Topic: Would this be a good buy. (Read 2918 times)

crazyguitardude · « **on:** November 01, 2009, 04:00:23 PM »

I am looking to an Epiphone Les Paul standard as an upgrade guitar. I have an Ibanez GAX30. I want a nice rounded sound and a guitar that plays great without spending fortunes, giving away arms and legs, or any other thing associated with buying costly items.

I've already played the guitar i want and i know i definitely want it well set up (who doesn't) but very defiinitely with light guage strings.

A background on my guitar. It is an Ibanez GAX30 with humbuckers in the Neck and Bridge positions. With the action set so the strings (which are medium gauge) are parallel to the fretboard, the guitar gets fret buzz like mad. And from a tonal perspective the low end is kind of muddy and not really distinct in any way, while the Epiphone that i want has a nice rounded sound and buttery smooth playability.

I would like to know if the Epiphone would be a good buy from the perspective of Sound quality (compared to a Gibson Standard if at all possible), Playability (how low can the action go without fret buzz, ease of playing) and a monitary perspective (quality per dollar, good deal, bad deal etc.)

ubc_rown · « **Reply #1 on:** November 01, 2009, 04:37:57 PM »

funkStrat_97 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 01, 2009, 04:46:32 PM »

With Epiphones, you definately need to try before you buy. IMO, the Epi LP Standard is a decent enough guitar and to be honoest I don't have a lot of experince with them. Based on various discussions I've heard about them, you would likely want to budget for upgrades (mainly the tuners, but I think that the pickups have been upgraded lately and should be ok), pots, switches and perhaps some of the other hardware. I would also consider one of these:

PRS SE Custom 22

OR a used Gibson LP Studio (don't let the Gibson name scare you off$$$$...you'll be surprised on the deals you can find out there).

BTW, what kind of cash do you have to spend on a new axe?

gtrdave · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2009, 05:06:02 PM »

PRS SE is a good alt. as is a Godin LG.
Both are going to cost around $400 slightly used and may be better quality than the Epiphone. The Godin especially since it's made in America from Canadian parts.
Just some food for thought.

Fenix · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2009, 05:06:09 PM »

Well...

I would try and get a better option than the Epi LP standard. I don't have that much experience with it either, other than playing it at GC a couple of times but i was not that impressed. The tuners suck and the pickups were...meh.

I played the PRS FS posted above in GC and it is a beauty of a guitar to play. Plus its not expensive. I would also recommend a Dean Palomino, or a Mexican strat. Both are inexpensive, nice guitars.

crazyguitardude · « **Reply #5 on:** November 01, 2009, 05:07:41 PM »

Well my dad would be buying this for me so i don't want to destroy his wallet. I want a guitar that has good quality for the price and will sustain me till i really need another guitar. If you read the bass forums, my dad posted about his new basses which were literally Fender basses with the Squire name pasted on them. He paid like 600 for a basiclly Fender 60's Vibe, and a 5 stringer (can't remember which kind). everybody around has been telling him that he has gotten an absolute steal and somebody said that some of the components were better even that the same Fender model.

like i said. Good quality, low cash is my goal, and i loooooove the sound and feel of the Epiphone LP standard that i played.

ubc_rown · « **Reply #6 on:** November 01, 2009, 05:24:41 PM »

Buying a guitar is like buying a HDTV.When we buy these HDTV.We think it`s going to play, the way it is playing in the store.But,it takes more than the tv itself.What about your calble provider,what`s behind the tv,and most important of all.What about the operator.You got to try out all the tvs.Then you must determine,which one is right for you.If your dady is buying it.I wound not,hit pop`s wallet too hard.It would not make sense.For me to buy a new corvette,if i can`t drive.Buy,what suits your needs.Get what sounds good to your ears,and POP`s wallet

crazyguitardude · « **Reply #7 on:** November 01, 2009, 05:42:57 PM »

Alright so I looked at the PRS SE custom. At GC the guitars are both around 500 bucks (like a difference of no more than 50 dollars). So which would be the better guitar.

I've tried the Epiphone, and the next time i go to GC I'll try the PRS. If both guitars sound equally good, which would have the better component quality.

And one last question I didn't ask before. How does the guitar balance? The headstock of my guitar loves the floor and if i let go it will head towards the ground untill it settles at about level (imagine the guitar neck perpendicular to my body at about hip level).

If the PRS sounds good and is as good as the (briefly looked over) reviews I read suggest, then I'll have to make a switch.

ubc_rown · « **Reply #8 on:** November 01, 2009, 05:51:49 PM »

Again brother.Which is the better guitar.The one that plays,and sounds the best to you.

funkStrat_97 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 01, 2009, 06:02:41 PM »

Quote from: Fenix on November 01, 2009, 05:06:09 PM

Well...

