• From: Was NY now FL/GA line
  • Registered: 2007-12-16
  • Posts: 2,857

Re: Les Paul alternatives

Buy a used but well cared for custom shop Les Paul.

Happy Hunting!

  • timb
  • timb
  • Platinum
  • Offline
  • From: Central Massachusetts, USA
  • Registered: 2014-05-09
  • Posts: 316

Re: Les Paul alternatives

Artisan wrote:

Only problem with an Epi is that freaking headstock.......ugliest one in the business.

Vintage Kramers are uglier: http://www.vintagekramer.com/alum.htm

I don't mind the Epiphone one.

timb's Website

  • Registered: 2012-05-30
  • Posts: 485

Re: Les Paul alternatives

Hadn't seen the 2015 Gibson lineup until now...yikes!!

What about e-tuners and a new fangled zero fret nut are "Traditional"....

And to think I disliked this year's because of an ugly inlay...it's like Gibson don't want my money!! Guess I'll keep saving and go Custom Shop to get an R8 or R7....

Guitars: Fender American Original 60s Strat, Fender American Vintage 52 Tele, Gibson Les Paul Traditional
FX: Various including - Ceriatone Centura, Fire Custom Shop Carpe Diem
Amp: Fender ML212 Deville + 212 extention cabinet
  • Big.G
  • Silver Member
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  • From: London
  • Registered: 2013-03-30
  • Posts: 52

Re: Les Paul alternatives

Adrian J wrote:

Hadn't seen the 2015 Gibson lineup until now...yikes!!

What about e-tuners and a new fangled zero fret nut are "Traditional"....

And to think I disliked this year's because of an ugly inlay...it's like Gibson don't want my money!! Guess I'll keep saving and go Custom Shop to get an R8 or R7....


Have to agree. Each to their own but to me these look horrendous. After a few years of being on the up, the Gibson USA output really seems to have fallen apart in the last couple of years. The Les Paul is a great guitar, it doesn't need tinkering with to my mind. I'd rather they worked on improving QA/QC rather than messing with the design unnecessarily.

I agree, saving up and going Custom Shop looks to be the way forward.

Nik Huber Orca, Gibson Custom Shop Siberian Tiger Les Paul Standard, Haydn Williams Evo Pro, MusicMan JP15, Gibson Les Paul Bonamassa Studio, Fender Strat. Marshall 1987x, Bad Cat Black Cat, Mesa Boogie Mark V, Cornell Romany

23 Reply by mb1685 (edited by mb1685 2014-10-01 23:01:14)

  • Registered: 2014-10-01
  • Posts: 5

Re: Les Paul alternatives

Used Les Pauls are priced a lot more reasonably, plus you don't have to deal with the new inlay, or the "Les Paul 100" headstock signature on the 2015s...I don't like either of those. If you don't mind a Granadillo fretboard (a little bit lighter than rosewood but could probably be darkened with lemon oil), the Signature T models are FANTASTIC and not too horribly expensive. I think they're only a 2013 model but American Musical Supply still has some that they're blowing out. They did a holiday blowout last year and I got one for $1400, which I don't think is bad for a tricked out brand new Gibson (binding, gloss, locking tuners, chrome hardware, coil splits). I'm sure you can find them for even cheaper used. Another model that was great value for the money was the Traditional Mahogany Satin, which was made for just 2012 I think and was even cheaper. The satin finish was very well done and I think it was cool because you don't see it every day on a Les Paul...it looked especially nice on the worn brown finish. I had one of those before the Signature T and dug it a ton too.

Japanese Les Paul copies are also great, although they're hard to find in person (you'll probably have to go on Ebay). Tokai, Burny, Greco, Edwards, and Orville are all great. Used to own a Burny copy of a black beauty Les Paul Custom and it was one of my favorite axes ever.