Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Dreichlift on March 22, 2007, 09:57:43 PM
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Hey folks,
A short time ago I was forced to sell my prized possesion an Ebony Gibson Les Paul Custom, worse than that I was reduced to playing a Westfield Telecaster copy that in all honesty would make a better doorstop than a musical instrument.
However, I have managed to scrimp and save and now have enough to buy a les paul copy. I've heard of many brands - Burny, Tokai, Orville, Edwards, Agile, Signature, Greco, Rally, Vintage and MD all of whom claim to be or are reputed to be of high quality for what they are, which leaves me in a quandry as to what to pick.
I had an Epiphone around 2000/2001 which disuaded me from choosing them because of their awful construction methods (essentially they have the rough shape carved by a baboon wielding a chainsaw then cover it with hair thin veneers and copious amounts of epoxy to make it all look pretty). That aside, I know a few of the people here have some of the makes I mentioned above and would like to know what guitars you all think are the best value.
Essentially I'm looking for a new or used les paul style guitar with solid mahogany body with solid maple top (plain, flamed or quilted) and rosewood fingerboard (no veneers). I Don't have much to spend (less than £400) but getting a good instrument is really important to me so any advice you can offer is much appreciated.
[Edit] forgot to say set neck too :oops:
thanks
Jon
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Greco EG-600 Mint Collection, mahogany body, neck, rosewood board, long neck tennon, nitro finish, SD '59s.
Got her for £180
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I have an Agile AL-2800 that cost me $300 USD. I then put in a Riff Raff/Stormy Monday combo, which cost more than the guitar lol.
It has a 14" radius neck and is very comfortable to play as long as you don't need upper fret access on the low E, A, or D strings.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/TwilightOdyssey/Spin%20Music%2010%20March%2007/Ben2resize.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/TwilightOdyssey/Spin%20Music%2010%20March%2007/Ben3resize.jpg)
It has a SOLID mahogany body with maple cap that weighs 10lbs. VERY HEAVY!!!! Fit and finish are excellent, considering the price. Graphite nut, Grover machines. Rosewood fingerboard, set neck, and abalone block inlays.
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That LP cost $300?!?!??!
Bleeding hell, I need to get some cheap axes!
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^ arg, problem is postage and VAT on those agiles, they seem like great value if you're in the USA, though...
though gak have a pretty good deal on the yamaha aes 620 at the moment, £239 last I checked.
Back on topic of the thread, they aren't really a copy in the true sense of the word, but I quite like Gordon Smiths- though ironically the ones I like the best are the non-LP ones, lol.
EDIT: I haven't been too fussed on any of the vintage guitars I've tried, to be honest. Washburn idols are good value, as well as that yamaha (though they don't look exactly like a LP).
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Well, I can bring one over for LGS, ya know ... ;)
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eastwood ultra GP
i have one and its my sex monster.
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I can highly recommend a Japanese-made Tokai, though I've also known people who've had great experiences with Edwards, and heard good things about Greco, Orville, Agile and Burny.
It's too bad you don't live in New Zealand - I'm selling my Tokai LS150 '59 Les Paul Replica with Rebel Yells, although it's going for a little more than what you're looking at. You can check it out here: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=92255565
Best of luck with your search - Japanese-made Gibson copies are brilliant bang for the buck. :)
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If you want a brand new one, I'd import an Edwards from Japan. There's a thread about Edwards guitars here on the board, if you do a search you'll find it easily.
I worked out it would cost around £450 to get it here including all shipping/taxes etc. You can't argue with that!
If you don't fancy the import route, I'd go for a new Japanese Tokai. Coda Music usually have a few in stock, as do other places. They usually run to £450ish.
Old Grecos/Burnys etc are getting more collectiable now and are going for £500+. If you're after a playing guitar, I'd go for one of the new ones above.
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I've seen mid 70's to 80's Burny, Greco and the like going on Ebay for around £350 latley and I've been seeing some of the newer guitars appearing too so I'll keep an eye out. Thanks for all your help though folks, you've been a great help.
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Having just got an awesome new Dean, I would recommend the Dean Evo Special or Special Select. Ridiculously cheap for giggable guitars, very well made and set up. Made in the same factory as the Ibanez artist models, but they are QC'd and set up in the UK. £260 for a Special and £325 for the Special Select.
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The Tokai Japanese made Les Pauls are so good, they look and play awesome, definatley try and find an LS150 or LS70 or up on ebay.
