Here is my take on it... I wish there were guitars that looked that nice for that cheap when I was a kid.

love that you are NOT a brand snob. And truly understand a good guitar is a good guitar .

With today's technology and CNC computer machines, a decent guitar can be made quite cheaply. After dressing the frets that guitar sounded nice overall on clean settings. Even without changing the PUPS if you have a good modeling amp or in my case a VOX tube Tone Lab ST, I can make ANY guitar sound like I want it to. I've even made old cheap Teisco guitars sound so good my friends hear the recordings and say "WTF was that?" This is one of the coolest channels I've stumbled across. I love the hosts 'down home' voice and demeanor. I subbed...so should you!

I remember when he had like 1000 subscribers. Wish him nothing but the best

You should do a full video on how you set up guitars (including frets, nut) I feel like you've got this really unpretentious, accessible approach to it that a lot of people would appreciate (myself included)

I started learning to work on my guitars on the day I started playing 4 years ago by watching KZfaq videos about proper guitar setup. I told myself after paying $100 for a crappy setup from a Maine music store that I was going to learn to work on my own guitars. I am so glad that I have learned to do my own setups, I am sure I have saved myself quie a few $$$;s but I also have learned how to setup my guitars the way I like them and that is a BIG PLUS in my opinion! Keep the great video's coming brotha!!

Great video my brother! I once owned about 75 guitars and was puffed up with pride. Then my son became sick and I sold all to help him out. My guitars meant nothing in the face of his illness. He is well now..20 years later! I wish I had a cheap decent guitar but life is very good! Love your channel!

i love the nut slot file idea with the feeler guages. so smart lol. thanks! earned an easy sub as well

That lines in the back guitar s body.. Looks like planet Jupiter..

I've missed your videos Shawn, glad I re-found ya..... Happy Forth of July!!!

When I was first starting out you got plywood and a bolt-on neck for $200

Sean, I have to make a confession. I do not own a single "luthier" tool. For instance my leveling bean is an aluminum channel with sandpaper glued to one side. My crowning file is a tri corner file with the corners smoothed. My fret slot saw is a mini dovetail saw, ( the kerf is perfectly sized), from lowes in conjunction with a home made jig! I have a set of very small tapered files for the nut slot. all my other tools I had from years of cabinet making.

Thank you brother for what you do. Honest, encouraging, and inspiring. You are quickly becoming my favorite channel. No bull, no nonsense, no pretense.

Best guitar set up video I have seen. Thank you for the links!

Thanks for the pointers on how to get the most out of a guitar. Great channel!

My man I have to tell you you are absolutely a riot. Some of the things you say are just hilarious not to mention you know what you’re doing . I appreciate what you do on this channel. I’ll be checking out more of your videos. Thank you for sharing.

Im glad i found this channel ive learned alot

I'm going to have to look for my feeler gauges now for setting the nut slots. Great idea. Not seen that before. Thank you!

I would have really liked seeing you play it before AND after mods. Interesting to know how it changed. The fretwork and insights were invaluable! Thank you.

I had the emerald green version of this. Wanted to love it. Unfortunately, after only a couple months, it became the only guitar I've ever owned whose fretboard *cracked* on me. In multiple places. Yes, it was a dry board, and I live in the desert - but really? That shouldn't have happened (your board looks like different - better - wood). Anyway, great work - and awesome, tell-it-like-it-is reviews. MUCH needed for this segment of the guitar market. Rock on, brother.

Nice job Sean .I like the color too . This is great for someone on a budget , and even if they can't do the work themselves , it's worth it to pay some like yourself to set it up properly .

