sound great.
Things that stood out to me, it seemed the Strat was easier to play judged on movement. I like the clarity of the Strat too, the SBS seemed a bit muddy. But is it worth the huge price difference. Depends on the type of player your are. If you are actually playing gigs and play a lot, I'd say yes worth it.
Max, I gotta tell ya, I ain't buying over $400-$500. I'm a decent amateur guitar tech; these days, I'll get something like my Bullfighter neck through and adjust and modify it. This Bullfighter needed a truss rod adjustment, an action drop, and a string retainer bar. A decent setup and this axe will be a most killer beast! Yet I haven't got more than about $230 invested in this axe. Take THAT, Fender and Jackson!
I buy the Squiers and both of my Jackson Dinkys still together cost me less than $400 and sound pretty dang good... I don't spend a lot on mine either. I got them on deals...
@@andrewurban8583 I have said it before and I will say it again: This is truly the Golden Age of Inexpensive Guitar Gear! It may not last much longer, but let's make the most of it while it does!
Hey Max, one thing you forgot to mention was the HM Strat is a re-issued guitar, original coming out in 1989 and made in Japan. Mslp at that time was $599.00
@@72dodge340 cool we never got the USA ones, wasn’t even aware. At this time pre FMIC, all the distribution was done in Canada through Tatrtini Music in B.C. A standard US Strat was listed at 1199 MlSP, but because of Long and McQuades selling them for 799 smaller dealers were making almost Zero at that matched price. Thanks Rik
the control layout on the SBS is exactly what you need on any guitar if you ask me?! simple, awesome. i also prefer the inverted headstock. roasted maple is great. over time you can purchase individual parts to improve the value. fender can eat a bowl of D%^&$S!
Have you ever seen a Fender Showmaster? It’s a set neck strat style guitar with a Floyd or a standard Fender trem and it comes with different pickup configurations. It also has a carved top. You would love them I think.
I prefer the SBS which sounds warmer. I'm actually slightly more focused on how the neck feels when I'm hunting for an axe. You can pretty much get any tone with today's range of amps, software, stompage, or pick ups are easy to replace. So, for me, tone is important, but I really need to get my filthy paws on the neck. Thanks for another informative video broham! Jack ~'()'~
$360 is better. Roasted neck is more stable, conducts sound better, flame looks awesome. Don't care to much about tuners since you have a locking nut. Import trem works just as well as the special, I've experienced no difference. Pickup setting options are plentiful. I like alder bodies better than basswood. Basswood is used on cheaper guitars as it does not reverberate as well and sucks highs. Alder articulates better and has a less muddy-thud sound, it has a more natural voicing. The pups sound pretty awesome, articulate, clear and a bit warmer, not so thin and a tad harsh like the HM. It has a reverse headstock for GOD''s sake! Even leaves you enough $$$ for it to be plek'd !!!
Great video, these sbs guitars are certainly drawing my attention... The comparison is interesting, I hear a difference, but defintely not a U$ 1000 difference. But when the matter is about guitars, is not only about the sound but about the feel (neck, body, finish...), and that we cant tell from a video, and it is a individual user experience. Thanks for sharing!
The Yellow and Roasted Maple 🍁 looks awesome! Wish the SBS was SSH 😊 Firefly has got to come out with the loud 80’s Yellow, Red, Green, reverse Headstock, SSH it would be over!!!
Guitar Fetish sells a Brass & Steel FR that is pretty well regarded for its price point. Probably 5 bills after shipping, throw the new factory bridge on marketplace for maybe 40 bucks off.
I think the cheaper one made with alder seems like a better value. Plus it seems like a better platform to mod. Reverse headstock is really attractive.
They do sound different however whether one tone is better than the other is highly subjective. For me the price would come down to the build and whether you think the build and materials is worth it or not.
There's also the 2000 series FR. Edit: Put some decent pickups in the SBS, give it a good setup, and it would play and sound just as good as the Fender.
The intonation is just slightly off on the SBS. Other then that it's a pretty fine guitar. the two guitars are not that far apart, only in price. Great review GM.
