Hey guys, I'm looking into purchasing a Les Paul clone, most likely an Epiphone because it is more in my price range. (The quilt tops have been catching my eye as of late too...) On researching the Epiphone guitars I noticed that the body wood is a mahogony/alder blend. Will this affect the tone of the guitar adversely? I mean I know most Gibson Les Pauls have a solid or chambered mahogony body which gives it the Les Paul tone. What would be the tonal difference in the epiphone? Thanks
mahogony/alder body tone?
- Thread starter TS2
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jmh151
Active member
Re: mahogony/alder body tone?
I understand Epiphone sometimes uses an Alder top instead of maple on their Les Pauls, and puts a flame maple veneer on it. I don't think it's a mahogany/alder sandwich body.
Technically, it should be slightly less bright than a maple top- but it depends on the quality of the wood used. Maybe the alder they use is a higher grade and brighter than the maple they would be able to get. It's something so slight that most likely a pickup will have a bigger impact on tone
I understand Epiphone sometimes uses an Alder top instead of maple on their Les Pauls, and puts a flame maple veneer on it. I don't think it's a mahogany/alder sandwich body.
Technically, it should be slightly less bright than a maple top- but it depends on the quality of the wood used. Maybe the alder they use is a higher grade and brighter than the maple they would be able to get. It's something so slight that most likely a pickup will have a bigger impact on tone
scottish
WeirdScienceologist
Re: mahogony/alder body tone?
epiphone using high grade wood....lmfao. high grade wood for epiphone means not plywood, lol. these days anyways
epiphone using high grade wood....lmfao. high grade wood for epiphone means not plywood, lol. these days anyways
jmh151
Active member
Re: mahogony/alder body tone?
I agree. The alder is just a higher grade than the really bad maple they'd normally use.
I understand the flame maple top Epiphones have an alder top with a flame maple veneer. Their plain maple top Les Pauls are solid maple. Why they don't use a maple top and maple veneer, I don't know.
I agree. The alder is just a higher grade than the really bad maple they'd normally use.
I understand the flame maple top Epiphones have an alder top with a flame maple veneer. Their plain maple top Les Pauls are solid maple. Why they don't use a maple top and maple veneer, I don't know.
ibanezrocks
HardtailPisser
Re: mahogony/alder body tone?
I don't think they'd be able to get better quality alder for the same price as what they'd get with maple. I doubt there's any shortage of decent quality plain maple. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say the alder doesn't wear down the tools as much as maple and they're doing it to save money.
I don't think they'd be able to get better quality alder for the same price as what they'd get with maple. I doubt there's any shortage of decent quality plain maple. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say the alder doesn't wear down the tools as much as maple and they're doing it to save money.
Re: mahogony/alder body tone?
alder is often passed off as soft maple in the lumber trade i hear... either way Mahogany and Alder and Maples in a $500 LP Copy is pretty good.. My 2001 Epi LP has a maple neck, what looks like alder top and a mystery wood for the back of the body... it's a light lighter then any real mahogany i've seen
alder is often passed off as soft maple in the lumber trade i hear... either way Mahogany and Alder and Maples in a $500 LP Copy is pretty good.. My 2001 Epi LP has a maple neck, what looks like alder top and a mystery wood for the back of the body... it's a light lighter then any real mahogany i've seen
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: mahogony/alder body tone?
I've had a bunch of Epi's, including LP's. With American-made PU's they sound very good, and compare favorably to a Gibson LP, especially if you use magnets, pots, and caps to tweak your tone so your PU fits nicely with the wood's natural sound.
A lot of players replace the stock PU's on their GIbson LP's, so paying 4 or 5 times as much doesn't mean your tone is 4 or 5 times better; you still may have to put more money in it. You can have a several thousand dollar guitar that the PU's don't work well with (every piece of wood is unique) and need tweaking or replacing. And no matter how hard they try, PU manufacturers can't make every one of a certain model identical (due to variations in magnets, wire, windings, screws, slugs, etc). Wood & PU's are moving targets.