Here's the thing, it is 186 bucks, and for that price you are lucky that it has a semi-decent neck joint. My brother has an IYV Goldtop LP with HB pickups and not for nothing it plays really nice and after swapping the pickups out and putting better pots and a switch in it, the thing rips. If you are looking to get into modding guitars and trying out different setups in search for that signature tone, buying one of these budget friendly copies of your preferred brand is a perfect way to learn without thrashing an expensive instrument. I have a Harley Benton T-style Deluxe 40 in trans-black with gold hardware that I upgraded the electronics on and it is one of my favorite guitars and I have Fender, Gibson, Guild, Charvel, and Ibanez guitars. Still I grab that Benton and go to town. I currently have it tuned to drop C and it doesn't lose its tuning, no buzz, and plays better than my Fender Squier Tele. I get that these are facsimiles of well esteemed brands and it tends to rub purists the wrong way, but here is the thing not everybody can afford to drop 900 bucks on a lower level Gibson or even the 600 bucks for a mid grade Epiphone; that's where these brands fill in the gap, the woods are decent, the finish isn't appalling, and it provides a good base to build upon as money comes around. Here is another thing to consider, if you are a local gigging musician do you want to risk your 2k PRS or Gibson getting damaged by a patron in a club during intermission or a guitar you built for under 400 bucks? There are places and purposes for everything under the sun if you keep an open mind.

Appreciate your honesty and comments about the workmanship of this beautiful guitar. And, for explaining how to address the neck and fretboard issues. I only purchase cheap guitars and they all seem to have these issues. Great presentation and video. Thank you!

Great video. I’m a sucker for that blue also!

I love the hand made guitars you’ve got hanging on the wall in the background!

I had damaged a Gibson V (it fell) and I took it to Guitar Center and they fixed the tuning key. Did a great job. Then I bought a Hamer Slammer for $100 on eBay. Neck was bowed. They worked on it even sending me updated photos showing it in clamps. Again, a very pro job.

It is a pleasure to watch your work. Thank you so much for sharing. I wish you your continuing success. 👍

Love your channel, Shawn I watch it all the time

New sub here. I like your no bull approach, simple and to the point. More power to you. I play a really cheap parts- caster I modded a bit, and it's the best guitar I ever had, so I appreciate where you are coming from.

Hey sean i got a stewmac tele kit that I'm close to starting a build real soon. I love what you did to that dumpter gibson...very nice work. I would trust you with any of my guitars.

I ended up getting a Glarry ST right before Covid and I still have that damn guitar and I love it lol. I did 1 upgrade and that was putting a heavy duty bridge block in it.

like how you turned it around and made it playable great set up again 👍👍🎶🎶

Instead of a $200 guitar plus new pickups, pots, bridge, and tuners, I just bought a LTD 256 Les Paul in purple. I love it and I have no regrets about choosing it over a cheap Epiphone or something even cheaper like this.

Glad I found your channel, like your down to earth I’m just a guitar player style. Opening that box with a Bowie knife had me laughing.😅😅😅

Great channel Man! Just discovered it today and subbed ya. Fun and informative!

Excellent video! Also, killer playing. 😎

Really clever with your tools, and simple and easy to do. I really like your channel! Do you have a link for your fret leveling stone?

I just paid $300 to get my Gibson Firebird and Fender JP 90 bass worked on ...its time to start doing this stuff myself ..You just got my Sub thanx Dude !

Man I had so subscribe. Real honest info is hard to come by as it is... But facts, I can see coming through the video, that you LOVE this stuff! I dont know if I'm interested in that particular guitar, but your video had me thinking lol.

Nice breakdown of this guitar. I was curious as I like some of the finishes they come in. I have a Firefly LP and it doesn’t have those minor issues for a little bit more for those interested in this.

The thing I dig about your channel and your videos is I always laugh when KZfaqrs throw a fit over a little thing in the finish and they then act like they got a shirt that had a stain in it. If you actually play the guitar imperfections will happen. Are they for playing or displaying? With you however your like, “oh there is something here but it’s not a big deal”. That is awesome

nothing like a good first time set up. Well done Shawn. I agree if you can do the work its well worth it. and I got to say I love that colour to. well take care mate from tour pal Helcat in Australia.

