Are the newer Epi Les Pauls decent guitars?

[32-20-Blues]

If you're changing the pickups, try Bare Knuckle Pickups. They've lots of cool stuff.

Yeah, I'd second that. Nice prices, too.

 

[jonnyc]

Buying an Epi Les Paul if you're actually looking for good tone is throwing your money away. Had one, looked long and hard for a good sounding one, the one I had was alright, but incredible compared to the Epi LP's I had played before. Likewise with Gibson, I've played a lot of their guitars and I've never really liked many. I got lucky and found an SG brushmetal (discontinued) that I got a steal on with an incredible sound. I think you're better off looking for old guitars, the quality for the price is pretty amazing if you trust your ears, not the name.

I'd have to agree with you on the Gibson thing. As I mentioned earlier a band brought in a Gibson LP Studio and an ESP EC-1000 and the ESP sounded much nicer than the Gibson. I was very disappointed.

 

[gibson59neck]

Most Epi Paul copies I've played just don't feel right, however: I found this nasty green and yellow crackle finished Epi at guitar center a few years ago and tried it. It played and sounded awesome, and was only $200! It is a Les Paul Nuclear Extreme, part of a series of nicely done knock-offs that I think came out in the late 80's/early 90's ( could be wrong) They made a bunch of different ones: an explorer style, a les paul style, an SG style, a Flying V style...even a copy of the Gibson Moderne, which I have heard rumors about being one of the rarest Gibsons out there. Mine was roughly stripped, given a rub down with some shoe polish which gave it a pencil drawing look ( HUH?) and I put all black trim on it. It has crazy low action and the hot rodded stock pickups wail.

So, that being said - keep looking until you find one that feels/sounds right. THey are out there. Since I have a real 2002 LP Standard, most of them just feel like cheap plastic to me.

 

[surfmaster]

you should check out the agile les paul copys. the lower cost models ($200) have been compared to elitist epiphones and the more expensive ones to gibsons even. they are full body mahogony, set neck, arch top, binded all around on the nicer models and beautiful finishes on all of them. check them out at www.rondomusic.net

 

[Richard Monroe]

My $.02- I have owned, and continue to own several epiphone guitars. A reissue Casino, a Selena signature flamenco cutaway nylon string, and slightly tricked out black Les Paul Custom. I have not been impressed by the Epi standards I have played, but some of the Customs with the pretty binding are pretty good. The former owner of mine had a real pro fret job done, and the neck is dead on. I replaced the pickups with classic 57 humbuckers. I kept the original tuners, they were middle of the road Grovers, not great, but OK. When you play rhythm, intonation is mission critical. The Les Paul is simply the most in-tune guitar I have, and the most god-awful heavy.
Here's a question for y'all- Is my Les Paul Custom chambered? It's hard to believe it can be. You don't pick it up, you jack it up. I've been trained to deal with it though, courtesy of Travis Bean.- Richie

 

[LI_Slim]

Buying an Epiphone to save some bucks, over buying a Gibson is still better than buying a Squier to save some bucks, over buying a Fender. .....

Still, be sure to test drive Epiphone and Gibson Les Pauls, especially back-to-back comparisons, before ultimately deciding. You might find an Epi that both fits your budget, and sounds every bit as good as the Gibson equivelant, or you might decide to hold out, save a bit more, and go for the Gibson. Also try more than one of each...guitars are like people...no two are excactly alike. Three Gibson Les Paul Customs sitting side-by-side are gonna produce three different results.

Matt

For the most part the comparison should be between a Mexican Strat and an Epi Les Paul. The studio and standard series are more expensive than the Squires.

 

[faderbug]

yes they are decent guitars but not as decent as this one
http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=221338

 

[Dogbreath]

I picked up the Epi LP Black Beauty a few months back and have had no problems with it. Tuners stay in tune, nice tone, great feel...I'd buy another Epi.

