Members erok123 Posted April 19, 2015 Members Share Posted April 19, 2015 I'm mainly a strat guy, but I think I'd like to try something "Les Paul-ish" without breaking the bank. I came across Xaviere guitars on the 'net, and in particular, the XV-500. Worth the $200 bucks? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ermghoti II Posted April 19, 2015 Members Share Posted April 19, 2015 I've ended up buying six in various models, including a couple LP flavors. The necks are slim, fit and finish has been OK for the price on my most recent purchases; not perfect if you go looking, but nothing glaring either. They play great if set up properly. I don't care for the FAT and Crunchy Pats that are generally stock, the VEH are great though. I've also done well with the Vintage 59 (throatier than the VEH) and the Classic II (very dark sounding). Haven't tried the newer HBs, but their Filtertron imitations do what they say if you're into that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gdsmithtx Posted April 19, 2015 Members Share Posted April 19, 2015 IMHO, you're more likely to be happy with an Agile AL-2000 for $25 more. It's a higher quality baseline. They are discontinuing the AL-2000 though, so what is left in stock is all there is. The next step up is the upgraded AL-3010SE line, which runs about $315 (and is worth more, in my opinion): I bought a lemon drop Xaviere LP copy (I think it was an XV500) for my stepson, and when it arrived to him, the neck was twisted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Preacher Posted April 19, 2015 Members Share Posted April 19, 2015 I've got an XV900 with fat pats with the second generation headstock and love it. I find the neck really comfortable, good fretwork, etc. Really versatile, too. It might depend on which factory is used, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HoobaStunk Posted April 20, 2015 Members Share Posted April 20, 2015 The Xavieres have gotten incrementally better over the years. The current ones are actually quite decent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ermghoti II Posted April 20, 2015 Members Share Posted April 20, 2015 The Xavieres have gotten incrementally better over the years. The current ones are actually quite decent. Interesting, my first was an early Korean-made model, and it definitely is a cut above the later/Chinese/more affordable ones. When was your most recent purchase? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted April 20, 2015 Members Share Posted April 20, 2015 I would save 200 more dollars... For $400, you can get a really nice guitar that will actually sound like a Les Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BeanoBoy Posted April 20, 2015 Members Share Posted April 20, 2015 Don't bother. Probably will need a setup, possible fret job, and a pickup upgrade. Save up and get an Epiphone. THEN get a pickup upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted April 20, 2015 Members Share Posted April 20, 2015 Don't bother. Probably will need a setup' date=' possible fret job, and a pickup upgrade. Save up and get an Epiphone. THEN get a pickup upgrade.[/quote'] Probably true. My Xaviere XV 900 was shipped in a hard shell case and still needed a little work on the neck along with a good set up and better strings I'm happy with it now but most often you get what you pay for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pomegranite Posted April 21, 2015 Members Share Posted April 21, 2015 I've never played a Xavier but +1 on the AL2000 the fretwork on mine is incredibly good. The guy who did it must be making Gibsons now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members heem6 Posted April 23, 2015 Members Share Posted April 23, 2015 The Xaviere is going to give you a full 3/4" Maple Cap, a long tenon neck joint, a slim neck and solid Mahogany body. The hardware isn't that great, but the electronics (including pickups) are awesome. Frets can be hit or miss, but they do accept returns. I've had two XV-500's, and they sound so good (Crunchy PAT pickups) that they just inspire me to play more and more often. I have guitars from top of the line Fenders down to the Xavieres, and to me price doesn't matter, whether a guitar inspires me or not is what matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HoobaStunk Posted April 23, 2015 Members Share Posted April 23, 2015 Interesting' date=' my first was an early Korean-made model, and it definitely is a cut above the later/Chinese/more affordable ones. [/quote'] MIK ... You are talking about when GFS first released guitars, one of which was a Greco / Zemaitis shelltop clone. After those MIK guitars were gone, GFS did sell any guitars for about 3 years. Eventually, they got back in the game with MIC guitars, first with rather damn cheesy guitars. Slowly but steadily, with each new model year / generation, the quality increased until they finally had something worth buying about 4 years ago. When was your most recent purchase? I've looked at plenty over the years -- some at NAMM, some that friends had. I finally bought one about 2 years ago. It is a LP with a bridge humbucker and a P90 neck. It is overall a great guitar, but, I ended up having to level a couple of high frets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AJ6stringsting Posted April 24, 2015 Members Share Posted April 24, 2015 I got some students that own Agile and Xavier Les Paul copies. Great guitars, it may need a truss rod adjustment, an upgrade in electronics ( according to taste) ..... but a great deal. You can make these as good as a Gibson with the proper experience or if you give it to a good guitar tech.Then again back in the 1970's, many Gibson cork sniffers were sniffling over the guitars made, Burny, Greco and Tokai. Many even surpassed Gibson's quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AJ6stringsting Posted April 24, 2015 Members Share Posted April 24, 2015 Scary part, the Chinese are making great guitars now !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted April 24, 2015 Members Share Posted April 24, 2015 buy a nice used Epiphone LP... you can pick them up for $300-400 all day long. Much better fit and finish... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HoobaStunk Posted April 26, 2015 Members Share Posted April 26, 2015 Scary part, the Chinese are making great guitars now !!!! Someone could build a factory with CNC machines in Mongolia or Madagascar and make the same guitar as the one made in China. Besides, the Chinese have been making high end guitars for a few decades. Check out Eastman Guitars (23 years in business): http://www.eastmanguitars.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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