NGD: Firefly FFLX Explorer style

jtcnj

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Firefly FFLX Explorer

After a very positive experience with the FFLV Vee I got earlier this year, I decided I would try one of these Explorer style when or if they got them again.
My order never got past "UPS label created", and after a few emails and and at least a week of delay, it finally shipped.

Got here with no shipping damage.
Has more than a few small small finish scuffs / blemishes, light scratches. The surface coat scratches very easily.
I contacted Guitars Garden and we worked out a reasonable discount.

I am blown away once again by the bang for the buck on this guitar, as I am with the Vee.
The FFJA Jazzmaster is at least ok; I had some problems with the one I received.

The pickups sound just fine to me, the hardware is ok. The tuners are just ok / usable, not junk but good enough. The tuners on the Vee are actually good, not Grovers, but better than just ok.

The neck profile is rounder, not thin or slim. A little slimmer than my ideal, but thats just me.

The neck to body angle is good; on my Vee is a little flat and the bridge bottoms out before the strings fret out / buzz. It is low enough though.

I have not looked in the control cavity yet.
The nut slots are a bit high and will get some tuning.
It intonates properly and stays in tune.

It did have some neck dive. A grippy strap helps, but the body also rolls away a little. It is mostly negated by my picking forearm resting on the body, but it does move at times.

I moved the upper bout strap button to the neck heel and it balances perfectly now, even with the smooth /slippery strap pictured.
You cant put the button all the way forward at the heel or the strap may / will interfere with your fretting hand.
This does not.

WIN!!!

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Firefly FFLX Explorer

After a very positive experience with the FFLV Vee I got earlier this year, I decided I would try one of these Explorer style when or if they got them again.
My order never got past "UPS label created", and after a few emails and and at least a week of delay, it finally shipped.

Got here with no shipping damage.
Has more than a few small small finish scuffs / blemishes, light scratches. The surface coat scratches very easily.
I contacted Guitars Garden and we worked out a reasonable discount.

I am blown away once again by the bang for the buck on this guitar, as I am with the Vee.
The FFJA Jazzmaster is at least ok; I had some problems with the one I received.

The pickups sound just fine to me, the hardware is ok. The tuners are just ok / usable, not junk but good enough. The tuners on the Vee are actually good, not Grovers, but better than just ok.

The neck profile is rounder, not thin or slim. A little slimmer than my ideal, but thats just me.

The neck to body angle is good; on my Vee is a little flat and the bridge bottoms out before the strings fret out / buzz. It is low enough though.

I have not looked in the control cavity yet.
The nut slots are a bit high and will get some tuning.
It intonates properly and stays in tune.

It did have some neck dive. A grippy strap helps, but the body also rolls away a little. It is mostly negated by my picking forearm resting on the body, but it does move at times.

I moved the upper bout strap button to the neck heel and it balances perfectly now, even with the smooth /slippery strap pictured.
You cant put the button all the way forward at the heel or the strap may / will interfere with your fretting hand.
This does not.

WIN!!!

View attachment 85417View attachment 85418View attachment 85419
congrats, now play me some Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetalllllllllllllllica and go yeah yeah yah yeah while you are at it. :eddie:
 
Congratulations on very nice looking instrument,, Explorer’s are actually quite a blast to play with the built in arm rest.
I have foolishly sold 2 Explorer’s so far in my life.
HNGD

Cheers
 
I just keep reading and hearing good things about these guitars.
From what I seen / read, these have different pickups as the previous ones were very prone to feedback / squeal.
I dont have any plans to change them at this point, though I have some other brand name pickups on hand.

They have made other improvements along the way as well, including s/s frets with rounded ends and bone nut.
The fretwork is pretty good, the ends are smooth, the nuts are either bone or some hard synthetic.
I might fret level both of them just because I am comfortable with the process.

After some nut file work, the nut on the V is good and I have no plan to change it.
I will tune the nut slots on this one probably tomorrow.
 
Decided to do a fret level.
Wasnt bad, but not great; could have lived with it.
Supposed to be stainless frets, but the alloy is no harder than the several / many others I have done to date.

Afterwards, I ended up having to raise the action from the lowest / no buzz height on the treble side because I couldn't grab the B and e strings with enough meat of my finger tips for bends.

Still need to finish fine tuning the nut.
Really digging this guitar, still all stock components.
Full size pots, ok so far.

The thread tolerance on the bridge posts is really sloppy, and it appears to be the bushings themselves.
I have a spare import bridge with posts / bushings. Everything stays put with string tension so I'll leave it be unless I find otherwise.

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When I picked this up again Monday, I had to raise the treble side action a bit more as I was still missing the right grab on e and B string bends.
I am really, really digging this guitar.
I might spring for better tuners just because I feel it deserves it.

I have plans to shield more of my guitars, this one included.
 
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