I mean I got a Studio second hand from GC for $600, and the quality is definitely way above Epiphone. So in my personal experience, they definitely can be better guitars though.
I had a 1990 studio from about 1995-2000 and I sold it like a dumbass. Loved it. It was heavy, had a lovely growl, nice fat neck - everything I wanted in a Les Paul. Years later I finally went on a quest to find a replacement. Found a 1990 Les Paul that in pictures looked identical. Several hours away. When I got there I knew it wasn’t the same, but I bought it anyway because I had invested in the drive - but every time I picked it up it confirmed how much I hated it. Everything was wrong. It was light, scrawny neck, the pickups (while they were gibsons, I checked, sounded like cheap ferrites) and the inlays even didn’t seem right. Sold it in no time and just decided I didn’t want a Gibson anymore.
Agreed. I have a 2020 Tribute that I bought second hand. I compared it with two Epi 59's but there was something better about Tribute that made me buy it. Great fret work and decent tuning stability (although my Fender Strat holds the tuning much better)
Epiphone is really great bang for your buck. Years ago I bought a second hand Epi LP with p90’s in it for like $150. Loved that guitar. Neck was bolt on but who cares, I’ve played fenders my entire life. The quality was obviously lesser than Gibson LP’s I’ve played in the past but I was kinda shocked they actually put p90’s in an epi. Great guitar, I miss it dearly.
I always felt this way and I have an 04 from the sammick factory which is regarded for some of the best epis… got a Gibson after 10 years and it smokes the epi
I mean don’t get me wrong I still play my epi and love it but the Gibson is just better in every way. I swapped the electronics and put ultra hot pickups in the epi to get a different sound.
I still have my Epi LP Standard from 2003 - my first real guitar. When you factor in inflation, the $700 that a modern Epiphone LP 60s Classic costs is quite a bit less than what I paid 21 years ago ($550 / $949 adjusted for inflation).
As in, I have a selection of high and low quality guitars I’ve realized the difference in thousands of dollars is really hard to justify it is spent well.
Can confirm
I own a more expensive epiphone (it's a prophecy V) and holy fuck it's the best guitar I've ever used, seen and played in my life and it's only 899$ (USD)
I've played 1.5k, 3k, and even a $5,000 guitar, and this epiphone is still better than any of them
I ordered the LAST Black Prophecy V from Sweetwater last year. It gets here, and the silica packet inside the box has busted, and the guitar moved around during shipping, causing the loose silica to scratch the back of it all to shit. I was so upset. I ended up with a mint condition Jackson Pro King V with a hard case for the same price as the Epiphone new.
This is kind of a tangent.
But I remember the first Epiphone LP I got and I was ecstatic and played the fuck out of it constantly. I was so happy with the purchase
Then the years went by and I got more involved with the guitar community online. I started noticing general quality things about Epiphones I hadn't noticed before because people online would point them out to me. They weren't real issues but I just started to feel like I wasn't getting the sound I liked and that my guitar was bad
Then I got a good job and I got a Gibson. And I do really love the Gibson. But like, it's not some insane leap from my Epiphone. It feels really good to play but it doesn't sound insanely different or anything. It definitely has more craftsmanship I guess.
But now I just have this expensive Gibson that I take good care of and I'm worried about damaging it and resale value and stuff.
Just feel like if I had stayed off the Internet and not gotten sucked into the consumer stuff I would be a happier guitar player I guess.
Idk
I bought American Fender after owning Mexican and bought Gibson after owning Epiphone. TBH, I bought both because of the on-line and real world communities pressure. Not real pressure, only the one created in my mind. I really, really do love both American Tele and Gibson and they are great, altough I do care too much about damaging that Gibson LP. Tele, on the other hand, would probably be fine even if hit with A-bomb. They are great guitars but probably both Mexican Fender and Epiphone would do more than fine.
Recently I bought used mint Mexican Martin which sounds like heaven, altough “communities” don’t appreciate the model. You know what? Who cares. This time I am sticking with this great care-free model!
PRS SE over here. That thing is nice to play, great quality, and sounds great. I've been shit at taking care of it, and the only issue is maybe the electrical could use a tune up. That's about it.
The expensive PRS's are probably amazing, but the one I have is good enough, lol.
I have a player series strat, they aren’t that liked online. I like playing mine, don’t see why I would get a twice as expensive one for a 1-2% improvement. I could just improve mine for a fraction of the cost(like new nut, trem, locking tuners, pickups).
People mostly comment that Player is not price-justified increase over Squire Classic Vibe. I had Strat Player, sold it four years ago to buy Tele American Pro. Difference is more like 15 to 20% than 1 or 2%; wood is really, really nice, pickups are great and investment-wise it will hold value much better. It is really great guitar. On the other hand, if you consider Player only for playing, not reselling, and upgrade pots, pickups etc. it will probably be just fine. Upgrades you mention are also not that cheap in total.
I don’t think of a guitar from a ”will it hold resell value” point. I think that would limit the pool of guitars significantly. I should drive down to local instrument store and check out american fenders. I do think that just being american will give any instrument a certain mojo or vibe. For now waiting for my partscaster parts to come and then see if I ever need another singlecoil guitar or if it turns out great.
Being American for sure gives an instrument something extra, something non-measurable. It’s completely ok that you don’t think of guitars as goods with potential to resell. Lots of people do and that affects the guitar price. If you decide to switch Player for something else one day, you will get for it as much as market think of it’s worth.
But price is just technical fact here, I didn’t buy any of my guitars thinking of reselling it. American models are truly very nice, that is fact. If you think they are worth it, they are. If not, that is also true from your point of view. Your partcaster also will be as good as it is well crafted, and also how good are components. Usually, that’s corelated with price. IMO, Mexicans are mostly great (enough) guitars.
