Vintage Les Paul Gold Top

This guitar wa sbuilt in Korea in 2004. It has a bolt on neck. The body is made of Poplar, the neck -I believe- of maple. It has twin P-90 single coil pickups.
Other than that, it has the standard Les Paul configuration and features. Tune - o - matic bridge, volum and tone pots for either pickup etc.
It's tricky to give a score for the 'features' of this guitar - it is a copy of a Gibson gold top P-90 Les Paul, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. With the possible exception of the bolt - on neck.
So this guitar is not supposed to have lots of features - it's a Les Paul that cost me #99 - or $178 US. It would be silly to complain about a bolt on neck for this amount of money.
I would give it a 10 - but for lovers of hi-tech guitars, I'll give it an 8.

I always wanted a P-90 Les Paul since I saw Les Paul himself playing one live on television years ago. If you haven't heard a P-90 Les Paul, it basically sounds like the humbucker equipped version but with a lot more 'bite' to the sound. To my ears, the humbucker equipped version sounds like it is heard through a wall - a bit 'muddy'. The P-90 gives you a much cleaner, direct sound.
I play directly through the amp, no effects. It sounds great. I don't play very loud and distorted, so I won't comment on that sort of sound. What I can say is that for jazz / blues playing this guitar excels. I would describe it is as a full, bright sound.
This guitar has incredible sustain. The bolt - on neck seems to make no difference to my ears. You can hit a chord on the guitar, take the dog for a walk, make a cup of tea, come back and the guitar is still ringing loudly. Alright, I exaggerate, but you get the idea - this guitar has serious sustain.
I don't have any dislikes about the sound. Some people have complained about noise on this guitar. I haven't heard any through my little Marshall combo, it is completely quiet. As quiet as my Epiphone Les Paul with humbuckers. But then I don't play really loud. Maybe if you want to play Megadeath covers, you should get a humbucker equipped guitar?

The guitar was setup by the sellers, Regent guitars. I am totally satisfied with the setup. The action is about right - a little on the high side.
The pickups seem to be properly adjusted.
As for the finish - it is very good for the money. In fact, how do they do it? This guitar is very, very well made for the money. Gibson must be serously worried id this is the sort of thing that can be made in the Far East for so little money.
There are a few minor flaws. One or two flakes of something under teh gold paint. The cavity in the body where the neck joins is very, very slightly in need of more finishing. But I really am nitpicking here. To spot these flaws, you have to put your eyes 6 inches away from the guitar. So really these sorts of finish flaws are irrelevant to this class of guitar (it is not a collectors item). It plays great, looks great and I am happy with it - and that's all that matters.

This guitar will withstand live playing. OK, the pickup switch is a weakness and maybe not be up to Gibsons standard. But you bring another guitar with you for that eventuality, right? I don't care what guitar I use - I would ALWAYS bring a backup with me if at all possible.
No problems with the finish - as good as anything else I have seen.
Strap buttons as solid as anything else I have seen.
This guitar is not a toy - despite the price.

Customer support from Regent's seems to be good - haven't used them yet as nothing has gone wrong.
They did set the guitar up for me - which is a first for me. I am used to guitar shops not being able to do this.
The warranty is a year long.

This has got to be a 10 out of 10. #99 for this much guitar? I would have said you have got to be joking, but it's true. This guitar sounds better than my Epiphone Les Paul (the Epi has useless, muddy humbuckers on it). In fact, I can't see any difference between this and a genuine Gibson Les Paul. There - I've said it.
The switch is better quality than the Epiphone.
The finish is not as good - but who cares? Nobody is going to examine the guitar from 6 inches away, are they?
Why bother buying the Epiphone? Do yourself a favour and save the money, or if you must spend it get a better amp.
As I said before, Gibson must be worried. If the Koreans are making this much guitar for so little money, where does it leave them?

I have been playing electric guitar for 15 years.
I would definetely buy this guitar again if it was lost / stolen.

22frets, rosewood neck, 3 way selector switch, tone and volume controls.

I mostly play rock and heavymetal, to my suprise im shoked how well it handles on my little fender amp :P. Im using a Dan o Wah Cry Baby Effects Pedal which works very well with the gold top its a rather noisy guitar but suits me for my playing style.

The vintage looks great excellent infact, the guitar is GOLD and the neck looks very classy. When i got the gutar it was in brilliant condition which didnt supreise me as the whole guitat feels like you playing a breeze block with strings. The only thing is the switches etc not very bad but arent that strong.

