First Act ME-201 Les Paul

bridge has the 6 independant string slider (ring) adjustments on a 2-post boss main bridge height adjuster by slotted thumbscrews which i consider a high quality item for a guitar in its class. Saddle is also LP type and two piece high quality allowing you to back off the strings and remove the whole set at the saddle for maitainence without restringing . Same features cloned as LP , however no ivory bordering inlay around body and "dot" type 3,5,7,9,12 etc fretmarkers.24 fret total. Side markers are present. Appeard solid-top, but such fine work its hard to tell. Checked electronics soldering is acceptable, no overburn or splash. No shorts .
I checked this over as I am certified in electronic repair and also certified in MIL-Spec 454 and know shoddy work when i see it and nothing needed redone.

CRATE HEAD and CRATE CABINET

When I fired it up at home, I was origionally going to tear it down, use the body and neck , and build it up. However once I tuned it sounded BEAUTIFUL ! north and south humbucker-type pickups left nothing more to be desired. Roars like a freight train, or quacks like a duck, bluesey or rockabilly are all here. The twin Vol and twin Tone work so well that i didnt bother replacing the pots even though I expected to and had a few on hand. Strings definately replaced like the next day (First Act makes strings?) replaced with Erin Ball Slinkies 3-hi 3-thick 9-44s.)

Les Paul Clone, The Tremolo / Rythem switch is where it should be, which is nice some clones deliberately move the location for proprietary reasons,(EG: Gibson Explorer clones) This Seems to clone the Epiphone Les , not the Gibson Les (lower body "ear/fork/horn" whatever angle ) really sharp looker. Beautiful std Les heavy ~13 lb. body, the material resembles maple, but since it is either China or Korean made, theres another wood they use that has the same characteristics, I saw it mentioned before, but i forget the name. Nice natural striping all through the body, which has a nice subtle green . Not shocking green, a green tint over it with a hint of grey i guess, you really need a picture to imagine it, but ive seen the same color on an Epi LP before. Black bottom and neck, with the base black fading and bordering the face nicely. In fact being a "wal-mart" guitar, the manufacturer is actually First Act. Beware they do make some really bad stuff in the acoustic area. Stay away from them. They also had a Afinity series Squire Strat clone that was horrible, but this LP clone was straight, low defect, and I was so impressed I came back two days later and bought the demo at a markdown. The fingerboard is rosewood with 24 jumbos, and the frets are level with no snags or sharp edges. However I doubt the frets are true brass , but perform beautifully. String height at the nut is correct, and the sealed tuning machines work smoothly without chop or slip. I doubt the nut is ivory, probably plastic composite of some sort, performs also fine, and that can be replaced anytime. Noticed the pickguard at the suspended , adjustable, area was missing a nut, which was later found in the gig bag, explaining how the scratch on the backside got there, but the scratch buffed out, and i removed the pickguard to broadcast the beautiful finish. I know a lot of people who do that to the LPs' - kinda like removing your chainguard off your first bicycle, a right of passage lol. The gig bag by the way is polyester, but thick quilted, and Ive used it to transport my Squire already because the bag is higher quality.
I wanted an AGILE, but this should be slightly a step down, but i feel its equivalent, except it has a two piece (4-bolt) neck mount instead of the direct-set i believe the Agile has, but im more familiar with the 4-bolt anyway.

Man i already dropped it on the side-mounted speaker jack, it absorbed the shock and didnt even burr, or need a re-tune. Manufacturer saved money on *************
>on using one cream color plastic for: pickguard (removed)
>2 access covers (pots and tremolo switch)(replaced with black)
>2 pickup mounts (replaced with black)
>and i feel the chrome is a plating, so i waxed the death out of
them to resist skin oils and sweat breakdown)
>two piece neck
GOOD DEAL POINTS:
> cheap parts are minimal and do not sacrifice sound or playabilty
and can be replaced or upgraded. And do the job
> The finish has no manufacturer flaws and is strikingly beautiful
> Looks and feels like the real deal
> jimmy page stuff sounds better on it ! really !
> no truss rod adjustment required
> changed strings and lowered bridge slightly
> great action
> humbucker clone pickups work so well if I upgrade these, Ill use the ones this came with on a different guitar

I repair / restore my own electric guitars.
1- I have a Gibson Explorer Axe that i got as a shell (restored)
2- A KAY(corte) from 1973 with 4 single pickups,one of my favorites
3- 2001 Fender Strat Squire
4- elec. guitar cut from a table from a burnt down 'haunted house'
( 2 pickup, maple, stained w/ pecan, polyuretane coated)
5- First Act Les Paul clone
MY RATING= I have some experience

Anything else you'd like to share============
Yes the reviews for the First Act acoustic guitars are terrible so watch out. I am talking about the Les Paul clone, ME201 (on headstock)and it was the only one I saw there, the others were Strat clones that were bad even by looking through the box. I can only imagine whoever the engineers were who designed THIS model knew what they were doing. This is the only model I trust from First Act . It may possibly come in a "package" with a baby amp.