Eastwood Guitars Hi-Flyer

Just a quick expansion on my previous review.

I've read a couple of comments from people saying they may change the pick-ups. Don't forget that standard P-90's are a completely different size as Mosrites and Univox guitars used smaller humbucker sized (I think) P-90s.

I'm pretty sure these are available from some companies but make sure you're getting the right sized pick ups before you buy.

Or as someone else suggested buy a real Mosrite. They are expensive but really worth the money. I've never regretted buying mine but and I've never stopped regretting buying this Eastwood.

"Used" blue-burst bought on e-bay. Overall, it's a solid, utilitarian guitar.

Great sounds - from twangy to mellow. The only downside is the buzz. Better shielding would have been appreciated but it's an easy fix - if I ever get around to it.

The guitar was given a set-up at the seller's store before it came to me. Out of the box, the action and intonation were fine. It actually seems brand new. Great looking guitar and it feels fairly well made. The only thing I noticed was the output jack needed tightening.

I'm speculating here, but it seems fine. No obvious issues yet.

I wanted to buy my Hi-Flyer through the Eastwood web site but was put off by their high prices. A quick search on e-bay found the same guitar I wanted but for $200 US less. (Even after paying for shipping and import duty, I still paid about $100 less than buying direct from Eastwood - which incidentally, is based just outside of town.)

I've been playing since 1966 and I'm sentimental about this era of guitars. I especially love the roller bridge. This guitar is nothing flashy, it's just a good, solid player. I expect to expand my collection to include a few more Eastwood vintage recreations but I have to be honest: Based on this experience, I doubt I'll ever buy direct from Eastwood when much better deals can be found on e-bay.

Solid build but the neck is alot thicker than i thought it was going to be. It all looks good until you plug it in then you realise the p90s r ****! Nuff Said really.
The only good thing, is its beautiful, but i guess i have mosrite to thank for that.

I'm going to be honest here, the sound on clean isnt to bad and is actaully quite nice when you get a good twang. Set up was pretty bad though strings often buzz and if your playing it on low volume you can here the strings twanging between the bridge and the end of the guitar, almost sounding like wind chimes, so annoying.
Don't even bother putting distortion on, this thing will squel like a pig with feedback and make you feel guilty for plugging it in, so annoying.

Action was ok except for buzz, finish is quite nice

Seems sturdy but i dont trust the bridge or the ****** pickups

-

A bitter disapointment to be honest, i was hoping for a great guitar but i was sadly wrong. I may spend some money on it one day and maybe put some seymour duncan custom soapbars in it but until then im gunna look for a univox and play my other guitars, such a shame.

made: 2008
frets: 21 JUMBO
top: bass wood soild
controls: one tone, volume and a 3 way toggle
pickups: cheap p-90's....suck
p/u make: china
body/neck wood: body bass wood(they say) and neck mapel
finish: sunburst not good
body style: reverse strat (Mosrite)
bridge: roller, not bad..will work on my Jaguar I think
tuners: SUCK!
neck: ok, if you like Epiphones it's fine. if yer looking for a good Mosrite copy, this just sux ******
accessories: worthless tools and vibrato arm

I play surf, punk, Portishead, and Tom Waits kinda music (yea strange combo)
amp is a Hartke gt60 stack
effects, boss ds-2 distortion and boss tr-2 tremolo
sound: the bridge p/u is ok maybe, the neck sux. they are the same pick up so the only dif, is placement.
the pickups have some balls but are very microphonic like most cheap guits. it couldn't hold a candel to my '62 jazzmaster reissue.
I don't like much about the sound or the guitar

the ******** at instrument alley set it up ok but too low.
some buzzzzzzz on all strings.
pickups adjusted too high, strings stuck to the pole pieces when LIGHTLY palm muted.
the tuners suck.
the frets are belive it or not, better than my jap Fender Jagure.
not the USA jazzmaster though.
the finish is.......good? I think there is a little bug or suttin stuck by the neck joint.
let me just end it here.
if you want a Mosrite, save your money.
maybe buy from Wilson Bros. or that Ed Roman guy or search ebay.
hall, buy a real univox hi-flier!!!!!
it would be a better investment than this piece of crap!
oh yea, the vibrato sux BAD!
this guitar is not slim, it doesn't have small frets, if you want to play beyond the 15th fret it's like grabbing a pitbull's neck.
crude electronics, ets. I could go on for days.
if yer a beginner than it's good but having many jap fenders and a few US guitars and play'n for over 16 years, this is what you expect from a guitar made in China for $400

I hesitate to play it at all.

LOL!!!!!!!!
not from instrument alley!

it sux if you think yer getting a univox or mosrite copy.
more like a cheap *** LP jr copy.
I will keep it but it will cost more to make it playable than it's worth.

