Grote LPF-001 Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar with Coil Splitting - Vintage Sunburst Finish & Gigbag Included | Perfect for Jazz, Blues & Rock Performances

The Grote LPF-001 at the time of purchase on Amazon for $499 ($449 on sale) is not a cheap guitar, but it fits squarely among the best in the mid-range category of affordable guitars. This group offers value above the $200-$300 range of guitars (of which I own and enjoy a Firefly FFST, Monoprice Boardwalk Indio, and an Ibanez GIO) that for me justifies the extra spend and compares favorably to more well-known brands at double or triple the price. This guitar features perfectly polished and rounded ball end stainless steel frets, gold hardware, 5-ply binding on the front (single ply on the back), a superbly bound fretboard, cleanly bound f-holes, and 2 volume/2 tone knobs with a push/pull split coil function. The fretboard is HPL (high pressure laminate) – a hi-tech material that I appreciate not only for its feel, durability, and consistency in tone, but also for its appearance. The gloss black nicely highlights the perfectly-placed MOP block inlays. The headstock is quite beautiful – bound with the Grote name printed in gold with an understated 3-dimensional logo that exudes elegance. The truss rod cover uses a single screw and allows the cover to swing open for easy access to adjust the truss rod. Even the truss rod cover is an elegant affair, featuring gold lettering and what looks like a gold king’s crown above the name. The gig bag that came with the guitar is decently padded and features the Grote name and “since 1989” embroidered in gold on the front pocket. The pride this company feels about its brand and products is palpable.Now let’s address the elephant in the room – the printed quilted top and back. I own guitars with various flamed or quilted maple tops: solid tiger flame maple (Gibson Pat Martino Custom) and maple veneers (ESP LTD EC1001 Tiger Eye, Ibanez S621QM, and Eart NK-C1). I appreciate the 3-dimensionality of the grain when tilting it under a light. It is very beautiful. However, when I’m actually playing the guitar, I don’t really see this. And then when I place it on a stand, I’m looking at it from a short distance away, say 3+ feet. To me then, I must put having a “genuine” veneer that shimmers upon close inspection in perspective. The beautiful top in the photos you see when deciding to purchase a guitar often isn’t what you get when you actually receive the guitar - either because they were stock photos of their best representation of a figured top or because they were shot under studio lighting that dramatically accentuated the figuring. So what Grote is offering is of genuine value: (1) consistency: the beautiful guitar top you see in stock photos will look EXACTLY like what you will receive. There will be no disappointment in opening the box to find an anemic-looking partially flamed top that pales in comparison to the stock photo. Grote’s photo quilted top is a high-resolution image of figuring selected from a “top ten” quilt pattern, highlighted to make it pop even under natural light; (2) sustainability: flamed or quilted maple is becoming scarcer – which is why veneers are now used instead of solid tops of the past. In time with increased instrument and furniture production, even veneers will become scarce. Why NOT use an image instead of cutting down another tree? Personally, I’m fine having a photo image on a guitar top (and back in this case) if it is tastefully done, and from where I sit looking at my guitar on its stand, this Grote is quite visually stunning!As for playability, I really enjoy playing this guitar. It is very resonant acoustically, the neck, fretboard, and frets are as smooth as butter, and it balances nicely in my lap. The tuners are Grover-style, work well, hold tune, and don’t slip. The pickups are articulate and the coil-splitting truly gives a variety of useful tones. I did need to adjust the truss rod a quarter turn, lower the bridge slightly and make intonation adjustments after putting on new strings. I also adjusted the pickup heights to match my personal preference. After that, it was a pure joy to play. In sum, though this isn’t the least expensive guitar available, it is a true bargain. You get a guitar built to exacting standards with quality components, a stunningly beautiful appearance, and a sense that Grote genuinely cares about what it makes. By the way, I also picked up their LPS-003 solid-body guitar (equally exquisite) and now my only dilemma is which one do I play now as both are calling out to me….UPDATE: Since the true test of value, quality, and "mojo" is the test of time, I wanted to provide an update after 1 year and 4 months of my musical journey with this Grote semi-hollow body guitar. This guitar has become one of my top 3 go-to guitars from among the wide range of budget, mid-range, and expensive guitars I've owned and played over the years. Why? Three things instantly come to mind: (1) the shiny, smooth gloss black fretboard with highly polished ball-end stainless steel frets feels wonderful on the fingers and is just so inviting to play; (2) the acoustic resonance of the semi-hollow maple body is ethereal - very chime-like notes with airy overtones, more than any other electric guitar I've played; and (3) the tuning stability is solid - I can pick up the guitar any time and more often than not it will be in tune. I get that from a looks perspective, the printed top of this guitar is divisive. I would recommend to Grote that they build this same guitar but offer it also in a few SOLID colors, such as Metallic Red, Gloss Black (would look great with the gold hardware) and Satin Vintage Creamy Off-White (would also look great with the gold hardware). That way more players would be open to trying this guitar and experiencing the remarkable build quality and playability at an affordable price point. Hope this update helps!