JefferySmith Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I keep reading that the action of the Gibson Les Paul Custom is legendary. Do any of you have the Epiphone version of this guitar, and is the action any better than other epiphones in its price range? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Not really. Even the genuine Gibson LP Custom can no longer be referred to as the 'fretless wonder' since they no longer install the ultra-flat jumbo frets that they used to... current LP Customs have pretty much the same action as a Standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Not really. Even the genuine Gibson LP Custom can no longer be referred to as the 'fretless wonder' since they no longer install the ultra-flat jumbo frets that they used to... current LP Customs have pretty much the same action as a Standard. Damn. I looked at a few Mosrites in the late 60's, and their fretwire was so friggin' flat, it couldn't have been more than 1/32". It probably was strung with 12's, but I have never seen such low action. With the only true SHORT SCALE electric guitar out there being the Rickenbacker 325, preposterously low action is hard to come by. I'd buy the 325, but its connection to John Lennon makes it a $3,000 guitar when it should be a $1,000 guitar. I've thought about picking up a Jaguar at 24" (that's pretty long scale to me), but I read horror stories about the condition the Jaguars are in when they reach the customer (loose truss rods rattling in the neck, incredibly high action, terrible setup, etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfalkens Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I recently bought a Fender Jaguar HH (CIJ). I love it. It is the best playing guitar that I ever had. I had a 2001 Gibson SG Classic and a Epiphone '57 Reissue Les Paul Junior. Sold them both. Now the only guitar that I have is the Jag. Do yourself a favor... Go down to a Guitar Center or local music shop and play the Jaguar HH. You may be surprised, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I read horror stories about the condition the Jaguars are in when they reach the customer (loose truss rods rattling in the neck' date=' incredibly high action, terrible setup, etc.).[/quote']That all falls under 'bad set-up'... which can happen to any guitar. No reason to turn your back on all Jags just because a couple were shipped with a bad set-up... especially since it sounds like a little tweak on the truss rod would get it right in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Thanks guys. The Jag is still on my short list, and I'll give the GC a visit this weekend. I craved a Jag in 1965, and there is still a bit of coveting in me. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfalkens Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 The Jaguar HH is a Humbucker version and does not have the goofy (IMO) whammy beach sound at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansmitchell Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I think the ones that use that new "plunker" robot thing have crazy low action... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbirchett Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Doesn't the Byrdland still have a sub 24" scale? Crazy expensive tho', even in the Elitist form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 Doesn't the Byrdland still have a sub 24" scale? Crazy expensive tho'' date=' even in the Elitist form.[/quote'] Yep, and I have two of them. But I'm looking for something that will fit on the sofa with me and still allow my faithful dog to join me. The Byrdland is most comfortable when sitting in a chair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 It took me about a week to figure out what was so great about my Gibson LP DC Pro when I finally noticed that the frets were the 'short narrow' variety. Absolutely love 'em. I plan on getting my guitars with 'large jumbo' frets either filed down considerably or replaced altogether with the short ones. To me, those large jumbo frets are like putting speed bumps on a drag strip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron G Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Please educate the ignorant (me): What are the "advantages" of a short scale guitar? One thing that seems fairly obvious would be for those with smaller hands. But what else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 Please educate the ignorant (me): What are the "advantages" of a short scale guitar? One thing that seems fairly obvious would be for those with smaller hands. But what else? The string tension is far less, which makes it possible for someone with weak hands to play. But you can't use light strings or they cause fret buzz. So what I do is use 11's and lower the action as much as possible. I have weak hands due to myasthenia gravis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Not only that but light gauge strings won't intonate properly on a short scale neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 It took me about a week to figure out what was so great about my Gibson LP DC Pro when I finally noticed that the frets were the 'short narrow' variety. Absolutely love 'em. I plan on getting my guitars with 'large jumbo' frets either filed down considerably or replaced altogether with the short ones. To me' date=' those large jumbo frets are like putting speed bumps on a drag strip.[/quote'] Jumbo frets are usually low and wide. Back in the day Gibson would install these ultra-wide frets and then mill them down until they were almost paper-thin. That's what made a fretless wonder so wonderful. Lately they went the other way, to a very high, squarish fret... these are the speed bump type. I have these on my LP Junior Lite which is a 2001 issue; I'm probably going to have to take the file to them one of these days. Good news is that lately they seem to have returned to something a little more reasonable height-wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 I don't have a decent guitar setup guy down here. I'd like to find someone local who will do a fret job on some of my speed bumps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I'd like to find someone local who will do a fret job on some of my speed bumps. There's got to be some good techs down there. Might take some time to find one though. All I can tell ya is... if you meet a guy and he sounds like he doesn't know what he's talking about... don't let him prove it on one of your guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 There's got to be some good techs down there. Might take some time to find one though. All I can tell ya is... if you meet a guy and he sounds like he doesn't know what he's talking about... don't let him prove it on one of your guitars. What I'll do is scout out some local musician forums and see what I can find there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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