Viktorija Arsic Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 After two years of research + saving up, I'm overjoyed to finally have my Les Paul Prophecy Custom Plus GX in stunning Cherry Red! Enjoy some photos: Huge thanks to Long & McQuade here in Canada for being awesome, kind people and getting my Prophecy as a special order. My Prophecy's Serial Number is 18051509375,which means it was made in the fantastic Qingdao Plant, China in May 2018. The only thing I've changed on my Prophecy is the Custom truss rod cover. Many thanks to the awesome Hell Guitar Parts. Michael, the owner of the shop in Himeji, Japan was kind enough to send me a hand written thank you note, along with one of their unique Super Blacks picks. I appreciate the caring, fast service + delivery and encourage everyone to check out their collection of beautiful truss rod covers, switch and machine head washers, pick guards, and pup caps. Thanks as well to Walker and Williams, who make the best guitar straps inthe world; mine is a super comfy elegant black leather and suede strap from their One Of A Kind collection! Now here's my review: In my opinion,this is the greatest Les Paul that Epiphone has ever come up with. I know that's a bold statement considering just how many models are equally quite amazing in comparison: the 1960 Tribute Plus, the Standard Plus (and Plustop) PRO, the Inspired by 1955 Custom, the Classic Custom, the Custom Plus, and several artists models. I just want to thank the geniuses at Epiphone for taking the brilliant concept of the Prophecy and turning it into marvelous reality. I also want to thank all the hardworking people who put this work of art together so exquisitely. I will discuss the Prophecy in glorious detail, but for the folks not inclined to read my long rant explaining why I'm so overjoyed, all you need to know is that the Prophecy excels in construction, playability, sound, and value. It is utterly incredible in every way. Hand on my heart, go on and get one as soon as you can at whatever stage of your guitar journey you're at! As a point of reference, I own a 2011 Gibson Les Paul Studio Satin in Worn Cherry, which cost around $1,000 CAD at the time. I think it's the best version of the Studio that Gibson has ever done. It was my first "serious" guitar andis special to me. My Studio is a no-frills, no nonsense guitar with a baked maple fretboard and Burstbucker Pro pickups. It continues to play and sound awesome. The Prophecy,though, is something truly special. No Gibson comes even close. I am not stating this to fuel the fires of a decades-old ferocious debate; I'm simply stating the facts from my personal experience. Honestly, I am not trying to convince anyone to necessarily buy this guitar (although I totally think you should ASAP). I just want to share my glowing impressions in the hopes that I can give some perspective to others who are considering this guitar or are just curious about it. First Impressions: As soon as I opened the case, I gasped. And as soon as I could pick my jaw off the floor, I kept saying "wow!" as I inspected the guitar. The fit and finish is superb. I was absolutely blown away by my Prophecy from the moment I saw it. For anyone wondering, it played and sounded great right out of the case! I will get a professional set up done the next time I need a string change, but that's entirely due to personal preference. I've been playing my Prophecy all day long and have somewhat come down from the initial euphoria. But I'm by no means any less enthusiastic about it! The Prophecy's gorgeous appearance and Gibson pickups were the main selling points for me. I just love everything about this guitar: the colour, the quilted maple top, the gold hardware, the mother of pearl and abalone appointments, and of course the Gibson USA 490R and 498T pickups. The sense of wonder and amazement I had when I first opened the case is going to stay with me for a long time. Construction/Appearance: My photos barely do justice to the amazing construction and appearance of this guitar. The fit and finish are flawless. The quilted maple top is phenomenal. I can tell that a lot of care and skilled craftsmanship went into making this guitar. In person, the Prophecy is even more breathtaking to behold and play because it just exudes elegance and power. The toggle switch and tone knobs are sturdy and feel durable. I absolutely love the graphite nut; I played for about an hour and forty five minutes straight and didn't have to re-tune even once. Playability: My Prophecy plays and sounds amazing! Honestly, I prefer to play my Prophecy over my vintage Harmony H78 which I adore for many reasons, including the comfortable neck and the sweet, low action. Somehow, the Prophecy has action that is impressively sweeter and lower. Since I have big hands, I prefer to play thicker necks. The first thing that struck me about play ability was the complete comfort of the neck. It feels really good to grip. I like that the Prophecy's neck is fast and smooth as silk, making it perfectly suited for movement all the way up to the highest frets (I'm happy to say that I have absolutely no buzz on any of them). This is the most comfortable neck out of all my guitars. On a related note, the mahogany and rosewood fingerboard have a lovely grain. I don't really gig anymore, so I've practiced with my Prophecy for about an hour and a half,purposefully standing up to get a good feel for the guitar. While it is hefty,it isn't overbearing. I'd say it's a comfortable weight: you know the guitar is there, but you don't need a chiropractor for your shoulder. The supplied gold Epiphone strap locks work really well. I've also recorded with my Prophecy in my cozy bedroom studio. Considering this guitar's purpose, it's quite ironic that I'm not a shredder. I can play lead riffs and licks alright but I'm definitely more of a rhythm guitarist. I am fully and completely happy with the playability of my Prophecy. Sound: The Prophecy's deep, rich, powerful, and articulate pristine clean/dirty mean tones are everything you'd want to coax from a Les Paul: massive sustain, warmth,shimmer, crunch, bite, snarl, growl, and wail. While its's intended for metal, I play rock of all varieties, blues, and my very humble attempts at jazz instead. This guitar sounds