SX GG1 Les Paul Copy

First thing I noticed are the terribly high frets, capable of breaking the player's fingers

Sound could be better if the user would change the pickups and the wood the guitar is made of.

SX GG1 Cus in Transparent Wine Red finish.

2008, made in China

Features could be really good, but the chinese parts really bring the score down.

22 fret mahogany set-neck, solid 3-piece mahogany body. The guitar is very very heavy.

Stock HH pickups.

Gold hardware. Plastic pre-made nut. Jumbo (real jumbo) frets.

Overall finish is amazing for a guitar in thsi price range.

Comes with a very nice case.

The solid mahogany body makes itself present when you plug in the guitar. Amazing sustain.

The stock pickups are crap. They have hot but flat output. Could be the gold covers fault, but they lack in clarity.

With a pickup change, this guitar should sound amazing, but right now it deserves just a 6: 4/5 points for the body (real good, 2/5 points for the stock pickups.

The body and neck are very well built, with quality wood. The frets are well placed and the guitar intonates perfectly...

HOWEVER!

The factory setup is terrible. Cheap plastic pre made nut HAS TO BE CHANGED FISRST THING and the frets could use a nice levelling. And, of course, basic out-of-the-box mandatory setup: needed action, string height and intonation and pickup adjustments.

Overall the guitar is really well finished, in a beautyful trasparent glossy wine red. On some spots you can see some very minor flaws, like tint leakage over the binding, but these are really small.

The body and neck are like a tank. But the hardware, pickups and electronics are not reliable. Tuning pegs wont hold tuning for long, and i can just sense that the pots and jack will start crackling very soon.

The pickups are kinda dead sounding and are not suitable for anything other than practice.


This still deserves an 8 because, with proper hardware and pickup change, this will make a great sounding and playing instrument! AND! It came with a really good Gibson like case (all guitars from the SX brand come in such a case, according to their website).

havent dealt with. the guitar is store-bought.

I gave this guitar low-medium scores on every other aspect, but i still think this is A GREAT BUY! They are really cheap and very well built, with the potential to become top instruments. excellent value for the money.

Didnt give this guitar a 10 because it needs A LOT of work right out of the box. I build guitars from scratch as a hobby, so i have the skills to make these minor fixes and setups myself. But this could cost quite a lot to have done in a shop (plus the price of parts).

Beautiful almost-goldtop finish. Similar to a Les Paul in design and features. SX brand tuners are solid, nice comfortable mahogany set neck, nice jumbo frets. Some of my research shows that it's a solid mahogany carved top body, and some shows that it has a maple carved top, so I'm not sure. Either way, it's very nice.

Believe me or not, this guitar sounds better than my Gibson USA Les Paul. Me and my friend (who's been a guitarist since the early 70's) did a side by side comparison, and the SX had better clarity and tone in each pick-up selection and with clean and distortion settings. I play through a Marshall AVT150 head and a Peavey Valve King 100 watt tube head and two 212 cabs loaded with Celestion Classic Lead 80's and Silver Series speakers.

This is one of the only negatives with SX guitars (I own 3 of them), but it's not a major negative. The factory set-up isn't very good, so you'll need to get that done. The action is nice and low, but there's some buzzing. Easy fix.

This guitar is built like a tank. Everything seems nice and solid (unlike my Jay Turser piece of crap).

Never needed it, but I hear that Rondo Music (where I bought the guitar) is awesome. They ship fast too.

I was schepital when I bought this guitar. I thought I would have to upgrade the tuners, pick-ups, etc. This guitar is good to go. Nothing needs to be done to it. The only other negative is that the lower body bout is a little wider than a Les Paul, so it doesn't fit in a Les Paul case. I can't seem to find any case that will fit this guitar...not even a universal case.

Flawless finish, Jumbo frets,

Sounded like a high end Paul, I bought this so I would have a low ball insrtument to mod to the hilt......NO WAY! this is a keeper as is.

I changed the dime store strings for my own variety and set the action to my liking.

Very heavy guitar, I opened it up to peek around. Ash top is 1/2" thick.

Rondo shipped the guitar pronto.

I've been playing 40 years pro and semi pro......Gibson, you better stand up and take note: YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED.

2005? Arch top body made from solid Mahogany with an Ash Top- China, Normal LP setup-

I have to begin by saying, if you are questioning whether to perchance an SX instrument- Don?t! Mine is FANTASIC- Beautiful Finish, Solid, Heavy! Well Made.

