Well I watched your video while playing my green Hils... 😄 I can confirm everything you said, pros and cons. The Strandberg body is a bit more ergonomic and the Essential pickups are a little bit better, but that's it. I'm so curious for what Hils does next, for they clearly know how to properly do great guitars
By the way, besides being an absolutely stellar player, your reviews are most excellent. I really dislike reviews where the guy cranks up the distortion, delay, flanger etc. and leaves you with no idea whatsoever what the gear actually sounds like. They are more worried about sounding cool then reviewing the piece. Thanks man!
I'm glad you checked this out. I just got mine last week, and honestly Im beyond happy with it. The strandberg may be better, but it's not 2 times the price better, in my opinion, especially when the main complaints are things I can tweak later down the line. Hope you end up reviewing the tremolo version when that releases!
I bought a cheap headless with the jack at the wrong spot. You're 100% right to call that out - it is not a nitpick. I can forgive it on the Ibanez because the design is inherently not ergonomic to begin with. That shape will never be super comfortable on your leg. But the strandberg type shape is designed to be ergonomic. A copy with the jack in the wrong spot means you don't even care lol
I was debating the tremolo version but went with the hard tail version since trems on even the best systems add a layer of complexity for set up that i just don't wanna deal with lol. I'll wait for reviews and maybe jump on it. After all I would then have 2 headless guitars for the price of one strandberg 😅
I bought one in blue. Replaced a Harley Benton headless. To be fair, I like the larger frets of the Harley Benton much more, but besides that, everything about the Hills is better. Pickups are better than they have any right to be on a $499 guitar, the neck finish is really good. The electronics feel great-smooth knobs, solid switch, nice positive clack/clack when using the push-pull pot. I’m super impressed with it. I dealt with the USA distributor on Reverb and they were great. Prompt clear communication and the guitar got to me quick. All in all, you can’t beat it for the price.
@@PaulPaid well, considering that my 3 main axes are a MusicMan L3, Ibanez MM1 , and a early 90's Fender Strat Plus, I can be hyper critical. But, I have to say that other that the pickups the guitar plays great. The only thing I plan to do is a minor setup for the action and change out the pickups with a pair of Seymour Duncs that I already have. Can't beat it for the price...
@billwittman0504 Thanks for that info. These headless axes usual come with pretty low action from what I understand. The Lattitude Cardinal and Eart GW-2 are known for crazy low action. What type of adjustment are you going to make?
@PaulPaid I go by feel, I drop the string down to where it just start to fret-out then turn the screws back a half a turn. For me, I've found that I bring the pickups up to where it doesn't affect the string vibration so I can have a very light touch on the strings. Cheers!
I have that exact model/color, and I actually really like the pickups, as I prefer slightly warmer/thicker tones, and even when split, it retains that warmth/thickness. One thing I dislike is how the forearm bevel area is a bit short, so often I find my forearm resting at the bottom corner of the body insteat of on the bevel. The lower body carve angle being too shallow is another one, so I'm in agreement with Andre there.
Hey Andre, thanks again for an awesome review. I've been looking at their basses recently as well and the body shape, combined with the headless design, is really appealing for the money. It looks really comfortable on you with a strap. (also love your built-in killswitch on the Strandberg... 😂)
excellent review. I use a rubber band on my guitar stand to keep them from falling and if they guitar doesn't sit well I put some larger foam tubes on the bottom tubes so they sit better.
Great review Andre! Thanks for this! I actually started looking at headless guitars when I picked up a used Donner Hush 1 just for fun to practice with and keep next to my couch! I liked it so much I started looking at other headless guitars. Strandberg is not an option and even Ibanez is too $$ for me - I just ordered a Hils and can't wait to get it. Thanks for this video!
I have one, I first got a boden essential and and Ibanez Q54. I wanted a white one, lol. For the money it is a great guitar, my first one was damaged in shipping and HILS was very good about replacing it. I don't think you mentioned the compound 12 to 16 radius on the neck. I have considered replacing the pickups but for the price nothing but GFS makes sense. I had the same issue with my strandberg jack shorting out, I think the jack when it rotates come into contact with the metal control cover. I got a special tool for tightening jacks without rotating it and some locktite if it keeps happening. HILS are selling 2 trem models now and I think another is on the way, check their website.
@BlurredLinez since posting I have purchased another strandberg, this time a Boden standard for $1,250 more so there's the answer I guess. I wanted a HSS and HILS doesn't have plans for that configuration (I asked the guy running the operation) and a trem (which I always want and then find ways to defeat). Plus I was multiscale curious.
I may have to revise my answer, the HILS was my Christmas present and I've been playing it for a few days now, I love this guitar, (maybe it's because I put 8s on it), it is my favorite now, the new models look great too, the new one with fishmans is interesting.
