Epi Les Paul Love?

[butnut]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Thanks for 'splainin' Jeff! Did'nt mean to work ya into a lather Dio....:boggled:hehe I love everything about my Epi Custom, it's a keeper, I just threw some gold Sperzels on, really helps. Just so ya don't feel too bad, I have my '70 MIJ Epi Riviera with a HUGE Epi headstock, with P94s, this one kicks ass!
http://pics.montypics.com/butnut/2006-09-01/1157193484_img_2170.jpg

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

That is a good read, I think that also refers to those Epi models that used alder as the carved top.

I found this excerpt posted on another forum:

(from Maximum Guitar Magazine)
"For Epiphone to have made such a good-looking, good-sounding instrument priced remarkably low, relative to a "real" Les Paul, there obviously must have been some compromises made with regard to construction and hardware. For a start, the Epiphone's stylish flame-maple top is actually a veneer (a thin layer of wood) glued to to non-flame maple. Secondly, new Gibson Les Paul Standard bodies are crafted from a single slab of mahogany, whereas the Epiphone body - although 100% mahogany - is laminated (several pieces glued together), as is the Epiphone's mahogany neck. On the plus side, these "compromises" allow the guitar to weigh in at 8.7 pounds - somewhat lighter than my pal's Gibson Les Paul Standard, which weighs an impressive, shoulder deforming 10 pounds."

SO it appears that the current Epis are a mahogany body and maple carved top (with flame or quilt veneer on some models).

If that's true then it makes Epiphone look a lot better to me. I read something on this very forum a few years back that said the laminate contained chunks of mohag and alder -- pretty sure the dude discovered this during a refin or something? anyway maybe that was an older model from the old factory or something.

if the normal runs of Epiphone V's are just multi-piece mohag then i might have to pick one up in the future...i'd rather have a nicer Dean but those Epi's are like 1/3 the price.

 

[kherman]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Well, now I know what's going on! Thanks! :friday:
I still don't think it's fair the Japs get proper Gibby headstocks while everyone else gets the big oddity. It really does annoy me. What's so special about Japan?
The Epiphone headstock is the one thing that annoys me about those guitars - why is it so long in the middle? Take half an inch off it and it'd be alright.

What's special about Japan?

The trademark laws are different.

Gibson can't sue other companies in Japan for making replicas of their guitars.
They tried back in the 70's and lost.
The only thing they could do is prevent them from being sold here in the States.
So, in the Japan market, who's going to buy a Epi with a altered headstock when ESP Edwards, Tokai, Burny, Greco and others are using the correct headstock.

Another reason, the Epis here do not have the correct headstock is to prevent fraud.
Back in the 70's companies like Ibanez, Hohner, Tokai, and others were shipping replicas over here that had correct headstocks.
Problem was, people were refinishing the headstocks with Gibson logos and fake serial numbers. Just like the Chinese Ebay one of today.
Laws being different here, Gibson was able to get a cease and desist order against those companies.
Thus, the reason you hear the buzz phrase "lawsuit era replica" sometimes or in Ebay auctions.

Nowadays, I think the refinished headstock thing is really frowned upon.
The MIJ replicas have become collectible.
and people don't want them altered.
They're proud to have that Edwards, Tokai, Orville/epiphone, Burny, Greco, name on there.

Also add to JeffBs comments.
There are two lines of Orville.
Orville and Orville by Gibson.
The ObG were the higher end models of the line.
Some actually featured Nitro finishes and fretboard binding nibs.
In 2007 Epiphone did release a short run of lacquer finished Japan Epis for the Japan market.

Again, what we get and what they get is only because of trademark law differences.

So, if you want a MIJ replica, you have to buy from Ebay or from a Japan store.


OH!
CONGRATS, Binnerscot on your new Epi.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Thanks guys I learned a lot in this thread!
I love my Epi, but seriously, that headstock is not attractive in comparison to the real deal.

 

[SlowGroove]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Japanese market guitar.

They should start to sell those head-stock models in the rest of the world too, and see GIBBO sales plummet down the toilet :flush:


For the same price as a "regular" Epi (+/-$550.00) i will buy one of those open-book head stock models in a heart beat !!!
FACT !!!


James

 

[SlowGroove]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Just because.

When Gibson originall started building Les Paul's in japan to compete with the likes of Tokai, Burny, etc, they could not use the name Gibson. Legally the name was associated with something else in Japan. hence "Orville". When Gibson dropped the Orville name/line, they just started building them under the name Epiphone because they were building everything else overseas (ie Not MIA) under that name. These Japanese Epiphones and later model Orvilles are the same.

