Les Paul 60's Tribute Plus Surprise

[Quietly]

My last Epiphone was Korean Sheraton and many, many guitars later I have just purchased a second hand Les Paul 60's Tribute Plus made in October 2014 or there abouts. OK I have owned and played Gibson Les Paul Standards also a Gibson Les Paul GT and wasn't expecting much from the Epiphone. Surprise Surprise. What a superb guitar to play.

I am certainly not knocking Gibson but I am more than impressed that a Chinese made guitar can get even close to its American cousin. How close? well considering I paid €350 including delivery for this guitar and 2014 Gibson Les Paul Standard sells for around €1,900 it is mega close LOL.

 

The previous owner had a scratch plate fitted and that was the only change made to the guitar.

 

Here is a video of me staggering around the fret board :-

 

Here are some photographs of the guitar :- http://s2.photobucket.com/user/Greenplums/library/Gerry%20Epiphone%20Les%20Paul%2060s%20Tribute%20Plus?sort=3&page=1

 

Oh the Flame

[SG player]

The piece above the neck pickup on a 22 fret SG (tenon cover) is a separate piece from the pickguard. I would think that a standard pickguard would fit just fine.

 

 

You' ve got what you pay for, a Gibson copy . Not a bad guitar for newbies.

[Quietly]

You' ve got what you pay for, a Gibson copy . Not a bad guitar for newbies.

 

 

 

 

Been playing for over 50 years my friend owned and played Gibsons, Gretsches, Hamers, Tom Anderson etc not an expert but I reckon I know a good guitar when I see and play one. Sure it is not up with any of those but for the price it is one hell of a good guitar and value for money it certainly is.

[capmaster]

It doesn't come as a surprise to me. My Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus is a fantastic guitar.

 

There are five Gibson Les Paul guitars in my arsenal, three of them weight-relieved, but for several songs I prefer the Epi. It doesn't matter that her body is made of five pieces and top as well as back are veneered. It isn't audible, and she has been just a fourth to a sixth of the price!

[Quietly]

My Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus is a fantastic guitar. There are five Gibson Les Paul guitars in my arsenal, three of them weight-relieved, but for several songs I prefer the Epi. It doesn't matter that her body is made of five pieces and top as well as back are veneered. It isn't audible, and she has been just a fourth to a sixth of the price!

 

Thanks and yes it certainly is. Mine has a two piece body so I am not sure why the put the veneer on the back but many Gibson LP's with a painted back have more than one piece bodies. My red Gibson Les Paul GT had a three piece body as you could see the joins under the paint and it sounded superb unfortunately I stuck to the Nitro like a fly to paper. LOL

Also had a Musicman Reflex with a three piece body and that really was a tone machine (Not sure why I ever sold that one).

[capmaster]

I don't know if that is common, but all the transparently finished Epiphone LPs I saw in person were five-piece as has been visible on the sides. I selected all of my Gibson LPs for having one-piece bodies. The two-piece ones I compared to them before purchase weren't any better, and so I preferred going the one-piece route then.

 

All of my other guitars like SGs, L6Ses, Teles and Strats are multi-piece, partly two, partly three.

[Quietly]

I don't know if that is common, but all the transparently finished Epiphone LPs I saw in person were five-piece as has been visible on the sides. I selected all of my Gibson LPs for having one-piece bodies. The two-piece ones I compared to them before purchase weren't any better, and so I preferred going the one-piece route then.

 

All of my other guitars like SGs, L6Ses, Teles and Strats are multi-piece, partly two, partly three.

 

Definitely a two piece body on this, well three piece if you count the veneer as being another piece.Also had a Tokai LC98S made in Japan that when I removed the paint had a three piece body and top. Pictures here http://s2.photobucke...n?sort=3&page=1 Sounded superb but I really do not want to get into the one piece body sounds better than a two piece or three as I do not believe it makes any difference to the sound. If the wood grain is visible then certainly a one piece looks better but like I said I am not convinced it will sound any better.

[Pinch]

Quitely: what can I say... Grats?

 

I love my Epi LP. I too have been playing for ages, and I've played quite a few Gibson Pauls that sucked in comparison.

 

Epiphone has upped their game. If I were a betting man, I'd say we're looking at a 20% price increase next year. The old Epiphones have nothing on the old ones.

[Pete B]

You' ve got what you pay for, a Gibson copy . Not a bad guitar for newbies.

 

Who are you quoting and wtf are you on about?

 

As you don't like Epi's in general piss off back to the gibson forum

[Pin]

Who are you quoting and wtf are you on about?

 

As you don't like Epi's in general piss off back to the gibson forum

 

I wondered the same. It was a rather presumptuous comment to say the least.

 

Good luck Quietly with your Epi Les Paul.

 

I had a Tribute Plus but sold it on. No doubt they are great guitars. The only reason I sold it was that it just wasn't getting played and I thought that criminal for such a good guitar. So it went to a young teenager and I was pleased about that as it'll get the play it deserves.

