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Lee Malia RD Artisan


Megafrog

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It's nothing to do with Epiphone, he just a troll getting off on the attention. Mommy didn't love him enough or Daddy used to beat him or he was bullied at school or he just feels inadequate because he has no friends. Just ignore him like everybody else in his sad little life does.

 

Good points made. I'm surprised he hasn't been kicked off the forum yet. I'm sure a lot of his posts go against forum rules?

 

Unfortunately it is sitting in back order now. I really want the guitar for the shape and I am a Malia fan. Looking at the Guitar Center website it shows that the current back orders are pushed out to June. I hope that I am not waiting that long.

 

That's a shame about it being pushed back. From your original post I got the impression you already had a Gibson RD and were getting an Epi also to do a comparison? I think I may have read your original post wrong, but all good!

 

I'd never heard of Lee Malia until I saw the LP Artisan they did. I still don't think I've heard any of his playing!

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Good points made. I'm surprised he hasn't been kicked off the forum yet. I'm sure a lot of his posts go against forum rules?

 

 

 

That's a shame about it being pushed back. From your original post I got the impression you already had a Gibson RD and were getting an Epi also to do a comparison? I think I may have read your original post wrong, but all good!

 

I'd never heard of Lee Malia until I saw the LP Artisan they did. I still don't think I've heard any of his playing!

 

You read it correctly. I do have a 2018 Gibson RD 40th anniversary model. I will likely cancel the order and scoop one up on Sam Ash. Seems to be a popular guitar. The Gibson has some significant cosmetic issues so I really suspect it will blow the Gibson away.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

As luck would have it, I acquired an Epiphone Lee Malia Artisan RD and there are pros and cons. First, the fit and finish on the Epiphone is vastly superior to the Gibson. The Gibson fit and finish is not good but the Epi is flawless. There is no neck dive either. As far as electronics go, the Gibson is definitely superior with the active pickups. The P90 on The Malia is super noisy, especially considering the dummy coil and that it is a Gibson pickup. The bridge pickup on the Malia is perfect for Bring Me The Horizon music. If you want to distort the neck pickup, use a noise gate. Pictures will be coming. Hopefully I will be motivated enough to do a YouTube video.

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Interesting.

 

But that is correctable.

 

The Malia is definitely a keeper. I have only had it for a day now so I have done no tinkering with it yet. Overall the quality is very nice. If I had to do it over again, I would still buy both of them.

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Megafrog,

Man, both of your RD's are sharp! I've been thinkinf g about the Epi version, but I know if I got one I would be changing pickups, and would want 2 humbuckers.

Hmmmmmmm............

 

What pickups do you think you would go for on this?

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Very nice set of RD's

 

Replacing the P-94 neck pickup could be a mistake considering its a signature model. With the "Dummy Coil" wired in for noise reduction under the back plate and coil tapping on the Humbucker bridge pickup, the wiring may not be as straight forward as you may be accustomed. All 3 Lee Malia signature guitars are setup this way with a P-94 for the extreme tone variation, not to mention the super hot Humbucker......

 

Lee Malia RD review... https://www.youtube....h?v=_F3ll1QRJuE

Edited by mihcmac
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  • 2 weeks later...

Interesting that the Lee Malia signature guitars seem to be only available from Epiphone..

 

Yes, I wonder why that is? I don't know much about Lee Malia, but in pictures I've seen I like that he plays his signature Epiphone's live. I sometimes find it strange when musicians have signature models but don't play them. I have a Gibson Kirk Douglas SG Custom in my collection from 2013, but I don't recall seeing him play it much (if at all) since having the honour of a signature model. I'm not a fan of The Roots, but I always wanted a late 60's Custom so when I saw his model was coming out back then I had to get it, despite the fact I'd never heard of him. I'd still like an original walnut Custom from the late 60's though.

Edited by cody78
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Yes, I wonder why that is? I don't know much about Lee Malia, but in pictures I've seen I like that he plays his signature Epiphone's live. I sometimes find it strange when musicians have signature models but don't play them. I have a Gibson Kirk Douglas SG Custom in my collection from 2013, but I don't recall seeing him play it much (if at all) since having the honour of a signature model. I'm not a fan of The Roots, but I always wanted a late 60's Custom so when I saw his model was coming out back then I had to get it, despite the fact I'd never heard of him. I'd still like an original walnut Custom from the late 60's though.

I'm not really a fan, his guitars led me to watch a few clips on youtube. He, supposedly, directed Epiphone's build of his signature guitars that came out pretty tasteful. I am more of a progressive metal fan influenced by the Satriani, Vai and Beck generation, but have great respect for anyone that brings something new.

Edited by mihcmac
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Interesting that the Lee Malia signature guitars seem to be only available from Epiphone..

POP_LeeMalia.jpg

 

Love this one....very tempting! [love]

 

Also - the Epi Ltd Ed Les Paul Custom Pro Koa looks nice.

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Gibson introduced Torrefied Composite fingerboards in 2011, its only logical that Epiphone would eventually follow suite as legal rosewood sources get harder to find.

 

Updated Info.......

 

If the Epiphone Spec page states rosewood it probably is. The China factories have more resources for rosewood.

 

On some of the recent Epiphone Spec pages the Fingerboard Material has been left blank.

 

A few of Epiphone's newest models are stating Fingerboard Material is Torrefied Composite.

 

This material use seems has been in development by Gibson for a while.

 

See the Epiphone Products pages and check the Spec's..

 

Check the Gibson Products pages for Fingerboard material..

 

2011 article..... "Gibson Auditions Torrefied Maple for Fretboards"

 

2015 Gibson article ..... "Building a Better Fingerboard" ...Richlite...

2016 Gibson article...."Know Your Fingerboards"....

 

have not seen anyone complaining about the playability of these materials for fingerboards

Edited by mihcmac
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Epi Ltd Ed Les Paul Custom Pro Koa ....

 

[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin]

 

 

Fingerboard Material : Torrefied Composite...

 

Interesting.

Both Anderton's and Thomann UK clearly state on their sites that the fingerboard is rosewood.

 

http://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_les_paul_custom_pro_koa.htm

 

"Fretboard: Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia)"

 

The Epiphone site doesn't say at all as far as I can see.

 

So your point is presumably that it is inferior for this reason?

Ever played one?

Edited by jdgm
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Not a Koa LP though is it?

 

](*,)

 

The Lee Malia Signature Guitars are made of Mahogany with Maple top and Walnut finish. :)

Similar tone on the finish, but a lot of other differences.. Hmmmm the binding may have thrown rev off.

LesPaulLeeMaliaCstm_Splash.jpg

LesPaulCstmPROKOA_Splash.jpg

They're both kinda pretty..

 

 

Edited by mihcmac
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Epi Les Paul Limited Edition Custom Pro Koa .... Incredible ! ...

 

 

[biggrin] [biggrin] [biggrin]

 

 

Fingerboard Material : Torrefied Composite ... check on the Epi website :

 

http://www.epiphone.com/News/Features/2017/Ltd-Ed-Lee-Malia-RD-Custom-Artisan-Outfit.aspx

 

Here is an artisan luthier Gibson Custom, real inlays, hand job and real wood ! B)

 

 

image_10.jpg

Edited by Revolution Six
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