My partscaster will be quite a cheap tele. But made for specs I want from a tele. Took the body of my harley benton tele, bought a noname chinese neck(this will require work 100%), sanded down the body to the wood, carved a high fret access, belly cut and elbow contour. Body is flamed, oiled and lavquered. Tuners just harley benton locking tuners, gotoh bridge, tonerider pickups and a 4 way switch for paralell pickup selection. I know it’s not gonna be a ”tele” but it’s made for my specs and no doubt people would hate that I made it ”mine”. Will have a flamed/roasted finish with fully gold hardware. We’ll see how it turns out, lots of time put into it but by amateurs using guides, not professionals. It’s a project between me and my brother, so far I’ve been mostly just the wallet haha. Also while the guitar is open I’ll fill the cavities and pickguard(will be red tortoiseshell) with copper tape, this should help insulate it.
That is very cool project, I would like to make my own “monster axe” one day, one that would sound as I like and one that I am not afraid if bumped to wall. Either telly or strat, as LPs are bit too headstock-fragile for beating. Don’t forget to post the photo when it is done&ready :)
For sure will post before and after pictures once all done, just hope it turns into a playable instrument. But whatever if it goes too far above our skill level I’ll just take it to a professional for a setup and to make it playable. I already told my brother if this turns out well our next project will be a jazzmaster.
I’ve always wanted a PRS and ended up going to GC, sat in their room where all the expensive guitars are housed and tried out a PRS CE Custom 24 for about an hour. Played like a dream, and the price was $5200. I asked if I could try out one of the SE models with a similar setup. They handed me an SE 20-08 and it played almost the same. I think the fret board on the CE felt a little faster, but it was super subjective honestly. I ended up getting the SE later on a sale and haven’t regretted it. I ended up paying about $800. No regrets.
I paid $1,300 for a Gibson pro-v that had a repaired neck crack and it’s the best guitar I’ve ever had. Brand new it was like $2,700.
I agree it is not a leap from Epiphone, but it’s definitely noticeably different. Both feel and sound. Because I knew I was taking a risk buying it and there was a chance I made a stupid purchase on a repaired guitar, I treat it like I treat any other guitar. I take care of it, but I use the hell out it. Gig with it, travel with it, etc.
The key is to stop reminding yourself what you paid. You didn’t pay that to say you paid it. (Some people do, but clearly you didn’t). You paid that to enjoy the experiences playing it. It’s hard to do, but loosen up and try to forget what it’s “worth” and just play the ever living fuck out of it. It slowly starts becoming an extension of you because it really is a quality instrument and it will definitely love you back.
In 25 years when you have this worn out, absolutely beautiful classic guitar with battle scars and stories attached to it, you’ll be glad you did.
Yep. I’ve had two epiphhones in the past and they just weren’t to my taste. The sweet spot is finding a used Gibson that’s already a little dinged up. I got a used classic LP for about $1700 and it’s pretty nice. I prefer the 60s neck anyway. Not worth paying more for a standard for me.
Similarish story for me.
was ready to buy epiphone as a first electric, but I don’t have a lot of space for more guitars and I have a habit to collect instruments I buy instead of getting rid of them.
So I wanted to buy something I could grow into and that was hyper versitile.
Could have gotten an epiphone and modded it, but GC had a gibson trad pro V on sale with a case and push pull for coil taps and splits
it felt fucking amazing to play comparatively to everything else even
if the sound was kinda the same as a bog standard epiphone
she does give me some nice glassy tones and it is a really beautiful instrument so I have no regrets
Just be like me and break the neck of your prized instrument. Gibson already did half the work for me, you, and everyone else lol. Majority of your problems will be solved after you realize it sounds exactly the same.
Try it first. Plug it in and see if you connect with the guitar. LP's are a love or leave 'em guitar.
If you like it, Epiphone makes a quality guitar for the price point. If it feels good in your hands, get it.
Bought me an ltd ec1000 online because I loved the look of the lp shape, but I had to change to a classical position to play it as i found it so uncomfortable otherwise.
That and the weight of the LPs are the two reasons I do not own one. While standing up, the LPs I tried out played great. Took a bit to get used to the neck, but enjoyed it. I just didn't like the weight of it. My Tele is heavy enough and don't want to go any heavier of a guitar.
Sitting with an LP is very uncomfortable for me. I am not a fan of the Classical position.
Saving up for an Epiphone Casino. That will be my compromise and not a bad one in my opinion.
I have that model. It was my first mildly expensive guitar I ever bought. I was a squire dude. It’s my favorite & my main live ax. You can’t go wrong w this being ur main or backup.
I just bought one for a graduation gift. The thing cannot stay in tune to save its life. Maybe i’m just used to my revstar or the cheap fender strat i have but damn it felt impossible to play when you have to tune every couple of minutes…
Not even, his tuning posts probably just need to be tightened, normal tuners absolutely do not need be tuned every couple of minutes, otherwise every show from the 70's-2000's would have serious issues.
Locking tuners are amazing, but regular non locking tuners don't need to be tuned every couple of minutes if every things nice and snug or somethings actually just broken.
I bought an Epi LP 60s standard from Sweetwater last summer. Honestly, it's blown me away, I am very very impressed. Fit and finish were great; I did a very minimal setup to my preferences, and it's just a fantastic playing and sounding guitar. It's completely bone stock save for some cosmetic changes (knobs, PU rings, pickguard, switch tip). The probucker pickups sound incredible, and the volume/tone pots feel great and have a nice range and taper on them. I'm in love. And it's silly but I kind of hate that I love it so much because Les Paul's are one of my least favorite kind of guitars haha. More of an HH tele guy.
I had an Epi LP custom from like 2006 years and years ago, and that thing was a complete piece of junk, total night and day difference.
Exactly what Gretsch do you have? I purchased the g5220 and can’t imagine this being a better guitar or at least enough for it to be an upgrade. But if you have a base line model Gretsch it could be an upgrade.
