Epi Les Paul vs the rest

[chrisgrimes]

Hi All

Hope your are all well, especially those in Florida, thoughts are with you.

The latest edition of "What Guitar" here in the UK has run a review test of single cut guitars available here in the GBP 500 or under range. (These are suggested retail prices and in the same mag there are tons of adverts offering the items at 75% or better than the SRP.

The other 9 were pitted against the Epi LP Standard Plus (SRP GBP 559, uou can get it for 395 !!) it was reviewed against the following

Yamaha AES720 529
Gretsch Pro Jet 329
PRS Tremonti SE 559
Washburn Idol W165 399
Aria PE Ltd 599
Dean EVO Spec Select 499
ESP LTD EC1000M 349
Samick Avion AV6 389
Fernandes Monterey 599

Here's the resume of the test

"We know rock players are well served these days, the ESP, Dean and Yamaha guitars all do a great job, The Yamaha in particular deserves a special mention, it may not be our sound choice or best buy but it is a very good guitar and you should try it.

Fernandes impressed with its sustainer system if not its playability or tone, if you want infinate sustain its still a good choice, The Aria would suit a jazz player so its not the all rounder we were looking for, the Samick is just too ordinary to cut a dash in this exalted company.

The old warhorse the epi les paul standard is an excellent guitar and we are glad to see the improvements that have been made to recent models, its had a good run and will always have its fans but the competition has caught up and in a few cases overtaken !!

The Gretsch Pro Jet, Just how anyone can produce a guitar of that quality for under 329 is beyond us, this guitar had a strong shot at the title but there was a stonger contender in the end.

The amazing Washburn Idol W165, It might look a bit mean and some players just "wont get it" but this is an awesome guitar, Genuine Seymour Duncan pups, Buzz Feiten Tuning System and washburns excellent VCC tone controls it just had to win !!""

Phew, should have scanned the article and posted it !! Yesterday I tried one of these Washburns they are FANTASTIC, however, I am definately, definately going to get the Gretsch, the store have to order it in for me GBP 275 !!! Any of you across the pond tried one yet ??

HAS THE EPI LP SEEN BETTER DAYS ??

Best regards to all
Chris - Dover UK

[Steelpriest]

HAS THE EPI LP SEEN BETTER DAYS ??

Maybe so... But the Epiphone Les Paul is still the brand and model to choose if you want to have an affordable and authorized copy with similar or better "alike" features of the original... such as a set neck, the original design (apart from the headstock), etc. There may be better guitars in the market for that price,... But if you wanna have a Les Paul for small money and a good basis for improvements and customizing in order to get it closer to the original little by little when your bank account allows an Epi LP is the guitar to look for. After a Power Strat and PRS/PRS copy boom during the last 10 or 15 years the Les Paul now has a renaissance. Thus led to a higher demand and maybe this is why the Epiphone LP turned from a mass product to a total mass product, maybe made these chinese plants necessary... and in the end lead to more sloppy endcontrols. There may be some lemons in the market, but so be it, one has to check more carefully before purchasing. The Epi LP still is a nice guitar and my number 1 one choice when it comes to non-Gibson Les Pauls.

[JoMan]

You know I've recently played one of those little Gretsch synchromatics (I think they're out of production), not exactly what they tested in that magazine, but a cheap Gretsch anyway. It's basically Duo Jet with flat top, lighter, some of them with only one pickup, a cheap Duo Jet "Junior" basically, if it were a Les Paul. Still it nailed that Gretsch sound very well. And I could have got them for as little as 150 Euros or even less becuase Fender was basically giving them away to dealers. But somehow I didn't want to spend any money....

[flyv]

i have ah epi l.p. standard,like it a lot,but yeh im going to buy the gretsch too...

[doug]

I would have to agree I like the Epis best.

Yesterday I went shopping to let Santa know what I wanted. I mentioned in another thread that it would be up to a guitar or tube amp...and I chose guitar, and a tube amp for next year.

I tried the following:

ESP EC 400 with active EMG's- nice tone, 24 frets I don't like, strings feel too stiff, plus don't want the 9V battery hassle

Fender Strat- I have to admit, it was a sweet player, great tones, very comfortable feel, but Ive always been into the Gibson humbucker plus set neck guitar...

PRS SE EG: these are a combination Strat/Gibson style guitar- three single coils, set neck, five way switch....it was nice but not my bag

Epiphone Joe Perry Boneyard LP: beautiful guitar, great sounding Gibson Burstbuckers, I loved it, but the price tag was a little high and there was a chip in the finish

Epiphone SG Custom Les Paul- I think this is it folks....three gold HB's which I could blend nicely, the easiest access to high registers of any guitar I've ever played, nice faded yellow, vintage -looking finish, very comfortable to play...

anyone can give me some feedback on the Custom SG I would appreciate it!

sorry bout the long post...I have the G.A.S. and as everyone knows it helps to let the words go!

[noeljob]

i have a epi g 400 vintage authorized by gibson. it is solid mahogany, set neck/ body. $ 430 w/ hardshell case. 57 humbuckers, grovers, trap inlay. 1 sweet fikcun axe. plays better than the gibson sg i had a few years ago. such a workhorse. i play mainly rock & blues. but lately ive been studing some jazz material. it became evident that it is good for that as well.
the gretsch seems to be an excellent buy. such quality for an affordable price is astounding. but i would put my sg up against ANYTHING. hands down my sg epi rules.