Encore KC-3T Strat Copy

Solid red, strat style axe with tremolo, probably built in korea or taiwan. Tis around a 2002 model with 22 frets and s/s/s p/ups.Body possibly a cheap ply.

I play mainly rock/blues, also some jazz, and some other assorted stuyff. I play through a really bogus Trucker 50 amp with some gain and chourus.I have tried to get some workable tones out of it but sounds like a wasp in a tin can. I dont like this load of junk really, but that all I can afford at the moment.;

When i recieved the said guitar, it was unplayable due to the neck having so little relief the strings buzz at every turn. I just set it up for heavy strings now,

I would NOT gig this peice of trash, i mean, the neck goes clunck when you pick it up due to a cross-threaded neck screw. And i doubt the tremolo will do much, I hadmine blocked with some wood so it dont move no more

never dealt with them

Ive been playin' for around 16 years and ive had some copies in my time, and i must say this is the worst. I hope it gets stolen cos i pity the idiot who ends up with it.

Specs:
22 Frets
One volume control, two tone controls
Five way selector switch
Pickups: S/S/S
Strat styled body
Included accessories: Gig bag, B.B Blaster amp, strap, pitch pipe.

I am a rock musician, and to be perfectly honest, the guitar hardly suits me. The only thing I really use it for is punk or a bit of Iron Maiden. The pickups are rubbish!
The overall sound quality is pretty bad!
I used to use the free B.B Blaster amp (Aaagh! It's pure awful!) with it as it was my first guitar, but now I use a Marshall MG15DFX. I use numerous pedals, but they just don't sound right with the guitar.
It's not really a noisy guitar, probably because the pickups are that bad.
It can't really make that many noises. I often try to get it to 'squeal' but it doesn't really work.
Likes? Hmmm... it's a pretty good beginner's guitar, but after playing for four years, I realised that it really isn't great. But, hey, if you're just starting out, it's not too bad!
Dislikes... well, the pickups! I think they are dying or are already dead!

The guitar set-up was great at the factory, and it was already perfectly tuned when I got it.
The pickups were adjusted pretty well too.
The guitar didn't have any flaws at all.

Hmm... I'm not sure if this guitar could withstand more than a few live gigs. Plus, you'd drive the audience out first with the pickups!
The hardware is pretty good.
I changed my finish after about 2 years of owning it, so I don't know. And before somebody says thats how my pickups went, they were already dying anyway!
The strap buttons are solid.
No, unfortunately I can't depend on this guitar.
And I probably wouldn't gig with it!

I've never had to get it repaired, so I've never dealt with the company.
It is under warranty, but I'm not sure how long it lasts for.

I've been playing for about four years now.
I own another six guitars; Epiphone Les Paul 100, Westfield Jazz Bass, Westfield Acoustic, Encore (again... I know...) Classical Guitar, Cort CL100 Electric and I'm in the middle of doing another classical guitar up. Oh, and hopefully, soon to be mine, an Ibanez RG350DX!
There's nothing I wish I would have asked before buying the guitar because at the time, I didn't know anything much about them as I was just starting.
If it got stolen or lost, I wouldn'y buy another one of them, I'd get something else.
I HATE THE PICKUPS!

Made: Unknown
22 frets
1 Volume, 2 Tone, 5 way selector
Basic Strat Set up: S+S+S
Rosewood Fingerboard\"Mahogany" Neck
Black Gloss Finish
Rubbish Tuners
Crap Included: Crap B.B Blaster 10w Amp ,gig bag, crap lead, crap pitch pipe.. the usual.

I play a bit of all kinds of punk (Green Day, Blink 182, Sex Pistols), a bit of grunge\modern rock (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) and a bit of indie\alternative rock (Oasis, Kaiser Cheifs, Hard-Fi)

This guitar has a terrible sound but I have to say it does have some pros. When practising at home all you're ficsated on is how your playing sounds generally, but when you crank it up on it's soulmate (the B.B Blaster) it sounds terrible. It starts to make a very low, deep, Barry White kinda noise, like a french horn. However when played at band practise or something it dosen't really show and it sounds dare I say... ok.

All in all I'd say the saound is... i dunno... mediocre.

This guitar, surprisingly, was a straight outta the box deal. I now own a Gibson Les Paul Junior (1956) and that, out of the box was horrendous. This guitar though unlike the Les Paul Jr developed it's problems over time. The tuning pegs became looser and looser every time you changed a string until eventually they came off and i had to buy new ones. The electronics on this was pretty terrible. I replaced the crappy single coil "magnets" (how dare you classify those as pickups) with Seymour Duncan Hot Trails which are basically humbuckers that fit in Strats. When I opened it up I discovered that my tone and volume pots where of no use because there was no wire attaching them! So I had to re-wire everything (not to easy if you're 14 years old). All in all this does what it's meant to do... with a little kick up the backside.