If you want a brand new guitar you might want to look at Tokai Korean models, they are just as good for a fraction of the price.
Take a look here http://www.coda-music.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_42
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If you want a brand new guitar you might want to look at Tokai Korean models, they are just as good for a fraction of the price.
Take a look here http://www.coda-music.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_42
I have to mostly second this suggestion, as I have played a couple of real nice Korean Tokais.
However, I have also played ones that are pretty damned cr@ppy and you have to be much more careful about them than the Japanese built models :(
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The new Vintage V110 Lemon Drop gets some good reviews. Ishure do like the look of the thing. Just add BKP Mules with a Peter Green wind.
http://www.jhs.co.uk/reviews/G&B%20DEC%20(V100MRPGM).pdf
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The new Vintage V110 Lemon Drop gets some good reviews. Ishure do like the look of the thing. Just add BKP Mules with a Peter Green wind.
http://www.jhs.co.uk/reviews/G&B%20DEC%20(V100MRPGM).pdf
I really liked the vintage guitars when I first saw them, over time though that cutaway/lower horn would niggle at me though, I don't know what it is, just something looks iffy about it. I wish they'd either do what ESP did with the Eclipse or do something else (I always thought a PRS style lower horn would suit)
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The new Vintage V110 Lemon Drop gets some good reviews. Ishure do like the look of the thing. Just add BKP Mules with a Peter Green wind.
http://www.jhs.co.uk/reviews/G&B%20DEC%20(V100MRPGM).pdf
I really liked the vintage guitars when I first saw them, over time though that cutaway/lower horn would niggle at me though, I don't know what it is, just something looks iffy about it. I wish they'd either do what ESP did with the Eclipse or do something else (I always thought a PRS style lower horn would suit)
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Well, I can bring one over for LGS, ya know ... ;)
haha!
"er, yes, officer, these 40 agile guitars are all gifts for my close friends... all 40 of 'em, that's right."
:lol:
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I have had an Edwards Les Paul for about a year now, very happy came with Mahogany body with maple cap, Ebony fretboard & SD pickups. Cost me around $910 AUD landed from Ishibashi in Tokyo. It took 3 days after ordering to get from Tokyo to my place in Australia. I think Michael Kelly guitars are also worth a looked, the hourglass is awesome........
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Thanks everyone for your help and input, I spent a lot of time watching Ebay until I eventually found this fine lady. Now to save up for the either the Mule Set or Nailbomb set, undecided as yet. Anyway here's the pictures of the guitar you folks helped me buy, an '81 Les Paul Custom Copy by Greco.
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w50/Dreichlift/Picture008.jpg)
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w50/Dreichlift/Picture007.jpg)
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w50/Dreichlift/Picture006.jpg)[/img]
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holy shite that's beautiful!!!!!!!
aren't Les Paul copies lovely?
i have an early 70s Columbus Black Les Paul, and she's amazing!
congrats dude!
edit: love the body bindng, especially. and mine has block inlays too!! :D
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Beautiful!
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Nice! :D That's a cool colour, and I love the "Super Power Custom" truss rod cover. The little details like that always make me smile.
I've just bought a '94 Orville by Gibson goldtop, it'll arrive this week, hopefully...
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Lovely LP!
Looking forward to seeing your Goldtop Phil :D
Here's my lovely pair - a pre-Mule Gibson LP Standard and a pre-humbucker covers Pearl LP Custom:
(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/junkacct/DSC02293Small.jpg)
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holy shitee that's beautiful!!!!!!!
:lol: That's the exact phrase I used when I opened the box, I love the colour, the only things I've really seen that come close are the Yamaha SGs and possibly a guitar I saw Les Paul himself toting around his 80th birthday bash. It sounds good too, more resonant than the Gibson custom I sold so I'm hoping that quality p'ups will just round off the whole package. As it is the standard p'ups are perfect for ZZ Top's "La Grange" so I'll be practicing that for a while :D
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sweet Greco man!I swear there's nothing better for the money. here's mine... best £180 EVER spent.
(http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/8523/dscf0030qz7.jpg)
BTW - La Grange....BEST SONG OF ALL TIME!
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that's purty, indysmith!
glad you like your new guitar, Dreichlift!
