I have nothing against scarf joints. But objecitally speaking, Epi doesn't make the necks that way because they're stronger, but because they're cheaper to produce. I was not saying the guitar is better objectically. I was writing "better" because it being more expensive, many people consider it to be better. But what is true is that because it is more expensive to produce, that is the reason why they're charging more.
I was agreeing with you in that it's ridiculously priced. I was just explaining part of the reason it's more expensive is it's because it is indeed more expensive to produce with what most consider "better" featues.
I must admit, I have a bit of a bias against Epi. My second guitar was a Special II which was a POS. Not gonna make a fuss about it, it was a cheap guitar, and it played and sounded like it was supposed to based on how much it cost.
I bought two new "renaissance" Epis last year. One (a black Custom) I had to return because the frets were lifting off the fretboard on the treble side because they weren't seated well. Shame, because it looked decent, and sounded good. Not awesome, but good. Worth keeping if it weren't for the frets (which BTW, I took to the store expecting them to repair it, but instead, they offered to refund it it or trade it in for something else, so I did).
Then I got a 1959. Mine was the standard one, not the fancy Bonamassa or Hammet edition. It did have a 2-piece body, but a neck with a scarf joint. No biggie. It looked cool, and had a pretty solid top (unusual comparing it to every other Epi they had at the store). Very mediocre sound, clunky fat yet almost D-shaped neck that isn't all that much like the Gibson 50's they use on the Gibson USA stuff at least, super soft fret material, which BTW, were high-fret galore from the factory. No biggie, I got it a fret level, and it played well, but it still sounded average at best. The hardware was also trash. The bridge rattled like crazy and only one post really locked.
I do have a low-end Gibson as well that IMO plays and sounds great, but the point here is not to compare. I do agree, the LP Standard 50's is a better deal than the 1959 and a MUCH better deal than the Hammett. But if you REALLY want a Les Paul, I am convinced an Epi is not a better option than, say, a Harley Benton, an Agile, or any other lower-priced Asian copy, because none of them are really dead-on like a Gibson Les Paul is. Not even the Epi, and even the cheaper Epis, they're charging you extra just because it says "Les Paul" on the headstock, when it really isn't all that close to the Gibson.
