Product: Keiper Guitars 111GRS
Price Paid: 97 (Uk pounds (inc delivery))
Submitted
10/31/2005
at
02:26pm
by
Paul Burford
Features
:
8
2005 Les Paul Standard Greenburst. German company but the guitar is made in China.
Mahogany body.
2 x volume, 2 x tone, 3 way selector.
2 x humbucker configuration (non-coil tapped)- passive pickups
Plain finish (no flames etc)
Gibson / Kluson style tulip tuners
Standard les Paul scale (can't remember the exact scale but it's the same as my les Paul studio)
Lead included (but it's awful... bin it)
All in all, a typical les paul copy.
Sound
:
8
Suits blues / rock music perfectly.
Currently running through a Boss GT6 and a marshall JCM200 TSL half-stack
Good fat sound, consistent with a couple of overdriven humbuckers. A bit more raucous than the standard Gibson buckers. No louder, just slightly coarser. But they are wax potted and they sound a lot better than the stock pups found in Epiphones / Vintages etc etc.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
7
Action - pretty good (apart from the strings... yes they are THAT bad). Bottom E and A strings needed slight intonation adjustment. Not sure, but it seems to come fitted with 9's and 10's suit this guitar much better. Otherwise it twangs a bit.
Pickups at the perfect height when new. No adjustment needed.
The nut is cheap plastic and could do with upgrading, but a bit of graphite under the strings removes any major tuning problems, assuming you're not going to spend your life bending BEHIND the nut.
Selector switch slightly loose upon purchase, but a spanner soon sorted that. No problems there.
Body finish is flawless - a damn fine specimen for a budget guitar. Big bonus points there. The headstock is not so good, but you only notice the slight flaws when you're up real close.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
Seems well built. I intend to run it alongside my LP studio this weekend... well, the thing might as well be gigged!
Strap buttons are typical for a stock guitar... replace them with straplocks.
The finish is apparently quite thin, but a guitar should look played anyway!
Customer Support
:
4
BEWARE IF YOU LIVE IN THE UK...
The original guitar arrived damaged. Musicseller24 (the vendor) will NOT re-imburse you for sending the guitar back to Germany. The idea is that you should not have signed for it in the first place! The problem is that the UK courier (parcelforce) will not allow you to inspect the guitar until you have signed for it. Catch 22. I bartered with parcelforce and eventually got it returned free. But be warned!!! The replacement arrived 3 weeks later. This company are NOT fast. However, they do answer your emails if you plead with them.
Overall Rating
:
8
It's not a Les Paul. Not a true one. But what do you expect for under a hundred quid? It's a darn sight better than any other budget Les Paul I've come across. The finish and inlays are good and the sound is pretty decent too. You have a choice... buy a VERY basic Gibbo for #600 or buy 6 of these. These seem the better value for money... and for #30 you can get a Gibson decal and proper bell truss rod cover and nobody would know the difference. Do yourself a favour and get one... if you're happy to risk the post.
Product: Keiper Guitars 111GRS
Price Paid: US $154,84
Submitted
10/22/2005
at
05:46am
by
RobertTS
Features
:
9
I' ve bought this "Les Paul Standart Copy" in Germany for roundabout 131 (?) Euro inclusive package und handling.
The guitar is new and where made in Germany, but i can't certify that!
The guitar comes with 24 Jumbo-Frets like a '58 Gibson and has solid mahagoany body with natural maple top in greenburst and the neck is made of solid alder with rosewood fingerboard.
The headstock looks also quite good, but be careful with the finish, its really thin!
The bindings and the inlays are unbelieveable good (may Gibson will read this!)
Also the Les Paul has 2 amber Volume and 2 amber Tone controls like Gibson, too.
Typical for the Les Paul Model; Two Humbuckers with chrom cover (you would't belive it, but they are waxed, like Gibson!!!)
Also typical are the tuners; aged Kluson style tuners.
All in all really Gibson like!
Sound
:
8
I play nearly all suits of music, but i really like Grunge, Indie and Rock, like Nirvana or Foo Fighters, on a Fender Sidekick 60 and it sounds really really good!
But PLEASE change the strings!!!! There are horrible and sounds like bullshit!
I' ve bought brandnew Elixir Custom Light Strings and now the Paula cries! NO FRET-BUZZ NO NOISES!
Otherwise you can use the factory setup it's quiet good!
I can't see a reason to change the pick-up's, they sounds undescribable good, really!
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
The Action was very well, so i had no reason to change anything (up to the strings).
Also the Trussrod was set in the right position!
The only thing that was really bad - you know: the strings...
All in all, the guitar was set up right and the finish was absolutely great, but remember be careful with the laquer!!!
Reliability/Durability
:
8
Oh yeah, i think the guitar will do her job!
Don't know how long she'll do that, but i my expressions, she is good enough to get the next gig!
But its safer to take a backup guitar?! Nothing is impossible!
Customer Support
:
5
Customer support?
Really friendly and competent, so you can deal with them - nevertheless you have 2 years warranty of all (the strings are not included ;))
BUT I REALLY HATE WAIT - I HAVE WAITED FOR THE GUTAR MORE THAN 5 WEEKS AND I LIFE IN GERMANY!!!
Overall Rating
:
10
I've been played for more than 5 years and i have seen and used guitars from Epiphone up to Squier(that is absolutely bullshit - i'll never buy a squier again)!
I've been really happy about this new "Les Paul" and if there get lost lost or damaged, i'll buy another one of these Keiper Les Paul's!
All in all it is really Gibson like and looks and sounds great (remember for only 154 $)!
I'll change only the pickguard or so, but its perfect for me!
