Epiphone les paul advice please?
Discussion
A few months ago i was shopping for the very same thing !
I wanted an epiphone les paul-there a quite a few models to choose from !
Steer clear of the bolt on neck variety (cheaper to make and poorer sound)
The studio versions are very cheap looking,go for the standard or better model.
For me i found a shop where the chap was very helpful and allowed me to play any guitar i wanted.
I tried an epi custom,an epi sg a real gibson and a Tokai love rock les paul standard and custom.
I found the Tokai love rock to be closer to the real les paul in weight/tone and playability-obviously the quality of the tokai was not the same as the Gibson but damn close considering the massive price difference.
The Gibson was £3000 new and the love rock was £200!!! (second hand but mint)
One thing the chap mentioned with the epiphones was that some were tricky to set up intonation correctly-he muttered about not have enough adjustment on the bridge saddles.
All in all the epi is a fine guitar but try a tokai as well.
Mine is in tobacco sunburst (vintage faded look)and looks the dogs
I wanted an epiphone les paul-there a quite a few models to choose from !
Steer clear of the bolt on neck variety (cheaper to make and poorer sound)
The studio versions are very cheap looking,go for the standard or better model.
For me i found a shop where the chap was very helpful and allowed me to play any guitar i wanted.
I tried an epi custom,an epi sg a real gibson and a Tokai love rock les paul standard and custom.
I found the Tokai love rock to be closer to the real les paul in weight/tone and playability-obviously the quality of the tokai was not the same as the Gibson but damn close considering the massive price difference.
The Gibson was £3000 new and the love rock was £200!!! (second hand but mint)
One thing the chap mentioned with the epiphones was that some were tricky to set up intonation correctly-he muttered about not have enough adjustment on the bridge saddles.
All in all the epi is a fine guitar but try a tokai as well.
Mine is in tobacco sunburst (vintage faded look)and looks the dogs
Hmmm, I have exactly the guitar you are after. I really like it but I have since upgraded to the real thing and could possibly be persuaded to sell it. I'll give it some thought. I'm on my way out but I'll put a few pictures up later this evening so you can see it. It really is an excellent guitar for the money though.
Others worth considering are Tokai and the PRS SE Singlecut if you like the LP style.
Others worth considering are Tokai and the PRS SE Singlecut if you like the LP style.
I've got an Epi Les Paul Gothic (it's a Studio wearing a halloween costume) and an Epi acoustic (PR350VS or something). Both impressed me with their build quality, finish and sound. I think they were both built in Korea but can't check right now. They definitely both came from the Far East.
Here are the pictures I promised.
As a comparison I've got an R8 as well as this and this is probably the easier guitar to play. The Epiphone has a much thinner neck for a start! The build quality is excellent given how much they cost. The set up wasn't great when I got it but I've tweeked it over the 3 or 4 years I've had it and it now plays really rather well.
The thing that lets these guitars down is the electronics in my opinion. The R8 is leagues ahead in terms of tone and range, but then it should be really given the price difference between the two. If you're just started learning, as I was when I got it, then the chances are you're not going going to have a decent valve amp to play through so this won't be as big a deal as it could be. I had a little solid state practice amp and it was absolutely fine. Playing the R8 through that amp produces a similar sound to the Epiphone. I've kept it a tuned a half step down so that I can play things like G&R and still use it regularly so they're definitely not rubbish!
Edited to add that it's a Korean made one.
As a comparison I've got an R8 as well as this and this is probably the easier guitar to play. The Epiphone has a much thinner neck for a start! The build quality is excellent given how much they cost. The set up wasn't great when I got it but I've tweeked it over the 3 or 4 years I've had it and it now plays really rather well.
The thing that lets these guitars down is the electronics in my opinion. The R8 is leagues ahead in terms of tone and range, but then it should be really given the price difference between the two. If you're just started learning, as I was when I got it, then the chances are you're not going going to have a decent valve amp to play through so this won't be as big a deal as it could be. I had a little solid state practice amp and it was absolutely fine. Playing the R8 through that amp produces a similar sound to the Epiphone. I've kept it a tuned a half step down so that I can play things like G&R and still use it regularly so they're definitely not rubbish!
Edited to add that it's a Korean made one.
Edited by gingerpaul on Thursday 16th April 23:36
gingerpaul said:
Here are the pictures I promised.
As a comparison I've got an R8 as well as this and this is probably the easier guitar to play. The Epiphone has a much thinner neck for a start! The build quality is excellent given how much they cost. The set up wasn't great when I got it but I've tweeked it over the 3 or 4 years I've had it and it now plays really rather well.
The thing that lets these guitars down is the electronics in my opinion. The R8 is leagues ahead in terms of tone and range, but then it should be really given the price difference between the two. If you're just started learning, as I was when I got it, then the chances are you're not going going to have a decent valve amp to play through so this won't be as big a deal as it could be. I had a little solid state practice amp and it was absolutely fine. Playing the R8 through that amp produces a similar sound to the Epiphone. I've kept it a tuned a half step down so that I can play things like G&R and still use it regularly so they're definitely not rubbish!
Edited to add that it's a Korean made one.
My god, why are they sooo nice to look at?!!!!!As a comparison I've got an R8 as well as this and this is probably the easier guitar to play. The Epiphone has a much thinner neck for a start! The build quality is excellent given how much they cost. The set up wasn't great when I got it but I've tweeked it over the 3 or 4 years I've had it and it now plays really rather well.
The thing that lets these guitars down is the electronics in my opinion. The R8 is leagues ahead in terms of tone and range, but then it should be really given the price difference between the two. If you're just started learning, as I was when I got it, then the chances are you're not going going to have a decent valve amp to play through so this won't be as big a deal as it could be. I had a little solid state practice amp and it was absolutely fine. Playing the R8 through that amp produces a similar sound to the Epiphone. I've kept it a tuned a half step down so that I can play things like G&R and still use it regularly so they're definitely not rubbish!
