Solar Guitars by Ola Englund

[jrn1308]

A new one from the european master series released today: https://www.solar-guitars.com/product/ac6br-raw-blood-red-raw/

3.299 €

Looks kinda cheap. This just looks like another of the indonesian models and the tops of the 4 models they offer look just ok to horrible to me. Also the pick-up selector switch looks way to oversized. And I'm generally not a fan of the looks of the Evertune... it always makes a guitar look like a toy. I don't know... nothing on this guitar screams 3.300 Euro at me.

 

[SonicBlur]

A new one from the european master series released today: https://www.solar-guitars.com/product/ac6br-raw-blood-red-raw/

3.299 €

Looks kinda cheap. This just looks like another of the indonesian models and the tops of the 4 models they offer look just ok to horrible to me. Also the pick-up selector switch looks way to oversized. And I'm generally not a fan of the looks of the Evertune... it always makes a guitar look like a toy. I don't know... nothing on this guitar screams 3.300 Euro at me.

Yeah I agree. There is nothing that sets this apart from the regular Solars. I think the body has a different carve on it but clearly this pic doesn't show that. I'm surprised these don't have things like the Solar logo in MOP or stuff like that for $3k+

 

[Neon_Knight_]

A new one from the european master series released today: https://www.solar-guitars.com/product/ac6br-raw-blood-red-raw/

3.299 €

Looks kinda cheap. This just looks like another of the indonesian models and the tops of the 4 models they offer look just ok to horrible to me. Also the pick-up selector switch looks way to oversized. And I'm generally not a fan of the looks of the Evertune... it always makes a guitar look like a toy. I don't know... nothing on this guitar screams 3.300 Euro at me.

Agreed. Looks more like a £1-1.5k guitar to me (i.e. same price point as the current Ibanez Premium neck-thru RGs). The 27-fret RGA (MIJ) is less than 2/3 the cost of this Solar!

I really dislike the Evertune aesthetic, so that definitely doesn't add any value to the guitar to me.

 

[MoistTowelette]

A new one from the european master series released today: https://www.solar-guitars.com/product/ac6br-raw-blood-red-raw/

3.299 €

Looks kinda cheap. This just looks like another of the indonesian models and the tops of the 4 models they offer look just ok to horrible to me. Also the pick-up selector switch looks way to oversized. And I'm generally not a fan of the looks of the Evertune... it always makes a guitar look like a toy. I don't know... nothing on this guitar screams 3.300 Euro at me.

Yeah I'm not sure why anyone would spend $3k on this when it looks indistinguishable from an indo-made model for 1/3 the price.

 

[jrn1308]

I also just saw they put the Solar locking tuners on that guitar? Wtf? Just put Schaller or Gotoh on a guitar for that price and add at least a little bit of prestige to it...

 

[drb]

Damn, I think the arch top really suits the A shape, but £3k is wildly out of my price range for a hobby I'm not very good at.

The reaction that it looks cheap is interesting. I said a few pages back that it might be hard to go from good value, import models to exclusive, European made ones and copying their most prolific 'value' model's aesthetics was a very bold move.

I personally think it has paid off, it has some cool spec changes while still capturing one of their most iconic looks. The fact that none have sold since I checked on Friday seems to say I'm one of the few who think it is cool, though.

 

[jrn1308]

Damn, I think the arch top really suits the A shape, but £3k is wildly out of my price range for a hobby I'm not very good at.

The reaction that it looks cheap is interesting. I said a few pages back that it might be hard to go from good value, import models to exclusive, European made ones and copying their most prolific 'value' model's aesthetics was a very bold move.

I personally think it has paid off, it has some cool spec changes while still capturing one of their most iconic looks. The fact that none have sold since I checked on Friday seems to say I'm one of the few who think it is cool, though.

Take a look at the already existing A1.6TBR:

I mean why should anyone pay 2.000 Euro more for the one with the carved top. At least on the Indonesian one the pickup selector switch looks better

I don't get why they put out a guitar that's so similar to already existing models. The european X series was kinda unique. Unique top, Schaller locking tuner, Schaller Lockmeister. It stand out compared to the other X models. They better should have released that other A type which appeared in the video when they announced the european series.

