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'56 Ebony LP at MF for $299


tulsaslim

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Heh ... yeah' date=' it used to be $499.00 .... that's how I got my honeyburst +top......they wanted $549.00 for just the guitar, (and still do, I believe), but only charged $499 for the guitar and lil amp and assorted crap. It sounded good at the time - was an even better deal, seeings as how much they bumped the price (somebody obviously mispriced the "value pack" originally, and it was sold that way for about 3 months...LOL) I actually was expecting a plaintop at the $499 deal, but it turned out twas the +top :-[/quote']

 

That's how I got my Plus Top too. I'm not surprised to find out they jacked up the price on that value-pack. It never did make sense why the value-pack would be $50 less than the guitar by itself. I'm glad they didn't do a bait-and-switch for a lesser guitar or not honour the posted price when I ordered.

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Wow, thanks again tulsaslim. Got this guitar yesterday and proceeded to thoroughly check it out. Neck had .006" relief so I left it alone and cleaned up the fretboard with lemon oil and put on some D'Addario 10's, then set the action to 3/64 and 5/64. This thing is really sweet, just a killer deal for $300. Workmanship is just great all around. I don't have the experience to tell much about the P90's other than they surely sound different than the Burstbuckers in my Gibson LPVM, but I like them. I'm not doing another thing to it other than play the wheels off of it. I'd better hide it from my 14 year old or he'll surely try to steal it from me!

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I've been going through the same hell with MF that sjhill9859 went through. I have been trying to get a decent 56 Goldtop or Ebony 56 since December 19th, 2007. I would have given up already if it wasn't for the no interest for one year on the MF Platinum card.

 

The first Goldtop I got was unplayable above the 15th fret due to high frets. A straight edge rocked like a see-saw! It also had gold paint on the fretboard and scratches from bouncing around inside the larger box with NO packing material! Sent it back.

 

The second goldtop was better on the high frets but had horrible buzz on the 5th and 6th strings and black specks in the clearcoat. Sent it back. Two weeks later I get another Goldtop and it is the SAME GUITAR I JUST RETURNED! WTF!

I call them and they tell me that is impossible, they never send back returns, they go to their warehouse store.Well I wrote down the serial number and I remember every detail of the guitar and it was the SAME ONE!(a supervisor finally admitted it was the same guitar a couple of weeks later)

 

Now I decide maybe I'll try the Ebony 56. I get that in another 2 weeks and it has clearly been played before. The plastic over the pickups is gone, the pickup screws have been raised and and the truss rod cover that says "56 Gold Top" has been painted over black, and the fret edges had been bevelled so badly the were 1/32" away from the first string on the lower frets!Sent it back.

 

I get another Ebony a couple of weeks latter and, you guessed it, it is the SAME GUITAR AGAIN with no packing paper in the box again!I call and get a supervisor who tracks it and admits it's the same guitar and they'll do a pre return and send me another before this one gets back.

 

A week later I get another Ebony, unplayable on the high frets again. Back it went. Also I've noticed that the Ebony necks don't feel as nice as the goldtops and the guitar feels lighter too. I decide I've had enough of the Ebony's and decide to get a goldtop again. You probably think I'm insane by now,LOL.

 

I just want to get one like the one I should have bought at GC last fall. Went back a few days after playing it and it was gone. All the others I've tried at GC since have had the same fret issues.

 

So a couple of weeks later the Goldtop arrives. I open the box and just one sheet of packing paper. Not a good sign. I open the inner box and low and behold the nut is chipped at the 6th string. Luckily I make my own nuts, and these come with the strings so high in the slots that I figure if it plays well I'll just file down the top when I lower the strings at the nut. The guitar plays GREAT after a quick setup. I'm thrilled that I finally got a pretty decent one. I go to give it a real good once over, the Finnish is FLAWLESS, great! Then I get up to the nut and look on the sides of the neck. Two hairline cracks on either side of the nut right at the headstock. Must have been caused by the blow that chipped the nut. I call and get a supervisor again and finally blow my top! I'm a patient guy but I've about had enough!

 

The supervisor admits to some serious issues with their shipping dept and shoddy packing procedures. He says he will get another out next day air. The only problem is they are now out of stock. So me return will be back at their warehouse, on April 2nd so I will probably be getting that back in a couple of days!