@@michaelwiggins9040 FYI the HN5 is coming out soon that does feature a tremelo system. I've been flipflopping over the beautiful future dusk colorway boden and the HN5.
not sure if you'd be interested but i get annoyed with that same output jack location (like most les pauls and countless other guitars) because i sometimes play them seated on the couch and it requires that i play them in sort of something approaching the classical position, and a typical straight cable means it' jamming down into my leg or into the couch and even a normal 90 degree cable has the same problem just half as big--so i got some little female to male pancake (similar to the 90 degree connections from some pedal patch cables). it's a short patch cable with a male to female 1/4" adapter on one end and the pancake 90 degree plug on the other. so i can use that thing if the guitar is either a front-loader like an sg and i don't want the plug sticking out the front or if it's on the side, but i can take it off and use the same cable for like a strandberg, strat or whatever that works better with the straight cable end. i'm sure sonically it's not ideal since it's adding another cable (albeit a short one) but it works well for me in terms of comfort.
Awesome review, thanks a lot! I currently own a Strandberg, and while I love the body, I just cannot get used to the endurneck (it's not compatible with some of the things I do, especially very wide spread stuff), so I'm looking at alternatives. Since the body cutout is a must, I was really happy that you addressed this aspect, I was concerned that might be an issue (I have the same with the Ormsby Goliath, it's just not *as* ergonomic as Strandberg). Anyway, great job, and will subscribe for more!
I recently got my first headless. An Acepro AH-100 from AliExpress for about $300 and I used your headless series to help me purchase it! It's almost like the Strandberg Essential and Eart GW2 had a child it's great! So thank you for your videos!
I have green Hils and I can confirm everything you said, except that I don't like the output jack location. I use classical guitar position, and the cable sticks directly at my right leg. Also I can't use Katana Go without adding cable in between. I would prefer normal Ibanez position, so that I could have Katana Go directly attached to guitar, and so that I see the display in Katana Go. And by classical guitar position I mean that the bigger curve in guitar is on my left leg.
I always appreciate when a company actually puts necessary/innovative design choices on their guitars with the player in mind; I dig this one alot and it's a bit more comfortably in my price range! But the REAL question is, is this old vid or did you re-attach your locs? 😂
KDH just posted a review of another interesting headless guitar made by Pearson Instruments (the Hyper S Ergo). It was made with the goal of making a quality headless but using off-the-shelf components. I'd love to see your take on that one.
LedMAO when the guitar fell. When you replaced it on the stand, it immediately started doing it's leaning tower of Pisa imitation. The output jack placement is the best. It even gives a good wrap around the strap like a lot of players do.
Cool video and I trust your reviews. I too have a green Hils and mirror what you say here. I'm pretty happy with it with the exception of finding the pickups not very inspiring. If I swap them out that adds another $200 at least. I'm not sure if something like Seymour Duncan JB's will fit without further routing as the cavity is extremely tight there. For the time being I'll leave the pickups alone as at least it sounds different than my others. I love the weight, and the little buttons for standing it like you show.
How did I miss this!?! I told you about this guitar a long time ago. I just swapped my pickups for some Pearly Gates and it sounds amazing now. My frets came flawless, it needed a set up and it was good to go. But mine is actually a HEX, but that shouldn't matter.
Like always appreciate your reviews. I've been watching the headless market for a while, really want a strand, but these Hils guitars look decent, also now saw Eart released new GW2s that removed the zero fret and addressed some of the issues with the original. Would love to see your take on those at some point
Omg, I literally gasped out loud when that guitar fell over! I couldn’t breathe, and it’s not even my guitar! 😱🫢 But you have to admit how well timed it was, lol. The bridge on this headless is neat and looks like it would be super easy to setup. I also love the KD Patented bridges that can be found on many budget headless guitars like the Zivix JamStik Studio, ALP Leaf models, EART, etc. in fact, I have used a borrowed JamStik Studio headless a bunch of times. At the time, I was virtually a new player and had zero experience with setting up a guitar. My friend wasn’t too worried about me messing up this guitar because she got it as a free upgrade from the Zivix JamStik campaign when they gave people a free upgrade to the studio when they decided not to make a JamStik 12 model - she paid a fraction of the eventual price and it was one of the first 20 units to get shipped. Anyhoo, I realized the bridge needed some cleaning and lubricating. With no help and being a beginner, I proceeded to take the bridge apart piece by piece. When I saw all these pieces in front of me, I was like, “Oh shit.” I didn’t think I’d ever be able to remember how they all fit together. I proceeded to clean and lubricate the parts. To my surprise, I somehow managed to piece it all back together. . . and the setup was dead simple to figure out once I figured out the purpose of each Allen screw and how to use them (there’s a guy with a great setup demo on his EART headless). The tuning stability is stellar on that guitar. That said, any time I hear people are looking for a headless bridge, I always recommend the KD Patented one with the brass roller saddles. They can be gotten for a very fair price on Amazon and other sites. I bring up this entire story because I wonder who makes the bridge for Hils. Are they making it in house, or are they getting it from an outside supplier? Would be cool to know if it’s possible to upgrade some headless guitars out there or build a kit/custom with the same bridge Hils is using. Can you find any markings on it? Or does Hils provide this info anywhere? I wouldn’t be shocked if this is also a KD Patented part because they have a ton of cool parts for many types of guitars . . . but maybe Hils makes their own? It’s nice to see that a couple of companies aren’t just doing the same old thing. It doesn’t take much to improve on part designs like the bridge or the strings poking out issue that Hils found a solution to with some design ingenuity - poking strings are also not a problem on the JamStik Studio, thanks to that novel bridge and a cool design at the top of the neck that ensures nothing sticks out.
