Question on Les Paul Standard Plain Tops

[PP_CS336]

As a current owner of an Epiphone guitar (Epiphone Sheraton II NA made in 2005 at the Saien, Korea factory

Serial number I05083619) and peruser/commentator on the Epiphone Forum, I know I can get good answers

to questions on Epiphone guitars from many of you folks on the forum. [-X/ . With all your pretty pictures and

about your own GAS, it makes it hard for some of us to refrain from GAS'ing ourselves. I always love reading

and seeing the posts.

 

Anyhow, I've been GAS'ing for some time now, but due to economic circumstances have not been in a good

position to "pull the trigger" as some of y'all (no, I'm not Southern) say. With Mr. G.W. Bush's annoucnement

earlier in the year to give some money back (not TAX return related) to us poor working slobs and receiving my

"Economic Stimulus Payment Notice" from the IRS recently, I've been anxiously awaiting the receipt of my check

up to $600.00 sometime May 2008. Well I stopped at the "Candy Store", a reference I use to one of our

local music distributors, on the way home from a doctor's visit to see what they had in the Epiphone Les Paul

way of guitars (I want to get a solid body guitar now and I like the Epiphone reputation as well as the price).

Man they looked pretty, a whole bunch of them, hangin' up on the wall. I spent hours going through them;

looking them over for flaws, etc., playing them acoustically and playing every single fret to make

sure there were no dead spots. I plugged a couple in and finally decided on a Les Paul Standard Plain Top w/

a Vintage Sunburst finish. It was immaculate and played real sweet both plain and with overdrive. The Serial

Number on it is #EE071007466. My question is which factory in China do the "EE" serial numbers come from?

I also noticed on some of the serial numbers started with "D" or "U". Which Chinese factory are they from?

Comments on the quality rating of the different factories, that you may know of, are appreciated.

 

The price on this baby was sweet, too. $399.99 (MF was listing them at $449.99). So the extra money saved

went toward an Epiphone case made specifically for Les Pauls. That was $79.95. So the whole deal with tax

(8.13% for the Governor which is $39.00) came out to $518.94. I left it there for them to do their one time, free

warranty setup and to raise one of the volume knobs which was recessed a bit. I'll pick it up later this week and

when I get "pics" I'll post it. Since the price was right, I put it on my Capital One Card in good faith that by the

time I get my bill or thereabouts, Uncle Sam will have sent out their Economic Stimulus Payment checks.

 

Thanks ahead of time for answering my questions on the serial number prefixes.

[RotcanX]

EE is Epiphone's own plant in QingDao. EE = Epiphone Electric

 

U is Unsung, Korea

D is probably actually DW, for DeaWon in China.

 

As far as quality goes, it's a bit complex; I lurve EE's G-400s and LP Studios but their LP Standards and Customs tend to be inconsistent quality-wise. For one of those I'd probably look at a DW or an Unsung. However I suggest that you ignore all that and concentrate on picking the guitar that feels and sounds best to you, especially since there's a lot of variance from one example to the next... it's really not possible to generalize too much here.

 

A good place to look on Les Pauls when evaluating the workmanship is around the area where the fingerboard blends into the body; this is where you can see why a Gibson is a Gibson and an Epiphone isn't. Check the quality of the binding and the painting in those areas for flaws.

[PP_CS336]

RotCanX, thanks so much for your input especially on the serial number factory indicators. Yes, I suppose

you're right when you say regarding the quality, "ignore all that and concentrate on picking the guitar

that feels and sounds best to you, especially since there's a lot of variance from one example to the next... it's

really not possible to generalize too much here." I did find quite a variance in the necks and the way they felt.

As some would say, "baseball bats" versus a slimmer tappered neck. Yes, and I also checked the binding on the

body and the neck/fretboard of the guitar as you said. I could feel on some that the frets wer not quite finished/

polished/dressed wahtever to terminology is. I even found on one guitar a "dead spot", as some of you on the

forum phrase it. That's why I played every note on every guitar I tried, that I liked. I wanted to make sure it was

right and not complain about it later. Hey, I'm not spending a boatload of money, as if I was buying a Gibson (and

I've had Gibsons before, so I'm not making a side remark), but what I can now afford to spend I want to get

the best for my dollar, if you know what I mean. Unfortunately, due to circumstances in my past I had to unload

my Gibson and now that I'm looking for a good, affordable guitar, Epiphone seems to be the one in the Gibson-

style model arena.

[bluesstringer]

Paul - I understand what you're saying better than alot could imagine. I've actually had to cut loose of many instruments over the last few months due to "economic" reasons. I have a nat. sheraton as well although mine is a 95 samick.

 

You can find all the info you want about your guitar and all the factories at guitar dater project online but I strongly believe Rot's comments about individual guitars.

 

Epis are no different than any other production model guitars irregardless of when, where or how they are made. there will always be inconsistencies in models. My sayinghas always been, find the guitar that speaks to you, you will know. Good luck bro.

[mrjones200x]

I have a les paul with the serial number starting EE and its from the qingdao plant and its perfect all over. Done the same as you and played every note and sounded great.

 

Have read very good things about that plant and mine is beautifal. cant see how you could improve on the finish, the maple flame top is real nice and the paint work is perfect. the joint is almost invisable so i couldnt see how a gibson could ever match my epi. Only the wood quality may be better but the craftmanshift and finish in unbeatable. also the pickups may be of higher quality too. (not cos there from usa tho) Dont agree with usa stuff being better always, yes more exspensive but some lower cost parts ive had previously have been great.

 

Not slating gibson tho cos they are great but i dont think that better than my epi.

 

My guitar just felt right in the shop. Tried 3 different ones including the slash sig but felt wrong for me this was saying buy me lol.

