Les Paul Copy

[varkunus]

"I am in the search for a high end les paul copy, something £500ish maybe. I am lefty but could you firstly tell me which you would recommend, secondly whats the difference between epi standard and custom, and how do tokais compare with epis. "

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1272344&page=1&pp=20

I posted this on UG but would like BKPs unbiased oppinions (cause you guys are generally more fair in recommendations than UG).

Please post replies here not on UG.

Thanks guys

[Sifu Ben]

Agile AL3100 kicks the ass of pretty much any non sig Epi, and they do a full range of lefties.

[Twinfan]

Japanese Tokais have been the best ones I've seen/played/owned.

[gwEm]

Agile

(for this wedge i would get a 3000M with a full thickness maple top, but they are all good)

[tomjackson]

Chinese Tokais < Epiphone < Japanese Tokais quality wise.
The Japanese Tokais are getting more expensive though but are very good quality, I have a 335 copy that's really nice.
Pickups are okay but not amazing.  Constuction wise I think they are pretty near the real thing where Epiphones are not.

However, the Epiphone 59 reissue looks good:-

http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/83013

Thats what I'd try and stretch to with your budget or go for something secondhand

[dave_mc]

hmmm, better make my reply less biased for here :roll: :lol:

assuming you're talking about japanese tokais, they should be a lot better than (non-MIJ epis). £500 is probably slightly less than you'd get an MIJ for at the current poor exchange rate (i think i've seen richtone selling some at £600), but it's probably worth spending the extra £100 considering how much nicer than are than non-mIJ tokais, epis and the like. Unless that money is earmarked for this month's rent or food or something.

there are other japanese copies, but tokais tend to be the easiest ones to find...

[varkunus]

I am quite familiar with epiphone models but not so much so with tokai and agiles. So could you guys give me some speicific models of both that I can check out.

Thanks

btw: in case you guys didnt read UG.  I want this guitar mainly for that LP sound. I am looking to recreate those screamining violin like tones of gary moore - think still got the blues/parissiene walkways, and santana type tones. Dont know if that helps with your recommmendations.

Also, I just looked on richtones.
http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/guitars-1/electric-guitars-2/tokai-love-rock-ls85f-cherry-sunburst-563.html
http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/guitars-1/electric-guitars-2/tokai-love-rock-ls75-electric-guitar-black-568.html
http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/guitars-1/electric-guitars-2/tokai-lc85-electric-guitar-wine-red-579.html

Whats the difference between the 85s and the 75s, and with the two 75s what difference with the F and no F.
And whats stock pups like on tokais?

[tomjackson]

The Tokai numbering system is pretty confusing and what makes it worse is that they change it periodically as prices increase.  You are much better looking at the Spec and not worrying about the number.
Give Richtone a bell, they are pretty helpful, that's where I got my ES130 from.

As for the pickups, they are okay, mine squeel a bit under higher gain (in a semi mind you).  They give an okay PAF tone but since I have had Stormy Mondays and know what I missing I'm afraid they are really just keeping the pickup cavities warm for now.....

For Gary More tones also look at the Vintage Icon Lemon Drop, not 'high end' but they get good reviews and are solid mahaogany with a maple cap at least....

[Catalyst77]

From my experience of jap guitars (and being a les paul man), Greco are the best for quality, i'd try and find an early 80's version.  They are really top quality guitars, long neck tennon, great attention to detail.  You could prob pick up a good one for about £300, but you've obviously got to add shipping and tax on to that.

You could also try burny (not quite as good, but nearly) or Aria, or the Yamaha Studio lord ; i think in the late 70's early 80's all these guitars came from more or less the same factory!

[Twinfan]

Whats the difference between the 85s and the 75s, and with the two 75s what difference with the F and no F.
And whats stock pups like on tokais?

LS85F - Les Paul Standard copy with a flame top

LS75 - as above, but a plain top

LC85 - Les Paul Custom copy (more cosmetic fancyness, upping the price to the same as a flame top.  Also has a mahogany top, not maple)

[Twinfan]

For Gary More tones also look at the Vintage Icon Lemon Drop, not 'high end' but they get good reviews and are solid mahaogany with a maple cap at least....

That's actually a great option - they're better than their price suggests....

[BigB]

From my experience of jap guitars (and being a les paul man), Greco are the best for quality, i'd try and find an early 80's version.  They are really top quality guitars, long neck tennon, great attention to detail.  You could prob pick up a good one for about £300, but you've obviously got to add shipping and tax on to that.

A '78 greco on ebay.fr for (currently ) €201 - watch out, it ends in a few hours :

http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260546702920&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_3352wt_1167


Too bad I don't have a couple hundred € to spend  :(

[Mr. Air]

Maybe TC Ellis could be something? You can get a quite cheap but supposedly good quality custom build.

http://tcellisguitars.com/

[maverickf1jockey]

If you see a guitar made by Signature (Japan) I suggest you jump on it and have a play.
I got one recently and it's the nicest guitar I've ever fretted by far.
Sounds very good too even with the stock pickups (nails the 'Woman Tone').

(they are fairly easy to spot as the headstock has a pictogram as opposed to the name, which is on the truss rod cover.)

edit: No idea if they cater for lefties, though...

[gwEm]

http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar-ss17.html Agile 3000M at the bottom of this page