Strat & Les Paul clones: Best and worst

Strat Man dwight · Man with a bone Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 8708

Would that be the same company Conn, that makes premium, professional Trumpets? No, couldn't be, eh?

Clones are virtually all contracted out, and specs are at the discretion of the company that sells them. So I try not to blame the "maker". Names are just names, anyhow.

2 of the Strat clones I have right now are Barracuda and Burswood. The Barracuda is not too hot, and it is alot like the Jaguar Strats that I've looked at closely. But it's set up nicely and sounds okay - I'm selling it when I find the right 'beginner'. And the Burswood has an identical twin, the name of which I can't remember. But what it really is, is a Hamer or a Slammer, same diff. Rolling Eyes

STRATAMASTER · Show Poodle Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 250

STRAT

BEST: G&L LEGACY

WORST: JOHNSON for sure

LES PAUL

BEST: 70'S ARIA PRO II

WORST: MEMPHIS VERY BAD BAD BAD

ddavidd14 · Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 4:26 pm Post subject:

I have a dean avalanche one and its neck plays better than mostly all of the new fenders i have tried but the sound is not that great for rock. I need more of a HB sound but if you are looking for a strat twang then this is probably the best copy I have ever played.
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djStratUk · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:31 pm Post subject:

Strat: Vintage V6, which you can see here; http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintageelectric.html
I got mine in "Laguna Blue", delivered, for £85 ($160), quite a steal. They are made from all Wilkinson parts, hard to beat that value really.
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SAguitar · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject:

Those do look cool. Wilkinson is good stuff. I'm glad you found good quality at a decent price! Cool

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Fndrman · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject:

My belated 2cents worth. This is based on what I've read about and owned.

LES PAUL

BEST: IBANEZ LAWSUIT (own), ELECA (own) TOKAI (read about)

WORST: ELECTRA (read about) MANN W/ BOLT-ON NECK (owned)

STRAT: Sorry, I don't know enough about the Strat clones.

gpower · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:27 pm Post subject:

Strat

Best: Callaham S
Worst: Act 1

LP

Best: Early 70's Ibanez
Worst: Pan
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Harmony_man · Curses! Foiled Again Joined: 22 Jul 2005 Posts: 618

I just played a mann bolt-on for an entire show, kicked the bejeezus out of the other band's guitarist's les paul custom.
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maxlbrown · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:28 am Post subject: vintage and encore

I have owned two encore strats the first and early nineties one I liked it in glacier white played okay as i recall. My most recent one waslast year when i decided to start again and see how i got on.

I sold it on to a friend who brought it over the other week. i was surprised it actually felt no different than my fender in terms of playability. though it was really light. and ashame they did not do something better with the headstock shape its is ugly.

vintage and encore are now made by the same company and Trevor wilkinson is now involved so the instruments are getting better. I liked the encore but i adore my fender and would not part with it.

My worst strat copy was my first which was a no name special with a maple fret board. the finger board split away from the neck due to some idiot s over use of the truss rod. enter 1st encore.

Worst lp epiphones available here in the uk that i have played.

Best LP mine which i got from florida last july. well made plays beautifully needs little attention and sounds nice. depends which factory the thing come from i spose..
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Wojo · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:40 am Post subject:

For me I am bias... Best strat copy.. Mine Smile

Made by a guy in Toronto

Worst was another custom that was nameless..the body contours were all wrong. It is suprising how much more difficult a guitar can be to play when it is not balanced or cut wrong..

Worst Les paul.. never played a copy..However I have heard a Heritage and they sound great...

maxlbrown · Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:41 am Post subject: quote

The challenge is not how to make a good guitar for $2,000. The challenge is how to make a good guitar for $200.”

I have a strong suspicion that this was quoted by Trev wilkinson some years ago.

M Twisted Evil

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MrSpyderman · Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 2:56 pm Post subject:

Worst strat copy: mine - Ibanez EX Series.
My first electric guitar. I bought it because it was cheap ($299new - at that time that was a good price). The switches and pots crackled from the beginning. I figured since it had the Ibanez name (hey Steve Vai plays one), it would be fine. Little did I know just because a cheap guitar has the same brand name as an expensive one doesn't mean it will play as good, or even a tenth as good.
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Danny Fatton · Tadpole Joined: 05 Nov 2008 Posts: 19

my first electric (in 1990) was (and still is) a cruze strat copy. Was a punk teen at the time and never bothered to look into it. Cleaned it up last year after years of sitting in a corner, and it sounds pretty tasty. Lacking some balls, but nice tone, and still a good play. Anyone know anything about them? Bought in uk.

Fedora · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:16 pm Post subject:

"BEST: IBANEZ LAWSUIT (own)

I have an Ibanez "Challenger" from the late 70's, maybe early 80's
Is this the one you're referring to?
I think it's a petty good clone. It's been a great guitar. Natural Ash and Maple.
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RorysStrat · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 8:32 pm Post subject:

Best LP copies I have owned and played were a mid 70's Ibanez LP custom copy and then they started making the PF 300 and PF400 which I would love to have today!

I wouldn't buy a strat copy I would just get the dough together to get a real one.