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I would have never believed it but I played an ex students knock off Les Paul last night at a barbeque. expecting it would sound OK but not really impress me with its action fell or sustain. I was really surprised. The weight was right. The action was great and sustain from now till tomorrow and it was a neck set not a bolt on neck. The sales brand is Atomic Custom Shop. From what I got when I read their info online is these are imported from China then gone over at Atomic Custom Shop, setup and tested.

I never thought I would say i like a knock off other than maybe a axe built from Warmoth parts but this was really nice especially when you consider the price is less than three bills. A great knock around LP.

Michael,

I often buy up Electric( as many as I can afford) close out, discount guitars, from places like Musicians Friend and others ( a place in Vietnam has some real fantastic deals). I will redress the frets, install Buzz Feiten(with a bone nut) and adjust the truss rods and neck angles (if necessary). I then sell the guitars for $250 on average ( or give them free to some needy students at our church/school). The kids get a great playing guitar that usually sounds pretty good ( I only buy those with solid wood...No ply) and most come with good tuners. They are obviously loss leaders for companies like Fender/Squier/Floyd Rose etc. At the discount price I buy them for (usually under $100) I don't have much invested other than some labor. I now have people who own very expensive guitars ordering the "cheapos" so they can have a beach/throw around/keep in the trunk type guitar that is truely fun to play and they don't have to worry that one of the kids will drop the guitar.

It's amazing how good some of these guitars turn out. What's even more amazing is that, with a little effort, these big manufacturers could be making/selling much better instruments but choose to let the "quality/setup" lax to produce more and more quickly.

As I said, these are Electric guitars that I do this to. The acoustics are just too bad to spend the time needed to make them "good". But for some reason, and this only happens about 2-3 times a year...the warehouses sell off these "loss leader" electrics at even greater close out prices. I get to make some little kid ( and some adults too) real happy. It also makes for good test models to practice routing/diff. finishes/elecronics etc. for minimal dollars. I guess I get distracted too easily...

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

I spoke with Adam at Atomic Custom Shop via email today this November he will be adding several more finish options. These LP are solid basswood bodies, Maple necks. No Plywoods used. The flamed Maple and quilted maple versions are veneered tops. I have seen and played many LP knock-offs most stank to high heven. But these are pretty dang nice. surprised me.

My son (40) has a couple of them that he got from Musicians Friend for $99 each plus free shipping.  He relicized them, painted Naugatone on the headstock, and keeps them in his playing stand.  He plays them all the time.  Really likes them a lot, once he re adjusts them, and makes them look worn out.  Strange taste to me.  I like shiny and new, he likes worn out.  His regular guitars are a couple of  James Trussert Steel Casters, a custom shop Tele from the 70's, a couple of Custom Shop Relics, and a 60's Strat refin that was never completely stripped.  He liked the layered, partially stripped look.  Go figure.   He likes to try stuff out.  Buys amps and resells them just to hear them.  I bet he's owned 50 -60 tube amps over the last 20 years. (Bogner, Egnater, Matchless, Redbone, DrZ, Divided by 13, Fender, Hiwatt, Bruno, plus a number of custom builts that I can't remember.

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars