alans056 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hello all! Do any of you guys know if the Epiphone Les Paul Special TV Yellow feels "cheap" and "not good quality" ? And if the Epiphone P90 are any good ? http://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_les_paul_special_sc_tv.htm Because that's what someone told me, and it put me off because I really love the look ! It looks so cool ! :) I have a Epi LP Custom with Gibson pickups which I love, but I would like a lighter guitar with a less "deep" sound if you know what I mean... And the P90 are great :) Thanks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Obscure Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hello all! Do any of you guys know if the Epiphone Les Paul Special TV Yellow feels "cheap" and "not good quality" ? And if the Epiphone P90 are any good ? http://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_les_paul_special_sc_tv.htm Because that's what someone told me, and it put me off because I really love the look ! It looks so cool ! :) I have a Epi LP Custom with Gibson pickups which I love, but I would like a lighter guitar with a less "deep" sound if you know what I mean... And the P90 are great :) Thanks!!! I recently bought one, and after a string change and good setup, it plays wonderfully. It's quality is up to par with the two other Epiphone models I have (Dot and 66 SG), which means it's great for the money. Feels solid, the switches and controls function well, I have no problems with it. It has the P90 sound I was looking for. The pickups sound good through my tube amps and multi fx units. Nice clean sounds and good grit when I need it. The only thing I didn't like was the look of the pickguard, so I took it off. Don't rely on what someone said. Read a lot of reviews (I bought mine from MF) and make your own decision. The color is actually golden in hue, not as TV Yellow as most of the pictures I've seen, and I can see the wood grain through it. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alans056 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Oh thank you! You have very cool guitars :) I as planning on buying Gibson P90 to replace the Epi ones, but you say the stock ones are pretty good then ? Thats good news, it saves money! But maybe you would recommend getting the Gibson ones if I have the opportunity ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hello all! Do any of you guys know if the Epiphone Les Paul Special TV Yellow feels "cheap" and "not good quality" ? And if the Epiphone P90 are any good ? I'm with Charles on this one. I have a red one...same difference. Cheap is such a relative term...(as anyone with cheap relatives knows) Cheap compared to what? If you have spent your life driving Rolls Royce and Ferrari, I suppose a $40,000 what-ever might seem kind of "cheap". Here in the U.S. they go for $300-$400. I like mine. If I had it to do over again, I would buy it again. I also happen to like that style of guitar. The pickups do sound good. Not quite as much bite and depth as Gibson P90s but not far off. Considering that a set of Gibson P90s would cost about half the price of the guitar, they are a fair trade off. I did put a graphtech nut on it and changed the electronics out but, that is just me....I would not say it is necessary. All in all, compared to the Gibson USA Junior Special at $1,300 or the 1960 VOS Custom shop version at $2,500 I consider my Epi version a keeper. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alans056 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Okay thanks thats good to know! So a set of 2 Gibson P90 is 130€. I don't know... I mean I can afford them, but I can't try the guitar so I don't know how the stock sound. Would you recommend me upgrading ? And the neck has screws. How is that different from a neck that is glued ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Okay thanks thats good to know! So a set of 2 Gibson P90 is 130€. I don't know... I mean I can afford them, but I can't try the guitar so I don't know how the stock sound. Would you recommend me upgrading ? And the neck has screws. How is that different from a neck that is glued ? From your own link: EPIPHONE Les Paul Special SC TV Electric Guitar, Mahagony Body, Set in mahogany neck, 2x P-90 Pickup, dot inlays, chrome hardware, colour TV Yellow..... The less expensive Special II has the neck plate with screws and Humbuckers. The P90 version is a set glued neck. It also comes with much better Grover tuners. As to the pickups...only you can decide....I would try the stock ones first...I was quite impressed with them. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alans056 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 I'm sorry I didn't know what "set in neck" meant. Alright the, so it also has grover tuners ! :) I think I will follow your advice and try the stock pickups first. But just to be sure, because I can't test them. What can I expect of Gibson P90 compared to Epi P90 ? EDIT : is the neck thiner than a Les Paul Custom ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Neck first.... I don't have a Custom. I do have an Epi LP Standard. It is an 2005 with the 60's taper neck. I would say the necks are similar. In any case, it is not the heavier 50's style neck (sometimes referred to as the "base ball bat" style) if that is what you are asking. As to the pickups...The amp you play them through will make a bigger difference in the overall sound of the guitar than the difference between the Epi and Gibby P90s. Frankly, unless you are playing through a 60w-120w amp you might not notice that much difference at all. At very loud stage volumes the Gibson P90s will drive an amp and have a more biting sound to it. Even that is no guarantee that it would be a sound you would like. I put some clips up a few weeks back. They were unlabeled clips of two similar guitars. One had Gibson P90s. The other had GFS P90s. You would have been surprised how many people preferred the GFS. Point is, if you decide to buy the guitar...Set it up, play it for a while and then decide what you think about the pickups. I'm guessing you will be happy with them. If not, then go pickup shopping. Gibson P90s are good pickups. So are the Epis. Just keep in mind that they are only 2 of hundreds of pickup makers that are out there. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EpiEric Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Is the neck thiner than a Les Paul Custom ? I have both the TV Yellow Special and an Epi Les Paul Custom and the neck profiles feel pretty similar to me overall. I'll echo what pretty much everyone else has said - the construction of the guitar is fine for the money and the P90s sound like P90s - whether they sound like the "best" P90s you've ever heard is debatable, but I think they have that identifiable P90 character. The only thing I can think of that would make it feel "cheap" compared to a Standard or Custom is that the slimmer body with no carved top makes the guitar feel lighter and less substantial, but not necessarily "cheap." My only complaint is that my 3 way toggle has a little static when switching positions, but I've not taken the time yet to open up the cover and see if it just needs some contact cleaner or to be re-soldered. I'll probably just switch it for a Switchcraft eventually. No big deal there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alans056 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 I see, well my amp is not a tube amp unfortunately. It's a Fender FM212R. I would like a Fender Hot Rod but it's too expensive so I have to stick with that for the moment. I guess it's no point getting Gibson pick ups if I don't have tube amp ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Recently, I have obtained two Epiphone Les Paul's. One is a LP Junior, the other the "TV yellow". The Jr. is a bolt on neck, the "TV" is set. Neither one of these instruments feels "cheap" in any way. I dig both, maybe even preferring the Jr. over the "TV" (it isn't as heavy). They are both well constructed and IMHO very beautiful as well as fine sounding and easy to play guitars. Ya, they are not Gibson's, I don't really care. To me, they are great guitars at a reasonable price. If you want to spend more, get a Gibson. If you want a nice sounding and looking guitar, without the price tag, get the Epiphone. My TV is a super guitar. obligatory pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alans056 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Thanks a lot! Great pictures! Quick question : If you had to choose between getting a Hot Rod Deluxe (current amp is Fender FM212R solidstade...) or the Yellow Les Paul with P90 ? I'm kind of lost. I know the amp is better but I have GAS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Thanks a lot! Great pictures! Quick question : If you had to choose between getting a Hot Rod Deluxe (current amp is Fender FM212R solidstade...) or the Yellow Les Paul with P90 ? I'm kind of lost. I know the amp is better but I have GAS! What guitar(s) do you have right now ? If I already had several guitars and only one amp, I'd get a nice amp (I think the Frontman 212R is a great amp). If I only had a couple guitars, I'd just use the amp I have and get another guitar, or a multi effects pedal/modeler and run it through the Frontman 212 on "clean" as most modelers have tube amp emulations. I guess if you are a purist, you need a Gibson and a tube amp. I'm by no means pure. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alans056 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 I have one guitar, it is a Epi Les Paul Custom which I put Gibson 57 classic inside. It rocks. I am going to get a tubescreamer from Visual Sound to put on the clean chanel. But I have to choose between the Les Paul Yellow, or a new amp (the HRD is the amp my favorite band uses, The Strokes) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 A "TV LP" isn't going to sound or play any better than the guitar you already have. A tube amp might sound somewhat better than your SS amp. The guitar you have now is cool. I guess I'd get a tube amp and just play the nice guitar you already have. decisions, decisions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alans056 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 But P90s are very different from 57 classic, so I would sound different wouldn't it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 If you fiddle with the knobs on the guitar and amp, you can make a variety of "tones" with each rig. The different tones you get from two different pickups can be significantly modified just by turning a few knobs. You already knew that. Some can tell the difference between the two different pickup types, me, not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 The different tones you get from two different pickups can be significantly modified just by turning a few knobs. Pickup height adjustment can also make a moderate difference in the sound. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alans056 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 that's what she said! wahahahaha xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I have the TV yellow special and it's a great guitar, no complaints. But I'd rather have a HRD given a choice between the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alans056 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 You would... hmm. I mean yeah the 212R is getting boring but the guitar looks so nice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Obscure Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 It's funny. I bought this guitar not quite knowing what to expect as far as the color. I've seen pictures of ones that look almost banana yellow (like yours, brianh) and others more like a gold color (like mine). It's hard to figure if it's the photography, or the actual color of the guitar. I was prepared to receive a banana colored, or any other shade of yellow, but I'm glad it turned out they way it did. Which is sort of dark yellow or gold, but thin enough to see the wood grain. If the sun ever shines around here again, I'll try to get some better pics of the color outside. I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm wondering what the rest of you TV Yellow recipients ended up with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alans056 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 So would you pick a Hot Rod Deluxe or the guitar ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Obscure Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 So would you pick a Hot Rod Deluxe or the guitar ? Well, if you need a better amp more than you need another guitar, go for the HRD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 brianh guitar looks like the "banana yellow" version, mine the "mustard yellow with slight grain" version. I like both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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