This guitar Rocks! i dont think i could ever break it by accident. Its very strong and hard ( And Heavy ) But that shoulnt put you off put up with it its worth it

Emmmm N/A

Wow great guitar

22 Frets, Seperate volume & tone controls for neck and bridge pickup (like almost every LP made), 3 way selector switch, P-90 style pickups, poplar body, Gold Finish (lovely!), Tune-O-Matic stlye bridge, quite a thin neck.

The only thin i found wrong with the features is that the switch is a bit too cheap. The controls overlap slightly, like when you turn the neck pickup volume to 0 and have the bridge pickup to 10 whilst you have the neck pickup selected it bleeds through a bit. Also the switch wobbles too much for my liking, but a new one is relatively cheap and easy to fit so i'll only mark this down one.

I play mainly Metal (Metallica, Maiden, Ozzy, etc) and i'm surprised at how well this guitar handles it. I've played it through several amps:
An origional Marshall JCM-800 through a 4x12 Cab
A Fender Deluxe 112
Laney TF200
And my trusty Kustom KG10 practice amp
Through all of these it sounds great, and i wouldn't swap it for the world.
It buzzes a lot, but this is to be expected with high gain and single coils.
Sounds great when the gain is driven to 11, and on the cleanest of clean tones.
The only thing i don't like is that it has no tremlo bar. But hey, no guitar is perfect

This guitar was set up before it was sent to me, so i don't know about the origional setup.
It arrived perfect though (what you'd expect from Tony Iommi's Ex-Guitar Tech!) and has never buzzed on any frets. Action is perfect. Not too low, not too high and is great for rythm and lead
Pickups were setup properly, each pole is adjustable!
There was a slight nick on the horn (which is slightly longer and sharper than the gibson "proper" model) but it's only a cosmetic thing so i can live with it!

No doubts at all this will last a very long time. Despite it's price tag this is built like a brick outhouse. My schaller straploks came undone when i was bent over adjusting my pedal and it fell face flat on the floor. I thought "Well thats the end of that then!" but after a bit of tuning it was as if nothing had happened! There was a very slight crack going from the bridge pup to the edge of the body, but this is hadly visible. My strings snap a little bit more often than i'd like them to, but i've been told this is quite a common flaw of tune-o-matics!
I never used it with the origional buttons, and i've used schaller straploks (which were dumped after the incident!) and now i use the Jim Dunlop ones which are great.
I know that i can depend on this, but i'd never go without at least one backup for a live gig. Strings can break anywhere at any time

Never dealt with them, but the shop i bought it from have won awards for their customer support.

I've been playing almost 4 years now and i think this lives up to my expectations.
If this were stolen i'd probably get the version with the humbuckers but if they didn't have that model i'd buy this again in a snap.
I love the fact that it is GOLD! I love guitars that are out of the ordinary! My next axe will (hopefully) be either the Vintage purple flying V or the Epi Gothic Flying V
If this had more shielding internally it would be worthy of the guitar hall of fame. It's near perfection.
If you're reading this because you're thinking about buying this guitar then I STRONGLY recommend you buy this. It's absolutley amazing at ANY price range let alone the SUB #200 mark.
If you don't get this, i have no idea why.
Anyway, gotta Move 'zig'!

22 Fret Rosewood fretboard, traditional 'crown' inlays, bolt-on neck, p-90 style 'soapbar' pickups, stop-tailpiece bridge, volume/tone controls for both pickups. Pretty much a carbon copy of a late 50's/early 60's Gibson Les Paul. The only disadvantage with the features of the guitar is that it's a bit heavy.

Right from plugging in it was clear to me that this guitar, although relatively cheap, was a definite winner. A clear, bright sound on the clean channel, filthy, sustain-loaded crunch on the dirty channel. Pickups are a bit noisy, but certainly not to the level of interfering with the actual sound of the guitar. A solid 10/10.

For a budget guitar the Action, fit and finish on this V99GT was stunning. The arched top is wonderful, the action was great (low, speedy) and the pickups were set up very well. Absolutely no flaws at all. Again, a solid 10/10.

This guitar is built like a tank. It's reassuringly weighty, completely solid and after almost two years of playing it's still in absolutely mint condition. The strap buttons are solid as a rock, and I would trust this guitar in any gig, although I wouldn't gig without a backup (as a previous review said, strings on any guitar can an will snap).