Great video! I really enjoyed it! 🎸👍

This is my first time seeing your channel. An excellent video and you've garnered another subscriber. Amazon has a crappy habit of selling returned guitars as "new". This happened to me personally on 3 occasions. An IYV -300 twice, and the EART 335 clone. The first tell is, excessive tape on the shipping box. I knew you had a return as soon as I saw the Amazon tape. Second tell, plastic missing on pickups, pick guard, truss rod cover and occasionally the poker chip. Another red flag issue is the sudden appearance of a model that has been out of stock with limited availability. After getting played by Amazon repeatedly, I'm very wary of them as of late. Again good job on this review and subject!

Thanks...love the IYV vids. Your links really apreciated. I just got a IYV ISSY-200NA through-neck on sale for 190. Similar "quality" LOL. The big hollow IJZ-500 NA was much better, though still a little funky. They go "on Sale" often with as much as $60 discount, then jump up again. Waitin now on the "legendary" IYV-IJZ-300A TSB...they took my order but it may be awhile. I hope you try more IYVs! Also maybe someday a Squier CV 70's Jaguar....The best I ever bought was the Grote thinline hollow...needed nothing. I've had very good luck with monoprice too.

I just had a cup of coffee with your video, and you found a new subscriber. Many people get wrapped firmly around the axle about things, and fail to see the positives. It was fun to watch you take this cheap guitar apart, make minor changes etc. I’m fairly new to playing guitar, but I’m fortunate to own both cheap and high-end guitars. I see owning a guitar, much like owning a gun. I only sold one of my guns, and regretted the idea shortly afterwards. Anyhow, my “learning how to play guitar” has been a real hoot so far, lots to learn and much more to comprehend when you actually look under the hood of your guitar. Great video, and I look forward to the next one! 🎉

I don't know why this video showed up as a "recommended view", but I sure am glad that it did. Sometimes, the KZfaq algorithm just gets it right. I'm now subscribed. Great work!

Great Video Man ! Also your accent is the best ! I'm looking forward to watching your entertaining videos from now on, when I was a kid I was always told, "blue cars go faster" maybe that's why you dig it so much & by the way, do you own a blue car ? Cheers mate ! All the best ! 🎸🎸🎸😊

Sean, you made that I-V-Y A-OK!!! That tone punches above the price point. Thanks for the instruction. That nut filing hack is a good one!!

Awesome content man! Some of these guitars that you get in amaze me, but then again, someone like you that KNOWS how to play guitar could make just about anything sound great, lol. Great stuff!

Fine job sir ! I have found that by building cheap guitars with your own elbow grease is not only fun, but definitely gives you a feeling of accomplishment when you finish and get to play them. Each one has its own personality. Keep on keepin' on Brother.

Loved your honest review and I agree with your sentiments looking forward to more, subbed 👍

That's the first time i've ever seen one of your videos. I gotta say something you are the man son!

Great video! Being a budget aware DIY'er I just love this kind of content. A question though: What are those nut files you're using? I haven't been able to find anything like them, at least not affordable ones.

Middle position on the switch puts the pickups in parallel. So you add the resistance of the pickups in parallel. 1 / 14.1 + 1 / 7.6 = 1 / 4.9 = 4.9 ohms

I just hacked a bridge in my Epiphone Casino that was super loose like the one in the video. Just get a roll of Teflon Thread tape, like the stuff used by plumbers, and wrap it around both the threads that screw into the body and around the top of the posts that the bridge slides on to. Now my $17 roller bridge replacement is a snug fit and the guitar stays in tune and intonation.

Thanks for the feeler guage trick

I'm a drummer but play enough guitar to put coherent songs together. I don't know nearly as much as most of you but it's a beautiful instrument especially when I find beautiful chords. You have a smashing channel and great sense of humour Sean!

Thanks for keeping the meter battery changing part in there! It reminded me to reach over and turn mine off.

