"Shine" guitars...anyone familiar with them?

[Greco]

Anyone familiar with these jazz boxes?

Shine NO1004 (Antique Sunburst)

Cheers

Dave

[spiral]

Ive never played one but I'm pretty sure they are exactly the same as what Rondo Music sells. Take a look and I think you will see the similarities. The Rondo guitars have lots of fans. There are several companies that sell those guitars under their own "brand". They are the modern day Harmony.


edit: i just looked at your link and even the numbers are the same as Rondo: WNO640.

Shine WNO640 / Douglas WNO640 (Rondo) / Hudson HDVS

[jazzbow]

I've played the 2 pot version and I will say you'll need to factor in a full set up with a luthier/tech to get the most from it. I was doing an A/B with a Freshman jazz guitar and the Freshman was the better instrument (but it was £1000 GBS).
The pickup was ok, it had the right sound, the fret ends were ugly and the fingerboard was way too dry. But you need to try before you buy.

[Greco]

Thanks for the comments.

In your opinion(s), how would they compare to the basic Ibanez jazz boxes?

Cheers

Dave

[jazzbow]

Better quality control with Ibazez, especially the AF series. Alot of people rate Ibanez on this forum. A better choice over Shine, and a better resale value when/if you trade up.

[kambor]

I have one of the bottom of the line Ibanez archtops (af75), and it's wonderful. I love the neck, intonates well (I know how to set my intonation, but any qualified tech can do it), and soundwise it's very very similar to a gibson es-165 (compared live on the same gig and on the same amp). For the money, laminate Ibanezes are the way to go (except if you want a 17 inch body. In that case, a Peerless Manhattan is the way to go).

So, to sum up: get an Ibanez.

[Witnar]

I have to say, I just love it! I bought it thinking that for $300, I could always afford to replace the pickups or the tuners or even the bridge, but right out of the box, it was very nearly perfect. I might replace the nut, but I will probably just file it as the nut is only pinching the G string a little bit. Here is a picture of it:

I can also add that it sounds as good as it looks!

[Meggy]

That semi looks really great, love the spalted maple on the top. I've just ordered a Shine SIL 510 (in a dark translucent red) from a UK dealer - this is a vaguely strat/PRS shaped semi design, with single f-hole. Unlike me to order without trying a guitar, but could not resist the price. Should arrive in a couple of days... Shine SIL-510 demo - YouTube

[Meggy]

Got my new Shine, arrived this morning, seems pretty good (amazing actually!) to me, very pleased. For anyone in the UK, I paid a paltry £172 including rapid delivery for this - Chase Music/Chase Direct in Manchester deserve a mention for such a good deal, and great service.

[RoyaleT]

Congrats, great looker. I don't know why more manufacturers don't use that placement for the input jack on slim lines like that. Wish my Dot did.

[Meggy]

Thank you Royale T, it certainly is a looker as they say, and I have to say it's pretty resonant and responsive to play as well. The frets have obviously been levelled and dressed at the factory also - the action is low and buzz-free straight out of the box. In fact, overall it seems to have been made with obvious care and attention to detail. This is an end-of-line guitar, at a reduced price, so could be a few years old already, but if this is representative example of a Korean made Shine of this period, I'm very impressed indeed.

[Witnar]

That seems like a really great deal. Personally, I can't get over my own Shine guitar. It seems like something that should have cost a lot more. But then that is how guitar companies get started. A lucky few get good deals at first, and then the price will start going up soon. So anyone reading this should probably move fast to grab their own Shine. This is a great guitar deal, and I don't see how it can last. What do you think, Meggy? Oh, this is what mine sounds like... MP3 Player SoundClick Just a rush recording into a hand recorder, but the guitar really does sound good.