Never had to deal with them... Don't think I ever will.

I've been playing for almost two years (this is my 1st electric guitar) and it has served me well in everything I've decided to try. If it were stolen, I'd buy another one the same day. This guitar is way better than some of the #300-400 ones that I've tried. Absolutely brilliant, would reccomend it to anyone, regardless of playing preference.

I don't know when or where made, It has 22 frets, Rhythm/Treble selector, 2 vol controls, 2 tone controls.
2 P90 pick-ups, passive electronics.

Hard wood body (very heavy, unfortunately), and I reckon it's more or less the same as a Gibson Les Paul. I don't really see much difference...

It suits my music style, which is grunge and rock. I am using it with a Roland AW-3 Dynamic Wah and a Roland Cube-15 amp.
Not much feedback at all from either pick-up.
Quite a full sound. 10!

Everything was properly adjusted and fine-tuned when i bought it, except for a small chip in the wood, which took #20 off the #190 RRP

It can definately survive a gig, and everything will last for a couple of decades...
The strap buttons are o.k, but I needed strap-locks.
I could use only this guitar for loads of gigs, non-stop.

NA

I have been playing a year, (I'm only 11!)
If I lost it, I would probably buy a new guitar, because, as I haven't been playing very long, I wouldn't mind trying others.
My favourite feature is the P90 pick-ups (soap-bars)

Standard Les Paul Configuration, except with single coil P90 pick-ups aka soap bars. Rating is difficult! Do I mark it down because it doesn't have a Floyd Rose trem or do I give it 10 because it's got everything a Les Paul has?
It's a very solidly built chunk of wood with a bolt on neck. I was getting hung up about this while I was looking around at guitars, then I remembered that my much-loved Korean Squire Strat has a bolt-on neck!

I gigged with it last night for the first time and I'm glad to say it lived up to my expectations. I used it with a Peavey Encore 65 watt valve amp and a few pedals, mainly a Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal, which I use as a boost for lead work. The sound is sharper than a humbucking guitar and richer than a strat. If I could be bothered to keep changing guitars between numbers, I'd prefer to use the strat on more soul and funk flavoured numbers and keep the Gold Top for the blues and rock, which is what we mostly do.
The neck pick-up gives a full-on heavy blues sound which seemed to break up much more than the bridge pick-up, which I take to be down to the fact that the neck pick-up is closer to the strings.
The guitar was a bit noisier than my strat, but certainly not a problem in a live environment. I stuck with the bridge pick-up throughout. I found that the amp was set up for the strat and I immediately had to reduce the pre-amp volume because the sound was breaking up too much. I don't how the power rating of these pick-ups compares to a strat, but the signal is obviously stronger.
For the Free and Bad Company tracks we do, the sound was ideal. Doubtless as we gig more, I can refine the sound further, but I can't really fault the guitar sound, it's just a matter of tweaking the amp to suit the higher signal.
I also had to adjust my chorus pedal to compensate for the more powerful signal.

When I took the guitar out of the box, I found that the puck-up selector switch had sheared off in transit (the bit was floating around in the packing). Flying Pig are going to send me a replacement switch - rather that than lose the guitar! The action was a little high at the bottom end, which took a second to adjust. The intonation was perfect. The neck pick-up looked as if it had been pushed down in transit so the fitting screws were standing proud. I prised it up a bit - primitive, but it works.
The Gold top has a couple of flaws in it, but I would say the finish was fair. The neck is good and the frets OK.Most of the effort seems to have gone into the inlay in the headstock, which is very nice indeed.
Not having a real Gold Top to compare this with (and we are talking about something a tenth of the price) I don't know if it is true to the original, but it is a good guitar in its own right. I found that the volume and tone nearest to the bridge pick-up controlled the neck pick-up and vice versa, which was rather strange, but for all I know, Gibsons are like that too!
I only real issue is with the tuners and this may just be personal preference anyway, gut the gearing is such that one micro-adjustment to the tuning peg makes a large difference to the pitch. I'm sure that makes winding on new strings an absolute breeze, but tuning up live can become an up-down up-down see-saw! Actually, the guitar stayed in tune reasonably and given the amount of bending I do, I think the strat would have needed the same amount of adjustment. The guitar still has the factory strings on, which seem to be 9's. I prefer 10's, so will probably change them tonight, ready for Saturday's gig and see if the tuning is even more stable.