I would choose the SBS, easily! Love the specs and I do agree it's way cheaper than anything else with similar specs! But, I would go with the Harley Benton cause... Stainless steel frets! Once you try it, you can't go back to the regular cheap frets! And FR1000? Sold!!
Interesting. I like the sound of the Fender Better. Seems fuller and more dynamic. The SBS sounded good, but a bit midrangy and harsh. I bet a pickups swap and a new Floyd Rose would make that guitar scream...Good review Max.
The fender rail is why it’s priced high, probably competing with schecter’s rail, but the sbs has a unique tone, worthy of experimentation… 😁 The HB is gorgeous!
Not sure you would really be able to tell much of a difference playing through a Modeling 1x12" Combo. Play them both through a 60's or 70's Twin reverb tube amp, with Jensen speakers and you will. That being said, players who play shredding guitars like this, don't typically own vintage tube amps. I have an older Crate BV120 & can tell you that my Fender performer sounds quite different from my 1987 Kramer Pacer Carrera.
I’m interested in getting one of the SBS offset models. They do look pretty nice and I’m becoming a sucker for cheaper brand guitars over the last 5 years or so.
In my case I don't "collect" guitars. If for some reason I needed new guitar, between the two I would get the Strat, mainly because to my ears it sounds better. Since I'm not shelling out a lot of cash to own 20 different guitars, spending more for one I thought was better would be OK, even if it's perhaps a worse value.
Almost identical on the bridge piclups, the rail single and the humbucker on the necks had some big differences. Can't say which tone was "better". Normally you are paying a premium on fit and finish, but these have almost the same hardware and finish.
The Maxx signature guitar however!!!!! That is beautiful and sounds amazing. It is feature packed and a spectacular value. Does it come in a sunburst finish?
The SBS has a warmer tone, that's the difference. Nice guitar for a damn good price!
Change a $15 capacitor. You’d get the same sound.
@@genesplicedthat’s it lol?
@@dominic5602 capacitance (filter), the wiring and impedance control an electric guitar’s exact tone. The rest is in the fingers of the specific guitarist and the setup / playability of the guitar.
Yea I liked to warmer tone too.
@@genespliced DIFFERENT pick ups too!
It’s OBVIOUS. The yellow one sounds Waaaayyyyyyy better than the yellow one. Be real.
I agree. The yellow one sounds like dog taint
😂😂😂😂
I like the lemony one
I have a yellow guitar that sounds way better than those two.
Roasted maple necks are also cheaper to manufacture because roasting the wood make it available in two years instead of four years for regular maple. So you should be seeing roasted necks as normal going forward. 😮
For $999 i vote for the Ibanez RG 550 Genesis! Made in Japan, Gotoh made original Edge trem. HSH pu' configuration with a 5 way with plenty of tone options and coil cuts,
Wizard neck shape which is the fastest shape ever. Plus the body shape is just awesome like a futuristic strat. You can get it in this Yellow color or road flare red and Purple neon.
I like the PN color the most. I do admit SBS is giving a great deal here for $369! all you really need is some duncans and you are good to go. That floyd on those is not as bad as you made out to be!
Yeah definitely agree with Ibanez as the in-between option. The SBS / Guitar Fetish lines are all great values.
The Guitar Max Signature Harley Benton though is the real winner in terms of value. Spec-wise there's no comparison
@@tweakrr99 Yeah but i can get the RG today.
Yes, yes, yes Ibanez all the way! Has everything I want for that price , screw fender....
@@mikeg6666 I just picked up a 1998 RG3120 prestige for $1K . it is killer.
Yes, the RG550 Genesis Series is the way to go, superior to the HM Strat re-issue in every way.
Another alternative would be a Charvel Pro Mod Series San Dimas or So-Cal or DK24 model.
The HM Strat re-issue is a total rip-off, the original had a DiMarzio Super 3 in the bridge not that crappy Fender humbucker and also came with a Schaller Floyd-style bridge ( Schaller makes the OFR and their own "Lockmeister" is considered a great bridge) not a cheapo Floyd Special.
