I wish brands would just throw in a hard shell case. I think it’s ridiculous for a $900-$1200 guitars to come with ‘premium’ gig bags lol

Ola did mention how the QC process has been affected by covid over the last 6 months in his last video... I think you’re right about how the travel restrictions have had a negative impact on QC

Whew, I was afraid there was some scandal with Solar, but I relieved to see that it’s nothing like that at all

I bought a V last month brand new from Thomman it came with one fret end was like a razorblade i actually cut my fingertip properly clean open, i emailed thomman and just let them know that it had a seriously sharp fret and i had it sent back, apparently they got a replacement directly from Solar not just from their stockroom or another of the same model, it arrived within 6 days and it was perfect, so if that's true then that shows you Solar/Ola do care about customers and you should be in safe hands if anything gets fucky. Although of course my experience isn't everyone else's but i hope everyone's issues got solved

Ola telling ArnoldPlaysGuitar to give an honest review and reveal any mistake he finds made me absolutely respect ola in regards to his company. I know ola isn't being shitty or shady here. As far as the featured artist thing, that i think will pay off for solar. In the public view, thats a company that showing gratitude for you purchasing their product by posting you on their website and posting your material on their Instagram. PR speaking, it's a win for the company and the artist. That kind of stuff attracts more customers.

Endorsements all together are so weird, I’ve seen companies basically create pyramid schemes just by giving endorsements to small local musicians. (I’m not saying solar is doing that at all) The company you’re endorsing is basically just turning you into a revenue tool, which is fine if you’re getting something out of it. Basically, if you can walk into a guitar center and no one recognizes you, be very Skeptical if you get hit up for an endorsement. Don’t just take it because it “makes you cool” or whatever. Great vid My man!

It seems like the "Solar Artists" are less of endorsements per se, and more of a shout out for buying a guitar. You buy a guitar, meet some minimum criteria, get a little publicity from a company.

Hi KDH, I took your advice on achieving an 80s metal guitar tone, you were right. Thanks for the advice.

I have a friend who was in a metal band a few years back that got an endorsment with Mayones. The deal sounds almost identical to the Solar deal. You buy the gear, no discount but you get your name featured on the site.

I bought a b-stock single cut and it's wonderful.. very solidly built and sounds amazing. Way above what you expect from an import.. Great video and logical points of view!

Solar Artist here. PATHØS of Symphony Of Heaven. I can honestly say I have been nothing but 1000% satisfied with my Solar. Ola and Louise are running a great operation over there and I hope to meet them in person one day. I plan to continue on with them and have zero plans to even look at getting other guitars. Ola genuinely cares about the metal community and wants to make quality products for other players. If there was something wrong with my guitar I would not hesitate to tell anyone. But completely honest, its perfect and the best instrument I've ever held in my own hands. If you want a company that cares about you as a player, and makes awesome instruments, get a Solar. And as far as revealing what the arrangements are between the company and the artist, I wouldn't reveal that either, it's no one else's business except the parties involved. Not everything has to be posted on KZfaq, but if you emailed Louise I'm sure she would be open about the process completely. I have brand loyalty, but for very good reasons. 😁😁🤘🤘

Ola addressed the quality control in a recent video. The guitars are sent to Solar HQ in Spain to be QC'ed. Ola is also not JUST a KZfaqr......He has been an international touring artist within the metal scene.

I bought a solar from time period when ola himself did final inspection.... It's the best guitar I've ever had. And I call it an instrument with pride. If his demand has become stressing an he may need more final inspection . but normally his b stock is nicer than other brands a stock

Interesting take on the endorsements! I’ve always thought of the smaller Solar endorsements as a way that Ola can thank his customers that like and support his brand. They may not get any monetary discount but like you said, if they are in a band their music would have a broader audience through the Solar community. He does seem to genuinely care about his customers and community. Note: We are “members” of Ola’s but not Solar players. We are essentially exclusive ESP/LTD players.

I don't really see this as a problem. I expect endorsed players to endorse the brand, meaning talking about it positively. If I want a review of a guitar, I will not listen to an endorsed artist of course. Or am I missing something here?