If China continues to manufacture Guitars of this quality, at this price, American Made guitars are in trouble- I cannot stress enough, how well made, and beautiful my SX LP is!

I purchased mine from Rondo Music?s Ebay listing, and I saved $20 from the price on their website. However- Rondo deserves EVERY cent they can make on these instruments. Why?

The Service from Rondo is very, very good- and the shipping was fast, Packaging was excellent.

Rondo has found an incredible product, and is able to sell it at such and unheard of price! As I write this, I cannot help but think that Rondo must have some very special deal to be able to get these INDREDIBLE guitars in, and sell them at really a sickly low price!

If you love playing guitar, and you have around $150- BUY AN SX SET NECK LP- NOW.. You will be sorry if you don?t!

Absolutely Perfect Gibson LP Tone! I don?t think ANYONE could tell the difference! And, if you wanted to take it one step further, replace the stock pickups (Which are very nice) with GFS pickups- GFS are one of the other secret sources on the web for very very very very good Guitar Hardware- GFS Pickups are a 1/3 the price of Seymour Duncan- But twice as good- http://store.guitarfetish.com/humbuckers.html
Anyways- By the guitar for $150, and if you want, replace the pickups, then you will have an absolute Pro instrument, ready for the stage, with YOUR choice of custom Pickups, Still for $200! UNHEARD OF!

Could NOT be better- Even $2000 Gibsons do not have a better finish!

I love it

Very good packing, and great communication- Rondo Music Rocks!

STOP READING- ORDER ONE BEFORE RONDO COMES TO THIER SENSES!

2004-2004 made? Made in China
Solid Mahogany body, heavy which I like. Has the standard LP controls and configuration.

It sounds great, if you can get past the buzzing. The first one I ordered buzzed so bad, I had three setups done on it, with no luck. So we sent it back to Rondo. Great service by the way. They took that one back after I told them the issue and sent me another one. Same problem, couldn't get the thing to stop buzzing on the frets.

If you want buzzing to stop, you have to raise the action to the clouds, replace the nut with a higher cut, and through your bridge into heaven. It came setup like it should, but simply too many problems.

Finish wise both guitars were flawless, beautiful finish, on both of them.

NOt sure on this one, it should last a while. On one of mine the finish started to wear off the tuners after only a month with one string change.

Everything else seems solid.

Well that is what they have gong for them. Their SX line you will need the support for, the Agile line should do you better. If your intent is to buy from Rondo, just go with their Agile line. These SX models are needing a lot of work out of the box, I have friends that ordered them with the same problem.

I will not order another one. I returned the first one, and when they sent me the second one with the exact same issues, I just took a loss and sold it. I have been playing about 16 years, my two main guitars are a Fender and a Hamer. I have had various guitars throughout the years.
If it were stolen or lost, I'd use the replacement money on a nice dinner.

(This is a copy of a review I've also submitted for the SX GG1 Standard. I'm placing it here as well because it IS a Les Paul copy, and some folks looking for info might not know the correct model number.)

-This is a solid mahogany guitar with a natural finish. There is a flawless cream colored binding on the top and along the neck. It has a set neck and was crafted in China. It has all of the standard Les Paul features: two humbuckers, a three-way switch, a tune-o-matic bridge, four knobs, etc. The frets are true Jumbos: big an strong. The tuners look like Schallers, though not identified as such, and hold their tune accurately. This is a stunningly attractive guitar: All chrome, cream binding, and naturally finished mahogany.

-This sounds JUST LIKE a good Gibson Les Paul. I currently have 12 electrics, including two '91 American strats, two teles, a jagstang, a third American strat, and numerous Yamaha and Ibanez. I played in bars and clubs through the 80's and half the 90's. I've had a Twin, but I currently use a Fender 185 stereo'd with a Peavey Transtube EFX.

I once had a Gibson Black Beauty Les Paul from 1970, got seduced by that Fender sound, and traded it for an Ultra Strat. Here's the bottom line: This SX Les Paul is one of the most beautifully sounding guitars I've ever heard. It sounds better ( richer, deeper, purer, clearer) than the Black Beauty I traded away. Honest.

I like to play Nirvana, Beatles, Concrete Blonde, Clapton/Cream, Neil Young, Led Zep, etc., and this sounds and plays like a dream. This truly sounds as good as a Gibson Les Paul... and better than MANY of the LP's that I've played.