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by Witnar

That seems like a really great deal. Personally, I can't get over my own Shine guitar. It seems like something that should have cost a lot more. But then that is how guitar companies get started. A lucky few get good deals at first, and then the price will start going up soon. So anyone reading this should probably move fast to grab their own Shine. This is a great guitar deal, and I don't see how it can last. What do you think, Meggy? Oh, this is what mine sounds like... MP3 Player SoundClick Just a rush recording into a hand recorder, but the guitar really does sound good.

Sounds really nice, obviously resonant/responsive like my own Shine. I tend to agree with you - I think companies like Shine have to try hard when they are making original designs, to persuade people away from the classic Gibson and Fender style models. I think a similar thing happened in the '80's with some Japanese made guitars (I bought a couple), but at the time they were very much seen as the cheap end of the market, certainly not in the Gibson/Fender league. Later on people started to realise they were actually very good, but too late, the prices were already going up! I always wish I'd bought an Ibanez AS200 semi when I had the chance. The equivalent John Scofield signiture model is now about £2000.

And I think something similar may be happening with these Korean made Shines - get them while you can, nothing lasts forever. I have seen some Chinese made Shines that don't look so nice to me, including possibly the worst 3 colour sunburst on a strat copy I have ever witnessed! so I guess one still has to be careful.

[jorgemg1984]

Those 80s Ibanez are usually great, far superior to many Gibsons. Now Ibanez sells the AS-200 as an expensive Scofield model but you can find 80s AS for reasonable prices usually.

My experience tells me Koren made guitars are usually better than Chinese. Usually a great upgrade in cheap guitars like that is just changing the electronics with good pots, caps and wire. Cheap and makes your tone much better (if you also change the pickups you can get a really great guitar).

[Witnar]

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Those 80s Ibanez are usually great, far superior to many Gibsons. Now Ibanez sells the AS-200 as an expensive Scofield model but you can find 80s AS for reasonable prices usually.

My experience tells me Koren made guitars are usually better than Chinese. Usually a great upgrade in cheap guitars like that is just changing the electronics with good pots, caps and wire. Cheap and makes your tone much better (if you also change the pickups you can get a really great guitar).

Did you listen to my little sound clip? I am no Stevie Ray Vaughn but at least you can tell from the sound of the guitar that it really doesn't need anything. I wouldn't dream of changing the pickups. That's what we are talking about - yes, you can get a cheap guitar and fix it up, but in some of these new Shine products, you don't have to change a thing - and you get a great guitar for just a few bucks!

[jorgemg1984]

The clip sounds really good! If you really like the pickups just check what electronics they use, usually they are very cheap in those guitars. The upgrade is easy and not expensive and it makes a difference in your tone (did in my cheap 335 anyway). But yeah if you like it don't change it

[Meggy]

Haven't had a chance to check the pots etc. on mine - I may well change them for some log type CTS ones, can also put in a treble bleed circuit while I'm at it, and maybe beef up the cavity shielding if needed. As to the pickups, from what I read, the stock ones are probably decent, if maybe not the very best - I'll see what I think after playing the guitar for a while. If they sound OK I'll probably leave things alone, at least for a while.

[mangotango]

Originally Posted by Meggy

Got my new Shine, arrived this morning, seems pretty good (amazing actually!) to me, very pleased. For anyone in the UK, I paid a paltry £172 including rapid delivery for this - Chase Music/Chase Direct in Manchester deserve a mention for such a good deal, and great service.

Looks nice, Meggy. And I don't like red guitars. Especially, I have to say, red to black 'burst. But, that quilting on the top gives it a nice touch of class.

Actually, I really like the look and style of this one:-

Chasedirect.co.uk SEMI ACOUSTIC GUITAR SI-840F VS&CAT_CODE=52&SUBCAT_CODE=329

but that's just me - and anyway, at the moment, I'm hankering after an EUB> Plus, I also have a little trip abroad to pay for....... (see this in Everything Else:-

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/every...tml#post173524)



so no more new guitars for Mr. Mango for a while. Dagnabbit.

