Indie Guitar Company Dragon

Body: Mahogany
Top: Mahogany Abalone Binding
Neck: Hard Maple
Joint: Bolt On neck
Machine Head: Gold
Fretboard: Rosewood
Pickups: 2 Single 1 Hum
Controls: 1V + 1T, 5-way Lever s/w
Bridge: Floyd Rose Licensed
Frets/Scale 24 fret,648mm(25.5
Hardware: Gold, Abalone
Finish: Black Laquered With Abalone Oriental Dragon Inlays

I like to play traditional rock/bluesy type stuff and bought this guitar as I wanted the single coil strat sound but didn't want a fender. As soon as I seen this stunning guitar I had to have it. The stock pick ups sounded terrible but I tarted it up with a Seymour Duncan SSL1 in the neck, an Antiquity Texas Hot in the middle and a JB Trembucker in the bridge. This guitar now rocks and I can get just about any sound through it. I use it through either a Marshall VS 230 or a Hartke Piggyback. I mostly use it via my Digitech GNX4 and so can get about any tone I want. Plugged in to an amp without the GNX and it has the typical bright hot strat single coil sound from the neck & middle pick ups and also a nice thick syrupy humbucker sound from the bridge position. I liked the look of the guitar as soon as I saw it but as has previously been said the stock pick ups were not too good. I also had to get it re-routed to have the new pick ups fitted. Stock I'd give it say a 3/4, but with some SD's fitted it's a 10

The action wasn't as low as what I wanted when I got it but I got it properly set up when I got the new pick ups fitted. I wasn't overly impressed by the Floyd Licensed Trem but I didn't really use the trem so I blocked it off and have since lowered the action even more. Overall the finish on this guitar was fantastic, as the previous reviewer mentioned I was concerned about the inlay finish but it is second to none.

This guitar will easily withstand gigging and the hardware would last. The finish is fantastic, strap buttons are solid. I could easily depend upon it and could use it without a back up. But, would I want to risk something happening to such a beautiful looking guitar?

The only dealing I had with the company was over the phone to request a wiring diagram for it and they said they didn't have any as only 150 of these guitars were made before production stopped although the dude I spoke to explained the details over the phone so I guess I can't complain, though I still think they should have kept wiring diagrams etc for this product.

I have been playing for a couple of yers now. I also own a "Vintage V100CS" which is a cheap but good quality les paul "style" guitar (I also put SD pick ups in this guitar, Jazz neck & JB bridge). I really love the oriental abalone dragon inlays on this guitar it does look spectacular. As soon as I open the case to take it out it always makes me smile. It also has a really fast smooth neck which has an Ibanez feel to it. The fingerboard is nice and flat and wide too.

Superstrat styling, mahogany body with a bolt-on maple neck / rosewood fingerboard, 24 frets. Neck and body are inlaid with multiple abalone/pearl dragons. H-S-S pickups, 1 vol, 1 tone, 5 way switch, non-locking licensed floyd.

Sound was disappointing. For playing hard rock and metal, using Marshall and Laney amps, with various effects, the humbucker is thin sounding, and needs the tone rolling off almost completely to get a good tone. The single coils aren't bad, the neck is warm, but there isn't quite enough power, it's more bluesy sounding.
I plan to replace the pickups in mine.

Set up was great out of the box, the action, pickup height, floyd etc. were all set correctly. I would have preferred to get a spare spring for the trem, as putting on heavy gauge strings pulls the bridge too far up.

The inlays are amazing, and was my biggest worry, but I didn't need to!

My biggest gripe other than the pickups is the floyd; it doesn't lock, and the arm has no stiffness, it swings freely. A replacement arm fixed that problem, but i am loath to find a locking gold replacement trem, so consequently it doesn't get as much abuse as my other guitars.

The rating is based more on the quality of finish, as that astounded me.

Gold finished hardware has lasted a lot longer than other guitars I have, and i've had no problems with the finish on the body.

I'm sure this would be fine for live playing, but it's strictly a hosue guitar, as i don't want it damaged/stolen. As far as I know, only 150 of these were made.

Company are very responsive on both phone and email; I phoned and grilled them about the quality of the inlay before purchase, and they assured me it was perfect and didn't take offence to my enquiring about the standards of their korean factory. They were also helpful later on when i enquired about the history of the design, as i found an American company selling a very similar guitar.

I've been playing for about 15 years, i've got around 20 other guitars, and i must admit i bought this one on looks alone. If it had a double locking floyd, and better pickups, this would be a perfect guitar, but for the price it retails for, it's a bit of a disappointment, and it does feel like things have been comprised for the admittedly gorgeous finish.