-Everything was perfect but the action, which was set too high. The finish, the routing, the bridge placement, the intonation, the neck's straightness, the tuning pegs, the controls and switches were all perfect. The strings - which is one place where they obviously cut costs- were horrible. Cheap and already rusting. I replaced them with Boomer CL's and lowered the bridge (easily, by lowering the bridge's two outer screws a quarter turn each) and all was well. Except for the action, which was too high for me, the setup, electronics, and finish work were perfect.

-Everything seems like it was built to last forever. Strap buttons are rock solid, as is the set neck. It could easily be my main guitar if I didn't also want my strat sounds. But I'd do the "Pepsi challenge" against anyone's Gibson or Epiphone Les Paul anytime.
I fully expect this guitar to outlast me.

-I bought this new for $149 from an eBay store: Rondo music, found at
http://stores.ebay.com/Rondo-Music-On-Line_W0QQssPageNameZviQ3asibQ3astoreviewQQtZkm. It was double boxed and quickly shipped at a low, fair price.

-I've been playing live since 1974. Besides the guitars listed above I also have a custom made rosewood strat with a Chandler pre amp, and once used a Gibson SG Special as my main guitar.
My favorite feature is the beautiful dynamic tone. On a clear setting you can hear it all: a shimmering top, strong middles, and a specific solid bass response on the low E and A strings (great for walk-downs, picking, and articulate low notes. And on distortion it just sings.

My second favorite feature is just how beautiful and well made it is.

This thing is the best deal on a new guitar that I've ever seen.

Brand new 2005, cherry red with no bindings. It looks very elegant without the bindings, simplifies it. standard les paul type config. rosewood fb, solid mahagony body, etc etc,

it suits my style fine, which is none. too much gear to mention, NO NOISE anywhere. rich full bright sound. beautiful, actually!! it makes sounds like a guitar. I like every thing about it except one thing. (later)

Setup? everything had to be set up to meet my very damanding requirements. but it was no problem, every guitar I buy has to be set up. Every thing on this guitar is better than the 150 slopos I paid for it. everything! It is truly a bargain.

10 for everything here.

Rondo music will satisfy you. I sent back a bass that had a broken truss rod. It wouldn't have mattered if it did or didn't, they would have taken it back, and paid for the shipping. which they did. If I said "I don't like it" they would have taken it back. Great

Been playing longer than most of you have been on earth. (OK here is the only thing I don't like about this guitar.) If you are playing with one pick up (either one) the volume of the other pickup has to be on also or it will make no sound. That is not like the other les paul style guitars I own. It is not really a problem it just takes a little getting use to. Don't know why they made it this way, seems strange to me, but they did. I also have a sx GG1 junior, or what ever they call it, and it is the same way. In other words, both vol controls have to be on for any single pick up to work. anyway, a minor deal, at best. So considering price for what you get it is the best I have seen so far.

This guitar is by far the best Les Paul copy on the market. I purchased the mohagany natural finish and I am totally impressed. If better tuners were used in this guitar I would rate it as a 10, however, after the strings stretch, the guitar is staying in tune. This guitar is made in China and mine is flawless. The set neck with 22 frets is very quick and comfortable.

I have played this guitar thru 2 of my amps (one a heath twin solid state and a gorilla practice amp, which both have 12 inch speakers, and the sound is incredible with stock humbuckers. I have experimented with distortion ranging from mild to grunge and even added a 60's style wah-wah pedal, the guitar plays as good as it looks. I will not be changing pups. I am amazed all the sound and quality for only $149.95

The set up on this guitar out of the box (double boxed) was perfect for my taste. The only thing I had to do was tune it, and I had to do it several times until the strings stretched out. Since then, no further adjustments and the guitar is now staying in tune. So either plan on replacing the tuners or spending a couple of hours breaking in the strings. The machined frets are properly spaced and with no fret buzz anywhere on the guitar.

I would feel just as comfortable playing this guitar on a gig as I would a more expensive original Les Paul. But playing live anything can and will happen, take a back up. The finish on this guitar is beautiful and properly wiped down will remain that way. the strap buttons are large enough not to have to worry about the strap coming loose. This guitar is solid with no rattles, noise, or buzzes.

I purchased the guitar from Rondo Music very late Thursday night, using the buy it now feature. I emailed Kurt for the ups tracking numbers, he promptly emailed me back and the guitar arrived as expected. Rhondo has a money back guarentee if not satified, however, he will not be getting this one back.

