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I've had this MIJ Epi Elite LP Std. (purists - it says Les Paul on the headstock!) for about a week and a half now and I can't believe how fantastic these are. Warm smooth tone, the playability of the neck, the balance of it. Even the pickguard is the perfect height to anchor my pinky against the bridge pup (yeah, I'm an anchorer). And the weight isn't really much of a negative either as some say. I've been through about 8-10 guitars over the last couple of years including a Wolfgang, Gamp;L, PRS SE, and this is the one that fits like it was tailor made.

There's nothing like the real thing! IME only a Les Paul sounds like Les Paul...some of the other stuff like the PRS single cuts, Hamer amp; Heritage get close but not really quot;therequot;.


Originally Posted by J MooseThere's nothing like the real thing! IME only a Les Paul sounds like Les Paul...some of the other stuff like the PRS single cuts, Hamer amp; Heritage get close but not really quot;therequot;.

My Japan Tokai Love Rock is phenomenal,but I did replace the pickups,wiring,pots,and switch in mine...The weight and tone on mine is great and for about 2k less than what I'd have payed for a 59 Gibson quot;leftyquot; reissue Paul...I'm very very happy with this guitar...It doesn't have to say Gibson on the headstock to be a great guitar!

People always think that players gravitate towards classic guitars because they're trying to fit an image, or because the guitars are quot;the in thing.quot;
That's not the truth. The truth is that the best players on the planet went through every guitar on earth, and there's just some models that NAIL it like nothing else. Gibson LP, Fender Strat, Fender Tele, Martin D-28.

I've weeded through tons of guitars, and it always comes down to the time proven classics. I give every guitar the benefit of the doubt, but then it becomes evident that they need to be sold and replaced with a classic.

OFF TOPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why are you getting rid of the G-400? The whole guitar, not just the pickups, right?


Originally Posted by GearjoneserPeople always think that players gravitate towards classic guitars because they're trying to fit an image, or because the guitars are quot;the in thing.quot;
That's not the truth. The truth is that the best players on the planet went through every guitar on earth, and there's just some models that NAIL it like nothing else. Gibson LP, Fender Strat, Fender Tele, Martin D-28.

I've weeded through tons of guitars, and it always comes down to the time proven classics. I give every guitar the benefit of the doubt, but then it becomes evident that they need to be sold and replaced with a classic.

Big 1...I got laughed at in the shredder years for playing Gibsons...especially paulas. As good as some of the other guitars are..even better in some respects...it always comes back to a Paula for me...everything is just right about them AFAIC...the tone...the feel..the neck angle...how fr they sit off my body...just comfy...and when it sounds good, and I'm comfy I play better. My hamer is a quot;betterquot; guitar...from a QC control standpoint...its flawlessly built...and GORGEOUS...but after pulling out the Paula a week ago and A/B ing them both every night since for few hours, it's clear that as awesome as the Hamer is... when it comes to feel, playability and sound, ugly as sin or not, this wins:

Originally Posted by JeffBBig 1...I got laughed at in the shredder years for playing Gibsons...especially paulas. As good as some of the other guitars are..even better in some respects...it always comes back to a Paula for me...everything is just right about them AFAIC...the tone...the feel..the neck angle...how fr they sit off my body...just comfy...and when it sounds good, and I'm comfy I play better. My hamer is a quot;betterquot; guitar...from a QC control standpoint...its flawlessly built...and GORGEOUS...but after pulling out the Paula a week ago and A/B ing them both every night since for few hours, it's clear that as awesome as the Hamer is... when it comes to feel, playability and sound, ugly as sin or not, this wins:
I agree with you Jeff....I'm a strat guy first and foremost as you already know....Other than the strat being tonally more versatile for the different music styles we do,I find the higher fret access for lead playing is harder on a LP...An SG,strat,and Tele are alot easier to play up in the higher registers for the smaller handed guys...When it comes to all out balls and fat singing sustain however,the LP is absolute king,especially through a cranked up Marshall setup...I've been playing my LP alot lately and I Love it to death,but I still feel most comfy everytime I go from the Paul back to a strat...The Paul weight isn't a problem for me either,but a strat is a contoured,comfy guitar to play....I Love all of my guitars though and it's nice and I consider myself fortunate that I own Teles,strats,LP,SG etc....to even be able to compare and voice an opinion...(Especially as a lefty)!