I have the Eastwood Hi-Flyer stop tail (white) - 'Ramones' model (2005).
Basswood body, set maple neck, rosewood fretboard,2 P-90 style pickups with 3-way selector. Hardware is vintage Kluson Style Nickel/Chrome. It also came with two free picks and a myrareguitars.com t-shirt.

The tuners are terrible, fragile and very ugly and should be replaced immediately.

This guitar's best feature is that it's beautiful (apart from the tuners), hence the fairly high score.

I used it either for classic 'Ramones' punk or 'Ventures' surf tones (obviously) and in my opinion it's not particularly well suited for either.

I play through a Zvex Super Hard On into a Marshall JCM800. The pick ups on this guitar are very poor and typical of a cheap guitar. They're very murky and generic sounding and fail to cut through the sounds of a bass and a drumkit. Some may claim that the clear cut-through sound is not essential for a classic punk sound but when compared to a real Mosrite this guitar is laughably bad. For the rich clean surf tones forget it - it ain't gonna happen.

The pick ups also scream with feedback when turned up any louder than zero which is infuriating. I used this guitar live for a few months and almost smashed it on the stage out of frustration about 20 times.

When I first got this guitar I loved it but the love didn't last long.

Lastly I swear the neck on the guitar is bigger and fatter than the average Gibson neck and completely wrong for a guitar that's modelled on the Univox Hi-Flyer / Ventures Mosrite (which both had the thinnest necks known to man).

As I remember the guitar had a very good general set up. You may have to make a couple of slight tweaks to suit your own tastes but very little else. It's also put together very well and the finish and appearance is best described as sexy.

With the original tuners the guitar goes out of tune very quickly. The hardware is all good. The only damage caused to it was purely my own fault (I threw it across the stage at the last gig I played with it as it really annoyed me). The strap buttons were almost ripped out at the first practise, I put this down to the poor quality of wood that it's made out of.
I wouldn't depend on it unless I had no other choice and don't use it live (even as a back up) any more.

The customer support is excellent. Mike is a very easy to deal with and helpful guy. I once sent him an email when I accidently broke one of the plastic tone switches (my own fault entirely) asking if he sold spares. Three days later I received an airmail package in the post with a complete set of new electrics and switches free of charge!

There is criticism in previous reviews complaining about a 'what can you expect for $400' attitude but I must confess to agreeing with that attitude. What can you expect? Overall it's not bad for the money it costs but don't expect to have a guitar that captures any of the Mosrite magic.

I have been playing for about 7 years now, 3 of those in a regularly gigging punk band. This guitar is now just an ornament hanging on my wall. Overall it's not bad for the money it costs but don't expect to have a guitar that captures any of the Mosrite magic.

Everything about this guitar just reeks of cheap.

If it were stolen or lost I would miss the money I could have had by selling it and nothing else.

I bought the Eastwood Hi-Flyer stop tail (white) - 'Ramones' model (2007).
Basswood body, set maple neck, rosewood fretboard,2 P-90 style pickups with 3-way selector. I asked Mike Robinson at Eastwood about the pickups and he told me they are modeled on the Mosrite single coils. One volume and one tone control and Tune-O-Matic bridge. Hardware is vintage Kluson Style Nickel/Chrome. Not a lot of 'frills', but that is the way I like it.

I am impressed with the sound of this guitar. In the store I compared it with an Epiphone Les Paul, two Ibanez's and a Mexican Strat, and the Hi-Flyer had the best sound for the 70's punk that I mainly play (the others sounded a little 'flat' in comparison). My wife also liked it the best. When piped through my Marshall MG250dfx amp, I can nail the classic punk sound right on (I use the neck pickup with the bass turned down and contour at 8). I don't use any pedals. It is also ideal for surf (bridge pickup and reverb), which I plan to explore in the near future. As expected,there is some single coil noise in both the neck and bridge positions and no noise in the middle (humbucking) position. This does not bother me in the least as it is also a part of the classic sound I like, and besides, it disappears when you start to play. I'm not sure if I would use this guitar for metal.

The Hi-Flyer seems to be very sturdily built and the set-up, finish and workmanship are all good. I could not find any flaws. Action is nice and low. When I read about some of the set-up and finish issues associated with other more expensive guitars, I realize how well I have done. Quite impressive for a $400 guitar.

This guitar should withstand live playing, as it is very solid and uncomplicated in construction. The hardware looks like it should last for a long time. The finish looks durable. I did notice that my thumb sticks on the back of the neck in humid conditions, but this seems to be common on new guitars and usually improves with use.

I haven't had any issues with the guitar so I can't really comment on customer support. Mike does reply to emails promptly.

Overall I am very happy with this guitar. The Hi-Flyer is a Mosrite copy and I think the Mosrite design is by far the 'coolest' looking guitar. It is also very playable, solid, and has the sound that I was looking for. If it were lost or stolen I would definitely buy another right away. If you are in to the Mosrite style and like the classic sound, I would recommend checking this one out. A quality product at an affordable price!

