Les Paul Custom Elitist

[strat284]

Hello ,I am new to the forum and would like to know more about this guitar I just bought.It is a LP custom Elitist ,,ebony/gold.what pickups are in it?Are the guitars still made?can't seem to find much info on it.Salesman did say it was a japanese made Epi. thanks for any info you could provide,strat284

[Gordy01]

As the saying goes in this forum; If there is no picture, it didn't happen!!

Please post pics and we'll have a look. There are a lot of very knowledgeable

people on this forum.

And, Welcome To The Forum.

[Hungrycat]

No, the elitists are not made any more (save the Casino). The pickups would be Gibson USA, couldn't tell you what models though. The rest of the electronics are american made also.

[HarpBoy]

No' date=' the elitists are not made any more (save the Casino). The pickups would be Gibson USA, couldn't tell you what models though. The rest of the electronics are american made also.

[/quote']

 

The Elites/Elitists (name changed in 2003) were made in Japan from 2003 until 2008 when Epiphone killed the model line, apart from the Casino. They are outstanding guitars, as you know, and are built more to the specs of the custom shop Gibsons, apart from poly finish rather than laquer, body wood of African mahogany rather than Honduran, the body is two-piece bookmatched rather than one solid piece and the figured tops are done with veneer rather than solid figured maple. The cap itself, however, is solid maple. Oh yes, the frets don't have the little binding nibs as do the MIAs.

 

The pickups are USA made and labeled "Epiphone" although they are made by Gibson. They identify them as a 50SR in the neck and a 60ST in the bridge position. They use AlNiCo 5 magnets and are wound to around 8K resistance, putting them somewhere in the league of the Burstbucker Pros, I believe. These are really, really good pickups.

 

Your serial number will start with F, for Fugigen, the company that made it for Epiphone. The first digit will tell you the year (200X) it was made. You have a fine guitar; enjoy it!

 

Cheers

[strat284]

Thanks for the info,it is a nice guitar but I am a little miffed because I thought it was new,turns out to be made in '03.I also have a Samick Les Paul thats is about 10 years old and I swear it plays better but does'nt sound as good.Any suggestions on pickups for the Sami-paul?I play with a lot of distortion and love muted crunch type sounds and harmonics.thanks again.strat284

[HarpBoy]

Thanks for the info' date='it is a nice guitar but I am a little miffed because I thought it was new,turns out to be made in '03.[/quote']

 

Don't let this bother you; I also bought mine new, in 2009, but it is a 2003 model as well. I think some sat in stores for a long time and others probably were not released for several years after manufacture. I think the reason the model line was killed is because they just didn't sell too well. They were expensive guitars with Epiphone on the headstock, and I think the public at large didn't realize these were not your typical Epiphone guitar. It was probably a tough sell to get your average shopper to understand the difference between the $1700 Epiphone (in my case) and all the others around it that were between $350-$800.

 

Brand prejudices are hard to overcome.

 

Cheers

[Hungrycat]

I'm in the same boat. Bought mine in '09 and it's a 2003(one of the last "Elites") as well. I knew mine would be old-stock however, as I got it at the Gibson yardsale in Nashville. Turns out mine was the Gibson retail store's display model and had been virtually untouched in 6 years. Just sitting on a stand behind the counter.