Epiphone Les Pauls
Discussion
I believe I need a Les Paul in my life. I've currently got a Squier Classic Vibe Tele (my second electric guitar in 20 years) and ive had it for about 3 years now. I love playing it, but recently picked up a rather cheap Les Paul (some chibson type) and actually enjoyed playing it. I think it may have been a slim neck as the last time I played a LP, I found the neck too chunky and quite cumbersome.
I'm strictly a home player, and i'm very average but I like good tone. I run my Tele with my Yamaha THR10C which has great tone and is adequate for home use.
Ive been looking at LPs and a recent visit to the local music store, I stumbled upon an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top Pro. http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_det...
Its got coil split humbuckers, and is available in a lovely trans blue or sunburst cherry. I haven't had the opportunity to play it as I was in a rush (with other half) but after a bit of online research, saw that Epiphone also do a Les Paul Tribute.
http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_det...
This thing seems to have Gibson pickups instead of the Probuckers, as well as coil but its £400 vs £569.
Anyone got one of these and can comment on what theyre like? I know I need to go and try them but i'm not local to the nearest place which has both in.
I'm strictly a home player, and i'm very average but I like good tone. I run my Tele with my Yamaha THR10C which has great tone and is adequate for home use.
Ive been looking at LPs and a recent visit to the local music store, I stumbled upon an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top Pro. http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_det...
Its got coil split humbuckers, and is available in a lovely trans blue or sunburst cherry. I haven't had the opportunity to play it as I was in a rush (with other half) but after a bit of online research, saw that Epiphone also do a Les Paul Tribute.
http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_det...
This thing seems to have Gibson pickups instead of the Probuckers, as well as coil but its £400 vs £569.
Anyone got one of these and can comment on what theyre like? I know I need to go and try them but i'm not local to the nearest place which has both in.
It'll probably sound snobby, by I was very unimpressed with the last Epi Les Paul I tried, finish was poor on both the paint and frets. Felt a very cheap guitar, and that was a Black Beauty so pretty much the top one they make. For that money I'd be looking for either a bottom end USA made Gibson, or a Japanese Tokai.
I'd have to agree with Tom - not that impressed with Epiphone Les Pauls, but it's been a few years since I last played one. I'd recommend having a look at a Vintage (brand!) instead - Something like this.
I picked one up in a stock clearance sale about 15 years ago for about £80 and I love it.
I picked one up in a stock clearance sale about 15 years ago for about £80 and I love it.
I'm an SG man but I've owned and played Epiphone guitars in addition to my Gibson SG standard. There's just no comparison. I know a lot of people swear by Epi's and say you're only paying extra for the Gibson name, but in my (limited) experience the build quality of a Gibson is far superior.
Edited by Skyrat on Thursday 18th August 16:15
robbocop33 said:
I bought a 'real' Gibson Les Paul for £350 lately,a studio model second hand.Loads about for around the 4-500 mark too,probably your better option to get a real Gibson!;-)
Cheapest Gibson LP that's not a studio on that site is a £650 50s Tribute which I would look at very seriously. The price difference would be covered by the difference in second hand value the moment you took ownership. Man Maths.
Chicken Chaser said:
These are not the words I want to hear!! I do like the look of the Tokais but I need to try these things out, don't like buying blind.
For those who worship at the Altar of LP, can someone enlighten me on the different necks and ages? Is the 50s like a baseball bat?
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff8/Vids-an-stu...For those who worship at the Altar of LP, can someone enlighten me on the different necks and ages? Is the 50s like a baseball bat?
Not a lot in it, but it's no Ibanez either way. Best to try them, you might be surprised by which one you prefer.
davepoth said:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff8/Vids-an-stu...
Not a lot in it, but it's no Ibanez either way. Best to try them, you might be surprised by which one you prefer.
Apparently there are year differences 58-59 but 100% of my knowledge comes from this video:Not a lot in it, but it's no Ibanez either way. Best to try them, you might be surprised by which one you prefer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z1yD2Z3xPw
I bought a (2013) 50s Tribute Gibson LP studio last November as an early 50th birthday present. I bought it blind because it was a one day deal from Guitar Guitar (they don't seem to do those now?) and I'd been thinking about getting one anyway. It was £399 and satin black with P90s, so a very basic, unpretentious LP.