I feel like just calling Ola a KZfaqr is a bit unfair. I mean, he is, but he’s a pretty well established professional guitar player

I bought a Solar S series back in April, I wasn’t really a huge fan of Ola, but only because I hadn’t watched much of his videos. I bought mine because one of my favorite guitarist Kristian Neiman from Sorcerer and One of the best Therion albums, Gothic Kabbalah, plays one. What he saying about the QC is true, mine had a few finish marks on the lacquer that weren’t quite what they should’ve been for a $1000 guitar. I emailed Solar and they gave me the option of either returning it and buying another one if I wanted to, or they would give me $100 back. It wasn’t really bad, in fact it’s probably on par with the normal wear and tear that will come from just owning and playing it. I ended up taking the $100 because it played amazingly and they didn’t have another one in stock that I wanted. I can’t speak for everyone but I love this guitar, dings and all and had an over all good experience with their customer service. Also It’s probably is one of the best playing guitars I’ve ever had. I am glad to hear that there’s a reason behind any sort of QC issues, it doesn’t make sense for them to construct them as well and miss a few finish things.

Yes I own 2 solars both bought as B stock with minor flaws, I've also noticed people are having issues. Maybe due to the rona or amount of models they are putting out. But anyway I've had no complaints, Ola did mention they are now doing QC at their warehouse in Spain so hopefully things will get noticed and sorted before going out to customers thanks for the shout out

Ola is all about the community and helping everyone out in it. His weekly videos he does a weekly riff challenge and players post their videos of what they come up with...some of the guys he shows are very good and he even posts who they are so you can check out their music. I found a few to follow because of their abilities as a players I probably never would have heard of otherwise...

That was also my reason why I decided not to go for a Solar Guitar. I opted for a Schecter KM-7 MK III. The Solar FB Group is just making bad "marketing" for the brand they are fans of.. Sad, because I really like Ola's videos and been enjoying his content for years!

I sent back a Solar with (among others) the same problem as the fretboard (edges) on the picture, way before COVID. Not sure if it’s a recent thing, it might increase because of the pandemic, but it was common before.

Honestly the fact that you seemed to get quick responses from Solar, and that they seem to want to make sure things are right makes me kind of want one of these things more.

I have an S1.6 ET PB LTD and it plays great, love the neck and evertune. So far: 1) I have the logo issue but don't really notice or care for it 2) There is a finishing mistake on the painted on trim, bass side of the neck heel, it's not well ended and messy. 3) The ebony fingerboard cracked but it's my first ebony neck and I probably messed it up 4) I find in general the evertune doesn't ground well which leads to a noisier guitar, I tried fiddling with the ground wire and it helped a lot However none of those things take away the fact I play it more often than my E-II, my j.custom or my Epiphone Les Paul Custom Blackback Pro upgraded with BKPs, combined, likely. That should say something.

I purchased my Solar about this time last year and I absolutely love it. The only QC issue I could find was a couple of frets that could have used a little more polishing, which obviously was pretty easy to rectify. Other than that it looks beautiful, plays great and I especially love the fact that I don't have to spend more money to replace the stock pickups because they sound fantastic. I believe a certain number of people are going to find QC issues regardless of the manufacturer. I have even seen reviews where people had issues with their custom-made kiesel guitars. I know there is some difference in the quality of some of the materials used but getting a guitar from kiesel with the same specs as my $1000 Solar would have cost me over $2,500. I honestly couldn't be happier with it.

Thanks for making vids about people who aren't shady (at least, overtly) as well as some of the problem players in the community. I never heard of Solar, but now I have, and I learned a bit about endorsements in the process. Love the content, dude. Keep it up!

I bought the A1.6 and it’s absolutely awesome. I checked it for flaws the moment it arrived and was pleased with everything I saw. She’s a shred beast and looks the part as well. It’s currently my favorite guitar I own. I want another one but can’t justify having 5 guitars. 😅

1. Solar Guitars I own two of the more expensive Solars. I even did an unboxing of my newest one. Honestly, I do love my Solar guitars! I also think Ola is a great guy. I DID notice some small flaws in the QC process on my newest (the unboxing one) in terms of some scratches on my backplates and stuff, but I'm of the opinion that things like that are going to happen over time anyway, so in spite of spending $1300 USD on it, I'm not really one to complain. I love the guitar anyway, and having the scratches helps me not be so afraid to play it out of the box. Not everyone is like me. 2. Solar endorsements When Solar hit, I thought it might be pretty cool to get to be big enough to become an artist, but the more I see, the more I realize that there's not really enough from Solar endorsements to sell my Jacksons and Schecters, or even the kit guitars I'm building, and so I've never even thought to apply for it. With that, I want to defend the anonymous artist a little bit here. I don't think that it was necessarily that he or she was afraid of losing an endorsement, or some sort of retaliation. That's not really Ola's style. I think it was more that they just didn't want to stir the pot, and wanted to be able to answer your questions. I could definitely be off base here. 3. Thanks for another analytical look at the musical world around us. 4. FUCK YEAH LEE ARMITAGE! Hi Lee!