Good control layout on the Hils. Volume, Tone can be rotated with your pinky while playing and your knuckles won’t hit the switch. Terrible control layouts (a lot of guitars) are one of my pet peeves.
Regarding the SS frets...if they dont list it on the site, 99% its going to be DHP blacksmith frets, the same they use on the boden essential line and for all the harley bentons (they wear down faster from what Ive heard on the HBs)
I hope Andre does a video one day about Danelectro Guitars, I keep hearing about "oh the sound is so interesting" but they don't talk about if the guitars are actually good or if they can even be improved, seems just to be all about nostalgia & less about what the guitars ACTUALLY are
For the stands - the Strandberg (and strandberg style) stands are pretty great and hold both my Strandbergs as well as my GOCs very safely, they are sometimes a bit hard to get though
Schecter puts a serrated lock washer under the output jack nut on the more expensive models, like silver mountain, the jack never loosens. Don't know why these aren't used more often.
So glad you finally got your hands on this guitar. I've been eyeing it for a couple weeks. Hard to pick a color. Edit: Damn that GOC was slowly creeping of the stand T_T
Thanks for the attentive review on the new HILS headless, in the BEST available color! I'm waiting on the trem version because, after 3 years, Ibanez refuses to release a Q Series with a trem. Maybe there's a magic announcement from Ibanez waiting to happen in January. We can only hope. I was more horrified about people thinking propping the playing area of your guitar neck against a desk or an amp is a good idea. I actually cracked up with the GOC did the Kabong. I mean, c'mon, it was the perfect comedic set-up. "I actually don't recommend that you...DOH!" That wasn't staged?
What is the weight, and how is the fretwork? How does this compare to the EART headless guitars? I'd love to see a second, more in depth video. Thanks.
This guitar weighs 4.5 pounds and the frets are all checked in our Indiana inspection center prior to shipping, we literally play every note on the guitar in our inspection process
Stainless steels are all austenitic metal alloys, the hardness differences within this cathegory of metal alloys isn't that big and most certainly harder than the nickle alloys you would see on any other guitar. So don't worry about the manufacturer. The stainless steel is not changing it's mechanical properties when someone else produces it.
I have to say that a guitar rack is a better place to rest your headless guitar than individual stands. I own two GOCs (a 6-string Vajra and a 7-string Satya), and they fit perfectly in a regular guitar rack.
I dint see why everyone is talking about stainless steel fretts as if they arent on a ton of guitars already and a cheap metal...nothing against ur reviews, ur awesome
Nice video! Not looking for a headless guitar right now but I like how the Human Factor Engineering is something that you consider in all of these instruments. I also like how you keep things in perspective with going from a regular Fender style guitar to a headless especially considering that almost all of them are based on a bolt on design to a certain degree. The only real question I have is I appreciate Jangly guitars like Teles and Gretsch. If I got this Hills headless guitar and put in more Jangly pickups, would it still get that Indie vibe? Most of the guitars I see look more like it caters to a Metal, Jazz, or Progressive vibe. Is a Jangle version asking too much of a headless guitar? Thank you! Also love your playing amigo!😎👍✨💚
Thanks for your kind words. I’d honestly think that the right pickups plus the right amp would give the tone. Idk if you noticed but the split sounds already had a bit of jangle to them.
@@andrefludd They did. My favorite pickups are a Tele bridge, a Filtertron, and a P-90. So I am wondering if I put in a Jangly pickups like a GFS Dream 180 (haven't played them yet but I like them in what I have heard also certain GFS pickups are REALLY GOOD) if you'd think they would Jangle or would the rest of the guitar's appointments void making this a Jangle Machine? Thank you again for getting back to me. I really do appreciate our interactions here.😉👍✨
I have the blue one of these. It's actually pretty great. I didn't like the pickups so I found a used set of Strandberg pickups for it. That's the only issue I'd had with it.
Very helpful video Andre, thanks. It's looking like a good candidate for taking with me by bike with the smaller size and lower weight. It comes with a gig bag, right? How do you feel about it? Is it serviceable or do you recommend getting something else?
