Urgent help and opinions about Fresher Les Paul guitar!

[xxxneoxxx]

Hello everyone!

This is my first post. It's about my first Les Paul, and actually my first electric guitar.

I'd been playing acoustic for a while until I joined a family rock band with my cousins. Then I started to get some contact with electric guitars and equipment. I started playing some Strat copies and got to try a Mexican Strat, it was nice but... There was one night that it was different.

Before our first gig, my cousin got a friend to lend me his Epi LP studio. I played it, and you know, I got this feeling of comfort, love, I don't know it's hard to explain. But then, I knew that the first guitar I bought should be a Les Paul model.

I was thinking of buying an Epi Les paul Standard, but I was feeling a little miserable because here in Peru they cost almost 200$ more (Theft). Until I found an oportunity of buying a Japanese made Les Paul guitar.

It's a Fresher Les Paul copy. It's from the 70's, it seems to be good. And judging by one video I saw in youtube, I'd say it's pretty decent.

It'd be nice to have some information about the specs of this axe, or if you have seen, heard or owned one of these; please, I'd like to know your impressions about them. That'd really help me to decide if this would be a good buy or not.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Greetings from Peru.

[diceman]

Having never played one, but heard good things about the "Fresher" line (despite the retarded name), I would confidently take one over anything coming from Epiphone Korea or China.

I have heard great things about the Fresher Strat copies - and would assume that their Les Pauls are in the same league.

[diceman]

And, welcome to the forum!

[TeleDog]

Have you tried the guitar? Does it feel right? You gotta try it with your amp, if possible, and see if it works for the kinda music you're gonna make with your band.

It's a personal thing man, and if the guitar fits your bill then go for it!

Welcome to the forum!

[Udonitron]

Welcome aboard man. I have a late 70's early 80's Fresher Leo Nine and I love it! I play it more than my Burny and Tokai I think lol...it just feels so damn good. The pups in them are weird but sound nice although they have a circuit board backing on them. A tad micro-phonic but those are easily replaceable and I will be doing that with mine soon enough. They are sweet guitars man and will catch on in the near future as Greco & Tokai have I am sure. Does it say "Leo Nine" or "Les Paul" on the headstock? Grab it and post pics!

Go here for some info as well:

Fresher Leo Line - Interesting Guitar

[mojotop]

Hey xxneoxx,

please post some pics if possible. Visit the following thread. In combination/addition with udonitron´s link it will help:

Tokai Forum - a subsidiary of TokaiRegistry.com :: View topic - Fresher Les Paul - Infos needed!

FRESHER LP-models seem to be rare. Udonitron´s 'Leo Nine' is 2nd generation of the LP-style guitars. First generation had the 'Les Paul'-logo.

Best regards

[xxxneoxxx]

Thanks very much!

OK, the information you've given me is nice, they seem to be well made guitars.

Unfortunately I haven't tried this guitar. Because the owner lives in Lima. It's a 4-hour drive (journeys from one city to another can take long here in south America) It really looks nice and I'm willing to buy it, but there's something that worries me.

It's the logo on the headstock. It's different from what I've just seen in the photos you showed me. And it doesn't have any Les Paul or Leo Nine, or Line in it.

Here's the link of the ad where the guitar appears. I'm sorry it's all in Spanish since it's the site where we buy and sell on-line. There are 3 photos, the quality is not very good, but you can clearly see the logo in the headstock is different.

MercadoLibre: FRESHER LES PAUL CUSTOM JAPONESA AÑOS 70 - s/. 800.00

But the guy claims it to be a 70's custom model. It also has gold hardware and the finish is a reddish colour. It looks good but...

What are your thoughts? May it just be a worthless copy??

I'm travelling to Lima in a month to buy my stuff, I'll definitely try it anyway... hope it's good...

Regards

[dennistruckdriver]

Originally Posted by diceman

Having never played one, but heard good things about....
I have heard great things about....and would assume that....

Eef would agree.

[mojotop]

Hi xxneoxx,

is it a bolt-on- or set neck construction? The earlier low-range Fresher LP´s have bolt-on -necks.

[Udonitron]

Yup...that one you posted has a BON (bolt on neck) for sure. Freshers are nice but I would walk away from a bolt on Les Paul, just my opinion.

[xxxneoxxx]

Yes, It has a bolt-on neck.

I know that the characteristic of Les Pauls is that they must have a set neck. But I've also read and heard guitar techs saying that a bolted neck has actually more sustain than a set neck, and that in turn, a set neck has more sustain than a neck-through-body neck. That contradicts what most people believe.

Check this it's one of the many sites where you find some info about it:

Lutherie Myth/Science: Neck Joint Type and Sustain

Anyway, would the quality of the instrument vary too much with a bolt-on neck? or will it just have a different sound? Would it be at the same level as an Epi Les Pail?

Thanks in advance, you're great guys.

Regards

[mojotop]

Originally Posted by Udonitron

Yup...that one you posted has a BON (bolt on neck) for sure. Freshers are nice but I would walk away from a bolt on Les Paul, just my opinion.

+1!

Also my opinion. The early beginner-/low-range models mostly had 'cheapo' electronics and pickups. Early low-range GRECO´s (EG-430&EG-480 from 1973-´74) came along with chambered bodys, ARIA pro II & Ibanez had chambered birch-tops. Plywood-bodys and other strange constructions were usual in that period.

You better look out for a SOLID 1978-´80 Greco EG-500 (attention: some chambered models are on the market too) or a nice 1980 ARIA LS-600 -model (for example). They are payable at these days (same $-level as a brand-new Epiphone LP) and show really good quality.



http://cgi.ebay.com/GRECO-1981-EG500...item563131a493


http://cgi.ebay.com/Aria-Pro-II-LP-S...item3356dd75df


-!- Check this out:
How bad were the el cheapo 70s instruments?