Samick RL-3 Royale

This is an update on my previous review. I've been playing this RL-3 about 6 months now. There's no way around it - this is a terrrific guitar - at any price. The longer I play it, the better I like it! I've had no problems. As I noted, I changed the strings to Ernie Ball Power Slinky 11s when I bought it - my personal preference. Playing through a Line 6 Flextone III with Short Board Controller, a Vox AD15VT I use for when I want to throw a smalleramp in the car and go, and Monster Jazz Cables, Dunlop 1mm picks. I play jazz - mainly Standards -some blues. Good clean tone is critical to me, altohugh I have been playing with the Flextone III's capabilities more and more, as I settle into both the guitar and amp. The RL-3 delivers the goods! It is articulate with a very nice tonal palate ranging from sweet and mellow tones on the neck pickup to good snap and cutting tones on the bridge pickup. I find that, for melody and lead work, I like to use both pickups. It is comfortable to play - either staiding or seated. The neck and action are very nice - nice action and play. I've had many more expensive guitars that didn't sound or play as well. This one is a keeper and has proven itself to be 'GAS proof' at this point. Next guitar probbly will be a Samick JZ-4! But this one is staying!

2004 Greg Bennett Vintage Burst - hard to find finish - Duncan designed pickups, Grover tuners, silver hardware, all creme pickguards, pickup plates, creme binding.

This guitar has incredible tone - the pickups coupled with the unique body construction bring out the ideal tone in a thinline series guitar. I get excellent ringing bell tones , or a "chime" on the high end with lots of clarity, and a lot of bottom end and mid range warmth. For what I play (mostly clean sounds, or light overdrive) this is the ultimate guitar. I have a very creative contemporary jazz tone that incorporates some sound effects with the music I write - not your typical thing. However, this guitar brings to the table the sound I long to hear; a classic tone reminiscent of old jazz sounds but with my modern writing. This guitar is as classic as it gets and honestly, when I hear it, something comes over me. It is very consistent, yet not so tight that it lacks expressiveness. It even sounds awesome unplugged!

PERFECT! It is as good as it gets!!!! The neck is "laser beam" straight, and finished as slick as a babies butt with baby oil on it. Ice is not as slick as this thing. It is just perfect - no joke.

No problems here - I have had it a year. Again, nothing compares. I looked at gibson and epiphones - they were good, but this RL3 grabbed me.

Have not dealt with Customer service.

This is the only 10 I can recall handing out on a guitar. It is perfect. Other people have made comparisons in tones of this guitar with different styles of guitars like strats and what not. In my opinion, that is irrelevant somewhat. On the other hand, if you are comparing it to all guitars as far as quality of craftsmanship and performing as it should as a slimline jazz guitar, this is as good as it gets as a jazz guitar, and it has the best craftsmansip, feel, and appearance I have ever seen. If my wife left me for dead and took all my money, I would ask that she atleast leave me this "babe", my RL3. She would probably say - "you might as well take, you spend more time with it than me anyway!"

Neck thru construction, quilt top, monoframe body construction, Grover tuners and the Duncan Designed PUs sound great. This guitar needs nothing as opposed to every other axe I've ever gotten except PRSs don't seem to need any tweaking.

The neck is a little thin for my taste so I put heavier strings on it so it fights me a little bit. I can't find any flaws in the construction, no buzzing or other tone sucking problems I can find.

For the rpice this axe is incredible.

This guitar has a really warm sound. I own 9 other electrics and this one is the wamrest by far. It is the only hollow body I have which is why it might be warmer than the rest. There are times when I think it's to dark but I'm really liking the warmth and finding it addicitive. I sue it with a variety of amps and it sounds superb with all of them. The bridge PU which I rarely use has a nice cut with distortion. I would like the tone and volume controls to have a more useable range. They don't respond to subtle tweaks very well.

My guitar was set up with 13s ugghh!!!! To big for most styles in my HMO. I put 11s on it and it plays great and sounds even better. This guitar is perfect- no defects.

It's kind of heavy but lighter than any 335 I've played and I think it sounds better than my friends '65 ES335.