@ MAX, The floyd rose on the SBS is not all that bad. If the player does not over tighten the screws it works absolutely fine as it should. The problem is when inexperienced players
new to FR trems over tighten the screws at the saddle when you lock the string in. Also NEVER adjust the action height while the strings are at pitch!
This causes the knife edges to wear faster on any trem!
Probably could put a set of those Amazon stainless steel Floyd Rose saddles on either one of those and it would help. Like you said the knife edges are going to wear quicker on any of the ones made with cheaper materials but I’ve heard good things about those stainless saddles.
I played that yellow HM Strat when you brought it to my house last year. Loved it! The neck was great. I wanted to keep it. I have yet to try an SBS guitar.
I can *loan* you this yellow SBS if you want to try it!
Yes Richard let Max loan you the guitar and make a video. \m/
love the self promotion at the end! good for you and thanks for all the effort Max!!! you derserve every support you get!,,
The push of your guitar at the end cracked me up, totally caught me by surprise but your not wrong at all about the specs being superior! I love the sbs models but just wish they threw a 24 fret one in there at least for the hh models.
To solve my tremolo bar loosening problem, I wrap the threads with some plumbing thread tape.
Law of diminishing returns. It's like race bikes, you pay thousands for a few HP more and a few pounds less...
Loving the shirt Max.
Honestly i would just add the extra $500 and get a Ibanez RG 550 Genesis brand new instead of the SBS and i would Never pay $1200 for the HM strat in the first place!
Those are only worth maybe $600 tops!
The point is Floyd Rose Special and every like cheap Floyd version totally sucks. The bridges are getting flubby in no matter of time and the springs are way more noise. Moreover the dont get a fine „drill“ sound compared to the original floyd. So an original floyd is like 500 box. You will not find that in cheap guitars. And that is necessary if you need your guitar for touring or professional recordings trust me your producer will kill you otherwise 😅 High quality Ibanez bridges or gotho floyd are working well too but not the floyd special and 500 shit. Moreover the working conditions of a lot of cheap guitars are not that good. You really want to support industries in Indonesia? Another point are the pickups if you want something that is good from di marzio, duncan, bare knuckle (which is even more expensive) you have to invest. Than you should know that cheap guitars often having a terrible fret work and no stainless steel. So feel free to upgrade your 500$ guitar for at least 1000$ if you can do all that stuff yourself. And than you can just buy an more expensive for example Ibanez Prestige that already comes with good specs 😂
@@Vince_est.97 I just picked up a RG 3120 prestige last night. Crazy good guitar!🤘
Everything about it is top shelf!
I have a Floyd Rose special , on my RR5 Rhoads Jackson , with a brass block on the back , Sounds great !
The SBS has all the features I prefer. HH, 22 jumbo fret, roasted neck and fretboard, reverse headstock, and..affordable price.
It's not roasted. It's a lookalike finish.
@rocketpigrecords3719 It's real Roasted Maple. He has already spoken on this before. It's not a "Finish" like they said on their listing before. It's Solid Roasted maple from Canada.
Not a guitar player, but I enjoy your channel.
I like the SBS!
Also....way to plug your Harley Benton, it's a very nice looking guitar!
Love the shameless self plug! Loved the video and all three guitars are on my to do list.
You’re giving me a todo list longer than a freaking Lenard Cohen song! Mad love for ya Max!
Thank you!
I like the SBS sound better, but quality of patrs and playability and finish is very important too.
I owned one of the original Strats of this one you have here. I loved it for less than a week until the peg of the Floyd Rose snapped off the body and took a huge chunk of wood with it. This was I'd say back in the mid 90's I bought it used. The shop I bought it from was nice enough to take the guitar back and I traded it in on a nice white washed Charvel.
I always switch out my trem arms to a push in model with a set screw. works so much better than the regular screw on type. Even the OE floyd bars come loose. The push in ones are great you can adjust it so it stays where you put it. No issues.