The wood could withstand being run over by a transit van, I feel sure. Given the way the pick-up switch has sheared off I can see that the fittings are not of the highest standard, but this is a budget guitar. I played it live last night and it stood up well. In the fullness of time, I might put some different tuners on it with a lower (?) gearing ratio. The finish looks OK, but I don't mind the "distressed" look anyway - it all adds character. I never gig without a spare guitar, since broken strings could happen to anyone and an audience don't really want to watch me changing a string. It's not much or a spectator sport and only marginally more interesting than daytime TV. It's early days, but I have high hopes

I think the guitar has a 1 year warranty. I have asked Flying Pig for a replacement switch, rather than have to send the guitar back, so I haven't dealt with JHS who market these guitars. I wouldn't expect the world, considering the bargain price, but they did include a list of UK guitar tutors in the box, along with the chords to "She'll be coming round the mountain" - Rock and Rolllll!!!!

I have been playing for eons, probably over 30 years. I used to own a real Gibson Melody maker with two humbuckers a long time ago and I actually prefer the Vintage, for the sound and the thinner neck (front to back) which is easier to get my hands round. I would buy another, as long as I play the blues (which is likely to be a long time). I have to say that when I tried Les Pauls in the distant past, they didn't seem to hang well round the neck, but this Vintage sits very nicely - might be because I have a bit more padding than I did then! Overall, I have no real beefs - the tuners are a preference thing really and for the money, it's fantastic.

It's a pretty true replica of the original gold top down to the two P90 single coil pickups. I think the lower horn may be slightly wider than the real thing, though - possibly for copyright reasons. I have no idea where it was made, nor the construction, though it looks like it's mahogany (at the price, though, I'd be amazed if it actually was). Tuning machines are pretty nice, too - quite a fine gauge. Construction and hardware is FAR better than you would expect for the price. The pick ups are extremely faithful to the Gibson originals - I had intended to rip them out and replace the hardware with Gibson original stuff, but there's absolutely no need. I may still put graph-tec saddles on - but for all that I haven't broken a string on it since I've owned it so maybe no need.

One quibble is that it's a bolt-on neck. I think the original is glued, and I guess you lose some sustain without a complete join. Not, though, that you can tell by playing the instrument: it sustains till next tuesday!

Look, for the price this is a hands down bargain. I have been playing guitar for 17 years, own 14 guitars, including three US Fenders and a couple of custom built guitars, and this Vintage can go toe to toe with any of them. I bought it for a specific gig, because I needed to play Gilmour's solo from another brick in the wall, and I'd read he played it on a Les Paul. This gave an extraordinarily faithful tone to that sound.

Set up: Amps: I play with variously an '86 JCM800 head, '71 Twin, a '71 Bassman head and a '52 Bassman
Effects: mostly just a tube screamer and a coloursound wah, plus a little echo and whatever overdrive the amp gives me (for the Marshall, a LOT, for the Fenders pretty much none).

what I like about the guitar especially is that it is somewhere between a full-blown humbucker, and a single coil strat. My Main guitar is a custom strat with Texas Specials, which are at the meaty end of single coils, but this is meatier still, without losing the glassy top end and cut-through-ability that a Les Paul with humbuckers won't give you. On the other hand, the big chords just sound wonderful - they truly thunder through the JCM800 head with a 4X12 cabinet in a way that a stratocaster doesn't really. I think it's the heavier guitar that makes the difference. when you roll sleeves up and really hit the strings hard there are some beautiful harmonic undertones in there.

Perfectly set up - i haven't needed to adjust it (though I have fitted heavier 1--52 strings. By contrast to the reviewer below, I like a bit of height to my action so I can dig in, bend and hit the strings hard - it was perfectly set up for that.

No noticeable flaws, certainly not for the price.

Live playing - you bet. I went straight into a live setting and it ROCKED. No sign of any collateral damage yet, and it has been subjected already to the toughest test: my two year old!
I wouldn't use any guitar without a back up - strings can break on any axe. but at #165, if I were to tour again (sadly not likely) I'd just buy another one. Or two, even.

