Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

[stratguy23]

... and it was smokin'. Wow.

The very long official name is "Ltd. Ed. Slash Les Paul Standard Plustop PRO".

It would have been a good *Gibson*. Absolutely flawless. Weight-relieved (not usual for Epiphone), so easy on the back. Big ol' neck, for big ol' beautiful tone.

I've played other Epiphone Slash Les Pauls that sounded bland or harsh or, like many A2 humbucker-equipped axes, had thin-sounding bridge pickups. Maybe the A2P Slash pickups are particularly sensitive to height and require dialing in.

This axe was some next-level business. Through a cranked little Marshall JMP1, it was straight-up rock goodness, the epitome of Gibson-through-Marshall tone.

Too bad Les Pauls don't fit right on my body. This was one of the best playing and sounding guitars I've tried in a while.

I don't know if Epiphone stepped it up for this new iteration of the Slash LP, or if this was one of those unicorn finds, but I have never been so impressed with a Chinese-made guitar.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

I have to admit I’m interested in a more economical alternative to lugging my Gibson’s around. Did you find it to be on par with the tribute serie


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[MetalManiac]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

^ OT- Good to see ya Astro..how'd you make it through the 'Cane?

 

[stratguy23]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

Did you find it to be on par with the tribute serie

Absolutely, if not better. If you want a top-of-the-line Epi LP, but with a 50s neck, the Slash or Joe Bonamassa LPs are your best bets.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

If the guitar was that good, great sounding, etc., you should absolutely buy it. You can learn to be comfortable with the body style for something that sounds so great to you. One of the cool things about a Les Paul is that you do have to fight with it a bit, whether you have trouble above the 12th fret due to the heel, or whether you have to change your hand position because of the thick neck or because the guitar doesn't sit right against your body.

Struggle leads to greatness.

 

[Ben1962]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls


I bought his big brother, although I almost got the Epi. Is it worth all the extra money? No, I doubt it but since I was a kid I always wanted a Gibson Les Paul. I have many Epiphones too, and I love them. The one set of probuckers sounded as good as any other pickup I have had. I replaced it and will use them eventually in some build. If you buy that guitar, I bet you will love it!!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

Yes, Epi make some great stuff.

 

[stratguy23]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

Struggle leads to greatness.

Actually, in my case, struggle leads to injuries. LPs are shaped so that they aggravate a nerve issue in my right shoulder. This doesn't relate to the weight of the LP; it's due to the angle at which the guitar sets my picking hand and arm. This applies to the LP-sized 339s also.

I went through an LP phase, 5 different LPs, some years ago and aggravated that injury badly. I recently picked up another LP, thinking that it would be OK this time. Nope. Re-aggravated the injury, and it's been a few months of healing from it.

I can play a conventional thickness LP for a few minutes at a time, but anything longer than that causes me long-lasting pain. Not worth it when there are so many good-sounding guitars that don't cause me pain.

 

[Ben1962]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

What about the shape injures you? Sometimes my shoulder hurts and its tension . Are you tensing up while playing?

 

[UTGrad]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

Is the neck on the Slash as fat and round as the Epiphone Traditional Pro II Les Paul? The Trad Pro II has a huge baseball bat neck.


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[Diego]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

I've got a Epi Les Paul PlusTop Pro, and these days I've tried quite a few Gibsons in stores.

The only one I've found to be vastly superior was a '59 RI. I've also tried a Deluxe, a couple of Standards and a ES.
The Deluxe was a bit of a dog to be honest, and I wouldn't change my Epiphone for any of them but the RI which is crazy expensive.

Epiphone is doing it right these days.

 

[stratguy23]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

What about the shape injures you? Sometimes my shoulder hurts and its tension . Are you tensing up while playing?

I don't naturally tense up when I play (that I know of), but I think the Les Paul unintentionally makes me tense up by putting by arm out at a "chicken wing" angle that's precisely targeted at my shoulder nerve issue. No other guitar does this, not even Teles, which are sort of like Les Pauls in body thickness. I just think LPs form a perfect storm in aggravating my injury.

Is the neck on the Slash as fat and round as the Epiphone Traditional Pro II Les Paul? The Trad Pro II has a huge baseball bat neck.

Yes, comparable in size. The Epiphone Slash LPs have a glossy finish, unlike the nice matte finish of the Trad Pro, though.

 

[Ben1962]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

The reason I ask about the shoulder, sometimes my right shoulder would hurt when I was playing legato with my left hand? Weird but true and I know it was tension when I was trying to smack the fingerboard. I have been thru some medical stuff recently but there is NOTHING that has the intense pain of a shoulder. Wish you well

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

Good mini review! Epi is making some very good guitars these days. It seems like their special models are even a notch above. I have a LP 1960 Tribute Plus and it is a fantastic playing and sounding guitar.

I sure like the green on that Slash one

 

[Ben1962]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

Assuming the 2 are the same, no, its not quite as big. I have the Pro II and it has the most sustain of all my guitars. Really has a lively sound, mine has the Nazgul in it tuned down half step

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Played one of the new Epiphone Slash Les Pauls

Absolutely, if not better. If you want a top-of-the-line Epi LP, but with a 50s neck, the Slash or Joe Bonamassa LPs are your best bets.

Wonderful, loving the confidence man. Thanks for answering my question.


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