Is This Cheap Hollow-Body A Deal? - Unboxing, Demo, Review

[RichardONeil]

This video is so refreshing. A dude that doesn't snob out! He tells us that it is not the best guitar, but for under $200 that it is fun to play. It sounded great and looks great. Damian is one of the best on YouTube!

[honzo]

In my observation, a guy who can really play an instrument can play the instrument, from cheap to quality, and make them all sound pretty good. I once bought a cheap tenor sax and took it to a repair shop to get repadded. Even with old, dried out pads (two missing!) and dry pivots, this guy played some hot jazz and some cool blues. When it was all fixed up, I struggled to get any kind of tone out of it all. Sigh...

[jujijime]

Love your positivity and complete lack of cynicism. Thanks for sharing your talents with us!

[jamesmcgrath]

Nice playing. I'm 68 years old and a brandy new beginner. I just bought my first guitar. I bought a Gretsch G5420T in Aspen green. I'll never be good but I have fun trying to learn lol. Good Vid.

[jamesfrancisco]

I think the #1 thing I got from your video was: a great guitarist can make anything sound good! You, sir, are an exceptionally talented guitarist. Thank you!

[leslawrenson]

I wandered here by accident - not my style of playing, and I'm not interested in budget guitars. But your presentation hooked me from the off, and I stayed to the end. Can't pay you a bigger compliment.

[pierrederesistance]

You're really not supposed to play this well on a YouTube guitar demo. There was no horrible out of tune bending or wobbly vibrato. Also your phrasing was great.
I can't support any of this.

[ravenslaves]

If we're being perfectly honest, and we've been there, not all of those old vintage guitars were always that great. Gretsch, for example, had some pretty bad Quality Control. And not every Gibson or Epiphone that came off the line was "spectacular". SO, if I can get a decent guitar at $200 that's probably as good as a lot of the originals...then that's a damn good deal. And at that price, I can mod it anyway I like, without any guilt at all.
...or just leave it stock....sounded like a ES-T to me.

[Coverswithchords]

I want one too!
Been noodling happily for decades on low budget guitars and I love it. Pure fun, no worries about damage or loss.

[milowagon]

Great, honest and enjoyable demo. The playing was terrific and the vintage tones very authentic.

[alanoffer]

This goes to prove it’s the player not the guitar . As long as the thing innovates and it’s got a pick up it’ll work

[jimvandemoter]

Major props for using heavier strings with a wound 'G.' I used to have a Guild X-500 and I used a 12 ga set with a wound 'G' and it really gave me the jazz tone. Also more props for your playing, you old jazz man, you.

[barryworrell]

Thank you so much for playing it like a jazz guitar first, before adding effects. There's a lots of reviews on here that start off playing it as if it were a rock solid body and never getting around to playing it like it's design to be. So refreshing! Nice sound.😎

[pablocortando]

Damian, this is the first review I’ve seen you do, not disappointed.great work

[TropicalLatitude]

Damian could make a broomstick sound good. Great review.

[Deliquescentinsight]

That sounds like a respectable guitar! Sounds in tune, and very true! Helps that you are a seasoned player of course, but $189 is a steal.

[rocketskids]

The most amazing thing about that guitar is that it arrived in one piece!

[matthewrussell]

I can't believe how much it sounds like a high-end Gretch. Amazing!!

[RoyPadia]

I was skeptical of Grote till I bought one.Great guitars.Fixing to get me another budget guitar for about $500.The Gretch G2420 Streamliner from Guitar Center.Alot of great hollow body budget guitars out there.

[norman]

I want to see/hear Brother Damien swingin' AND rockin' & rollin' with a
I swear by Bill Haley's Comets, Brother Damien can pick-up anything with strings (get it? pick-up? groan!!), and he'll make it sound Absolutely-Awesome
and Super-Swingin'!!!! There's no way around it, Brothers & Sisters, play & practice, along with a healthy dose of nature-given talent!!!!
Brother Damien, you inspire us to pick-up(!!) our guitars and and you bring joy to us when you help us to play something we never did before.
Thank you for your time, for sharing your knowledge, and for giving us a chance to get better at something that we love soooo much!!!! You are a total class act, Brother!! As for the new Grote, maybe a pick-up(!!) swap? Or just leave it alone and play the heck out of it?! Either way,
HAVE FUN!! Take care, Bro!!
Your fan & Guitar Bro in
Montreal, Canada, Norman.