Members Dr. Scottie C Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 Looking to grab a Gibson-esque geetar with humbuckers as I am very Fender heavy at the moment....I don't have the scratch for a Gibson .....What's the best Epi you have played?SG? Firebird? LP Ultra? all junk? all good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayd_mon Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 My '51 Devon! But for the new models, I think that their LPs feel better than the SGs. I have an SG-400, and it's nice, but the LPs I find at shops seem sturdier. I also have been impressed with their Nighthawks. Generally, I think Epiphones are solid. I have a couple older MIK ones and one MIC one, and I find that the MIC stuff is just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pine Apple Slim Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 Of the newer models, I've played a Swingster and flirted with a LP Goldtop with P90s.The Swingster was excellent all around. The Goldtop was a little rough in the fret ends/nut departmment.Over the years I've found most Sheraton IIs to be consistantly nice. In my limited experience i've found the Dot Studios actually better all around than most of the regular Dots. Better fretwork, I like the overall feel of the neck better, electronics, and pickups too IMO. I had a MIK LP Custom for quite a while back in the 90s that was a great guitar w the exception of the mediocre pickups.Right now I have a MIK 2010 Epi Korina Explorer thats excellent in every way. I even love the pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sailorofdarknes Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 My friend has a fantastic EPI Lea Paul. He has Duncan JB pickups, and a really mice set up. Plays smooth and sounds killer. IMHO it's as good as his Gibson Paul. He got it in th late 90's. I have also had a natural dot that I totally regret selling. It was a fine guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PurpleTrails Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 Epi '56 tribute that was out a few years ago. Goldtop that came loaded with P90s. I thought one I played in shop sounded and played way better than the Gibson '50s tribute that was out around the same time. But, I had ordered the Gibson already but hadn't received it yet, so ended up with an inferior guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IRG Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 Easily for me, it's my current Epi Tribute LP. I think it's called the Tribute Plus now, mine's a 2010. Anyway, it has all the Gibson parts, minus the nitro finish. Gibson '57 humbuckers, split coil too, high end electronics through out, long neck tenon, good tuners and a hsc, all for $600 new, less used. This is really hard to beat. I had a PRS SE 245 that was nice too, but just preferred my Epi. Here's a pic similar to mine, although mine is darker, almost black. ****, I forget this pos site you can't add images normally, no wonder I spend little time here. Here's a link from Sweetwater, hopefully you can click on this one: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ENTPMENH Here's the pic: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slvrsrpnt Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 I had an elitist sg a few years back. Sweet guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bucksstudent Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 Don't be afraid of ESP, Hagstrom, or Ibanez, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jpnyc Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 Last week I played a 2013 Epi Les Paul standard. It played like butter, the fretwork was better than my 2012 Gibson, and it sounded great. I was impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 jpnyc wrote: Last week I played a 2013 Epi Les Paul standard. It played like butter, the fretwork was better than my 2012 Gibson, and it sounded great. I was impressed. +1 I played one the other day that was great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stormin1155 Posted July 12, 2013 Members Share Posted July 12, 2013 A friend of mine has a '67 US made Emperor. Not only the best Epiphone I've ever played, but one of the best guitars, period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted July 13, 2013 Members Share Posted July 13, 2013 kayd_mon wrote: My '51 Devon! But for the new models, I think that their LPs feel better than the SGs. I have an SG-400, and it's nice, but the LPs I find at shops seem sturdier. I also have been impressed with their Nighthawks. Generally, I think Epiphones are solid. I have a couple older MIK ones and one MIC one, and I find that the MIC stuff is just fine. My '51 Zephyr ! I wasn't really impressed with the Dots I tried . They make some good LPs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Buttcrust Posted July 13, 2013 Members Share Posted July 13, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueJames Posted July 13, 2013 Members Share Posted July 13, 2013 I have a '57 reissue Les Paul Jr.. It has nice frets, is a set neck and growls deliciously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted July 13, 2013 Members Share Posted July 13, 2013 61 reissue CasinoLP Traditional Pro Korina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dr. Scottie C Posted July 13, 2013 Author Members Share Posted July 