Where Have All The China Les Paul Surprises Gone? (Apologies to Peter, Paul and Mary)

[stevieb]

I wonder- I seldom see China LP knock-offs on Craigslist (or maybe I do, they are just not identified as such?) I'd think that there IS a use for them- buy a decent one, used, so you can play it and determine it is one of the few that has, say, good neck, good frets, and install decent electronics in it- then use it as your stage guitar in dives, etc. If it gets boosted, who cares??

Or maybe that's not a good idea?

 

[ranjam]

I have a friend who thought the same thing. He bought a $150 Peavey 'Strat', and wouldn't you know it, after a few tweaks, it is now one of his main stage guitars! You always think that it won't matter if it gets beer spilled on it, gets stolen, etc., but as you get attached to it, you look for another beater guitar! There's a few people around here with beater guitar 'collections'.
It also might make a difference what type of music you are playing. A lot of guys up here use that beater as a slide guitar for country or blues. Especially if it has an impossible neck; you can't play those Stevie Ray licks, so why not slide. Some guys give me a lecture about how Jimmy Reed or whatever blues player didn't have a '52 Tele, they only had maybe $10 to their name and settled for some Harmony. And that perverted logic is why Harmony guitars get $$$$$ on eBay.
'Les Pauls' come in all brands. But even those sometimes get 'real' money. Here's some on eBay right now;

STAGG LES PAUL COPY ELECTRIC GUITAR | eBay

If you don't mind bolt on necks;
SILVERTONE LES PAUL COPY-MODEL SSLSE-450/PTF/VS | eBay

 

[SHEPPARDB.]

The Chinese have figured out that there is more money in producing counterfiet L.P.'s.