GTRS make some of the coolest guitars on Amazon... But which one is the best? In this video, we take a side-by-side deep dive into the GTRS Standard Series vs the Pro Series. What are the differences? What do you need to know? And where should you spend your money? All these answers await... Let's check it out! Products FeaturedGTRS S800: https://amzn.to/3P6ee1w GTRS S900: https://amzn.to/3IibUB3 GTRS P800: https://amzn.to/3P6Jq0H Video TranscriptHowdy, friend! You're here in the studio with Luke from GuitarIQ.com. Today, we're talking all things GTRS guitars. In particular, we're going to be taking a look at their more classic super-strat line of guitars. And more specifically, we're going to be comparing their Standard Series with their Pro Series. So, you can kind of think of this video a bit like a before-you-buy Buyer's Guide type of video. We're going to cover what the differences are, what you need to know, and hopefully answer the question: Where should you be spending your hard-earned money?
Now, you heard me playing a little bit at the start of this video, but this isn't really going to be a sonic shootout type of video. I've had both guitars here in the studio for quite a while now, so I've been featuring them extensively across a lot of the videos I've been doing recently. So, chances are if you're familiar with the channel, you've been hearing both of these guitars in action. Today, I really just wanted to take an opportunity to do a deep dive on the specs of each guitar and then chat through my experience having been hands-on with both guitars here in the studio. Okay, let's get into it. Today, I'm going to be comparing the S900 guitar that you saw me playing at the start of the video against the P800 guitar, which is their current flagship model. Now, the S900 is the latest addition to their Standard Series, but everything I say about the S900 will pretty much apply also to the S800, which is their other guitar in the Standard Series. Both guitars are pretty much identical spec-wise. The only differences with the S900 is that you get some slight cosmetic upgrades and you also get an inbuilt wireless system in the guitar itself, which is something that doesn't come with the S800. While we're kind of clarifying model numbers, as you're looking on Amazon or their website, you might be a little bit confused to see some guitars ending in an 800 model number and some guitars ending in an 801 model number. Again, these are pretty much exactly the same spec-wise. The only difference is guitars that end in an 801 come with a maple fretboard, and guitars that end in 800 come with a rosewood fretboard. So, for example, the P800 and the P801 are the exact same guitar except, of course, for that choice of rosewood or maple. So, all that out the way, let's get into a side-by-side comparison of the specs—going top to bottom. If you find this helpful, then please click on that like button to let me know. It really does help the video out. Okay, so starting with the tuners on the S900, we get the standard GTRS branded tuners on this series. They come in gold, which is a nice look. On the P800, though, we get upgraded to locking tuners, which is a nice little addition. It makes string changing just a little bit quicker and easier. Moving around to the front of the headstock here, you can see a pretty big cosmetic difference with the painted headstock on the S900. But spec-wise, these are pretty much the same, both being listed as having a 42mm bone nut. Looking at the guitar necks, both guitars come with a really comfortable C-shaped roasted maple neck. The finish on both guitars is slightly different, though. It is a satin finish, but the Standard Series feels a little more matte, whereas the Pro Series feels a little more glossy. The main difference here, though, is that on the P800, you get upgraded to this really nice flamed maple, which is a nice aesthetic upgrade, something you don't always see on guitars at this price point. Okay, looking at the fretboard, both guitars have a 25 1/2 inch scale length, both guitars have a 12-inch radius, both guitars have 22 frets. You can also see that both of the models I have here in the studio come with a rosewood fretboard. Apart from the inlays, the main difference here is that the Standard Series has jumbo nickel frets, whereas the Pro Series comes with medium stainless steel frets. So, the frets on the Pro Series are a bit smaller, but they will last a lot longer. Now, looking at the body, clearly both guitars are going after the exact same super-strat look. Both guitars are also available in a bunch of different colors, but I'll leave you to explore the color choices yourself. Links will be in the description. The main difference to note here is that the Standard Series comes with a slightly lighter weight American basswood body, whereas the Pro Series is built from a slightly denser, heavier alder body. But I'll leave the tone aficionados among you to debate the merits of different tone woods in the comments section below. Moving around to the front of the guitar, much like the tuners, the bridge you get on the S900 is just the in-house GTRS branded standard bridge. Whereas on the Pro Series, we get upgraded to a name brand Wilkinson trem system, which is a slightly more premium option. Looking at the pickups, both guitars come with the same HSS configuration. Interestingly, both guitars are also listed as having the same pickups in terms of the model number. The only difference here is that the Pro Series is differentiated as including a noiseless or hum-canceling variation of this pickup. Now, to be honest, I'm not exactly sure if you'll notice a difference in general playing. I did do a test where I ran both guitars into a very noisy high gain amplifier. And if anything, at least on the test that I did, the Standard Series seemed to be a little bit quieter. So, I don't know, make of that what you will. In terms of the other electronics, the onboard battery, the DSP, the super knob, everything else seems to be exactly the same, except of course for