As someone who works in design/manufacturing in US and Asia. 100% the travel restrictions have made things extremely difficult with QC and just in general.

I’ve had a solar for almost a year and I’ve been loving it. A16FR. I haven’t had any issue with it and have barely adjusted it since I’ve had it. It came set up great out of the box. I’m sure if there’s any issues Ola and the company will do their best to rectify them and prevent them going forward.

Solar guitars has a lot of innovative industry practices and you bring up a lot of fair points on the credibility of endorsements. I hope Ola sends you a guitar for an unsponsored no-filter review; it would be beneficial for his brand since I think he’s trying to run a legitimate business that caters to many niches in the market and you have proven to be a credible online personality (and also an amazing and intelligent guitar player).

For what they offer, Solar is actually really good. And the fact that they are taking care of people with issues is amazing because we all know they have a LOT of companies that dont do that. In the age where guitar prices are starting to go up, they are good prices and good specs. My friend is actually a Solar Artist. Him being an artist didnt really effect my view on the brand as I have been following ola for over 10 years at this point.

I bought a B stock off of their site and it was in amazing condition. Pictures were available of the imperfection, barely noticeable, which I took as a plus to their quality control.

I've had a Solar A1.6FRC for 1 month now and so far I really like it. The pickup routing is pretty good but not perfect. Otherwise the guitar has exceeded my expectations. I built a guitar 1 month ago also so I have an idea of the work that went into this guitar. The ss frets are level and there are no dead spots. I hope others have the same experience.

Informative as always my friend! I've been curious about these myself, but this is definitely a good perspective on it and endorsements in general.

I have a solar super strat and I absolutely love it. It looks and plays great. There is one small blemish but I believe it as from the previous owner. Other than the practically invisible blemish the guitar itself is flawless. Smooth fret ends. Smooth binding all around the instrument.

I've seen plenty of posts on music forums from 16-year-olds asking about how to get endorsement deals, as though that should be their ultimate goal. You're right: there really is a sort of mystique surrounding the idea of endorsements with young and aspiring musicians.

I love the straight up nature of this channel. rare

I just received my solar v2.6, and I can't believe how good it is. The build quality is fantastic. The sound is amazing. It was even intonated perfectly. I can't recommend them enough.

Ola isn't just a "KZfaqr" give him the credit that is due to him.

You got yourself a subscriber. This was a very solid video. Most people don't even understand the concept of endorsement. The company doesn't endorse the artist, it's the artist who endorses the product. Most companies, like your said, will only indulge artists with an above average following, but with Solar, they do what BC Rich used to do back in the early 2000's. If you have a recording band and you played one of their guitars, you would be a BC Rich Artist. Basically that's not an endorsement deal, that's an artist using one of their products and the company is kind enough to give them a nudge by featuring them on their website. HOWEVER, only a fraction of people had an online presence at the time, while now it's basically everyone. Let's just jump outside of Solar for a second to understand how other companies conduct their business. Some endorsement deals are given by brands themselves and others by their representatives. A few years ago, a Cort representative offered me an endorsement deal which consisted on a one time discount of 50% on a guitar of my choosing. For an unknown artist it wasn't much but it was something. However I wouldn't be a Cort endorsee. There endorsee artists who get one guitar, or one discounted by the brand and become a brand artist. Those contracts are usually tied to an exclusivity clause which means that they can only play those guitars live and have to refer them in their album releases. Some may even have to attend events to represent the brand. Now as for artists with signature models, they usually get a percentage for each model that is sold. The guitars that they play are custom made, not street models. The brand can make a street model like theirs, but assembly line gear can have issues. If the factory producing them receives a shipment of defective parts or wood, all the guitars in that line made with those materials will most certainly be defective. Let's even imagine that the scenario where the korean factory where the guitars are made, is having a problem with the person in charge of the quality control. Several guitars of several brands will have problems. You know those weird things that happen at your work? They happen in other places too, sometimes even guitar factories. Now the way a brand like Solar handles the damage control, like recalling those guitars, fixing the issues, refunding the costumers or even, if the issues persist, moves production elsewhere, is what will dictate if the brand is good or bad. Sorry for the long post.