As above.
Sunburst finnish, hard to fault.

Very impressed with the sound out of this guitar
The bridge pickup has a very nice twang to it, not thin and scratchy or weak, sounds great clean or through a fuzzbox.
Neck pickup is perfect a full thick smooth tone.

Action and neck needed a bit of adjustment but after that its been fine.

Built like a rock, if i still played live i'd be happy to have this as a main guitar due too the variety of sounds it can produce.
No problems with it at all, i've had it for about 2 years.

A1
I bought this from IC Guitars in Melbourne Australia and the owner Ian Carter has been great, Emails answered within a couple of hours and a free replacment pickup surrond for the one i cracked !

Ive been playing for about 30yrs, surf and 60s garage is what i like and this fits the bill perfectly.
I also play a Japanese Jazzmaster, Gretsch Corvette and an Epiphone Wilshire.

Eastwood Hi Flyer 3tone Sunburst with trem.

Although I never had the pleasure of owning or playing a genuine Mosrite, I think this guitar is a very close attempt to recreate the original. The guitar's fully equiped as one might expect, but with the package also came a cable and tools to adjust the bridge.

I own a Yamaha RGX series which doesn't come close to the way the Eastwood Hi-Flyer sounds and I own a Fender Duo-Sonic '59, which doesn't come close to the way the Hi-Flyer sounds.
The guitar easily moves into feedback mode, which I like a lot, but the main advantage of this guitar are the p90's pickups. They give such a wall of noise, it's just magnificent.

The guitar was well set-up before I got it. The action is much better that most guitars I've played. The pick-ups are set for the middle tones, which is ok if you like that sound (I do).

This guitar will be play lived, because of its design. The neck is integrated in the body, so the neck won't ever break (I hope) but the body is also pretty heavy and sturdy. This guitar, I think, can easily get a beating on stage without losing its glamour.

Not needed. Warranty is three years on any part within the guarantee.
Mike Robinson gave me lots of feedback before I bought the guitar online and it never took him more than a few hours to answer.

Been playing it for a week now.
I own a Fender Duo-Sonic '59, Yamaha RGX '02 and Epiphone ac.

My review is for the 'Ramones' version of Eastwood's take on the Univox Hi-Flyer, which itself was a Mosrite copy.
Finish is solid white, no flaws.
Tune-o-matic style bridge and stop-tailpiece.
Kluson vintage style tuners. They work fine.
Neck profile and scale about the same as my Gibson LP Deluxe.
22 Frets, medium jumbo I think. Nicely polished, no sharp edges.
Made in China, probably this year. No serialnumber.
3-way toggle-switch, one volume, one tone.
Two P-90 style single-coils. Humbucking when both are on.

I play mostly post-rock / alternative / noise / and it suits me just fine. Plan on making this my No.1 axe.

Some single-coil noise. It doesn't bother me. Never has.

Clean sounds are bright and spanky, think 'Surf's Up!' but also funky and mellow, depending on you use of the controls.
Distorted it has a nice nasal midrange 'honk' I like very much.

I lowered the neck p-up a little, because I always adjust for equal perceived volume for either position.

I like the looks of it. My friends think it's ugly as they always do, since I'm a sucker for odd-ball guitars.

It was shipped to Europe and arrive in tune and perfectly intonated (!)

This guitar is solid and well built. I've seen/played lots of 'brand-name' guitars with $1000+ tags that are not any better than this piece.

Company is nice to deal with.

I've been playing for 27 years. I've owned lots of guitars and amps.
All of that doesn't really matter. This is just a guitar but it's a good one and it's great value for money.

So, it's got two P90s, set neck, solidbody, and trem. The trem failed on me, but I just use bends instead. I sorta miss it for making noise though. Nothing really special.

The neck pickup suits me perfectly. I love it. It's rich, bassy and exactly what I want and is probably the best pickup I have used. I play post-punk and indie rock, and again, love it. The bridge pickup is trebly, but works well for surf, and balances out nicely for the mid setting. They both are noisy by themselves with lots of distortion, but the mid gives me absolutely no feedback. I'm playing through a couple fuzz pedals (Big Muff) and these can handle it without hurting my ears with feedback (though sometimes I need some loud stuff). I really haven't experimented with the variety, but it works really well for what I play, again.

I bought this second hand and it had perfect set up and action, but came with some scratches. Apparently it was damaged in shipping. I like beat up guitars so no one will want my opinion on this.

Again, I like shit-up beat around guitars and this one works perfectly. Of course I wouldn't go on a gig without a backup, what am I supposed to do when a string breaks?

I was making some noise with my friends, being real rough and the trem broke off. I still haven't fixed it, and it didn't work well before, so I'm going to take some points off.

The trem was broken and I asked the guys I bought it from how to fix it up and they were nice that won't apply to you unless you buy it from the same people.

I got this for like $220. Got no complaining here.