Expected NGD

[Dmoney]

NAD.
for a while I've been after a backup les paul, since my custom has been getting knocked about.
I thought I gamble on an Edwards after Toe-Knee brough them to my attention.
I took a punt and hoped the neck would be ok. Although it a little bigger than my LPC, it actually feels really similar and is still comfy. I played a modern Gibson standard and the neck felt wider and I wasn't 100% on it. I'm glad the neck on this has worked out!

It's ever so slightly lighter than my real custom, this model has a poly finish. The finish is fine. The plastic parts are on the cheap side I think but not bad.
Long tenon set neck, ebony board with binding, bone nut, gotoh hardware.
It's pretty cool. I've been missing a trick with these eastern LP's!! I think I may become an addict!

I popped to Croydon today to get some bits from Johnathan. Croydon was nuts as you can imagine! Hope you're keeping ok tonight Johnathan.

I got some BKP 550K pots, with wire, some stop piece posts... came home and put the Nailbombs from my Charvel into it, added the TP-6 bridge, then rewired the beast with some spare caps I had lying around. Once I got it 90% set up it blew me away. sounds great! way better than it did out the box. plays really well. I can see how my LPC is a nicer product, but this guitar is sweet! better than the modern LP i played last week, better than any epiphone, more comfortable than my old LTD EC-1000.

I'm a happy bunny! this is getting gigged in a couple of weeks!


EDIT: sorry the for the bad pic. i have no real came, it was a balancing act with my laptop job.

[Philly Q]

Nice one!  :D  I think it looks good with the white binding rather than that strange yellow "aged" binding they use on some similar models (I think it's actually a heavily tinted lacquer over white binding).

Edwards guitars are great, I've owned no less than 8 of them over the last few years (only 3 left at the moment though!  :lol: ).  Their mahogany's nice and light, the bodies are usually one-piece, and with the Gotoh hardware and Duncan pickups, they don't need upgrading like some other brands.

[Dmoney]

Nice one!  :D  I think it looks good with the white binding rather than that strange yellow "aged" binding they use on some similar models (I think it's actually a heavily tinted lacquer over white binding).

Yeah, I thought about going for the model up, but I'm not into that yellow binding. That was big factor!

Edwards guitars are great, I've owned no less than 8 of them over the last few years (only 3 left at the moment though!  :lol: ).  Their mahogany's nice and light, the bodies are usually one-piece, and with the Gotoh hardware and Duncan pickups, they don't need upgrading like some other brands.

yeah they don't need it. The pots inside actually looked decent. I just wanted this setup like my les paul. I love my LPC. It's the only guitar i've been really attached to. I'm really tempted to get another at some point. one with a nice flame. I've never had a flame topped guitar! haha.

[Philly Q]

I think the Edwards flame tops are just veneer (or fotoflame) over plain maple.  They still look good though!   :)

I had a flame top Edwards V which I kind of regret selling.  It had one of the best necks of all the guitars I've owned.

[Dmoney]

really?
this is modern but it claims to have a flame maple top
http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/products/esp_edwards_e-lp-130lts_re_relic_lemon_drop-ed1107234.asp

[Telerocker]

That sounds good! Btw, I like that guitar a lot. Plain rock, yeah!

[nfe]

I had one of these with a Holy Diver in the bridge, it was a great guitar. Good job!


EDIT: Wait, it was a Black Dog :lol: It was still ace, like.

[Philly Q]

Not 100% sure, it might be genuine flame maple on the more expensive models, but I don't think so.  Hunter has a Jimmy Page one, he would know.

It was definitely fotoflame/veneer over plain maple on my V and the two Potbellys I had - the Potbellys even had the same flame patterns as each other (in different colours)!

It's not detrimental to the tone, either way.  You still have a 1/2" thick slab of maple over mahogany, it just might not be pretty maple under the surface.


Here you go, one on Ebay.  It describes it as "Thin laminated flame maple top/Solid maple/Solid Mahogany":

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ESP-Edwards-LP-Super-Flamed-Relic-DUNCAN-Lemon-B-L-teno-/380360855102?pt=Guitar&hash=item588f460e3e#ht_10463wt_1139

[Dmoney]

oh right... so going by that ebay thing, does that mean its fotoflame, or does it mean its really thin flamed maple, stuck to maple, stuck to mahogany... of is that what photoflame is?

I feel a bit weird playing it. It's like touching up a bird while you current bird is behind you, watching!... but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the touching.

[Philly Q]

oh right... so going by that ebay thing, does that mean its fotoflame, or does it mean its really thin flamed maple, stuck to maple, stuck to mahogany... of is that what photoflame is?

It's normal Les Paul construction - mahogany body with a thick maple top (about 1/2" thick at the deepest point). 

But on top of that, to make it look pretty, there's either a very thin (1/16"-ish) veneer of real flame maple or a thin plastic film with a "photo" of some flame maple (that's fotoflame!).

The Potbellys I had were definitely fotoflame, but some models may be veneer.  You can tell by looking in the pickup cavities - the thickness of the veneer is clearly visible sideways-on, but fotoflame is so thin you can barely see it.

[Dmoney]

cheers!
I just assumed it would be normal flame maple on the higher end ones. I like the look of those Navigator les paul. woof!
I don't think I mind the idea of veneer, although I guess its not that deep, and therefore not that dramatic under light?
I'm kind of guessing.

[Philly Q]

Yeah, it doesn't have the "depth" of a real thick flame top, but it still looks good. 

I've only had one guitar with a proper flame top (a Hamer), it was almost like looking at ridges of sand on the sea bottom through very clear water!  And as you moved the guitar, the patterns in the flame moved too.  You still get a hint of that effect with veneer, though.

[gordiji]

looks great, as far as bang for y buck goes the japs take some beating.after fukishima (ongoing silent catastrophy)
it will be interesting to see how production will be affected.

[Twinfan]

Loks great - ya gotta love a black Custom!

[Sancho]

Looks quite nice!
Out of curiosity : where is it made?