Mr. Lumbergh
Poster Extraordinaire
Anyone give these a try and what do you think?
Guitarfetish XGP necks
- Thread starter Mr. Lumbergh
- Start date
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bender66
Poster Extraordinaire
I'd been waiting on their inevitable sale over the Holidays that didnt come to buy a Tele Custom routed XGP body. I found an unfinished ash body cheaper elsewhere.
Like all their stuff, its hit and miss.
Like all their stuff, its hit and miss.
stratisfied
Friend of Leo's
I ordered a pair of XGP necks from GFS a while back. They were nice necks overall, but I just couldn't get past the scarf joint. One had a nice tight scarf joint with decent wood match, but on the other the scarf joint was very noticeable.
I guess they trade off using the scarf joint for higher wood yield savings against adding features like the binding, inlays and rosewood headstock veneer, deluxe-ing up the "finished side" of the neck against the back side.
I didn't think the scarf joints would bother me but they did and I felt they diminished the quality of my builds' appearance. I wound up returning them and paying a restock fee (understandably) as there was nothing defective about the product at all. I went with necks from an eBay seller that I had purchased from before and Freeman Keller (the wood whisperer) installed the headstock veneers for me.
XGP neck #1, near invisible, perfect scarf joint:
XGP neck #2, nice scarf joint but bad wood match:
XGP bound and veneered headstocks, classy but required truss rod cover:
XGP classy, small block inlays, nice quality rosewood fretboard:
Necks from other source w. veneer added and Fender style truss rod access:
I guess they trade off using the scarf joint for higher wood yield savings against adding features like the binding, inlays and rosewood headstock veneer, deluxe-ing up the "finished side" of the neck against the back side.
I didn't think the scarf joints would bother me but they did and I felt they diminished the quality of my builds' appearance. I wound up returning them and paying a restock fee (understandably) as there was nothing defective about the product at all. I went with necks from an eBay seller that I had purchased from before and Freeman Keller (the wood whisperer) installed the headstock veneers for me.
XGP neck #1, near invisible, perfect scarf joint:
XGP neck #2, nice scarf joint but bad wood match:
XGP bound and veneered headstocks, classy but required truss rod cover:
XGP classy, small block inlays, nice quality rosewood fretboard:
Necks from other source w. veneer added and Fender style truss rod access:
CCK1
Friend of Leo's
I think that's the most obvious scarf joint I've ever seen. Almost like they wanted to call attention to it.
I've never purchased a neck from GFS but have purchased plenty of other stuff, bodies/parts. Over the last couple years they burned me too many times. About 6 months ago, I vowed to never buy anything from them again. Some of the stuff they sling is worthless, I can't believe they let it out the door. They sent me the wrong body once and then didn't get back to me for 6 months. They said they were moving the warehouse and were busy. The last body I bought was a tele routed for humbuckers. And.... GFS Humbucker pickups would not fit in the routes.... not to mention, the route for the control panel was not deep enough to accommodate a standard 3 way switch. Now, at the price point I paid, I understand there may be some modifications, but GFS humbuckers not fitting a GFS body? For me, the time involved making this body work correctly was not worth the low price. No doubt some of you would be fine with this. Just be aware, with GFS, you sometimes get what you pay for.
All the hair metal necks from Jackson, Charvel, and all the clones of theirs are scarfed like that.
But one example
1990 Charvel Predator Toothpaste Logo Reverse Headstock Guitar Neck Floyd Ready | eBay
But one example
1990 Charvel Predator Toothpaste Logo Reverse Headstock Guitar Neck Floyd Ready | eBay
stratisfied
Friend of Leo's
My rule of thumb is if it's a wood product, buy it somewhere else. They are just hit or miss when it comes to necks and bodies. I've bought their pickups and hardware and have been happy with the quality.
Here's 2 examples from the ridiclous to the sublime:
Mary Kaye White Strat body ... no extra charge for the green treated lumber pieces lol:
Spalted Telecaster body with a drop dead gorqeous top:
Here's 2 examples from the ridiclous to the sublime:
Mary Kaye White Strat body ... no extra charge for the green treated lumber pieces lol:
Spalted Telecaster body with a drop dead gorqeous top:
TeleUpNorth
Tele-Holic
I’m awaiting delivery (shipped today) of a fiesta red Tele Deluxe style body from them. I’m on the fence between their neck, a wd, or one of these https://reverb.com/item/38240350-ro...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=38240350.