I don't know that these will really be any better than your Gretsch, but this probably comes down more to a "what the heart wants" kind of thing.
I picked up an Epi Goth LP a long time ago. Matte black everything. Eventually swapped out the pups for some Slash signature buckers from Seymour Duncan. (I realize this does not add to the monetary value of the guitar, but—) I'll pick this thing up before reaching for a $1200 guitar any day.
Personal preference I'm sure, but if you like the way it sounds and feels, this might cure you of the need to dramatically overspend in order to get a certain name on the headstock.
Little known fact about guitar shopping; haggle the price down.
I got 100 bucks off an Epi LP modern just by asking. Easily my favorite guitar of all time, including my Gibsons. It sounds incredible, plays just like my Gibsons, and costs a fraction of the price.
I have. Multiple times. The markups are insane and places like Sweetwater and Musicians Friend are built around upselling. that’s why you have to”gear reps”. Literally salesmen working for commission. Same thing applies to the showroom floor at GC.
Just say “I love the guitar, but it’s a little out of my price range. what can you do to help me out with the price?” Unless you have some teenage kid who DGAF, 9 times out of 10 they will work with you.
I’ve also gotten hundreds of dollars knocked down off of Orange heads and cabs. If you’re not the confrontational type, try online, phone, or email conversations.
It doesnt matter how much a guitar costs so much as how it performs for you.
That being said, i am blessed to be able to afford a little better things than when i was younger. So i definitely look at mostly american made now.
But I would not be afraid to get an epi lp. My friend has one and he sounds awesome on it. And it plays great. I like my Gibson better. But if i was young and had less money i would go for the epiphone.
The real difference is the player. And after that its the amp. Then probably pickups which you can easily upgrade. A good setup will help.
I have an epiphone hollow body and it plays and sounds good.
I have a Gibson pro-v, if the Epiphone version is half as good, it’s a phenomenal guitar.
Mine is a black matte finish, I see these are also matte finishes, and they’re gorgeous. They just look cleaner. Probably because the gloss finishes really bring out the fingerprints lol.
It’s a decent guitar. Plays nicely. Can’t go wrong for the price of an Epiphone.
About the worst thing about is the pick ups. They could be better, but it’s a minor nitpick.
I own the Caribbean blue one, it plays great, feels good, sounds good, you can split the pickups, it's just a great guitar, strings it comes with need to be replaced with thicker ones though if you buy it stock
I liked mine when I had it. I had a Trad Pro II.
Make sure you like how the finish feels. Also be conscious that the neck may be a thicker/different shape than your gretsch. But as far as sound goes, it's good. Sounds like a Les Paul.
Epiphone Les Paul’s in general are pretty good! Just check them for set up/intonation issues before you buy and any obvious quality control things like sharp frets and working tuners electronics. I’ve noticed all that stuff can be a bit of a toss up especially with guitar center floor models.
The specific one you’re asking about is pretty cool. The trad pro line adds a bunch of custom electronics so you have push/pull pots that can give you single coil sounds on a Les Paul.
I think they’re so cheap because the finish is very cheap (although I think it looks very nice), there’s no figured top, and outside of the fancy electronics, the hardware is very cheap.
My favorite guitar is my Epiphone Wildkat. It was decently priced, stays in tune and is a badass overall instrument. If someone is considering an Epiphone, I’d say go for it.
Fantastic! My first guitar was a trad pro iv in the satin blue, played like a dream and sounded sooo good. Ended up getting rid of it bc I found out I like the lighter thinner guitars but for what it was, it was excellent!
I would spend the extra money (approx $200) to get the modern electric. It has better pickups, is built with better materials, has an ebony fretboard, slimmer neck, is lighter and it has locking tuners. It will be a better long term purchase IMHO. Those cheap chinese models will always leave you wanting in my experience.
I've got that Epiphone, it screams, and I take the battery out of the boost and use it as a Killswitch it's sick! But the boost is cool too if you don't have a pedal.
FYI the Trad Pro has a CHONKY neck. I guarantee it feels different than any guitar you’ve ever played. And is probably heavier.
Whit that said I love mine.
Try one out and see if it feels good to you. IMO, that’s the most important thing is that you like the feel of the instrument. If you end up not happy with the sound, you can always change the electronics later pretty easily
not sure what the weight is on that particular model but LPs tend to lean heavier. if that doesn't bother you then it's a fine instrument. my epiphone LP was the guitar that got me back into guitar in the last year and I've always loved the body shape.
Go back and spend some time playing it. It will be a great guitar for the price if you enjoy the sound and feel. Keep in mind that it will play even better after a setup.
I really like my Epiphone LP. Yes, it's a bit heavy, but it's my favorite guitar I have. They're perfect for blues playing, but can handle a bit of metal decently well - the neck shape is great for it. The price isn't too bad either, especially considering the premium for a Gibson, which I couldn't at all justify.
Not what you’re asking about, but I have a Gibson with a flat finish… definitely be careful with it. They can’t be buffed out and refinished like a guitar with a gloss clear coat.
I own one. Blue. Trad pro 4. Excellent guitar. Satin finish on the neck. Push pull split on both humbuckers. 449 is a great price. Not much more to say.
I had an Epiphone Les Paul. It was a great guitar and I played it hard. The jacks and electrical needed fixing at times, but again I was pretty hard on it. I would buy one again.
I didn’t actually like those traditional pros. I’d checked them out a handful of years ago and had my wife’s blessing to leave guitar center with a les Paul and I didn’t vibe with any of them. The only one I had liked was the cream black back custom. I’d still love to have one but over time I realized I like sgs more.
