nUSEweb.com

>> > (had guests from out of town with us, so I didn't get a chance to put
>> > it through the ringer yet...take this review with a grain of salt).

>> > Picked up the guitar last Thursday:

>> >http://store.guitarfetish.com/xvsoashtrrof.html

>> > I know, how can I get a tele-style guitar without a maple
>> > fingerboard...truth is, I can't stand maple fingerboards. Don't like
>> > how they look or feel. I've always been a rosewood/ebony guy.

>> > Real quickly:

>> > Grade: B
>> > The guitar looks and feels very nice. Mine came a little darker, more
>> > "woody" than "honey", and the grain on mine is definitely more
>> > pronounced. I like that. It makes it look gritter, for what it's
>> > worth.

>> > Pros:
>> > -The neck (my main concern on any guitar), is very nice. The
>> > fingerboard is smooth, and all the frets checked out for evenness with
>> > my fret checker. The frets could use a polishing/buffing, but are
>> > playable as is. No fret ends sticking out. Able to do nice deep
>> > bends very easily.
>> > -Nice graphite nut, smooth nut slots (see Cons)
>> > -Very good fit/finish/construction, doesn't look/feel *noticeably*
>> > inferior to a Fender Strat. Purists may differ. I'm not a purist.
>> > -Bridge pickup: I'm guessing they plunked in their standard GFS Tele
>> > pup set (alnicos), but the bridge pup was a revelation to me; it does
>> > SC tele pops & quacks nicely, but it overdrives and distorts as well
>> > when pushed without getting muddy. Very articulate but ballsy.

>> > Cons:
>> > -G string buzzes up & down the entire fretboard when you dig in; when
>> > you look at the nut, the G slot is visibly cut too deep. The nut will
>> > have to be replaced.
>> > -The tone control is a little on the useless side; highs roll off only
>> > at the very end. Basically, either on or off. But neither the volume
>> > or tone pots are scratchy.
>> > -The neck could use a little tilt backwards; while the nut is cut nice
>> > & low (the way I like it, G-slot notwithstanding), action around the
>> > upper frets is a little too high for my taste. Not by much.

>> > Sound:
>> > Can't really comment too much yet because I haven't really spent too
>> > much time with it. Like I mentioned above, the bridge pup can do
>> > country to metal (yup...) without breaking a sweat. I haven't noticed
>> > a lot of noise (out of the ordinary) or microphonics yet. The neck
>> > pup's output is noticeably lower than the bridge pup. The sound
>> > is...what you'd expect from a tele lipstick neck pup.

>> > Overall, mine's well worth the $170, from what I can tell. After I
>> > replace the nut & shim the neck, I suspect it'll be a gem.

>> > -d