Epiphone Zakk Wylde Bullseye Les Paul PeeWee Pack

Saw it in a shop window, just had to have one. AUS$349 - discounted 30%.

Novelty and overall build quality/presentation.

Still reading/learning how to tune it for the best results - includes perhaps putting on much heavier gauge strings...

Construction and build quality are excellent. Comes with a stap, chord, 'gig case', and even a 9-volt battery. Yes - "batteries are included". Ready to go out of the box (nice touch).

I saw this thing in a shop and I just had to buy one. I think the concept and build quality are excellent. As for playability - well let's just say it's a steep learning curve.

I guess the hardest thing so far is to get the lil b*stard of a thing to stay in tune. I just assumed you tune it like a normal guitar, but from what I'm reading around the traps it sounds like you need to tune it up several semi-tones/tones. Kinda makes sense when you think about it really - the whole thing is about half-scale, so to use 'normal' guitar strings it seems quite logical that the overall string tension is going to be relatively low. And considering the overall small build style of guitar, any stress you put on the fretboard/strings/neck is going to be amplified a lot more than on a standard full-sized electric axe.

Pitch bends are achieved by quite minimal bending of the strings - I'd say down to about a third as much as what you'd use on a Strat for example. It takes a whole new feel to get this lil baby to sound right. The secret is to appreciate it for what it is and use a really light touch. Don't expect to be able to play full or fancy chords. In general, two-string power chords work ok, and light-touch lead riffs come up ok too. Just remember that it's a small instrument - probably more suited to a child's touch and hand-span than that of a chord-hammering adult. I've just come off belting the daylights out of a full-sized bass guitar, so I can immediately hear/feel that this thing requires a much more delicate style. I'm interested to see what effect of tuning it up from E-A-D-G-B-E sounds like. That of course means frying my brain trying to work out the various chord inversions to use in place of 'normal' chords. If you've ever used a capo to play harmonies against a 'standard' chord structure you'll get my drift.

From what I've read so far, I guess I've been lucky enough to score one that has a fully adjustable bridge - string height and harmonics are totally adjustable. Neck action is also adjustable. But I'm not going to play with any of that just yet. I reckon that trying different tuning combinations and experimenting with playing style might just pay off. It's not rocket-science when you think about it. Mandolins and Ukele's are small instruments that can produce phenomenal sounds in the right hands. I'm sure the Pee Wee has got something to offer there as well.

It's too early for me to really give constructive criticism yet - and I don't want to unnecessarily bag it until I've exhausted a few possibilities. I think the Pee Wee is one of those kinds of instruments that you have to learn to play from scratch all over again. And I'm sure there's going to be someone turn up on, say, YouTube, that sets this thing on fire. I'm positive that there's some great sounds to come out of it - only we have to find the key to unlock it's potential. It's a pretty bold and brave move to try and produce a workable guitar on this 'bonsai' scale. I don't think a 300-buck mini-guitar can be expected to do what it's 10-grand cousins can. It might flop, but then again it might just take off if someone like Clapton or Sambora et al play something definitive on it. Along the same lines as the child's piano in Neil Diamond's 'Shilo'. Wouldn't it be great to see a 'Hendrix' figure grab hold of one of these things and ring it's neck until it screamed pure colour...?

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I aquired this unit from Joe's Guitar in Wallingford, Connecticut: one of the few remainging 'real' guitar shops, operated by 'real' musicians that is not a chain or warehouse. I paid $150 for the package which consisted of: guitar, gig bag, strap, chord, and the 9 volt amp.

I thought that it would be an excellent addition to any guitar collection and a fun unit. It, actually, has more than it appears to have. The neck is straight. It stays in tune. It is very compact and portable. Above all, no one that I know, has one. The pick-up is open and hot. There is no tone control; which, increases the 'hotness'. A metal-head would love this unit. The supplied strap works well for its light weight. I own other Les Pauls and this one just cracks-me-up; especially, plugged into a large stack.

Attention: Engineer. If you put .012 gauge strings on it you can tune it to normal A=440 (E,A,D,G,B,E) instead of other odd tunings because of the short string length. Because, of the small size, it could use a some more mass on the bridge. The angle between anchoring the strings and the saddles needs to be increased to ensure no-string-buzz (especially when using 'thick' strings), but the stock bridge does work. Since, the pick-up is hot and no tone control is in-line, it is very responsive to your picking technique. So, if you want to get jazzy or clean, you must be light, if you want to blow the windows out, go-for-it. You cannot be too loud with this little friend. Large stacks are recommended.

It is well made. The tuning pegs are at a reasonable ratio. The finish is fine. The lettering on the head is clean. I have no problems with the quality.

Sheer fun. I would like to put a bridge of more mass and a pick-up with shielding to see what it can do. Other than that, I am just a sick guitar fan that can have loads of fun at any price and size. Every time I present this piece at a practice or party, everyone plays it. It is what a "Pee-Wee" should be. The psycosis will follow.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought this guitar new for a gift ... well, I'm going to change gift!

So, initially, the idea of ​​a "mini" ZW Bullseye is rather interesting, but upon arrival, I do not understand how "bearded" could have brought his signature on this guitar ... even cheap !

Manufactured in China and sold € 169 accompanied by new mini Marshall MS4, it has many flaws.
Firstly, the button, or small white dots form a sort of spot that can be found in several places.
The tuners are very poor quality and have great game .. Avoid too much rope round!
There are many friezes on the strings ... you have to stretch the strings to the extent possible to make it disappear! Well, it is true that I received with a draft of 9/42, which is strongly discouraged such scrapers small pitch (this is what I have said, a member of the forum, a luthier and different sites!).
So rather than changing shooting, without the oil of lemon on the button, etc ... and it does not change the situation, I decided to return it in good condition!


Once connected, the deception continues, whether clean or OD. Ultimately, I prefer to play the same OD / Disto, it appears less rough. In clean, sound is tight, unspecified or cleanliness. I tested it on a JMP1 + Velocity 120, all on a 2x12.
So it is true, we are not in front of the "true" model Bullseye, certainly, but hey, do not abuse it ... I think there are too many obvious flaws! I pass over the small details, style painting drooling, nut ill-posed, etc ... If it is, this is the series that I fell, I do not know?! Future opinions will enlighten us more ...

I leave this notice by disappointment, not to "break" the guitar or the store that sold me (although! Although this is more my fault than theirs, for them I would not sell such a product !), but also for potential interested to think 2 times before trick!

My rating is 4 out of 10, and it is paid I think ...

Note that I have not tried the small Marshall!

Musically