As a member of Ola's Channel for over 2 years, some may call me biased, but honest review from me here. I had a Washburn Solar, Was an Excellent guitar played great and quality was very good for the price, not flawless. I have played numerous Solar Guitars and found the exact same quality, however I did see one with flawed fretboard edges, i think due to an over zealous fret polish at the factory. so i would presume that like any guitar brand there will be the odd one that slips through the net. Like my LTD SC607b-1 which I received with the same problem as above and a heat damaged fret. I would like to think people would consider budget and quality on the same level (to a degree) as sometimes you get what you pay for. i.e. My ESP is flawless but my LTD (half the price) had some issues. Hopefully that was useful insight, or just a Scottish mans ramble, either way I would fully support the fact Ola is trying his best, also remember Solar are a young company, there are always learnings to be made.

Solar isn't the only company to handle "endorsements" in that way. Several years ago with my old band, my rhythm guitarist and I reached out to D'Andrea Music Products. I had, and still use, a Snarling Dogs wah, and both of us used their Snarling Dogs Killer Brain picks. We hyped ourselves up as much as a local band with zero following could, probably name-dropped our drummer's endorsement with a different brand, and we got a fairly immediate approval as "D'Andrea Artists." It actually came with a direct purchase discount as well. I think I talked to our AR guy one time regarding incorrect items received on an order, and we became mostly inactive as a band shortly after that so that's where it ended. They don't currently have an Artists section on their website, and I don't think we were ever formally listed in any media at the time. It was more like "ok sure kid, buy some picks direct." Fuck it, we still listed the endorsement on our own website. Looked cool to us!

The only thing wrong with Solar QC is the returning process - you have to pay for the shipping yourself, even if you're returning it because of QC problems. And that can get quite expensive, espicially if you're living somewhere northern Europe for example.

I bought a Solar A2.7C back in April and I love it, but if I'm being completely honest, there are a couple of QC issues with it. First one is that I can't properly intonate the low B string because I moved the saddle as far back as far as it goes, but It would have to be moved even more to properly intonate, which leads me to believe that the bridge was mistakenly placed a couple of millimeters closer to the neck than it should be in the factory. And the second issue is with that strip of copper shielding, or whatever it is, around the bridge pickup coils which is exposed in the space between the two coils. For some reason, it completely rusted and turned green within the first couple of months, probably because it wasn't coated well enough to protect it from corrosion, which doesn't really affect the tone, but looks kinda ugly now to the point where I'm considering replacing the perfectly good pickup that I love tone-wise purely for that reason.

Ola is a top shelf guy.

You definitely need to play one..... They really are a step above

i would think that any company as new as solar would have "issues" whether QC or something else. The fact that they are acknowledging the issues and correcting them show that they are committed to quality products and customer support.

I have an endorsement with an amp manufacturer and a pedal company. It's a two way thing. It's not a huge deal. I basically ask for things that I would like to see and they agree or not. I don't pay for the gear, which is nice. I'd buy it anyway, because they make things that are pretty much exactly what I want. But I do spend a lot of time in the r&d stages. I do demos and videos when they want. I also know musicians who have endorsements. Generally they fall into 3 categories. 1 We'll design you what you want from the ground up. 2 play our stuff and you can have it. 3 we'll support you on your tour, here's a discount. Great. The buy something and you're an artist is new to me, but maybe it's working for Solar. If someone buys one and they can sell another one or two others by getting some sort of official recognition then that's going to benefit Solar. Maybe 10% would be a good thing though. One hand washes the other.

My first solar had the lacquer coming off the neck and the poplar finish was starting to bubble. Sent it back but I never got another one, paid a lot for that guitar, kinda pissed me off if I'm honest, maybe get one later in down the line, anyways I ended up getting a schecter, never had any problems with those guitars!

I noticed the weird endorsements at solar maybe a year ago, after i came across them as possibly a cool company to try and work with. After 30 minutes of looking on their website i noticed many “artists” that were up on the website but had a very small following, some even under 100 followers. I think its nice that they support a large range of people but I definitely feel they are doing this to make people emotionally connected to the brand. Altho i feel that this really isnt the right way of doing it.