Speaking about output jacks, I really don't like the recessed jack on my strandberg. It's very inconvenient with right angle jacks, which I usually use. The jack is forced to come out pointing back at my body and gets in the way.
Andre, the guitar that fell over; that stand should have come with the/a rubberized strap that crosses over and secures the neck in place. Easily removes off to one side... Best Regards ¡¥¡
Ok I need to know am I the only one that sits with a headless guitar in the "classical" position with the tuners on my leg? all of the issues of input jack location are gone and I feel the natural body shape fits that position well on all the headless guitars I play🤷♂
Can you review the Aguda Music Boy headless in the future? They're a boutique chinese guitar that's a bit cheaper than the essential and the ergonomics that's pretty close to it. At first i really don't care once they appear on a local store until their 2024 model offers an angled output jack like strandberg does, where their previous model has a jack where it doesn't allow you to play in classical position
“I actually don’t recommend that you…“😱😱😂 The look on your face let me know that was not a set up shot. But I can empathize, because I have had that same feeling too many times.
I have the trem version with active pickups on preorder rn very excited, I looked up the measurements for this one and saw the nut was 42mm (1.65”) width soo I also ordered a roller nut seperately do you think I’ll have any problems if I switch out the nuts?
I will probably have to sell my HILS Next HN3, thanks to the election, and I really hope they release another model which is identical apart from having a 24.75" scale length, thicker (but not wider) neck, and pickup rings (with timing that allows me to buy one). That last stipulation may sound odd, but I like to mod guitars with Seymour Duncan Triple Shot mounting rings (That way, swapping in a Free Way model 3X3-05 selector would provide 72 tonal options.).
My friend has a preference against headless guitars because she can't do pre nut bends, she really dislikes bending the neck of the insturment. It looks like you can in fact do a pre nut bend, is this actually true?
Well I watched your video while playing my green Hils... 😄
I can confirm everything you said, pros and cons. The Strandberg body is a bit more ergonomic and the Essential pickups are a little bit better, but that's it. I'm so curious for what Hils does next, for they clearly know how to properly do great guitars
they just added a few more models to the website, trem models are dropping in jan
Quanto hai pagato di tasse di importazione in Italia?sarei curioso, ma non so quanto dovrei aggiungere di spesa alla dogana. Grazie
@@LORENZOMARIA-j1e praticamente ci paghi l'IVA sopra. Ho pagato un centinaio di euro
the strandberg has a 1/4 sawn neck also. Does the hils? i can't find that info. Looks flatsawn.
@@DavidJosephBoth mine is definitely flat sawn
Watching the GOC fall in slow motion had my anxiety on 10 😩
6:59 lmao
you could see in the first second that he put it back slightly wrong 😅
I was yelling at the man like patrick telling spongebob to be careful opening the paint can
By the way, besides being an absolutely stellar player, your reviews are most excellent. I really dislike reviews where the guy cranks up the distortion, delay, flanger etc. and leaves you with no idea whatsoever what the gear actually sounds like. They are more worried about sounding cool then reviewing the piece. Thanks man!
Thank you! I appreciate that
Ya I love when they say they want to demo the guitar and it’s this super produced demo with no context whatsoever
The output jack location issue isn’t just relevant to headless guitars; it relates to all electric guitars.
finally....at this point every time i see an ergonomic feature in a guitar its the same thing man..."does andre know?"
Your reviews are among the best on UA-cam
I'm glad you checked this out. I just got mine last week, and honestly Im beyond happy with it. The strandberg may be better, but it's not 2 times the price better, in my opinion, especially when the main complaints are things I can tweak later down the line. Hope you end up reviewing the tremolo version when that releases!
I have one, and it’s fantastic for the price point. As my first entry into Headless, I’ve been super happy with it.
You got me into headless and now it's all I'll play
What did you buy? I'm so keen on a Boden essential
#GoHeadless
I bought a cheap headless with the jack at the wrong spot. You're 100% right to call that out - it is not a nitpick.
I can forgive it on the Ibanez because the design is inherently not ergonomic to begin with. That shape will never be super comfortable on your leg. But the strandberg type shape is designed to be ergonomic. A copy with the jack in the wrong spot means you don't even care lol
In January, there will be an HN5 w/Trem and Active Pickups model available at $549!
Already got my preorder in, if anyone gets it first you should comment on this thread!!
I was debating the tremolo version but went with the hard tail version since trems on even the best systems add a layer of complexity for set up that i just don't wanna deal with lol. I'll wait for reviews and maybe jump on it. After all I would then have 2 headless guitars for the price of one strandberg 😅
@@AGuitarNinja I pre-ordered the HN4, I'll send an update in January when I get it!
@@JKBreezy7096 heck yeah I ordered the hn5 let’s see who gets it first!
