epiphone les paul opinions

[sam lp]

Im new to this forum but have just picked up a 10 yr old epiphone les paul std
which I think is so dam sweet to play.
Im no expert so what are all your opinions?
Also soon I should be treating myself to a new amp probably a marshall.
Have about £150-200 to spend any reccomendations?
cheers

[Strtlvr]

I used to own a Epiphone Les Paul. I have to say I liked it, the only thing is it was pretty heavy and not easy to jump around on stage with. Also, it came out of tune really easy, only the g string though. Other wise, i found it to be a sweet playing guitar! So good luck with it man, enjoy it!

[flexistential]

...hmm a 10 year old epiphone lp standard... ..well contemporary Epi LP standards have relatively low grade stock pickups, and they are built ...okay... ...perhaps a 10 year old model would be better, although i really couldnt say without seeing it... still if you enjoy playing it and it feels right for you then thats the most important part...

...as for what amp to get, you should talk to ESP Viper, just post a question in the gear forum, he is the moderator and extremely knowledgable....

[ESP_Viper]

Hmmm for that price... look into crate amps. They really can't be beat for the price.

I'd bet that epiphone is nicer than the current ones, with it having 10 years under its belt. Though I'd say you might want to (if not done already) change the pickups and the hardware. That will make it sound and play much better.

[guitarer]

Get either a marshall or fender amp. They're classics, and you can't go wrong with it. But the style depends too. Fender does the best "california" aka Mesa/Boogie distortion rip off, and Marshall does the best "british", so the amp really matters on what kind of sound and tone you're trying to get. Generally, if you get a tube amp, it'll be warmer, and a solid-state amp with be trebly. If you're looking at marshalls, the best ones in your price range are probably the MS series, since they're solid-state and like $1000 cheaper than the tube amps. Plus they sound pretty good!

[ESP_Viper]

I'd have to disagree. The current marshall tube amps, except the JCM800 reissues, are not very good. They lack dynamics, and especially for them being tube, they should have dynamics. They are also over priced. Want tube tone, go with Peavey. The new Triple XXX does extreme high gain, to sparkle clean. Fender amps are pretty costly as well. I feel, both companies are riding on their names more than anything. Mesa/Boogie is extremely over priced, and at sometimes over rated like marshall. Hand made doesn't make it any better, that actually means more room for error in the amp. They've got some great stuff, but you really can't be peavey prices and durability. I read that a guy (who has the same peavey I do) had his amp fall off his cabinet and slam into the floor while he was playing a show. He picked it up and kept on playing...!

Anyways, he's looking for a lower price range than marshall and fender. I try to steer people away from the MG series. They are marshall's lower line, Park, just with marshalls name on it and the price boosted. Crate makes some very nice amps for the price. They also have the Blue Voodoo all tube amp that totally rocks. Best advice, shop around, play LOTS of amps. Compare the tone and the price. No one can tell you what sounds good better than your own ears, except your check book! :)

[Cutter]

Heck just go ahead and get a Gibson Les Paul. After playing a gibson LP Classic and a Epiphone std. I knew saving and waiting for a Gibson would be worth it. So i Got a PRS instead :D :D

as for an amp. Hmmm. Well my Peavy Classic 50 212 BT combo is slightly awesome. BUt a bite fragile i had it fall in the back of my truck and break and now the reverb is broken. The MG series on Marshall amps are decent but id recommend saving your pennies if you have any long term commitments on playing guitar. I hate to say this but im going to go against Viper on this in that i dont trust Crate amps that much at all. Alot of my friends have them and they hate them and so do I. But i have no idea the range you are looking at because i dont know what currency your in.

Bottom Line and my recomendation.
Go for something Peavy its cheap fairly reliable and sounds great.

Good Luck in your Quest.

Hank

[ESP_Viper]

It's understandable that the reverb would break. You have to understand what it is... reverb is a spring that vibrates to give you echo. So when it fell it was like a light bulb, the spring took too much shock and broke. Either that or the tube driver for it died. But everything else with the amp is ok?

My experience with crate amps:
I have owned two solid state crates. Both of which I took very good care of. They held up well because I didn't mistreat them. They were good for what I used them for. They aren't great amps, but for beginners or tight budgeted people they are great. Definately wouldn't stand up to a world tour by anymeans, but for the money they are very good. What do they hate about their crates? All the kids around here seem to have crates and like them pretty well.