I like the roasted neck look. It looks very cool. Sounds great!
$1200 and only a FR Special? I just bought an EVH Striped Series (White) for €969 (about US$1040) and it has an EVH rebranded FR 1000 on it. Wonderful guitar, plays and sounds amazing. 🤘😎🤘
also comes with a dtuna
I owned a Fender HM III. Best freaking guitar I ever owned. Bought mine in 1991.
i've got an "E Series" Squier, Made in Japan '86, and Contemporary Strat originally sold to the Japanese Market only. HSS, with 3 Toggles, #3 Splits the Hum, no pickguard and a Gibson 24.75" Scale and hardly any fret wear and a few big scabs in the paint, but O.W. unplayed. I bought it for $100 bucks 12 years ago and it sat for 10 years and i finally did a set up, gave it new strings, took off the Floyd that some one installed, installed a stock 6 pt trem and it plays like a dream. Built in Japan when even "Fenders" were built in the same Factory and considered to be equal in quality and playability. I wouldn't sell it for a dime less than $1000.
@@cacornhusker2940 I played in a band with a guy who had a BC Rich Bitch custom. Wanted to trade it for mine. Said nope.
What color?
Those may be the coolest 😎 Fender knobs ever...
I know it comes down to personal preferences, but 2 things I really really don't like are reverse headstocks & a Bigsby...
I am a guitar teacher, in my 25 years teaching experience, i must say: if the "cheap guitar" push you to practise, learn and dream, that is way better than any expensive indtrument money can buy
Interesting. Just at first look I would have thought the SBS was the more expensive because of the roasted maple neck and having the truss rod adjustment at the bottom of the neck.
I prefer the hm strats because the originals were solid. I own 7 of these guitars some original and some reissues. Currently looking for an 88-89 ice blue but it’s rare
If you're going to replace the bar on the floyd, get the push-in style bar (still only around $20). I'm not sure why they even still bother with the screw-on style anymore, and it doesn't seem to be related to the price. I have 2 Schecters that came with the hot-rodded floyd specials and those have the push-in bars, which are far superior to the screw-on bars that came with the floyd 1000 bridges on both my Solar and Charvel guitars. I replaced the bars on both those guitars and it makes a world of difference.
When distortion is added, the differences are extremely minimal. Typically at the higher price range guitars tend to feel and play better in the hands. However, if you find yourself a good guitar tech/Luthier the gap shrinks even more.
The biggest difference between a cheap and expensive guitar will always be how they feel to play. But the more expensive it gets, the less of a difference there will be. A 500 vs 1500 dollar guitar will feel very different, but a 1500 vs 2500 dollar guitar you won't feel as much of a difference. When I look for a new guitar, I first see if it looks great, then play is to see if it feels great, and lastly listen if it sounds great.
If you're a new guitarist, you can buy the SBS (including a setup) and a gigging amp for the price of the strat.
Both are great sounding pickup, but i prefer the SBS with reverse headstock, thanks for the good review
I own the Fender HM Strat, same specs, except for the hot-rail pickup. I made the following modifications: upgrade to Floyd Rose Original Satin Gold (+$350), Upgraded to 37mm Fat Brass L Shaped 37MM (+40), upgraded to super heavy tremolo claw (+50), Vinyl Wrapped body with Neon Orange (+$60), Pro fret level and dressing with string tension (+$150). I also modified the tremolo spring cavity cover so that the larger 37mm block can fit without touching the cover, and made some small routing adjustments around the brass block to give whammy up/down more room to move freely without bottoming out.
I'm considering refretting with stainless steel some time this year, and possibly having a single-coil sustainiac installed in the neck position. I have a Schecter with a sustainiac so it isn't a priority. Just wanted to share in case anyone was interested in making upgrades to their HM Strat. Cheerio... er, Cheers
HM Strat. haha im biased i have one. But.. I also have an Ibanez rg550 an rg655 and loads of other guitars. I also have an old squire hm strat too which i love. it was my first guitar. theres just something about the HM strat i love. the feel of the neck playing it. My advice try the guitars before you buy them. Different guitars will vibe with you differently. My most goto guitar is actualy a cheap Ibanez that I did up. a white Ibanez pegasus. now i have the blue pegasus and the white one. the blue one is perfect it came out of the factory perfect the white one was not. it has finish issues on the back of the neck the nut wasnt right it was too low causing fret buzz. but i repaired the nut issue. and I actualy love it i gravitate to it all the time.
