Indie Guitar Company Designer L Series Limited Edition

Built for Christmas 2008 in Korea
Limited Edition16 pc.
Les Paul Style
22 frets medium
Mahogany Body, Solid Maple Top (Tiger Maple Cap?? Veneer?)
Mahogany set Neck with heelless cutaway, Ebony fretboard, Matching Tiger Maple (veneer) Headstock with Grover Standard Tuners, Graphite nut
Tune-o-matic bridge, all chrome hardware
2 Indie V8 Humbuckers with coil split toggle and Indie passive/active circuit
2 volume and 2 tone controls 3-way toggle switch
Satin Transparent Blue Burst Finish on the front, with natural maple binding. Satin Dark Blue Transparent finish on the back, Transparent Satin lacquered neck, Tree of Life Abalone inlays
Indie-Hardcase included, nothing else, not even an allen wrench for the truss rod....

I do not like the stock pickups, they are high output and lack life, really cold sound, I get tired of the it pretty quick... but I'd say that is a matter of taste
But for me, they will go out...
The active circuit was broken when the guitar arrived, because I can't imagine that the guitar should sound like playing from under a layer of carpets when you switch it on, so no opinion on that...
I play mainly Blues/Rock and I guess these pickups better suit some heavier tones.
I play it through a Rats Electronic modified Blackheart Little Giant Head into a Blackheart Little Giant 1x12 combo cab as I'm waiting to have the money to buy a decent cab.
I can add the usual effects in front of it but mostly just use my Fulltone OCD to get the dirt I need....
One would think there is a lot of variety options but since the active circuit is unusable and the coil split sounds even worth to my ears there is not so much left, the usual two humbuckers two volume two tone sounds.. the volume and tone controls work fine so far.
The sustain is great and that is also a reason I will put some decent pickups in and get rid of the active circuit and get both pickups split separately instead, because I think the guitar has good woods and is worth a try. I will also replace the pots and stuff... a million cables in there, but looks properly done.
First deception here! The sound did not please me at all out of the box.
With an advertisement stating they would say it is better than the original if they were allowed, they have quite a way to go...

When I took the guitar out of the box, it was unplayable!
as soon as you touched the strings this guitar buzzed. Way too low action...
I'll blame this on the transport, since it was around Christmas and the guitar was shipped from UK to Switzerland while it was freaking cold and dry outside and that it probably went in and out of storehouses on its way, warm/cold dry/humid, not the best thing for wood... I guess the neck got a little move of its own on its way.
The guy who sold it to me told me it was set up and inspected as usual before they got it on the way and well, he sounded honest to me.
The finish was the next great disappointment on that guitar.
The neck is finished with little care and shows some really ugly processing traces on the fretboard sides, it's quite uneven and shows pretty deep scratches and sanding marks. ????
The Blue Lacquer bleeds into the woodbinding on several places, here again, very careless work when you call it a Limited edition on the highest level... ????
The Tree of Life inlay is done properly, with quite some filler on some places, but well processed...
On the back, I first thought the electronics-cavity-cap was warped, again from the transport, but on further inspection it just showed it was routed very badly, so when you put the screws down it just pushes up on some places, does it go any cheaper?? ????
I wonder if his guitar ever made it through a quality control, no kidding!
Given the attitude they state they have, I can only give the lowest rating for that...

I have it for a few month now and nothing fell off or started to move or wear off...
I play my guitars on a daily base, but I do not gig, just home and friends...
The guitar looks like it is well assembled and should stay the wear of time well... I also looks like it could take some abuse easily...
But I think a few month of regular domestic use are not the best way to measure that.
I replaced the strap buttons with Shaller locks, as I have them on all my guitars, no problems here.

It was a bit of a story to get that guitar, since I came to late and the Indie shop had sold it out. I felt for the blue finish and just acted a bit brainless as I decided I would really, really need that guitar... I read good reviews about Indie guitars and the former Custom Shop Limited editions had a lot of pics out in the sunshine and looked good... well... Now I know why this guitar did NOT have a lot of pictures out in the sunshine...
Tim from Indie Guitars told me to try their Custom Shop Dealer List, what I did and I finally came across one that was ready to send it to Switzerland for the same price I would have payed over the Indie Internet shop. The guy was really nice and helpful.
When the guitar was in, I noticed that the Limited Edition Certificate was not with it and also the flaws I mentioned... I wrote a rather harsh mail to the guy... with Tim from Indie Guitars on the cc.
The guy answered, and told me he would contact Tim about the missing certificate, since they did not have it either... and he also told me that the active circuit had been tested before the shipping and worked and also that the guitar was set up and and and... well... I never had ANY feedback from Tim and they did send the Certificate only after a second mail I wrote them... now THAT is what I call an attitude!

I play for 30 years now and I own 6 guitars now, from a cheapo Epiphone Studio (that is better finished btw) to a REK custom build guitar and I can only say that the Indie Guitar was my most disappointing buy so far!
I guess it's my own fault... I should have learned by now to play a guitar first, before buying it... then that would never have happened... but it was not possible and I felt for the looks and the reviews were not bad overall for Indie, so I gave it a try... silly me!!
Well, now it is a work in progress and it is so, because I think the guitar has some potential....
It was really disappointing out of the box when you read that add...

"If we were allowed to say Better Than The Real Thing, then we would say it!."

I thought they were talking about the good Gibsons, not the bad ones... and they are VERY far from that! With that guitar at least!
I can and will NOT recommend Indie guitars after this, but I'm sure that you can find good guitars from them, just get your hands on it BEFORE you buy it, to make sure...