This axe seems solid. Seriously, what guitar can't stand life on the road. I doubt the finish will hold up like on my PRSs but should do fine with some care. I intend to do a side project with my Keyboard player slamming bass lines and chords doing some lighter jazz for casuals.

This guitar may be the most inspirational I've purchased. I'm using it with a Mesa Boogie Lone Star with a Mark4 slaved to it for outdoor gigs. The tone I get from this rig is warm and comfy. It's a little dark and may not cut like my other instruments but being the only guitar player, I don't need a real cutting sound.

In fact, you can play louder without hurting your audience with this axe. I love the way it feeds back and kind of get's resonating with your music. This axe is a prime example of the benefits of world trade. This axe costs one fourth as much as several of mine and it's at least as good as most.

The tuners are very solid as are the strap buttons. The pots seem like a weak link and I suspect they'll give me problems down the road.

I have no idea and think this should not even be needed with any instrument. Samick's QC seems very good based on my observations.

I've been playing for over thirty years and have many nice guitars. That said, I pick up this guitar first for acoustic couch picking or low volume practice. I love the fullness of the notes at low volume. I'd been looking at Gibsons and feel I got something better than anything out there in the up to 2K range for 1/4 the price.

I do wish the pots had a better taper or usable range but that's my only gripe. I think the PUS sound very good.

This is the one that calls out for me and it has a lot of competition in my stable. It could be lighter but that would affect the tone; probably adversely. If you don't have a hollow body electric and want one, this is the perfect instrument for you. What an instrumnet for the price!!!

This is a new (i.e. 2004) Royale-3. Vintage Sunburst on quilted maple top. Very pretty. Top is laminated maple arch top. Sides and back as sapelle ("stiped mahogany"). Two 'Duncan Designed' humbuckers, tone and volume, and 3-way switching. No coil splitting - no trem - pretty basic, albeit adequate, elecronics. Grover tuners - nice,solid, and precise. Neck is mahogany. Nice set neck/body joint - trim with good higher fret access. Frets are medium jumbo - very nicely finished - 22 frets. No case. The optional case is just "ok" - adequate for everyday - but I wouldn't trust it for travel. Bridge is standard tunomatic, standard stop bar. the guitar came with pretty heavy (and stiff!) strings (13s ??) with a wound G. I replaced the srings almost immediately! The features are pretty much as I expected/wanted. As others have commented, the design and construction of this guitar is very unique (arched top over 'monoframe') and gives it its own character - somewhere between a solid body and a typical semihollowbody. This is not a light guitar to anyone but Les Paul players but it is comfortable to play. I found the neck to be very comfortable, trim, and fast. Rosewood fingerboard - "Crown" inlays... Well, I'm not nuts about big inlays, aothough they're adequately done and well-fnished. I prefer the Gretsch styyle "thumbnail" type markers - but thats just my taste.

I'm generally not a "Designed" fan. Based on other DD equipped guitars I've played, I expected the pickups to be kind of 'generic.' But the DDs on this guitar sound very nice with good definition. The bridge can be VERY bright, if not cutting - rivaling my ASAT Special for balls! The neck pickup can be very mellow... without being too dark. Combine the two ('midedle position') and you have a really bright, clear, tone - great melody/lead/jazz tone. I don't play with distortion or a ton of effects - so the "clean" sound of the guitar is critical to me. The electronics seem very adequate. The 3-way is positive and quiet. Tone pots actually produce tonal variation! Overall, I'd rate this very, very, good. When I bought the guitar, I expected (based on other reviews) to replace the pickups, but I've decided that I will keep the stock pickups. I'm primarily a jazz player - I think the guitar sounds very, very, nice and has a wonderful tonal palate. Amazing for the price.

Outstanding! No flaws. The top was very nicely book matched. The finish is beautiful (vintage sunburst.) Everything fits tightly. the set up was very decent. I found the stock GHS strings to be too heavy and stiff for my taste. But I generally expect to replace strings anyway for those that I prefer. I replaced them with Ernie Ball Power Slinky 11s - wow - major difference.

