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Grassroots: G-LP-50S
Sale: $499
We know ESP guitars. We know the manufacturer’s very high QC standards & their instruments’ singing tone which make us satisfied owners after much investment in this brand name. The Edwards brand name, is ESP’s sister company which deals with popular copies (Strats/ Teles/ LPs in addition to a range of Edwards’ own line-up)- they even copy themselves- but provisions are for the domestic market, there’s no focus on exports despite us enjoying some of their products here. We then know the Grassroots brand name as the more affordable off-shoots of what Edwards have to offer. The G-LP-50S on review here is a Les Paul (Standard) manifest, with lots of trimmings in the asking price.
Construction/ fitting/ finish
The Les Paul (LP) image is unmistakable here, there’s no hiding the G-LP-50S is a blatant copy as no provisions were made to differentiate its outline with the former instrument (even up to the finish). We would be absolutely pleased if we are dealing with an Edwards instrument in our hands but we are scrutinizing a Korean Grassroots, so much anxiety lies with the fact that the manufacturer has incorporated production compromise to give us a sub-$500 guitar. But take heed, the G-LP-50S is a very well made instrument whose fittings & finish are well above average. Grassroots did well to put everything in place so this is not just a mere copy but a good one indeed. The only gripe here would be some messy binding at the bass side body area; there is a portion where the binding seems to be nipped. Nevertheless, the G-LP-50S is inspiring in this category.
Rating: 89%
Playability/ tone
The G-LP-50S is a worthy player from the start. The entire finish is not as plastic as we’d expect from an instrument of this nature & price. Take note of the neck profile; while it strives to emulate that LP feel, it’s not as distinct as the original but very meaty without being restrictive to the fleet fingered. Unplugged, we know this guitar possesses the right finish chemistry as it allows the instrument to breathe, lots of crispy midrange could be heard without overpowering the lower frequencies. Both the fret wires & radius mimic the LP version so it’s familiar territory to players who are accustomed to the real deal.
While Edwards equip their LP-type guitars with a pair of Seymour Duncan humbuckers, the Grassroots counterpart feature Gotoh pickups. These are not sub-mediocre units, mind you, they sound absolutely acceptable but to the discriminating ears, these pickups could feature less protrusive top end, despite being covered models. In both clean & drive settings, they would appease those of us who value clarity while not exactly friendly to the rest who are in search of that Gibson-esque wooliness. There is also an unexpected chemistry with volume play; the pickups clean up well upon restraint & there’s much blues crunch to look forward to if you command your drive tone this way.
Tone test equipment:
Amps: Blackheart Killer Ant (head)/ Peavey XXL 2x12 combo
Rating: 85%
Conclusion
We often scrutinize an LP copy rather excessively because it replicates the hallowed original but bear in mind, the manufacturers who offer these affordable off-shoots often stay true to looks more than keeping the unseen precise. The G-LP-50S tries to be the original it was conceived to be but it remains faithful in looks more so than any other aspects. Many of us would not hesitate to swap the default humbuckers here but be informed they are rather dynamic to begin with just that the top end sizzle (in drive mode) could be too much for some of us. This instrument is reputable in terms of playability & QC despite its meager asking price. On a personal note, it’s highly recommended over others in this price range.
Final rating: 88%
Availability: TYMC
Likes:
• Superb playability
• Asking price
• Bag included in the package
Dislikes:
• Default pickups could be more tonally balanced
Worthy competitors:
• Rally: GL-300
• Epiphone: Les Paul Standard
• Ibanez: ART80
• LTD: EC-50
• Cort: Z40
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