@@AGuitarNinja 👍👍
I bought one in blue. Replaced a Harley Benton headless. To be fair, I like the larger frets of the Harley Benton much more, but besides that, everything about the Hills is better. Pickups are better than they have any right to be on a $499 guitar, the neck finish is really good. The electronics feel great-smooth knobs, solid switch, nice positive clack/clack when using the push-pull pot.
I’m super impressed with it. I dealt with the USA distributor on Reverb and they were great. Prompt clear communication and the guitar got to me quick. All in all, you can’t beat it for the price.
That bridge is a thing of genius
It seems this company just fixed 90% of the mistakes of regular headless guitar companies
They also listened to all the feedback that Strandberg haven't
just bought one yesterday after trying it on Guitar Summit 2024! so far i love it!
7:00 almost gave me a heart attack
My teeth nearly shattered
Edit: RIP
Great review, I want to try a headless and just purchased a Hils. Should be arriving today so your review is perfect timing. Thank you!
How is it?
@@PaulPaid well, considering that my 3 main axes are a MusicMan L3, Ibanez MM1 , and a early 90's Fender Strat Plus, I can be hyper critical. But, I have to say that other that the pickups the guitar plays great. The only thing I plan to do is a minor setup for the action and change out the pickups with a pair of Seymour Duncs that I already have. Can't beat it for the price...
@billwittman0504 Thanks for that info. These headless axes usual come with pretty low action from what I understand. The Lattitude Cardinal and Eart GW-2 are known for crazy low action. What type of adjustment are you going to make?
@PaulPaid I go by feel, I drop the string down to where it just start to fret-out then turn the screws back a half a turn. For me, I've found that I bring the pickups up to where it doesn't affect the string vibration so I can have a very light touch on the strings. Cheers!
I preordered the HN4 with the tremolo, it comes in January I'm very excited.
Awesome! So happy you made this video.
Mine arrives on Monday, can’t wait. 🎉
I just got a Hils last month. I knew I would like it but I didnt realize how much I would end up loving it. Look forward to playing it everyday.
I have a hils, very spot on review! I needed some neck and fretwork to lower the action where i like it but the build quality was great on mine
Hey I've just watched Hils guitars and here you are 40 minutes later with the vid haha! The guitar looks great and sounds amazing.
I have that exact model/color, and I actually really like the pickups, as I prefer slightly warmer/thicker tones, and even when split, it retains that warmth/thickness. One thing I dislike is how the forearm bevel area is a bit short, so often I find my forearm resting at the bottom corner of the body insteat of on the bevel. The lower body carve angle being too shallow is another one, so I'm in agreement with Andre there.
Hey Andre, thanks again for an awesome review. I've been looking at their basses recently as well and the body shape, combined with the headless design, is really appealing for the money. It looks really comfortable on you with a strap.
(also love your built-in killswitch on the Strandberg... 😂)
excellent review. I use a rubber band on my guitar stand to keep them from falling and if they guitar doesn't sit well I put some larger foam tubes on the bottom tubes so they sit better.
Great review Andre! Thanks for this! I actually started looking at headless guitars when I picked up a used Donner Hush 1 just for fun to practice with and keep next to my couch! I liked it so much I started looking at other headless guitars. Strandberg is not an option and even Ibanez is too $$ for me - I just ordered a Hils and can't wait to get it. Thanks for this video!
I have one, I first got a boden essential and and Ibanez Q54. I wanted a white one, lol. For the money it is a great guitar, my first one was damaged in shipping and HILS was very good about replacing it.
I don't think you mentioned the compound 12 to 16 radius on the neck. I have considered replacing the pickups but for the price nothing but GFS makes sense.
I had the same issue with my strandberg jack shorting out, I think the jack when it rotates come into contact with the metal control cover. I got a special tool for tightening jacks without rotating it and some locktite if it keeps happening.
HILS are selling 2 trem models now and I think another is on the way, check their website.
If you could only pick one would you go for the hills or spend $500 more dollars for the strandberg?
@BlurredLinez since posting I have purchased another strandberg, this time a Boden standard for $1,250 more so there's the answer I guess. I wanted a HSS and HILS doesn't have plans for that configuration (I asked the guy running the operation) and a trem (which I always want and then find ways to defeat). Plus I was multiscale curious.
I may have to revise my answer, the HILS was my Christmas present and I've been playing it for a few days now, I love this guitar, (maybe it's because I put 8s on it), it is my favorite now, the new models look great too, the new one with fishmans is interesting.