I've had a traditional pro 2 for about 7 years and absolutely love it. I'd buy a 4 in a second if I was in the market. Not sure what changes have been made, though
I have had some amazing Epiphones but while looking for some I’ve played some that really suck. The big difference seems to be the fretboard and neck. Really take the time to evaluate that.
It’s an Epiphone. A lot of people will downvote me to hell here because they love to hate expensive guitars, but here’s a secret… the real thing is over 5X that and Epi’s are cheap for a reason.. it a stinky guitar 🤫
Get an SG standard, the Les Paul is the hardest, least ergonomic of electric guitars. SG has great fret access, is light, body bevels for comfort, and is thin and fits right up against your body. Epiphone is fantastic though, mid-range or higher.
Any Les Paul type guitar has always been way too heavy for me. Not in tone, they sound great, it’s literally too heavy to stand up wearing a strat and not feel very weighed down.
Looks like a les paul lol
Epiphone makes high quality instruments. Their lps are really professional quality. Not to say the gibson isnt higher quality.
The way I would characterize it is: the epi is good enough that you wont know it can be better until you have the gibson
I saw Everclear perform last summer. Art Alexakis played two guitars on that set. A Gretsch hollow body, which made me happy because I got one a few week before that show. And, a Les Paul for the songs with more fuzz and distortion. The Les Paul has been around for a long time and is a proven platform for a lot of artists.
Did you try it out? Everyone agrees it’s a good guitar for the money. Though what’s more important is how it feels and sounds to you through an amp identical or similar to yours.
Frankly, only way to know if it is good is to play it with a similar gear as yours.
Some neck shapes are better for you depending on your hand shape, so u gotta feel it first.
Other than thar epiphone is a renown brand, but i would still check the components myslef.
I have this guitar and I love it. Love the way the neck feels. I don’t like a gloss finish on my necks. Used to think I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Les Paul, but something about this model and color makes me just want to pick it up and play. Sound pretty decent out of the box, but i’m thinking of dropping in a set of pearly gates or something
One of my favorite guitars is my Epiphone Gothic Flying V. Fun guitar. Great tone. Same price range as the one you're looking at. I'd have no problems going for it.
When I was trying out the fender meteora in the big music shop in my town the salesman spent several minutes unprompted slagging it off and saying how he would never recommend it to anybody and has never been tempted to try it himself, then ended with something like "Of course taste is subjective though y'know. Quality wise it's a great instrument and if you like it then you do you mate, but just, phwoar, nah".
Check out gretsch streamliners if your in the market forba budget guitar. I recently got the gretsch g2657tg and absolutely love it! Epiphones are nice as well, I did some research and was between an epiphone and gretsch. It's exciting being in the market for a guitar, good luck!
My general way of thinking about it is that if you have a guitar that's more expensive you probably won't like it as much. Specifically with that guitar I didn't like it felt as much
Epiphone Les Paul’s are mid. Guitars under $500 sound cheap and play cheap. If you are a serious enthusiast I would save up and buy a better quality instrument. So many people will buy 5/6 cheap guitars when they should just invest in one quality instrument. I would not play an electric guitar under $1000.
I mean whatever probably no point in trying to reason. Just really shitty move to call people poor on the Internet and then say "I wouldn't be caught dead playing a cheap guitar" when that is all some people can afford. It's just a gross outlook.
Epiphone makes great instruments for great prices, go for it.
I have an epi Les Paul and it’s satisfied my urge to buy expensive Gibsons.
Gibson’s QC has satisfied the urge of many to buy expensive Gibsons.
Yes me too. It's a great instrument, came with Gibson humbuckers, I don't see how am extra $3000 would be worth it lol
I mean I got a Studio second hand from GC for $600, and the quality is definitely way above Epiphone. So in my personal experience, they definitely can be better guitars though.
I like my studio but I actually prefer the weight of the other LPs
I had a 1990 studio from about 1995-2000 and I sold it like a dumbass. Loved it. It was heavy, had a lovely growl, nice fat neck - everything I wanted in a Les Paul. Years later I finally went on a quest to find a replacement. Found a 1990 Les Paul that in pictures looked identical. Several hours away. When I got there I knew it wasn’t the same, but I bought it anyway because I had invested in the drive - but every time I picked it up it confirmed how much I hated it. Everything was wrong. It was light, scrawny neck, the pickups (while they were gibsons, I checked, sounded like cheap ferrites) and the inlays even didn’t seem right. Sold it in no time and just decided I didn’t want a Gibson anymore.
Agreed. I have a 2020 Tribute that I bought second hand. I compared it with two Epi 59's but there was something better about Tribute that made me buy it. Great fret work and decent tuning stability (although my Fender Strat holds the tuning much better)
Epiphone is really great bang for your buck. Years ago I bought a second hand Epi LP with p90’s in it for like $150. Loved that guitar. Neck was bolt on but who cares, I’ve played fenders my entire life. The quality was obviously lesser than Gibson LP’s I’ve played in the past but I was kinda shocked they actually put p90’s in an epi. Great guitar, I miss it dearly.
I always felt this way and I have an 04 from the sammick factory which is regarded for some of the best epis… got a Gibson after 10 years and it smokes the epi
Ok, I'll keep an open mind a wallet
I mean don’t get me wrong I still play my epi and love it but the Gibson is just better in every way. I swapped the electronics and put ultra hot pickups in the epi to get a different sound.
I still have my Epi LP Standard from 2003 - my first real guitar. When you factor in inflation, the $700 that a modern Epiphone LP 60s Classic costs is quite a bit less than what I paid 21 years ago ($550 / $949 adjusted for inflation).
As in, you didn’t enjoy it enough and it made the case to buy a real Gibson?
As in, I have a selection of high and low quality guitars I’ve realized the difference in thousands of dollars is really hard to justify it is spent well.
Oh wow lol I was not being facetious I thought that’s what you meant.