incredible through my BOSS Katana 100. I also used my pedal board: Boss DS-1 Distortion, TCElectronic Forcefield Compressor, and Outlaw Effects Boilermaker Boost. I was worried about poor grounding with the Prophecy (and even posted about it on these forums; thanks to everyone who helped me out!) but thankfully this isn't an issue whatsoever. I loved being able to coil-split on the fly, and switching between the pickups gave a myriad of defined, smooth, and pleasant tones (even with the distortion and crunch cranked). There's just an unmistakable presence to this guitar. Best of all, the Prophecy can clearly handle whatever musical style you throw at it! Prophecy Fulfilled: Without a doubt, my Prophecy is a keeper. This is by no means some pretty piece of furniture or just a wall hanger; it's a versatile guitar that is meant to be played, and very often. When I'm not playing it, I'm daydreaming of playing it! The performance and craftsmanship of this guitar are demonstrably made with the hardworking player in mind. Pleasebelieve me when I say: the Prophecy is worth every single penny. I even consider it under-priced for the quality you're getting! Epiphone is clearly a company that listens to customer feedback and that truly cares about making a high caliber guitar. At this point in their history, Epiphone is truly making some of the best guitars available. Their quality is incredible, and their value is frankly unmatched. So let me lay to rest any doubts: the Prophecy is simply the best Les Paul you can possibly buy, full stop. It surpasses many comparable Epiphone offerings and it certainly outperforms the Gibson Tribute and Studio offerings (as I can personally attest). I know some people endless debate whether a high-end Epiphone Les Paul is better than even a low-end Les Paul; if you have functioning ears, fingers, and a reasonable mindset, you will surely be able to realize that the Epiphone's features, fit, and finish are simply on par-and I daresay-better than Gibson's. And personally, I think this goes for Gibson's Custom Shop Les Paul models as well.I would put my Prophecy up against any $3-$6K Gibson Standard or Custom anytime,all the time. I would even put it up against the (supremely overrated and overpriced) Gibson Les Paul Supreme. I honestly think that there is just no reason to spend your hard-earned thousands of dollars on a Gibson anymore,folks. I'm going to bite the bullet and say outright that the days of attaching caveats to the admission that "Epiphone is excellent" are long over. It's not,"Epiphone is excellent…for the price" it is "Epiphone is excellent." It's not,"Epiphone is excellent…for a made-overseas guitar," it is "Epiphone is excellent." It's not "Epiphone is excellent…but Gibson is better," it is"Epiphone is excellent." And it definitely should not surprise anyone that Epiphone makes excellent guitars: their construction, attention to detail, electronics,and value are consistently exceptional. More importantly, the Prophecy absolutely stands on its own merit. This is not a guitar you can give a back-handed compliment to because you absolutely will not find more value for your money. The Prophecy demands and deserves your unwavering respect. My Prophecy makes me an immensely satisfied player. It also makes me want to become a better one every single time I play. I hope everyone has a guitar just like this, one that leaves them feeling overjoyed, grateful, and inspired! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doheuvel Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 You kept your promise. Glad to hear that. Congratulations on the purchase ! AND ..... Enjoy playing your beautiful guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G Mac Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 My gosh... That's a stunningly beautiful guitar! Enjoy it and keep us informed as to how it behaves as it gets older. Good get, Viktorija! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Viktorija your new LP Prophecy is breathtaking.. I just happened to notice this Cherry Sunburst version ain't too bad either.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megafrog Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Congratulations on your new guitar, I hope that you continue to enjoy it for years to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 After two years of research + saving up, I'm overjoyed to finally have my Les Paul Prophecy Custom Plus GX in stunning Cherry Red! Enjoy some photos: Viktorija...... just wondering how you are liking your Prophecy after having it for a while? Also the Prophecy being a 24 fret LP, how playable are the high frets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRom Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 It's just stunning, Congrats! I'm glad to hear it's a great as it looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viktorija Arsic Posted January 2, 2019 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 Viktorija...... just wondering how you are liking your Prophecy after having it for a while? Also the Prophecy being a 24 fret LP, how playable are the high frets? I am absolutely loving my Prophecy since I've had it!!! Seriously, I can't put it down. It's become my go-to guitar. And speaking of which, the neck has really spoiled my hand...this is the most comfortable guitar that I have, and have ever played. Regarding the high frets, they are definitely playable. I find that as I go up the neck, it's as if it kind of molds to my hand y'know? Even if I have large hands (I'm tall, with long fingers...) I find that I can easily have grip and control. I never have to tense my wrists, even if I go up far; I think it's partly because the satin finish is just so comfortable and mostly because the neck profile is perfect (I also have an Epiphone Texan with the Slim Taper D profile and it's my favourite type of neck). The intonation is perfect and I'm amazed how well the guitar stays in tune, even with a lot of bends and even if you're going far up the neck. This is a remarkable guitar, and my opinion only gets better the longer I have it. If you're considering getting this one, I cannot recommend it enough! I hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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