I bought one a few years ago the green one. I sent the first one back the neck was junk and also broken in one place. The second one was okay and the frets were spot on no rough edges or out of level areas. I did replace the pots and wired it to 50s style along with new cloth wrapped wire and replaced the switch. The thing is these can be a nice guitar it just depends on how far you want to go. The pickups in mine sound fine after the wiring and pots were replaced. I also put a new graph tech nut and setup the action and intonation of course. Replaced the tuners with locking ones too.

I l9ve your nut file and gauges trick. Like it better than the half pencil trick. Thank for that awesome tip.

I think it’s a good deal for those of us that can work on them. That blue has grown on me. I bought a les Paul copy from Firefly. Man, I really like it. And it weighs like a Les paul too. It needed a bit of tuning but it is a really pretty guitar. It was about 190 bucks shipped. That was a couple of years ago, they could be more now.

Thanks for the video. I like your style and the good simple practical tips you show us. I have a question. You spent so much time and effort on the neck but didn't address the issues with the wobbly tailpiece and bridge. Okay I know you can replace them with other cheap ones but there's no guarantee they'll be any better.I would have wound some silicon tape around the posts. It's not a permanent solution but it will get you by until the next string change and doesn't cost a penny (once you've bought a roll of silicon tape of course). Works for me and as you regularly show us , cheap quitars usually come with issues. Half the fun is finding them, addressing them, finding solutions and of course, learning all the time. Keep 'em comin'.

Never could get the desire for the green one. I wondered when they would put out a pleasing color. Hahaha. This is cool really. 200, some tools and upgrades. Bamm.

That bridge pickup sounded pretty killer to my ears

speaking of the resistances you encountered: I don't know what everything should be. But when working with two 'resistors' when two are wired in series, the resistances are added. When two 'resistors' are wired in parallel, the total resistance is less than the smallest of your resistors. In this case, the smallest you had was about 8 ohms, so when combining that with the 14, you get about 5. The formula is 1/R1 + 1/R2 = 1/Rt, or 1/14 + 1/8 = 8/112 + 14/112 = 22/112 = 1/Rt = 1/(22/112) = 112/22 = ~5 Now, I will finish the video. I'm seen other videos made by you and am sure this will be just as good. TY brother

I like how the guitar that you hadn't seen before matches your shirt color almost perfectly.

Dang Dude, 😟appreciate all that flip flap. Dig the honest fish gutting attitude🤩

I've had mine for a few months now. Got a returned one for a crazy deal. It's got the normal IYV finish issues but plays well after a setup. Light for a less paul. I like the heal carve and the neck shape - chunky but not too wide. Pickups have more bite than my other IYV models. It sounds Les Paul-ish. Worth it if you're into working on gear. After a setup and fret job, it's a proper instrument.

Man. You're my twin brother from a southern mother. We share the same skills and exact philosophy. I have 14 of those kinds of guitars. Some needed work some didn't. So for me they all play, sound, and look great. I couldn't be happier. Take care

I bought a SG model IYV. New strings, fret leveling and a better bridge. Plays great.

I have the green one and agree, it's not a bad guitar and is actually fun to play. The electronics are bad, but I only use the bridge pickup and volume knob anyway, so it works. Great job on the video! Another new sub.

About the pickup measurements... when you're measuring resistance on both pickups, you have the resistance of the neck in parallel with the resistance of the bridge pickup. Parallel resistances divide rather than add (resistance would add when they're in series, but not in parallel). Without boring you to death with the math, all those numbers look correct.

I got the same guitar only green and did the same work on it. It is nice and sound great. It's not my best guitar but I like it. I also plan to change out the pickups though.

Definitely a nice lookin’ instrument, and I only wish I’d have picked up those little tricks you did to turn a probably almost unplayable guitar into a playable cheapo, which speaks to me as an Epiphone player. Great video!!

