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R/Guitar, be honest, how much better is a Gibson Les Paul than an Epiphone?

Hotshot

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Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
282
I turned a mid 90s Studio I got for $500 into a bindingless burst. Go for a mid 90s Studio. Same build as a standard just a wee thinner and no binding. All the meat n potatoes are there. And you’ll sell it for what you paid. So it will cost you 0 in the end.
 

jbzoso2002

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May 10, 2009
Messages
1,089
I turned a mid 90s Studio I got for $500 into a bindingless burst. Go for a mid 90s Studio. Same build as a standard just a wee thinner and no binding. All the meat n potatoes are there. And you’ll sell it for what you paid. So it will cost you 0 in the end.

Yup!!!
 

Keefoman

Active member
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
576
While its a nice guitar, the Tribute Plus is FAR from the most expensive Epiphone... that Tak Burst I posted above (or any of my Elitists) will blow that Gibson out of the water in EVERY way... but, in the long run, Tom is absolutely correct in that Gibson's are "better enough that most people end up with the Gibson when they can afford it". I would take that Tak Burst over any Gibson Studio or Tribute and many Standards any day of the week. :salude

As Lee states in the video too. There are more expensive Epis out there (signature series and so on), but this one is up there with the most expensive sort of "Standard" production-line Epi LP. Quite simillar price tag as the Studio Faded too, so very comparable in that sense.
 

Texsunburst59

Active member
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
765
I'd go for Gibson ALL day long.

I'd really try to find a good used Gibson on CL or at a pawnshop.

OP, I don't know where you live,but pawnshops in my neck of the woods are GOLDMINES.

I guess I live in a time warp because I'm guessing the pawnshops don't know about computers, don't know how to use them, or are too lazy to look up the true value of the instruments that come into their shop.

These are the prices I paid for my last 4 Gibson guitars I've bought 3 yrs.

$1075 - '89 Gibson Heritage Cherry Sunburst Standard (all original w/ OHSC)
$825 - '08 Gibson Tobacco Sunburst LP Standard Plus (all original w/ OHSC)
$425 - '01 Gibson Black LP Jr. (all original w/ Padded Bag )
$756 - '08 Gibson Wine Red LP Standard Plus (all original w/ OHSC)

I do have a top of the line Epiphone in my collection.

$300 - '03 Epiphone Elite Black LP Custom ( all original w/ case)

The deals on good quality used Gibson guitars are out there, but you just have to put in the time to hunt them down.
 
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Messages
132
D
I'd go for Gibson ALL day long.

I'd really try to find a good used Gibson on CL or at a pawnshop.

OP, I don't know where you live,but pawnshops in my neck of the woods are GOLDMINES.

I guess I live in a time warp because I'm guessing the pawnshops don't know about computers, don't know how to use them, or are too lazy to look up the true value of the instruments that come into their shop.

These are the prices I paid for my last 4 Gibson guitars I've bought 3 yrs.

$1075 - '89 Gibson Heritage Cherry Sunburst Standard (all original w/ OHSC)
$825 - '08 Gibson Tobacco Sunburst LP Standard Plus (all original w/ OHSC)
$425 - '01 Gibson Black LP Jr. (all original w/ Padded Bag )
$756 - '08 Gibson Wine Red LP Standard Plus (all original w/ OHSC)

I do have a top of the line Epiphone in my collection.

$300 - '03 Epiphone Elite Black LP Custom ( all original w/ case)

The deals on good quality used Gibson guitars are out there, but you just have to put in the time to hunt them down.

THOSE ARE SOME SWEET DEALS. Nice job.....I need to check out some pawn shops.
 

filtersweep

New member
Joined
Mar 1, 2015
Messages
15
Honestly:

I own a lowly Tribute...

...two production Gibsons (Les Paul and SG)...

....and a R8.

I bought the production Gibson first— a crazy deal.

Anyway- all were purchased used... in excellent condition.

I find the Tribute hangs with them all. It has regular Gibson pickups- nitro, and a variety of neck profiles. The finish is light- and you can feel the neck grain. It offers everything a production Gibson offers- where it counts.

I bet you’d eventually sell/trade/upgrade an Epi. You can keep a Tribute your whole life.