Mr. Lumbergh
Poster Extraordinaire
Thanks for the feedback. This is pointing me in a different direction...
The scarf joint especially is off-putting. I have several guitars with them such as Gretsch and Guild so they don't bother me generally; they're stronger than Gibson on a slanted-back 3x3 headstock.
But on a Fender-style neck??? Just nah, they're designed the way they are to avoid scarf joints.
The scarf joint especially is off-putting. I have several guitars with them such as Gretsch and Guild so they don't bother me generally; they're stronger than Gibson on a slanted-back 3x3 headstock.
But on a Fender-style neck??? Just nah, they're designed the way they are to avoid scarf joints.
The scarf joints only exist on the necks with a tilt back headstock, which in their case are the gaudy bound and veneered ones which I don’t think are in stock.
TeleUpNorth
Tele-Holic
John E
Friend of Leo's
Ugh yeah... scarf joints are evil!
Err Wait, why are we against scarf joints again?
Err Wait, why are we against scarf joints again?
TeleUpNorth
Tele-Holic
Don’t you know, looks over sound
unbroken grestch: EWWW! Scarf joint!
Broken Gibson: I can’t believe they aren’t using a better headstock design 60 years later!!!!
The people of the internet are not happy if they aren’t complaining.
stratisfied
Friend of Leo's
Yes, the XGP necks I had ordered were their "1st gen" and had a slight tilt-back to the headstock and so required the scarfed joint. The current XGP (non tilt-back headstock) necks have no scarf joints. It would appear GFS dropped the tilt-back style in favor of the more tradition Fender style neck for the XGP necks. As I said, the fretwork, woods and workmanship were of good quality for the price. The Telecaster-style headstock approximates the Fender shape, but the Strat has a narrower tip as opposed to the Fender shape. I am conditioned to accepting only the Fender shape as "looking right" on a Strat but that's just me. I have gone with new MightyMite or used Fender or Squier necks purchased off eBay also and have been happy with the consistently good necks they make.
Some would argue that a scarf joint adds rigidity and stability even to a Fender style neck, which is debatable. Fender obviously never found the need. I don't mind a scarf joint so long as it's hidden. I own Gretsch and Ibanez hollowbody guitars on which the makers strategically sprayed a body-matching sunburst to the neck heel and base of the headstock to hide the added-on heel and scarfed headstock joint.
Some would argue that a scarf joint adds rigidity and stability even to a Fender style neck, which is debatable. Fender obviously never found the need. I don't mind a scarf joint so long as it's hidden. I own Gretsch and Ibanez hollowbody guitars on which the makers strategically sprayed a body-matching sunburst to the neck heel and base of the headstock to hide the added-on heel and scarfed headstock joint.
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I got one in May and for $80 I am satisfied. One of the peg holes was drilled larger than the other five and I had to build it up some but otherwise ok ... the wood grain has character and the finish is way better than I would be able to do. Now if I could just learn to play.
They DID move the warehouse, from New Hampshire to Florida. On the wood it helps to read the fine print. I'm betting that Mary Kay body was poplar. I was raised around poplar, paint it you never know, a trans finish is crapshoot, some are perfect, some green and my personal fave, rainbow or purple from mineral streaks
Dave
stratisfied
Friend of Leo's
The Mary Kaye White was advertised as solid ash. Looked more like premium grade pallet wood. Proceed at your own risk with GFS bodies. Solid finishes and finishes over veneers they seem to get right. Solid woods with transparent finishes, well ... do you feel lucky? Me, I'll scratch my itch elsewhere when it comes to wood products.
Honestly, I could write a book about the disappointing wood products I've received from them over the years. Every time I have decided to give them another chance, they disappoint.
Here's another ash body I got from them. No additional charge for the rotten wood. A decent company would never scab on a narrow piece like that much less use scrap for it.
Honestly, I could write a book about the disappointing wood products I've received from them over the years. Every time I have decided to give them another chance, they disappoint.
Here's another ash body I got from them. No additional charge for the rotten wood. A decent company would never scab on a narrow piece like that much less use scrap for it.
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I hadn't bought a body until very recently and it was unfinished because I was painting it
I KNOW they moved the warehouse. Not an excuse to wait 6 months to address sending me the completely wrong body. IMHO. I also read the fine print, it was quite the sales pitch and not at all what I got. Its no big deal, I just don't buy from them any longer. Feel free to buy all the bodies you want from them, maybe you haven't been burned yet, I assure you, in time, you will.
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