Loving the SBS guitars content lately! You’ve sold me on them bro! Lol… I’m going to buy a bunch of them lol
I remember the HM Strat being released in the late 80s. They seemed to be competing with the model series by Charvel, which in my opinion were great guitars, and better than the Strat. The HM were originally made in Japan, and then in the US by 1990.
Usually I'd go for the underdog but the HM Strat has a brighter, cleaner sound. Nothing against the SBS, it sounds good. The strats sound is more for me though
Thank you so much for making your signature guitar in HS config, there are so few HS strats out there
My first choice: A real, original '88-'92 Fender HM Strat.
My (close) second choice: The MAX signature! That is beautiful!
The SBS strat has more punch in both pick-ups.. a little less low end in the bridge pickup.. just a little bit more punch. More volume in both pick ups. It’s sounds way better than the fender. I prefer the sound with the cheaper SBS! The neck humbucker is reminiscent of the DiMarzio Liquifire with a little less attack if that makes sense. And I swear the bridge is reminiscent of the DiMarzio crunchlab with a little less low end. Wow. Big difference in sound. All someone would need to do is upgrade the Tremlo. The fender’s bridge. Pick up was lacking as well. Not enough gain.
And FYI I have a your signature Harley Benton on order! Can’t wait. Took me a minute… I’m due for a new guitar.
Hearing is one part of it. Feel is also very important for the player to be inspired & deliver his/her best
I’m a fender guy, but i love more the sbs sound, much smoother.
Thank’s Max
For clean tones I would say the SBS has a darker , warmer , tone , because of the roasted maple neck , for hair metal , skin melting shredding , then the Super Strat , I would definitely say the SBS is worth the modification upgrades it would take to make it your go to gig guitar , or daily player , so I would go for the SBS , for clean tone , price , and reverse headstock ! Thank you Max , great video !
Under a high gain situation there was barley a noticeable difference, both guitars sound great so I guess it boils down to playability and price! It goes to show you that the money should go to a good amp
9:02 the Fender Farted out
with the overdrive kicked in the Fender sounded heavier. Clean the SBS sounded slightly better to my ears. Max you sig guitar is sweet my fav color also. Ill take the Max sig guitar
😹💕
The SBS pickups certainly sound better to my ears. The bridge splits out much better as well. The fender sounds thin, and the split is even thinner and noticable volume loss. I am NOT sad that I sold off my HM...other than the fact that it was #69...in pink..lol Ive become a big SBS fan and need the new Showroom models.
Hi Max,
thanx for the Video! And if I should choose one of the yellow ones, I would take the SBS so I could spend the rest of the money on the HB! 🙂
Good call!
I like the Aeronca t-shirt! Nice aircrafts! Yellow, too!
I would go for the SBS and your signature guitar I already bought and was delivered two mounts ago. It's an Awaysome guitar, everything thing you said about it is 100% true!
Great video. What are the exact differences between all the models of the Floyd Rose bridges.
The neck, the fret finishing - SO important in terms of playability. My best axe is an ESP E-II and it's the NECK that just makes it so much easier to play than anything else I have - including my LTDs.