 

[hungovermorning]

I've had a few Epiphones too. They're okay. That's what I can say about them. The newer the guitar, the fartier and more mediocre it sounds. I have 1995 Les Paul Special however that I playerd through two sets of frets. Those early and mid 90s ones were pretty okee dokee (they've got the serial # in ink on the back of their headstocks) and those can be had for like $250 or $300. The newer ones, not so good, although I'll give them credit, they make a playable and good sounding Thunderbird (although of course it's not the real thing, nor are Norlin Gibsons for that matter if you ask me).

To summise: Early and mid 90s Epiphone definitely playable.
Current epiphone mediocre.
Buy an older one for less money.
Oh, and steer clear of the black beauty. Looks nice, but what a heap. Get a mid 90s double cut Les Paul Special. They had them in TV Yellow and Wine Red and stock they were very playable.

 

[Dogbreath]

Black Beauty...a heap?

LOL!!!!

 

[gibson59neck]

you should check out the agile les paul copys. the lower cost models ($200) have been compared to elitist epiphones and the more expensive ones to gibsons even. they are full body mahogony, set neck, arch top, binded all around on the nicer models and beautiful finishes on all of them. check them out at www.rondomusic.net

We played with this guy that had an Agile LP. As pretty as it was, it sounded like crap - very tinny and lots of feedback. It also went out of tune constantly. He bought his used for $300, so I don't know if it was a higher end one or not, but if they only go for $2-300 NEW, guess he got ripped off!

 

[surfmaster]

We played with this guy that had an Agile LP. As pretty as it was, it sounded like crap - very tinny and lots of feedback. It also went out of tune constantly. He bought his used for $300, so I don't know if it was a higher end one or not, but if they only go for $2-300 NEW, guess he got ripped off!

yeah, sounds like he got ripped off. he might have gotten one of the older ones that arent as good as their current stock as well seeing that it was used. i think the older pickups werent potted as well as the new stock ones are. that could explain the squealing. i've only seen good reviews but i guess there will always be one that is just terrible haha. i would never buy a used agile for more than $200.

 

[SRR]

Wife just got a Agile 2500 LP look a like in tribal green, a little bassy if anything, but has a lot of bite that her Yamaha Pacifica strat style doesn't.

 

[Anfontan]

To summise: Early and mid 90s Epiphone definitely playable.
Current epiphone mediocre.
Buy an older one for less money.
Oh, and steer clear of the black beauty. Looks nice, but what a heap. Get a mid 90s double cut Les Paul Special. They had them in TV Yellow and Wine Red and stock they were very playable.

I would say the bottom line is that the wood available now is not anywhere near what was used in the past. What gets harvested is not given a chance to properly dry out, probably just warmed up in a kiln a few hours.
I have a early 90's Epi Sheraton that plays very sweetly.

 

[noisedude]

I bought a 2006 Epi LP Standard in ebony to try out because I am always talking them down to customers. We don't stock them so I bought one from another shop, set it up and fret dressed it.

It played like ass ... everyone who picked it up disliked it even though the action was low and frets good. It also sounded a bit crap really.

For the same money why not get a Washburn Idol? The WI-65 is about the same price and has proper Seymours in it, Buzz Feiten, variable coil taps and a really REALLY nice neck.

 

[tubedude]

I bought an Epiphone Les Paul Studio Pearl from some dude in town here last weekend with a Zoom G1, a wall wart and a guitar cable all for $140.
The guitar is a black fade where you can see the wood through the black in the middle, with a pearl pickguard and pearl truss cover. Looks and plays very nice after I dropped the action and lubed up the dead rotten assed strings with some fast fret. Sounds just like a Les Paul sounds when playing unplugged (you know the familiar Les Paul resonance, most guitars dont have it for whatever reason) but its a tad thinner and lighter than most Pauls (by design from what I understand, it was meant to be a lighter guitar)
Anyway, with the other stuff thrown in, I like to think I got this guitar for under $100. Good deal no matter what.
I think I'm going to put a Duncan Custom 5 and a Fender bypassable tone pot in it. A pass or two with the fret file just for the heck of it and some new strings and a truss adjustment and I think it will be a wonderful guitar.
Still cant get over what I paid for it. The guy wanted the money to get his new tattoo colored in.