 

[drb]

Take a look at the already existing A1.6TBR:

I mean why should anyone pay 2.000 Euro more for the one with the carved top. At least on the Indonesian one the pickup selector switch looks better

I don't get why they put out a guitar that's so similar to already existing models. The european X series was kinda unique. Unique top, Schaller locking tuner, Schaller Lockmeister. It stand out compared to the other X models. They better should have released that other A type which appeared in the video when they announced the european series.

Oh yeah I was eluding that that in my post by saying it was a bold move to create a similar version to their most popular existing model in the import range. I completely agree.

However, price aside, I vastly prefer the European version. I think the pickup selector looks really cool, I love the idea of a richlite fretboard, even the wood looks cooler, to me.

But £3k, oof. I'll stick with the Indonesian Solars that I already have, thanks!

 

[RevDrucifer]

I’d suggest ya guys don’t look at the Fender/Gibson Custom shops and the MIM/Epiphone lines.

 

[drb]

I’d suggest ya guys don’t look at the Fender/Gibson Custom shops and the MIM/Epiphone lines.

I think the difference there is those MIM/Epiphone lines were made as affordable approximations of their already high-end originals. This is the reverse, a high-end version of the affordable original. It's not really any different objectively, but it is still something that will affect the way people perceive it.

 

[Veldar]

IDK who the guitar luthier for Solar, but generally you're paying for their skill at crafting an instrument, not the aesthetics.

 

[Andromalia]

Yeah I'm not sure why anyone would spend $3k on this when it looks indistinguishable from an indo-made model for 1/3 the price.

Er, because you're not supposed to buy a guitar for looks ? At least if you're something else than a hobbyist.

 

[MoistTowelette]

Er, because you're not supposed to buy a guitar for looks ? At least if you're something else than a hobbyist.

this is an insane take. Looks are 100% a factor in a guitar purchase for most guitarists.

 

[jephjacques]

That shape looks SO much better with a carved top, it's insane. Put a solid metallic finish on it and it would be incredible.

 

[jephjacques]

Yeah I'm not sure why anyone would spend $3k on this when it looks indistinguishable from an indo-made model for 1/3 the price.

ESP Original Horizons and LTD Horizons are "visually indistinguishable" too

 

[Mprinsje]

ESP Original Horizons and LTD Horizons are "visually indistinguishable" too

Except for the logo. Which is probably what counts most a lot of people.

 

[Lord Voldemort]

The price has nothing whatsoever to do with the specs, it's to do with the labor involved to make the guitar. It's a European made guitar, made by a small team of well paid artisan luthiers. Like Skervesen, Mayones and so on, that's going to cost a pretty penny. Even if it had the specs of a Squier bullet it would still be $2k at least, like all other European made guitars.

I do agree that's a bit of a swing and a miss, though. I love the idea of higher end solars, but for my money copying popular models spec by spec and having a small team of fancy luthiers make them for 2-3x the price isn't going to scratch that itch for most people. The tops look pretty plain, the specs are pretty meh.

I'd rather see Solar go the Japanese route with a new line of models entirely, or at least something different than nearly exact replications of their cheap models. If they could hit the 2-2.5k price range with a Japanese line, or keep pumping out these European made ones but make them significantly prettier with better woods and pickups, etc, they'd probably be on to something, but there's a reason that in a week or so now literally 0 have sold. Hopefully they take notice.

 

[MoistTowelette]

ESP Original Horizons and LTD Horizons are "visually indistinguishable" too

Idk but I haven't seen an LTD or E-II that looks as good as my ESP original horizon. Also, love it or hate it, the brand name on the headstock is also a big driving factor for purchases as well. There's nothing that tells me that this new solar is a more premium instrument than the standard Indonesian made-models and won't score me any more clout points when I'm flaunting it in public.

 

[jephjacques]

lmao if you give a shit about "clout"

 

[MoistTowelette]

lmao if you give a shit about "clout"

I'm not saying I do. I play only at home lol. But you're crazy if you think people don't and that it doesn't affect people's purchasing decisions.