 

This has been the worst experience I've ever had with anything mail order. I've been ordering from MF since they opened in 1983 and they were great then, but have really gone down hill in the last few years.

 

My wife thinks I'm nuts to continue with this, but I know how a good Epi 56 Goldtop can play and I'm determined to get one! I've already made 3 payments on the MF card for it and still don't have the guitar! I got the case though!

 

I've yet to find a good one at GC, plus I need to do the no interest payment plan as cash is tight right now, other wise I would have been done with MF a while ago.

 

Hopefully the next one will be it! I'll let you know!

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WOW! [-o< Who would have thought it could be so difficult! Especially the fact that they sent you the item you had just returned TWICE. Unbelievable.

 

I hope you have the name of this supervisor so that next time you want a guitar you can talk to him (I'm sure he'll remember you) and say, "Ok, you made my life hell last time, what are you going to do this time to prevent me from buying this guitar from GC?"

 

I guess I was lucky with mine. I bought it sight-unseen from GC's website and it arrived virtually flawless. Just shows how hit-or-miss these guitars can be sometimes...

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Sure thing Eric! Here ya' go....It's interesting that it still has the "56 Gold Top" TRC on it.

 

Thanks! Looks like a nice one. I always thought that the TRC was kind of odd, too, but I guess Epi considers it the model regardless of color.

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MTA, I believe everything you say but I've been buying guitars from MF for about 5 years & although I've had to send a couple of them back (with no hassles) I've never experienced anything like you did. I woulda reamed every supervisor in the place a new one! Man, that sucks about as bad as it gets.

 

One observation I have made, however, is that EVERY Asian-made guitar I've bought (about 25 of them) has needed fret leveling. EVERY ONE. That's Epi, Fender, Ibanez, Switch, and probably a couple I've forgotten. This is SOP. The only guitars I've bought in the last 5 years that didn't need fret leveling were my Gibson DC Pro, one of my elitist Dots (set up by Sweetwater) and one of my MIM telecasters (just the luck of the draw, I'm sure). There is no excuse for the other stuff, however. The last one I sent back (a MIM tele, too) had a broken pickup switch- the result of a piss-poor minimum-wage packer not doing his job & a couple of UPS drivers who were practicing their shot-putting skills.

 

I've seen jacks that fell off the first time you plugged in a cord, tuning pegs so loose you'd be surprised they even stayed on the guitar, knobs so tight they scratched the guitar finish underneath, and other issues I couldn't blame on MF. Poor quality control by Epi, plain & simple.

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tulsaslim, I don't blame MF at all for the finish and paint problems. Definitely not their fault, Epi's quality control for sure.

 

I was even expecting to have to send one or two back as I've read about the hit or miss to get a good one. My experience at GC has proven that's the case too!

 

The sending the same guitars back was insane though. That and the Ebony 56 that someone had painted over the truss rod cover and filed the fret edge bevels to the extreme was too much! Then they tell you they never send out any returns. Yea, right. I got 2 of my own and the Ebony 56 was clearly a return.I was glad I got an honest sup who admitted it and admitted to some serious issues in their shipping dept. Just a little more care in that dept and a lot of these issues could be avoided.I've order from MF for 25 years and had nothing but the higest praise until this fiasco!

 

I would have a VERY VERY NICE Goldtop now if the packing would have been better on the last one. It's finish was absolutely flawless, neck felt great!

 

On the fret issues, I agree with you. Even the nice one I just got with the hairline cracks needed a fret level and crown as it had some minor buzz on the 5th and 6th string,but by far the best fret work yet!It was going to my local luthier the next day for the fret work and a Bigsby installation for those Neil Young tones, if I hadn't found the headstock cracks.

 

This one was made in July 2007 and was clearly better made then the earlier ones that were made in November 2006 and January 2007. They must have worked out most of the kinks at the Qingdao plant.

 

Some of the other ones were completely unplayable over the 15th fret. Notes would fret out and go completely dead, not just buzz.

 

I hope the next one will be packed properly and have no major issues, as I HAVE TO HAVE ONE OF THESE, LOL!

 

I'll let you know how I make out.

