Largely it's stock. At its core it's a well balanced solid guitar. I have someone who's learning guitar craft from me and I told him to get one of these to use as an experimental guitar to learn about all the aspects of repair short of the actual lutherie.
When I worked at Ibanez, I treated every guitar I purchased from the 'seconds' room as a kit and as customizable instruments, they could be made to play and sound like the best. This was before the China market began making nice cheap guitars for everyone. I thought "Someday the places that make the real nice guitars with the Ibanez, Epiphone or PRS label on them will put out something with cheap hardware for really cheap" and sure enough, the market has that niche now. For the guitarists who learn how to switch out pickups, can do a good setup, want to customize an instrument into a serious working guitar with the best electronics that can be had, it's a new world.
There are vendors in China that still make bad stuff. You have to know and avoid them. But there are good ones (like Raines uses the same factory where you could order your custom guitar and DIY, and same goes for big names too).
I got the names of a few good builders and I've been very happy. I happen to get guitars and sell them to students who can benefit from a professionally fitted guitar at a price that undercuts even a medium level poorly set up off the wall meh-tar from GC.
I don't know what you'd get but all the guitars I got from these guys, I have been happy with. And you can learn to customize to your heart's content. That satisfaction is priceless.
Shipping Catastrophe
Today, 07:27 AM in Everything Else