Members Blackbelt1 Posted December 25, 2006 Members Share Posted December 25, 2006 I've been looking at some of their models here and there but don't know much about them. Are they any good? Where do they rate in terms of quality (between Agile, Epi, etc.) ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted December 25, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 25, 2006 Anyone, anyone...Beuller? ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members larryguitar Posted December 25, 2006 Members Share Posted December 25, 2006 I know Burgess has a two P-90 Tele style hollowbody that he's given good reviews... Then again, Burgess could probably play a cigar box and a string and sound great, so who knows? Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members V-Type Posted December 25, 2006 Members Share Posted December 25, 2006 I know a guy that was endosed by them a few years back. They had awesome finnish and felt and looked well made. But their electronics and overall feel didnt do it for me. The ones he had were superstats with shark inlays and two PRS modeled guitars with vine inlays. They looked real good up close though and imo on par with some Agiles and Epis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dabbler Posted December 25, 2006 Members Share Posted December 25, 2006 Originally posted by Blackbelt1 I've been looking at some of their models here and there but don't know much about them. Are they any good? Where do they rate in terms of quality (between Agile, Epi, etc.)~Blackbelt Is the search working? There has been a LOT of Raven buzz on here in the past. Also check out the reviews on HC. I have one, an RP-450 (they were RP's before the original owner died. Mine was bought used off Craigslist and it is soooo different from anything I have, I still don't know how to really characterize it. It has a very neutral, open tone. As semis go this one is more hollow than most. Basically the only part that is solid is under the bridge and stoptail. They are Korean made... the quality is there. Again, I got mine used, so it had been set up already, it is a player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HELSTRUME Posted December 25, 2006 Members Share Posted December 25, 2006 I had an LP copy, and ibanez copy. Both looked and felt cool, but didn't sound that good. Really thin blah sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted December 25, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 25, 2006 Originally posted by dabbler Is the search working? There has been a LOT of Raven buzz on here in the past. Also check out the reviews on HC. Yep, search works and I've done some reading on them here and in reviews; I was just looking for fresh commentary from folks in here who may have one. Thanks for the info on yours, it's very helpful. I'm looking at a couple on eBay and a couple here in town that are intriguing. ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted December 25, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 25, 2006 Originally posted by HELSTRUME I had an LP copy, and ibanez copy. Both looked and felt cool, but didn't sound that good. Really thin blah sound. Thanks. The ones I've seen in person look great but I'm not confident in their electronics. ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 I've really been close to pushing the botton on one of the semi-Teles with the P90's. Cooling looking guitar. I do own a previous flame greenburst RP450 with Dream 90's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stanfield Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 blackbelt: what style are you after? I have a modded Tradition MTP350 that is gathering dust. It's (as far as i can tell) the same guitar as the RavenWest/Nelsonic PRS knockoffs, just with less flashy bits (ie. no MOP) anywho, if you'd like to try it out I'd be willing to send it to you. buy it or not, it isn't being used at the moment. Pickups & pots have been replaced. It has some custom wound humbuckers with 500k push/pull knobs to split each pickup. 8k neck alnico V, 14.6k bridge alnico V. It's a tabacco burst, the pups are opposing zebras. PM me if you're interested at all. I am in Canada, but I don't think that matters - it would be shipped in a hard case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DARKMETL/ Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 I have a the PRSish clone. It is an extremely solid guitar. I put in a GFS Loudmouth pickup, sounds pretty good. I don't have any worry on the electronics, and if you have to replace a pot or switch, who cares? You will probably have to do that with any guitar that you are considering in that price range. Mine has the ash top. I really want to try the LP clone they have. I definetly think that if ytou are considering anything like Agile or something else similar, you should consider a RWG just as much. Their customer service is good and it says they set up and check ALL their guitars before they go out. Check their EBAY auctions and it will give you a rundown of thier policies. I think they are pretty lenient on returns if not satisfied as well. Anyway, heres mine: ' alt='>'> ' alt='>'> Here it is amongst some other Koreans for perspective and comparison: ' alt='>'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted December 26, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 Stanfield: thanks, that's a mighty generous offer, but the models I've been looking at have been the LP copy. I really kind of want a Gretsch Jet or something like an LP with a Bigsby. Darkmetl/: I was seriously watching an eBay auction on one today, it was a blem that ended up going for $305. It was still only around $150 pretty late in the game, but when it went up over $300 that's more than I'd like to pay for a guitar I know so little about. ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DARKMETL/ Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 Yeah, I was watching that one today as well, I bid on it too but it did go for more than I was hoping. Thought I might catch a deal on it. Not sure how much they go for nonblemmed new though.Nice looking axe. I like the double bond body ala LP Custom. The blems were very minor as well.I am sure that is worth $300. I think I would pay that before I would pay the same for the similar Agile. At least it is more similar to the Les Paul than the Agile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Furtive Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 I have an original RP-350: I bought this one used on ebay back in 2002 for $275 shipped w hsc. I also got an RP2000 (LP Jr copy). At the time, the company was run by "RayMar". I talked with Ray over the phone, he seemed like a nice guy that was very much into guitars and was trying to have nice, affordable guitars made over in Korea. Build quality was great. Raven West was the "authorized" dealer of the Raven brand back then. When Mr. Ray died, the guy that runs Raven West took over operation of the company. I've never run across a new Raven West - but if they're made in the same shop (and to the same standards) as the originals, it's a safe bet as far as Korean made guitars go. Oh yeah - when I thinned out my herd of cheap Korean guitars last year, the keepers were the RP-350 and two Ibanez Ghostriders. I have a GR-520 like Darkmetl's with a pair of Duncan Antiquities in it that sounds/plays like a dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DARKMETL/ Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 YES...those GR520's are BADASS! Very underrated guitars and somewhat difficult to find. I find that I play that more than my 81 Gibson LP. Plays like BUTTER. ' alt='>'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stanfield Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 BB1: no prob bob. if you get a hankering for a PRS copy let me know. Keep Nelsonic/Tradition (frets would agree on the Trad) in mind along side RWG. I believe they're the same guitars with different brand names, like the old MANN/Ibanez/Penco/etc guitars. The owner of Tradition also died a few years back.. possibly the same man? good huntin'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lump Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 I have a RWG. The hollow tele with the two p-90's. I've had it for a while(not sure if it's been a year or not but strangely my "burgess where art thou" thread keeps popping back up occassionally. Decent guitar with a quality on par with an Agile when your talking dollar for dollar. I've had no issues with the electronics at all. Been considering replacing the p-90's, but I tend to do that in every guitar I own. All in all I'm happy with my purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burgess Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 Originally posted by larryguitar I know Burgess has a two P-90 Tele style hollowbody that he's given good reviews... Then again, Burgess could probably play a cigar box and a string and sound great, so who knows? Larry Thanks for the kind words! Yeah, I actually have two of the RWGs as well as four of the older generation Ravens. The older Ravens were built in Korea and were quite nice guitars. They were actually kind of popular here for awhile but once Agiles became popular they were quickly forgotten being that the Agiles were significantly lower in price. So the new RWGs are built in China and still priced a little higher than Agiles however, they have quite a few higher end appointments and they still have the correct horn and in the case of the Tele, the correct headstock as well. I gig with the Tele dead stock which is pretty unusual for me. Combined with a tube amp the thing sounds pretty damned sweet. All it needed was good setup. Pickups are probably gonna remain stock on this axe. I've thought about replacing them but if it works, don't fix it, right? Click on any thumbnail if you wanna see a bigger pic. To be continued... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burgess Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 ...then there's the LP copy. Quite a stunner really. Might be a bit much for some but the abalone inlays, multi-layered binding and the red/gold color combo has always been a favorite of mine. Same as before this one also needed a good setup but it really plays great. Sound wasn't bad so I took it to a rehearsal and immediately found out that it wasn't going to work with the stock p'ups. That's OK, as I hinted at before I pretty much expect that in this pricerange. Here's some picks of the guitar dead stock all except for the amber knobs. Since this guitar played so well I really wanted to get it in the rotation so a pup change was required... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burgess Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 ...Just so happens I had a pair of Duncan Pearly Gates lying around that I had totally forgotten about. A perfect match? OMG!!! Talking about transforming a guitar, this thing has really come alive. Night and day difference! I've not had it to a rehearsal yet but I can tell it sounds as good as anything I've got. A pretty aggressive sound that reminds me a little of the LP Classic. This thing shoud REALLy cut through and it'll be in the bag for the next rehearsal and possibly the next show. I also did the old series/parallel trick with push/pulls for good measure, that never hurts. Anyway, here's some pics as it looks now. I may add some goldplated pickup rings but as for now, damn this thing is about a bad mofo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted December 26, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 Thanks for the info Mark. That LP version looks just like the one I was watching on eBay yesterday - it was being sold as a blem by Raven West and ended up going for $305 + shipping. ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burgess Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 You're welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burgess Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 Originally posted by Lump I have a RWG. The hollow tele with the two p-90's. I've had it for a while(not sure if it's been a year or not but strangely my "burgess where art thou" thread keeps popping back up occassionally. Decent guitar with a quality on par with an Agile when your talking dollar for dollar. I've had no issues with the electronics at all. Been considering replacing the p-90's, but I tend to do that in every guitar I own. All in all I'm happy with my purchase. Yeah, this is the thread he's talking about... I went into a lot more detail about each guitar. After I take the LP to a rehearsal I'll probably make another post there so don't be surprised to see it pop up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MorganBucks Posted December 26, 2006 Members Share Posted December 26, 2006 built like a tank. Great for the money, plays like butter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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