However the neck is quite thick and I have little hands. I also didn't like the high frets, so had them levelled down and re-profiled for an extra £85 by a local luthier. I later found ut that I should have looked for a 60s style LP as these have thinner necks (but I'd still have the high fret issue, just because I'm so used to small 'vintage' frets after owning my JV Squer Strat for 34 years).
I've owned my Epiphone LP Standard since 1995, which is a Cherry Sunburst with humbuckers, so it's a bit more glamorous than the black studio, but seems well finished and of course nicely worn in now. It has the thinner neck and also vintage type frets already, so any plans of replacing it with a 'real' Gibson would mean spending an absolute fortune as I believe I'd have to look at one of the real high end models to get the same 'feel'. Instead I think I'll treat it to some better pickups (I've already done the electrics and new bridge last year) and maybe have a go at dulling down the still very shiney poly finish.
http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/
However the neck is quite thick and I have little hands. I also didn't like the high frets, so had them levelled down and re-profiled for an extra £85 by a local luthier. I later found ut that I should have looked for a 60s style LP as these have thinner necks (but I'd still have the high fret issue, just because I'm so used to small 'vintage' frets after owning my JV Squer Strat for 34 years).
I've owned my Epiphone LP Standard since 1995, which is a Cherry Sunburst with humbuckers, so it's a bit more glamorous than the black studio, but seems well finished and of course nicely worn in now. It has the thinner neck and also vintage type frets already, so any plans of replacing it with a 'real' Gibson would mean spending an absolute fortune as I believe I'd have to look at one of the real high end models to get the same 'feel'. Instead I think I'll treat it to some better pickups (I've already done the electrics and new bridge last year) and maybe have a go at dulling down the still very shiney poly finish.
Chicken Chaser said:
These are not the words I want to hear!! I do like the look of the Tokais but I need to try these things out, don't like buying blind.
For those who worship at the Altar of LP, can someone enlighten me on the different necks and ages? Is the 50s like a baseball bat?
As you might have picked up from my comments above, this is largely true, though have a read on the 'My Les Paul' forum for a bit more information:For those who worship at the Altar of LP, can someone enlighten me on the different necks and ages? Is the 50s like a baseball bat?
http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/
davepoth said:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff8/Vids-an-stu...
Best to try them, you might be surprised by which one you prefer.
This. Spend a fair bit of time in the shop playing it. FWIW, I prefer the 50s neck, don't ask me to explain why, it just feels better. Best to try them, you might be surprised by which one you prefer.
I'm going a bit against the grain here but my Epi LP played better than any of the few LP's I have had subsequently. The only thing to do is go and try a few and not be influenced by the name on the headstock. History & heritage only count for so much when most guitars are cnc'd as much as possible.
Chicken Chaser said:
These are not the words I want to hear!! I do like the look of the Tokais but I need to try these things out, don't like buying blind.
For those who worship at the Altar of LP, can someone enlighten me on the different necks and ages? Is the 50s like a baseball bat?
I bought a Korean Epi LP Standard in 2002 and it was an OK guitar. I then put a switchcraft three-way switch and jack in it, Seymour Duncan JB and 59 pickups and finally, an RS Guitarworks bumblebee capacitor and CTS pots set. I had it set up by a guitar maker who has done setups for the likes of Ronnie Wood and the thing is now just fantastic. I honestly rate it over many a Gibson. It's a wonderful guitar.For those who worship at the Altar of LP, can someone enlighten me on the different necks and ages? Is the 50s like a baseball bat?
As for necks, the 50s neck is a fat unit and I've never liked it. I have a Gibson LP Custom 1960 reissue and its neck is way slimmer than a 50s neck, but thicker than my Epi LPs neck. I love my Epi and the Gibson, but whether the Gibson really is 10 times the guitar for the 10x outlay over the Epi, I can't say.
I've had genuine LP's previously ;
I managed to pickup a Epi LP standard a few years ago - was an eBay find, at a very good price
local to me, allegedly in good condition with SD pickups.
And indeed it was.
I can honestly say, it's is one of the sweetest guitars I own !
