elleon ricardo Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 hi.. im new with this product and i need assist or more info about what im looking for im a les paul fan but GIBSON JUST WAY TOO EXPENSIVE! so i chose epi instead... i found epi les paul custom alphine white and she's deadly gorgeous, made from KOREA! that's the good news and the bad news is she got rust in her "SO CALLED" gold hardware! and i think is because the weather ( i live in tropical country, that's gotta be something ) and also the reseller isnt quite good take caring the product.. in the same store, i also found epiphone les paul standard plus MADE in china with no rust in the hardware i want to buy an epi but with that conditions, i must say, its hard to me to choose, is there anyone could help me with it? and im little bit considering to buy ultra II ( made in korea ) but sadly her sound not that good ( or it just me ) thank you so much for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Get the one that sounds best when it isn't plugged in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 An Ultra II does not sound like a typical LP, which is why I have one, but it's not for everyone. Most guitars* use a crappy fake brass finish and it will tarnish quickly. I know you want to buy a new guitar that's perfect, but it will tarnish soon anyway. *Some high end unaffordable guitars may not tarnish that quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slim_blues_boy Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 hi.. im new with this product and i need assist or more info about what im looking for im a les paul fan but GIBSON JUST WAY TOO EXPENSIVE! so i chose epi instead... i found epi les paul custom alphine white and she's deadly gorgeous' date=' made from KOREA! that's the good news and the bad news is she got rust in her "SO CALLED" gold hardware! and i think is because the weather ( i live in tropical country, that's gotta be something ) and also the reseller isnt quite good take caring the product.. in the same store, i also found epiphone les paul standard plus MADE in china with no rust in the hardware i want to buy an epi but with that conditions, i must say, its hard to me to choose, is there anyone could help me with it? and im little bit considering to buy ultra II ( made in korea ) but sadly her sound not that good ( or it just me ) thank you so much for your help[/quote'] hmm, another people from my country.... hei, how much is the price for custom and how much for standard? and how about the ultra II, is it new/2nd? maybe I also want to buy one of those three , hehe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elleon ricardo Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 is there any different, by choosing the manufacturer country.. i heard that epi from korea is better than the one that came from china.. any what about the rustic problem is there anything that can help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elleon ricardo Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 standard plus approx 500 ( could be less, base on manufacturer country,if korea its more pricey ) custom approx 600 to 700 ultra II approc 900 buy in indonesia, you could get nice guitar with good price but you have to be extra careful with what you buying for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Sadly, I've never seen a guitar with 'gold hardware' where the gold didn't start coming off damn near immediately. I don't care if it's Gibson, Epi, PRS, or anybody else. It just happens. Also, it's getting pretty hard to find a Korean-made Epi anymore but I wouldn't be afraid of the Chinese-made LPs, either. I've got one of each & they are both quite good. If you can come up with a few hundred more, consider the Epi Elitists. Pretty much the same quality as the Gibson but for about half the price. Outstanding guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBlues Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I have A LOT of experience with epiphones... I have bought low quality guitars (ebay) from both Korea and China... and I have bought some nice ones from both countries.... The only exceptions would be my Epi riviera and ES-295.... Both are made in Korea and they have the quaility of a Japanese or American instrument (after replacing the pickups of course).... The Les pauls and dots are said to be more of a crap shoot.... But if you have a chance to inspect and play one that you like.... By all means buy it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverman Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Sadly' date=' I've never seen a guitar with 'gold hardware' where the gold didn't start coming off damn near immediately. I don't care if it's Gibson, Epi, PRS, or anybody else. It just happens.quote'] Well Gibson did use real gold in the 60s, on their Johnny Smith L5 and other top of the line archtops. Of course gold back in those days was pegged at $35 an ounce. With gold these days at around $800 a troy ounce, I doubt if we will ever see real gold used again. The "gold" they use these days is basically a type of very thin brass plate that wears off and tarnishes. If real 18K gold was used, it wouldn't tarnish and would stay on a lot longer. My Korean made Epi Custom has the cheap "gold" finish which is tarnished along with most of the screws. Better off with chrome, at least that's a few microns thick. Salt air/sweat and gold hardware...not a good combination..switch to chrome where possible..like tuners, p_ups, bridges and stop pieces..what does that leave that's still gold...the strap buttons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elleon ricardo Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 [ If you can come up with a few hundred more, consider the Epi Elitists. Pretty much the same quality as the Gibson but for about half the price. Outstanding guitars. ] i already search that guitar but they really hard to find *sad ~ did anyone know where to buy it..? i dont go with ebay or any buying online ( got really bad memories with it ) about the "gold hardware" issue so you saying i better go with epiphone les paul standard plus? what the different with those 2 ( LP CUSTOM AND LP STANDARD PLUS ).. i checked and it just different in the hardware material and finishing colors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slim_blues_boy Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 [ If you can come up with a few hundred more' date= consider the Epi Elitists. Pretty much the