ESP is in a league of their own!🤘
@@CS_Murphy_R9 Couldn't agree more, brother. I kind of homed in on ESP when I first started playing. My first guitar ever was a cheap Yamaha starter., When i decided I wanted to keep going with it, I bought a used Ibanez because I thought that was what all the cool kids used. From a quality standpoint I wasn't impressed - in fact, I actually played the Yamaha more than the Ibanez. So I bought an LTD 201 model and was blown away - I've had ALL KINDS of guitars since including a Les Paul Standard tobacco burst (a pretty good guitar) and a Studio (I now have an LTD EC-1000 that blows them both away), an SG Special, a Gibson Flying V that I still have, and Epi Explorer I also still have, a Jackson DK3, just a bunch of stuff I went through. But for my money, the E-II line is about the best you're going to get - attention to detail is astonishing. If you can find a used one in great condition for a good price like I did, DO NOT HESITATE. The LTD Deluxe 1000s are also awesome. I just don't really take chances with anything else in the upper price ranges (1k+). It's not worth rolling the dice. I'd trade my Flying V in on a Deluxe LTD in a heartbeat. I have 6 electrics right now, 3 of them are ESPs.
I closed my eyes as soon as you started to use high gain. There was literally no difference while using gain. Occasionally I would open my eyes and was surprised that I hadn't even noticed that you changed guitars.
Does the reversed headstock help or hurt the infamous g string tuning stability at all?
On these guitars, with the locking nuts, makes no difference.
I had many super strat type guitar, highend to entry level . Ibanez AZ Prestige 2402F, Charvel DK24, Charvel Pro Mod So-Cal Style1, Kramer striker, even the Harley Benton Fusion. Last month I grab your Guitar MAX Fusion Signature from thomann (Sold out in 6 hours). Holy shit, it is an amazing guitar! The neck feels like Ibanez AZ and better than Fusion III and the floyd rose 1000 stay in tune very well.
Before I got the guitar, I plan to change them to DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan set. But the tesla pickups are pretty good! No need to change right now
If there is another color or model in the feature. I definitely will get another one.
Since, for the price of that HM Strat I could buy that SBS AND the Mustang GTX100 that you're playing them through, I'm going to have to go with the SBS and the GTX100.
SBS for me. The warmth of that rosewood really lights up the tone......I have 2 Strats myself and a PRS and the PRS really gives the Strats a run for their money
The wood has no effect on the tone dude. Stop spreading that myth. Nothing that can't be evened out with eq.
Roasted maple necks are also cheaper to manufacture because roasting the wood make it available in two years instead of four years for regular maple. So you should be seeing roasted necks as normal going forward.
That's a great point!
When I was young, I was an avid tennis player and had the pleasure of going to a Harry Hopman tennis camp. We all lined up on the court with our 4 rackets, grip tape, etc. and this elderly gentleman walks onto the court with a bent aluminum, broken strings, no grip covering racket and proceeded to school every one of us. It was Mr. Hopman. I learned then, in most cases it’s not the equipment but the persons talent. Cheers all.
I put Floyd rose brand push in bars on all my guitars. Hands down the way to go, on eBay for $18 new
Yep... there is a difference in the sound. The SBS seems a little "warmer". Both are pleasing to the ear. I believe I would keep my $840. Thanx for the comparison.
As for the loose trem bars, a small rubber o-ring under the threaded barrel will stop it from becoming loose or rotating.
Max, another great video great content.I was shocked at the coil split sounds the sbs guitar made it was single coil like. I don't hear a 800.00 dollar difference, great video.
A great guitar player can make any guitar sound good.
Don't apologize Max congratulations on your signature guitar also I had no idea I've been kind of out of the loop for a little bit but congratulations dude and I'm looking at it and my son plays and I'm trying to see what he thinks of your guitar cuz he's looking for another one
Thanks very much!
"then again if you want a bright yellow guitar i cant really help you there" Max when talking about features & function & EFFIN HILARIOUS
I like the SBS better , thanks for this review 🤘🎸
You can put a tiny spring in the hole for the arm and that helps more.
I would go with the Guitar Max Harley Benton if I was looking for that type of guitar and pick up the less expensive yellow guitar
Spend $16 and just put a push in style Floyd Rose bar setup on it. Just unbolt the original input throw it in the garbage put the new push in style one in there and then you're all set.
