NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

[Wattage]

Man Epi is really getting their act together.

I've looked at these off and on for a while as a backup to my Standard Faded LP. I liked the raw feel of the finish on the back and neck a lot. The whole guitar just seems put together really well.

I picked mine up in ebony, pulled the cheeseball Epi pickguard off as well as the poker chip. Eventually I'll ditch as much of the cream trim as possible and make it all black. The pickups while not outstanding seem much better than the older standard Epi pups though I can't imagine them sticking around long.

It was a great deal and really seems like a ridiculous value, the MIC guitars just keep getting better and better.

 

[saqib09]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

MIC or MII?

 

[saqib09]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

And happy playing too

 

[Wattage]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

It's MIC I wasn't aware they made them in Indonesia.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

It's MIC I wasn't aware they made them in Indonesia.

Yeah some of the newer lower cost Epis are coming out of Indonessia now

 

[hvymtl69]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

I have to agree with you about the quality of the China Epis. I recently did a setup for my son in law who purchased a Epi Les Paul Custom Pro with the upgraded pickups etc and it was a really nice guitar. Had a nice solid feeling to it. Neck was well done. Fret ends were pretty clean. Really an excellent deal for the price. I still feel the ESP LTD EC series is the better guitar but Epiphone is at least in the race.

 

[rgand]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

Looks great. I like the white trim since it also has white binding. All I would change for looks would be to black, white or chrome knobs.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

I've had my eye on one at GC for a couple months. It's the most gorgeous Desert Burst I've seen...a little darker than the usual Desert Bursts I've seen. Plays and sounds great. The stock pups sound pretty darn good, though not as good as most Duncans I've used. I love the new top hat knobs with that grip ring.

 

[Wattage]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

Forgot to mention the grip ring knobs, yes a neat little trick for sure.

 

[Wattage]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

OK so a week has gone by and I've played it quite a lot. It spent the gig Saturday night on the stand but I used it for a 3 hr rehearsal Friday and it really held it's own against 3 other LPs.

The pickups have really grown on me quickly. They're a lot like burstbuckers but maybe a little more compressed which works pretty well. I think I'm going to keep them for a while and see how they do. Not big on AII pickups but the grit these have under low gain is a lot like early Aerosmith which for me is more than OK. Clean they're real good too especially on the edge, very 50's urban bluesy sounding. Under hi gain they're OK nothing thrilling but they cut well which I appreciated. The pots are way better than older Epi pots, they actually have some roll off before falling off the edge, very useable and the input jack is also a step up from the old Epi hardware. The bridge and the tail seem pretty similar to the ToneLock stuff they've been using lately.

The board is still a little rough, I'll have to give it a light sanding next string change but it's better since it got a little oil and some playing time. It is also a really nice dark piece of rosewood btw. I did scrape the face of the binding as it comes up to the board since it was a little rough. The whole guitar is put together so well I can't complain about that though, that comes off as a set up issue to me not a real flaw. I really can't find any flaw with it to be honest. It plays and sounds so well with just some minor tweaks I am really impressed. I did take a scotchbrite pad and knock down some of the roughness of the finish on the back of the neck. It wasn't really bothersome but I wanted it to feel a little more broken in like my Gibson.

I know this isn't really a sexy purchase but for $349 brand new it definitely is a winner in the bottom feeder sweeps. I think they go $499 new which probably isn't a bad deal either but on sale its a total score. As for comparison to the LTD EC's I like this far better since it is essentially a real LP shape and size, the frets are also more traditional than the jumbo's on most ESP/LTD stuff.

I also found a home for an old poker chip butnut made for me....

 

[PushedCrayon]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

Sounds like it's fitting in well with you, that's good to hear! The price of the guitar doesn't matter, all that matters is how you like it!

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

Nice, I dig it. My first six string was a Epi Les Paul Classic from 2000. It wasn't half bad but I agree the newer ones have become pretty respectable.

 

[Kac]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

Looks good to me!

 

[Red_Label]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

I have to agree with you about the quality of the China Epis. I recently did a setup for my son in law who purchased a Epi Les Paul Custom Pro with the upgraded pickups etc and it was a really nice guitar. Had a nice solid feeling to it. Neck was well done. Fret ends were pretty clean. Really an excellent deal for the price. I still feel the ESP LTD EC series is the better guitar but Epiphone is at least in the race.

Having owned several Epis, and seven Ltd ECs... I heartily concur with all you posted.

 

[Jermo3178]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

Nice score! She's a beauty.. Congrats!

 

[Demanic]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

The Chinese have been allowed to profit a bit more if they have skill, so the stuff coming out of there is getting a bit better, along with the fact of readily available CNC equipment. I'd still consider putting a set of Duncan's in it, maybe the Whole Lotta set. Or, after hearing my buddy's Epi with Lace Deathbuckers in it this past weekend, maybe a set of those. Don't let the name fool you, they've got an incredibly articulate clean sound.

 

[HALENisking]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

The Chinese have been allowed to profit a bit more if they have skill, so the stuff coming out of there is getting a bit better, along with the fact of readily available CNC equipment. I'd still consider putting a set of Duncan's in it, maybe the Whole Lotta set. Or, after hearing my buddy's Epi with Lace Deathbuckers in it this past weekend, maybe a set of those. Don't let the name fool you, they've got an incredibly articulate clean sound.

God I just can't seem to like those (at least from any videos or clips), but plenty of guys who like what I like are impressed with them. Am I missing something? They seem very articulate yet missing any sparkle or depth.

 

[greekdude]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

happy NGM man!! (M=month) nice guitar

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

Wattage, Well, your review is essentially the same as my feelings about it except that on the one I looked at I didn't see a problem with the board or any of the binding. Yeah, I do like the back of the neck the same as you, I just use #0000 steel wool to do the dirty deed. I also agree with your analysis of the pups. I wouldn't think about changing them out in the near future (unless you have a project guitar on the workbench that could benefit by them).

I can't believe that you got it for $349!!! I was just about ready to buy one at $449 on sale but couldn't justify another guitar (already have over 35). At $349 I would have picked it up in a heartbeat!

Great buy! (I am SOOO envious).

 

[Wattage]

Re: NGD - Epi LP Traditional Pro

Doc it was too good to pass up. I went to look at a few used pieces and walked off with the Epi.

The board and binding aren't real issues to me and I'll guess most folks wouldn't notice so much especially on a new guitar but a/b-ing with my #1 I wanted to make it have a more worn in feel. I've had more than one new guitar that needed to have the board sanded or steel wooled down a bit.

I have a bunch of pickups here I can mess with inc. an old L500 but again no rush. I would like to try the Whole Lotta set at some point though if not in this guitar one of my others. Soon as I picked this guitar up it reminded me of old Aerosmith/Joe Perry which is so far up there for me it isn't funny so if it stays just like that I'm golden. This thing really fights outside of it's class.