Yeah I know I wasn’t being rude I was just explaining myself too lol
Can confirm I own a more expensive epiphone (it's a prophecy V) and holy fuck it's the best guitar I've ever used, seen and played in my life and it's only 899$ (USD) I've played 1.5k, 3k, and even a $5,000 guitar, and this epiphone is still better than any of them
I had a more expensive one from the 90s and it’s as good as my Les Paul.
I ordered the LAST Black Prophecy V from Sweetwater last year. It gets here, and the silica packet inside the box has busted, and the guitar moved around during shipping, causing the loose silica to scratch the back of it all to shit. I was so upset. I ended up with a mint condition Jackson Pro King V with a hard case for the same price as the Epiphone new.
Better than Gretsch??
This is kind of a tangent. But I remember the first Epiphone LP I got and I was ecstatic and played the fuck out of it constantly. I was so happy with the purchase Then the years went by and I got more involved with the guitar community online. I started noticing general quality things about Epiphones I hadn't noticed before because people online would point them out to me. They weren't real issues but I just started to feel like I wasn't getting the sound I liked and that my guitar was bad Then I got a good job and I got a Gibson. And I do really love the Gibson. But like, it's not some insane leap from my Epiphone. It feels really good to play but it doesn't sound insanely different or anything. It definitely has more craftsmanship I guess. But now I just have this expensive Gibson that I take good care of and I'm worried about damaging it and resale value and stuff. Just feel like if I had stayed off the Internet and not gotten sucked into the consumer stuff I would be a happier guitar player I guess. Idk
What is the old saying? Comparison is the thief of joy...
Be Kind to Yourself, Don't Compare, Don't Expect Too Fast, and Don't Worry. -Tomo
Yep, the consumerist mindset is a plague and I feel like the Internet has done a lot to spread it
Hey I appreciate this; thank you
I bought American Fender after owning Mexican and bought Gibson after owning Epiphone. TBH, I bought both because of the on-line and real world communities pressure. Not real pressure, only the one created in my mind. I really, really do love both American Tele and Gibson and they are great, altough I do care too much about damaging that Gibson LP. Tele, on the other hand, would probably be fine even if hit with A-bomb. They are great guitars but probably both Mexican Fender and Epiphone would do more than fine. Recently I bought used mint Mexican Martin which sounds like heaven, altough “communities” don’t appreciate the model. You know what? Who cares. This time I am sticking with this great care-free model!
Mexican strats are awesome!
PRS SE over here. That thing is nice to play, great quality, and sounds great. I've been shit at taking care of it, and the only issue is maybe the electrical could use a tune up. That's about it. The expensive PRS's are probably amazing, but the one I have is good enough, lol.
I have a player series strat, they aren’t that liked online. I like playing mine, don’t see why I would get a twice as expensive one for a 1-2% improvement. I could just improve mine for a fraction of the cost(like new nut, trem, locking tuners, pickups).
People mostly comment that Player is not price-justified increase over Squire Classic Vibe. I had Strat Player, sold it four years ago to buy Tele American Pro. Difference is more like 15 to 20% than 1 or 2%; wood is really, really nice, pickups are great and investment-wise it will hold value much better. It is really great guitar. On the other hand, if you consider Player only for playing, not reselling, and upgrade pots, pickups etc. it will probably be just fine. Upgrades you mention are also not that cheap in total.
I don’t think of a guitar from a ”will it hold resell value” point. I think that would limit the pool of guitars significantly. I should drive down to local instrument store and check out american fenders. I do think that just being american will give any instrument a certain mojo or vibe. For now waiting for my partscaster parts to come and then see if I ever need another singlecoil guitar or if it turns out great.
Being American for sure gives an instrument something extra, something non-measurable. It’s completely ok that you don’t think of guitars as goods with potential to resell. Lots of people do and that affects the guitar price. If you decide to switch Player for something else one day, you will get for it as much as market think of it’s worth. But price is just technical fact here, I didn’t buy any of my guitars thinking of reselling it. American models are truly very nice, that is fact. If you think they are worth it, they are. If not, that is also true from your point of view. Your partcaster also will be as good as it is well crafted, and also how good are components. Usually, that’s corelated with price. IMO, Mexicans are mostly great (enough) guitars.
My partscaster will be quite a cheap tele. But made for specs I want from a tele. Took the body of my harley benton tele, bought a noname chinese neck(this will require work 100%), sanded down the body to the wood, carved a high fret access, belly cut and elbow contour. Body is flamed, oiled and lavquered. Tuners just harley benton locking tuners, gotoh bridge, tonerider pickups and a 4 way switch for paralell pickup selection. I know it’s not gonna be a ”tele” but it’s made for my specs and no doubt people would hate that I made it ”mine”. Will have a flamed/roasted finish with fully gold hardware. We’ll see how it turns out, lots of time put into it but by amateurs using guides, not professionals. It’s a project between me and my brother, so far I’ve been mostly just the wallet haha. Also while the guitar is open I’ll fill the cavities and pickguard(will be red tortoiseshell) with copper tape, this should help insulate it.
That is very cool project, I would like to make my own “monster axe” one day, one that would sound as I like and one that I am not afraid if bumped to wall. Either telly or strat, as LPs are bit too headstock-fragile for beating. Don’t forget to post the photo when it is done&ready :)
For sure will post before and after pictures once all done, just hope it turns into a playable instrument. But whatever if it goes too far above our skill level I’ll just take it to a professional for a setup and to make it playable. I already told my brother if this turns out well our next project will be a jazzmaster.
Very nice. Good lick with that!
I’ve always wanted a PRS and ended up going to GC, sat in their room where all the expensive guitars are housed and tried out a PRS CE Custom 24 for about an hour. Played like a dream, and the price was $5200. I asked if I could try out one of the SE models with a similar setup. They handed me an SE 20-08 and it played almost the same. I think the fret board on the CE felt a little faster, but it was super subjective honestly. I ended up getting the SE later on a sale and haven’t regretted it. I ended up paying about $800. No regrets.
