LP copies- Edwards/Greco/Burny e.t.c.

[sambo]

ok there's been a lot on here in recent times about MIJ LP copies...

just wondering if there was a best-of-the-bunch manufacturer that people would recommend, as with such MIJ's it's hard to play the thing in person a lot of the time... (blind ebay purchases e.t.c.)

obviously it's better to go and try something out and decide which guitar is best on an individual basis.... (i know that!), but im just asking if there is one that, consistently, stands out against the others, as there's so many...

-Signature
-Burny
-Greco
-Tokai
-Edwards

???? maybe one i haven't even mentioned...?

out of all of them, considering value for money, as well as overall quality, which one would people go for if in the market for such a guitar? what would sway it for you?

cheers,

sam.

[Twinfan]

For me, it would depend on the neck.  A lot of the Japanese copies copies have very chunky necks.  Not a problem for some, but a big problem for me.  I love the Gibson 60s slim taper neck and I've been told that the only Japanese guitars that have that profile are the Greco Mint Collection models.

I was considering getting a Japanese flame top LP until recently, but the necks have put me off.  I'll have to save up for a used Gibson R0 instead.

What you consider to be "best" is very subjective - do you want a flame top?  Must it have the long tenon neck joint?  Will you be swapping the pickups out?  How much cash have you got?

For the price of the very desirable Japanese guitars you can have a used Gibson Standard...

[sambo]

thats verrry interesting that you mention the necks.

one of the models i was looking closely at was the Mint Collection Greco, and my melody maker had a 50s or 60s slim taper neck (cant remember which). and i loved that. im definitely not a fan of the big, big chunky necks.

hmm.

money-wise its low-budget. i was gonna go all-out custom but got hit with baddd money problems so im having to scale down a lot. probably £500 tops at the moment.

and yer the 'best' thing is a bit unclear. i was really just wondering if there was a particular manufacturer that outshone the others overall. but i spose it will differ between each model respectively.

Top/aeshetic wise, i dont mind, as long as it ISNT sunburst... i despise it. Cherry, amber, honey-burst, solid-colours, black, white, whatever... just NOT sunburst... or tobaccoburst in fact.

i will definitely be swapping the pickups at some point. end of this year at latest.

and the long tenon neck joint would be nice, though not essential.

never tried a standard LP surprisingly, other stuff i have though. SGs, Studios, e.t.c. How much do used standards go for nowadays?

cheers,

sam.

[noodleplugerine]

Why not add Agile to the list?

Perhaps not Japanese, but I've only heard good things - And they're dirt cheap!

[Ted]

Pardon my ignorance but what is a long tenon neck joint?

[sambo]

its like a set neck... but the neck is set further into the body... its supposed to add sustain..? i think.

and ah yer, id forgotten Agile. i know next to nothing about them as well.

enlighten me!

[Twinfan]

£500 won't get you a used Gibson Standard - they're at least £800 I would think.

What about a used Gibson Les Paul Studio?  Good quality, no stupidly think necks, solid colours (no sunbursts!) - sounds right up your street  :D

Studio on eBay

[sambo]

looks good!

it is everything i want basically. but i tried a studio a while ago and it was terrible (probably just a bad apple). but its got me associating them with rubbish. so i'd really prefer to try it first if a Studio it was going to be.

hmmm!

[Transcend]

Look up the old ibanez lawsuit LPs theyre pretty awesome

[Twinfan]

The Ibanez LPs are rising in value, so you might find them out of your budget.

Sambo - try and find a 90s Les Paul Studio, the earlier the better.  Quality was very high then and they're great guitars.  Cost cutting has crept in more in recent years.  I have a '96 Standard, a '99 Junior Special and a '99 Junior Lite.  Top quality, great necks, no issues what so ever.

[sambo]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gibson-Les-Paul-Studio_W0QQitemZ300122273817QQihZ020QQcategoryZ33040QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

thats the earliest-ish i can find. pretty cheap, ending soon. not bad.


out of all the other MIJ models, i was focusing mainly on the Greco's and the Signature's. theres a Signature in the UK for £400, and i know from Nick (dakine), who got one, that they're fantastic guitars. he said it was damn close to rivalling his Gibbo Standard (which he took a while finding).

so emerging from the pack as it were, are the Signature's, Greco's, and possibly Gibson Studio, (i wouldnt by a post-2000 gibson studio though i dont think, especially as they actually seem to be quite expensive, £500 minimum.)



of course the Greco would probably have to be imported, and most of them cost about £225+ on ebay. meaning it would come out at around £400+ after all the extra costs.

the Signature's can be got in the UK, one on ebay at the moment and ive seen a couple of shops that stock them. theyre at £400 so thats a safe bet.


not sure!

[_tom_]

My mate has an LP Studio and the neck on it is massive, it feels horrible! I think I prefer those 60s slim taper necks as well.

[sambo]

mm the neck was what ruined the one i tried a while ago.

but as i said, i loved my melody makers neck... that was perfect for me.

just found out- on an interesting side note, the Signature necks are supposed to be very close to the slim-tapers...

im getting ever so tempted.

[Woogie]

Get a jap one with a fat neck and shave it down!!

[sambo]

:lol:  :lol:

im looking for a guitar Woogie, not devising some kind of torture ritual for oriental people...

 :lol:


the Signature is looking so damn good... theyre cheaper than the Studios, leaving more money to get pickups sooner. then again theyre very unknown, which could be cool, but could be a big risk as well.

Grecos are praised highly, but you've got the dodgy import issue... if somethings wrong i havent got a hope in hell of just sending it back or something.


grrr