Austin AU786TS

Body and neck woods ....no idea. The website tells nothing.
The guy at the music shop told me that the neck wasn't bolted on like the epiphone les pauls. He recommended replacing pickups for a better tone.

The sound is alright but I think that my Ibanez art300 is a much better guitar for a similar low price.

The action is nice. Finish is nice. However, screws come loose on hardware.

Purchased new-Very Very disapointed with this guitar's durability.
Not only did the input jack break (replaced for 30 bucks.) but I've also had the tuning pegs give out(2 already). Strings also break during practice!!!!!!

Customer Support - ha, What a joke.
Then, I tried to sell this guitar to guitarcenter and they laughed in my face!!

I would never recommend anyone buys this guitar. Unless you want to spend a ton of money on upgrades you are better off buying a epiphone.

Les Paul copy. I don't know exactly what year manufactured, bought new from guitar store in 98 or 99. I believe it was made in Korea (I don't have it anymore so some of this is guesswork.) 2 volume, 2 tone, typical Les Paul setup. 2 humbuckers. I don't know what woods body made of, black finish with chrome hardware, so there was really no way to know. Rosewood fretboard if I remember right. Rather thin neck, made my hand hurt to play folk with alot of barre chords in it. Not so hot non locking tuners, standard.

Pickups actually did sound pretty good with my music style (whatever that is.) I play alot of folky sorta style, mostly rhythm. Almost all the time clean, although I have used it with a Danelectro overdrive through a Princeton Chorus, and with an Ibanez flanger and Boss distortion pedal through a Crate 212. Sunded pretty good overdriven. Has alot of mids, which I like (somewhat.) Pretty full. However, this is the only Austin Les Paul copy I have ever played that sound good. I've played about 10 just for the heck of it. This guitar had the best sound and workmanship of any of these Austins I've played, but its no Gibson, obviously. Its not even comparable to an Epi in sound. Mine was good for what it was, but not really all that great.

Action was pretty good from factory. I never had it professionally set up, though I did make a few tweaks. Pretty good, considering. Pickups weren't bad. Couldn't tell about the woods matching since it was painted, but I would suspect it wasn't that great. Cheap guitar manufacturers usually paint the bad wood. Bridge was good. Frets were maybe a little rough, but pretty good. Like I said with the sound, though, this was just my guitar. Most of them I played were really rough along the neck and fretboard, not so great finish, and the gold hardware on the sunburst and wine models tarnished really easily. Controls a little loose.

Yes, guitar does withstand live playing. I had mine for a little over two years, and I played it in a live setting at least once a week. Chrome hardware still looked good, but like I said gold wasn't good. My finish seemed pretty good, as well as strap buttons. I could depend on it, but I won't play any gig without a backup, or two if possible. When my band plays, the two of us on guitar usually have anywhere from 3 to six guitars there.

Never dealt with them.

Been playing guitar for 4 years now. My main guitars are a Samick s-7ec, (if you've never heard of this sweet acoustic like most people, check it out. Mucho niceo.) and a Mexican strat which is another slightly weird guitar, guitars are much warmer than most mexis, these through a Fender Princeton Chorus. Sold the Austin to buy the Strat. Also play a Fender Princeton 112+,and on a Peavey/Landola acoustic, a Ric copy, a DeYarmond (sp?) electric, or a Tacoma acoustic. If I had lost it, I would not have bought another. At the time, I would have probly bought an Epiphone Les Paul. Now I would buy another Strat, or maybe a Tele or Yamaha AEX-500. Had good sound, but the single coil strats just have better sound, and more versatility if you know how to use them right. Wish it, and every guitar w/humbuckers had a coil split. Personally, I would never buy another Austin. I had the Paul and an acoustic, both of which bought when I didn't know much about guitars. If your lookin around, I would advise to save your money and buy what you really want. Its been my experience that if you keep playing, eventually you will just trade up, so you might as well do it right the first time.

A 2002 Korean made Les Paul copy for St. Louis Music Co. 22 fret bound rosewood fretboard. 2 humbuckring pickups, 3 way selector, 2 volume and 2 tone controls. Not sure of woods used in neck or body, but the carved top has the curly Maple effect. I doubt it's real Maple due to the price range but if I'm wrong I appologize. Nice tobacco burst curly top with gold hardware and top bound body. Tune-0-Matic bridge with non-locking tuners. Wide neck radius and not to fat for us short fingered people.

Good guitar for rock, blues and gospel which are my main musical styles. I use mainly a Fender Princeton 65 with an Ibanez PT3DX Multiprocessor ( mainly for chorus and delay ) at the church and with a Fender Power Chorus for all other Applications. Very quite guitar, nice funtional controls. This guitar is full of mid-range, but that's cool because that's what I like. Sounds like most dual humbucker guitars.

The guitar came playable out of the box, which is exactlly how i purchased it. I lowered the bridge only slightly for personal taste and made minor adjustments for intonation. The pickups were adjusted fairly well, however the neck ring angles back from the strings and the pickup does not sit paralell to the strings. I will replace the ring. For a guitar of this price range the workmanship is quite good, not perfect, but makes for a decent guitar.

I have not owned this guitar long enough to make a comment on durability / reliability, but, as I take care of all my instruments in the same manner regardless of price range, I feel I can get some good use out of it. I am mainly using this guitar at the church, so it's not really gonna get beat up anyhow.

Never dealt with the manufacturer, but my dealer stands behind all his sales. However I noticed after I purchased this guitar that the web site lacks information such as woods and pickup types.

I have been playing guitar for over 20 years, but I am still a budget minded musician, so I look for these bargin for the buck models and enjoy them. Plus, when you like to customize like I do, It helps keep the cost down too. I would probably get another one if lost or stolen. My other gear consist of a PRS SANTANA SE, Squier Strat ( heavily customized ), Alvarez RD10 aucostic, Ibanez PT3DX multiprocessor, Dunlop Cry Baby Wah, Fender Princeton 65 and a Fender Power Chorus.