Edited to add that it's a Korean made one.
Edited by gingerpaul on Thursday 16th April 23:36
My missus is getting me a LP 59 Re-issue for my 40th. I've had a few LP Standards before and they have always been very attractive guitars - never had the same attraction to Fenders, for instance, in the same way.
Anyway - I've played a few Epiphones as well and they are brilliant value for money.
Anyway - I've played a few Epiphones as well and they are brilliant value for money.
i have a LP "Gothic" (ive also got the SG variant aswell, was my first guitar and i love it), the LP is a proper workhorse, only cost me 150 quid, highly reccomended.
however one thing i will reccomend is getting straplocks for it as it weighs about as much as an office block and has a tendancy to come off its strap.
however one thing i will reccomend is getting straplocks for it as it weighs about as much as an office block and has a tendancy to come off its strap.
12 inch legend said:
I had never heard of a tokai love rock until you just mentioned it, i'll have a look now!
I have a Tokai Breezy Sound (Telecaster) and as per the Love Rock apart from having a crap name it is a great guiter - they are well worth a look. Not cheap though - around £650 brand new from Rich Tone Music on FleabayEdited by 12 inch legend on Thursday 16th April 16:10
Edited by 12 inch legend on Thursday 16th April 16:17
DC
My advice would be to avoid buying without playing first if you can possibly avoid it.
Guitars at all price levels have massive variations in build quality, tone and feel. You're also much more likely to find potential problems if you try it first. For example, I've got an Ibanez JS100 which is now impossible to set up properly as the neck has twisted. You wouldn't be happy if you bought one like that, would you?
Also, when I was looking around for a Strat I tried about 5 Fender USA Strats, USA Deluxe Strats etc, all in the £999-1200 range. Of those, one was great, four were poor (horrible fretwork, disappointing tone etc)
Guitars at all price levels have massive variations in build quality, tone and feel. You're also much more likely to find potential problems if you try it first. For example, I've got an Ibanez JS100 which is now impossible to set up properly as the neck has twisted. You wouldn't be happy if you bought one like that, would you?
Also, when I was looking around for a Strat I tried about 5 Fender USA Strats, USA Deluxe Strats etc, all in the £999-1200 range. Of those, one was great, four were poor (horrible fretwork, disappointing tone etc)
The strings that are fitted will also make a difference to your initial impression-my tokai was fitted with 11`s which for my weedy fingers felt like cheese wires!
The shop chappie soon fittted a new set of 9`s and set up the the guitar.
The difference was night and day.
I will deffo go back to that shop as he could of easily sold me a more expensive guitar-the other tokai i liked was £360 and the epiphone was around the same price.
The shop chappie soon fittted a new set of 9`s and set up the the guitar.
The difference was night and day.
I will deffo go back to that shop as he could of easily sold me a more expensive guitar-the other tokai i liked was £360 and the epiphone was around the same price.
My first "proper" guitar was an Epiphone LP in black, and I loved it with a passion (well, you would after years of playing Les Paul "copies" made by suspect companies, that had actions measured in yards rather than millimetres).
However, I did trade it in for a boggo standard Ibanez JS series (black) with no trem (but with retro-fit Di-Marzio pickups). Had I not tried the Ibanez, I wouldn't have got rid of the LP.
Also try PRS Santana Series guitars. I've had mine now for 5 years. Bought new, but I'm sure you could get one SH for about 200 quid.
However, I did trade it in for a boggo standard Ibanez JS series (black) with no trem (but with retro-fit Di-Marzio pickups). Had I not tried the Ibanez, I wouldn't have got rid of the LP.
Also try PRS Santana Series guitars. I've had mine now for 5 years. Bought new, but I'm sure you could get one SH for about 200 quid.
gingerpaul said:
Here are the pictures I promised.
As a comparison I've got an R8 as well as this and this is probably the easier guitar to play. The Epiphone has a much thinner neck for a start! The build quality is excellent given how much they cost. The set up wasn't great when I got it but I've tweeked it over the 3 or 4 years I've had it and it now plays really rather well.
The thing that lets these guitars down is the electronics in my opinion. The R8 is leagues ahead in terms of tone and range, but then it should be really given the price difference between the two. If you're just started learning, as I was when I got it, then the chances are you're not going going to have a decent valve amp to play through so this won't be as big a deal as it could be. I had a little solid state practice amp and it was absolutely fine. Playing the R8 through that amp produces a similar sound to the Epiphone. I've kept it a tuned a half step down so that I can play things like G&R and still use it regularly so they're definitely not rubbish!
Edited to add that it's a Korean made one.
Paul only just found your email, i have replied, i was 12 inch legend, check your email!As a comparison I've got an R8 as well as this and this is probably the easier guitar to play. The Epiphone has a much thinner neck for a start! The build quality is excellent given how much they cost. The set up wasn't great when I got it but I've tweeked it over the 3 or 4 years I've had it and it now plays really rather well.
The thing that lets these guitars down is the electronics in my opinion. The R8 is leagues ahead in terms of tone and range, but then it should be really given the price difference between the two. If you're just started learning, as I was when I got it, then the chances are you're not going going to have a decent valve amp to play through so this won't be as big a deal as it could be. I had a little solid state practice amp and it was absolutely fine. Playing the R8 through that amp produces a similar sound to the Epiphone. I've kept it a tuned a half step down so that I can play things like G&R and still use it regularly so they're definitely not rubbish!
Edited to add that it's a Korean made one.
Edited by gingerpaul on Thursday 16th April 23:36
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