Gaskell Classic II

white lefthanded explorer model, with white headstock, 22 frets, set neck and chrome knobs wich I changed into black with numbers on because thats what I prefer, there noyhing wrong with the chrome knobs.The guitar came with a beautifull hardcase with the brandname on it.

When the guitar arrived she looked very good but there was something wrong with the sound, when I play with distortion she produced an awfull screaming sound, at first I didn't know what was wrong and I contacted Gaskell guitars. They knew immediately what was wrong with the sound, and told me it was something with the pickups (that happened during the transportation, but that can happen with any brand), they call it microphonic pickups.
They solved the problem by sending me new pickups immediately,I even had the choice between the same (covered)humbuckers or the new Tonerider generator(open) pickups,I choose the tonerider pickups and now she sounds even better than my first Gaskell classic, so now I am 100% satisfied about the sound. It is very warm and clean.

The action was good but I prefer it higher so my husband changed it for me.
The neck curvature is perfect, also the intonation is perfect.
As you can read above I've changed the pickups into toneriders and now they are also perfect.

To me the guitar will withstand live playing, so that's also the reason why I bought a second one, as a backup.
The hardware are in beautifull chrome, and the guitar stays in tune very well,
So I'm very sure that I can depend on it.

I've dealt with the company in Australia and also in USA. My second Gaskell came from the USA.
As you can read above I had some troubles with the pickups, but that was for the Gaskell company no problem, within 1 week I received my new pickups( I live in Belgium -Europe ) and they even wanted to reimburse for the cost but my husband replaced them so there was no cost,and the new pickups were under warranty.
So to me they are VERY helpfull and honest. They really care about us, lefthanded players.
Thanks again Kevin and Virginia and the USA shop, for being so honest and helpfull.

Me and my husband play for over 25 years now, and we own 1 Gibson explorer, 2 Gaskell explorers and 2 Hamer explorers, all lefthanded ,if you want to see them check the pictures on the explorer guitars site.
We also have 2 gibson flying V's, 1 Ibanez flying V, 2 Epiphone les pauls, 3 Fender american strats, 2 Fender mexican strats and one Fender japanese strat, 2 Yamaha APX-5LA acoustic guitars, and 1 Yamaha FG-420LA acoustic guitar.
Our amps are 2 Marshall 2000 DSL amps, 1Marshall JCM 900 high gain master volume MK3, 1 Marshall Master Model 50 watt MK2 lead, 1 Marshall acoustic AS 50 R Soloist, 2 Marshall micro stacks, 2 Peavy back stage plus combo's, 1 Marshall MH series 15 CD combo
The cabs are 4 1960 lead cabs ( 2 full stacks), 2Marshall 2x12 JCM 800 lead series cabs.

2 Boss GT6, and lot's of Boss pedals, 1 Dunlop cry baby wahwah.
If I would loose my Gaskells I would defenately buy them again.
We compared the Gaskells with our other guitars on all our gear and they came out VERY GOOD. Very close to Gibson.
If you would considder buying an explorer model do not hesitate of buying a Gaskell.
I hope in the future they will make also Flying V's in the Gibson style, because you can not buy them lefthanded anymore and I that's also one of our favorite guitars. And I wouldn't hesitate buying it.

Left handed Explorer. Cherry Sunburst. Set neck. 22 Frets, 1 vol and 2 tones - different from Hamer which this one is more similar to than the Gibson. Humbuckers, Made in KOREA. Basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard. Tune O Matic Bridge. Has chrome knobs - also different from Hamer and Gibson. Came in a hard case.

Sounds excellent. Very "humbucker" Running it through a Marshall 80 Watt. Not noisy at all. Pickups do NOT sound "cheap." Pickups are covered.

It was set up before it was sent. I got it direct from Gaskell Guitars in Australia. Set up was fine. Harmonics perfect. Action nice. Not too low. Came with 010's. I don't think this guitar would suit 009's.

Don't know yet. Just got it. Looks and feels like it would. It is not a fully CNC'd instrument. You can see there's been human contribution in making this guitar.
I would never gig without a backup. I'd like to make this my main axe. It looks really cool - nothing like it in left handed these days.

Customer support is excellent. They are very straight forward. Like most Australians. Helpful, knowledgeable and impressionably honest. They have some shops that sell their gear and they prefer if you go through the shops which I suppose is nice that they don't try to bone their outlets by selling direct, when you think about it.

For the price the guitar is excellent value. It is not a $5000 Gibson or a PRS. It is made in China - not that that is bad these days. Happy to pay this price and have a pro level instrument that I can beat up on stage and come back for more.