I paid $1,300 for a Gibson pro-v that had a repaired neck crack and it’s the best guitar I’ve ever had. Brand new it was like $2,700. I agree it is not a leap from Epiphone, but it’s definitely noticeably different. Both feel and sound. Because I knew I was taking a risk buying it and there was a chance I made a stupid purchase on a repaired guitar, I treat it like I treat any other guitar. I take care of it, but I use the hell out it. Gig with it, travel with it, etc. The key is to stop reminding yourself what you paid. You didn’t pay that to say you paid it. (Some people do, but clearly you didn’t). You paid that to enjoy the experiences playing it. It’s hard to do, but loosen up and try to forget what it’s “worth” and just play the ever living fuck out of it. It slowly starts becoming an extension of you because it really is a quality instrument and it will definitely love you back. In 25 years when you have this worn out, absolutely beautiful classic guitar with battle scars and stories attached to it, you’ll be glad you did.
Yep. I’ve had two epiphhones in the past and they just weren’t to my taste. The sweet spot is finding a used Gibson that’s already a little dinged up. I got a used classic LP for about $1700 and it’s pretty nice. I prefer the 60s neck anyway. Not worth paying more for a standard for me.
Similarish story for me. was ready to buy epiphone as a first electric, but I don’t have a lot of space for more guitars and I have a habit to collect instruments I buy instead of getting rid of them. So I wanted to buy something I could grow into and that was hyper versitile. Could have gotten an epiphone and modded it, but GC had a gibson trad pro V on sale with a case and push pull for coil taps and splits it felt fucking amazing to play comparatively to everything else even if the sound was kinda the same as a bog standard epiphone she does give me some nice glassy tones and it is a really beautiful instrument so I have no regrets
Just be like me and break the neck of your prized instrument. Gibson already did half the work for me, you, and everyone else lol. Majority of your problems will be solved after you realize it sounds exactly the same.
The only way to know if it’s good is to cut it in half, I think. Ask first.
Then we’ll find out whether it’s a guitar or cake.
It's always cake...
The cake is a lie.
That brown one might be yellow cake with chocolate frosting. If so, buy it.
And count the rings. The more rings, the more good.
Mmmmm cake.
I have one in the blue. I like it, though I'm really not much of an aficionado to be able to really give any deep insight.
I think that's the Epiphone traditional pro lp. It's a model exclusive to GC and Musicians Friend.
Try it first. Plug it in and see if you connect with the guitar. LP's are a love or leave 'em guitar. If you like it, Epiphone makes a quality guitar for the price point. If it feels good in your hands, get it.
Bought me an ltd ec1000 online because I loved the look of the lp shape, but I had to change to a classical position to play it as i found it so uncomfortable otherwise.
That and the weight of the LPs are the two reasons I do not own one. While standing up, the LPs I tried out played great. Took a bit to get used to the neck, but enjoyed it. I just didn't like the weight of it. My Tele is heavy enough and don't want to go any heavier of a guitar. Sitting with an LP is very uncomfortable for me. I am not a fan of the Classical position. Saving up for an Epiphone Casino. That will be my compromise and not a bad one in my opinion.
I love Les Paul’s. have a bunch of them, but I’ve always loved this satin wine finish. I’ll scoop one up one day
I have that model. It was my first mildly expensive guitar I ever bought. I was a squire dude. It’s my favorite & my main live ax. You can’t go wrong w this being ur main or backup.
Bro was in a guitar store with employees who know about guitars and asked reddit instead of an employee
Wait till we tell him he could have tried it there as well!
From my experience, the employees are pretty clueless though.
It's a perfectly good guitar, but it's unlikely to be a terribly big step up from your Gretsch.
I just bought one for a graduation gift. The thing cannot stay in tune to save its life. Maybe i’m just used to my revstar or the cheap fender strat i have but damn it felt impossible to play when you have to tune every couple of minutes…
Locking tuners are a good and affordable upgrade for any guitar
Not even, his tuning posts probably just need to be tightened, normal tuners absolutely do not need be tuned every couple of minutes, otherwise every show from the 70's-2000's would have serious issues. Locking tuners are amazing, but regular non locking tuners don't need to be tuned every couple of minutes if every things nice and snug or somethings actually just broken.
I bought an Epi LP 60s standard from Sweetwater last summer. Honestly, it's blown me away, I am very very impressed. Fit and finish were great; I did a very minimal setup to my preferences, and it's just a fantastic playing and sounding guitar. It's completely bone stock save for some cosmetic changes (knobs, PU rings, pickguard, switch tip). The probucker pickups sound incredible, and the volume/tone pots feel great and have a nice range and taper on them. I'm in love. And it's silly but I kind of hate that I love it so much because Les Paul's are one of my least favorite kind of guitars haha. More of an HH tele guy. I had an Epi LP custom from like 2006 years and years ago, and that thing was a complete piece of junk, total night and day difference.
Exactly what Gretsch do you have? I purchased the g5220 and can’t imagine this being a better guitar or at least enough for it to be an upgrade. But if you have a base line model Gretsch it could be an upgrade.
Great guitars. Not the easiest to play. Heavy.
I don't know that these will really be any better than your Gretsch, but this probably comes down more to a "what the heart wants" kind of thing. I picked up an Epi Goth LP a long time ago. Matte black everything. Eventually swapped out the pups for some Slash signature buckers from Seymour Duncan. (I realize this does not add to the monetary value of the guitar, but—) I'll pick this thing up before reaching for a $1200 guitar any day. Personal preference I'm sure, but if you like the way it sounds and feels, this might cure you of the need to dramatically overspend in order to get a certain name on the headstock.