From my limited lutherie erxperience I think Real Wood is a Hard Wood so I plan on upgrading everything that is not wood when I buy one of those No Snob Appeal No Name Guitars. Excellent info in this video. Thanks.

What a cool video. Thanks man. I loved this review.

I bought one just to have one to back into playing,mine doesn't sound like a old school les Paul but both my pickups are hot but works good for rock stuff plays real nice set up

Nice work, and subbed!

Great vid and great handiwork

Great setup video. Nice playing too.

The play in that bridge is about the same as the stock setup on my 2020 Epiphone Casino Coupe. A lot easier to swallow at this price point!

I need to grab some of those tools for working the nut and frets.

that lick at the 19 minute mark was sweet.

I have bever seen a guitar in tune fresh out of the box...maybe if you lived in the town they were made in...But yeah these guitars are great with a little diy work and a set of your favorite pickups...I got the PRS copy and added some active pickups that came with all the electronics...I bought for the same reason..to see what all the hype was about...This guitar made it to my play/display rack in my office...TOP 3...Replaced a Fender 12 string

I like the way you do things... I do wish you could do one more though and that is play it right out of the box after tuning for more of a comparison. Otherwise, loved it!

Resistors in parallel always result in an equivalent resistance that is lower than the resistance of each individual resistor. Neck pickup was high, bridge pickup was low therefore when you put them in parallel (switch middle position) the resistance will always be lower than the lowest resistance.

at 15.23 what thickness of file ,,,,, I watch your videos everyday ,,, I learn so much at age 63,,,, you are smart to do that ..make it easy you simplify the unknown or complex you are a genius in many ways

That is quite the looker, glad that the rocking bridge and tailpiece studs didn't affect the tuning stability. Y'all have a happy 4th of July! #DYTMSG

Sean I fixed a couple of guitars back in the day myself and that is a beautiful guitar but I like you said the front job and pick up ain't so much Fern Creek guitar it come off Amazon yeah it looks good in my in the results it comes down to it bro the blue burst is my favorite

This video has an ASMR soothing quality. 🎸

Some of the stuff you do would give a luthier a heart attack 😂 I really love your straightforward approach, get the job done with minimal fuss 😎🤣👍🏼

Great video. You should put IYV on the title page, you'll get a lot more views. Until now I'd seen a few reviews saying how good they were but you showed it how it actually is close up - horrible! There are so many finish flaws on it, it's like second hand. The flamed finish disappears at about two feet away and all that in-filling around the inlays! It's like pearloid with a black border 😂. And that's not me being OCD, it's shoddy workmanship. But that's a great tip with the feeler gauges! Thanks.

"Eddie Van Halen Guages" -- LOL!!! You had me for a second, brother!!! LOL!! Great video!

I bought a green IYV a couple years ago and I'm totally happy with it. First thing I did was polish the frets and dress and polish the fret ends. I didn't have the touch the truss rod, I lowered the action a bit, set intonation and it plays and feels just as nice as my favorite 72 Gibson LP. I've had over 60 guitars and at least a dozen Gibsons. The only thing I'd like to do is change out the wiring harness with push-pull pots and a set of Burstbuckers but the originals sound just fine so It's low on my list of priorities.

I just dropped in a graphtech nut and my very green IYV LP has been a great guitar. And it stays in tune.

Cool I was hoping you would do a review on the Amazon Ivy IP350 guitar that looks like a PRS!

Outstanding my friend!!!! Ooohhhhh GIGGY!!!!!!!🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🏴‍☠️

I had something like this some years ago, a Jay Turser JT200. Well made, fingerboard frets and action were awesome right out of the box. And I like the body shape even more than the real LP! Problem was that while it sounded OK, it did not sound great for either driven or clean tones. Had I been more dedicated I probably could have put in better pickups, but I didn’t and just ended up selling it.

I have an IYV LP definitely worth the $. Heavy needed fret work too. Binding and finish 👍👍