Raygun Relics - any cop?

minimoog

I'm gassing for a P90 LP/Melody Maker/Junior type thing. The Raygun Relics Juniors look interesting. Obviously the superb finishing is a given, but what are they like to play and how do they sound? I understand they are basically some generic no-brand Chinese things. 

Cool finish to one side, why would I want one of those over a genuine Gibson...?

blueskunk

Cos they a lot cheaper but look pretty cool and have good pickups in ?

Moss

@Bucket just got one

frankus

I sent my USACG Bass VI to Raygun for a refin and he rebuilt it and set it up afterwards - really good work even with the trem setup and the nut stuff, it being a lefty.

stimpsonslostson

They're excellent. I've had two.
A yellow SG Jr
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b625/stimpsonslostson/Mobile Uploads/25E054DB-033C-4596-BD56-9ECA74B3E837_zps8iwlkbbm.jpg

& A Vintage Lemon Drop.
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b625/stimpsonslostson/Mobile Uploads/image_zps42769d96.jpg

I think both are a significant improvement over the original guitar (I dislike poly finish). The relic work looks realistic & @GrahamM will do it to the spec you want- aged, worn or Rory Gallagher.
He's lovely to deal with too.

I sold the SG as I eventually realised that I don't find them comfortable. I replaced it with a Gibson LP Jr, which I don't consider to be an improvement (other than it being a LP not an SG).

Neil

His prices seem very reasonable but I guess you are paying for the finish and the replacement pickups so I would imagine the original guitars are very cheap to enable any margin for the maker.

I am not  a relic fan myself but I must say RR's stuff looks very good indeed and are very well priced.

If it takes your fancy you could of course buy a used Gibson faded special/Jr for not much more and I would guess resale (if that enters your mind) would be better too.

minimoog

If it takes your fancy you could of course buy a used Gibson faded special/Jr for not much more and I would guess resale (if that enters your mind) would be better too. 

Zackly. This is why I'm looking for a opinions on actual playability and quality of the thing, because there isn't a lot in it price-wise if going used.

Thanks for the comments so far 

stimpsonslostson

Both of mine started out life as Vintage brand guitars & as such have a known level of quality: I believe "very good for the money" is the phrase.
I've not heard any negative reports about his more recent products either, but know nothing about their provenance.

I got the Gibson rather than a Raygun LP Jr (I did get aquote for the spec I wanted) for the simple reason that a good one came up locally & I couldn't pass up the chance to buy my first real Gibson. As you say, price wise a new Raygun & second hand Gibson are both £400ish... If you fear that you might sell it in the future then the Gibson makes sense, but I don think the Raygun would depreciate any worse than another new guitar.

minimoog

Cheers for that. As an aside I bought a Vintage Lemon Drop but sent it back cos it buzzed like crazy. The shop that sold it couldn't improve it either so I got a refund. Guess I got lemon. Hoho.

Resale is a consideration tbh, but I do love the look of the black DC Jnr he's got at the moment. I'm guessing having a Lollar put in in place of the Mojo wouldn't be an issue either. Hmm...  :-?

xmrchi

That headstock is hilarius, you need to get rid of that decal, not because of fraud etc, just because it looks so daft!! :P

stimpsonslostson

"> I know. It's the only thing I don't like about the guitar- I got it second hand.
I wish it said Raygun or even Vintage.
My skills aren't up to replacing it though.

Nomad

stimpsonslostson said:

I think both are a significant improvement over the original guitar (I dislike poly finish).

Was the finish stripped on the Lemon Drop? If so, what was put on its place?

fretfinder

I think the Raygun LP Jrs look great except that the pickup position is slightly forward from where it would be in a Gibson. I don't know if that might have a small effect on the sound/tone?

Bucket

Mine sounds great, and looks great (obviously)... the neck is super, super comfortable, might be my favourite profile of any of the guitars I own in fact. Nice and chunky but not ridiculously so, and with a lovely kind of narrow D profile.

It's very light, perhaps a little too light but it's better balanced than the SG I used to have (which Graham now has and I believe he's refinished it - looks great!). The DC still needs a little bit of a set-up perhaps, but it's not a bad playing guitar by any means. It'll be great.

minimoog

Was that new from RR then Bucket? What's off with the setup?

Bucket

minimoog said: Was that new from RR then Bucket? What's off with the setup?

It's new yeah... nothing's actually off, the action just can't go quite as low as I'd like - yet. I like it very low, currently it's only quite low.

Still plays fine - I gigged it the other night and many people watching said afterwards that they were impressed by it. And all of them were stunned when I told them how much it cost...

minimoog

Cool, thanks. Good info.

Lewligan

Here's my Esquire/Tele Custom hybrid sorta thing

http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz108/LewsGuitars/image.jpg1_zpsljm1g01n.jpg

The pickup is a BKP Rebel Yell.

Well impressed with it, and it only set me back £250 (second hand).

Action just needs lowering a touch as the previous owner liked it a bit higher than I do.

It's quite heavy, but not uncomfortably heavy!

The neck is a dream.

Fairly chunky and beautifully reliced.

Can't wait to gig with it!

57Deluxe

minimoog said:

I'm gassing for a P90 LP/Melody Maker/Junior type thing. The Raygun Relics Juniors look interesting. Obviously the superb finishing is a given, but what are they like to play and how do they sound? I understand they are basically some generic no-brand Chinese things. 

Cool finish to one side, why would I want one of those over a genuine Gibson...?

+1 My thoughts exactly. Apart from the undoubted finish and a Mojo Pup, are they set up OK? cos all of this is mute if it is a really cheap and badly setup plank from the start. I mean for £90 I could import my own and add a Mojo and sandpaper he fucker to bits and cover in Prit and play out of tune constantly...