I didn’t know Ola even founded the company until a year after I found them, and one of my favourite guitars is a solar.

I know you know this but i think its unfair to label ola a mere youtuber. Hes a professional guitarist and lead guitarist for the haunted. He was musician first and a youtuber second.

I’ve got a solar guitar which I actually really really like. They’re genuinely nice guitars to play ..and to look at!

Love all these videos you put out. Interesting, informative and even handed content thank you 🤘🏼

You skinny peace of absolute brilliance. Love your channel, love your vids, keep em coming bro. Love and respect.

Yep, the QC has to do with travel restrictions, he addressed it recently. You're also right on their great (and quick) services. As a owner and having friends with Solars, the con with this brand is that their finishes wears off or chips easily. But even with this problem, they are really good and fun to play guitars. I'd recommend them.

Endorsements and signature guitars are far and away the most interesting part of the guitar culture as a whole. I don’t think anyone looks at them so blindly as to not see them as business deals but to me, growing up and fantasizing about my own endorsements or signature guitars, it always felt more like… like a vetting, I suppose. A company - an objective third party with no emotional investment in my playing or prior success and with only dollar bills in their eyes and a focus on the bottom line - thinks that *I* am a solid investment. I mean, is there a greater validation? And the closer you get to companies, the better your stuff is. While Mick Thompson was with Ibanez, it always felt like his photos were always of him with customs and not his actual signature model. James Hetfield would sometimes say he would mention something and ESP would send him out a tweaked model. Jim Root said something similar with FMIC. When Limp Bizkit was at their height, Wes said that he would order Ibanez guitars and the rep would call him and ask what was wrong with him because if he had called, they would have made him the guitar (presumably in Japan) and sold it to him at cost. This burst a fantasy bubble at the time for me because nobody ever mentioned in interviews that the guitars were being bought. I mean, it makes sense, but I was young. Meanwhile bands like… it was either Thursday or Thrice were saying that they were endorsed by Ibanez, but it was a small deal where they were able to buy a couple guitars at cost and that’s about it. It all had way more nuance than I had originally thought at 14. Still. As a kid in a small-ish dead-end town with dreams of becoming a musician, endorsements were just a mark of success - a waypoint on the map to living somewhere better and doing what you loved. To this day, way older and under ZERO illusions of stardom (or even professional musicianship), there’s still a weird allure to the idea.

I think you need to do a coffee with Ola, it would really make 2020 not so bad. He's one of the only people that are open to dialogue and we all love him for that. Great video brother, keep it up!

Solar has been on my Wishlist for quite a while

On terms of quality control, I have one of the limited edition Solars they released with Hipshot bridges and poplar burl top. This was one of their top of the line models and a potential collector's item to boot. Some issues include: > Black paint splatter on the side of the guitar. > Frets showing through the neck binding. > Lots of fret glue on the fretboard and sides. When contacting the company via email, I was told that this is normal and that the guitar I had *doesn't even have a neck binding*. (So, what is this? Trying to cover up the fret glue with... thick black paint?). It's fortunate that it is a very attractive guitar, the cheapest you can find with stainless steel frets, and the pickups sound great.

I've had a couple of endorsements over 35+ years; one was with a company called Born To Rock and the other was with Hamer near the end of their run in Illinois. Both had quite good instruments and received all but two Hamers free. I played them because I felt an obligation and they played and sounded great. That said, I've been playing ESP guitars almost exclusively since 1987. Mostly Japanese built, but I also have two LTD models. I own 10 (8 Japanese, 2 LTD). I do not, nor never have, a formal endorsement with ESP, although I was gifted three Japanese models after meeting an executive in Japan. I play these guitars because they feel great in my hands and sound great in my ears. I had an opportunity to endorse Gibson, but was more interested in Epiphone, so that went away. I also endorsed Mesa and Dean Markley for a few years. All Mesa endorsers would get a discount; I had a discount with Markley at first, then started getting them free. I've never endorsed a product that I wasn't going to actually use, which was the case in the '80's. If I like a brand, I tend to stay with it until they give me a reason not to. I haven't had the chance to try a Solar, but I'd like to. I've owned at least one model from almost every manufacturer (except Parker, Jackson, Schecter and Suhr). As I've said, if I like a brand, I'll almost exclusively use it. Would I like an ESP endorsement? Absolutely! But I'm ok without one.