No idea. For #165, I really don't care, either. I would not expect anyone to even answer the phone.

overall rating, irrespective of the price, would have to be at LEAST a solid 8/10. This is just as nice to play and sounds just as nice (even nicer!) than an actual Gibson. But it costs less than a TENTH of the price of a GIBSON! For me, that makes this guitar truly outstanding. Given its price this HAS to be (with the greatest of respect to N. Tufnel, esq.) an eleven. My only criticism is the name: "Vintage" just sounds like it's a cheap and nasty. why didn't they give their brand a non descriptive name - you know, like "Bennett" or "Samuels", or even "Bodkin". If they did that, you'd think you'd bough a custom shop special!

22frets, rosewood neck, block inlays, p90's, 3 way selector switch, tone and volume controls a la les paul stylee. What you'd expect on any les paul model/replica.

I play a Marshall 80 watt for totally random styles, ranging from hard/heavy rock to clean to jazz to classical to blues etc etc, anything and everything. So the sound of the guitar gets a nice test when i play...it manages to do everything not only well, but with the bright sounds you'd expect from single coils. Was considering changing the pick ups to humbuckers to...erm...get rid of the hum - which can be intrusive during rests and pauses. As i said, it can do pretty much anything i ask of it.

The better tone for the clean setting comes from the neck pick-up, but for overdrive either one does well. Gives a beautiful warm sound through the neck pick-up.

i like it...only dislike being the hum of the pick-ups, but that can be silenced by putting the selector switch in the middle position.

the guitar came fairly well set up - the action was a little high for my liking (i play the van halen way - lower the strings to the point of a buzz, then back them off just a hair). Pick ups were perfect, as was everything else. I like the weight of it, seemed a little on the heavy side to start with, but after giving it 9hrs a day i got used to it.

So far it's stood up to bedroom playing, band practise and some showing off at a couple of mate's houses. Everything worked fine before, everything worked fine after. I do depend on it due to the lack of a back-up. The finish is fine, i've owned it about 5months and played about 9hrs a day everyday, still looks brand new. I changed the strap buttons to Schaller Straplocks because i tend to throw it around a little (in the slash way, not the pete townshend way) and they seemed a little small to hold the strap for long.

i've been playing 10yrs, and due to my youthful exuberance (i'm only 18, aaah) and lack of money i've only had 4 cheapo electric guitars. A Honher Rockwood thingy, a DeArmond M-65C, and a Squire Double Fat Strat. This is by far my fave, although if it were stolen/lost i'd probably go for the sunburst varient with the humbuckers. I love the sound and the playability - it really is easy to play - i hate the...erm , nope, love it all. Just wish that it had seymour duncans ;o)

Compared it to a couple of epiphone models...this won hands down, for half the price. Run to your nearest shops, run like the wind GO JOHNNY GO

ahem

Les Paul Gold Top replica, block inlays on rosewood neck, 22 frets, gold finish. I think the body is laminate judging by the weight of it- it's heavy! 2x P-90 pickups with standard Les Paul tone and volume controls and switching. Stop tail piece, adjustable vintage style bridge and standard tuners.

The sound of this guitar blew me away! I tried this guitar in a local music shop through the tiniest of amps but the sheer tone and sustain of this guitar was amazing. The action was low and the playability was very friendly. The clean tones seemed very open and musical and when I hit the distortion it strangled every ounce of tone from the tiny amp, sustaining for ever! The neck pickup seemed to be the best of the two giving a fat almost jazzy tone. The inbetween position gave that classic nasal/jangly sound and the bridge pickup was maybe the least likeable of the 3 positions, seeming a little thin perhaps when used clean but sounding very useable when distorted. The intonation seemed perfect all the way up the flat-radius neck.
Interestingly- I tried this guitar back to back with a real Gibson Les Paul worth #1559 and there was very little difference in them sound-wise.

The general set up of the guitar was perfect for me. Everything seemed in order and there was no noise what-so-ever from the pickups/electrics. The finish looked good and I could detect no flaws. My only criticism would be the actual weight of the guitar, I feel it would become a bit of a burden when used night after night in a gigging situation but then again I think all Les Pauls are rather 'podgy' in the weight department, so this may not be relevant.

All of the hardware looked sturdy enough perhaps with the possible exception of the tuners wich seemed a little cheap but I can forgive that on an instrument that retails at #180 !!

Dont know yet but as soon as I purchase this little baby then I'll let you know.

I have been playing guitar now for 15 years and have been pretty much a Strat fan but this Vintage Gold Top has pretty much changed all that! I am constantly amazed at what you can get for your money these days and I have no idea how they make them for the price. Go and try one...