Larry Carlton H7 STR

It’s very important when you buy a new guitar to feel confortable since the first moment.
I’m a modest guitar player & collector, home studio recording musician and also live gigs performer.
When a new guitar “joins the family” I use to evaluate some points and compare them with others to justify my investment specially if you order on line and there it’s not possible test the instrument in advance prior you buy them.
But as soon as the guitar is in my hands..the really “next step” is made a “conscious check”to know if your “pre-concept” was right.
Here you have my arguments:
A/Wonderful fast low profile neck=Ok
B/Sweet physical feeling on your fingers due to ebony fingerboard=Ok
C/String action 100% adjustable to your performing way=Ok
D/Fast and natural pickup response in all positions=Ok
E/Step by step perceptible changes when you are operating level & tone controls=Ok
F/Reasonable hardware quality with a durable chrome plating=Ok
G/Stable tuning machine heads even during “extreme bending” situations=Ok
H/Well made fret work round profile with a smooth sensation when you slide up & down your fingers=Ok
I/Sire quality in the construction...good cosmetic finish details and gorgeous flame top=Ok
J/Final evaluation “Did you get more than you pay”???...Yes=Ok
Pros: Under 700€ one of the best “335 type” guitar options ever made in my humble opinion.
If you have the opportunity...please “check” and told us your impressions about.
Cons: Nothing special to said except the long waiting time and small availability to get one of those.
Regards.

Sadly, this guitar doesn't live up to the hype and makes me wonder about the legitimacy of the YouTube reviewers.

Haven't played it very long not to damage anything before returning it to Thomann but, as far as the sound goes, it's ok. Pickups are a tad on the low output side but that's obvious given the guitar specs. The design is good as well - great, comfortable neck shape and the most comfortable body shape I've ever played sitting down.

The main problem of this guitar is the fretboard and things around it. Fretwork is really bad. The frets, some of them yellowish, weren't even polished in the factory, making this scratchy noise whenever you're bending strings. There are visible dye spots on the binding (dyeing is one way to make the cheap ebony look better, I guess...), file marks all over the place and at least one small but visible crack between the binding and the fretboard. It's puzzling why Sire even bothered dyeing the fretboard given the fact that there's this enormous bright patch, taking like 1/3 of the fretboard in length and just making the whole guitar look cheap.