So Ola and some of his team were going to Indonesia until COVID, so now they can only QC in the warehouse in Spain, so more QC issues slip by.

Just checked the Solar homepage and it looks like they kind of fixed that issue, as they now have three tiers of artists. 1-Singature Artist (all the big players like Ola or Kirk Windstein) 2-Featured Artist (players of resonable sized bands, my guess these are the wones who got a small discount) 3-Artist (the "regular glorified customer")

I appreciate that video. It should be obvious, but making the effort to contact both Solar and a Solar artist is a nice touch. Thank you for time spent creating this. And I understand your concern. I actually share it. Still, it does not change the fact I really want to get a solar guitar anyways ;)

Don't you remember? growing pains are so hard. and lucky builders will get to dip their toes into the depths of mass production.. and all of the woes and the rewards that go with.

Just a really good go to market strategy. For what its worth solar does appear to be still relatively cheap and inexpensive for the options on the guitar. I dont see any issue with people being hit up to be an artist.

I never buy guitars I don’t put my eyes or hands on anymore. I go on guitar hunting safaris. Old school.

Solar seems decent...just decent. Big brands like Jackson have QC issues on 4k guitars. Hell, Gibson still can't get it right. Since I'm left handed I have gone to high level custom guitars and they are perfect, but they don't come cheap. I remember my first guitar, a Yamaha Pacifica 112J had some pretty damn good quality to it though

I got a 2.6 model and if it weren't for 2 issues I'd be using it. One, I had to stabilize the bridge. The other is a bit trickier, every time I play near the first fret it comes out of tune. It's not a string slot or a weak headstock. I have it apart and it's just the way that the nut is seated. This is an error in it's construction and It'll require some filing and a new nut, when I have time. I know it's the bottom of the line and Ola would never have inspected it regardless of covid issues but as they say, when the cat's away the mice will play.

Reflection on glasses is making me crazy. Content wise +++ tho' :)

I very much enjoy my Solar guitar! I didnt have any QC issues. It's unfortunate others did not have the same experience.

Ola talked about their new QC process in one of his recent videos. In the past, someone (he or one of his associates) would fly to the factory something like once per quarter and QC all of the guitars right off the rack before they were shipped. One thing he said was it was very easy because for example if there was a problem with the electronics, the guy who does the electronics on the guitars is right there and can fix. With covid, the factory is now (double) boxing the guitars and shipping them to Spain where one of the Solar team is unboxing them, doing the QC, making the fixes, and then reboxing them. While of course this is a "best of a bad situation" type thing, and Ola has enough goodwill built up for people to give him some leeway, I have to say sending out a guitar with the logo peeling off the headstock is a bit much. That said, at their prices and with their willingness to fix things, it's hard to really say too much against them for it.

Solar’s QC has been iffy even before the pandemic. You can see tons of posts dated before March on facebook that had issues; my A2.7LN included which has a blemish on the finish. Xavier in customer service (probably under the direction of Ola) compensated me a measly $50. So no, they definitely don’t always “take care of you”.

I ordered one during this pandemic and it came with a really messed up neck. So much that when I took it to my luthier who has worked on other guitars of mine he was blown away with how bad the neck was. It was so warped that the truss rod would not fix the issue. He offered me a free set up to see how much he can straighten the neck but it was a failure. I emailed Solar and sent pictures and they agreed that it was bad and that they would offer me a refund if their crew personally evaluated it first and saw that there really was an issue which is understandable but that wording was a bit worry some so I just decided to fix it with my luthier. It took about 4 months to do so but when I got it back it played amazing and sounded amazing. He had resolved the issue. Afterwards it is a good guitar but unacceptable that I had to spend an extra 300 to fix the guitar right after I bought it and considering that it was a new guitar and not a B stock.

You should definitely do a video on Legator guitars. Would love to see what you find and what you think about their guitars and customer service

Great episode!!

Good stuff as always

Please give this guy a freaking subscribe. I literally want him to be bigger any of the other guitar channels I can’t stand.

as far as the endorsements go, this reminds me of the whole Shine and Truth era of Keller "custom drum" builders.

