NGD - AXL USA Torino - (what!?)

SlopeSoarer

I've been itching to get a Les Paul Junior(ish) guitar, I say ish because I'm a bit of a tight git, not over flush with money and like to be a bit different anyway.

On my radar had been Vintage V130 (DC), V120 (SC), Epiphone Junior or Special (with set neck) and a Quincy Leeds ((DC) just seem to be sold by one place in Manchester) all in the £200 - £350 category. I also fell in love with Gordon Smith's after a recent trip in to Manchester but they were really getting over my budget. 

On said trip to Manchester a brand I'd never heard of caught my eye, AXL. It was a second hand Torino, the guy said he believed it was American but he knew little about them. After a few days of research I discovered they were imported bodies and necks (far east), hand finished (in the USA) including installing frets, fret levelling, setting up along with good quality components (coil tapped Fralin pickup, TonePro bridge, Grovers, etc). I decided to make a cheeky offer which would bring it well within my budget, which was accepted.

I changed the strings, just an excuse to check whether or not it was a Fralin pickup as I didn't expect to get that within my budget.

See below, I'm very happy. It sounds great, very well set up, looks and feels fantastic. Weighs in just under 7lb which suits my back: )














AXL USA workshop pics
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Henrytwang

I’ve seen the AXL brand around they seem to be quite popular in the USA. From your pictures it looks like a very nice inexpensive guitar. As long as the basic body and neck are good quality you can always upgrade hardware and electronics at a later date if you want to.

boogieman

I’d always associated the brand with cheap budget stuff but that looks very nicely made. Don’t see a need to upgrade the pickup or the hardware tbh. Good swag!! 

merciful-evans

fine score. Enjoy!

Henrytwang

Thinking about it, I bought an AXL Telecaster style body on eBay a couple of years ago got very little money  and used it to put together a very nice Esquire partscaster . As I recall it was a good quality body with a nice blue sparkle paint job. The neck pocket took an aftermarket Tele neck with no adjustment and all the other Fender type parts also  fitted without any major problems. It’s quite nice to see a guitar on a forum like this that somebody is happy with that  doesn’t cost a fortune , (and it isn’t a Harley Benton).

Wonky

I've never heard of AXL before now, but looking at yours and reading the spec, I think you had a real bargain there.  What's it play like?  Really looks the part I must say.  Well done man

SlopeSoarer

Henrytwang said:

I’ve seen the AXL brand around they seem to be quite popular in the USA. From your pictures it looks like a very nice inexpensive guitar. As long as the basic body and neck are good quality you can always upgrade hardware and electronics at a later date if you want to.

I can't see me replacing anything on the guitar, it does seem very well spec'd out. 

Wonky said:

I've never heard of AXL before now, but looking at yours and reading the spec, I think you had a real bargain there.  What's it play like?  Really looks the part I must say.  Well done man

Seems great, string height about 1.25mm, no fret buzz, fret ends are very good. Feels lovely. Of choice I would have gone for the black version but beggars can't be choosers: )

It is fair to say I'm very happy!

Lindy Fralin talking about the pickup... does it better than me: ) Start at 2:14 for the High Output Humbucker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd5SazQqKnA&feature=youtu.be&t=134

AXL demo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSo4_8UzlqM

Sassafras

I've seen these little thin, flat  practise amplifiers with the Axl logo. In fact I know someone who's got one.
That guitar's not too shabby at all.

pintspiller

With a name like Torino I thought it would have been red like the car in Starskey and Hutch

SlopeSoarer

pintspiller said:

With a name like Torino I thought it would have been red like the car in Starskey and Hutch

Haha, it's white... like the stripe. I suspect mine growls a bit more than a Ford Torino though: )