the inbuilt wireless system that you get on the S900. That is something that doesn't come on the P800 even though it's their Pro model. So, they're the core differences in terms of the guitars themselves. The only other thing I wanted to mention has to do with the cases. Both guitars do come with a case, and as you can see here, the case definitely shares the same design. Something you can't really tell from a photo though is that the case there on the right that comes with the Pro Series does seem to be made of a slightly denser, harder-wearing fabric. So, it's worth noting that the Pro case does seem to be slightly more sturdy or protective. Now, there you have a side-by-side spec comparison. The real question is: What do we make of all that information? Because on paper, the Pro Series does look like the better guitar, but that doesn't automatically mean that it's going to be the right choice for you. For example, if we look on Amazon.com, we can see that the Pro Series is going for $799, whereas the Standard Series, as you might expect, is slightly cheaper at $699. Keep in mind, for the cheaper price tag, you're getting very similar pickups and the exact same modeling system. So, sonically, both guitars are going to be very much in the same ballpark. You're also getting a slightly lighter weight guitar, which I actually prefer. You're getting the inbuilt wireless system, which the P800 doesn't have. And on top of all that, you're also getting a really comfortable guitar to play. When I first picked up the S900, immediately, it felt very familiar to me. It reminded me very much of the Ibanez AZ Series guitar that I have here in the studio, which incidentally is a much more expensive guitar. So, how does that compare with the Pro Series? Well, the P800 kind of has its own thing going on. As I mentioned, the finish feels slightly different on the Pro Series, and when you combine that with the flamed maple and the medium stainless frets, it kind of has its own vibe. Both guitars are really comfortable to play. If I was going to compare them personally, I'd probably say the Standard Series feels a little more familiar, whereas the Pro Series feels a little more unique. It's not really a better or worse situation, it's just something that comes down to personal preference. Now, one area I feel like the Pro Series outperforms the standard series, at least based on the two models I have here in the studio, is with tuning stability. The S900 felt a little bit more temperamental. Now, you might think that's because of the upgraded bridge and the locking tuners that we get with the P800, and they might have something to do with it. I tend to think the issue has more to do with the setup and the way the nut has been cut on the S900 here. If it's slightly too high or if it pinches the strings a little bit too much, it's going to cause issues with tuning and intonation. Now, fortunately, that is a pretty quick and easy fix if you have the right tools and a bit of know-how. It's also an issue which probably isn't all that uncommon to see with guitars at this price point and lower. And it's also a variable that will change from instrument to instrument based, of course, on how it's been set up. But I did think it was worth mentioning just in case you experience similar things. Now, with all that out the way, we come to the final question of the day, the all-important question: Which one of these guitars would I actually choose if I could only play one of them? I do think it is reasonably close. I quite like the aesthetic they've gone for with the S900 series with the black and gold and the metallic scratch plate. I'm a sucker for all of that stuff. But I think if the inbuilt wireless system isn't something that's all that important to you, I think for the extra $100 you pay for the P800, you do get quite a lot of value included in the extra cost. I think all of those little upgrades, in my opinion, do add up to a better quality instrument. So, that's why for me, I would probably lean towards the P800 if I was choosing. Having said that, if you only have the budget for the Standard Series. (Keep in mind the S800 is even cheaper again than the S900.) Or if you really want the inbuilt wireless system that comes with the S900, then I definitely wouldn't feel like you're getting a substantially lesser guitar just because you're going for the cheaper option. When you weigh up the pros and cons between both guitars, whichever direction you go, it's kind of all good. If that doesn't work, you can flip a coin. If that still doesn't work, then maybe just go for the guitar that you like the look of the best because at the end of the day, if every time you walk past that guitar it makes you want to pick it up and play it, then what else really matters? Well, there you have it, that's my comparison between the Standard Series and the Pro Series. Hopefully, you found that helpful. If you do have any questions, comments, thoughts, or feedback, then please leave them in the comments section below, and I'll do my best to respond. As always, it is important for me to let you know that both of these guitars were provided by GTRS to feature in some video content. But this was not a paid promotion or a sponsored advertisement. No money's changed hands. All thoughts and opinions are my own. As always, if you did like this video and you want to see more content like this, then please consider subscribing to the channel. While you're there, be sure to check out the video I did on the P800 guitar. If you like this one, you probably like that one. And finally, before you go, I'd love to invite you to check out the website GuitarIQ.com to take a look at some of the books and other learning resources we have waiting for you over there. Covering everything from fretboard memorization, to chord theory, to warm-ups and workouts, to scales and a whole lot more—that is GuitarIQ.com. Well, that's it from me. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next video! Comments are closed.
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