AXL AS-200S Strat Copy

I just tried this AXL Strat at my local guitar shop today, and may well go back and buy it! The one I tried had a very nice brown sunburst over an alder body. A really nice "medium" to slim "c" shape maple neck, with rosewood fretboard. The pickups are emg design. The tuner machines seemed to work ok, but I imagine if I owned it, this is one thing I would change. The bridge is standard strat style, and the one I tried wasn't set up for using the whammy bar... which is fine for me, as I never use them.

I play a variety of music styles, but mainly blues and 70's and 80's rock, and this would suit me fine for anything I would normally use a strat for. in fact, I would prefer this to many Fender Strats I've played, especially with these pickups as they are silent, provide good tonal range, and are powerful enough for passive pickups. They aren't identical to the classic strat sound, but very close, and very "useable", with good variation in tone, at each position. It was a very rounded balanced tone, with maybe more mids in it, than a classic strat sound. There is enough bite at the bridge pickup, so cutting through would be no problem. Maybe lacking that really good hollow bell like tone you can get with the neck pickup, but still very acceptable.
I used it through a Marshall MG30FXD ? .. I think it was. It sounded fine. I imagine it would sound great through my Behringer GMX212.

The action was medium and I didn't notice any fret buzzing. The intonation seemed fine, without checking it properly ... but once again, I set my own guitars up anyway ... so that doesn't particularly worry me.
The finish on this guitar was excellent. It had one of the best sunburst finishes I have seen on ANY guitar, let alone one in this price range. The neck was good and smooth, with good fret finishing, and with good fret edge finishing.
The assembly was fine. Just your standard bolt on neck type, which was well done. Everything looks and feels solid and well made. The weight is about average .... about spot on for me.

As I don't own it, I don't know. In saying that, it is well built, and it looks like it would be fine for gigging. I would imagine that it would be very durable and reliable. It is a solid well made guitar. I'll stick my neck out and say it would certainly be a good solid 9.

Don't know .... I wouldn't anticipate needing it.

Given that I have been playing guitar for almost 40 years, and have owned more guitars than I can remember .... I feel I can make a reasonable assessment regarding the quality of this guitar. I would certainly buy it. It is a quality guitar, with very good finish, good hardware, and a really good tone. Overall I think it's a very good guitar, and especially good value for money. I would certainly prefer to own it ahead of a new Fender Strat(which I have owned), which like other name brand guitars, are over-rated now, and certainly over priced for the quality. They WERE good, but Korea and now China are rapidly catching up ... IMHO, and they provide good guitars at much better prices.

This is a follow up review to the one I submitted above

You would not believe the difference!!!!!

I replaced the neck with a Mighty mite maple and ebony neck. I felt i was losing mega tone with the stock neck, it was also a little warped.
I also replaced the tuners and had a bone nut put on. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR SPEND A COUPLE OF BUCKS AND THIS GUITAR WILL BLOW YOU AWAY... With the new neck and bone nut this thing has become a tone monster!! I can't believe the difference. It sounds and plays like a thousand dollar strat. It sounds like candy to my ears, I paid $120 for the guitar and i have put in another $145 so for about $265 I have an absolute Beauty tjhat I would put up against just about any strat.

no problems here!

I gave the AXL guitar a great rating before the above mentioned changes. With the changes this thing is off the chart. If you can spring for the money for a fender licensed neck, decent tuners, and a new nut you will be happy with this guitar for life!!!!!
I got the mighty Mite neck and tuners on ebay from tntguitars for 100 bucks brand new. I paid 45 dollars to have a bone nut cut and installed and a minor guitar set up. I gave the original guitar a 9..with changes I give it a 99

Basic Strat Copy, with strat features. 21 frets. 5-way selector, 1 volume, 1 tone. EMG designed passive pickups. I think it's alder with an all-maple neck. Finish is nice, has a dark brown finish, but you can see the wood grain. Standard strat-style vibrato. Kluson tuners. Came with a Gig Bag, Strap and amp cable.