same quality as the Gibson but for about half the price. Outstanding guitars. ] i already search that guitar but they really hard to find *sad ~ did anyone know where to buy it..? i dont go with ebay or any buying online ( got really bad memories with it ) about the "gold hardware" issue so you saying i better go with epiphone les paul standard plus? what the different with those 2 ( LP CUSTOM AND LP STANDARD PLUS ).. i checked and it just different in the hardware material and finishing colors hei, maybe a week before, I found some people selling the Elitist. Ponki from Jikustik sell a LP Custom for 8000k rupiah. other people sell LP Standard for 7200k. and another people sell another LP Standard, I forgot the price. if I had the money I would be take one of those guitar. I don't know whether they're already sold out or not, check this out http://musisi.com/forumdisplay.php?f=230 you also can find some people selling 2nd hand Epi China/Indonesia/Korea from 2000k until 3500k rupiah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 The gold hardware on my '92 Gibson LP studio looks as good as the day it was made. After a year of playing my EE Epi LP custom, the gold hardware is not showing any signs of corrosion. There may be a skin PH factor or a salt contamination issue here. Wipe them suckers down after playing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 The gold hardware on my '92 Gibson LP studio looks as good as the day it was made. After a year of playing my EE Epi LP custom' date=' the gold hardware is not showing any signs of corrosion. There may be a skin PH factor or a salt contamination issue here. [/quote'] I have a Schaller bridge on which was my no.1 guitar for almost 20 years. It shows relatively little wear. And I never wiped off unless some ƒ-hole spillt a beer over it... A couple of months ago I bought a new guitar with a 'gold' wilkinson roller bridge. The gold was wearing off in a matter of days! Different gold-plating methods I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverman Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 IA couple of months ago I bought a new guitar with a 'gold' wilkinson roller bridge. The gold was wearing off in a matter of days! Different gold-plating methods I guess. The stuff coming out of Asia today is a "faux gold" flash. A couple of molecules thick of whatever they use as"gold' vaporized over the chrome plate to give it a gold appearance. Don't polish it too hard or touch it with sweaty hands, because it starts to rub off in a matter of days. At $800 an ounce these days, they now have gold substitutes (copper/brass alloys) that can be colour corrected to look somewhat like gold..but this alloy is not going to be even 10karat (41.7% gold and 58 % other metals) Gold hardware allways looks nice when you first buy the guitar though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluey12 Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 I just bought an Indonesian made EPI LP Standard a week ago, i think it's good... You have to try for yourself to know though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elleon ricardo Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 i agree with carverman that epiphone might be not using real gold for their hardware since i saw lot's of epiphone product in most of the store (that using faux gold) seem to be easily get corrosion.. is there anything to get rid of it ( the corrotion ) ????? and about pongky or whatever his name is..i love his guitar collection, especially when he are epiphone endorsmen i saw his guitar but still dont want to buy it, honestly guys, i just want the new one but thanks anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elleon ricardo Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 the question still open... is there anything that i can do to get rid the corotion in "gold hardware"??? please i need answer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan 58 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Welcome Elleon, i haven't heard anybody in this forum give an answer to that, so i would say no.Stan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Frankly, I'd be more worried about why there's "rust" there?! Might be, as you say "humidity" related, then again it could have had something spilled on/in it, and there might be more trouble than you'd first realize. Play them both, for an extended period of time, in the store...try out all the pickup positions, the pots (for noise issues), turners, etc. I'd even go so far as to ask the store manager, if you get that far, to open the back plates, and check for water damage. The safest thing to do, would be to avoid that particular guitar, but...if you "love" it, in all other regards, and they'll let you really inspect it, and all is well...go for it! The new Standard without the "rust," seems a bit safer bet, though. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johncart Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 i have a std plus from korea and a custom from (i dont know)...but the standard had a tuning key screw put in a spot that made the ket just barely cleared the headstock...i had to remove it fill the hole with a round toothpick and glue then redrill the hole over some...so i guess i am saying,,,korea or china didnt make much diff for me...get the one that feels the best in your hands..and sounds the best in your ears,,,besides,,you can always replace hardware later...my custom has a bone nut and all gibson electronics and pickups(490/498) and it is just awesome...the standard i put a bone nut in it and filed the string slots lower to about 15-18 thousanths clearance between the strings and the first fret..wow..plays so nice now....maybe later do the gibson pickup/electronics change to it also.. .but again get what you like,,if it feels good to you ,you will be happier playing it..play more get better quicker etc etc....rust could be from salt from body sweat or just never waxed ..like you said looks like it was never taken care of if polishing doesnt remove it ..replace it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elleon ricardo Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED !!! its really helpfull and now i can make up my mind.. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan 58 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 we want to see it when you get it. Stan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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