Post by JChance on Apr 10, 2006 19:33:33 GMT -7
Well, I'm about as cynical and hard to please as anybody after all the gear I've been through...
But after playing the guitar quite a bit since yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, I'm pretty impressed.
This guitar is EXACTLY what everyone says it is: an inexpensive, but good quality Lester rip-off.
The finish is very well done, and the guitar seems as solid as you'd want it to be. Rondo claims it's a legitimate two-piece solid mahogany body with a maple cap, and under careful examination under lights, it appears to be just that. And so far, off the body it sounds good enough that I'm not going to argue with them.....
Likes:
Good sustain and playability right out of the box. The ebony fretboard is good & snappy, and so far I haven't found any real dead spots. Seems to ring quite well when playing unplugged.
The overall quality is easily as good as the two Epi Elitist Pauls I owned up until recently, and might have the potential with a proper setup to be even better. Plus, the Les Paul Limited I had with the flame-top, ebony fretboard and Burstbuckers wasn't light years ahead of this one, although a nicer (but much more expensive) guitar overall.
And as far as beating a stock, made in China Epi LP, there's really no comparison. Yes, these guys have actualy done their homework enough to make a legitimate bang-for-the-buck Paul. For once, the oh-so-goofy harmony-central reviews are pretty accurate-
The finish, as I said, is pretty. Doesn't look cheap or cheesey at all. I'm sure there will be guys that see me with it here in Nashville who will think it's some expensive, custom Les Paul copy (like a Grosh, etc.). And if it turns out to be as decent as I think it might be when the honeymoon is over, I'm sure a lot of guys will want one when they realize how cheap they are.
Dis-likes:
The factory setup is ok, but not great. Really no big deal, though...as any pro or serious player is going to get it set up like they like it anyway.
It's as if they purposefully set it up to play really easily (which it does), but in doing so they set the action a bit too low and there are some buzzes in the upper register of the E & B strings.
The abalone inlays appear to be genuine, but a very low grade. You know what I'm saying- they look more sparkle-y and almost shiney & "silver" as opposed to the creamier, deeper abalone you'd find on more expensive guitars. But hey, for around $425 with a case, what do you expect? As I said in my original post, I wasn't expecting a Custom Shop-type guitar.
The neck is slightly narrower than what I'd prefer, but that's really subjective. I'm sure a lot of folks would like it just fine. I'm not really looking for a wide-neck like some PRS models, but would have preferred a little more width, epsecially closer to the nut. Chunkier necks=more tone in my preferences, but it's not bad, though-
Overall- if this were H-C, I'd give it a solid 8 rating. Great value, and very good quality for what it is. I'm taking it to work with me the next two nights, so I'll post a followup and let everyone know how the stock pickups & electronics work. "On paper," they appear to be useable according to their specs. We'll see how that translates at performance volumes with a band, though... I'm sure I'll put some Duncans or something in there anyways- but if the stock ones sound good enough, I may hold off on changing them until I get a little more familiar with the axe.
I'll also post a few basic clips of it tomorrow with one of my Z's to give you an idea of what it sounds like plugged up.
J
But after playing the guitar quite a bit since yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, I'm pretty impressed.
This guitar is EXACTLY what everyone says it is: an inexpensive, but good quality Lester rip-off.
The finish is very well done, and the guitar seems as solid as you'd want it to be. Rondo claims it's a legitimate two-piece solid mahogany body with a maple cap, and under careful examination under lights, it appears to be just that. And so far, off the body it sounds good enough that I'm not going to argue with them.....
Likes:
Good sustain and playability right out of the box. The ebony fretboard is good & snappy, and so far I haven't found any real dead spots. Seems to ring quite well when playing unplugged.
The overall quality is easily as good as the two Epi Elitist Pauls I owned up until recently, and might have the potential with a proper setup to be even better. Plus, the Les Paul Limited I had with the flame-top, ebony fretboard and Burstbuckers wasn't light years ahead of this one, although a nicer (but much more expensive) guitar overall.
And as far as beating a stock, made in China Epi LP, there's really no comparison. Yes, these guys have actualy done their homework enough to make a legitimate bang-for-the-buck Paul. For once, the oh-so-goofy harmony-central reviews are pretty accurate-
The finish, as I said, is pretty. Doesn't look cheap or cheesey at all. I'm sure there will be guys that see me with it here in Nashville who will think it's some expensive, custom Les Paul copy (like a Grosh, etc.). And if it turns out to be as decent as I think it might be when the honeymoon is over, I'm sure a lot of guys will want one when they realize how cheap they are.
Dis-likes:
The factory setup is ok, but not great. Really no big deal, though...as any pro or serious player is going to get it set up like they like it anyway.
It's as if they purposefully set it up to play really easily (which it does), but in doing so they set the action a bit too low and there are some buzzes in the upper register of the E & B strings.
The abalone inlays appear to be genuine, but a very low grade. You know what I'm saying- they look more sparkle-y and almost shiney & "silver" as opposed to the creamier, deeper abalone you'd find on more expensive guitars. But hey, for around $425 with a case, what do you expect? As I said in my original post, I wasn't expecting a Custom Shop-type guitar.
The neck is slightly narrower than what I'd prefer, but that's really subjective. I'm sure a lot of folks would like it just fine. I'm not really looking for a wide-neck like some PRS models, but would have preferred a little more width, epsecially closer to the nut. Chunkier necks=more tone in my preferences, but it's not bad, though-
Overall- if this were H-C, I'd give it a solid 8 rating. Great value, and very good quality for what it is. I'm taking it to work with me the next two nights, so I'll post a followup and let everyone know how the stock pickups & electronics work. "On paper," they appear to be useable according to their specs. We'll see how that translates at performance volumes with a band, though... I'm sure I'll put some Duncans or something in there anyways- but if the stock ones sound good enough, I may hold off on changing them until I get a little more familiar with the axe.
I'll also post a few basic clips of it tomorrow with one of my Z's to give you an idea of what it sounds like plugged up.
J