Does anyone own, or have you played, an Epiphone Les Paul Custom? I've been considering one lately, as it's become apparent that I'm not going to be shelling out $3K+ for a Gibson LP Custom. I was wondering how the Epi's rate? I'm kind of stuck between going for the Epi Custom, or a Gibson LP Studio now. Recommendations or comments would be helpful. Thanks!
Epiphone Les Paul Custom
- Thread starter mike2731
- Start date
PhiloBeddoe
New member
You might check out the Epiphone Elitist Les Paul Custom. The Elitists are pretty great guitars for the $$.
PhiloBeddoe
New member
The Elitists are indeed more expensive than regular Epiphones and low end Gibsons BUT, they're serious guitars. I find most regular Korean/Indonesian Epiphones to be toys, but I'm pretty picky.
I also recommend comparing, unless you're dead set against having Epiphone on the headstock (I can sympathize).
I found an Elitist LP Standard (same as Elitist LP custom, just different cosmetics) in a shop that also had 12+ Gibson Les Pauls. I definitely prefered the Elitist over the Gibson Studios, and even preferred it over some of the Gibson LP Standards. There were definitely some Gibsons that outshined the Elitist, but $1000+ outshined - I'm not so sure. You could buy another darn good guitar with the $1000 difference.
Anyway, if you can manage to find one to play it's definitely worth it. Happy shopping!
I also recommend comparing, unless you're dead set against having Epiphone on the headstock (I can sympathize).
I found an Elitist LP Standard (same as Elitist LP custom, just different cosmetics) in a shop that also had 12+ Gibson Les Pauls. I definitely prefered the Elitist over the Gibson Studios, and even preferred it over some of the Gibson LP Standards. There were definitely some Gibsons that outshined the Elitist, but $1000+ outshined - I'm not so sure. You could buy another darn good guitar with the $1000 difference.
Anyway, if you can manage to find one to play it's definitely worth it. Happy shopping!
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
Wow, it's pretty weird when the Homerec people know your gear. Yes, I indeed own one. On mine, at least, the neck is straight, although I would prefer ebony to the rosewood fingerboard. Fit and finish is excellent. It's heavy as hell, just like the real deal. I have found no real need to replace the Grover tuners. I was not impressed by the OEM pickups, which were replaced with classic 57 humbuckers. A lot of heavy distortion people would select burstbuckers, EMG's, or Seymour Duncans, but I'm more of a rhythm player and classic rock/blues guy, and the 57's are my double-coil pickup of choice. Frankly, it's a lovely axe. It does everything I want. Intonation, tone, sustain, and playability are all excellent. I bought mine used, and I suspect the original owner had the frets worked on a bit. The frets are the originals, but they are suspiciouusly *perfect*. It gets no respect from the Gibson purists, but it's a perfectly good axe. No complaints here.-Richie
jimistone
long standing member
If I had the money to buy a new epi les paul custom....I would take it and buy a 70's era used Gibson les paul custom.
That is the best buy in a les paul IMO.
You could play the thing for years and get all of your money back out of it if you decided to sell (might actually make money).
Gibsons are much better at retainiong their value than epis. With a gibson you stand a good chance of the guitar appreciating....with an Epi it is almost guaranteed that it will be worth half what you paid for it if you ever sell.
That is the best buy in a les paul IMO.
You could play the thing for years and get all of your money back out of it if you decided to sell (might actually make money).
Gibsons are much better at retainiong their value than epis. With a gibson you stand a good chance of the guitar appreciating....with an Epi it is almost guaranteed that it will be worth half what you paid for it if you ever sell.
I guess I need to go to MS then
because around here, a 70's era LP Custom will be seriously more expensive than a new Epi Custom. Also, some of us buy to get what we want, not as an investment. But, if you're someone who turns over gear pretty regularly, then it is something to think about. I doubt if the Studios are going to turn out to hold their value as well, though. I had one during their first attempt at them wayyy back when, and I thought it sucked. Gibson has never been very good at making inexpensive guitars, I don't know why.
My advice is to go play one, and do what your gut tells you to do. Don't go against your initial reaction, because you'll never be happy with the decision if you do (go against it, that is). Only you know what's important to you.
