brad1 Posted May 24, 2014 Posted May 24, 2014 Usually the "plus" means a nicer finish. My LP Standard Plus is the one in my avatar. It has a flame maple finish on it. But I am not sure about the Tribute model. Quote
crust Posted May 25, 2014 Posted May 25, 2014 A quick Google search shows the Epiphone Les Paul Tribute is sold as a Plus Top style guitar only. As far as I can discover in my short search, Epiphone never made a "plain top" Epiphone Les Paul Tribute electric guitar. Although they are called "Les Paul Tribute" guitars, as far a my searches have shown, all Epiphone "Les Paul Tribute" electric guitars are made with a "plus top" (AAA grade Maple). Or something like that...lol PRODUCT FEATURES Vintage deep-set glued in neck Carved hard maple top Gibson USA '57 Classic™ humbuckers Push/pull series parallel switching Resonant mahogany body with Classic Les paul design Upgraded hard maple cap and AAA flame maple veneer Gibson USA '57 Classic humbuckings with series/parallel switching Grover locking tuning machines Hardshell case included SPECIFICATIONS Body Material mahogany Top Material Carved Hard maple Neck mahogany Neck Options 1960s SlimTaper™Neck Join tVintage "Deep Set" glued-in Dimension s24.75" scale Nut width1.68" Fingerboard rosewood with pearloid trapezoid inlays with 22 medium jumbo frets Fingerboard radius12" Pickups Gibson USA '57 Classic Humbucker 4-wire (neck) and Gibson USA '57 Classic Plus Humbucker, 4-wire (bridge)Controls Switchcraft 3-way pickup selector, Neck Pickup Volume, Bridge Pickup Volume, Neck Pickup Tone (push/pull/series parallel), Bridge Pickup Tone (push/pull/series parallel) Binding Fingerboard 1 ply, cream Bridge Locktone Tune-o-matic™/Stopbar Hardware Nickel Machine Heads Grover® Locking Rotomatic 106 Series 18:1 Tuners More comments ? Quote
byrds1965 Posted May 25, 2014 Posted May 25, 2014 A quick Google search shows the Epiphone Les Paul Tribute is sold as a Plus Top style guitar only. As far as I can discover in my short search, Epiphone never made a "plain top" Epiphone Les Paul Tribute electric guitar. Although they are called "Les Paul Tribute" guitars, as far a my searches have shown, all Epiphone "Les Paul Tribute" electric guitars are made with a "plus top" (AAA grade Maple). Or something like that...lol PRODUCT FEATURES Vintage deep-set glued in neck Carved hard maple top Gibson USA '57 Classic™ humbuckers Push/pull series parallel switching Resonant mahogany body with Classic Les paul design Upgraded hard maple cap and AAA flame maple veneer Gibson USA '57 Classic humbuckings with series/parallel switching Grover locking tuning machines Hardshell case included SPECIFICATIONS Body Material mahogany Top Material Carved Hard maple Neck mahogany Neck Options 1960s SlimTaper™Neck Join tVintage "Deep Set" glued-in Dimension s24.75" scale Nut width1.68" Fingerboard rosewood with pearloid trapezoid inlays with 22 medium jumbo frets Fingerboard radius12" Pickups Gibson USA '57 Classic Humbucker 4-wire (neck) and Gibson USA '57 Classic Plus Humbucker, 4-wire (bridge)Controls Switchcraft 3-way pickup selector, Neck Pickup Volume, Bridge Pickup Volume, Neck Pickup Tone (push/pull/series parallel), Bridge Pickup Tone (push/pull/series parallel) Binding Fingerboard 1 ply, cream Bridge Locktone Tune-o-matic™/Stopbar Hardware Nickel Machine Heads Grover® Locking Rotomatic 106 Series 18:1 Tuners More comments ? The first run of the Tribute1960s had a plain top = no flame veneer. I bought one of the first run in faded cherry I can say for a fact identical to the "Plus" model. I bought a wine red Plus Top and had both guitars at the same time. I sold the Faded Cherry Burst off as I wanted red in the first place and when the Plus Tops came out with that color option bought one. Same identical guitars minus the flame top. 57s, malloy caps, push pull pots, locking tuners.............identical. Quote
crust Posted May 25, 2014 Posted May 25, 2014 The first run of the Tribute1960s had a plain top = no flame veneer. I bought one of the first run in faded cherry I can say for a fact identical to the "Plus" model. I bought a wine red Plus Top and had both guitars at the same time. I sold the Faded Cherry Burst off as I wanted red in the first place and when the Plus Tops came out with that color option bought one. Same identical guitars minus the flame top. 57s, malloy caps, push pull pots, locking tuners.............identical. When did you get the "first run plain top" ? How long ago ? If that was the only run of "plain top" Tributes, your guitar may be a guitar that not a lot of were made, maybe. Got a pic, of both ? Quote
EpiNova95 Posted May 26, 2014 Posted May 26, 2014 The 1960 Tribute (plain top) had a 14" fretboard radius, specs for the current Tribute Plus say 12". The pre-Plus model had different color options as well (e.g. no midnight sapphire). It is confusing because the Epiphone website seems to pretend this guitar never existed....it doesn't show up under Out of Production, and only the current model is featured as the Les Paul Tribute Plus Outfit. The earlier plaintops were specifically sold as "1960 tribute". Even though the trussrod cover on the Plus says 1960, it isn't officially part of the model's name. And of course neither is to be confused with the "1960Les Paul Standard" they did a few years back. A google search for something like "epiphone les Paul 1960 tribute -plus" will return some dealer pages of the discontinued plaintop, forum threads, and reviews. Quote