I would also recommend a Dean Palomino, or a Mexican strat. Both are inexpensive, nice guitars.

Speaking of Strats: a used Big-Apple Strat/American Fat Strat (they've been discontinued...shame on Fender) would be worth a try. They're the same guitar, just a name change that took place when the replaced the American Standard with the American Series (and now we're back to American Standard). They came with a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates+ in the bridge and '59 humbucker in the neck. The 5-way witch gave you an assortment of single-coil, humbucking, series and parallel sounds. A very versatile guitar that didin't sell well because it didn't appeal to your typical Strat-purist and it was not a Les Paul.

ubc_rown · « **Reply #10 on:** November 01, 2009, 07:06:24 PM »

http://www.learngospelmusic.com/forums/index.php/topic,6712.0.html

JayP5150 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 01, 2009, 09:22:21 PM »

Quote from: ubc_rown on November 01, 2009, 07:06:24 PM

http://www.learngospelmusic.com/forums/index.php/topic,6712.0.html

Don't do that... I HATE reading me from 5 years ago lol. I sound like a dork... some things never change

crazyguitardude · « **Reply #12 on:** November 02, 2009, 06:50:54 AM »

Okay. One last question. Please forgive my ignorance

.

Would the PRS be worth trying out. From the reviews and specs, both guitars are in the same price range at guitar center, and both are apparently good buys for the money.

The only thing is that PRS guitars are really really pretty (yes, a guy just said pretty). They simply look like they cost tons and i pretty much feel if i look at them the price will go up or the guitars will disappear or something.

So should i try out the PRS? (that was kinda an obvious question, but i just don't wanna end up liking something to expensive)

Any other guitars i should pick up and try the next time i go to GC?

jlynnb1 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 02, 2009, 07:16:45 AM »

i'd say one of the PRS SE models in a no-brainer over any Epiphone...

funkStrat_97 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 02, 2009, 12:51:00 PM »

If you really want to get an Epiphone, then check this out:

Limited Edition Les Paul Classic Antique

And there are a couple of Epi LP's that look interesting too. One that comes to mind is the Les Paul Ultra. It has a chambered body which gives it a tone somwhere beteen a an LP and 335.

ubc_rown · « **Reply #15 on:** November 02, 2009, 05:42:31 PM »

Quote from: JayP5150 on November 01, 2009, 09:22:21 PM

Don't do that... I HATE reading me from 5 years ago lol. I sound like a dork... some things never change

You said it

Fenix · « **Reply #16 on:** November 04, 2009, 03:18:41 AM »

Quote from: jlynnb1 on November 02, 2009, 07:16:45 AM

i'd say one of the PRS SE models in a no-brainer over any Epiphone...

This ends the matter.

As far as your question about guitar weight, the Epi LP (as you should have known) is quite heavy (to me). I am not used to heavy Gibson style guitars.

Frankly the PRS is a better guitar, both sound-wise and in looks.

crazyguitardude · « **Reply #17 on:** November 04, 2009, 06:46:50 AM »

Thanks guys. Next time i head to GC i'll try out the PRS guitar. Frankly, i tried the epiphone and loved it so i only look for information about it. I'll try out the PRS guitar and compare the two, and if for some reason or another I don't like it at least i still have the epiphone.

Again, much thanks to everybody. I thought that you couldn't get much more value for sound with the Epi (and trust me i did research like mad), but i guess i've been proven wrong

jlynnb1 · « **Reply #18 on:** November 04, 2009, 10:03:06 AM »

Quote from: crazyguitardude on November 04, 2009, 06:46:50 AM

Thanks guys. Next time i head to GC i'll try out the PRS guitar. Frankly, i tried the epiphone and loved it so i only look for information about it. I'll try out the PRS guitar and compare the two, and if for some reason or another I don't like it at least i still have the epiphone.

Again, much thanks to everybody. I thought that you couldn't get much more value for sound with the Epi (and trust me i did research like mad), but i guess i've been proven wrong

it really depends on what you are going for...and even if you are set on the LP sound, there are better options in the price range. (ESP LTD Eclipse coming to mind) Know this...if you want the LP sound...the PRS will NOT give it to you...it's definitely it's own thing. sort of a middle ground between strats and lp's. what is the main type of music you are playing...kind of surprised you haven't considered any Fender's.

crazyguitardude · « **Reply #19 on:** November 04, 2009, 10:38:30 AM »

@ jlynnb1

I like the sound of humbuckers. So if you know of any good Fenders that have humbuckers in the 400 to 500 dollar range then i will consider it.

As for the sound, i would like a rich rounded low end on the neck, and an aggressive sound on the bridge. However, I am willing to replace the stock pickups for better ones, if i need to, to get the desired sound i want.

So so far I am going to try the PRS and compare it to the Epi LP standard and the Gibson LP studio.

Any other guitars I should consider?

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