Good luck. Dig this thread up and post a reply as to what you decided to do and how it turned out.
jimistone said:
because around here, a 70's era LP Custom will be seriously more expensive than a new Epi Custom. Also, some of us buy to get what we want, not as an investment. But, if you're someone who turns over gear pretty regularly, then it is something to think about. I doubt if the Studios are going to turn out to hold their value as well, though. I had one during their first attempt at them wayyy back when, and I thought it sucked. Gibson has never been very good at making inexpensive guitars, I don't know why.
My advice is to go play one, and do what your gut tells you to do. Don't go against your initial reaction, because you'll never be happy with the decision if you do (go against it, that is). Only you know what's important to you.
Good luck. Dig this thread up and post a reply as to what you decided to do and how it turned out.
cephus
Slow Children Playing
With vintage stuff being at such a premium any more, I hardly ever see anything decent used in stores or pawn shop. If you do see something cool, they have it marked at some stupidly high price. I think they figure it's worth the advertising. You have one decent guitar for $4500 in a glass case, and then the $350 Sammick seems like a hell of a deal.
That said, if you do score a 70s era original one at the killer price, then everything that jimistone said holds true. You would probably have a hard time getting $500 for the custom elite super duper special Epi should you decide to unload it. Especially since you could get a new crappy standard one for less than that. People love that brand new shiny sunburst even if the guitar is made out of banana-tree sawdust by an indonesian 8 year old.
I would give jimi some rep, but I red-chickleted him this morning for something stupid in the cave and then he said he hurt my pussy and I laughed, so I regret it. I am writing on my calendar to start trying to green-chicklet him in a couple days. Someone like hixie could even give him one for me if they were so inclined.
Jeez, I can be a dick! Sorry if you have a banana-tree sawdust guitar. Mine is made from the best plywood that home depot had that day. I'd never in a bazillion years buy a vintage anything. I just don't buy into the hype for old stuff. A real musician could play the piss out of the $299 epi in my opinion.
That said, if you do score a 70s era original one at the killer price, then everything that jimistone said holds true. You would probably have a hard time getting $500 for the custom elite super duper special Epi should you decide to unload it. Especially since you could get a new crappy standard one for less than that. People love that brand new shiny sunburst even if the guitar is made out of banana-tree sawdust by an indonesian 8 year old.
I would give jimi some rep, but I red-chickleted him this morning for something stupid in the cave and then he said he hurt my pussy and I laughed, so I regret it. I am writing on my calendar to start trying to green-chicklet him in a couple days. Someone like hixie could even give him one for me if they were so inclined.
Jeez, I can be a dick! Sorry if you have a banana-tree sawdust guitar. Mine is made from the best plywood that home depot had that day. I'd never in a bazillion years buy a vintage anything. I just don't buy into the hype for old stuff. A real musician could play the piss out of the $299 epi in my opinion.
One thing I do believe about the 'vintage' stuff
(and I have a hard time calling 70's 'vintage', but I guess it's a matter of perspective) is that a 70's LP in good shape will probably hold up longer than a new Epi. It'll probably hold up longer than a new Gibson, for that matter. I'm not romanticizing anything here, it's just that, more often than not, something from that time period (except cars, man, were 70's cars crap!) was made out of better materials and with better workmanship. Sad, but true. And what you buy now, will probably be higher quality than what you'll get 10 years from now.
But if you check the fit and finish, and take reasonably good care of it, I don't see why the Epi wouldn't be just fine, if you like it. That's all that matters. You might want to swap out the pickups. So what. DiMarzio made a successful business making pickups for guys to put in their real LPs because they wanted something different.
I'm not trying to sway you one way or another. It's up to you.
I just wish they'd made the Epi Custom with an ebony fretboard, like it's namesake.
(and I have a hard time calling 70's 'vintage', but I guess it's a matter of perspective) is that a 70's LP in good shape will probably hold up longer than a new Epi. It'll probably hold up longer than a new Gibson, for that matter. I'm not romanticizing anything here, it's just that, more often than not, something from that time period (except cars, man, were 70's cars crap!) was made out of better materials and with better workmanship. Sad, but true. And what you buy now, will probably be higher quality than what you'll get 10 years from now.
But if you check the fit and finish, and take reasonably good care of it, I don't see why the Epi wouldn't be just fine, if you like it. That's all that matters. You might want to swap out the pickups. So what. DiMarzio made a successful business making pickups for guys to put in their real LPs because they wanted something different.
I'm not trying to sway you one way or another. It's up to you.
I just wish they'd made the Epi Custom with an ebony fretboard, like it's namesake.