RockyII Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 I am a beginner from a rock and metal background. I have been trying to buy my first lead guitar and after some research it became apparent that the Epiphone Les Paul was the best first guitar for beginners. I found that the Epiphone Les Paul guitar packs were the best option and Bryan Epsey gave an excellent demonstration on these packs. Of the three he demonstrated, I chose the Performance pack with the Epiphone 15R Electar amp. However, I couldn't find this pack anywhere online. In my research, only the Player pack was still in stock. The problem was that this only came with a 10 watt amp and the 15 watt amps were out of production as was the Performance pack and Epiphone Goth SG Electric Guitar Performance Pack. Then I watched all the Epiphone Les Paul guitars being previewed by experts on YouTube. The one that stood out was the Epiphone Les Paul Special II. This rated as the best of all. However, getting this as part of a pack proved fruitless and even when it was, it only came with the 10w amp. The single Player pack is still available, but now the amp has shrunk to nothing more than a toy for kids. The only option now is to buy the Epiphone Les Paul Special II and an alternative 15 watt amp separately. Now, yet another problem has emerged, the Epiphone Les Paul Special II is no longer in production and has been replaced with the Epiphone Les Paul Vintage Edition. After researching this, it too is cheaper and nothing more than a toy. Yet retailers are marketing the VE as having very little difference to the Epiphone Les Paul Special II. The VE is clearly no match for the Special II. So, it would seem that Epiphone have downgraded beginner models to toys. I would really appreciate any feedback and opinions from anyone that may be able to offer some suggestions. Many thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Just buy one. You're a beginner. So it doesn't matter at all. They are all entry level guitars. I believe you are way over-thinking this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 What ever model you get the main thing is that it has a good neck with fast action for playing lead and having good tuners will save you a lot of pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megafrog Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 You say you have a rock and metal background, I assume that is the type of music you are interested in and want to play in those styles. First off, the models in your poll are purely for beginners, modders or someone who wants to destroy a cheap instrument. They are pretty chintzy guitars compared to Epiphones better offerings. If you are not adverse to going used, I would suggest a used Epiphone G400 paired with a used Fender Mustang I or II. The quality of the guitar and amp will be infinitely superior to what you listed in your poll. You would have a guitar that should stay in tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 One of the things to consider is what are your jamming partners are using. If you want to start playing out of the bedroom the performance packs are inadequate. A 50w + amp with 12" speaker may be a good starting point. The bolt on neck structure gets in the way impeding your ability to reach the high notes, you should be able to reach fret 22 without too much trouble. Used Epiphone's with "set necks" are available for around $300, like Les Paul's or SG G400's. Also effects pedals like a good Overdrive or Delay. Some more advanced multi effects pedals have headphone jacks so you can practice without an amp. These would take you just past beginner to entry level... a Set Neck Les Paul and SG G400 and Explorer and 339 and Flying V and Lee Malia RD............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 Hmm, not sure about some of the advice here. I own a number of high end (see avatar/ profile pic), mid range and cheap guitars and have an Epi LP Special II in my collection that I bought second hand a couple of years ago with the idea to use it for busking. Aside from the tuners being pretty awful, the guitar is excellent for the price. I have the action at 5/64th on the low E and 4/64ths on the high E and there is no fret buzz or dead spots. Tonally it is good and it plays beautifully. I think the amp is where you need to look mainly for a good sound. Some guitars are marketed as 'beginner' instruments, but they are perfectly useable and play and sound good. I used my Epi Special for band practise the other day and it was great. Therefore, go with the Special of any kind, but maybe replace the tuners and test it out first for fretwork and other considerations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted June 25, 2018 Share Posted June 25, 2018 Hmm, not sure about some of the advice here. I own a number of high end (see avatar/ profile pic), mid range and cheap guitars and have an Epi LP Special II in my collection that I bought second hand a couple of years ago with the idea to use it for busking. Aside from the tuners being pretty awful, the guitar is excellent for the price. I have the action at 5/64th on the low E and 4/64ths on the high E and there is no fret buzz or dead spots. Tonally it is good and it plays beautifully. I think the amp is where you need to look mainly for a good sound. Some guitars are marketed as 'beginner' instruments, but they are perfectly useable and play and sound good. I used my Epi Special for band practise the other day and it was great. Therefore, go with the Special of any kind, but maybe replace the tuners and test it out first for fretwork and other considerations. I agree with what you are saying, but like I said in my first statement in this post below there are simple things you can do to a LP Special to make it better.. Its not a whole lot of fun to spend all you time trying to tune it.... What ever model you get the main thing is that it has a good neck with fast action for playing lead and having good tuners will save you a lot of pain. I have had a few LP Specials and once I set them up they were good. I would not waste my time on a performance pack.. A LP Special played over a Marshall sounds great.. But a good set neck will make a big difference........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 I agree with what you are saying, but like I said in my first statement in this post below there are simple things you can do to a LP Special to make it better.. Its not a whole lot of fun to spend all you time trying to tune it.... Yes, sorry I was really thinking about Megafrog's post saying " the models in your poll are purely for beginners, modders or someone who wants to destroy a cheap instrument" and "they are pretty chintzy guitars", which I would disagree with (no disrespect meant to Megafrog). Thanks for posting that cheapest Epi vs. Gibson Custom LP video. It basically shows people what I was meaning in my post! I like that guys videos as he gets a great sound in all the ones I've seen him do and makes pretty much any instrument sound as good as it can. The Epiphone certainly doesn't sound a million miles away from the Gibson Custom shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyII Posted June 27, 2018 Author Share Posted June 27, 2018 Wow! Viewing all the advice here has been very helpful, especially from experienced guitarists. I have decided on the amp I want. I narrowed it down to the Spider Line 6 and Fender Mustang and the Mustang is much better. I have decided to buy the guitar from GAK since they offer a price match. They have ordered the guitar and I am just waiting for it to arrive in store, however the guitar they have ordered is the Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Special II Plustop (Heritage Cherry Sunburst). I have spotted the same guitar on Amazon for less their price: Epiphone Les Paul Special-II Electric Guitar - Heritage Cherry Sunburst (Amazon Exclusive) I contacted GAK and they informed me that the Amazon model is not the plus top model. The one they've quoted is a better guitar. Both the Amazon Epiphone Les Paul Special-II and the GAK stores Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Special II Plustop look exactly the same to me. So, is the Plustop a better guitar? What do you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 I had an Epiphone Les Paul special II, 20 year ago. I used it for about 3-4 years, back then. It was OK for what it cost, $99., then. I sold it , then obtained a few higher end models. I liked to use a slide with it, but, after a while of doing that, the high E would snap at the bridge thing, after an "aggressive" slide work out. It did sound pretty good though, comfortable, to me. I liked it enough to obtain a few "better" Les Paul things. On these ones, the strings don't break as much, which is good, well, yes, to me it is. The Special IL was, to me, a pretty good "introductory" LP style thing and, even though I did sell it, for a "better" one, or 4, I'm still happy I did obtain it, then, actually. It had no "script" on the head stock thing. But, the truss rod cover did have "Gibson" inscribed on it I replaced that, with these, because I liked the LP II thing, but wanted, and did obtain a better couple of them, which I also like, a lot, actually no complaining about those things. None, at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 none :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 Here are some from my herd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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