It’s February 2024 as I comment. I just turned loose of my super Strat, a 2002 Brian Moore i9f. If I wanted this type of guitar again, I doubt I would choose between one of these two. I would instead consider taking a second whack at a Steinberger-type headless guitar. I briefly had a white Spirit-by-Steinberger GT Pro, and I would’ve kept it if I thought I could’ve kept the high E in tune (it kept dropping to Middle C after I swapped out the stock headpiece for one from the Synapse line).
I honestly didn't hear any real difference except maybe clean? And I say maybe because the SBS just sounded louder, not that there was any real tone difference. And that could just be down to the fact that the HM Strat has a single coil sized humbucker in the neck, so it can't output as much as the full sized humbucker in the SBS. Either way, they both sound great.
Things that stood out to me, it seemed the Strat was easier to play judged on movement. I like the clarity of the Strat too, the SBS seemed a bit muddy. But is it worth the huge price difference. Depends on the type of player your are. If you are actually playing gigs and play a lot, I'd say yes worth it.
Max, I gotta tell ya, I ain't buying over $400-$500. I'm a decent amateur guitar tech; these days, I'll get something like my Bullfighter neck through and adjust and modify it. This Bullfighter needed a truss rod adjustment, an action drop, and a string retainer bar. A decent setup and this axe will be a most killer beast! Yet I haven't got more than about $230 invested in this axe. Take THAT, Fender and Jackson!
I buy the Squiers and both of my Jackson Dinkys still together cost me less than $400 and sound pretty dang good... I don't spend a lot on mine either. I got them on deals...
@@andrewurban8583 I have said it before and I will say it again: This is truly the Golden Age of Inexpensive Guitar Gear! It may not last much longer, but let's make the most of it while it does!
I honestly liked the sound of the SBS better. Much fuller sound to my ears.
Hey Max, one thing you forgot to mention was the HM Strat is a re-issued guitar, original coming out in 1989 and made in Japan.
Mslp at that time was $599.00
Adding to this, you can buy the SBS and still have room to buy something else
Got to the end if the vid, and Max you do mention it, d’oh, lol. I was selling these during that time period
Original came out in '88, and some were made in Japan, others in the USA. I have a US one.
@@72dodge340 cool we never got the USA ones, wasn’t even aware.
At this time pre FMIC, all the distribution was done in Canada through Tatrtini Music in B.C.
A standard US Strat was listed at 1199 MlSP, but because of Long and McQuades selling them for 799 smaller dealers were making almost Zero at that matched price.
Thanks
Rik
Thank you for watching to the end!
Out of the 2 yellow guitars I'd choose the Harley Benton 😉 Great review and info as usual. Great channel
the control layout on the SBS is exactly what you need on any guitar if you ask me?!
simple, awesome.
i also prefer the inverted headstock. roasted maple is great.
over time you can purchase individual parts to improve the value.
fender can eat a bowl of D%^&$S!
Have you ever seen a Fender Showmaster? It’s a set neck strat style guitar with a Floyd or a standard Fender trem and it comes with different pickup configurations. It also has a carved top. You would love them I think.
A Jake E. Lee Charvel works too. The Guitar Max guitar is a wicked instrument.
Big plus for demoing these guitars clean as well as overdriven👍
Absolutely!
I prefer the SBS which sounds warmer.
I'm actually slightly more focused on how the neck feels when I'm hunting for an axe. You can pretty much get any tone with today's range of amps, software, stompage, or pick ups are easy to replace.
So, for me, tone is important, but I really need to get my filthy paws on the neck.
Thanks for another informative video broham!
Jack ~'()'~
$360 is better. Roasted neck is more stable, conducts sound better, flame looks awesome. Don't care to much about tuners since you have a locking nut. Import trem works just as well as the special, I've experienced no difference. Pickup setting options are plentiful. I like alder bodies better than basswood. Basswood is used on cheaper guitars as it does not reverberate as well and sucks highs. Alder articulates better and has a less muddy-thud sound, it has a more natural voicing. The pups sound pretty awesome, articulate, clear and a bit warmer, not so thin and a tad harsh like the HM. It has a reverse headstock for GOD''s sake! Even leaves you enough $$$ for it to be plek'd !!!
