Solar Guitars by Ola Englund

[xzacx]

Thanks for the replies!

To answer your questions, no nothing needs changing on the guitar, as it plays really well (was actually good to go out of the box, and excellent after a proper setup). But this one is a keeper, so I want to do some improvements to it when I can afford to.

Good news about the tuners, someone left a review on Thomann stating that the Grover 406BCL6 Mini Locking Rotomatic fit perfectly on a Solar A2.6 so they should work fine with the V2.6 as well.

Regarding the nut, from my understanding Black Tusq is better than the simple graphite nut that the V2.6 comes with because it's self-lubricating.

But now I have found something new and I have another question: while looking on Thomann I found a bridge with many good reviews, the TonePros T3BT-B Tune-o-matic. It looks exactly like the bridge I have, and from my measurements it should be the same size. The only difference is that the TonePros bridge has two small holes at the posts, while the one on the V2.6 does not. They state that they use a patented locking technology. What exactly does that mean? I couldn't find a clear answer anywhere on the web.

To understand exactly what I am referring to, look at a pic of the TonePros T3BT-B Tune-o-matic and compare it with a pic of the Gotoh GE103B-T BC TOM-Style Bridge. You'll see the holes that the TonePros has and the Gotoh doesn't (that Gotoh looks exactly like the bridge on the Solar).

Those holes are basically just set screws to lock it to the posts. Not really an improvement IMO, as I’ve never had a TOM move on me and I haven’t noticed any difference in sound via swapping, but it doesn’t hurt anything either.

 

[Spicypickles]

Literally the only difference those locking posts make is if you change all your string at one time and clean the guitar once they’re off (me, every time). Running a rag between the posts and bridge pickup will spin the screws on the bridge, lowering/raising it from your prior settings. With the locking posts that doesn’t happen obviously, but it’s not a tremendous help, just a slight plus.

 

[lewis]

Ola confirmed in todays Video, he is planning for Solar to eventually offer spare parts (bodies, necks etc etc) and now he is offering Bolt ons etc he likes the idea of people being able to buy separate stuff and mix and match to customise their Solars

well that is music to my ears

13:30 minutes in



Other possibility is the idea of buying just a Solar Neck for random project bodies you have if the Heel measurements match etc.

endless possibilities

 

[Merrekof]

Other possibility is the idea of buying just a Solar Neck for random project bodies you have if the Heel measurements match etc.

This was literally the first thing I thought about. Slap a slightly modernized Tele body on it and we are good to go

 

[lewis]

This was literally the first thing I thought about. Slap a slightly modernized Tele body on it and we are good to go

absolutely!!!

 

[JimF]

Has he literally just solved the modern problem of "Well I'd buy it if it was XYZ..."

 

[lewis]

Has he literally just solved the modern problem of "Well I'd buy it if it was XYZ..."

Someone had to tbh.
He is the master of literally just giving the people what they want

 

[JimF]

He is a legend. Genuinely want him to succeed in everything he does.

 

[natedog_approved]

Does anyone know if Ola has ever responded to the question of whether not Solar will ever have a dealer in the US? I dont mind buying direct, but in the off chance something is wrong, I'd hate to deal with shipping back and forth overseas.

 

[Señor Voorhees]

I recently went on a nostalgia trip and started listening to Mushroomhead's XX and XIII albums and found out they released an album recently. Nothing too spectacular, but I like it better than their last 3 or 5 albums... (I've lost track of what they've been up to since they gave the boot to the old guitarist.)

I bring it up here because there was a particular shot in this video:

Kind of a meh video, but the guitarist holds the guitar up and I was like... Is that a fucking Solar inlay? lol Checked the guy's facebook patge and sure enough, he's rocking a Solar E of some sort. The one on his facebook looks like it's got white active soapbars in it with an evertune, but the one in the video looks maybe stock? At least the pickups don't look white. Anyway, I just thought it was kinda cool seeing a band I was a fan of so long ago mingling with my more modern interests.

 

[jl-austin]

That can't be a Solar...... It has a gloss finish......

 

[Señor Voorhees]

I stand corrected, looking deeper into his facebook, it turns out he had an E1.7 (doesn't quite look flamed, so perhaps an older model from what's on their site now?) sent off to Evertune and they routed the guitar for Fishman Fluence Moderns, not EMG like I initially thought. I might like the looks of it if I didn't just despise soapbar pickups.

https://www.facebook.com/tommytankx/photos/a.183462552299096/596695200975827

https://www.facebook.com/tommytankx/photos/a.183462552299096/590589848253029

 

[T00DEEPBLUE]

https://www.solar-guitars.com/product/a2-6fr-pn-pink-neon-matte/

 

[Albake21]

https://www.solar-guitars.com/product/a2-6fr-pn-pink-neon-matte/

Floyd Rose Special

 

[Blytheryn]

https://www.solar-guitars.com/product/a2-6fr-pn-pink-neon-matte/

Oh god I actually NEED this.

 

[manu80]

damn....

 

[T00DEEPBLUE]

Floyd Rose Special

I know, it sucks.

The most basic 2.6 models are a great value but the more expensive 2.6's not so much. You get more for your money with the 1.6's at that point.

 

[Fred the Shred]

It's not the most resilient bridge out there, but at the price point, there would almost certainly need to be concessions regarding hardware. This guitar will cost 749 € as opposed to the FR1000, brass block fitted A1.6FRC's 949 €, with the core differences in hardware being that and the A2's non-locking tuners vs the A1 having locking tuners.

 

[T00DEEPBLUE]

It's not the most resilient bridge out there, but at the price point, there would almost certainly need to be concessions regarding hardware. This guitar will cost 749 € as opposed to the FR1000, brass block fitted A1.6FRC's 949 €, with the core differences in hardware being that and the A2's non-locking tuners vs the A1 having locking tuners.

You forgot about the 1.6's having stainless steel frets and luminlays as well.

The 1.6's are ultimately the better value in this case.

 

[Fred the Shred]

Oh, I definitely agree with you, but I also destroy hardware easily, which further compounds my preference for spending a bit of extra coin in exchange for not disintegrating a random part very often.