This guitar is a brick! I've played live twice with this and it's still exactly like it came out of the box (except mods). The buttons aren't really a major concern (or at least not as bad as everyone says they are). I use my LP Jr usually for gigging and concidering that this is my only other guitar I use it for backup (not that I ever need to).

Before I owned this I had the cheaper model, the EIBTR. It broke down after seven months and even though it was 4 weeks out of warranty they replaced it, with the more expensive model. So because of the fluke that was in my favour I'll give them... 10.

I have been playing for two and a half years and my equipment is as follows:

A Gibson Les Paul Junior
An Alesis Wildfire 60 channeled through a Marshall MF400A Mode Four 412 Slant Cab 400W.
A Fender Stratocaster reissue (sold)
The Encore KC3T.

I really don't know why I bought this guitar, I bought it becuase I really wanted a guitar and this was the cheaper option to a Squier Strat, but I'm happy I didn't get that either. I would have rather got an Epiphone Les Paul Junior Starter Pack wholey based on the fact that I love Gibson's and I love LP Jr's! To all those planning to buy this get an Epiphone Les Paul Junior Starter Pack!

If this was stolen I would track down the burglar and shake his hand. Then I would press charges, get insurance money and compensation and buy another Fender Strat. This guitar wholey deserves what it gets but I wouldn't sell it for two reasons:

1) No one in there right mind would buy it.
2) Because this is like a brother to me. This guy taught me to play and for that I thank it.

It's basically just a strat copy with cheap pickups. The body of it is smaller and lighter than a full size strat so I guess it's perfect for beginners.

I had it in black ,with a BB blaster amplifier, but then one of the pickups stopped working so I took it back and received a not so nice looking (in my opinion) sunburst finish guitar.

But that was ok because it came with a much better, longer lasting Kustom 10 watt amp, that has never caused me any problems.
The pack also included some bog standard accessories included in most started packs. i.e.- picks, lead and video.

The guitar is fine for a beginner. It was my first guitar, I didn't really realise how bad it sounded until I got my SG. It makes a kind of dull sound and buzzes all the time and also goes out of tune very quickly.
Mine used to tune it's self higher as I played which cause much retuning in one practise and many broken strings.

The action is very high on this guitar, it takes about 2 minutes to press down on one fret. other than that it's pretty much ok to play and looks alright. I don't really like the head stock much but I can't really ask much from a cheap guitar.

Encore guitars last and last even if you don't want them to. Mine has fallen down the stairs before and been smashed about for the past few years and all that?s happened in a few small dents in the paintwork.
I've had two of these but i think that the pickup breaking in the first one was just down to that guitars dodgy wiring and is not reflected on all the encore strats.

the only problems I?ve had with the 2nd strat is, one of the tuners coming loose and the cheap strap buttons falling apart, but it still works.

I wouldn't use this guitar for live playing as it would just sound like buzzy, mushy goo compared to the rest of the band.

I've taken it back once. after i had showed them the receipt I was given a new replacement one strait away.

This guitar is good for beginners but you can get a much better starter guitar pack from squier or stagg for the same price. The guitar is now residing in a cupboard in my bedroom where it's been since I got my new guitar and I don?t think I?ll ever use it again.

Looks pretty similar to a strat (good neck), tone and volume controls didn't work and came with sh***y accessories (gig bag, bad cable, psycho tuner from hell). The Amp it came with was pretty good (Kustom 10 watt + FX)

BUZZZZZZZZ. If you like buzz, this guitar is for you. Not versatile in it's sound at all (tone and volume controls do not affect the sound). Bad tone and always sounds distorted(even on clean), which can be okay for hard rock.

Lots of fret buzz. Adjusting the action or pickups makes no difference, so there is no point in even trying. Wood and finish were very strong (could barely scratch it with a knife)

Good finish. Poor hardware. But it would withstand live playing (but may not withstand riots over terrible sound).

N/A

I would pay someone to steal this guitar.

Just a strat copy basically. A self destruct button would be a valuable addition.

Well, the pickups on this piece of firewood hum like some kind of giant snowbeast stood next to a giant speaker holding an electric razor and a mobile phone that he is roaring into, ROARING INTO!!! Not good.

I could have built a better guitar from things found in my dustbin, action was terrible as was everything else.

Not fire resistant

Pass

Terrible, bought this guitar for my son as his first guitar. I've been playing 35 years and currently play through many different amps. My main setup is a gibson les paul classic into a marshall JCM 800 head with marshall 1960 4x12. The encore should just be destroyed. Couldn't even get it to sound good through my boogie stack with my g-major!!