When did the flip happen? Endorsements are when the artist endorses, or lends their name to the company. ...not the company endorsing the artist... I'm confused

Man I'm happy to see that whole Rob Chapman debacle served you well. You totally deserve the attention you're getting!!!

Ola already discussed the quality control topic on his show and I believe he said Solar was sending people over to the Indonesia shop where Solar is made (and some LTD) until the covid outbreak. Now I believe the guitar's are double boxed and sent to the QC department in Spain. Each individual guitar then has to be unboxed and inspected, costing more labor and costs to the company I inspect.

An endorsement deal in its classic form is basically about advertising. The artist gets a discount or free gear, and a percentage on the sales of a signature model, and the company gets advertising to that artist's audience. With Solar artists, it seems like basically both parties are just getting a bit of extra advertising/exposure out of the deal. Solar/Ola have a good size social media presence, so if they mention your little band, it may help bring in some new fans. And Solar get to market themselves as the go-to brand for the working heavy metal Everyman.

I own an A2.6LNM. I can’t speak for the current state of QC issues (I bought mine well over a year ago), but mine hits well above its price class.

Great vid, why isn’t your channel bigger?! Brilliant content but I just want you to become a Solar artist now 😂🤘🏻

Don’t own one, but my friend has one and the quality is impeccable

I have the Solar single cut Evertune and it’s so great! Flawless! I love it!

I have the Solar A1.6 At the Gates model and its amazing. No issues there.

I think it’s a cool thing to make a customer an artist. If you’re buying a guitar and then that company appreciates you doing so that’s cool. No contracts no money. Free advertising makes sense to me

I've been curious about what happened between Dave Mustain & Jackson Guitars

By the way, Lee Armitage is the man!! And I do love your channel KDH!!

Kononykheen guitars seem to be the same thing. They’ll give an “endorsement” to everyone and offer a significant “discount” on their guitars which are made from Chinese parts and they’ll use a bloated MSRP so it seems that the endorsed artist is getting a great deal.

I have to say, I almost pooped my pants when I saw solar on the thumbnail. I have four solar instruments and one Washburn solar that all span the different levels of quality they offer and I have been very happy with guitars essentially spec’d out by an awesome metal player. Endorsements are weird as hell.

Always interesting and well considered. Very enjoyable

I just got my Solar a few days ago (S1.6 FRQOB) its looks amazing but has a few issues. There is a weird edge at the lower end of the fretboard below the 24th fret, amost looks a bit chipped away (doesnt affect playing but looks a bit weird when you are closer than 40cm to it) It has a few issues with buzz around the 5th fret. below the low E there is a small scratch in the beautiful finish. There was some sticky stuff on the bridge humbucker. it already had a few scratches in the ebony fretboard. The sticker on the headstock is already faded a bit (it was like this when i unboxed it) The high gloss neck feels kinda sticky when playing fast (They dont offer high gloss necks anymore afaik so maybe the learned from it) i couldnt send it back and get a new one since its so rare, and i bought the last one thomann had, so they could only offer me a full refund. I decided to keep the guitar because it also has lots of upsides for me. Amazing Tone. Overall pretty great feeling the best looking guitar ive ever seen very great tuning stability with the Floyd Rose 1000 bridge Overall, Im still happy with the purchase although i probably have to take it to a luthier for a complete check

I personally own a Solar G series, and out of the 15 or more guitars i have owned, it is by far the best guitar I've ever owned. I will not hesitate to pull the trigger on another one.

idk feels like this is based on personal perception of a handful of people. I doubt Solar threaten anyone to remove their endorsement if they mention a negative point. Those people were afraid on a personal level I think. The fact that there’s no contract might be the cause, there’s uncertainty so they don’t want to risk saying anything.

Hey man! love your videos but there seems to be a probleme with adds. i got 8 adds for 10 minutes of videos.. i know it's your living and you got to pay the bills etc but it's very hard for the viewers to keep track of what you are saying when there is adds every 30 seconds. otherwise, keep the great work you are delivering!

I can say the endorsements are similar to paintball, I was under a few gear sponsorships, it accounted to a small discount on products and some help on events. Solar is basically building a brand, posting their music for them etc is a cool little adon to make the buyer feel good.

I like the fact that ordinary players are getting spots on the website. Maybe call them something other than endorses but it's nice to see a company giving a shout out. When you look at the Keisel responce to customer service I find solars approach refreshing.