Epi Les Paul Love?

[Luke Duke]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Binner, congrats! Sounds like you got a special guitar, I hope you get many years of great use from it.

As for the alder thing; if I remember my specs correctly the alder is used as a filler between the maple veneer and the mahogany. The line *should* be covered up by the plastic binding.

In 03 I traded my 96 LP Custom for a Dr. Z Maz Jr....I laughed all the way to the bank on that one....but while I was at that guy's house I played his red R8. It was everything I ever thought LP should be.

I later picked up a Heritage H150. The Heritage blew away Epis, and Gibson's...everything....but that redtop R8 was like the tonal specter of my past.

In 06 I got the call that the guy was wanting to unload the R8. It took so fanagling but I got it. I can't ever see getting rid of it really. I made the off hand comment once that I'd sell it to fund a PRS Modern Eagle and my wife straight up prohibited it. She said the redtop was "my husband's guitar", and it's, what a LP should sound like.

So that's my Gibson story. My recommendation on LPs to people is Historic LP first, and Heritage H150 second. I don't have experience with the *new* Gibson standards to make an intelligent statement. One thing I can say is the neck pup doesn't sound right in any LP without a long neck tennon....at least, in my opinion.

Luke

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Nice insight - Thanks Luke!

I am still poking around to find the definitive answer on what the Epi cap is.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Nice insight - Thanks Luke!

I am still poking around to find the definitive answer on what the Epi cap is.

Did you email Epi?

What pups are you gonna toss in her?

 

[butnut]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Not sure if this is what you're looking for....good read.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/lespaulguide#4

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Not sure if this is what you're looking for....good read.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/lespaulguide#4

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).

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Did you email Epi?

What pups are you gonna toss in her?

I should e-mail Epi and see what they say offically.

Its already got a set of PRS Dragon IIs in it - I'll have to take it a to friend of mine at the music store and see how it stacks up against the handful of $4K and $5K Gibsons there...just for fun of course.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Japanese market guitar.

What does that mean? If it's a genuine Epi why does it have a Gibson headstock? Is it a fake?

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

What does that mean? If it's a genuine Epi why does it have a Gibson headstock? Is it a fake?

Because Japanese market ones have the Gibson headstock.

Luke

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Because Japanese market ones have the Gibson headstock.

Luke

Why does Japan get better stuff than everyone else FFS. They get extra tracks on their albums AND the Gibby headstock on Epi guitars? That's just wrong. Why is the rest of the world treated like 2nd class citizens?! :werd:

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

Why does Japan get better stuff than everyone else FFS. They get extra tracks on their albums AND the Gibby headstock on Epi guitars? That's just wrong. Why is the rest of the world treated like 2nd class citizens?! :werd:

I imagine it's because those particular Epis were made in Japan.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

First of all. Congrats. There are some danged good Epis out there.

As far as wood, here's a post I made the other day in another thread....

Unless you buy MIJ or MIA, you are not getting mahogany. Not Honduras/South American, nor African which is recognized as a true species of mahogany.


MIK or MIC= "mystery mahogany" that goes under a few trade names like Nato, phllipine mahogany, etc. etc. It's actually more closely related to agathis than mahogany. Its just like Korina- a fabricated trade name of the lumber industry.

Epi goes a small step further than ESP/LTD, Schecter, Dean, Agile, and the other MIK/MIC imports by putting a veener of african on the backs (and tops of SGs) of their les pauls. And I see some african mahogany necks on occasion as well. My last epi had a mystery mahogany and alder mix of pieces and the Cap was def not maple.

Honduras/African mahogany is generally medium-dark in color..reddish to a coffee w/cream color. This stuff the MIK/MIC guitars are made out of is white as a sheet 9 times out of 10 or just barely darker that one time and the finish provides the color (look inside the cavities) Tonally it's not the same either. Kinda halfway between alder and basswood- nothing like Honduras mahogany.

I had posted a link a few months back with detailed pics and descriptions of these different mahogany types and asked to have it vaulted for threads such as this. It wasn't and I no longer have the links.

You'll never get a straight answer out of any of the companies that use the mystery wood stuff.

That said some of the mystery stuff sounds pretty good. Better than most basswood for sure, IMO. But it sure don't sound like Honduras mahogany.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

I imagine it's because those particular Epis were made in Japan.

So what? What does that have to do with the shape of the headstock? Why do Japanese ones have a different headstock? Do they cost more?

 

[JeffB]

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.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

So it's a Gibson rather than an Epi then?

 

[JeffB]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

So it's a Gibson rather than an Epi then?

Its a Japanese Les Paul made (mostly) by Fuji Gen who also made the vintage Tokais. It has a poly finish, and ABR style bridge, African Mahogany body and neck, Mother of Toilet Seat inlays, Grover tuners, etc.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

all this Epi talk has reminded me that i have one sitting in the basement that needs refretting... i better get crackin.. i pulled the old frets out of it a year ago... but for a cheap jamming guitar it will be OK.... if i was to buy a new Epi i'd buy a Black Custom.... i have no idea why but them i like the look of... i even like the look of the Epi Headstock with the binding on it...

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

I have no idea what's going on.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

I have no idea what's going on.

No offense , but I think you are making this more difficult than it really is.

Epiphones (and older Orvilles) that are made in Japan for the Japanese market have the gibson headstock.

Epiphones that are MIJ for other markets do not have the gibson headstock.

Epiphones made in korea and china have the original epiphone style headstock.

MIK and MIJ Epiphones are not built by a Gibson owned plant. They are/were made by various manufacturing sites in those countries. these places are the same that build alot of other brand imports- Ibanez, Schecter, Import Deans, Import BC Riches, LTD, etc etc etc.

MIC epiphones are built at the Gibson owned Epiphone manufacturing facility

MIA Gibsons are made in the USA and have Gibson headstocks

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Epi Les Paul Love?

No offense , but I think you are making this more difficult than it really is.

Epiphones (and older Orvilles) that are made in Japan for the Japanese market have the gibson headstock.

Epiphones that are MIJ for other markets do not have the gibson headstock.

Epiphones made in korea and china have the original epiphone style headstock.

MIK and MIJ Epiphones are not built by a Gibson owned plant. They are/were made by various manufacturing sites in those countries. these places are the same that build alot of other brand imports- Ibanez, Schecter, Import Deans, Import BC Riches, LTD, etc etc etc.

MIC epiphones are built at the Gibson owned Epiphone manufacturing facility

MIA Gibsons are made in the USA and have Gibson headstocks

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.

 

[JeffB]

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?

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