Best bang for the buck is the Tribute— or R8 ;)

The challenge is buying used when you are 15. It takes patience and good negotiation skills.
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I own an all mahogany Les Paul carved top Studio. At the time it was the cheapest carved top Les Paul you could buy and I bought one to prove that even the least expensive Les Paul was still a great guitar. This one was less the $600.00 at the HOG and that was with a Gibson hard case!!!!!!!

All I had to do was the same thing I do with every guitar I buy, change the strings and set it up. I gigged with that guitar for 3 years and I still own it. Now that lowly, cheap, bottom of the range Les Paul is miles, MILES above the best Epiphones you see for sale here in the States. There simply is no comparison when it comes to playability and basic quality. Pay no attention to the Japanese bandwagon either, we all remember the Elitist range. Most over hyped overrated guitars ever and did not match USA Gibsons. Go back and read the threads.

Now, can an Epi be made to play and sound good? HELL YES!!! You can make them them things sing and play just fine. It takes a great set up at least, and depending upon the model, maybe some hardware upgrades and electronics. The inherent quality will never match the Gibson as they do not have real mahogany and most not even a full thickness maple cap, but rather a thin veneer, all covered in a thick plastic poly finsh!

But you can adjust them to play well and like ANY hum bucker guitar you can dial up a good tone. Though not my preference, I could gig with one and the do look good. I fully understand that budgets can be tight, and a new Les Paul Standard, of any type, can be a pricey affair. But, a good used Studio can often be found at or near the price of a decked out Epi Standard and the Studio has better hardware and build quality. If you just gotta have that sunburst flame top look, and I understand that fever, then the Epiphone will get you there and work just fine.
 

deytookerjaabs

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
1,592
I used to have the Epiphone Casino John Lennon model (non-revolution sunburst version), the one they made 2,000 or so of and I think Yoko was somehow involved as she loaned the original out for measurements. When I bought it I thought it was a made in the USA guitar and as far as I could tell it was sort of advertised as thus (ahem). It became my main jazz box for a year or two.

Funny thing was, that guitar was far closer to an actual '65 330/Casino than the current Memphis ES-330 which is all around a beefier guitar. Everything, from the neck carve to the depth of the neck set height(reissue P90 cover wouldn't even fit the neck pickup, too tall), to the binding materials/width to the laminate layers & thickness to the fretwire etc. It was exacting to top end custom shop levels when compared with real '65 Casinos of the same year, really impressive. I sold that guitar to RocknRoll vintage when the bank account hit a real rough patch. But, during and after I definitely praised that model online a few times as no one seems to know about them. Not to mention, I got it on ebay for a winning bid around $1,000...everyone else must have been asleep! Now the few times I see one for sale people ask thousands of dollars, but they're worth it if you can't find an original.





Then, I mentioned it here on LPF and someone tells me "No, they were made in Japan then shipped to US to be finished." :salude
 

uncajoey

Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Messages
54
I'd go for Gibson ALL day long.

I'd really try to find a good used Gibson on CL or at a pawnshop.

OP, I don't know where you live,but pawnshops in my neck of the woods are GOLDMINES.

I guess I live in a time warp because I'm guessing the pawnshops don't know about computers, don't know how to use them, or are too lazy to look up the true value of the instruments that come into their shop.

These are the prices I paid for my last 4 Gibson guitars I've bought 3 yrs.

$1075 - '89 Gibson Heritage Cherry Sunburst Standard (all original w/ OHSC)
$825 - '08 Gibson Tobacco Sunburst LP Standard Plus (all original w/ OHSC)
$425 - '01 Gibson Black LP Jr. (all original w/ Padded Bag )
$756 - '08 Gibson Wine Red LP Standard Plus (all original w/ OHSC)

I do have a top of the line Epiphone in my collection.

$300 - '03 Epiphone Elite Black LP Custom ( all original w/ case)

The deals on good quality used Gibson guitars are out there, but you just have to put in the time to hunt them down.

You must live on Mars, and you should be thankful for it. That $300 deal on a Japanese LP Elite should be considered theft! Once, and once only, about ten years ago, I bought a mint condition 67 Princeton Reverb, $300 out the door for three hundred cash, but that was a one time deal.

