Solar Guitars

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Where do I get an LTD, Washburn, or Schecter for $800 cheaper than a Solar?

An LTD with an Evertune is $1099, same as a Solar, and no stainless frets. The only Schecter I see with one is $1699, and I don't see Washburn making anything comparable anymore.

Sorry I forgot you are in the US. My Parallaxe cost me 300, OFR, Distortion/ Jazz, extended cutaway. Similar to the one Jennifer Batten plays, the blue one.

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[Obsessive Compulsive]

Please back to the OP.

The cockroaches and house mice take the internet too seriously like it were November 3 already...lol.

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[Obsessive Compulsive]

Here's the link JB: https://www.washburn.com/product/m10frq/



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[Masta' C]

Sorry I forgot you are in the US. My Parallaxe cost me 300, OFR, Distortion/ Jazz, extended cutaway. Similar to the one Jennifer Batten plays, the blue one.

You're conveniently leaving out facts. Where can the average person get a brand new Parallaxe like yours for $300 from a dealer?

You are suggesting that's a better buy for the OP than purchasing a Solar from Ola, so please show us where this "better option" exists...

[Demanic]

Dammit Beavis!

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[Masta' C]

[Top-L]

Where do I get an LTD, Washburn, or Schecter for $800 cheaper than a Solar?

An LTD with an Evertune is $1099, same as a Solar, and no stainless frets. The only Schecter I see with one is $1699, and I don't see Washburn making anything comparable anymore.

Ltd guitars you can get 15+ percent off from major chains, free shipping, 180 day no question return policy. Try to get that with a solar.

Solar is selling direct, less overhead, they should be cheaper, like agile or harley benton. Not that cheap, but less than they are by a few hundred.

Too much risk buying one..tons of other comparable guitars you can get from major chains.

Other brands have stepped up value, oka needs to rethink pricing.

[Masta' C]

You bring up some valid concerns. At the starting point, many of the Solar guitars are priced roughly on-par with their ESP equivalents, though some Solar versions are actually a slightly better deal from the get-go. For example, ESP's single-hum, bare bones "Black Metal" models are running $850-$1000 here in the U.S., yet that sexy green Solar V with equivalent specs is only $700. As you said, discounts on ESP's are fairly common and less common on Solar models. But I'd like to counter with a couple points:

1) There's a good chance licensing fees are paid to Washburn to use these ex-Parallaxe designs and be able to sell them in the U.S.

2) A company like ESP is going to get the best prices at the manufacturing level compared to a smaller entity like Solar. Despite the lack of a middle-man, Solar is probably working with a similar profit margin in the end.

3) Comparable Agiles are $400-$600 with generic hardware and non-name brand pickups, so you can't make a "value" comparison here. Upgrading anything on an Agile quickly kills the perceived price difference.

4) Solar does occasionally offer discounts. It pays to follow them on social media, as is becoming more the norm with smaller companies these days. They often give discounts when a new model is introduced and it will be interesting to see if a "holiday sale" happens.

[JB_From_Hell]

Ltd guitars you can get 15+ percent off from major chains, free shipping, 180 day no question return policy. Try to get that with a solar.

Solar is selling direct, less overhead, they should be cheaper, like agile or harley benton. Not that cheap, but less than they are by a few hundred.

Too much risk buying one..tons of other comparable guitars you can get from major chains.

Other brands have stepped up value, oka needs to rethink pricing.

A big part of looking at Solar is my desire to support a smaller operation. It's no different than when I choose to shop at the locally owned hardware store rather than Lowe's or Home Depot.

The couple that runs the store are really nice, and extremely helpful and knowledgeable. When I spend more on a tape measure or some drill bits from them, I'm seeing exactly where the money is going. Same with Ola... If I spend a few bucks more on one of his guitars than an LTD, I'm OK with it.

[Securb]

They look a little 'genre specific' to me, which is something I generally avoid.

I was thinking the same thing. I think I am a bit old for a "Metal God" guitar. Don't get me wrong I will thrash with the best of them on my LP but I don't need skulls, flames, or pointies to get it done.

[Mincer]

I was thinking the same thing. I think I am a bit old for a "Metal God" guitar. Don't get me wrong I will thrash with the best of them on my LP but I don't need skulls, flames, or pointies to get it done.

Well, they are marketed to an audience which is clearly not me. But they look well made.

[JB_From_Hell]

Well, they are marketed to an audience which is clearly not me. But they look well made.

I fully intend to take whichever one I get to a blues jam. Once I get the Evertune set properly for bending, everybody will be jealous of my lack of re-tuning

[Top-L]

A big part of looking at Solar is my desire to support a smaller operation. It's no different than when I choose to shop at the locally owned hardware store rather than Lowe's or Home Depot.

The couple that runs the store are really nice, and extremely helpful and knowledgeable. When I spend more on a tape measure or some drill bits from them, I'm seeing exactly where the money is going. Same with Ola... If I spend a few bucks more on one of his guitars than an LTD, I'm OK with it.

I don't think Ola was ever a hard-luck situation or is worth supporting more than anyone else. The vibe I got from him was rich kid whose parents agreed to let him use his college fund to start a mail order guitar company. I actually don't know anything about him, its just my feeling that he has been on easy street his whole life.

[JB_From_Hell]

I don't think Ola was ever a hard-luck situation or is worth supporting more than anyone else. The vibe I got from him was rich kid wh\ose parents agreed to let him use his college fund to start a mail order guitar company. I actually don't know anything about him, its just my feeling that he has been on easy street his whole life.

He was an accountant prior to doing the YouTube channel full time. He very well could have wealthy parents, he talks more about his wife and kids, but his dad and brother were on an episode once, and they seemed like cool enough people.

It's cool if you don't like the guy, and I'm not asking you to. You gave a bunch of reasons why it would be better to buy an LTD, I was just saying why I'd rather buy from Ola. For all I know, the couple that runs the hardware store I mentioned bought it with money from their parents... I'm still gonna shop there whenever possible.

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Ltd guitars you can get 15+ percent off from major chains, free shipping, 180 day no question return policy. Try to get that with a solar.

Solar is selling direct, less overhead, they should be cheaper, like agile or harley benton. Not that cheap, but less than they are by a few hundred.

Too much risk buying one..tons of other comparable guitars you can get from major chains.

Other brands have stepped up value, oka needs to rethink pricing.

Combined with the miniscule labor cost in Indonesia, you can imagine how fat his profit margin of each guitar.

Sadly some in the forum have adamantly pointed out how he would rather spend his money on Ola's gear than on guitars offered by a faceless corporation. There goes the limit to stupid.