@@michaelwiggins9040 FYI the HN5 is coming out soon that does feature a tremelo system. I've been flipflopping over the beautiful future dusk colorway boden and the HN5.
not sure if you'd be interested but i get annoyed with that same output jack location (like most les pauls and countless other guitars) because i sometimes play them seated on the couch and it requires that i play them in sort of something approaching the classical position, and a typical straight cable means it' jamming down into my leg or into the couch and even a normal 90 degree cable has the same problem just half as big--so i got some little female to male pancake (similar to the 90 degree connections from some pedal patch cables). it's a short patch cable with a male to female 1/4" adapter on one end and the pancake 90 degree plug on the other. so i can use that thing if the guitar is either a front-loader like an sg and i don't want the plug sticking out the front or if it's on the side, but i can take it off and use the same cable for like a strandberg, strat or whatever that works better with the straight cable end. i'm sure sonically it's not ideal since it's adding another cable (albeit a short one) but it works well for me in terms of comfort.
Awesome review, thanks a lot! I currently own a Strandberg, and while I love the body, I just cannot get used to the endurneck (it's not compatible with some of the things I do, especially very wide spread stuff), so I'm looking at alternatives. Since the body cutout is a must, I was really happy that you addressed this aspect, I was concerned that might be an issue (I have the same with the Ormsby Goliath, it's just not *as* ergonomic as Strandberg). Anyway, great job, and will subscribe for more!
Excellent review-thanks for your thorough review!
I recently got my first headless. An Acepro AH-100 from AliExpress for about $300 and I used your headless series to help me purchase it! It's almost like the Strandberg Essential and Eart GW2 had a child it's great! So thank you for your videos!
Great video and an honest review. I have two of them and gig one along with my Ibanez Q. Best wishes from the UK. 🎶🎶👍👍
I have green Hils and I can confirm everything you said, except that I don't like the output jack location. I use classical guitar position, and the cable sticks directly at my right leg. Also I can't use Katana Go without adding cable in between. I would prefer normal Ibanez position, so that I could have Katana Go directly attached to guitar, and so that I see the display in Katana Go. And by classical guitar position I mean that the bigger curve in guitar is on my left leg.
Thank you, Dr. Fludd, more amazing attention to detail! THE best reviewer of guitars, ever!
Another great review!
I always appreciate when a company actually puts necessary/innovative design choices on their guitars with the player in mind; I dig this one alot and it's a bit more comfortably in my price range!
But the REAL question is, is this old vid or did you re-attach your locs? 😂
KDH just posted a review of another interesting headless guitar made by Pearson Instruments (the Hyper S Ergo). It was made with the goal of making a quality headless but using off-the-shelf components. I'd love to see your take on that one.
I’ve had one for about a month know. I’ll review it soon
LedMAO when the guitar fell. When you replaced it on the stand, it immediately started doing it's leaning tower of Pisa imitation. The output jack placement is the best. It even gives a good wrap around the strap like a lot of players do.
Its roughly 700 cad for us canadians. Guitars looks great and they are currently making lefty models
Cool video and I trust your reviews. I too have a green Hils and mirror what you say here. I'm pretty happy with it with the exception of finding the pickups not very inspiring. If I swap them out that adds another $200 at least. I'm not sure if something like Seymour Duncan JB's will fit without further routing as the cavity is extremely tight there. For the time being I'll leave the pickups alone as at least it sounds different than my others. I love the weight, and the little buttons for standing it like you show.
The guitar will hang on a guitar hanger. The piece at the top is wide enough.
Thank you for the review, you're the man!
How did I miss this!?! I told you about this guitar a long time ago. I just swapped my pickups for some Pearly Gates and it sounds amazing now.
My frets came flawless, it needed a set up and it was good to go. But mine is actually a HEX, but that shouldn't matter.
Love my HILS HN3! Gets more use then others because it's right next to the couch and it's a perfect sofa guitar!
Like always appreciate your reviews. I've been watching the headless market for a while, really want a strand, but these Hils guitars look decent, also now saw Eart released new GW2s that removed the zero fret and addressed some of the issues with the original. Would love to see your take on those at some point
Strain relief is the word you're looking for on the right angle cable.
I put mine essentially where you like the output but I make a little pocket so it protects the whole cable end.
Omg, I literally gasped out loud when that guitar fell over! I couldn’t breathe, and it’s not even my guitar! 😱🫢 But you have to admit how well timed it was, lol.
The bridge on this headless is neat and looks like it would be super easy to setup. I also love the KD Patented bridges that can be found on many budget headless guitars like the Zivix JamStik Studio, ALP Leaf models, EART, etc. in fact, I have used a borrowed JamStik Studio headless a bunch of times. At the time, I was virtually a new player and had zero experience with setting up a guitar. My friend wasn’t too worried about me messing up this guitar because she got it as a free upgrade from the Zivix JamStik campaign when they gave people a free upgrade to the studio when they decided not to make a JamStik 12 model - she paid a fraction of the eventual price and it was one of the first 20 units to get shipped. Anyhoo, I realized the bridge needed some cleaning and lubricating. With no help and being a beginner, I proceeded to take the bridge apart piece by piece. When I saw all these pieces in front of me, I was like, “Oh shit.” I didn’t think I’d ever be able to remember how they all fit together. I proceeded to clean and lubricate the parts. To my surprise, I somehow managed to piece it all back together. . . and the setup was dead simple to figure out once I figured out the purpose of each Allen screw and how to use them (there’s a guy with a great setup demo on his EART headless). The tuning stability is stellar on that guitar.
