Low end Les Pauls

[Fleaa]

Hey all, pretty new to the guitar, played the bass awhile before I decided to switch to guitar.

So like any typical guy, I'm in love with les pauls and am thinking of getting a low end one (probably up to epiphone unless I can get a real good deal for burny etc etc)

I checked out peninsula today and saw some les paul models by brands like Suzuki, TGM (or was it ESP, forgot..), Shine, Aria and maybe 1 or 2 more.

I'd like to know how do these guitars compare against epiphones? In most areas except for the pups cos I figured I can always change them in the future if I'm unsatisfied with the tone. Eg, areas like wood, sound (cos of the make of the guitar), fretboard compared to epiphones / against other brands.

Thanks so much, your advice would definitely be a factor in my first electric 6-stringed guitar

 

[aero_91]

what is your budget?

 

[TequilaSunrise]

Wahhh suzuki is still in production? I have an suzuki acoustic that's so old I couldn't believe that they still made any guitars in that line anymore

 

[Crawldaddy]

Hmm.

In addition to the question of your budget, as queried above... I would also ask you the following:

1. what genre do you intend to play/ sound you wish to hear?
2. are you willing to spend more on a instrument of better quality compared to the usual practise of polishing a turd? :wink:

 

[subversion]

look out for quality copies from:

*Burny
*Tokai
*Edwards (recommended)

if you can spare the cash, avoid the entry-level bolt-on versions, these aren't what 'Les Paul's are all about. then again, only a Gibson is a Les Paul, these rest are single cut guitars...

if you think Epiphone is your thing, do refer to the review section 8)

also, if you want a single cut nevermind if it deviates from the Les Paul authenticity, PRS's SE Singlecut is highly recommended:

review: http://soft.com.sg/web/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=18132

 

[Fleaa]

Thanks for the replies! Hmm my influences are stuff like incubus, red hot, GNR, smashing pumpkins and also children of bodom etc. Something like alternative/rock?

Budget would be around $600 i guess.. I don't wanna spend too much on my first electric guitar considering I'm still a beginner.

The reason I'm partly considering about other brands is cos of all the horror stories I've heard about epiphones, such as set neck problems and the electronics.. and for some reason, epiphones cost much more than squiers eh?

I'd like to inquire, what is exactly meant by difference in "quality"? What would be the differences in models like epiphones compared to the rest? (Minus the pups as mentioned above)

Thx so much for all your help!

 

[Crawldaddy]

Hmm.

If you are looking for an alternative to Epis but within your budget range, apart from Subversion's recommendation I would also suggest you to try out Hamers (City Music), Daisy Rock (Music Ensemble), some of the medium-range Ibanezes and perhaps the humbucker-equipped Squiers / Fenders.

But for the record, you really should try any brand of guitar, perhaps bring your friend down for a 2nd opinion regarding the feel, quality, sound and overall workmanship of the instrument... no matter what brand or country of make it comes from.

I suppose ultimately it's which axe appeals to you most, kinda like in the Harry Potter books "the wand chooses the wizard" :lol:

 

[kahuna]

ESPs are quailty-wise above epiphones(excluding the elitist and some quality ones)IMO,but ESP single cuts are not as thick and creamy sounding as an epi or gibson les paul...so if u wan a les paul sound i dont think esp is the way jus wad i tot...if im wrong correct me

 

[Fleaa]

Thanks for the comments guys!

^What do you mean by ESPs are way above epiphones? That the quality & feel are actually better than epiphones?

I figured if the quality of the make of the guitar is actually similar to an epiphone, I may just get it and perharps upgrade the pups in future.

Thanks for your help Crawldaddy, I'll definitely check out those guitars when I have the time

 

[j_m_s]

600 is quite a good budget to begin with(you can get a good strat!) but you are looking for a les paul. I would say go get a 2nd hand PRS SE singlecut(tremonti) or get a epiphone les paul custom 2nd hand.

 

[kahuna]

u can get a tremonti SE for 600 second hand?wow the lowest i saw if i remember correctly was 700

 

[Fleaa]

Heh of course if the guitar could go lower than $600 it'd be better... Yeah, it seems some of the guitars you guys mentioned are above my budget, a 2nd hand les paul custom on average also costs more than that.

Kahuna, could you enlighten me about what you said abt ESPs?

Hmm and it seems no one has completely answered my question about the differences between guitar brands too, particuarly between lower end ones and epiphones.

Thanks guys

 

[kahuna]

i mean to me the feel of an ESP is better than many epiphones...orgin set aside...the woods r of different grades,hardware r more or less higher grade also i tink...pls correct me if im wrong

 

[kahuna]

different brands i guess r jus different names...i mean now there r many different brands of les pauls and r all of different prices some of the causes of the diference in price cld b becos of the brand name...lower end epis and higher end epis r i tink different as the quality of parts are different and the lower end models r bolt-on and the higher end ones r set necks...correct me if im wrong and I dun diss bolt-ons or anythin...they each hav their pros and cons

 

[j_m_s]

yes ive seen a few go for 600 before. An LP custom without mods can get gotten for sub 600.

 

[kahuna]

o wow cool

 

[re_unknown]

the cool thing why ESP is way above epi singlecuts is that...
ESPs ARE WAY MORE EXPENSIVE LMAO.

 

[HarrisonYeo]

cant believe no one said Orville! 8)

 

[Godspeed64]

try getting a 600 bucks orville.. :?
then we'll mention it..
haha.. anyways threadstarter, just to mention, orville and epiphone are both under gibson..
and orville (including orville by gibson), which may be out of the budget, do indeed produce great axes..
you might wanna consider that..

 

[markedymark]

if you can get a 600 dollar orville. im in! ha ha.

but to threadstarter, do go around jang jang with the guitars at the store abit. perhaps you should look around the buy/sell section too. definitely might be able to score good deals. get what you think fits you just right.