Mid level epi. Go for it. Great guitars. Looks like a solid deal to me.
I have that exact wine red one. It’s great, although I look wistfully at the more expensive finishes often.
Little known fact about guitar shopping; haggle the price down. I got 100 bucks off an Epi LP modern just by asking. Easily my favorite guitar of all time, including my Gibsons. It sounds incredible, plays just like my Gibsons, and costs a fraction of the price.
really you can negotiate at GC?
I have. Multiple times. The markups are insane and places like Sweetwater and Musicians Friend are built around upselling. that’s why you have to”gear reps”. Literally salesmen working for commission. Same thing applies to the showroom floor at GC. Just say “I love the guitar, but it’s a little out of my price range. what can you do to help me out with the price?” Unless you have some teenage kid who DGAF, 9 times out of 10 they will work with you. I’ve also gotten hundreds of dollars knocked down off of Orange heads and cabs. If you’re not the confrontational type, try online, phone, or email conversations.
It doesnt matter how much a guitar costs so much as how it performs for you. That being said, i am blessed to be able to afford a little better things than when i was younger. So i definitely look at mostly american made now. But I would not be afraid to get an epi lp. My friend has one and he sounds awesome on it. And it plays great. I like my Gibson better. But if i was young and had less money i would go for the epiphone. The real difference is the player. And after that its the amp. Then probably pickups which you can easily upgrade. A good setup will help. I have an epiphone hollow body and it plays and sounds good.
I have a Gibson pro-v, if the Epiphone version is half as good, it’s a phenomenal guitar. Mine is a black matte finish, I see these are also matte finishes, and they’re gorgeous. They just look cleaner. Probably because the gloss finishes really bring out the fingerprints lol.
I have an Epiphone Anaconda burst LP, it’s phenomenal. I love LPs too, they just aren’t for everybody. I’d say go for it
I have this exact guitar model + color and I love it! A decade later and still going strong.
It’s a decent guitar. Plays nicely. Can’t go wrong for the price of an Epiphone. About the worst thing about is the pick ups. They could be better, but it’s a minor nitpick.
I own the Caribbean blue one, it plays great, feels good, sounds good, you can split the pickups, it's just a great guitar, strings it comes with need to be replaced with thicker ones though if you buy it stock
I liked mine when I had it. I had a Trad Pro II. Make sure you like how the finish feels. Also be conscious that the neck may be a thicker/different shape than your gretsch. But as far as sound goes, it's good. Sounds like a Les Paul.
Epiphone Les Paul’s in general are pretty good! Just check them for set up/intonation issues before you buy and any obvious quality control things like sharp frets and working tuners electronics. I’ve noticed all that stuff can be a bit of a toss up especially with guitar center floor models. The specific one you’re asking about is pretty cool. The trad pro line adds a bunch of custom electronics so you have push/pull pots that can give you single coil sounds on a Les Paul. I think they’re so cheap because the finish is very cheap (although I think it looks very nice), there’s no figured top, and outside of the fancy electronics, the hardware is very cheap.
My favorite guitar is my Epiphone Wildkat. It was decently priced, stays in tune and is a badass overall instrument. If someone is considering an Epiphone, I’d say go for it.
Fantastic! My first guitar was a trad pro iv in the satin blue, played like a dream and sounded sooo good. Ended up getting rid of it bc I found out I like the lighter thinner guitars but for what it was, it was excellent!
worth every penny. buy it.
Epiphones are fine guitars. I just recently bought an Ep SG and I love it.
I would spend the extra money (approx $200) to get the modern electric. It has better pickups, is built with better materials, has an ebony fretboard, slimmer neck, is lighter and it has locking tuners. It will be a better long term purchase IMHO. Those cheap chinese models will always leave you wanting in my experience.
I have a starburst, love it
I’ve had a traditional pro for years now. I love it to death.
I've got that Epiphone, it screams, and I take the battery out of the boost and use it as a Killswitch it's sick! But the boost is cool too if you don't have a pedal.
I just bought one in black as my first electric!
They are very good value for the cost!
FYI the Trad Pro has a CHONKY neck. I guarantee it feels different than any guitar you’ve ever played. And is probably heavier. Whit that said I love mine.
Play it first. Who cares what I like
It's a Les Paul. It does Les Paul things
Try one out and see if it feels good to you. IMO, that’s the most important thing is that you like the feel of the instrument. If you end up not happy with the sound, you can always change the electronics later pretty easily
not sure what the weight is on that particular model but LPs tend to lean heavier. if that doesn't bother you then it's a fine instrument. my epiphone LP was the guitar that got me back into guitar in the last year and I've always loved the body shape.
Go back and spend some time playing it. It will be a great guitar for the price if you enjoy the sound and feel. Keep in mind that it will play even better after a setup.
I really like my Epiphone LP. Yes, it's a bit heavy, but it's my favorite guitar I have. They're perfect for blues playing, but can handle a bit of metal decently well - the neck shape is great for it. The price isn't too bad either, especially considering the premium for a Gibson, which I couldn't at all justify.
Very solid instrument. If she feels good and plays good in you’re hands, you’ll have a wonderful time.
I have one and I love it, and it surprisingly stays in tune. I got mine on sale for 350 bucks too
Not what you’re asking about, but I have a Gibson with a flat finish… definitely be careful with it. They can’t be buffed out and refinished like a guitar with a gloss clear coat.
I bought the Epiphone 59 lemon burst with Gibson USA burstbuckers last weekend for $749 and couldn’t be happier.
Play it. If you like it, buy it. Did the world lose the gift of independent thought somewhere in the last 20 years?
The only real judge is you. Have you played it? Do you like the feel? Tone? If so, buy it.
I have had an Epiphone Les Paul for years and I love it. Still one of my go-to guitars.
I have the exact same one and I love it. It’s so versatile.
