Guitar lust

Know anyone with a cheap Les Paul or PRS(yeah, right) laying around? This one just popped up locally: http://evansville.craigslist.org/msg/2012901343.html Out of your price range, but maybe you can find something to trade him!

In reply to Tim Baxter:

I thought Warwick made only bass guitars. Am I wrong? If so, if they are as good as their basses, they must be amazing.

( I have a Warwick Streamer Std. 4-string bass, and it's phenominal!)

They do, as far as I know. But apparently they felt someone could confuse the Gretsch Corvette, with it's 50+ year history, with their noodley bass. Yeah, I'm bitter.

16vCorey wrote: Know anyone with a cheap Les Paul or PRS(yeah, right) laying around? This one just popped up locally: http://evansville.craigslist.org/msg/2012901343.html Out of your price range, but maybe you can find something to trade him!

I have a '71 Standard that I'd sell for a lot less than $900... of course, it's arguably worth a lot less...

Resurrecting this thread, newb to guitar, but trying.

I am looking at my next purchase, electric, leaning towards an Epiphone.

Tell me why this is a good or bad choice, which one you prefer and why?

My style is rock, probably classic rock, folk rock, alternative 90's

In reply to aussiesmg:

Nice dude!!!

I like Epiphone guitars. I have two myself: a Les Paul Standard and a Les Paul Special II. The Specal II is a lower end, bolt-on neck axe, and it is a mess. The Standard is a set neck higher end model of the Epiphone line when it was built back in 1993. They are typically built well and offer a lot of value for the price.

How do I know which is which? There are a large number of guitars available, is there a year I should be looking to aim for?

examples

http://limaohio.craigslist.org/msg/4873149344.html

http://toledo.craigslist.org/msg/4886325730.html

I also have a Epiphone. An '89 Les Paul Custom from when they were making them in Korea. It's pretty damn good quality but I'm not really a fan of the ergos. It's very hard to play sitting down because it wants to slide one way or the other on your leg. I always end up putting the strap on and standing up. That's when you feel how freakin' heavy it is.

I made the mistake of playing around with a friend's Melancon tele and it's friggin' schweet. Do want. Do not want the $3000 price tag though.

This could be a great deal, if the guitar is worth anything

http://fortwayne.craigslist.org/msg/4858547365.html

or

http://kokomo.craigslist.org/msg/4875703213.html

In reply to aussiesmg:

Have you been to Sweetwater yet? You know you have Mecca right in your BACK YARD??!?!??

FYI mark your calendar - they're having Gearfest again, this year will be 6/12 & 6/13. I'll be there on Friday, make plans to go if you can.

Regarding the 4 ads you linked. The first one is very cool. I have no idea about it's actual value, but it probably won't drop in value any - if that kind of thing matters to you. However, with only a single pickup you're going to be somewhat limited in tone, if that matters.

The 2nd would have more flexibility in tone, but being a semi-hollowbody it's also going to be somewhat constrained as well.

The Pauls are pretty much a know item - if either of them play & sound good, then they're probably worth the money.

FYI I have a good friend in Huntington who's starting to build guitars - Partscasters, of sorts. He's getting custom milled bodies, then finishing them himself and installing quality necks/pickups/hardware/etc. No idea what he's asking for them, I think he just received the first body(or is expecting it any day), but I can ask if you're interested in something like that?

aussiesmg wrote: How do I know which is which? There are a large number of guitars available, is there a year I should be looking to aim for? examples http://limaohio.craigslist.org/msg/4873149344.html http://toledo.craigslist.org/msg/4886325730.html

The Epiphone Les Paul's were made in the US up to 1970, then Japan, then Korea then China. From what I hear... you don't want the Chinese ones but I haven't actually seen one so it's "heresay" but probably true. My Korean made one is nicely built and holds a tune well. It sounds fantastic but see my other post about ergos... it's not the most comfortable of shapes.

Read the serial info here to see where/what you are looking at. http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php/Epiphone_Serial_Number_Decoding

This is also worth a read re: the mfg history and where stuff was made and when. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphone

The model will be on a sticker on the back of the body.

The 82 Spirit would be a very cool guitar. Extremely rare, they only made them for a few years and didn't sell well. IIRC, they changed them to Gibsons because they weren't selling well. Please note, that just because it is a rare USA Epiphone does not mean it will be worth anything ever. A safe bet that it won't go down in value, but it won't be worth $50,000 down the line. But if it comes with a case, that is something I might buy if it were close to me. Out of everything you linked, it is the only one I would consider--but that is because if I were looking for the others, I'd be looking for them in the $150 range (will take a long time to get lucky on craigslist, but it has been done in the past and will be again)

The Les Pauls are... Well, they're not bad for what they are. I wouldn't pay $400 for one without a case, even with the amp. The $225 isn't a bad deal. Frankly, I'd be looking at a MIM Fender though. Epi's can be very good, but there seems to be more variability in them than the Fenders.

