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Gibson MM or Epiphone LP


Larsson

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Hey guys,

 

so after looking into alot of different guitars i have come down to:

 

Gibson Melody Maker (single pickup version)

 

or

 

Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top

 

 

what do you guys think? which do you think is better? and if you own both what do you prefer?

 

Cheers,

 

Larsson

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They are two different guitars. I only own an Epi LP. But if I owned both, I don't think I would prefer one over the other because they sound quite different. It just depends on what sound/tone you're going for.

The LP has two humbuckers. The MM has one single coil. And of course there are quite a few other differences as well.

Apples to oranges.

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I'm not impressed with the MM neck. And of course it only has one single coil pickup (albiet a nice one) and therefore one general sound. You could do a lot worse than an Epi LP, and it will be more versatile. With a decent set up and some upgrades down the road, it can sound and play every bit as good as any other LP or LP-style guitar. And don't forget that while they can sound very, very good, P90s are noisey buggers....

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And of course it only has one single coil pickup (albiet a nice one) and therefore one general sound.

I very much disagree with that - I never realised how much a tone knob matter until I only had one pickup to work with. You can go from smooth jazz tones, like a CC or neck P-90, to pure single coil power like Layla or a bridge P-90.

 

I was covering "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" a few weeks ago and couldn't decide between my Spirit/Special and the Melody Maker... either one would have worked just as well. I used the Spirit because it was easier to change tones - pickup selector switch instead of adjusting the knobs.

 

I do agree about the neck, though... I didn't like it at first, but I've slowly gotten used to it. It's very square.

 

 

At the current prices, I don't think I'd buy either guitar. I got lucky and found my Melody Maker at $329 this spring, so it wasn't even a question.

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i always found les pauls heavy to stand and play with, however i was in long & mcquade recently and in conversation with store staff one off them took a les paul of the wall and handed it to me. i cant remember which model but apparently gibson have reduced the weight of some of them. my firs electric was a cheap end les paul copy. epiphone and gibson versions are fantastic looking guitars with a great sound. my only gripe was the weight. oh and oasis played them..lol still i cant blame that on the guitar

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thanks for the feedback guys!

 

as for the type of music i play it ranges from blues to metal really and everything inbetween.

 

i like the melody maker because i like the idea of a light weight les paul shape body, however i dont really like the headstock on it.

As for the Epi LP i like it but have heard electronics can be bad, also would end up replacing pickups in it..

 

so not too sure which to go for,

 

but thanks for advice!

 

Cheers,

 

Larsson

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I very much disagree with that - I never realised how much a tone knob matter until I only had one pickup to work with. You can go from smooth jazz tones' date=' like a CC or neck P-90, to pure single coil power like Layla or a bridge P-90.[/quote']

Well, OK.

 

But if this was completely true, there would be no need or desire for two (or three) pickup guitars.

 

Alls I'm saying is that 2 PUPs, 2 tone ctls, 2 vols and a 3-way switch give you more options, and less fiddling.

 

Add a coil splitter and you can even get some first rate twang out of it...

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You've had a few threads on your prospective Les Paul purchase now, Larsson and it seems to me you're still in your original dilemma over Gibson vs. Epi. I own a Gibson SG faded and an Epi LP standard plus and while I love the Epi there is something about the quality and playabilty of the Gibson that just makes it that bit more special. The Epi is a fantastic guitar for the money and every bit as good looking as a Gibson LP standard but, if you're anything like me, you would still GAS for the Gibby even if it makes no financial sense whatsoever. To me, the only thing you can do is go to a couple of dealers and keep playing Gibbys and Epis side by side until you can make a decision over whether the extra bit of quality is worth the extra lot of wonga.

 

I'm now wondering, for me, whether a second-hand unchambered Gibson studio in might be the best heart vs head compromise except that I like brand new guitars.

 

Alan

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