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Epiphone players-advice

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Inbred_Redneck
Posts: 2776 - Karma: 28
So after a long 9 month hiatus of not really playing guitar, I want to get back into it again. I've got a Jackson Ke3 Kelly in blue swirl that I've had for 3 or 4 years and played a few shows with. I hate to get rid of it but I want something thats a little less radical and doesnt sound quite as harsh. (I used to play alot of metal) I've been thinking about selling it or trading it in for a high end Epiphone Les Paul copy. I'm pretty set on the Epiphones but I just want to know how the higher end models compare to the Gibsons. I've played a few Gibsons and like them, but their quality doesnt merit a $1500 price tag. I'm planning on getting back into a little metal and hard rock, and also dabbling in alot of country. So how do they compare?
Mar 11 2010 10:27AM
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Inbred_Redneck
Posts: 2776 - Karma: 28
Main Epis I'm looking at are the Black Beauty and the Les Paul custom in black with gold hardware. They both seem like the same guitar but the Custom lacks the middle pickup that the Beauty has.
Mar 11 2010 10:32AM
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zepscratch
Posts: 3517 - Karma: 36
I have an epiphone 1959 les paul standard. i love it, it feels great, looks great, and the sound quality is very comparable to the gibsons. I just play with a garage band of sorts, but i've never felt i wasn't getting a great sound out of my les paul. Unless your playing large venues and amplifying your sound that much you probably wont be able to tell the difference in sound quality between a high end epiphone and a gibson. I would definitely recommend one.

Also, if you really want the better sound quality with the lower price, buy an epiphone and install gibson pickups yourself. Good luck man.
Mar 11 2010 10:36AM
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baethoven
Posts: 4953 - Karma: 332
gibson les pauls are certainly fantastic guitars, but epis can be just as good for way less.

The epi's have inexpensive hardware, and many people immediately start swapping out the tuners, switches, pickups, bridge, tailpiece, etc, etc. You can pretty much turn it into a "Gibson" Les Paul, for a lot less money than buying the real McCoy.
Mar 11 2010 10:38AM
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Inbred_Redneck
Posts: 2776 - Karma: 28
Thats what I was thinking. If I ever got unhappy with it I could swap parts easily without any drilling or any of that mess.

The most I would do is swap the pups and maybe the tuners. The bridges are pretty loyal to staying in tune compared to the floyd rose i have.
Mar 11 2010 10:44AM
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samwise
Posts: 2592 - Karma: 36
My buddy at school who I jam with has the black custom with gold hardware, it's a beautiful guitar. Definitely worth playing.
Mar 11 2010 10:58AM
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freezed
Posts: 12973 - Karma: 500
It's all about the individual guitar. Go to a guitar shop and play a bunch of them...You'll probably find one that you like better than the others. I'd advise against buying it online, because then you don't know how the individual guitar is, and Epiphone's quality control isn't great (one of the reasons it's cheaper).

My brother has a Dot, it was only like $250 on craigslist, and it is a great guitar. The wiring was kinda messed up, so we had to re-wire it, but it's been awesome after that. Then again, my dad's 339 is noticeably nicer, but it also cost like 7 times as much.
Mar 11 2010 11:30AM
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Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
Mmhm. You may even find you like Fenders!!

I always liked the way P-90's sounded on the Gibsons than the Humbuckers...try it out.
Mar 11 2010 11:52AM
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b-kul
Posts: 4350 - Karma: 1,111
a high end epi is pretty much a gibson.

Mar 11 2010 3:04PM
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Arabian.
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 54
But the depreciation values are completely different. If you ever want to upgrade, Epi's have a terrible resell value.
Mar 11 2010 3:06PM
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leahey
Posts: 2548 - Karma: 32
If you really want a high quality instrument that will last, get the high end instrument. Like buying boots, be cheap with poles, skis, etc. but the extra money turns out in the long run. I know from experience of many musical intstruments that although the price may be steeper, it is definetly worth it.
Mar 11 2010 3:29PM
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b-kul
Posts: 4350 - Karma: 1,111
thats true, i didnt think of that. if you are just in it for a sweet guitar and not re sale vaule go epi. if youre gonna stach it in your closet and pull it out 30 years later buy a gibson.
Mar 11 2010 6:04PM
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