Because of its construction, it really is a unique sort of guitar. I also like te fact that the hardare was not gold - again, just my personal taste - but durability is important. I think that the Vintage Sunburst is a particularly pretty finish.

The guitar feels rock-solid. It seems that quality components were used. The basic design and construnction is very solid - much more so that typical archtops either hollow or semi-hollow. Strap buttons seem very substantial. Gigging without back up is probably asking for trouble - no matter what your primary guitar is.

Don't know. Decent warranty.

I've been playing for well over 25 years. I play Jazz. I've had a ton of guitars - many of which I didn't keep for long (GAS problems)- Gibson, Gretsch, Fender, Godin, Ibanez, Ernie Ball, etc. Curently, I have only this Samick and a G&L ASAT Special Semi-Hollow - that way, I have both the single coil and humbucker thing covered. I play through a Line 6 Flextone III amp. My opinion...In the semi-hollow category, the RL-3 more than holds its own. At the price, its absolutely amazing!I think it will be a "keeper". If I lost it, I'd replace it.

you know the specs...a kind of cross between a Les Paul Std and an ES 135..in theory at least. That said, this guitar is its own kind of beast. Just looking at the guitar you get a sense of the quality. The single piece, carved mahogany body (RL3) is exquisite and the quilted top is stunning. The pu's, as others have said, tend to be average but the middle position gives ring and chime to boot. It is lighter than a Paul or even the Avion, The Greg Bennett rendition of a Paul. But it is not a featherweight to say the least.
Great neck, good playability. A nice, somewhat unique guitar. I might replace the neck pu...most likely will...but with which alternative has not yet been decided. My other guitars are an Ibanez AM73T, removed the Ibanez "Bigsby" (yuk) replaced with a Gibson trapeze as on the ES 135, a Fender B Bender Tele and an old Guild F30 acoustic amongs others...and this Royale is on my front line. I have almost 40 years of playing time...and have seen them all...and this is one nice guitar...

I'm reviewing the Samick RL-3 guitar. I bought all my Samicks on eBay.
This RL-3 is made in Korea and was made in 2003. I also own an RL-2 and an RL-1.
I think most of the folks who have posted reviews on this guitar have covered the basics. Semi hollow body, cross between a Les Paul and a ES 135. Two PUs (Duncan), 3 position toggle switch, tun o matic bridge , etc. The RL-3 comes with a quilted maple top. The Rl1 & Rl 2 are'nt as pretty, but the feel and sound of the guitar is practicaly the same.

The sound of a stock Samick guitar is pretty darn good. For someone on a limited budget these guitars will sound fine! For my tastes though the PUs seemed a little muddy. Especially the neck PU.
I put some Fralin PUs in my RL-2 and split the coil on the neck PU. I am doing the same set up on my RL-3 right now.Wth the slightly hotwired Fralins I have a good blues and rock guitar. If I need to clean up the sound for finger picking or for a more Tele kind of sound, I just hit the split coil on the neck PU. For a more jazz sound I use the neck PU and back off slightly on the volume control
I play through a Mesa MarkII w/ a 1 12" extension cab for large venues. For small clubs I play through a hotrodded Princeton through 2 10" speakers.

All of my Samick Royales have come set up very well. As I stated I bought them off eBay, so the previous owners may have done a good job.
I have found no finish flaws, and all electronics worked fine. No buzzes, static or pot noise was noticed. I play with light gage strings (.009-.042) and there is no fret buzzing.

I've only had these guitar less than 6 months, so I don't know how well they'll hold up. They seem well contructed though. I play pretty loud at some clubs and these pickups don't feedback (unless you want them to). If you stand right next to your amp you will get a squeal if the guitar is at full volume. I always take 3 guitars to every gig, so a back guitar is always available.

No contact with the company has been made.

I've been playing for 40 years. I have 2 Turner guitars, A 72Les Paul Goldtop, a 65 Firebird 5, a Samick RL-2 and RL-3, a 69 Thinline Tele, a Dean Sarasota 12 string, a Takamine acoustic/electric, and a Martin 12 string. I've sold more guitars than I own right now over the years. For ease of playing these Samicks rank right up there with my Tele and Paul. I would definately look for another one if I somehow lost one of these. It's lighter than a Les Paul, but with the same sustain. And if you use coil splitting you will have an excellent rhythm sound.