The pickups were SD Slash APH-2 : IMHO sound perfect on this guitar - given what I paid for the guitar, I really bought the PU's and the guitar came free !
The finish is brilliant, easily as good as the genuine LP's I've owned.
I've set it up to my taste and it plays like a dream - I play it daily.
All I can say, as is the usual advice, get yourself down to a guitar shop and play the damn things - and bear in mind that a setup will make it even better.
I managed to pickup a Epi LP standard a few years ago - was an eBay find, at a very good price
local to me, allegedly in good condition with SD pickups.
And indeed it was.
I can honestly say, it's is one of the sweetest guitars I own !
The pickups were SD Slash APH-2 : IMHO sound perfect on this guitar - given what I paid for the guitar, I really bought the PU's and the guitar came free !
The finish is brilliant, easily as good as the genuine LP's I've owned.
I've set it up to my taste and it plays like a dream - I play it daily.
All I can say, as is the usual advice, get yourself down to a guitar shop and play the damn things - and bear in mind that a setup will make it even better.
If you're looking for a Les Paul I can guess that tone and playability aren't your primary concern and so you may well end up going for the guitar with the prettiest top or finish.
Epiphone quality is a bit like Gibson quality, extremely variable. You may find an Epihone that is very well finished and set up to play as well as it can out of the box. The cheaper Gibson Les Pauls are just a mass produced item these days and are not immune to the typical Nashville slop-job, so buying blind is not advisable unless you're willing to pay for return shipping.
Probably more important than the outright profile of the neck is the finish of the lacquer and the frets. Neck profile isn't as big a deal as people make out, especially on something as stodgy as a Les Paul where fast, smooth runs up and down the neck will likely be the last thing on your mind. Some of the necks can be rather poorly finished and have a rough feeling which is downright unpleasant. The finish is often typically tacky to the touch and will get worse if your hand sweats onto it as you play. Bad fret levelling, rough fret ends and a poor neck finish could cosf upwards of £200 for a luthier or tech to sort out, which could be the difference between a bad Les Paul and a mediocre one.
Epiphone quality is a bit like Gibson quality, extremely variable. You may find an Epihone that is very well finished and set up to play as well as it can out of the box. The cheaper Gibson Les Pauls are just a mass produced item these days and are not immune to the typical Nashville slop-job, so buying blind is not advisable unless you're willing to pay for return shipping.
Probably more important than the outright profile of the neck is the finish of the lacquer and the frets. Neck profile isn't as big a deal as people make out, especially on something as stodgy as a Les Paul where fast, smooth runs up and down the neck will likely be the last thing on your mind. Some of the necks can be rather poorly finished and have a rough feeling which is downright unpleasant. The finish is often typically tacky to the touch and will get worse if your hand sweats onto it as you play. Bad fret levelling, rough fret ends and a poor neck finish could cosf upwards of £200 for a luthier or tech to sort out, which could be the difference between a bad Les Paul and a mediocre one.
You don't sound much like a L.P fan!
I've only owned Fender guitars. A strat and now my Tele which I love but fancy something different alongside it. I had my eye on a Hagstrom viking last year and thought I'd get one of those. I loved how it played. I then fancied a 335 but didn't like it when I played it. Finally came to look at LPs again after ignoring them when I bought the Tele. I don't play clean that often and usually play on the dirtier side of the biting point. I'm heading to the local guitar shop this week so it should help me form some ideas.
I've only owned Fender guitars. A strat and now my Tele which I love but fancy something different alongside it. I had my eye on a Hagstrom viking last year and thought I'd get one of those. I loved how it played. I then fancied a 335 but didn't like it when I played it. Finally came to look at LPs again after ignoring them when I bought the Tele. I don't play clean that often and usually play on the dirtier side of the biting point. I'm heading to the local guitar shop this week so it should help me form some ideas.
We have had a few LP's. A well set up epiphone is fine. Talk to Clive at.. http://www.unsungheroguitars.com/
davidd said:
We have had a few LP's. A well set up epiphone is fine. Talk to Clive at.. http://www.unsungheroguitars.com/
Wow, some really tasty affordable guitars there. Looks like he makes a silk purse from a sows ear.Gassing Station | Music | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff