Special/Limited Edition Epiphone Les Paul

[adey]

Hi to all..

 

This is my first post, wonder if someone can help:

 

I bought a 2nd hand Epiphone Les Paul from the dreaded local Cash Convertors. There was no paperwork with it and I've been unable to find out anything about the model on the net. So can anyone help or advise?

 

The guitar is a 2001 (I think if I read the serial number properly) Les Paul, and the entire top (including the scratchplate) is finished in a black/grey/silver mother of pearl style. The rest of the guitar is all black with silver hardware. The Headstock has an art deco red/silver E logo and is gullwing shaped. The chrome plated pickup covers have a matching engraved logo. The position indicators on the neck are 3 parallel reducing size lines in abalone, that echo the art deco look of the logo.

 

There is a gold coloured logo on the back of the headstock, which says Epiphone Limited Edition. The guitar is a full size Gibson depth and is heavy. The quality is good. It looks pretty awesome I reckon, but suspect that most would either love or hate it.

 

Ring any bells with anyone? I could post pics if necessary - but need to get my head around how they're displayed on the forum.

 

Regards and thanks for any info..

[adey]

I may be about to answer my own question here, but after 2 hrs on the net tonight I think the guitar is from the Les Paul Xtreme range. Basically higher power Les Pauls. I can't find a single image anywhere on Google of this pearloid finish, but there are images of other finishes in the range: a "crackling" imaged top and a lightning imaged top. I have to say the finish on mine is head and shoulders above these.

 

On this basis, I'm thinking the guitar I have is quite rare. If anyone is interested in Epi oddities I'll post some pics.

 

Incidentally, the guitar itself is a very fine player. However the pickups were not doing the instrument any favours, so I have carefully removed them (to possibly re-instate at some stage in the future and restore to original) and replaced them with Seymour Duncan JB and Seth Lover p/ups. This has improved the sound of the guitar immensely.

 

Still interested if anyone has any info on the Xtreme range. I'm aware that Harmony Central have one review of this particular guitar.

 

Regards to all.

[deflepfan]

Most definitley post some pics. You can use imageshack. After you upload the pic (make sure to select a good size such as 649 x 480 so we can really see this guitar!!) to imageshack, it'll bring you to a second page. Copy the link that says Forum Code. Then just paste it here.

 

Sheila

 

PS - You're probably right about it being an Extreme. But I really would like to see the finish on yours.

 

This headstock and fret markers?

 

 

 

[matiac]

 

I "bing"ed it, and came up with this

[deflepfan]

 

I "bing"ed it' date=' and came up with this[/quote']

Ah! Blues back!

Sheila

[adey]

Most definitley post some pics. You can use imageshack. After you upload the pic (make sure to select a good size such as 649 x 480 so we can really see this guitar!!) to imageshack' date=' it'll bring you to a second page. Copy the link that says Forum Code. Then just paste it here.

 

Sheila

 

PS - You're probably right about it being an Extreme. But I really would like to see the finish on yours.

 

This headstock and fret markers?

 

 

 

 

Thanks and spot on Sheila, exactly right with the headstock and fret markers. Those and the pickup covers all have that art deco "Wing" theme. That looks like the lightning finish I've seen before - it's not the finish on mine.

 

Will put up some pics tonight.

[adey]

Here it is:

 

 

and another:

 

 

Hope the pics are good enough to properly demonstrate the finish. They are big 2meg images if you want to click on them. Unfortunately the camera flash implies brown colour on the hardware. In reality this is of course chrome/nickel plate.

 

As stated earlier the pickups on the guitar are now a pair of Seymour Duncans (JB & Seth Lover), but I have retained the original engraved Epiphone p/ups in case I ever want to put the guitar back into stock condition. In reality the Seymour Duncans are streets ahead of the Epiphone originals. I haven't bothered to photograph them, but they share the '3 parallel wing lines and E' logo on the headstock.

[crust]

Holy mother of toilet seat[smile]

[RobinTheHood]

WOW! Thats pretty wild. I've seen the crackle finish and some other crazy paint jobs, but never a full blown MOT top. I think it would look better with a black pickguard though. Just MHO.

 

Anyway, I dont know the exact model but your guitar is from the Epiphone E-Series from the early 00's.

[peeper]

Holy mother of toilet seat[smile]

Took the words right outta my mouth.

[EPIDEN]

Holy mother of toilet seat[smile]

 

What he said!

[RSDx]

Ummmm ..... I........I........I kind of....... I kind of like it[biggrin] Black pickguard and black knobs might look a lil better, but that's just my opinion. Definitely unique - I'd rock it !!!

[adey]

Here it is:

 

 

and another:

 

 

Hope the pics are good enough to properly demonstrate the finish. They are big 2meg images if you want to click on them. Unfortunately the camera flash implies brown colour on the hardware. In reality this is of course chrome/nickel plate.

 

As stated earlier the pickups on the guitar are now a pair of Seymour Duncans (JB & Seth Lover)' date=' but I have retained the original engraved Epiphone p/ups in case I ever want to put the guitar back into stock condition. In reality the Seymour Duncans are streets ahead of the Epiphone originals. I haven't bothered to photograph them, but they share the '3 parallel wing lines and E' logo on the headstock.[/quote']

 

Bumped for Deflepfan, who wanted to see the images

[adey]

At the risk of upsetting other members - bumped one last time for deflepfan, who was particularly uiniterested in the finish.

 

Here it is:

 

 

and another:

 

 

Hope the pics are good enough to properly demonstrate the finish. They are big 2meg images if you want to click on them. Unfortunately the camera flash implies brown colour on the hardware. In reality this is of course chrome/nickel plate.

 

As stated earlier the pickups on the guitar are now a pair of Seymour Duncans (JB & Seth Lover)' date=' but I have retained the original engraved Epiphone p/ups in case I ever want to put the guitar back into stock condition. In reality the Seymour Duncans are streets ahead of the Epiphone originals. I haven't bothered to photograph them, but they share the '3 parallel wing lines and E' logo on the headstock.[/quote']

[leicester35]

Cool. You have acquired something that looks a bit like a Zemaitis for, er...quite a few quid less.

 

[adey]

Funny you should say that..

 

When I saw the guitar twinkling away at the back of a row of copy guitars, I thought "OMG it's going to be a Zemaitis.. This is it, the big 2nd hand store find we dream about.." Sadly it wasn't, but I was sufficiently intrigued to buy it anyway. Never regretted the decision, and now it's a regular in my performing guitars.

 

People are abusive and complimentary about it in equal measures.

[ratdog8o8]

.......the pickup covers all have that art deco "Wing" theme........

 

Ah, finally...another guitar with the pupcovers like my Explorer! It's a cool guitar, by the way! :)

[Suicidehummer]

It's a LP-Extreme from '01. They added White Pearloid and Black Pearloid as colors shortly after introduction. I would say yours is Black Pearloid but I've only seen White Pearloid which looks brighter.

 

http://epi.p3net.net/wiki/index.php/LP-Xtreme

[deflepfan]

At the risk of upsetting other members - bumped one last time for deflepfan' date=' who was particularly [i']uiniterested [/i]in the finish.

 

 

Wrong!! I was very interested in the finish. Actually find it cool! I saw it the day you posted it, and the cruel comments!!! I had gone off on the web trying to find one like it, but never did, and now I see another here has come up with the answer before I could, which is not unusual!

 

You have a unique lady there, and hope you enjoy her for a long time!!

Sheila

[adey]

Thanks Sheila..

 

"uiniterested" was a mis-spelling I didnt catch! Glad you liked her..

[deflepfan]

You're welcome! How has she been playing? Any quirks or is she just perfect? There were a few comments on the pickguard and was wondering if it caused you to consider changing it or are you going with the original?

 

Sheila

[adey]

The guitar plays beautifully It's well made with a nice neck that can take a very low action. No sharp fret ends. Reliable branded stock tuners and hardware. Re-assuringly heavy as you would expect from a Les Paul.

 

When I came across it in the store, it was a little scruffy on the back and bottom of the body. Somebody had been less than fair with it in the past. There was minor damage where somebody had dropped it down hard on the bottom strap pin. When I got it home I gave it a good clean and refilled some damaged woodwork around the strap pin hole and replaced the bent strap pin screw. I painted over that area and other dings on the back with Heal Renew (shoe restoration paint), as this always give good results on a gloss black finish. Fortunately the Pearloid top was immaculate - no damage or marks at all. I replaced the control knobs with an exact matching, but heavier duty, set. I also replaced all the control pots - nothing wrong with them, but I prefer a smoother linear gradient on the volume and tone controls.

 

The original engraved pickup covers shined up beautifully and I played the guitar like this for a while. But in truth, the Extreme series seemed to feature some pretty powerful rock pickups which I thought were lacking in tone. So being so pleased with the guitar, I treated it to a set of Seymour Duncan humbuckers - JB in the neck and a Seth Lover in the bridge. Cost as much as I payed for the guitar, but more than worth it in my opinion. It now has a deep late 50s/early 60s vintage tone. Much more my style, as I gave up hard rocking some years ago.. The clarity between strings is really noticeable and the strings really ring out. The tonewood of the guitar is undefined, but whatever it is it really suits the pickups. Less 'push' than the real mahogany you'd find in a Gibson - but this all adds to the clarity of the guitar even with overdrive. As ever, all original replaced parts retained for 'back to stock' restoration in the future if nec.

 

I'm keeping the original scratchplate on the guitar. I did toy with the idea of a black replacement and black knobs when I bought the guitar, but don't regret leaving it as it was designed to look. I have a black Strat with a a black pearloid scratchplate and black knobs, but it actually doesn't look as good in reality as I thought that combination would look. A bit cheesy if I'm honest.

 

Overall I'm a happy camper. I'm a Strat guy really, but I always wanted a les Paul. Now I have a good quality LP style guitar for a 3rd of the price I'd pay for a new LP Standard. I do like the look of the new Epi'59s though.

 

Thanks for the interest!

Adey

[adey]

It's a LP-Extreme from '01. They added White Pearloid and Black Pearloid as colors shortly after introduction. I would say yours is Black Pearloid but I've only seen White Pearloid which looks brighter.

 

http://epi.p3net.net/wiki/index.php/LP-Xtreme

 

Thanks for the post suicidehummer. You've managed to find the only pic of a Pearloid finish Extreme I've ever seen. You are correct mine is the black version of that finish.

[Hector Arcadius]

For what's worth... I like it! I know it's kind of extreme for most of the guys / gals but I have to admit that I'm a glam rock fan! ( Alice Cooper mainly that is). And within the years I have learned to appreciate less common looks on guitars.

 

Congratulations on the great score man! I'm sure that the Duncans really suit her (and I doubt that anyone in the future will want the original Epi pickups back). Rock her a$$ out!

 

 

BTW, how does that Seth Lover pickup sound? Can you, possibly, describe the sound of it?

[adey]

BTW' date=' how does that Seth Lover pickup sound? Can you, possibly, describe the sound of it?

 

[/quote']

 

I'll try Hector (and thanks for the post).

 

The SL is definitely lighter in the mids. Not scooped exactly, but the sound emphasis is more on the higher mid and lower mid ends of the frequency range. It's twangier than most humbuckers, but the high frequencies don't dominate. On clean amp settings it sounds quite fruity, plummy infact. Full, and without the harshness or edginess you can experience with most bridge humbuckers. The clarity is notable.

 

But it's not just for clean sounds. With modest amounts of overdrive it does wail nicely for bluesy rock solos, and it does nice Pete Townsend rhythm power chords too. But it should be noted that the pickup is NOT wax potted. It's a little like the Seymour Duncan Antiquity humbucker. If you put too much distortion gain through it (say heavier Gary Moore - levels) it will squeal like a stuck pig at volume. That's the trade off for the effortless clarity you get from the Seth Lover.

 

I was surprised to find that each SL pickup is handsigned on the back by by Seymour Duncan and Seth Lover. Nice touch I thought..

 

You can hear the pickup on seymourduncandotcom. There are recordings of this and all SD pickups on the site. But you'll need really good speakers on your PC to discern the differences!

 

Alternatively, watch this: