New Epiphones starting to appear? (Page 3 of 32)

I used to have the motto of "Epiphone is Greek for regret".  Now, I have owned two of them and being that they cost a fraction of what my gibbos cost, well, I got a fraction of the quality.  Now these were just regular Epi standard and their 56 GT.  The Standard actually was a very nice playing guitar, but the PUP's were punk ****.  Pickup upgrade, and BAM, great guit.  The 56 GT however I must say felt weird in my hands... like it was not even made of wood... cannot explain (why did I buy it? to impress some girl who loved guys who played gold tops and it was the only GT I could afford... lesson learned). 

Anyhow, this was in the roaring 90's when nobody was really endorsing Epi electrics.  I trust Joe and his hands and ears, and also his brain.  I believe it will be a fine instrument at a good price, and if Epi was smart, it should drop all other LP's and just mass produce the JB model.  I hope Joe will do some demo videos of the guit to shut the nay sayers.

Joe,

You're seriously one of the classiest guys I've never met. Glad that you're making your guitar available to starving college students like me and below.

Thanks,
Ron

Well, I can't explain why so many guys over at the Gibson website feel the need to talk bad about something they never had in their hands - I'm not a psychiatrist (but I guess a psychiatrist's first question would be something like "How is your relationship with your mother?").

But I can tell you about the Epiphone LP that I bought last year. It's an "Epiphone Les Paul Standard 1959" (the 50th Anniversary model, limited to 1959 pieces for each color) and it seems to be a lot like Joe's signature model by Epiphone. Here are the specifications:

Body Material:         Mahogany
Top Material:         Carved Hard Maple Cap with AAA Flame Maple Veneer
Neck Material:         Mahogany
Neck Shape:         1950's Rounded "D" profile
Neck Joint:         "Deep-Set" Glued-In
Fingerboard:         Rosewood with pearloid "Trapezoid" inlays
Neck Pickup:         Gibson USA Burstbucker 2
Bridge Pickup:         Gibson USA Burstbucker 3
Controls:         Bridge Volume, Neck Volume, Bridge Tone w/Mallory-150 capacitors, Neck Tone w/Mallory-150 capacitors, Switchcraft 3-way toggle
Binding:         Body and Fingerboard
Fingerboard Radius:     14"
Frets:             22; medium-jumbo
Bridge:             LockTone tune-o-matic/stopbar
Hardware:         Nickel
Machine Heads:         Vintage Style, 14:1 ratio with "tulip" buttons
Colors:             Faded Cherryburst (FC), Faded Iced Tea (FT)
Includes:         Hard Case, Certificate of Authenticity
Warranty:         Epiphone Limited Lifetime

I'm far from being a Les Paul expert, but I'd say this is a very good guitar for the price (around 598 Euros at the moment). The setup was perfect right away. The string height was very low but there was no fret buzz. Intonation was perfect, too. The only thing I did to the setup was to increase the string height (I don't like it that low)...

If you look at the specifications, you could say that you almost get a real Gibson LP Standard for a third of the price. You get original Gibson Burstbucker pickups, quality controls, quality hardware, a long neck tenon and a thick maple cap.

OK, there's a veneer on top of the maple cap, but that shouldn't make a difference to the sound. It's just for the looks. The maple cap might be made of more than two pieces and the body is made of four pieces of mahogany (it's very hard to see - there seems to be a mahogany veneer on the back, so you can only see it if you check the lower end of the body). More pieces of wood could affect the sustain, but I'm really happy with the sustain of my Epi LP.

What else is different from the original? There's a rather thick layer of lacquer on the body (no nitro), the headstock is not as pretty as the Gibson headstock and it has "Epiphone" written on it. That's all I can think of. Anybody know something else?

If you want some opinions on this guitar I recommend the MyLesPaul forum (www.mylespaul.com). In the beginning (when the guitar was not yet available) there was a lot of scepticism. But now there are quite some people who have bought such a guitar and say that they compare really well to their original Gibson LPs! And I'm sure Joe's Epi Goldtops will be in the same class.

I think the key thing to do (with any guitar) is to test it in a shop and maybe compare it to other guitars before you buy it.

Have fun,

Rusty

re: PICKUPS - they are some of the best available in GIBSON guitars, as far as i am concerned.  they are my favorite humbuckers, actually.

  Joe, there is no need to explain.  I have an Epi LP quilt top that "Gibson" friends have played and are amazed at how much it sounds and plays like a Gibson.  Gibson Standards are "hit and miss" until you start looking at the high end (expensive) models, but I've never played a bad Epi.  They are well built.  I pre-ordered my Epi JBLP, and to be honest with you, I'm excited to feel excited to play it!  If that makes sense.
  I've played for about 20 years on and off, and the "on" times happen when I'm psyched about  great new music.  And for the last 5 years or so, that's been you.  I met you the first time when you opened for BB with Kenny Wayne Shephard.  While waiting to meet B, you and KWS were
talking to my wife and I.  That night was my introduction to your music and I was floored! 
Thank you for your music and the inspiration!  And thank you for the guitar!  I can't wait to get mine!

Shayne McKean

BTW, what's your policy on signing the JBLP's?  I've seen you play in the Hampton Roads area (Jewish Mother was the BEST show) about 5 times, and I've seen people bring guitars to the show.  Do you sign them?

(732) 747-8888

call 'em.  ask for nick.  i told him i'd try to send some folks his way.  he's never even heard joe!!!!  that will last less than a month. .. .

tell him i sent you.

michael john rowley

Yeah I was starting to wonder the same! Not many for all the interest! Most UK sites have them at £499, it seems so cheap its almost too good!

Best get my arse in gear and get one ordered then! I'm still not 100% sure but I know I'll be gutted if I miss out!