Great video, these sbs guitars are certainly drawing my attention... The comparison is interesting, I hear a difference, but defintely not a U$ 1000 difference. But when the matter is about guitars, is not only about the sound but about the feel (neck, body, finish...), and that we cant tell from a video, and it is a individual user experience. Thanks for sharing!
The Yellow and Roasted Maple 🍁 looks awesome!
Wish the SBS was SSH 😊
Firefly has got to come out with the loud 80’s Yellow, Red, Green, reverse Headstock, SSH it would be over!!!
They offer them with a variety of pup combos on their website. I want one in purple
The SBS had a SSH also.
I put a little Teflon tape on the threads ore medium Lock tite it seems to help 😊
I've been wondering why Fender hasn't released a license for the Strat HM over to Squire. It would be huge for the classic vibe models.
Fender sounds a little bit more heavy. but still what great guitars.
Hey man I love your channel your reviews are awesome you've helped me slot bro. Keep on keeping on brother
Guitar Fetish sells a Brass & Steel FR that is pretty well regarded for its price point.
Probably 5 bills after shipping, throw the new factory bridge on marketplace for maybe 40 bucks off.
I think the cheaper one made with alder seems like a better value. Plus it seems like a better platform to mod. Reverse headstock is really attractive.
The SBS would be crazy fun to upgrade as you wanted, wish this was available when I started playing..
They do sound different however whether one tone is better than the other is highly subjective.
For me the price would come down to the build and whether you think the build and materials is worth it or not.
There's also the 2000 series FR.
Edit: Put some decent pickups in the SBS, give it a good setup, and it would play and sound just as good as the Fender.
1000 series 2000 series etc are the same, only the color/finish changes
SBS for the win… Thanks for posting-Great playing as well!
The intonation is just slightly off on the SBS. Other then that it's a pretty fine guitar. the two guitars are not that far apart, only in price. Great review GM.
I would choose the SBS, easily! Love the specs and I do agree it's way cheaper than anything else with similar specs!
But, I would go with the Harley Benton cause... Stainless steel frets! Once you try it, you can't go back to the regular cheap frets! And FR1000? Sold!!
Interesting. I like the sound of the Fender Better. Seems fuller and more dynamic. The SBS sounded good, but a bit midrangy and harsh. I bet a pickups swap and a new Floyd Rose would make that guitar scream...Good review Max.
The fender rail is why it’s priced high, probably competing with schecter’s rail, but the sbs has a unique tone, worthy of experimentation… 😁 The HB is gorgeous!
Not sure you would really be able to tell much of a difference playing through a Modeling 1x12" Combo. Play them both through a 60's or 70's Twin reverb tube amp, with Jensen speakers and you will. That being said, players who play shredding guitars like this, don't typically own vintage tube amps. I have an older Crate BV120 & can tell you that my Fender performer sounds quite different from my 1987 Kramer Pacer Carrera.
You make a good point about the modeling. Seems that would make anything you throw at it - sound like the model...thats the job of modeling.
I’m interested in getting one of the SBS offset models. They do look pretty nice and I’m becoming a sucker for cheaper brand guitars over the last 5 years or so.
The SBS with an OFR would be awesome!!!
In my case I don't "collect" guitars. If for some reason I needed new guitar, between the two I would get the Strat, mainly because to my ears it sounds better. Since I'm not shelling out a lot of cash to own 20 different guitars, spending more for one I thought was better would be OK, even if it's perhaps a worse value.
Almost identical on the bridge piclups, the rail single and the humbucker on the necks had some big differences. Can't say which tone was "better". Normally you are paying a premium on fit and finish, but these have almost the same hardware and finish.
The Maxx signature guitar however!!!!! That is beautiful and sounds amazing. It is feature packed and a spectacular value.
Does it come in a sunburst finish?
adding a short spring inside the trem bar inlet would fix the wobbles and loosening.
To tighten the bar I always just put a chubby o ring under the bar screw cap and it holds perfect. .20 cents and your good