First of all, I just want to say thanks to the guys at zZounds. I live in a place where the nearest large music store is 4 hrs away over a 14,000 foot pass, so I don't get a chance to try out a guitar before I buy it. I returned a few lately that I bought from zZounds and they have been great to work with. The D' Angelico EX SD Gold Top is a keeper, I won't be returning it. I have been a Gibson guy for years (I have a few assorted Les Pauls) but their quality isn't what is use to be (my opinion). I owned a couple of Korean made Epiphones years ago and they where quality guitars, so I decided to try out this Korean made D' Angelico and I am glad I did.

Sound
The Seth Lover humbuckers sound great overdriven and the clean tones are crystal clear. Do keep in mind that the pickups are built like the original PAF's and will feedback with huge amounts of gain. The tone & volume controls are very responsive with small adjustments making a noticeable change in tone-they clean up nicely when you dial back the volume.

Features
This is a straight up classic built guitar-no coil splits or DB boost (which I like) The Rotomatic tuners are excellent and holds tune well. Can't comment on the factory set up-when I get a new guitar I take off the factory strings, clean and lemon oil the fretboard, and adjust the set up to my playing style. When I finished, the action is where I want it with no fret buzz and the intonation is spot on.… read more I strung it with progressive tension strings 9-44. The guitar is light weight (weight relief chambers) and is comfortable to play for hours. I wasn't sure if I would like where they placed the upper strap peg (on the back of the body below the neck joint) but it does balance well when standing.

Ease of Use
This guitar plays very well. It has a slim neck, the frets are finished nicely (level with no sharp ends) and you can get a 2-3 note bend with little effort.

Quality
The finish on this guitar is beautiful and flawless The binding is high quality (neck & front side of the body) The bone nut is slotted nicely. The mother of pearl inlays fit perfectly. Comes with a high quality hard shell case.

Value
I'm still on the fence about the price-$1400 is pricey for a Korean made guitar-but it is well built and sounds awesome-I have played some Gibson's in this price range that are not this good.

Manufacturer Support
Just received the guitar-thankfully I haven't needed support.

The Wow Factor
Don't let the fact that this a Korean built guitar drive you away. I buy (and keep) guitars for their playability and quality and this one definitely meets the criteria. If your wanting a light weight LP that can cover many music styles, this guitar will do you well.

Musical Background:
Been playing for 36 years-not professionally (weekend rocker)

Musical Style:
I will play most any style with the exception of country. Blues, Classic rock and Classic metal are my mainstays (Ozzy, Iron Mai read less