How does an Epi LP sound compared to a Gibson LP? It's a combination of many variables...the ones listed above, plus pots and caps, amp, speaker, the tubes, cord, playing style, your fingers, etc. Since you can have 10 Gibson LP's of the same model, that all sound different, what is your base of reference for a comparison? Some will sound better than others. So which one do you compare an Epi to? And what PU's are in the Epi? Are you expecting guys in white lab coats & clipboards to quantify every detail? That doesn't exist. All you have is what is on these kinds of forums...which is tons of conflicting opinions. There are no standards, no benchmarks. It's the ears and opinions of thousands of players who don't agree with each other. This is a wild, uncharted frontier, son. We make it up as we go along. You're looking for a world 100 years from now when this all gets figured out and scientifically measured.
Whether you have a Gibson or an Epi, make sure you have American-made PU's, and use magnets, pots, & caps to make either one sound they way you want it to. When you can get a used Epi LP Std on online for $300-350, and put in a pair of used SD's, Dimarzio's, or Gibsons, you have a great-sounding guitar for a minimal investment. It may just sound so much like a Gibson that very few people can tell them apart by the sound quality. Mine sound very nice. Relax, you can't go wrong.
I've had a bunch of Epi's, including LP's. With American-made PU's they sound very good, and compare favorably to a Gibson LP, especially if you use magnets, pots, and caps to tweak your tone so your PU fits nicely with the wood's natural sound.
A lot of players replace the stock PU's on their GIbson LP's, so paying 4 or 5 times as much doesn't mean your tone is 4 or 5 times better; you still may have to put more money in it. You can have a several thousand dollar guitar that the PU's don't work well with (every piece of wood is unique) and need tweaking or replacing. And no matter how hard they try, PU manufacturers can't make every one of a certain model identical (due to variations in magnets, wire, windings, screws, slugs, etc). Wood & PU's are moving targets.
How does an Epi LP sound compared to a Gibson LP? It's a combination of many variables...the ones listed above, plus pots and caps, amp, speaker, the tubes, cord, playing style, your fingers, etc. Since you can have 10 Gibson LP's of the same model, that all sound different, what is your base of reference for a comparison? Some will sound better than others. So which one do you compare an Epi to? And what PU's are in the Epi? Are you expecting guys in white lab coats & clipboards to quantify every detail? That doesn't exist. All you have is what is on these kinds of forums...which is tons of conflicting opinions. There are no standards, no benchmarks. It's the ears and opinions of thousands of players who don't agree with each other. This is a wild, uncharted frontier, son. We make it up as we go along. You're looking for a world 100 years from now when this all gets figured out and scientifically measured.
Whether you have a Gibson or an Epi, make sure you have American-made PU's, and use magnets, pots, & caps to make either one sound they way you want it to. When you can get a used Epi LP Std on online for $300-350, and put in a pair of used SD's, Dimarzio's, or Gibsons, you have a great-sounding guitar for a minimal investment. It may just sound so much like a Gibson that very few people can tell them apart by the sound quality. Mine sound very nice. Relax, you can't go wrong.
ibanezrocks
HardtailPisser
Re: mahogony/alder body tone?
Theres a lot of $500 guitars outside of the Epi range that don't use plywood. People complain that with Gibson all you pay for is the name, I say all you pay for with an Epiphone is the right to have a fake Gibson. :grumble:
However, as with any guitar especially in that price range, TS2 shouldn't limit himself to any brand and should just play all the guitars he can get his hands on. There's plenty of 24 3/4 scale, dual humbucker, set neck guitars out there if you look past the Les Paul shape.
Theres a lot of $500 guitars outside of the Epi range that don't use plywood. People complain that with Gibson all you pay for is the name, I say all you pay for with an Epiphone is the right to have a fake Gibson. :grumble:
However, as with any guitar especially in that price range, TS2 shouldn't limit himself to any brand and should just play all the guitars he can get his hands on. There's plenty of 24 3/4 scale, dual humbucker, set neck guitars out there if you look past the Les Paul shape.
drew_half_empty
Looking for Real Life
Re: mahogony/alder body tone?
just get a reverend roundhouse or a schecter tempest
they're both inexpensive & you'll be glad you did
just get a reverend roundhouse or a schecter tempest
they're both inexpensive & you'll be glad you did
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