 

You will know when you know

[PP_CS336]

mrjones2004, thanks for responding to my note. Yes, I like you have read some very good things about the Qingdao

plant. That's one of the reasons I raised the question to begin with. They were saying that the Les Pauls coming

out of that plant had been more consistent in this past year or so as opposed to when they first opened the plant.

The serial number on the one I picked, EE071007466 tells me that it was manufactured in October of 2007, which

is that long ago. Some of the other guitars dated back to 2006 and 2005. I still went with what felt right for me and that was the guitar I ultimately picked out.

 

I was very impressed by the workmanship overall on this guitar. The pickups had the little plastic thingy over it,

which can be pulled off later, that said they were the "Gibson Designed Alnico II" pickups, which weren't designated

as such when I bought my Sheraton II a couple of years ago. They were just desiganted as Humbuckers. I did

notice that the pickups (pups) on the Les Paul were very good. I really can't compare my Sheraton to the Les Paul

though, as the former is a semi-hollow guitar made of maple and the latter is a solid body maghogany guitar with

a maple capped top. I want them sound-wise to be different, otherwise I would not bother having two different types of guitars. Maybe my next guitar, when I'm 100 years old, LOL!!!, will be one with P-90 pickups.

 

Yes, out of all the Les Paul's I tried at the store last Friday, this was the one that spoke to me (I even liked this

one better than a couple of Les Paul Customs they had). This one said, "I'm the one. Take me." The store I bought it at said the setup is all done today and that I can come and pick it up. I'll be going to get her soon. It'll be like picking up a new girlfriend for a date. I hope my Sheri doesn't get jealous. :D/

[RSDx]

...... The store I bought it at said the setup is all done today and that I can come and pick it up. I'll be going to get her soon......

Do not forget - pics, please, sir :D

[FloyDZeD]

I was thinking of buying a plaintop Les Paul with that money as well. Or a Custom. Or a Plus. Or a Black Beauty. Man, why does there have to be so many options?

[PP_CS336]

Do not forget - pics' date=' please, sir :)[/quote']

 

I'd love to do that, but right now my daughter, who has the digital camera, is back at home with her mother. When

she comes back to visit, I'll have her take pictures of my new family addition and post them. I promise; it may take a

couple of weeks though, but I will do it. I know how you guys and gals out there in the Epi owners family love to share pics of you "babies" or "babes", depending how you look at it. LOL!!! Then she can help me download it into Photobucket and then post it for you. Without her, that's an impossibility for me. She's more up on that stuff than

me. Her mother buys her those toys with my support money. What little unexpected gifts I get (like the "Economic

Stimulus Payment" check) goes for my toys, as I seldom get that chance to spend on myself.:D

[mrjones200x]

Like you say i tried a few, one was a les paul slash sig, nice looking but not my sound and neckwas really fat and the custom alpine white looked nice but didnt offer any more than a std except cosmetics.

 

 

Ver happy with my choice. Mine was made in march 2007 and i brought it new from the shop a few weeks ago.

[mrjones200x]

I was thinking of buying a plaintop Les Paul with that money as well. Or a Custom. Or a Plus. Or a Black Beauty. Man' date=' why does there have to be so many options?[/quote']

 

Maybe a slash sig model? Might suit you.

[PP_CS336]

I was thinking of buying a plaintop Les Paul with that money as well. Or a Custom. Or a Plus. Or a Black Beauty. Man' date=' why does there have to be so many options?[/quote']

 

Yeh, all those options makes it tough to make a choice. As the other guys have said, try 'em out then go with

both your heartstrings and of course your pursestrings (can't over extend our credit too much LOL!!!.).

 

Don't forget the extra $60-$80 for a case when you're thinking price.

[PP_CS336]

Bluestringer, you said your Sheraton is an '95 made in Samick. Is that in Japan? How does that compare, if you know, with the ones that are being made today in Korea? My Sheraton II was made at the Saien, Korea factory in August 2005 and it's flawless as far as the finish and cosmetics (fretboard inlays, binding, and tree of life in the headstock) go. Tell me about your Sheraton. Thanks! Paulp

[RotcanX]

Bluestringer' date=' you said your Sheraton is an '95 made in Samick. Is that in Japan?[/quote']

Samick is a Korean company, probably one of the world's largest guitar manufacturers, making their own line as well as building or having built guitars for Epiphone, Hamer, and others. The Les Pauls they made for Epiphone in the early nineties were arguably some of the best to ever sport the Epiphone logo, with alder-topped basswood bodies unlike the ones made today out of Philippine mahogany. Unfortunately they no longer make guitars for Epiphone.

[bluesstringer]

Paulp,

 

Rot described the samick plant well, mine is a natural as well, I specifically looked for one of my Vintage because they had a thinner, flatter neck then than the new ones I've played. The natural is also grainier and a slightly darker natural. Some of the new ones I've seen almost look grey. I have no complaints about the fit, finish or pups. I will soon replace all the wiring, switch, caps, and pots, just to tighten up 13 years of wear. One of these days I'll get around to changing my avatar to a better pic.

 

It has always amaxed me that Samick could make some real good quality stuff for others but I have never played one of their own guitars that I would own as yet. I've played a few of their Les Paul style model, I don't remember the model #, is junk IMHO.

[daneman]

Hey Spud! My 92 Epi Standard says thank you,its been telling me for months that I don't need a Gibson LP..LOL

 

Oh and bluesstringer,you should check out a Samick Artist Series 335 copy. I mod about everything. This one I'm leaving the stock pickups and wiring,just Because it sounds THAT good. Its from 1999,there were 2 on the ebay yesterday.One like mine,and one like Parabar's. Of course these were made before the 'Greg Bennet' era.

 

And fwiw, I have a 2007 EE G-400,and its pretty nice too!!!