That LP is so beautiful...no high gloss need apply.


Originally Posted by STRATDELUXER97...When it comes to all out balls and fat singing sustain however,the LP is absolute king,especially through a cranked up Marshall setup..

zakkly...and thats what I loved as a ki and the reason I started playing...its THE sound for me. But I def understand the allure of the Strat (and the Tele). Aesthetically, I dont think anything is prettier than a solid color strat with a white pg...and the tones you can get and the way they are so touch sensitive...I just can't play them consistently well. But god I love the sound and looks of them too..I love putting on Made In Europe or Gary Moores early 80s stuff and just get floored by the tone. Interstingly enough..I have small-ish hands, and although certainly upper fret access is easier on my Hamer or a Strat or my Firebird, I don't have as much issue as most do with a Paula in that respect. I miss just as many notes up there with those other three as I do with the Paula

Sludge,

Thanks...I LOVE the look *and* feel of the faded finish...but I've gotta admit...the thing is veryyyyy photogenic In person that red/orange is damn near flourescent! I'm actually thinking of having it refinished or faded/lightened somehow, cos the looks def bug me when I'm not playing it
4 or 5 years later, the R8 is still the one I reach for first! (double cream antiquities still...)
Scott, that is one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful bookmatched tops I have ever seen. And I'm not just sayin' that. It's the damn truth.

Jeff, that does look sharp in pictures. I've seen one in person at GC before. Almost had to reach for my sunglasses....lol.

Ever since I owned my first LP in the 90's and sold it off, I wanted another one. This time around I couldn't afford a Gibson and couldn't find a used Studio that played and felt like the one I had. So, I started from scratch and played everything I came across in my price range, new and used. That's how I found my Epi LP and I love it. The tone is wonderful. Acoustically it rings out very loud. She's a smooth player and with the CC/Jazz, .....TONE!!!

However, I still would like a Gibson Les Paul Custom in Arctic White. Until then, I'm happy with what I have but the Custom will forever be on my G.A.S. list, and I'm a Strat guy like John.

I don't know that I qualify as a fanatic when it comes to Les Pauls but I do appriciate the tone. To be honest, drop me off in the middle of nowhere and I'll play anything with six strings on it. I have had periods where I didn't have access to a guitar and I'd play a keyboard or a set of bongo drums if nessessary just to play some kind of music.

To get back on point though I thing GJ makes an interesting point. The classics have a certain appeal to them tonally. I understand why some makers chased the super Strat thing, there was a market for thinner, lighter guitars with floating trems and 24 frets but there is a trade off in tone. You lose quite a bit of depth and character when you thin out a guitar. Guitars really are about the wood more than anything else.

Thats not to say that I don't appriciate the tones I get from my RG550 but it's not the first guitar I grab in the morning. Strats and Teles are very cool but there is nothing that does it for me like big fat Les Paul tone.

I'm in the same bag,only a Paul sound like a Paul .Hello !!!

This is the reason I make sure I have at least 1 of everything....LOL
I'd like a PRS C22 and a nice RIC for Christmas? 'o) Lefty please.....


Originally Posted by STRATDELUXER97See I can cop some generic LP tones with the strat(Barely)but I can't do quot;Sultans Of Swingquot; or quot;Lennyquot; on the LP....That's why I use different guitars all night...All of the SRV stuff we do just has to be done on a strat,but I'll always turn to my SG or LP for the Cream era stuff

Agreed some things just HAVE to be done on a Strat..luckily I don't play those stratty things..barring a little Deep Purple But at the same time, I don't think a Strat does even a passable job on the Gibson tones. Heartbreaker, or The Boys are back in Town, or any of the other quot;Gibsonquot; type sounds don't sound that great when played with a Strat. But I'm picky like that too

It's also pretty amazing how much stuff can be pulled off from a Tele's bridge position just by good use of the tone and volume controls...Look what Page and Beck did early on with just a dual single coil Tele...Amazing stuff!

