Vintage AV1H BB

Les Paul Copy. Slightly different to the traditional LP shape and style due to the inner cut groove for your finger. Makes upper fret access a lot easier, and more playable than a traditional LP. The only other real difference on this LP style guitar is the electronics.

One main volume and tone control accompanied by a coil tap. Forget the idea about the roll control being able to roll off any shade of tone though, judging by the pots supplied there are only really two useable tones that I can get out of this - single coil and full on humbucker. Either way the inclusion of a tap and being able to dial in single coil tones makes this guitar far more versatile than your average Les Paul and means you can get away with just one guitar for a lot more stuff.

All of the hardware is made by Wilkinson which is one of the attractions for buying this guitar at the price paid - 220UK from GAK in Brighton through their mail order department. It's a crazy spec for the price considering there are quality machineheads, pickups and bridge on here.

The top looks nice in Natural flame and different to most other LP finishes. Reason for buying this was seeing Marion Raven's guitarist from a show in Germany playing a guitar in this finish (natural flame) and seeing numerous lovely guitars like this in Hong Kong in the same colour and wanting to get one back in the UK. Ultimately the Vintage appealed due to the spec / features / tap and the finish for a silly price tag - having Wilkinson parts meant it was probably not going to be necessary to change pups or anything as Wilko stuff is usually very good.

10 for features as every LP should have a coil tap I think now.

The sound on this guitar is full and bright. Mahogany body and a maple cap give the sort of Les Paul sound you would expect from this sort of guitar, only that with the guitar wound up on ten on volume and tone it sounds a lot more brighter than your normal Les Paul. This can be solved by EQ or by changing the tone or volume.

The tone control on this guitar is non existant - at least on the model that I received from GAK. There were practically only two settings, the pots had no sweep or curve or range which sucked. Changing the pots rectified this. On inspection the pots were really dirty for a new guitar which was strange considering it was meant to be new?

The coil tap is pretty much judging by the model I received just best to be thought of in terms of humbucker or single coil. I was expecting the `roll control` to work much in the same way as the Washburn IDOL series dual roll controls work but they didn't perform as well which was a shame. Still... getting single coil tones out of this guitar opens up more sounds than most LP's can offer.

The PUPS are PAF in sound but brighter but this can be changed. Generally though they are as good as anything you will get on a Gibson. They deliver crystal clear tone, just the way you expect it. Awesome pickups.

The factory finish was frankly very poor. The fret work on the guitar sucked big time. The frets needed a full re-dressing and originally there was a lot of fret buzz along numerous parts of the neck. Two of the actually tuners were not glued on properly to the guitar and one was broken.

Other than that there were some minor blobs here or there - or black marks near the pup covers on the finish of the guitar but they are not that noticeable from a distance. Other than that the tone control did not function well at all and the pots for a guitar that is covered in Wilkinson parts seem strange. They were not very good and didn't have much range at all. I had these replaced for standard Japanese pots which have a far better range. Strange for a guitar in JHS's "advance" range but... anyhoos....

Once properly set up this thing plays as well and sounds as good as pretty much any Les Paul from the USA I have played that would sell for about 800UK. A low end US Gibson. The pickups on this guitar are a real highlight. Considering the guitar itself only cost 219UK from mail order and has a tap it's a crazy deal.

I would imagine many of the guitars from the JHS range are better set up than this one was and this was just bad luck. Don't let it put you off the guitars they are better than most of the other instruments in and above their respective price range for quality and features. Any guitar will need to be set up anyway unless the shop you buy from does. It's obvious GAK don't!

Reliability and durability should be as good as any instrument out there. Provided the guitar is set up well and you look after your instruments of course it will. Pretty rock solid instrument now it's set up and for 219UK represents crazy value. If you want a very good, gigging guitar with professional sound and hardware for a stupidly repressed price and you don't mind playing a non fashionable brand pick one of these up.

All they need is a change of pots (cheap) and a proper set up and you are laughing. No need to change anything else on these guitars, as the hardware is Wilkinson and will do as good a job literally as anything else out there on the market - it's high quality.

Didn't bother getting in touch with JHS as really all that was needed here as a full guitar set up. Which can either be done by yourself or at a guitar shop. Considering the price I paid 219UK when these RRP for over 400UK I was laughing. I have no idea what JHS are like but they are large company and seem pretty cool people from talking over on their forums.

I am sure if something was wrong as with anything it's the responsibility of the shop to sort it. Not really enough to complain about here but the factory in Vietnam or China or wherever this was made could at least have checked the tuner nobs were glued on properly. That's just lame... otherwise... ok.

Three LP's to check out on the market.

This.

Washburn Pro IDOL - Seymour Duncan USA pickups, same guitar design, coil taps, nice hardware, buzz feitzen tuning system and a load of other things. Roughly in the same price bracket. To be honest I should of thought of that but preferred this for the paint job.

