Fusion-T HH HT Roasted FNT : Near Perfect

I bought this as part of the 25th Anniversary deal - so the price was irresistible. This is my third Fusion-T, but the first with the roasted maple neck.

Everything about this guitar is how I would want it to be. Even the pickups are great, if you want an Alnico 5 PAF kind of sound. I have some great pickups spare (Oripure, Iron Gear) but I don't feel any need to change them, for my tastes. I love the figuring of the veneered top and the roasted neck. Some people might say there were imperfections but I like that - it's real wood. After a setup and new string s the intonation is spot-on and the tuning stable.

There Is one problem though: the frets are rough. Normally that would be expected and wouldn't be a problem. While the strings were off I gave them a good going over with a leather block and stropping compound. They are still rough. The problem is that they are stainless steel, so will require some serious work. My other two Fusion-Ts, and my two Fusions, also have stainless frets. They were fine after stropping. The ones on this guitar feel like they've been stored next to a welder. This roughness isn't going to disappear with a bit of playing. A few hours with fine Micromesh and more stropping and they will be smooth and shiny. It's worth investing the time - I just wish I didn't have to.

Other than that, this is magnificent. I love the Fusion-Ts for their huge control cavities, which make modding so easy. I just don't feel the need to mod this one. Impeccable!