Agreed...I'd personally rather have the Tele for copping quot;stratquot; type sounds and gibson-esque sounds..Teles have more ...raunch...than a Strat.

I play almost exclusively Fender style guitars, but I love the look of the Les Paul, especially tuxedo customs. In fact I'm thinking about making a Les Paul shaped bass, just to do something different. Back in the 80's my little bro was given a USA made Epi LP to practice with, and I played it quite a bit. Fantastic tone and sustain. One of these days I'm gonna get one. I do like my dual HB mahogony tele for now though. I DO have a problem with LP weight. I just don't find my self playing heavy guitars much these days. I don't see me ever going back to a heavy weight guitar much, especially for gigging. Too bad the new chambered LP is so ungodly expensive......

I tryed to get my brothers daughter interested in a tuxedo epi. She loved the guitar but then said: quot; Too bad it's not bluequot; and went a picked up a frost blue mim strat....


Originally Posted by STRATDELUXER97Jeff.....The LP is pretty much a one trick pony and I never limit my music styles to only music that sounds good on the LP....That's just crazy buddy....

Not exactly what I meant...but I digress... I also don't think the LP or the Gibson sound in general is a one trick pony. It may be *different* than a Strat/Tele, but I don't think a Gibson's cleans for example, are worse. I don't think they are any less versatile at all. Especially when you have the right amp and know how to uses the tones and volumes and where to pick on them. For old school Jazz and even some twangy country stuff I like them just as much as Fender type instrument. I also prefer the miiddle toggle position on a Gibson through a Fender or JTM45 or what have you as a gritty blues sound vs. anything a Fender can do. It may not be as quot;popularquot; or quot;classicquot; however I'm not concerned with being accurate or quot;classicquot;, but what sounds good to ME.....am I making sense?

GJ makes a good point. I think I had the attitude 'eh, everybody plays a Les Paul' then I finally began thinking 'everybody plays an LP - there must be a reason!

JeffB it's interesting you mentioned The Boys are Back in Town. Last night after I posted this thread I went through some past issues of Guitar One and spotted the tab for this song. I dialed in my amp to their 'Tonezone' settings of Gain 6, Bass 3, Mids 6 and Treble 7 and finally got that great Thin Lizzy tone with the LP. Luvin' it!


Originally Posted by SoCalSteveGJ makes a good point. I think I had the attitude 'eh, everybody plays a Les Paul' then I finally began thinking 'everybody plays an LP - there must be a reason!

JeffB it's interesting you mentioned The Boys are Back in Town. Last night after I posted this thread I went through some past issues of Guitar One and spotted the tab for this song. I dialed in my amp to their 'Tonezone' settings of Gain 6, Bass 3, Mids 6 and Treble 7 and finally got that great Thin Lizzy tone with the LP. Luvin' it!
Yup....when ya finally dial in THAT tone...it's a very cool thing. Only a Paula can do it!

I agree with GJ about the classic designs. When you play a Les Paul, Tele, or Strat (to name the biggies) it's clear why they're so prized. Each model has its benefits and its own place.

I'm more of a Strat guy, but LPs are neat guitars to play, and they look so sexy. I gravitate towards the weird ones, though. P-90s in a Les Paul = gorgeous tone. What's interesting is that I'm getting really in to Dire Straits lately, and I've always thought MK to be a Strat guy. Then, I found out that the killer tone on Brothers In Arms was him through an LP with P-90s. LP doublecuts are also very cool by me.

I suppose the only reason that I like the Strat over the LP is that it's a bit more sensitive, responsive. I really like that in a guitar. If I had the money, I'd get both a Strat and an LP. Hell, I'd get a Tele, too. But it's only a Strat for now.