The one one thing I don’t see mentioned in this thread is that Epiphones vary tremendously in quality and price, and for people to post “Gibson USA ALL DAY” or Epiphone only are IMO oversimplifying. A Japanese Epi is as good an instrument as nearly any Gibson, and can be had for less $ nearly every time.

😀
 

ScumbackSpeakers

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Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Messages
247
When I was 15 I worked, and saved since I lived at home. At age 17, I bought a 1968 Les Paul Custom which replaced my Gibson ES-330. I was on my fourth electric guitar by the age of 17, and I got my Marshall 1/2 stack that year as well.

You have to cut out the girls, guns, booze, cars and partying, though...your call! LOL
 

JPP-1

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Joined
Jul 11, 2006
Messages
1,336
When I was 15 I worked, and saved since I lived at home. At age 17, I bought a 1968 Les Paul Custom which replaced my Gibson ES-330. I was on my fourth electric guitar by the age of 17, and I got my Marshall 1/2 stack that year as well.

You have to cut out the girls, guns, booze, cars and partying, though...your call! LOL

He’s buying a Les Paul not a harpsichord! Lol How can you be rock n roll wothout at least booze girls and parting?
 

musekatcher

New member
Joined
Apr 15, 2018
Messages
135
I sense two questions by the OP. Search for humbucker tone, and Gibson vs Epiphone, which aren't exactly related.

Search for humbucker tone: can't be answered in a single thread, single post, single lifetime. This is a question many of us ask perpetually, and spend way too much time and money chasing. It involves the guitar, pickups, amp, etc.

Gibson vs Epiphone: Tons of folks trade up from an Epi to Gibson. Nobody trades from a Gibson to an Epiphone. But, if its all you can afford, an Epi is a fine instrument, and I've heard more than one played live that sounded glorious thru the right gear.

Research, shop and may luck find you!
 

Texsunburst59

Active member
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
765
You must live on Mars, and you should be thankful for it. That $300 deal on a Japanese LP Elite should be considered theft! Once, and once only, about ten years ago, I bought a mint condition 67 Princeton Reverb, $300 out the door for three hundred cash, but that was a one time deal.

The one one thing I don’t see mentioned in this thread is that Epiphones vary tremendously in quality and price, and for people to post “Gibson USA ALL DAY” or Epiphone only are IMO oversimplifying. A Japanese Epi is as good an instrument as nearly any Gibson, and can be had for less $ nearly every time.

😀


You are right about me posting "Gibson USA ALL DAY LONG".

There shouldn't be a blanket statement made like that, because ANY Gibson can't be better than the very best example of the well made Epi.

I'll rephrase my statement about Gibson's then.

At the prices I'm able to buy USA Gibson's at in my neck of the woods, I'll take THESE Gibson's "ALL DAY LONG" over any Epiphone.

If I go back a couple of more years, I could add these scores to my Gibson list.

$230 - '00 Gibson LP Special
$750 - '77 Gibson LP Deluxe
 

deytookerjaabs

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Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
1,592
When I was 15 I worked, and saved since I lived at home. At age 17, I bought a 1968 Les Paul Custom which replaced my Gibson ES-330. I was on my fourth electric guitar by the age of 17, and I got my Marshall 1/2 stack that year as well.

You have to cut out the girls, guns, booze, cars and partying, though...your call! LOL

I remember combing through a box of very old receipts from the late 60's/70's/80's at a vintage dealer I used to work at. There were so many trade ins just like yours of P90 or various other older Gibsons on new-ish Les Pauls it was crazy.


If I go back a couple of more years, I could add these scores to my Gibson list.

$750 - '77 Gibson LP Deluxe



Just staaaaahp it already!
 

JaanQ

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Joined
May 12, 2018
Messages
17
When I was 15 I worked cleaning the cafeteria at school for 9 months to buy a left handed Gibson Flying V with dirty fingers pickups. I paid $600 for it in February of 1986. It was like driving a Ferrari for your first car...but not for a minute did I ever regret it! If you can afford a Gibson, go for it. There are deals out there too if you're patient and look. I picked up a new old stock wine red Les Paul "future tribute" this year for $600 shipped from Sam Ash music.
 

renderit

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Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
I'd try a used Gibson Studio that was very plain and simple. It may remain in your collection forever. Killer guitars. I still want one of the old Studio Gems though.
 
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