Wesley Review: Freeport Model ETL150os

History: I can't say I play in any particular style, tho' I'd like to sound like/be as good a guitarist as Richard Thompson (who wouldn't?) I've been playing, on and off, for over 25 years, purely for my own pleasure, joining/formimg a band has never crossed my mind. Musical tastes? Almost everything, barring opera and most classical music, with a preference for folk rock type guitar styles.

Purchase: I boufght this guitar from Wesley, via ebay, and paid £84, inc delivery, vat, insurance etc.

What I Like About This Wesley Freeport Model ETL150os: This guitar is a stunner to look at, tele shaped with a hollow alder body, sporting one bound f-hole. The 2 P90 type pickups are great, if a touch noisy. The action out of the box was excellent, tho' with a bit of effort on my part, it's now superb. The sound is brutal, but in a good way, this guitar couldn't be subtle if it tried. It's as raw as raw can be, a true rock'n'roll sound. The neck is biggish, not unlike a Les Paul, which for all it's based on a tele, this guitar has more in common with a Les Paul.

What I Do NOT Like About The Wesley Freeport Model ETL150os: Barring a faulty pickup (detailed in the next category) there's nothing to dislike at the price I paid. The nut was a touch too high for my taste, the action was perfectly playable, but it was no big deal to remove the nut and file it down to the right heighht for me. Any further crtiticism would be really splitting hairs.

Wesley Freeport Model ETL150os Quality Rating: One fault, which could have been a major issue to someone who didn't know what to look for/how to fix, was a faulty bridge pickup. I expected to find a loose wire, but on opening the back panel, I found a wire that had been (mistakenly?) cut, and crudely joined and wrapped with tape. This was no biggie to put right, but shouldn't have happened in the first place. Overall construction and finish are great, tho' there are one or two small blemishes in the final laquer, but at this price, they barely warrant a mention.

Review Summary: This is a fantastic guitar for the price I paid, even taking into account the faulty pickup, I would have happily paid the full list price of £129. I already own a tele copy, but wanted something with a bigger/fatter sound, and boy, this guitar gives just that. All the hardware seems solid enough, tho' only time will tell on the durability. This is the second Wesley guitar I've got, the other being a Conaught electro-acoustic, which is also superb. The day's when buying so called budget guitars meant really compromising on quality/playability, have long gone it seems. I really can't praise this guitar enough at the price. Highly recommended.

Rating of this Wesley product: 5

This Wesley Freeport Model ETL150os Electric Guitars Review Submitted By: Ian B

Review Date: 2006-04-09