I confess I am a guitar addict. You can not walk into my house without tripping over guitars or amps. I read the reviews at Harmony Central before making my purchase and like all the others I got an incredible guitar. Knowing me and my addiction, I will probably go back and buy the gold top. This guitar has exceeded all expectations in looks, feel, and sound. If the guitar was stolen or lost I would replace it.

2004 or 2005, made in China. 22 real jumbo frets, not "vintage jumbo" that really means Medium. These are like dunlop 6100's that are on Ibanez or other jumbo fret guitars. Solid mahogany top, back & neck. NOT plywood, the real deal. Standard chrome cover Les Paul style pickups and controls. It has a clear finish over the whole thing with beautiful cream, NOT WHITE, vintage looking binding. The set (NOT BOLT ON) neck is bound with killer trapezoidal inlays that have abalone middles. Heavy Tuno-O-Matic bridge. 24.75" scale, chrome no name tuners. 50's style Les Paul neck, not super thin, but not the baseball bat either, just right. The best features I have ever seen in a guitar for less that 500-1000.00

I play through a 1967 Fender Blackface Bassman, 2x12 cab with a full compliment of pre-amps (ADA-MP1, Mesa V-Twin, Peavey ProFex II ) as well as a line 6 Spyder 112. I play everything from SRV style blues. to Jazz to pretty hardcore neoclassical shredding. The guitar at first was a little muddy, but a little action adjustment and it cleared right up. It has the typical boomy type PAF sound. Very versatile with just a roll of the volume knob. These are not the best pups in the world, but for a 150.00 guitar they are amazingly good quality. I changed them, it was not a necessity, and I almost didn't do it. I just wanted a little tighter tone. The stock pups will do everything I need and look good to. They sound every bit as good as any PAF out there. It is really hard to find fault with a guitar that is this nice for such a cheap price. I have paid WAY more for guitars that were not nearly this nice.

The guitar played well out of the box. The neck was perfectly straight, the action a little high. Intonation, pickup height, etc were dead on right. The finish was perfect as was the bridge installation and routing. When I was changing the pickups I was amazed at the tolerances of the routing. The covers had to be popped out with a razor blade, they were tight as a glove. It looked like any American Les Paul inside. the routing, wood color and quality, everything was top notch, really unreal. The only flaw was there looked like 2 Sharpie marks on the fret-board 2nd and 4th fret. The fret-board and the frets were a little dirty from mill work. So when I did my set up, I cleaned the fret-board with some naptha, polished the frets with some 1500 grit, then emery cloth, then 0000 steel wool over the whole fret-board. I oiled it with some fret-board oil, lowered the bridge a little and WOW. It played as well as ANY Les Paul ever. Bar none, US Gibson, Epiphone or any other copy regardless of price.

I have only owned it a couple of weeks, so I am not sure of everything. But I do know that it weighs 11.5 pounds and is built like a tank. I would gig with it with no back up and will. Everything seems solid and well put together, a top notch job.

First time, shipped fast, well packed. I am unsure of the warranty. Hopefully it won't matter.

I am a 20 year pro and have owned literally 100's of guitars. I have several in the collection now, PRS, Godin, Ibanez and a hand built custom made Frankinstein <www.frankinsteinguitarworks.com>. I bought this guitar because I needed a Les Paul to fill a gap in my collection, but I did not want to spend a bunch of cash. I read the reviews from other Essex models and was pretty impressed. The pictures on E-bay were perfect and they did not show how beautiful this guitar is. It has a little larger body than a standard Les Paul, but I like it. The wood used and everything else is top quality. I can't see Gibson selling a guitar this nice for less than 2000.00 or an Epiphone for less than 600.00. If it was stolen I would replace it for sure. With the exception of the Frankinstein, it is as nice as the rest of my collection. A friend of mine has owned numerous Les Paul's, including a '53 over the years and he loves this guitar so much, he is buying one too. I shopped around to all the shops looking for an LP, I looked at Gibson, Epiphone the copies, etc. and nothing really caught my fancy enough to spend any money. When I saw this I figured for 150.00+ shipping, how can i go wrong. I am sooooo glad I did. It saved me 400.00 over the only Epiphone I even considered and this is nicer. If you are looking for a LP, don't let the price scare you away. I do not know how they are making this high of quality instrument for this price. This is NOT a beginner only or just a gig guitar. It has everything the high price models have and more. Solid wood, good pickups and hardware, set neck, trap inlays, for 150.00 !?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Buy One