crust Posted May 26, 2014 Posted May 26, 2014 The 1960 Tribute (plain top) had a 14" fretboard radius, specs for the current Tribute Plus say 12". The pre-Plus model had different color options as well (e.g. no midnight sapphire). It is confusing because the Epiphone website seems to pretend this guitar never existed....it doesn't show up under Out of Production, and only the current model is featured as the Les Paul Tribute Plus Outfit. The earlier plaintops were specifically sold as "1960 tribute". Even though the trussrod cover on the Plus says 1960, it isn't officially part of the model's name. And of course neither is to be confused with the "1960Les Paul Standard" they did a few years back. A google search for something like "epiphone les Paul 1960 tribute -plus" will return some dealer pages of the discontinued plaintop, forum threads, and reviews. it is confusing...lol Quote
capmaster Posted May 26, 2014 Posted May 26, 2014 The 1960 Tribute (plain top) had a 14" fretboard radius, specs for the current Tribute Plus say 12". The pre-Plus model had different color options as well (e.g. no midnight sapphire). It is confusing because the Epiphone website seems to pretend this guitar never existed....it doesn't show up under Out of Production, and only the current model is featured as the Les Paul Tribute Plus Outfit. The earlier plaintops were specifically sold as "1960 tribute". Even though the trussrod cover on the Plus says 1960, it isn't officially part of the model's name. And of course neither is to be confused with the "1960Les Paul Standard" they did a few years back. A google search for something like "epiphone les Paul 1960 tribute -plus" will return some dealer pages of the discontinued plaintop, forum threads, and reviews. This might happen when researching for Limited Edition, Limited Run, or Special Run guitars. It is the case with two Gibson Les Paul guitars of mine, too, and they even never appeared on the Gibson website. Same may apply to many factory special request instruments of several brands, made exclusively for a certain dealer or retail chain. E. g. the Epiphone Negative Series made for the Canadian Long & McQuade shops belong here. Quote
capmaster Posted May 26, 2014 Posted May 26, 2014 Usually the "plus" means a nicer finish. My LP Standard Plus is the one in my avatar. It has a flame maple finish on it. But I am not sure about the Tribute model. Seems correct to me. The "Plus Outfit" of the current Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus Outfit obviously refers to the top veneer. Veneers on multipiece backs are common also on other Epiphones coming stock with translucent or transparent finishes. Quote
EpiNova95 Posted May 26, 2014 Posted May 26, 2014 Yep my 2013 Plus has a back veneer. The seam can barely be seen looking at the back edge. Quote
byrds1965 Posted May 26, 2014 Posted May 26, 2014 When did you get the "first run plain top" ? How long ago ? If that was the only run of "plain top" Tributes, your guitar may be a guitar that not a lot of were made, maybe. Got a pic, of both ? Sorry no pic of both. The necks felt the same a shallow fat/wide D shape to them. I think my Cherry Burst was a 2010 or 2011? My wine red one is a 2012. My dealer had the 1960 Cherry Burst in the back room new in box never opened or on the floor. He cut me a good deal as it was from the first run and the dealer knew and had ordered and had on the floor the "Plus" with the flame tops, so could not move the plain tops he had ordered as the new ones with the flame looked "better" no wine red though so took the great deal on the unopened Cherry Burst. Then after buying the Cherry Burst found a wine red listed as a return on one of the major onlines and took a chance and ordered as figured if problems would just box up and return. The wine red showed up in mint condition and do not know why was listed as used. So had both at the same time and for awhile the Cherry Burst got left at our practice space but then realized I was keeping the wine red at home and getting no use so sold the Cherry Burst and the wine red to practice and my Gibson gold top stays home. Nice guitar both of them. Both necks felt the same regardless of the specs...........so. I actually kind of wish I had held onto the Cherry Burst as I did like that finish in a plain top rather than the flame they offer it in now. The wine red however looks best to me with the flames. Quote
Richy_Boy Posted August 5, 2017 Posted August 5, 2017 Just stumbled on this thread - here's a picture of an Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute (non-top) model: I stumbled on this by accident on Gumtree (I'm in UK) for £305 and snapped it up. Not seen another 'non-top' model for sale - though not been looking that hard. Not sure if they're rarer than the top models, it seems trends changed soon after the launch of the Tribute model and they quite quickly switched to adding a veneer. Some more random pictures.. Just for completeness, the nearest to this in the 'top' range is the faded cherry sunburst, I believe: Richard Quote
capmaster Posted August 5, 2017 Posted August 5, 2017 Welcome here, Richard! Very nice Les Paul! HNGD and happy playing! Quote
Davieboy Posted October 17, 2020 Posted October 17, 2020 (edited) Gibson makes a tribute and epi does tribute plus because of the pups.they use 57s for neck and 57 plus for bridge I believe Edited October 17, 2020 by Davieboy typos Quote
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