2003 model. Got a killer price of $358 brand new from Music 123 via E-Bay auction. Korean made Thinline semihollow jazz fusion style archtop. 22 frets, typical 2 humbucker 4 control setup with Duncan Design pups, good quality full size pots. Nicely quilted laminated maple arch top, laminated mahogany back, solid carved out mahogany monoframe,( I have no idea exactly how many pieces it is made out of but all I can see looking really close is 2 seams which indicate the monoframe was a 3 piece block of mahogany) set mahogany neck with headstock scarf joint. Rosewood board with fairly bland looking crown inlays. 2 F holes, Gibson style ABR type bridge & stoptail. 1 ply well done front and back and neck binding. Real Grover tuners, nice vintage sunburst top, dark heritage cherry/maroon back. Came with free hardshell case too.

Impressive sound considering the Duncan Designed pups are usually average sounding at best. Unplugged this guitar is reasonably alive and has a nice voice. Plugged in clean it's warm and jazzy sounding, very articulate and clean. Kick in the overdrive and crunch and grind is delivered in satisfying quantities,but don't expect it to behave like a Les Paul because it's not built like one nor is it built like an ES335. A good set of pickups would make this an even better guitar.

As usual, typical Korean fret work, frets/neck were nice and level allowing very low clean action but the fret material is a bit soft and the final polish step is missing leaving a gritty feel, easily enough fixed however with a quick fret polish job. Surprisingly the ABR-1 copy bridge didn't rattle on this one and it actually did provide enough travel to intonate the G string. A Gotoh tune-o-matic bridge copy from Stew Mac would still be a good upgrade. The vintage burst finish is very attractive looking. A finish glitch was easily found, 1 small finish run on the side of the neck, it certainly shouldn't have gotten past inspection, I'll have to sand it out. The nut which seems to be bone or tusque was reasonably well cut for optimum 1st fret action. I like it low and clean and this guitar delivers that. Action is set at a low 2/64" both sides 12th fret and it plays clean and fast! One area of concern I have with these Samicks is the fingerboard inlays, they are your typical plastic as almost ALL inlays are, and well fit with minimal filler but more often than not on these Bennetts they vary too much from inlay to inlay, some are very nicely figured and others are bland looking. It came strung with 12 or 13's with a wound G which made the action WAY too stiff. I set it up with 9's and now it's a fast, easy player. That run gives it a 6, otherwise I'd say a 9 for this catagory.

No reason not to think it won't hold up. Well put together and solid.

Don't know, haven't tried to contact them. One serious problem that persists for Samick is info and availability. I don't know of too many dealers I can go to to try these, I have to scour the net to find them for sale online and prices vary dramatically from site to site IF you can even find them. I've seen models that are not even listed anywhere too. SAMICK, wake up, get a good dealer network, and good info available!

Been playing 25 years and repairing, teaching guitar too. I have A LOT of guitars. Anything from 1939 Gibson archtops, 1950's Les Pauls to 2002 Historics, a Guild X700, Strats, Teles, and everything inbetween. I've been watching these Greg Bennetts from the start, I have an RL4, RL5, AV7, JZ2 and a 1999 factory prototype AV6 that is very nice too. Early on they had some serious QC issues on many models, I got a really bad SG TR2 Torino a few years back but they seem to have gotten things fixed up now although you still need to look close and cherry pick for the best. They easily are vastly better than Epiphones and careful shopping will get you one for almost 45% LESS money than an Epi. Agile guitars from Rondo Music are the latest, greatest buzz in cheap guitars, but IMO these Bennetts are easily better overall and usually cheaper too. The jazz box models, JZ 2, 3 & 4 are killer for the price too. Although I own some very expensive guitars I find myself grabbing for this RL3 on a regular basis I like it a lot, and that says a lot to me when I can play anything I want but my gut preference many times is for this budget guitar. Typical street price varys between $498(no case) low to $629 (with case)high. I'm not so sure I'd spring $630 for one but certainly $500 still would make it a good value. At the $358 I paid it's a steal!