[jorgemg1984]

If you are going to mess with the electronics its a good idea to do it all at once - shielding, treble bleed, caps, pots, vintage wire. I have read great things about my Cort Source pickups, they do sounded good but when I put some Bare Knucles in there... turned a good guitar into a great one!

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by mangotango

Looks nice, Meggy. And I don't like red guitars. Especially, I have to say, red to black 'burst. But, that quilting on the top gives it a nice touch of class.

Actually, I really like the look and style of this one:-

Chasedirect.co.uk SEMI ACOUSTIC GUITAR SI-840F VS&CAT_CODE=52&SUBCAT_CODE=329

but that's just me - and anyway, at the moment, I'm hankering after an EUB> Plus, I also have a little trip abroad to pay for....... (see this in Everything Else:-

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/every...tml#post173524)



so no more new guitars for Mr. Mango for a while. Dagnabbit.

I looked long and hard at the one you link to also Mango - a nice looking guitar certainly, I'm sure I would have been equally happy with it. But in the end it comes down to personal preferences I guess. I was a bit unsure about the cherry burst too, but it is a restrained dark cherry burst, very nicely done too, and certainly not OTT, and in fact I really like it. Hope you have a great trip, sounds like a terrific time is in store!

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

If you are going to mess with the electronics its a good idea to do it all at once - shielding, treble bleed, caps, pots, vintage wire. I have read great things about my Cort Source pickups, they do sounded good but when I put some Bare Knucles in there... turned a good guitar into a great one!

From what I here, Bare Knuckles are about as good as it gets, so maybe no surprise they had a positive effect! I agree it's good to get all the electronics stuff out the way at the same time too.

[mangotango]

Originally Posted by Meggy

I looked long and hard at the one you link to also Mango - a nice looking guitar certainly, I'm sure I would have been equally happy with it. But in the end it comes down to personal preferences I guess. I was a bit unsure about the cherry burst too, but it is a restrained dark cherry burst, very nicely done too, and certainly not OTT, and in fact I really like it. Hope you have a great trip, sounds like a terrific time is in store!

Cheers fella, but I'm much too "Norman Normal" to feature in the sort of stories that you often hear about Lost Wages. You're not going to catch me anywhere near the Elvis Chapel, for example - why that'd be bigamy!! (and it'd be pretty big of Mrs. Mango, too)

Mind you, I came back from New Orleans with a nice little Gibson Melody Maker a few years back........ a guitar's gotta be better than returning with a massive debt, a medical condition or an extra spouse.

[Guitar]

Originally Posted by Witnar

But then that is how guitar companies get started. A lucky few get good deals at first, and then the price will start going up soon. So anyone reading this should probably move fast to grab their own Shine.

I got tempted into one recently- they are a tremendous bargain for sure.
Agree with the sentiment about prices eeking up... I recently lost my beloved Belomo Jewlers Loupe that once was the best deal in the universe at $15 Delivered. In shopping for a new one, I see the price has since doubled

The economics of Asian instruments are pretty weird, but I agree that these insanely low prices for very impressive quality probably can't last forever. There are Asian guitars being made today for $89 that are considerably better quality than what Fender was making in 1979.

[Meggy]

Just out of interest, I did end up doing a few mods to the Shine I bought to get it just how I wanted it - changed the pickups to a set of Alnico 2 PAF "Bourbon City" model from Axesrus (a UK online parts dealer), the originals were not at all bad, but a bit fierce and high output. Also shielded the pickup/control cavities and changed the pots and 3 way switch to higher quality. The frets were good to start with, but I gave it a fret level and dress - it really plays extremely well now with a super low action if wanted - goes lower than I like! Fitted it with a set of 11 gauge GHS Brite Flats (half-rounds) with a wound 3rd, and it is a pretty nice guitar for jazz use. A pic of the guitar after the mods:

Oh yes, I put chicken head knobs on too, cos I like them! I still doubt I spent more than £230 in total, and it's a really great guitar IMO.