That said, any time I hear people are looking for a headless bridge, I always recommend the KD Patented one with the brass roller saddles. They can be gotten for a very fair price on Amazon and other sites.
I bring up this entire story because I wonder who makes the bridge for Hils. Are they making it in house, or are they getting it from an outside supplier? Would be cool to know if it’s possible to upgrade some headless guitars out there or build a kit/custom with the same bridge Hils is using. Can you find any markings on it? Or does Hils provide this info anywhere? I wouldn’t be shocked if this is also a KD Patented part because they have a ton of cool parts for many types of guitars . . . but maybe Hils makes their own?
It’s nice to see that a couple of companies aren’t just doing the same old thing. It doesn’t take much to improve on part designs like the bridge or the strings poking out issue that Hils found a solution to with some design ingenuity - poking strings are also not a problem on the JamStik Studio, thanks to that novel bridge and a cool design at the top of the neck that ensures nothing sticks out.
Good control layout on the Hils. Volume, Tone can be rotated with your pinky while playing and your knuckles won’t hit the switch. Terrible control layouts (a lot of guitars) are one of my pet peeves.
Regarding the SS frets...if they dont list it on the site, 99% its going to be DHP blacksmith frets, the same they use on the boden essential line and for all the harley bentons (they wear down faster from what Ive heard on the HBs)
I hope Andre does a video one day about Danelectro Guitars, I keep hearing about "oh the sound is so interesting" but they don't talk about if the guitars are actually good or if they can even be improved, seems just to be all about nostalgia & less about what the guitars ACTUALLY are
For the stands - the Strandberg (and strandberg style) stands are pretty great and hold both my Strandbergs as well as my GOCs very safely, they are sometimes a bit hard to get though
Oh man i missed what i asked for. Might be supporting hils in the near future
Schecter puts a serrated lock washer under the output jack nut on the more expensive models, like silver mountain, the jack never loosens. Don't know why these aren't used more often.
After two broken headstocks on different guitars I only use A-frame stands now. Glad you had a thick rug! 😊
So glad you finally got your hands on this guitar. I've been eyeing it for a couple weeks. Hard to pick a color.
Edit: Damn that GOC was slowly creeping of the stand T_T
Thanks for the attentive review on the new HILS headless, in the BEST available color! I'm waiting on the trem version because, after 3 years, Ibanez refuses to release a Q Series with a trem. Maybe there's a magic announcement from Ibanez waiting to happen in January. We can only hope. I was more horrified about people thinking propping the playing area of your guitar neck against a desk or an amp is a good idea. I actually cracked up with the GOC did the Kabong. I mean, c'mon, it was the perfect comedic set-up. "I actually don't recommend that you...DOH!" That wasn't staged?
Put blue loctite on the nut of your output jacks so they don't come lose. I do this on floating trem arm sockets as well so they never come loose.
Love your video's Andre.
What is the weight, and how is the fretwork? How does this compare to the EART headless guitars? I'd love to see a second, more in depth video. Thanks.
This guitar weighs 4.5 pounds and the frets are all checked in our Indiana inspection center prior to shipping, we literally play every note on the guitar in our inspection process
when I saw the GOC sliding in the background I was like NOOOOOOOO! glad it was ok man!
Are we going to get a review of the GOC headless guitar?
Might have to get one of these eventually. I’d love to try a headless but I ain’t dishing out $1000+ for a guitar I might not like.
Stainless steels are all austenitic metal alloys, the hardness differences within this cathegory of metal alloys isn't that big and most certainly harder than the nickle alloys you would see on any other guitar. So don't worry about the manufacturer. The stainless steel is not changing it's mechanical properties when someone else produces it.
Whats guitar is lighter? The boden essential or the hils. I have a backache so i need the lighter. Thanks
HILS HN3 is 4.5 pounds, Boden Essential is 4.7 pounds.
Thank you for the review. Phil McKnight mentioned these a while ago, and I've been looking into Hils. Now i just need them to put out a 7 string.
2025
@@HILSAmericaGuitars Most excellent! I'll be watching for that. \m/
I have to say that a guitar rack is a better place to rest your headless guitar than individual stands. I own two GOCs (a 6-string Vajra and a 7-string Satya), and they fit perfectly in a regular guitar rack.