***One warning, the lower models RL1, RL2 are junk. Although they "look" very similar to the RL3,4 & 5 they are built out of cheap nato wood! AVOID ALL the cheap Bennett lower models of the entire line at all costs, total junk IMO.

has six strings and some wood among other thigs. I give it a 7 because the wiring and pots are cheap but I expect them to be as this is an inexpensive and well made guitar.

This guitar is amazing. I am replacing the pickups next week but I think it sounds great as it is. very versatile. Everyhting from punk to country to jazz. This thing has an amazing country sound.

The guitar was set up well. I put some 12's on it and it just feels great! I don't notice any flaws, it looks like a $2,000 guitar and plays and sounds like a $1,000 guitar.

Don't know yet, just bought it recently. It feels solid

na

I have been playing for @9 years and I play everything from punk to speed metal to jazz and country and new age etc. This guitar is what I have been looking for. I will never sluff off a cheap guitar again. It is the most versatile guitar I have owned. I own and have owned Parker fly, Ibanez Pat Metheny prototype(coolest guitar ever!), Hohners, etc. For the money I have to say it would be hard to beat!

Samick RL3 Royale with mahogany back and sides. Quilt Maple top. Set in neck with rosewood fingerboard.Grover tuners and Duncan Designed Humbuckers. Two volume and two tone controls. Three position selecter switch.

The bridge pick-up is fairly strong with out being trebley. When you kick in the distortion in really wails. The neck pick-up is very smooth, Mabye just a touch too dark. With the right adjustments on my Amp, the Duncan Designed pick-ups come to life.I play in a band that covers just about all styles of music. I can go from Hank Jr. to ZZTop and then to Beach music. The RL3 doesn't bat an eye. I use a Peavey Bandit II with the 112s Cabinet. I run though a Volume pedal into a CryBaby Wah then to the Bandit. Balls deluxe is all I can say.

The action wasn't bad right off the rack. I always set up my guitars myself. I also adjust the pick-ups to my liking. The quilt top is wonderful as is the peal inlays on the fretboard. It has a honeyburst type finish that is very pleaseing to the eye. All hardware seems solid and tuners work great. The quality of this instrument for the money is just unbelivable. I will never badmouth Korean made guitars again without checking them out.They could have used better pots, wire,Switches, BUT hey then every one would have to pay Gibson type Prices.

Yes it will withstand live playing.
The hardware seems tuff.
I belive the fit and finish will last as long as you keep it clean.
Strap buttons are rock solid.
I have set my Stratocaster down for now and am just playing this.
I could use this guitar without a back up and worry not.

N/A

I have been playing for almost 30 years. Most of that has been in working bands of one type or another. I have owned so much equipment over the years even I can't remember it all. I love Fender Stratocasters and until now that's all I have been playing. This guitar has definetly got my jucies flowing. If it were lost or stolen I would not hesitate to buy another one. You could pay Hundereds more and not get the vibe you can from this axe. You all owe it to yourselfs to try one out.

Mahogany back and sides, maple top semi-hollow guitar with two Duncan Designed humbuckers. Two tone and two volume speed type knobs.

Prior to adding different pickups I would give it an 8. I put in Dimarzio pickups (one Bluesbucker and one Fred) and the sound is excellent. I also add new GHS strings (10s with wound 3rd string). I would now put this guitar up against any certainly in the price range and even against many costing double the price of this guitar. I have had the guitar for a year now and am very pleased. I also have a Tele (again highly modified) and split my time between the two guitars according to the style of music I am playing (blues, jazz and 70s rock)

The guitar was set-up fair when I bought it. Of course with the changes I have made I have had it set-up again. It playes like a dream. I have a friend who owns a Studio Les Paul and he said it played as good as his. Pretty good company.

So far so good. Hope to never have any problems. Again, I have had the guitar about a year.

Never needed it.

For the money it is an excellent guitar. You could pay a lot more and get a better guitar but you could pay alot more for nothing because it wouldn't be any better than this guitar. According to how much more you paid and what for.