Calling all Les Paul tone experts!!!

[do art]

I think it's possible to get a guitar that sounds better than a Les Paul. For instance, I think a guitar with a maple neck, rosewood fretboard, two humbuckers, and an all mahogany body can do it.

[Karma1]

I would agree with those who favor getting a used Gibson Les Paul Studio. That's what I did. I had an Epiphone Les Paul Custom that I had put Gibson 490r and 498t pickups in, but it still didn't cut it. I found a beautiful transparent blue Les Paul Studio from the 90's for a reasonable price. I further customized it by taking off the Darth Vader-inspired all black hardware and pickups and added gold Grover tuners and gold covered Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbucker in the neck and a gold covered Gibson 490r in the bridge. Incidentally, although the 490r is traditionally a neck pickup, it sounds fantastic in the bridge, especially with the lower output PAF style humbucker in the neck.

 

I've seen a number of used Gibson LP Studios in the $500-$600 range, which isn't much more than what you'd pay for a new Epiphone. In the long run, you might be happier going that route. I know I was.

[mrmikers]

Just buy one of these and save yourself money and hassle. The sound is very close to a Les Paul,better access to the high frets,looks cool as hell and they sell new for about $350:)

[Shellpink]

Yeah, listen to the experts. Buy an epi, agile or whatever and put some really hot pups on it. Don't worry about {censored}ty things like "wood isn't wood", one-piece-bodies, one-piece-necks, nitro-laquer, know-how and proper hardware. Who cares? As we learned here "the amp makes the tone". If you plug into a Line6, that is.

 

And if you're not satified, so what? Sell it at ebay. One of those experts will buy it anyway, rest assured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Couldn't find the irony tags, sorry.

[Psychotronic]

 

Originally posted by Ancient Mariner To get the right sound you'll need similar construction AND the correct grades/density of wood.

 

 

See, I wish everyone would pay attention to this quote, because this seems to be the thing that most of you "Epi/Agile/whatever is as good as a Gibson" folks fail to address. Not saying that Epi's and Agile's are no good, because I personally own an Epi along with several Gibson's. But fundamentally, it's all about the wood, folks.

[Psychotronic]

 

Originally posted by do art I think it's possible to get a guitar that sounds better than a Les Paul. For instance, I think a guitar with a maple neck, rosewood fretboard, two humbuckers, and an all mahogany body can do it.

 

 

"sounds better" is a subjective term, and he didn't ask for a guitar that "sounds better" than a LP.

[Tonemeister87]

at low volumes the epiphone might sound close with new electronics, but at any sort of rehearsal/gig levels...forget it:o

[Alchemist]

if you want a gibson les paul, get a gibson les paul, your epi might be good, you might upgrade it nicely, but it will never be a true gibson, too many construction factors, as well as the way it ages, nitro vs poly finishes.....

 

to me it sounds like you want a real gibson, but are too impatient to save for one, its up to you, the epi would be a good guitar but it wont be the gibson you desire