[guitarer]

I hate to say it, but I disagree with Viper on the amps too. My brother owns a MG half stack, and even though it's only got two channels, it sounds simply awesome. The head might be an old valvestate but I'm pretty sure it's a MG. I know the cabinet is. I've never heard a crate, so I can't really say much about those. The MG does give one of the best tube emulations I've ever heard, although a 4x12 would probably help tonewise.

[ESP_Viper]

THE best solid state half stack I've personally played is the Hughes and Kettner Vortex. It's got lots of gain and a lot of headroom for an 80W head. It's just superior in qualities of tone to the MG and valvestate one and II. If you want tube emulation, play a Line 6 Flextone II HD. I have known tube fanatics to go all to line 6 flextone. One guy sold THREE Peavey 5150s (two half stacks and one combo), a rack setup, and a classic amp for three Line 6 amps. For the money, you can't be Line 6 Flextone II or the new Vetta! Try 'em out!

[i_luv _teles]

Dont waste your money on an epiphone. If u want sumthin that will last physically and keep its value and be relatively cheap get a Fender Mexican (eg, Strat, Tele, Jaguar) :)

[sologod9]

Originally posted by i_luv _teles
Dont waste your money on an epiphone. If u want sumthin that will last physically and keep its value and be relatively cheap get a Fender Mexican (eg, Strat, Tele, Jaguar) :)

I have been playing for 13 years. i own a few Gibson LP's, a fender American deluxe strat, a tele, 2 Epiphone LP's (one standard one custom) and an Ovation celebrity deluxe. My favorite amp that i own is my Marshall JCM-900 stack.
I cant really stand the fenders. my epi and gibson's are so comfortable and smooth. Fenders are too twangy. i've tried reselling fenders and they barely hold worthwhile value. Plus they are a bit uncomfortable to play with. not to mention how often the untune. the strings are too close to the pickups and can produce loud tap noises if you hit the pickups with your pick by accident.

the LP's seem to fit comfortable and have a good balance and weight compared to the fenders. and the sustain is much beeter due to the set neck. the woods are better for sustain as well. the strings arent too close to pickups just the right spacing. you can get a good smooth jazz tone out of them, driving blues tones, sqealing heavy metal leads, sweet venly layered clean tones, and not too mention the awesome response to pinch harmonics. there are more possiblities with LP's. I stick with your LP if I were you.

Oh try out a Marshall MG215RCD amp. not too expensive and good sound for the money. hope that helps a bit.

rob

[Strtlvr]

I dont like epi's, both of the epiphones ive had were terriible. They never satyed in tune, and the strings always broke. And it drove me nuts, i just bought a fender mim strat and havent broken one string yet, and ive had it for 5 months. I dont understand whats bad about strats, i believe to think they are very relieable. So....i dont know what this was for, i guess i was standin up for strats.

[Pezcore]

Haha supose somebodies gotta step in in Vipers defence,

Crate amps for the money are ace, ive never gigged with one but from the couple of short bashes i've had on them ive got no complaints.

However.....

Marshall MG's.....

hmm.....

personally ive gigged with one and i think they're not only worth the money but they're actually quite good.

[i_luv _teles]

dude thyre not that twangy. the tele does have that reputation but it has some really full tones

[sologod9]

Originally posted by Strtlvr
I dont like epi's, both of the epiphones ive had were terriible. They never satyed in tune, and the strings always broke. And it drove me nuts, i just bought a fender mim strat and havent broken one string yet, and ive had it for 5 months. I dont understand whats bad about strats, i believe to think they are very relieable. So....i dont know what this was for, i guess i was standin up for strats.
Some of them can be very reliable. But as a whole they could be better. So could Epi's. Its mostly what your comfortable with that matters. On the broken strings issue. If you let strings sit on a guitar for 5 months at a time they will break on an epiphone due to the pressure needed to maintain good sustain. the tuning head on Fenders is angled in a different manner meant to apply less presure on the strings. but you in turn get less sustain out of it because it is slinkier and a bit more loose. The resale value is honestly not too great on a used Fender unless there were some serious customizations on it. Also the neck on LP's doesnt warp as easy. Fenders are great for normal playing. But when giging comes around i think you will find that an LP is a better buy due to durability. but you have to be able to maintain it. I find changing strings about every gig is good and if you are not gigging about every 3 to 4 weeks. I guess am just partial to LP's. Comparing these guitars is like apples and oranges. Each has its up and downs. But alot of guitar greats (e.g. Slash, Jerry Cantrell, Zakk Wilde, Clapton (when he was in Cream), etc.) use LP's. Theres got to be reasons why. On the other hand alot use Fenders so this issue clearly cannot be solved.
rob

[Strtlvr]

Good Call rob.