13, 2013 Sounds like Epi China has the Lester's down..... what about SG's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lonnie99 Posted July 13, 2013 Members Share Posted July 13, 2013 Dot Deluxe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members plasticscouse Posted July 13, 2013 Members Share Posted July 13, 2013 The bes I played was a 56 Goltop and a casino, bt you want humbucker guitar, in which case that would be my own LP standard, Ive manged to get the action really low without any buzz. the G were a bit too thin for me, and I don't think the ones I've played were set up the best. I've also played a DOT, again it was okay but it just nuuded aset up to my taste too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LuckisforLosers Posted July 13, 2013 Members Share Posted July 13, 2013 My first guitar was an Epiphone SG and it was a pretty sweet guitar. Still have it (I think, last time I checked it was still in my mom's attic). Sounded great, and built like a brick {censored}house. I'm pretty rough on guitars and that SG is still intact, so make of that what you will. I had to fix the pickups and the input jack after a while but that's to be expected. They are made in China after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members turckster Posted July 15, 2013 Members Share Posted July 15, 2013 I really like My Epi LP Custom once I changed the pickups and did some slight adjusting. Plays smooth and holds a tune well. I played an Epi Joe Bonamassa LP sig guitar and liked it alot as well. Is it in the same league as my Gibson LP traditional pro? No, its not. But then again the Gibson is $2000 and the Epiphone was $600. The Epi is still a damn fine guitar though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzztone Posted July 15, 2013 Members Share Posted July 15, 2013 I love my Epiphone Les Paul Special .Before I got it I didn't know what to expect from the new Epiphones made in China but this guitar is 1st class.Bravo Epiphone! It seems like they are really working hard to produce quality products that are affordable for the masses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gitter Posted July 15, 2013 Members Share Posted July 15, 2013 Any of their Samick MIK archtops are 95% a Gibson for 10% the cost.Any of their 1980s MIJ archtops are 150% a similarly dated Gibson at 75% the price. The Jap Epiphones were better than the American Gibsons for about a 5 year period. There was a real golden era when you could find them for like $200 and $300. The market finally caught on, wish I had bought them all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members american sinner Posted July 16, 2013 Members Share Posted July 16, 2013 A Wildkat. Not HBs though. P90s as you can see. It is smaller than a 335 type Dot etc. If you've not seen one. Just a bit larger than an LP really. The semi-hollow sound is more like a thinline imo than a full sized semi, not surprisingly I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6down1togo Posted July 16, 2013 Members Share Posted July 16, 2013 I'll tell you the best and worst ...Worst was an Epiphone Riviera P93 I bought and promptly returned. It was dull, dark and lifeless sounding. Looked like it was cobbled together with crappy wood and blotchy stain. It had wine red finish bleeding all over the bindings and the bridge pickup was mounted backwards from the factory, just a complete turd. Even the pickups were muddy sounding. I nearly swore off Epiphones after this experience.Best is my Casino that I bought used after returning the P93. It is a run of the mill MIC model but is flawless, plays and sounds great. Lots of jangle on the bridge pickup and nice and bluesy on the neck. I have it next to my Gibson 335 and the 335 looks like a dull, tomato red slab next to the Casino. The Casino's finish is deeper and just glows. I play them back to back all the time and never feel like the Casino is an inferior guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6down1togo Posted July 16, 2013 Members Share Posted July 16, 2013 I guess I wasn;t much help since you want humbuckers ...I had a Les Paul Ultra II that was a really nice guitar. The pickups were suprisingly good and it sounded more like a semihollow than a Les Paul which I liked. I sold it because it just looked over the top gaudy. I wouldn't hesitate to go for an Ultra III since they ditched the gold hardware and quilted top and look more like a classic LP. I've had a couple LP Plus Tops over the years and they were all really nice guitars too. I had a Dot Deluxe and mine must have been made from "deadwood". It just sounded muffled and muddy. I tried a Wildkat and set the land speed record for flipping a guitar on eBay. I just did not like it.I thinkl the nicest econo LP I ever had was a Hagstrom Super Swede. That was great sounding, great playing, great looking guitar. You have to like a shredder thin neck to like them though. I didn't mind at all, as I can play any guitar badly! Ha! Seriously, look at a Hagstrom. I've owned two and bought them both sight unseen off ebay and they were perfect. The Michael Kelly Patriot Custom is also very good and has an ebony board too. Great pickups with coil taps too. Again, a little over the top gaudy with the abalone fretboard inlays though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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