Epi's can range from really good to really crappy. Avoid anything not made in China, Japan, or Korea, and be careful with the Chinese ones--those especially can range from really good to really crappy. I have an acuostic MIC Epiphone that is frankly better than some Martins and Gibsons we've owned. Seriously. Now, this one happens to be a little bit of a freak, and the Martins and Gibsons in question were duds, but it can happen.

Steve: Gotta go play 'em man. It's just like guns or cars or whatever. Everybody has their fave and will preach that it's the ONE.

If you're considering epihones, I'd at least play one back-to-back with a Gibson. As others have said, build quality is all over the berkeleying place.

If you're into LP's or SG's, Gibson makes a "faded" edition that goes for around $500 used. I played the SG and was this >< close to buying it.

PS: berkeley no I wouldn't spend 6 or 7 hundred bucks on an Epi. If you're spending that much, get the real deal and you'll never lose money on it, IMHO.

In reply to Smarta$$ McPoopyPants:

Agree 100% - guitars are such personal things. It's very rare for any two to play or sound the same. I've been searching for years for another Strat that feels the same as my '94 American Standard.

A good friend of mine loves SG's. I can't stand them. So I have a Les Paul Firebrand, which feels more like a LP, but has a sound closer to a SG.

I'm probably the wrong one to chime in, as I have zero love for Les Pauls, but I did play a new, very inexpensive brand new Epiphone recently. It was like a Jr, had two P-90s, cost like $300 bucks or something. I really really liked the little thing. Seemed like a helluva good value to me, and would cover a lot of bases.

Speaking of bases, it's going to be tough finding a single guitar that will cover 90s alternative, folk rock and classic rock. You've got an acoustic chime there with the folk rock, a crunchy thing with the classic rock, and a lot of gain in the 90s alt-rock. I think you're going to want something with either some fairly high-output single-coils (Like P90s or Gretsch Dynasonics) or some fairly low-output humbuckers (to get that chime). But I wouldn't rule out a Telecaster, either.

Then again, If I were you (and I could swing it) I would go straight for one of these, with no hesitation whatsoever: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/G5622TCBRR

My "travel" guitar is an Epiphone Junior. I paid $75 for it used, and retail new is about $140 or so. It's a totally stripped-down Les Paul-style guitar: one humbukcer (hence only two knobs), no binding, no frills, etc. I favor just the bridge humbucker, so it works nicely for me.

Is it finished as nicely as a PRS? No. Does it stay in tune as well? No. But it was only $75.

Like others have said, yeah, you have to try them all. You might pick up a Strat and fall in love. Or a Les Paul. Or a PRS. Or a Gretsch. I lucked into a Univox short-scale bass that I just love. Until I saw one in the flesh, I didn't know it existed.

Visit your local guitar shop and budget some time. The trick will be not buying them all.

Smarta$$ McPoopyPants wrote: PS: berkeley no I wouldn't spend 6 or 7 hundred bucks on an Epi. If you're spending that much, get the real deal and you'll never lose money on it, IMHO.

Generally I'd agree with you, but the one in question was made in Kalamazoo. Because of that, he'll never lose money on it. Aside from that, the Gibson Spirits appear to be double the price, even though they are identical--even the place of manufacture.

In reply to aussiesmg:

I talked to my friend in Huntington today, he's starting out with Tele-stlyed ones and they'll be around $1200 FYI.

Regarding the Chinese and Korean Epis:

Both of mine were made in Korea. My Standard is a great playing guitar and has the feel of the real thing (and yes, I've played real ones). Even my Special II feels nice, even though it has been beaten within an inch of its life.

My nephew got a new Chinese Les Paul LP 100 which is essentially a gussied up Special II with 4 knobs and a pickguard. It does not feel nearly as nice to play as my Standard, and the fit and finish is not that great.

Like cars, you can run the serial numbers on most popular guitars to figure out where they were made and when they were made. My Standard was made in the Samick factory in 1993, where a lot of brand name companies sent their overseas manufacturing in the 80's and 90's. I think my Jackson was made there as well.

In reply to petegossett:

I guess I might manage the 30 mile trek if I pack accordingly..

I would be interested in talking to your friend BTW

In reply to aussiesmg:

Cool, do your PMs work here? I can send you his contact info.

Let me know when you plan on heading to Sweetwater & I'll contact my rep there and see if he can meet you. Their showroom isn't huge, but they'll pull anything you want out of the warehouse to try out within a matter of minutes.

I am going up there tomorrow, going to pick some brains, seeing as my cup runneth empty

419 two oh three 4422 should make it easier

This one looks nice. On sale too! http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPR9SRTSFBNH

In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker: I am not that good, or even close

In reply to aussiesmg:

I sent him your number, his name is Mike.