Solar Guitars by Ola Englund

[RevDrucifer]

I'm digging this one. Could be my Christmas gift this year I reckon
No Solar 12th fret logo.

Hahahahah maybe I’m just weird about inlays, but I’m fine with the Solar inlay, would prefer block inlays, but not with THAT damn 12th fret inlay. It just looks too busy.

I dig those split-block inlays, too. Too bad there’s not one on the damn 12th fret!

 

[Rev2010]

I love looking at the premium stuff, but the best tools for me are always gonna be of the utilitarian variety.

Don't get me wrong, I do use my custom and I have recorded with it (my track Birth of a Monster - though that was recorded using a POD HD) and will record with it for all new 7-string tracks I write. I absolutely love it and it's my pride and joy. I'm currently doing a cover of Korn's Helmet in the Bush and have so far laid down scratch tracks with the Solar but plan to rerecord the whole thing with my custom.

So it does get used, just easier to grab the Solar for most situations.

 

[RevDrucifer]

My E-type is almost 3 years old, I just snapped this yesterday-




I’m intending on grabbing a couple more Solars to use exclusively with the two bands I recently started. I’ve always wanted that consistency of switching guitars for different tunings or 6/7 strings but never had the option.

The way the E-type sits on me when standing, my fretting hand lands right at the 12th fret and I can see the 3rd fret side dot out of the corner of my eye, that’s enough for me to be able to sing and play without looking down at all.

And this is pullin’ at my wallet pretty hard, but I want a JP2C before I get another guitar.


I want my next 7-string to be at least 26.5” but he’s only done E-type 7’s in 25.5”, I’m not the biggest star shape fan but I’m digging this one….and it’s 26.5”.

 

[Zado]

I mean I can you beat these guys? My Schecter faith being wavering.

 

[CleansingCarnage]

I mean I can you beat these guys? My Schecter faith being wavering.

I'm a lifelong Ibanez fanboy but the last two guitar I bought were a Solar and a Schecter and they're both collectively stealing my loyalty, especially at the price. In my opinion they're pretty much equivalent in terms of quality and specs for the money. Now if Schecter starts offering Evertune models at or below $1200...

 

[kriff]

I mean I can you beat these guys? My Schecter faith being wavering.

Dissenting opinion, I've bought two Solars from new in the last twelve months (one direct and the other from an authorised dealer) and not impressed with either of them really. This was at the £1000-£1500 kind of range so maybe they're better value at the £500/£600 kind of level but I'm defo not buying one again, at least not new.

 

[Flick]

How much is the VAT to the US? Can anyone share their additional charge from UPS?

 

[gh0styboi]

How much is the VAT to the US? Can anyone share their additional charge from UPS?

This is the only reason I haven't pulled the trigger on an X type. The shipping I get, but I'm not a massive fan of "we'll ship your guitar and there's gonna be a mystery amount added on eventually and nobody knows how much it's going to be."

 

[Zado]

Dissenting opinion, I've bought two Solars from new in the last twelve months (one direct and the other from an authorised dealer) and not impressed with either of them really. This was at the £1000-£1500 kind of range so maybe they're better value at the £500/£600 kind of level but I'm defo not buying one again, at least not new.

What was wrong with em?

 

[kriff]

What was wrong with em?

I posted further up in this thread but just sloppy stuff around the frets (mostly cosmetic to be fair but not good enough for a £1200+ guitar), incredibly dry fretboard (which obvs you could oil but not ideal), discolouration around the inlay marker (which Solar told me is normal). So lots of little bits not up to standard and there is enough competition at that price I just wouldn't go back.

 

[SonicBlur]

Dissenting opinion, I've bought two Solars from new in the last twelve months (one direct and the other from an authorised dealer) and not impressed with either of them really. This was at the £1000-£1500 kind of range so maybe they're better value at the £500/£600 kind of level but I'm defo not buying one again, at least not new.

Same with me. I'll never pay a single penny for ANYTHING from Solar ever again.

 

[Tisca]

How much is the VAT to the US? Can anyone share their additional charge from UPS?

Don't you have tax laws in the US and you can't just look it up?

 

[BusinessMan]

That green type x is giving me hella GAS. I’m torn between the green with the 26.5” scale, or the purple one with the evertune. Choices. Both are lookers for sure.

 

[STRHelvete]

I love all the contrasting experiences and opinions in this thread. Everthing from "Solar Guitars, NEVER AGAIN!" to "I'm on my 85 Solar and I just ordered 15 more"

 

[He_Ma]

I love all the contrasting experiences and opinions in this thread. Everthing from "Solar Guitars, NEVER AGAIN!" to "I'm on my 85 Solar and I just ordered 15 more"

Most problems that I've heard have been in the fretboards and lately some proplems in the wiring and electronifcs (at least two members here had recently faulty pot that overturned in their brand new Solar, mine was other). If your guitar doesn't have either of these problems chances are that it is like good metal guitar with nice bang for the buck value.

I like to play my E2.6 a lot, since it plays nice and has better upper fret access than my Ltd Snakebyte. Only thing I haven't bonded with are the pickups. I am considering getting some Bare knuckles or trading this for something else with active pickups in it..

 

[CleansingCarnage]

I bought my Solar used and it was already a couple of years old so presumably anything that would potentially happen to the fretboard already would have happened under the previous owner. I'm very happy with it for what I paid.

 

[gh0styboi]

Don't you have tax laws in the US and you can't just look it up?

Yeah, except they look like this via the DHL Customs Tarriff and Duty fees page:

"Any imports that are above USD 800 will have to go through a conventional clearance at the customs; whereas eCommerce purchases that value between USD 800 and USD 2,500 (MYR3,720 to MYR 11,625, approximately) could enjoy a simplified clearance which involve minimal intervention from customs.

The import tariffs vary between 0% and 37.5 %."

Via the ITA at the trade.gov page, it says it's around 21%, but it can vary.

That's a large enough differential that I don't wanna fly blind into it...

 

[Flick]

That’s a pretty large range. I’m not signing up for that gamble.

 

[nightsprinter]

So you buy the nice top of the line explorer style with evertune on there and you might get mashed with a 300 dollar fee for importing an indonesian guitar. Yeah I'm good.

Would be nice if they'd consider taking a page out of the thomann/hb book and open a webstore on Reverb with distro from a U.S. Warehouse with the fees baked into their asking price to avoid uncertainty.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

There's a huge variance because the volume of packages significantly outnumber the number of inspectors and said inspectors aren't experts in every category of product. Throw on top how carriers charge the fees, some front them, others back bill, and it's really like playing roulette.

Those former conditions usually means that not a lot of effort is directed at niche products that both don't seem expensive and aren't papered as such. Especially a one off delivery.

I've ordered guitars from overseas and didn't pay a dime in additional import fees, and other times I've gotten a bill in the mail like a month later saying I owe like $200 which would be close to 10% of what I bought. Mostly it's nothing, but I haven't dodged the bullet every time.

Good luck calling and asking anyone. The carriers and our government especially are completely unhelpful. They basically just give you the same sort of reply as what @narad copied.