Here in the states, they changed the headstock and called the MIJs Elitist or Elite series. They did NOT want them to compete with Gibson proper cos frankly, the MIJ quality kicks the USA models to curb more often than not

And it also is an enticement to buy a real Gibson. You can only get the good looking headstock (and a nitro finish) on a MIA Gibson. It's marketing, plain and simple.

AMEN . . .


. . . someone came out with the truth :thanks:

 

[SlowGroove]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Japanese Market wanted a Gibson headstock. But MIA Gibsons cost WAY too much money in the japanese markket by the time they are imported (since they cannot build anything under gibson name in Japan and thus save a pile of manufacturing costs).

In order to compete in Japanese market against Burny/Tokai/Greco, and other MIJ les Pauls with the proper headstock, Gibson makes earlier Orvilles, and later Epiphones with that proper headstock.

Since in the states and europe no-one can make that Gibson headstock (legally) and the MIJ copies ("lawsuits") cannot be imported for sale (if they have the Gibbo headstock), Gibson has epiphones with a different headstock, so that Epi owners are constantly reminded "I'm not playing a "real" gibson". Thus Epi owners will eventually spend their money on a real gibson and it's real Gibson headstock

IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY - bloody sad, but true :earl:

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

the headstock shape seems to be the common complaint about Epis these days..

The twins are very fine instruments!

 

[Onslow]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

I like my black Epi Standard alright. I don't feel that I really need a Gibson yet for my playing ability.It would be like buying the finest, most expensive specialty French cheese to make Mac n' Cheese. I've been playing off and on for five years and I've had it for about four years.

I've had some tone pot issues with it, had to put Sperzels on it, and have found that it's an aggravatingly bright sounding les paul, but hopefully the SH-55 Seth currently being installed will remedy that. The '59n I had in there made me want to take a swing at a tree with it. The thing that's always irritated me though, is that my thumb kinda sticks to the back of the heavy gloss on the back of the neck. Is there something I can do about that?

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

the headstock shape seems to be the common complaint about Epis these days..

The twins are very fine instruments!

Holy crap, they look awesome!
Why two though?

 

[butnut]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Different pups or tuning? I'd still get confused...and to think, I almost sold my Japan Epi...whew.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

the headstock shape seems to be the common complaint about Epis these days..

The twins are very fine instruments!

Those look nice, what models are they?

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

I love my 2004 MIK Epi LP Standard, despite what it is made out of. Yes, I know about luan. My pops worked in paneling factory, and used to bring sheetloads of the stuff home because luan sheets were used for factory tooling test runs. I tried every sub $1100 guitar that caught my fancy for a couple of weeks...about fifteen to twenty in all. I was willing to save up more cash, if it were needed because I already had a Gibson. This one "had-it", despite the crappy factory pickups. I'm not selling my Epi LP.

Congrats, Binner! Play the hell out that thing!!!:drill:

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Holy crap, they look awesome!
Why two though?

I was so impressed with the first one, and I couldnt decide what pickups to run, so I got another. One has a Genesis sounds PAF in the neck and Blues model in the bridge and the other has a Blues in the neck and a hot in the bridge. Mainly, I got the second cuz they are so good and a limited model that I wanted another. Even the stock pickups were pretty good.

As far as telling them apart. One came with an Epiphone truss cover and the other said Les Paul Standard and I took the pickguard off that one too..

The model is : limited edition transparent black les paul standard.

Im in a bit of a financial bind, so Ill probably be selling one .

 

[midnite_man]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Really...I mean be honest with not only us but yourself as well, if you can look deep inside and ask this question and still say you see, hear and feel no difference in an Epiphone Les Paul and a Gibson Les Paul then either don't know good from so-so, don't care or are simply taking a pot shot as Gibson because it's the "In' thing to do...

Im not gonna say that an Epi is junk...they are decent made guitars that with pickup and electronics upgrades, a new nut and some fret work can, most of the time be made into completely pro ready guitars for stage or studio however they are no where near the quality of most Gibsons. Everybody makes a clunker now and then but I would dare say that the worst feeling, souding and looking Gibson at your local Guitar Center would run rings around the best feeling, looking and sounding Epiphone...

I've had a few Epi LP Standards, and still have the 2nd one I bought and basically rebuilt, as outlined by tgwif. It's a good player after all said and done. But my Gibson Studio is without a doubt a better built instrument with better wood, hardware, and electronics; hence, a better player with better tone, sonics, and sustain....IMHO. For the price of a used Studio and what I put into the Epi there was only a few hundred-dollar difference, and all I did to my Studio was to give it a good set-up and swap the pups out for SD's.

I'll never part with my Gibby, but I'd let my son eventually have my 'ol Epi. I guess that's my rating.