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Hi All,

 

A big thanks again to tulsaslim for the heads up on this great deal! I'm short on time so I am copying and pasting my "review" as posted in the harmony central forum:

 

A slightly early birthday present from my wife...an Ebony '56 "Gold" Top. MF had them at ridiculous price (think they still might by phone only). I like the guitar quite a bit. It did come with a good amount of scratches on the pickguard and a small gouge on the side of the bridge pickup. Otherwise it seems fine. It feels quite a bit lighter than my other Epi Les Paul. Pickups sound really nice. I, like a lot of folks on here, think the Epi p90's on the Gold Tops sound great...these will be staying.

 

Oh there is one other thing, the bridge pickup is about 1/8 or so higher on the high E side....I think it should higher on the low E....is this right? I seem to recall someone on HC offering advice on adjusting p90's? If that person or anyone else can advise me on this I'd appreciate it as I am trying to learn to set up my own guitars.

 

It was dusty as hell under the pickguard, so I removed it to clean it up and I think I like it better without it. Here are the pics:

 

56c.jpg

 

56b.jpg

 

56d.jpg

 

56e.jpg

 

56A.jpg

 

Robert

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zerostreet, I checked my bridge pickup and it too sits higher on the high E side, but not as badly as yours, a little under 1/10" higher. Can't see any way to adjust it either. I didn't notice at first. I wonder if we will have to turn the pickup around to correct it? Or just fuggedaboudit?

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I have been in love with the LES PAULS since my very first concert. I have always said I will have one before I die. I always thought I would hold out until I could afford a Gibson but I finally gave up and in last month and decided at least I can start with a Epi LPS and learn to play it first and then buy a 2nd LP. Really want a LP Goldtop. Anyway, I am such a rookie on all the hardware and the best components to have on a Epi LPS. How do I know if I have p90's on it. I bought from a private party. Its in perfect condition, probably 2 yrs old in HoneyBurst. I really like Rock and Roll and listen to alot of Rush, Neil Young, ect.. If I were to upgrade the components to get better sound out of it, what would I change on it??? I am sorry to bother you lucky folks that have owned LPs for awhile and know it all. I need a little help if someone has time. Also what small portable amp do you suggest to buy for it??? My daughter gave me a Fender Frontman 15G for birthday. I had planned on buying the Marshall MG15CDR 15w portable amp. It runs around $150. Any suggestions on the MOST Sound and Options from an Amp in the $150 to $200 range?

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I have been in love with the LES PAULS since my very first concert. I have always said I will have one before I die. I always thought I would hold out until I could afford a Gibson but I finally gave up and in last month and decided at least I can start with a Epi LPS and learn to play it first and then buy a 2nd LP. Really want a LP Goldtop. Anyway, I am such a rookie on all the hardware and the best components to have on a Epi LPS. How do I know if I have p90's on it. I bought from a private party. Its in perfect condition, probably 2 yrs old in HoneyBurst. I really like Rock and Roll and listen to alot of Rush, Neil Young, ect.. If I were to upgrade the components to get better sound out of it, what would I change on it??? I am sorry to bother you lucky folks that have owned LPs for awhile and know it all. I need a little help if someone has time. Also what small portable amp do you suggest to buy for it??? My daughter gave me a Fender Frontman 15G for birthday. I had planned on buying the Marshall MG15CDR 15w portable amp. It runs around $150. Any suggestions on the MOST Sound and Options from an Amp in the $150 to $200 range?

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See the line of screws in the center of the P-90 pickups in this Blueshawk?

 

73bf9851.jpg

 

compared to the humbuckers in this ES-137 and screws to one edge of the pickup?

 

eb20433a.jpg

 

That's how you tell, and as long as you are happy with the sound, peace be upon thee, brother, but I strongly recommend learning more than how to tell pickups apart before you start changing them. Its easy to spend money and not be any closer to "better sound" than when you started, just different.

 

And Epi's Valve Junior Combo, or the Blackheart Combo, for best value in terms of sound for the money, and a pedal or three to dial in on the sound you want. Much, MUCH better sound than anything in the entire MG series.

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zerostreet' date=' I checked my bridge pickup and it too sits higher on the high E side, but not as badly as yours, a little under 1/10" higher. Can't see any way to adjust it either. I didn't notice at first. I wonder if we will have to turn the pickup around to correct it? Or just fuggedaboudit?[/quote']

 

There are 2 screws on the pickup that adjust height. I'm taking the advice of the last poster...it sounds great so I'm leaving it as!

 

Robert

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