Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

S

stupendous silly

New member
I had opened a tread on this before. Suffice it to say I don't seem satisfied with anything within my price range, which is like 1800 dollars icluding international shipping. To go over that I need to travel abroad and pick one guitar myself, actually started considering selling my car. If I could I would go to Europe and pick a Custom Shop Double Cut Standard Les Paul, or on the classical side a top of the line Tokai. But as it it I am limited, and I don't seem to be blown away from anything I hear online, including Japanese Tokais like LS186 or 150F which are low-end Tokai Premium line. I got quite stuck on the idea that I need Honduran Mahogany, rightly or wrongly, and these ain't it. Maybach looks more promising but they are a few hundred Euros above my range. Today I came across the nicely priced Canadian Prestige brand Heritage line. Actually heard a much modestly priced Vintage brand guitar and thought it sounded very decent. New options are popping everyday but I am very picky and I hate to loose money by going cheap. Any and all info and experience is appreciated.
Edit: I don't have anything against Gibson Les Pauls, but noone would say they are consistently good and reliably buyable online, and a lot of them are beyond my price range anyway. So applying bang for the bucks philosophy here and I somewhat have to because means and ends are not a perfect match.
 
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Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

USA made Hamers with Honduras Mahagony
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

stupendous silly said:
I had opened a tread on this before. Suffice it to say I don't seem satisfied with anything within my price range, which is like 1800 dollars icluding international shipping. To go over that I need to travel abroad and pick one guitar myself, actually started considering selling my car. If I could I would go to Europe and pick a Custom Shop Double Cut Standard Les Paul, or on the classical side a top of the line Tokai. But as it it I am limited, and I don't seem to be blown away from anything I hear online, including Japanese Tokais like LS186 or 150F which are low-end Tokai Premium line. I got quite stuck on the idea that I need Honduran Mahogany, rightly or wrongly, and these ain't it. Maybach looks more promising but they are a few hundred Euros above my range. Today I came across the nicely priced Canadian Prestige brand Heritage line. Actually heard a much modestly priced Vintage brand guitar and thought it sounded very decent. New options are popping everyday but I am very picky and I hate to loose money by going cheap. Any and all info and experience is appreciated.
Edit: I don't have anything against Gibson Les Pauls, but noone would say they are consistently good and reliably buyable online, and a lot of them are beyond my price range anyway. So applying bang for the bucks philosophy here and I somewhat have to because means and ends are not a perfect match.
Click to expand...

Definitely look at Reverend Guitars, Sensei model - Revs are hands down the best quality at their price point (and quite a way above as well).

You also might want to look at the PRS S2 Singlecut.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

VinceT said:
Definitely look at Reverend Guitars, Sensei model - Revs are hands down the best quality at their price point (and quite a way above as well).

You also might want to look at the PRS S2 Singlecut.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thanks I am checking out the Reverend. I think I can come to terms with the unorthodox design, and Korina/Limba is definitely an interesting wood option.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

stupendous silly said:
Thanks I am checking out the Reverend. I think I can come to terms with the unorthodox design, and Korina/Limba is definitely an interesting wood option.
Click to expand...

They are fantastic guitars, I own two (Bayonet and Double Agent) and have played many more.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

I wouldn't expect to be "blown away" by a guitar in an online demo. It may be a great sounding demo but how do you know if it's the guitar, the amp or even a pedal plus whatever processing may have been done? Too many variables. It can work the other way just as easily, where a superb guitar can sound like hell because of those same variables.

Yeah, I realize that doesn't help. Just saying. I kind of miss the days when there was more access to guitars so you could actually go play them. Of course, that never was much of an option for folks living in BFE. But still, the online thing is taking over. I hate making expensive guitar or amp purchases online and have avoided it as much as possible. Not always possible and even all but impossible for some players, depending on where one lives.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

E-II ESP.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

Darg1911 said:
I wouldn't expect to be "blown away" by a guitar in an online demo. It may be a great sounding demo but how do you know if it's the guitar, the amp or even a pedal plus whatever processing may have been done? Too many variables. It can work the other way just as easily, where a superb guitar can sound like hell because of those same variables.

Yeah, I realize that doesn't help. Just saying. I kind of miss the days when there was more access to guitars so you could actually go play them. Of course, that never was much of an option for folks living in BFE. But still, the online thing is taking over. I hate making expensive guitar or amp purchases online and have avoided it as much as possible. Not always possible and even all but impossible for some players, depending on where one lives.
Click to expand...

Believe it or not most if not all my online observations turned out true, and I usually regretted when I didn't take them seriously. Maybe being blown away was not the right wording there. Lets say impressed/unimpressed or negatively impressed. Being continuously impressed in multiple instances, you start figuring out the real good and bad things about something. Which does not mean one is not mistaken but well what do I do...
 
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Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

Nothing wrong with Tokais. I tried a new Tokai LP at a store recently and felt just like a nice old Gibson in many ways.

Give them a go.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

Dude Warmoth. You get to spec out everything and the quality is through the roof.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

^ If you go in this direction, check out Precision Guitar Kits. Same sort of thing but actually a proper glue in Les Paul shape/dimensions.


But where you are is important.....remember anything going international with rosewood needs a CITES permit. There are not many places geared up to that yet.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

I have a bunch of Les Pauls these days, but back before I was able to buy a Paul, I found an Ibanez GR-520 Ghostrider. They are as rare as hen's teeth, but the one I found really fit the bill for LP tone, and it was lightweight and easy to play. I've since acquired a second one, and I really enjoy playing them.

The other one I have that can serve as a LP alternative is my G&L ASAT. Top bound mahogany body with a 3CSB flame maple cap; a '59N and a TB-4 bridge; volume, tone and a coil-split. Mine has a birdseye maple neck and RW board. It is listed as a rare bird, as it is one of the few G&L has done with a Dual Fulcrum Vibrato. G&L is basically a custom shop so you can have one built to your specs.

It is an incredibly versatile guitar. And even though it has a 25.5" scale, it does have thick 2HB tones. Not exact LP tones, but a great guitar nonetheless.

And don't forget the 335 and it's clones. If you're not playing at extreme volume and gain levels, a 335 can deliver very similar tones.

Good luck.

Bill
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

In the price range that you mention if you can find an Orville Les Paul, I hear that certain years are really good. The problem is most of the ones I see for sale are in Japan, and shipping costs drive the price up when you factor it in. If you are lucky enough to run across one locally they are supposed to be a great value for the money.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul alternatives, throw in all you know please

i love my hamer usa guitars and think they are on par with the gibson historics that ive owned but they dont sound exactly like a great lp. they sound great, but not the same. is it close enough? thats up to you.
 
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