I dint see why everyone is talking about stainless steel fretts as if they arent on a ton of guitars already and a cheap metal...nothing against ur reviews, ur awesome
❤ Great Review. You turned me on to Strandberg. They are some of my favs now. And… gravity. ❤
I would love to try this one, but the import + shipping to Norway is probably doubling the price.. But it looks really good for the price!
How is the balance when standing with a strap? Does the neck dive? (Like on my Alp Leaf headless)
Zero neck dive!
Bought mine about 4 months ago in deep purple very cool
Nice video! Not looking for a headless guitar right now but I like how the Human Factor Engineering is something that you consider in all of these instruments. I also like how you keep things in perspective with going from a regular Fender style guitar to a headless especially considering that almost all of them are based on a bolt on design to a certain degree.
The only real question I have is I appreciate Jangly guitars like Teles and Gretsch. If I got this Hills headless guitar and put in more Jangly pickups, would it still get that Indie vibe?
Most of the guitars I see look more like it caters to a Metal, Jazz, or Progressive vibe. Is a Jangle version asking too much of a headless guitar?
Thank you! Also love your playing amigo!😎👍✨💚
Thanks for your kind words. I’d honestly think that the right pickups plus the right amp would give the tone. Idk if you noticed but the split sounds already had a bit of jangle to them.
@@andrefludd
They did. My favorite pickups are a Tele bridge, a Filtertron, and a P-90. So I am wondering if I put in a Jangly pickups like a GFS Dream 180 (haven't played them yet but I like them in what I have heard also certain GFS pickups are REALLY GOOD) if you'd think they would Jangle or would the rest of the guitar's appointments void making this a Jangle Machine?
Thank you again for getting back to me. I really do appreciate our interactions here.😉👍✨
I have the blue one of these. It's actually pretty great. I didn't like the pickups so I found a used set of Strandberg pickups for it. That's the only issue I'd had with it.
Very helpful video Andre, thanks. It's looking like a good candidate for taking with me by bike with the smaller size and lower weight. It comes with a gig bag, right? How do you feel about it? Is it serviceable or do you recommend getting something else?
Fine review, thank you
In your opinion what percentage better is the strandberg essential over hills?
It's great that headless guitars continue to drop in price but offer a decent amount of quality
Purple loctite should help with the jack’s nut loosening over time.
Wondering if this is a significant improvement over my Eart, which I bought three years ago.
Speaking about output jacks, I really don't like the recessed jack on my strandberg.
It's very inconvenient with right angle jacks, which I usually use. The jack is forced to come out pointing back at my body and gets in the way.
Andre, the guitar that fell over; that stand should have come with the/a rubberized strap that crosses over and secures the neck in place. Easily removes off to one side... Best Regards ¡¥¡
why no trem on these headless guitars? I always relate headless to a Steinberger TTrem
Do you consider the body smaller than the strandberg? Excellent reviews
Hah! been looking around for a good cheap headless for a week now. this vid is just a very nice gift :D. thanks! IMMA GET ONE RIGHT NOW XD!!!!!
Hey, have you tried Pearson guitars? I think you might be interested. KDH did a video on them.
Ok I need to know am I the only one that sits with a headless guitar in the "classical" position with the tuners on my leg? all of the issues of input jack location are gone and I feel the natural body shape fits that position well on all the headless guitars I play🤷♂
Can you review the Aguda Music Boy headless in the future? They're a boutique chinese guitar that's a bit cheaper than the essential and the ergonomics that's pretty close to it. At first i really don't care once they appear on a local store until their 2024 model offers an angled output jack like strandberg does, where their previous model has a jack where it doesn't allow you to play in classical position
“I actually don’t recommend that you…“😱😱😂
The look on your face let me know that was not a set up shot.
But I can empathize, because I have had that same feeling too many times.
Man! after that GOC fell I'm always checking on it🤣
I been monitoring this new hils guitar. Thanks.
I have the trem version with active pickups on preorder rn very excited, I looked up the measurements for this one and saw the nut was 42mm (1.65”) width soo I also ordered a roller nut seperately do you think I’ll have any problems if I switch out the nuts?
Looks cool!
Did I catch a Hendrix nod in there? I want to hear and see everything…
I will probably have to sell my HILS Next HN3, thanks to the election, and I really hope they release another model which is identical apart from having a 24.75" scale length, thicker (but not wider) neck, and pickup rings (with timing that allows me to buy one). That last stipulation may sound odd, but I like to mod guitars with Seymour Duncan Triple Shot mounting rings (That way, swapping in a Free Way model 3X3-05 selector would provide 72 tonal options.).
The bridge hardware of this guitar kinda looks like non multiscale Ormsby headless bridge
My friend has a preference against headless guitars because she can't do pre nut bends, she really dislikes bending the neck of the insturment.
It looks like you can in fact do a pre nut bend, is this actually true?
Is there a review of the GOC?
Great video, thanks.
Isn't the nut positioned too far back from the first fret?