• Registered: 2009-03-28
  • Posts: 14

Topic: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

I've always wondered why Epiphone decided to cancel their Elitist series? Some speculated that it was because they were attempting to satisfy such a small niche market(Many don't know of the japanese history in guitar manufacturing). However, maybe it was because they were developing these two new models.

http://www.epiphone.com/news.asp?NewsID=1637

Finally an Epiphone with and ACTUAL maple top and ACTUAL Gibon USA pickups. Add bumblebee's, pots, and a bone nut and you could have a cool bar beater! A little pricey but still kind of cool.  Just figured I'd post this to see everyone's opinions on these...:)

Fender HRD, 2006 Fender American Standard(with every possible upgrade),Marshall JCM2000 Dsl halfstack, Visual Sound Rt. 66, Mi Audio Crunch Box, Boss DD3, Morley Wah, and anything else I can find to feed my obsession!
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

GuitarShogun wrote:

I've always wondered why Epiphone decided to cancel their Elitist series? Some speculated that it was because they were attempting to satisfy such a small niche market(Many don't know of the japanese history in guitar manufacturing). However, maybe it was because they were developing these two new models.

http://www.epiphone.com/news.asp?NewsID=1637

Finally an Epiphone with and ACTUAL maple top and ACTUAL Gibon USA pickups. Add bumblebee's, pots, and a bone nut and you could have a cool bar beater! A little pricey but still kind of cool.  Just figured I'd post this to see everyone's opinions on these...:)

It will still have a vaneer flame top.  What I hate is they don't put maple under vaneers its ususally always something cheaper.  I really think the plain top les pauls they got coming out will be better because they are non vaneered and DO have a maple cap on top.

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

For the price, Epi makes decent stuff. I've found other brands comparable in cost and quality... but you can't go wrong with an epi. Especially if you only have $800 to spend on a LesPaul and there's no way you can save up $1600.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • Registered: 2009-03-28
  • Posts: 14

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

AD3THREE wrote:
GuitarShogun wrote:

I've always wondered why Epiphone decided to cancel their Elitist series? Some speculated that it was because they were attempting to satisfy such a small niche market(Many don't know of the japanese history in guitar manufacturing). However, maybe it was because they were developing these two new models.

http://www.epiphone.com/news.asp?NewsID=1637

Finally an Epiphone with and ACTUAL maple top and ACTUAL Gibon USA pickups. Add bumblebee's, pots, and a bone nut and you could have a cool bar beater! A little pricey but still kind of cool.  Just figured I'd post this to see everyone's opinions on these...:)

It will still have a vaneer flame top.  What I hate is they don't put maple under vaneers its ususally always something cheaper.  I really think the plain top les pauls they got coming out will be better because they are non vaneered and DO have a maple cap on top.


The Epi Customs usually have an alder top as opposed to maple. However, these claim a maple top w/ a veneer. This is a great way to cut costs and still have a cool look and the right sound. I would still be curious to pull out a pickup and investigate for myself...just to be sure Epi isn't trying to pull a fast one....:/

Fender HRD, 2006 Fender American Standard(with every possible upgrade),Marshall JCM2000 Dsl halfstack, Visual Sound Rt. 66, Mi Audio Crunch Box, Boss DD3, Morley Wah, and anything else I can find to feed my obsession!
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

They are not trying to pull a fast one they clearly discribe every guitar they make and a vaneer top on adler is one thing they do.  But if you get a plain top epiphone you will get a B grade maple top not good enough for Gibson but will still put out the tonal charactoristics.

AD3THREE's Website

6 Reply by jgalvan8804 (edited by jgalvan8804 2009-09-05 14:55:50)

  • Registered: 2007-11-04
  • Posts: 404

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

I like Epiphones.  I have a les paul and a dot.  The Dot is one of the best guitars I've had the pleasure of playing. It really is an amazing guitar for the 300 dollars I payed. 

I will say that even with great pickups (Seth Lovers) and better wiring and tone/volume knobs on the Epi Les Paul, my 58 gibson historic is a far better sounding guitar.  However... The Dot and the Les Paul sound great for the money.

In addition... the guitar is really not the most important thing.  I believe it goes kind of like this.

1. How you play
2. Amp
3. Effects
4. Guitar

But its just a matter of opinion.

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

My dad has a Dot that I've played in my so called band of buddies.  Our other guitarist plays Gibson Les Pauls, and I usually play Strats, however one time I played the Epi Dot in vintage sunburst and he was blown away how it made his Gibson les paul standard sound thin in compairison.  It was FAT!  I loved it for the money but that guitar has tuning issues that have yet to be worked out.

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: over yonder....in PA
  • Registered: 2009-02-09
  • Posts: 240

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

I have 2 epi les pauls that I love. I think it's all in finding the right one, because every guitar has different tonal characteristics. I played at least 10 different les pauls before I found just one that I liked, and I repeated the process a year later for my second one. My main LP right now is the old Ultra 1, but I swapped out the pups for some good ol' pearly gates pups, and I can really get that old school "Rio Grande Mud" sound. I'd never order one though, you really have to play and feel the personality of the guitar.

"The way I like to look at it is....if that's the last time I ever got to play, I'd better give it everything I've got." -SRV
  • From: The Gates of Delerium
  • Registered: 2008-05-07
  • Posts: 1,412

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

I bought one of the Epi LP standards about 3 years ago. It's a quality instrument and usually the one I pick up when I have time to play (usually leave that one out, the Gibsons stay in their cases when not being played). Never had any setup or tuning issues with it. I did swap out the Epi pups for Gibsons (498T and P94R) but other than that it's stock. I didn't know that the maple was only a thin venier rather than a real maple cap but it looks great. I might trick it out with a Bigsby vibrato.

Major Tom to ground control...
  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

AD3THREE wrote:

My dad has a Dot that I've played in my so called band of buddies.  Our other guitarist plays Gibson Les Pauls, and I usually play Strats, however one time I played the Epi Dot in vintage sunburst and he was blown away how it made his Gibson les paul standard sound thin in compairison.  It was FAT!  I loved it for the money but that guitar has tuning issues that have yet to be worked out.

Ha that happened to me a few weeks back... I've had a epi dot for ages and never played it for gigs, well I got bored of leaving it on the wall and took it to an outdoor gig. It sounded awesome in comparison to the strats. Dot + cranked 1974x = lush.. just ish I'd had the balls to play it during gigs before...

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

Honestly nobody should be ashamed of owning a quality instrument no matter what name is on it.  If it plays well sound great what difference does it make if it says Epiphone or Gibson or worse yet Daise Rock....  Not that I'm going to go seek out a girls guitar but for the money they too make really good quality instruments.  The real key if finding one your happy with.  My dad is more of a impulse buyer and it gets him in trouble.  He loves to play but hasn't played nearly as long as me or puts in the time that I do.  So when he buys a guitar he won't try it out in the store, maybe strum it a couple of times but nothing really to test drive it.  When he bought his Dot he took me with him.  I used to have an Gibson Standard SG and wanted to try an Epi.  It sucked very bad.  Worst guitar I've picked up in 5 years!  Dad suggested the Les Paul Standard in Vintage burst with plus top.  Felt good but I've played way better Epi Les pauls for the money (56' Reissue gold top was less and was way more Les then that Standard was.)  About ready to give in Dad and I find one more Epi that caught our eye.  It was the Dot in Vintage sunburst.  It looks good, and felt good.  I played it in every amp that store had I think.  It was like ok lets see what its best at and then see what it's worst at.  Really I didn't find one thing that turned me off from the Dot, Clean it was always Fat even when I made it thin it sounded fat.  Distorted it really got thick without much mud at all.  High volumes was the Akelies heel as the high volumes required you to step further away from the amp then you wanted maybe to keep feedback down but as long as you played you could keep it going with minimal feedback.  The hardest part of the day was the fact that he went home with a great guitar and I didn't.

AD3THREE's Website

12 Reply by doc (edited by doc 2009-11-20 05:26:30)

  • doc
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  • Registered: 2009-10-19
  • Posts: 48

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

those new 1959's are made in china i think.  the elite/elitists were made in japan at the fujigen factory.  the fujigen's are awesome.  i have several.  all stock except for a few that i put gotoh bridges on--better intonation & tone.  the humbuckers in mine really cut.  they were very good quality guitars--amazing how close to a gibson except for the finish.  i actually like the elitist's finish.  mine play very well & go well with my amps.  they were a 1/3 of the price of a gibson, & amazingly close if not dead on in feel & tone.  i think gibson saw what was coming out--& gibson had their own line of guitars around $1100 to $1200.  gibson created their own competition--so the elitist's must go.  i bought mine used for less than a $900 each.  they were hardly touched--whoever had them didn't know what they had.  the tone is right on.  when i play every one thinks i use gibson's--i do have a few.  then they see the headstock--then they ask where they can get one.  good luck on ebay.  the elitists are in no comparison to regular epiphones--this was part of the confusion with the dealers.  they didn't understand the concept.  those that did have these guitars.  cool cool cool

  • From: Scotland
  • Registered: 2009-02-11
  • Posts: 453

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

I have a limited edition epi 56 goldtop reissue with P-90s. Or at least it did have until I started Neil Younging the guitar. I changed out the bridge p-90 for a dimarzio firebird and kept the stock p90 in the neck. I added a stainless steel scratch plate and truss rod cover. And threw a bigsby on it to complete the vibe. The firebird is nice and bright and not muddy like other les pauls I have. I have just bought a Tokai Love ock though and after having that and the price I paid I don;t think I would get an epi again.

14 Reply by doc (edited by doc 2009-11-20 05:22:38)

  • doc
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  • Registered: 2009-10-19
  • Posts: 48

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

i know the tokai's are good.  the gold top epi you have may not have been made at the fujigen factory.  the tokai may have been made there--not sure.  if it was--you can see, feel, & hear the difference.  even if not, the tokai does play well & is built well too cool

15 Reply by HRJ

  • HRJ
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  • Registered: 2009-03-30
  • Posts: 178

Re: Possibly a DECENT Epiphone les paul???

I've got an epiphone sheraton 2 which cost me £450 (about $800) and i think once i get the pickups and maybe the electrics replaced it's not gonna come up much short of an es -335. Joe said something like the best way to tell a good guitar is if if sounds good acoustically. Well i think unplugged, the sheraton 2 will challenge alot of gibsons.