HK Instruments STL-190

This is a modest Telecaster "Thinline" made in China.
Hollow body, maple bolt neck, rosewood fingerboard "generic" hooping.
Are mechanical oil bath type, the nut is plastic.
The pickups are dual coil humbucker covered with a chrome cover, there are two.
A plaque Telecaster way to control the volume and overall tone, a three position switch provides three standard configurations.
The bridge is a copy of Bigsby, Chrome.

UTILIZATION

The neck is pretty bad.
This is easily explained:
- First it is screwed, which requires quite a heel now.
- Then the bridge and bridge Bigsby® require that the head angle is more than an ordinary Tele. The neck is thicker than a standard Tele.
- Finally hooping is pretty poor and the handle is plain.

For a cheap instrument that is almost normal, although labels are able to do better for the same price. Just go look at what the two big German offer sellers to be convinced and reviews right here.

The sound is there, and it is surprising. The pickups are really correct, even pretty good.

SOUNDS

Typically an instrument blues / rock oriented.
This is exactly what I expected from this type of guitar.
The three positions are good, again I am surprised at the quality of sound it delivers.
Volume and tone are not progressive for a penny, it's all or nothing, you have to change all that.

Excellent sound clear, velvety with a hint of acidity and a typical resonance "thinlines."
A real card on a good amp, whether transistor in modeling or lamps.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it at least a year, sporadically.
Its handle is a total disability, it adds an easel that has "as the mouth" and not reliable at all.
I had a lot of guitars, exceptional, good, average and poor.
This is particularly between poor and good. The handle is a horror, the mechanics are pretty ratty, electronics is kind of on / off ... but the pickups are good, the box is correct.

Question her, she puts a lot of slaps to three times more expensive instruments. Question handle even a Strat copy of Auchan will be less worse.
Must clearly change the handle (or completely redo), but the Bigsby requires a particular angle at the nut. The same with a hardtail bridge or Telecaster would be much better.

Difficult to pronounce for a final judgment. With over 200 euros of work, namely:
- Parts to stabilize the Bigsby (or replace it with a less zero copy)
- Return the handle to the hoop, profile, oiling (or change to a better)
- Recovery of the electronics (everything has to be redone)
- New mechanical locking this time
we come to a very nice guitar. It may be worth it.

Original as it's not too that.

Yet another copy of the Fender Telecaster, but this version of "hard discount" and customized!

According to the manufacturer's website, HK Instruments, guitars are made in China or Korea. The manufacturer says the low selling price by outsourcing Asia and the lack of intermediary: he sells directly to its website or via Ebay.

This is a body and a handle shaped Tele. But the bridge receives a Bigsby tremolo type. The body is half hollow at the top with a hearing in f. The animal receives two humbucker pickups type.

The body is basswood, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. Surprise: neither the handle or the key are varnished. Body painting (painted black with white border), however, is well finished. A few finishing details indicate a mounting hastily (glue dots visible in the hearing, sanding rough cuts ...). However, nothing shocking.

STL-190 points directly certain set of Fender Telecasters broadcast, Squier or G & L, but much cheaper.

UTILIZATION

It's a Tele! Nothing wrong with that.

Big round, but accessible, good ergonomics ... The gameplay is good: after mounting the tremolo spring and gave the beast, I am pleasantly surprised to find that the strings do not curl and that almost all the notes ring true. The factory preset is correct.

I can only be satisfied. I was looking for an old TV to mount a Bigsby on it. I just had nine for 120 € (+ 29 € shipping).

SOUNDS

I play punk rock, surf rock, psycho and a little reggae and ska in my hours. Is happiness. I use a Marshall Valvestate and a Hiwatt Custom. It's bing, bang and twang!

By varying the switch I get a range of sounds impressive. The warmth of wood is there. Sustain too. And with the tremolo, reverb amplifier block, its just California!

I guess it will not be a good guitar for metal. But I do not care.

OVERALL OPINION

I played with a morning and I won.

This is not the first Tele I try, and it seems to me in the right medium. At this price, it is the bargain of the century for lovers of vintage guitars.

Well it's a HK with a few finishing details a little "cheap". A Fender Custom Shop G & L or 20 times its cost price, at a minimum, and will last a lifetime. But I am not convinced that the sound will be 20 times better.

For the DIY, which I am, this STL-190 will become as necessary a good basis for some future customization (microphones? Sleeve?) To achieve a "Tele Relic".