[Pinch]

Pete: heh :D

 

The eternal Gibson vs. Epiphone question rears its head again... You've no doubt heard it before, but here we go again:

 

If I love a guitar, I love a guitar. Like the OP, I'm no longer wet behind the ears. If it's really cheap as well, it's a bonus. But I wouldn't shell out ten bucks for a guitar that I didn't like. Even if it was practically free.

 

The guy's happy with his new guitar. We should be happy for him.

 

Awrite, m'loves?

[kidblast]

calm down now boys,,.. lets not get the torches and the ropes.;

 

perhaps it's true that some folks do no realize that in the last 5 years or so, the quality and consistency of the imports

 

I too have I've been playing (for anyone who wants to count) just a year shy of 50 years, and had many guitars pass thru my hands in that time, so i also know when something is good and when it sucks.

 

My son purchased an Epi tribute LP last year, he mostly has it on hand as a studio player in case it's needed, he dabbles a bit, but he's NOT a player. (he plays drums, and he's extremely good) anyway I set this one up for him, and honestly, it's an excellent guitar

 

this past November, picked up a Sheraton Pro II, my second one actually, had a mid 90s sherry, but I offed, just wasn't doing it for me. The 2015 is awesome. I use it a lot and it sounds great and plays great.

 

I own a Swingster, a Regent and a Broadway as well. no complaints at all, In fact, I love all of them.. they play great, they sound great, fit and finish is spot on. I also have a 2004 Elitist Chet Atkins, but that's something else entirely as those were (mostly) hand crafted in Japan.

 

 

Granted, I've NEVER played an L5,. and I'm quite sure had I, I'd be smitten, but here's the problem, they are $10k... the Broadway, under a grand, is it 10x less the guitar? a 335 is about 4k, the sherry 800 bucks... are the Gibby's REALLY THAT much better to justify 5x to 10x the cost? I do not believe so.

[charlie brown]

Enjoy your new Epi! They are one of the best "bang for the buck" guitar companies out there!

 

For some folks, "Only a Gibson is Good Enough!" For other's it doesn't matter a damn! What matters,

is that YOU love it, knowing, appreciating, and accepting the differences, and just PLAY it! Gibson

(unfortunately), did a great job of "maginalizing" Epiphone, in 1970, by shipping production to "Asia."

And, that marginalized "attitude" is still being felt. But, probably a lot less so, nowadays?

 

The overall quality of Epi's has risen, pretty steadily, since they built their dedicated factories, in China.

Previously, a lot of Epi's were (mostly) re-branded Samick's. So, they had the Samick body style, etc.

With the newer (dedicated to only Epiphone) factories, their spec's went back to more "Gibson" or original

"Kalamazoo" Epiphone like spec's. The quality of the electronic components has risen steadily, as well.

So, today's "Chinese" and Indonesian, and (especially) Japanese (Elitist) Epi's are among the best ever made.

Especially, at their various price points!

 

Enjoy!

 

CB

[Pinch]

I actually really enjoy threads like these.

 

Because we'll never come to a conclusion, will we?

[kidblast]

I actually really enjoy threads like these.

 

Because we'll never come to a conclusion, will we?

 

 

probably never...

[Quietly]

I actually really enjoy threads like these.

 

Because we'll never come to a conclusion, will we?

 

The only conclusion I have come to is that the old proverb of "Every Village Has One" is true and I do not refer to you LOL. I refer to the poster who clearly dislikes Epi's but posts on their forum.

 

Never intended to start a Gibson vs Epi rant as clearly a Gibson is a Gibson period. Just purchased this guitar out of curiosity and it looked so good. The surprise for me is that it plays and sounds as good as it looks.

 

Which in my book makes for one hell of a value for money guitar.

 

Greg can pretty much make any guitar sing but is normally playing very high end guitars great Vid and comments.

Another Greg appears to like them as well his comment "A lot of bang for the buck" was what I was trying to say.

 

Enjoy Quietly

[merciful-evans]

Hi Quietly,

 

Glad you are enjoying that lovely LP Tribute+

 

I watched the video and enjoyed your playing & sound.

HOWEVER, I am confused. Early on the text flashed up "NECK PICKUP TURNED TO 0", but you had the neck pickup selected. So how come you had a signal? It should have been silent right?

[Quietly]

Hi Quietly,

 

Glad you are enjoying that lovely LP Tribute+

 

I watched the video and enjoyed your playing & sound.

HOWEVER, I am confused. Early on the text flashed up "NECK PICKUP TURNED TO 0", but you had the neck pickup selected. So how come you had a signal? It should have been silent right?

 

Whoops I'll alter that I am referring to the tone knob not the volume. Thanks for the listen and look. Just checked it says "NECK PICKUP TONE TURNED TO 0".