Or

Hagstrom Ultra Swede - same features, great hardware, and a tap as well but in a variety of nice finishes that JHS and Vintage don't do. The Hag has an ultra cool slim line neck. Both of these instruments appear to be WAY better set up at the factory too.

My gut feeling is that JHS modelled the AV1 in some ways off of the IDOL, the shape of the horn, the cut away and roll control just seem to have come from somewhere else...

Dare I say it the Washburn is probably marginally a better guitar.

Otherwise...

Play this.

Feels like a Les Paul - from weight distribution to the neck and it's an amazing little find. I only really liked this in black and natural but for 219UK it's a crazy price. Bargain of the century

What i like about this guitar is its complete uniqueness. ok its a les paul copy but it has its own shine to it. Its like a mix of a les Paul and a PRS. Unlike the other AV1H's its far lighter (if i say its lighter than my own squier strat it says alot) and it doesnt own that maple veneer. Its mahogany and thats what give you that rich les paul humbucked sound.

Its got access cuts at top of the body to allow you to reach the notes at the bottom of the neck. A les paul neck thru and thru.

Tuners are les paul style and as its called a gloss black, i guess you figure out the look.

Two humbuckers which are coil tapped and also reverse treble humbucker to give you the soloy feel.

the best is the roll control which allows you to switch between single coil and humbucker. WILKINSON humbuckers and hardware (excellent no jokes).

Tune matic bridge, 22 frets and medium jumbo frets. What more do you need?

As I make it out to be, it is a brilliant guitar. The single coil soundis very sweet and sound very telecaster like but still has that humbuckking feel.
the humbuckers of course are brillant and giev a very rocky feel.
What i havent got used to is its slightly bright sound. Its unique, les paul with a brighter sound. If you expect a les Paul sound this is exactly it apart form its brighter sound but if u change tone to 7 it wil get you that les paul tone.

The rhythm is very very bluesy and the treble is just right for rock &solos. Wilkinson brilliance.

It can suit other types of music such as hardcore and metalcore and metal as i play there but indie is not a speciality of it as humbuckers are nt suitableto indie sounds.

Mainly its uited to blues and rock or early metal forms

Its not perfect but definately the bets guitar your ever gona get unless its a gibson or PRS. Epiphones are squished like flys to this thing.

You got to be lucky. You usaly can get a really good vintage model frm the factory but seldom do you get a rubbish model &thats when you need to exchangefor the good one.

I had to fix the bridge as it was abit out of place and the ebst bit is its pressure held so you dont have to unscrew bits the pieces will come off when you remove the strings but no worries its solid.

the action is fine. maybe needs to be adjusted.
HUmbuckers are fine but maybe bad so they need to be changed.

It been made in or assembled in (cant rememebr which) China so expect flaws but dont be wary, usually you get good models theres only a 1 in a 10000 chance of a rubbish one.

what i dont like is the fact you may get the guitar from the factory very dirty so you may find the need to clean the fretboard with lemon juice preferably.

this guitar will withstand live performances, ive giged it , simply a beaut.

Everything is wilkinson which spells out quality
hardware to humbuckers unlike the guitar these are made in Korea i believe.

excellent finish. the buttons are fine but the treble and rhythm control is loose so when you get it make sure its tight.

Make sure all parts in fact are tight and change strings as any guitar frm factory is equiped with low end strings.

i havent yet, its still quite new and trust me i doubt you need to its good stuff anyways. otherwise you got a warranty available. 1 year atleast.

For value every penny is worth it. You dont get a guitar this good for the price usualy get some shabby wood and crappy humbuckers not the real deal. they use exact les paul specifcations its brilliant.

ive been playing for 2-3 years and i have tried various gears frm authentic 1960s strats and les pauls ,old valve amps, top of the range gears and 3 grand prs's and very rare expensive equipment.i have tried and tested hundreds of equipment, so dont excuse this review. I know what im talkign about. For a cheap guitar its the very best or a suitable 1 if you dont like this one, the next best copyis a Gordon Smith guitar.

Its brilliant i have tried it with a peavey valveking and laneys etc. Its plain good and pratically flawless.

The neck isnt a strat neck or some metal/shred guitar, so dont expect mega easy playing. fave feature is jumbo frets and access joints and uniquessness and original feel.

ive compared it too epis, gordon smiths, gibsons. Its very good, and can be very near identical to gibson if nt for its brighter sound.

PERFECT 4 BLUES ROCK OR HARD ROCK GUITAR. but also good for anythin else.

if it had a floyd rose itd b even better and locking tuners. But it holds tuning very well by stndard.

And when you get it, its headstock is a treat, the logo is quite nice with a pearloid inlaying of its logo. Its looks liek and sounds and feels liek somethign that should be worth at least over ??500.

Its high class guitaring and for less 300 pounds or 600 US dollars its a bargain.