You've seen it all before - a strat copy...not a lot more...nothing to get too excited about.

Brilliant...no sorry, i mean bloody aweful. Yeh its sounds like a guitar but only just.

not bad, until I repainted it, got bored and then smashed it up with a pair of pliers. I got mine in a sparkly gold colour (not very rock but it looked cool at the time) and it was quite nice as far as gold 100 pound strat copies go.

Unfortunately i haven't gigged with it yet although i may give it a go. I don't think it could break anymore than it already has done but i'll look into that...BUT I don't think a new one would break too soon unless there is some manual input from the owner (oops).

Not bothered to deal with them.

I play loads of different stuff although most of it is metal oriented. This guitar is great for a beginner's first guitar although if you do buy one just be aware of the fact that as soon as you try a different guitar your gonna realise that the encore is possibly the crappest guitar you've ever laid eyes on.

well its a strat copy, look fairly similar to the real thing if thats your cup of tea. the finish was fine, a few dents ont he back (something to do with the way it was coated. i got a few accesories most of which broke apart from the amp (bb blaster) which i subsequently replaced on account of being crap!

buzzbuzzbuzz like a very buzzy beeeeee... urgh, the buzz on these things are terrible! argh! especially through a bb blaster, however with a decent amp it seemed to calm down (a little.) the sound quality isnt up to much but again, througha decent amp then there is no reasin it cant sounds mildly pleasing.

the action is preety high making it a bit of a pain to to play higher on the fretboard. the tuners are a bit ropey as are the tone and volume buttons. loose, not working etc...

i have managed to put this guitar trough a lot of punishment seeming as it regularyly falls over and gets knocks and scars. would i use it at a gig as a backup? i would even use it as a backup. hahah

n/a

this guitar, all be it a bit cheap and nasty is the ideal beginner guitar, available in many coulours and with infinate packs and such like it is a good choice. but then again for #200 quid more u can have hte real thing?!

Not much features. Just an average beginner guitar with a Encore badge at the top.
It's just like any other strat guitars. 22 frets, 3 pickups and 5 stages on the pickup selectors. 2 tone controls and one volume control (you don't really need them because they don't really do anything to the sound).

I think for a budget guitar, this one is pretty decent. It can sound like a proper electric guitar if you have a decent amp.
I tried what sound this guitar can make and I was pretty impressed. Punk, metal, indie etc...it can do quite heavy stuff. If you have a decent amp, then this thing can do alot of damage.

No particular flaws, but a few problems. My one is old, so age took it's toll. Fret buzz, rust etc...problems with the metal parts mostly. The tuning pegs are extremely fiddly and a small knock on the wall would make the strings loosen up...Very annoying when that happens. But the paint work is good and wood is very strong. Everything is nice and solid and I dropped it alot of times and the paint work is still fine, not a scratch on it. But the bridge area is abit dodgy. The string snaps alot near the bridge. Apart from that, everythin seems fine...

Well, all I'm worried about playing on the stage and stuff is about dropping my pick. I had no problems with it playing on stage apart from a few occasional fret buzz. I would use it in a gig because there is nothing horrible about it.

eh...I bought it second hand for 75 quid (UK pounds) and I had 1 month warranty. But I don't need it because it's fine. I wouldn't rate it.

Good, cheap, reliable, quite high quality. If any beginners need a cheap guitar, this is a good one. I would recommend it.

i bought this guitar about a year and a half ago. its just a basic fender strat copy thats really quite accurate at casual inspection. 5 way selector, 3 single coils, volume and 2 tone dials..the usual.
the body is so light which is why i like it. the wood is probably crap but it aint bothered me. probz the best thing about this is that the neck is probably the fastest and thinnest ive ever played.

i play all sorts of stuff and this guitar was quite good for all. the top and bottom selections on the switch are the only ones that have good sound, the rest is absolute crap. im using it with the 10watt amp it came with and it is shite, however i bought a zoom707II fx pedal and it sounds sweet now.

its a processed, million by the minute product of an automated system.
its quite sturdy but the bridge was badly aligned when i got it so i had to spend a good 10 mins fixing it. the volume dial fell off but it can easily be clicked back on
the strap buttons are excellent though, theyve never even came loose.

very undurable and will not withstand live playing as its too light and cheaply made.
if you look after it then it will last but if not, its gone in less than a year. the strap buttons are very solid but its not very dependable because of a tendency to go way out of tune if left for a while.

never had to contact

this was my first guitar and ive grown quite attached to it so i wont be selling it. i just got a tanglewood les paul copy and its much better so i advise u purchase the les paul over this any day.
if this was stolen, id probly be quite sad as it taught me how to play. if your a beginner its not a bad deal, the guitars ok and the price is even better.