EDIT: Twinfan, the one on the left is making me wet :lol:
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EDIT: Twinfan, the one on the left is making me wet :lol:
Ha ha! The stock pickups are surprisingly OK - nice and balanced with just enough power. They're not as clear or articulate as my Mules, but not as bad as I thought they might be. The neck is really skinny though and the neck pickup doesn't line up with the strings properly. Ideally I need a 47mm spaced neck pickup :roll:
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both my neck pickups in my main guitars don't line up with the strings :lol:
not that i have thought of doing anything about it....
the bridge pickup in my les paul copy is extremely powerful, with loads of bass, as well as being open and organic sounding. i use it for Black sabbath, stoner metal, doom metal etc.
haha the neck on mine is fat as hell!
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yeah my neck is HUGE too - hate it... sounds soooo good though :P it resonates so hard, the SD'59s in mine sound a bit scooped and weak for my tastes though - definately need RYs 8)
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les pauls=resonance
well, mine certainly is and yours, but some of my dad's les paul copies aren't at all :roll:
he picked the wrong ones :twisted:
i reckon a Warpig (Alnico) would be great for mine and it's purpose....
there's a BKP for everything! 8)
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i reckon a Warpig (Alnico) would be great for mine and it's purpose....
there's a BKP for everything! 8)
Noo you have it all wrong, an LP requires Mules or Rebel Yells.. there is no alternative :P
Oh and my Epi isnt very big/resonant sounding when its unplugged for some reason. Probably cr@p/cheap woods or something I guess.
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Oh and my Epi isnt very big/resonant sounding when its unplugged for some reason. Probably cr@p/cheap woods or something I guess.
I think the Epi problem is there may be so many pieces of wood preventing it resonating, I had one a while back and decided to refinish it only to find the nightmare that lie beneath. 1mm thick maple veneer over roughly carved Alder made up the top, 7 pieces of low grade mahogany sandwiched together in no particular order so the grain didn't flow or match all covered in a 1mm thick mahogany veneer so that it looked pretty. I've heard that they are better than they were around 1998 so this may not be the case with yours, and the proper Gibson Les Paul Custom I had was very quiet also unplugged.
I suspect the way the bridge is fastened to the body makes a big difference, Both my Epiphone and my Gibson had threaded inserts in the body into which the bridge posts screwed, on my Greco they screw directly into the body, aeshetically not so nice perhaps but you hear the difference IMHO.
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I always post this link, but honest I don't work for them!
http://www.japanguitars.co.uk/
some cracking guitars on there for lots of different prices I got an ebony Black Beauty Epiphone for £180 in a second hand shop (Cash Convertors...I feel sorry for the guy who sold that guitar). Try keeping your eyes open on ebay, the tokai's are cracking on there
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I always post this link, but honest I don't work for them!
http://www.japanguitars.co.uk/
japan guitars are super-overpriced though; you can get the same things on ebay for a LOT less money.
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japan guitars are super-overpriced though; you can get the same things on ebay for a LOT less money.
True, they are expensive, but he only has the really sought-after "vintage" Japanese models. And none of the dodgy practices you sometimes see on eBay like passing off MIK Tokais as MIJ.
And there aren't the "hidden" costs like high shipping charges and VAT/import duty.
But yeah, eBay is still the best bet for a bargain if you're patient.
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How about a bluesbird....there sweet if you can find them...mines got emeralds in it..sounds great
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Man, Dreichlift that's a beautiful git. The other non-Les Pauls , and Les are to drool over too. :)
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agile les pauls
AL series 2500 upwards are cracking guitars and really cheap too
http://www.rondomusic.net/electricguitar.html
i ahvea al2500 and it is really resonant unplugged and the stock neck pickup is really sweet sounding. very bell like cleans and super smooth leads
it didnt have the stock bridge when i got it so i cant comment on that.
and they do ship here but i have a cheaper way avoiding most of the duty etc if you need it :D
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agile les pauls
AL series 2500 upwards are cracking guitars and really cheap too
http://www.rondomusic.net/electricguitar.html
i ahvea al2500 and it is really resonant unplugged and the stock neck pickup is really sweet sounding. very bell like cleans and super smooth leads
it didnt have the stock bridge when i got it so i cant comment on that.
and they do ship here but i have a cheaper way avoiding most of the duty etc if you need it :D
STOP IT!
I have SOOOO Much GAS for an Agile.
Going to the states later this year and WILL Come back with either:
http://www.rondomusic.net/interceptorpro25.html
http://www.rondomusic.net/product949.html
or
http://www.rondomusic.net/product930.html
(The camo LP might be a need...)