I play a lot of different stuff, and it fits most styles. I put it on the bridge pickup to play funky stuff, but put it farther up the neck for Santana-style leads. My older guitar was a double fat strat, and it didn't have much variation in the tones. This guitar is much better. I play with a Latin group every once and a while, and they said it sounded really good in practice. I will use it for a gig this weekend. There is a little noise on the pickups, but you only notice it if you stand right near the amp (and if the volume is pushed). I got the Black and Tan model mainly because of the maple neck. It Feels exactly like my friend's Fender Strat (and sounds a little better), and he paid $350 for it. I use a digitech RP300 and it sounds great. It still sounds good straight through the amp, though. My only complaint is that the vibrato system is not that strong. I don't use it that much, though, so it doesn't really matter.

The factory set-up was pretty bad. I had to mess with the action a lot. Also, I noticed some of the screws (particularly the saddle screws) were really cheap. I was having trouble setting the intonation, so I replaced the screws and it worked out fine. I didn't mind, because I have a natural tinkering nature. Besides, I would have messed around with it even if it was perfect. If I ever decide to take of the pickguard (to change pickups or just to snoop around), I would change all the screws, they seem to get stripped really easily. I think they can afford to sell these guitars so cheap because they don't pay anyone to set them up. Overall, a good buy if you don't mind fooling around with it.

I am confident in it to withstand live playing. After messing around with it, it is just as good as any Mexican Strat. I usually put straplocks on my guitars, so the strap buttons don't really matter. The hardware seems like it will last, even though I might change the tuners. I usually only bring one guitar to a gig, and I will definitely be bringing this one.

I've never had to deal with them, and it seems like I might not have to.

I've been playing (obsessively) for almost three years. Like I said earlier, I already have a double fat strat and I was basically looking for a guitar with the same feel, but different tones. Also, I wanted something with a maple neck because I have recently fallen In love with maple necks. I absolutely love this guitar, if I lost it or if it was stolen i would definitely get another. In fact, I think my next guitar will be the AXL tele copy. Before I bought this, I had bought and epiphone les paul, but it just didn't feel right. I returned it and bought this guitar and i don't regret it at all.

The guitar is new, probably made 2002 in China.
The guitar has an absolutely beautiful sunburst fininsh
Basic Stratocaster set up one volume,two tone controls, 5-way selector.
The guitar comes with EMG (passive) select pick ups, thats why I bought it. The body is solid Alder, the neck is maple with rosewood fingerboard. The sunburst as I said is beautiful and the wood grain is very nice. String through the body bridge and comes with whammy bar.
The tuners are Klusen split peg style (the split peg tuners work great at locking the string tight.
The neck in not too chunky which is good for me, I have short fingers. Medium frets..came with gig bag, cable, allen keys.
I give this guitar a nine becasue even though tuners are cheap.. they work o.k. and the whole guitar only cost me $119.95

The guitar sounds really great and suits my playing style. I play through a small Epiphone amp at home. And a P.A. sytem out. The guitar has really great strat sounds The EMG pick ups are really superior to real strat standard pick ups
The emg pick ups are incredible noiseless, I have heard others say it but they are a mix of humbukers and single coils, not technically but tonally.
I like it very much and am happy i bought it.

The finish is really nice, very surprising for a cheap guitar..it is truly a real looker.
I haven't found any flaws on this guitar.
I lowered the action and adjusted the truss rod immediately.
The frets seem o.k. could be a little larger for bending, but as good as a standard stat. Of course on a guitar that sells for under $150 the hardware is not going to be the greatest but seems to be satisfactory.
Please change the factory strings immediately!
I again am giving a nine. It is unbelievable what can be had for 119.95

Time will tell.. it seems as solid as any guitar I have played.
I have an AXL Tele copy which has held up great and sounds great, I call it my Tele eater...So I think this will last fine

I bought it from Surf City Music and those guys are really great! They will help if I need it

I have been playing for 33 years I have owned name brands Gibson, Ovation, Hagstrom, Takamine, Ibenez..and too many no names to mention over the years.
I am completely satisfied with this guitar and i would definatly buy another if lost or stolen. The price is right. If you are not a guitar snob you will find these inexpensive copies are better in many cases that the name brand guitars. This guitar does it all for me. I am a fender sound lover and have had various fenders and copies, and this one (and my AXL Tele) MORE THAN FIT THE BILL). And no I don't work for AXL. I play live weekly and the AXL's with EMG pick ups are great and for the price you can't go wrong