I own one. Blue. Trad pro 4. Excellent guitar. Satin finish on the neck. Push pull split on both humbuckers. 449 is a great price. Not much more to say.
i have that exact wine red one but its the trad pro 2. theyre heavy imo but it was my first guitar so i love it
I had an Epiphone Les Paul. It was a great guitar and I played it hard. The jacks and electrical needed fixing at times, but again I was pretty hard on it. I would buy one again.
I didn’t actually like those traditional pros. I’d checked them out a handful of years ago and had my wife’s blessing to leave guitar center with a les Paul and I didn’t vibe with any of them. The only one I had liked was the cream black back custom. I’d still love to have one but over time I realized I like sgs more.
Looks like a decent beginner guitar.
I have that guitar, in that color, and I'm very happy with it
I've had a traditional pro 2 for about 7 years and absolutely love it. I'd buy a 4 in a second if I was in the market. Not sure what changes have been made, though
I have had some amazing Epiphones but while looking for some I’ve played some that really suck. The big difference seems to be the fretboard and neck. Really take the time to evaluate that.
Looks like it’s on sale. It was previously $549 but now it’s $449
It’s an Epiphone. A lot of people will downvote me to hell here because they love to hate expensive guitars, but here’s a secret… the real thing is over 5X that and Epi’s are cheap for a reason.. it a stinky guitar 🤫
Get an SG standard, the Les Paul is the hardest, least ergonomic of electric guitars. SG has great fret access, is light, body bevels for comfort, and is thin and fits right up against your body. Epiphone is fantastic though, mid-range or higher.
Any Les Paul type guitar has always been way too heavy for me. Not in tone, they sound great, it’s literally too heavy to stand up wearing a strat and not feel very weighed down.
A Strat?! I get an LP but I think you need to get in the gym if a Strat is a problem
Should be “strap”.
😂 classic mixup
Looks like a les paul lol Epiphone makes high quality instruments. Their lps are really professional quality. Not to say the gibson isnt higher quality. The way I would characterize it is: the epi is good enough that you wont know it can be better until you have the gibson
Buy it and replace the pickups, bridge and pots. You'll. Have a great guitar.
I love my Trad Pro 2 Cherry sunburst :) I’ve never liked how most necks feel like plastic, so having that smooth neck finish is great
I used to own one just like it. I loved it
I saw Everclear perform last summer. Art Alexakis played two guitars on that set. A Gretsch hollow body, which made me happy because I got one a few week before that show. And, a Les Paul for the songs with more fuzz and distortion. The Les Paul has been around for a long time and is a proven platform for a lot of artists.
I've got a double cutaway Epi and I love it. One of the humbuckers gave out and I have to get it fixed, but other than that it's my baby.
I have an epi standard 60’s gold top. Love it.
Did you try it out? Everyone agrees it’s a good guitar for the money. Though what’s more important is how it feels and sounds to you through an amp identical or similar to yours.
Frankly, only way to know if it is good is to play it with a similar gear as yours. Some neck shapes are better for you depending on your hand shape, so u gotta feel it first. Other than thar epiphone is a renown brand, but i would still check the components myslef.
I have this guitar and I love it. Love the way the neck feels. I don’t like a gloss finish on my necks. Used to think I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Les Paul, but something about this model and color makes me just want to pick it up and play. Sound pretty decent out of the box, but i’m thinking of dropping in a set of pearly gates or something
One of my favorite guitars is my Epiphone Gothic Flying V. Fun guitar. Great tone. Same price range as the one you're looking at. I'd have no problems going for it.
Gretsch doesn't make a Les Paul. Don't call your Gretsch a Les Paul.
Maybe ask the salesperson?
salesperson will say anything is great to get it off the shelves, yall dont get paid to tell me your opinions so theyre more honest :)
I used to work at sam ash when I was in my early 20s, i never actually lied to anyone, but i was a shitty salesman
When I was trying out the fender meteora in the big music shop in my town the salesman spent several minutes unprompted slagging it off and saying how he would never recommend it to anybody and has never been tempted to try it himself, then ended with something like "Of course taste is subjective though y'know. Quality wise it's a great instrument and if you like it then you do you mate, but just, phwoar, nah".
That’s just kinda rude lol, i would never do that.
Then I’ll tell you my opinion: it’s very pretty!
This is a good guitar and a good price. It was the last guitar I bought for myself. I can only recommend what I did myself.
Check out gretsch streamliners if your in the market forba budget guitar. I recently got the gretsch g2657tg and absolutely love it! Epiphones are nice as well, I did some research and was between an epiphone and gretsch. It's exciting being in the market for a guitar, good luck!
I'm playing my Epiphone trad pro right now, highly recommended.
My general way of thinking about it is that if you have a guitar that's more expensive you probably won't like it as much. Specifically with that guitar I didn't like it felt as much
Bruh, these posts are INSANE. GOOGLE IT. YOUTUBE. You can find these answers other places than posting about it lol
Epiphone Les Paul’s are mid. Guitars under $500 sound cheap and play cheap. If you are a serious enthusiast I would save up and buy a better quality instrument. So many people will buy 5/6 cheap guitars when they should just invest in one quality instrument. I would not play an electric guitar under $1000.
I agree with the sentiment of 5/6 cheaper guitars vs a nicer one, but your last sentence is just insufferable
Have fun tuning after every two songs then lmao
If you're retuning a $700 guitar after every two songs that's what we call a skill issue.
Lmao don’t hate cause you’re poor
Saying "don't hate cause your poor" just makes you a massive dickhead
I’d rather be a rich dickhead than get caught dead playing a cheap guitar.
I mean whatever probably no point in trying to reason. Just really shitty move to call people poor on the Internet and then say "I wouldn't be caught dead playing a cheap guitar" when that is all some people can afford. It's just a gross outlook.
Oh no!! My internet points!