Roswell Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I'm too much of a youngin' to know why they're so popular, so I figured I'd ask all of you gentlemen with experience What is it with gold tops? They don't look bad, but I don't consider them the most attractive color. Is there a reason (nostalgia, retro-crap, anything?) why people like them, or is it just "hey, that's a cool color"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suicidehummer Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I'm too much of a youngin' to know why they're so popular' date=' so I figured I'd ask all of you gentlemen with experience ;) What is it with gold tops? They don't look bad, but I don't consider them the most attractive color. Is there a reason (nostalgia, retro-crap, anything?) why people like them, or is it just "hey, that's a cool color"?[/quote'] In the 50's they were "just a cool color," but now they've become like Hemi. They just built up a name that really stuck. Whether Hemis actually have hemispherical pistons anymore is debatable, but people buy them for the reputation (not saying those things ain't mosters, because they really are). Just like hemis, the old Goldtops are rarer than normal LPs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roswell Posted August 4, 2008 Author Share Posted August 4, 2008 Alright, got it ;) Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I'm too much of a youngin' to know why they're so popular' date=' so I figured I'd ask all of you gentlemen with experience ;) What is it with gold tops? They don't look bad, but I don't consider them the most attractive color. Is there a reason (nostalgia, retro-crap, anything?) why people like them, or is it just "hey, that's a cool color"?[/quote'] Oh, it's much more than that. Goldtops, for whatever reason (and a lot of people have actual arguments, while others have theories) is essentially THE penultimate in terms of Les Paul for dynamics, and tone. IN the case of Epiphones....More times often than not, whenever the subject of most Epiphones comes up, there usually follows an immediate comment in regards to modifications that were made on the guitar in order to improve its sound. Whenever a gold top is mentioned, this is the one model most people leave stock. In terms of personal testimony? I saw a band a few months back with 2 guitar players. One guitar player had a legitimate, pre CBS 1959 Fender Stratocaster. The guitar was worth tens of thousands of dollars (Lord knows why he was using it for bar band gigs...anyways...) The other guitarist had a stock, Epiphone goldtop Les Paul. And truth be told? Tone wise, that Epi kept up just fine. As for a sound associated with the Goldtop? The most immediate guitarist I can think of that used them extensively was Tom Scholz of Boston. But in terms of Les Pauls? I consider these as akin to the Holy Grail as far as tone. Even Gibson, if one to judge a guitar based on price offers the same argument. On a leftie model, you'd have to pay a 1000 dollars more for a Goldtop vs. a Custom...and the asking price for those is around 3 thousand dollars for a scratched model, 4000 dollars for a pristine one. Ah well. No, no leftie goldtops are made by Epiphone right now....but maybe someday. (Whenever the topic comes up, I like to post this picture just to be obtuse about it...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roswell Posted August 4, 2008 Author Share Posted August 4, 2008 That leftie gold top makes me cry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suicidehummer Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 That leftie gold top makes me cry. Seeing a guitar I can't afford makes me cry. That's why I haven't been to GC in a while. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roswell Posted August 4, 2008 Author Share Posted August 4, 2008 My Epiphone selection is a total of 8 guitars, one of which I own, and one of which is another arch top, and about half of which are cheap crap. It's a sad day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suicidehummer Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 My Epiphone selection is a total of 8 guitars' date=' one of which I own, and one of which is another arch top, and about half of which are cheap crap. It's a sad day.[/quote'] I'm confused. "One of which" you own? You don't own the others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roswell Posted August 4, 2008 Author Share Posted August 4, 2008 I mean the entire left-handed Epi collection is 8 guitars. I own the Dot, so that makes it 7. The Sherri is sort of not in my interests as I own the Dot, so that's down to 6. Of that, 2 are crappy LPs, one of which is the Iomni Signature SG, then there's the G310 and two other LPs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I mean the entire left-handed Epi collection is 8 guitars. I own the Dot' date=' so that makes it 7. The Sherri is sort of not in my interests as I own the Dot, so that's down to 6. Of that, 2 are crappy LPs, one of which is the Iomni Signature SG, then there's the G310 and two other LPs.[/quote'] Oh, I don't know....the guitar is what you make of it. I look at it this way...this may sound sort of silly, but technically, one could get into a Les Paul Special II dirt cheap, throw on locking tuners, a new nut, and a set of Gibson burstbucker pickups and that would probably be a pretty awesome guitar.... You know, if this was me, and you already had a strat, and a Dot, and you were looking to take it to the next level.... Get a better amplifier before another guitar. Something around the 50-60 watt range in a combo amp if you're looking to get into a band. (2 cents...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roswell Posted August 4, 2008 Author Share Posted August 4, 2008 I've been thinking about the amp thing too. It'd probably make a pretty big difference given how crappy my current one is. Although, GAS is a lot more overbearing than the wanting of a new amp ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I've been thinking about the amp thing too. It'd probably make a pretty big difference given how crappy my current one is. Although' date=' GAS is a lot more overbearing than the wanting of a new amp ;)[/quote'] Yeah, but a new amp (and the right one) will make that Dot scream. And, down the road, you could look at modding your existing guitars. I know GAS is GAS, but technically, you've got all the tools you need in terms of guitars. (IE, a humbucking guitar, and a single coil guitar). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roswell Posted August 4, 2008 Author Share Posted August 4, 2008 Yea, I see what you're saying. May look at that Vox AD30VT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 What is it with gold tops? They don't look bad' date=' but I don't consider them the most attractive color. Is there a reason (nostalgia, retro-crap, anything?) why people like them, or is it just "hey, that's a cool color"?[/quote'] A bit of both I suppose. Part of the appeal is the golden top is the original finish on the Les Paul when they were introduced to the public back in what..'52/53? They were fitted with two P90 soapbars then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suicidehummer Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 A bit of both I suppose. Part of the appeal is the golden top is the original finish on the Les Paul when they were introduced to the public back in what..'52/53? They were fitted with two P90 soapbars then. And before I knew anything about guitars (not like I know all that much now, lol) I really wanted a Gold Top because I thought it was the best you could get. I still want one of course, but I realize now it's not THAT amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Whether Hemis actually have hemispherical pistons anymore is debatable' date=' but people buy them for the reputation (not saying those things ain't mosters, because they really are). [/quote'] It's not the piston that is hemispherical, it's the head that has a domed combustion chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansmitchell Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I was under the impression the deluxe and goldtops were budget versions back in the day, over the "burst" models and the customs. Part of why pete could tear into one and put in a super distortion without fear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EpiEric Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Just like hemis' date=' the old Goldtops are rarer than normal LPs.[/quote'] Actually all Les Pauls from 1952-53 are Goldtops and Most 1954-57 Les Pauls are goldtops as well. Customs (black) and true customer order colors are the only non-Goldtops from 1952-1957. And 1958-1960 Sunburst Les Pauls are actually much rarer than the earlier goldtops. Only around 1700 'bursts were built in those three years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suicidehummer Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 It's not the piston that is hemispherical' date=' it's the head that has a domed combustion chamber.[/quote'] Wouldn't that require a hemishperical piston? Actually all Les Pauls from 1952-53 are Goldtops and Most 1954-57 Les Pauls are goldtops as well. Customs (black) and true customer order colors are the only non-Goldtops from 1952-1957. And 1958-1960 Sunburst Les Pauls are actually much rarer than the earlier goldtops. Only around 1700 'bursts were built in those three years. Fine, go ahead and rain on my parade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neptune2000 Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Wouldn't that require a hemispherical piston? http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hemi1.htm So Sentry, you're saying that the Epi Gold Tops are constructed differently such that they get a better tone than other Epi LPs? Is that all just anecdotally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 So Sentry' date=' you're saying that the Epi Gold Tops are constructed differently such that they get a better tone than other Epi LPs? Is that all just anecdotally?[/quote'] The great(er) tone comes from the P90 single coil pickups, which are reportedly on-par with Gibson's. The guitar itself is exactly the same as any other Epi LP. There are good ones, bad ones, and great ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Sentry Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hemi1.htm So Sentry' date=' you're saying that the Epi Gold Tops are constructed differently such that they get a better tone than other Epi LPs? Is that all just anecdotally?[/quote'] Alll I am stating is that between the construction (and whether or not is different is debatable...I'm not in the plant, and you could also mince over some years being better than others in terms of end product), the configuration, and those soapbar pickups....it's the one Les Paul model Epiphone offers that is typically given the least amount of modifcations after a sale. That, unto itself, should give some argument as to the quality of this specific model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 I've had my first Epi '56 Goldtop with the P90's for a couple of weeks now and have been playing it constantly to get used to the difference in the pickups. I've really grown to love the sound of the P90's. It's a blend of the humbucker and the Strat single coil sound that is a little cleaner than the humbuckers and the P90's generate pick harmonics with ease. I can get little squeals in my solos with no effort and the dirty sounds are nice. My wife thinks it looks too plain. She likes my flametop and the sunburst models better. But then, she doesn't understand the iconic nature of the goldtop. My guitar player friends drool over it. I have a tendency to stick with one guitar and not play them all. I have decided to rotate my guitars and play them all on gigs from time to time. It's going to be hard to put down the goldtop and do that, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funkwire Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 I'll second that, Dave. Ever since I got the Gold Top, I have really neglected the 10 other guitars in my collection. My G-1275 still gets plenty of use since I use the 12-string on several songs with the band, but the others are gathering dust. On another message board, a guitar player posted that he didn't want to play a P-90 guitar because he didn't like the sound of single coil pickups. I tried to explain to him that the P-90 doesn't sound anything like a F*nd*r...or, for that matter, like a humbucker. It's a tone that cuts through without being piercing. My 2005 EE Gold Top has a nicely carved top, and was put together very nicely. I'd really like to hear what it sounded like with the stock pickups, but the guy I bought it from put in Lindy Fralins. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. It's the only Epi I've played that made me go "Wow!" right from the get-go. I've played plenty of nice Epis, but none that grabbed me like this one. Of course, I have never even laid eyes on an Elitist...I'd really like to try one of those babies out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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