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Epiphone Les Paul Goldtop 57 Limited Edition (ENP7MGNH3)


Adib

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Hi, I've just bought this awesome goldtop!

I can't find anything about it on net. The Epiphone page don't even mention this model, and the few shops that list this model have some information that I believe isn't correct. For example:

 

http://www.guitarvillage.co.uk/product-detail.asp?id=9678

 

This is the exact guitar, it came with the straplocks too.

But I don't think those pickups are correct, for example.

Also, my guitar has push pull tone buttons (I think they switch pickups to serie/parallel coils), and this isn't listed in there.

 

Anyway, I've just wanted to know the correct specs for this guitar.

 

Besides that, what a great guitar! A 57 goldtop with a one-piece body, great finish, grover tunners and push-pulls tone buttons. The tone is really awesome, and the playability is great too! If it really has a 50SR and a 60ST them it's maybe the best value ever for a Les Paul =P

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Hey! Welcome to Gibson Forums!

Your guitar, if the same as the picture, looks really nice.

Are you sure it is a one-piece body? I also thought that on several Epi's I've owned but I realised that they are very well glued, you can hardly see the joints on the back but you can see them very clearly below (if it is a trans back).

Perhaps your model is not, has not been and won't be listed on Epiphone's website, there are dozens of models that never get listed there.

 

Congrats for your purchase!

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Thanks [smile]

I think the body is in one piece, I can't say anything about the top, because of the finish. But the back is exposed, and it don't show any sign of junction, just plain wood.

I will investigate this further when I change strings the first time. I will remove the pickups to see what they are too.

I suspect they aren't the ones from the elitist series.. That's why I was looking for some oficial description of the guitar.

 

Will try to post pictures soon =] (updated)

 

And thanks for the help [smile]

 

(Sorry for my english, I'm brazillian and never leaved the country.. so, my english is just from web/games/movies/lyrics =P)

 

here are the pictures:

 

dsc04873g.jpg

 

dsc04872c.jpg

 

dsc04871.jpg

 

dsc04870.jpg

 

dsc04869.jpg

 

dsc04867v.jpg

 

dsc04866y.jpg

Edited by Adib
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Oi Adib. Tudo bem?

Nice guitar you've got there and nice playing as well.

 

Did you buy your guitar new?

I ask this because I've never heard of a Goldtop with push/pull pots.

It doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

It just means that I never heard about it [smile]

 

If you bought from a previous owner, he might have made the modifications himself.

In any case, nice guitar.

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The Sam Ash website has this vague description. It doesn't mention the pickups being anymore than 'Alnico V' humbuckers, so they're prolly just standard fare. But if they do tap then you have the newer 4 conductor wire model pickup. Check the label and let us know what it is!

And if you're looking for how many pieces the body is you'll have to check at the end strap button, looking into the guitar 'butt' so to say. That whole rear area from the input jack to where your elbow rests is where you'll need to look. The back of the guitar is covered in veneer.

 

Epiphone Les Paul 57 Goldtop Electric Guitar

 

In 1957 Gibson’s Les Paul Collection entered a new age of sound. Featuring the "new" humbucking pickup, the Les Paul Goldtop launched the sound heard around the world. Just like the very first LP's available, the Epiphone '57 Goldtop Les Paul has a super-cool vintage look and sound.

 

 

Equipped with a pair of powerful Alnico V humbucking pickups and the unmistakable Les Paul Goldtop finish, the Epiphone '57 Goldtop Les Paul also features a solid mahogany body, mahogany top, mahogany set-neck and the tune-o-matic bridge/stopbar tailpiece combo for monstrous sustain. It also has chrome hardware, two volume and two tone knobs and a three-way toggle switch. Case not included.

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Olá Xaj, tudo bem. E com você?

 

Thanks, glad you liked =]

 

I bought the guitar new. Infact, I think it´s a new serie by Epi, because the guitar arrived in stores here in Brazil just 2 days before I bought it. The guitar has the tone push pulls from factory (and now I can confirm that they switch between series/parallel coil wiring), also the guitar came with Epi straplocks (don´t know if it´s a common thing..). It´s a limited edition serie, so I don´t think it will be avaiable for much time. I don´t have any idea of how many of those were made..

 

Magneezo, thanks for those tips. At friday I will be home again and I can investigate the body again. It´s a good guess that there is a veener cover at the back, it´s just don´t make sense a guitar at this price point to has a one piece body.

I will only check the pickups when I change strings, I don´t like to remove/put back strings.. But I can already say that, for me, the pickups are a little to muddy..

Anyway, I´m just in love with the guitar =]

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Olá Xaj, tudo bem. E com você?

 

Thanks, glad you liked =]

 

I bought the guitar new. Infact, I think it´s a new serie by Epi, because the guitar arrived in stores here in Brazil just 2 days before I bought it. The guitar has the tone push pulls from factory (and now I can confirm that they switch between series/parallel coil wiring), also the guitar came with Epi straplocks (don´t know if it´s a common thing..). It´s a limited edition serie, so I don´t think it will be avaiable for much time. I don´t have any idea of how many of those were made..

 

Magneezo, thanks for those tips. At friday I will be home again and I can investigate the body again. It´s a good guess that there is a veener cover at the back, it´s just don´t make sense a guitar at this price point to has a one piece body.

I will only check the pickups when I change strings, I don´t like to remove/put back strings.. But I can already say that, for me, the pickups are a little to muddy..

Anyway, I´m just in love with the guitar =]

 

 

 

Beautiful guitar!

 

Regarding the push/pull pots, are you sure they're "series/parallel"? I love coil tap switches, which switch from humbucking to single coil mode. Not the same thing, though.

 

Really cool guitar you have there!

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Beautiful guitar!

 

Regarding the push/pull pots, are you sure they're "series/parallel"? I love coil tap switches, which switch from humbucking to single coil mode. Not the same thing, though.

 

Really cool guitar you have there!

 

Thanks =]

 

Completly sure! It isn't the same thing, but it sounds a little similar. The output is reduced, like if in a single coil mode, altought you don't have the noise typical from a single coil, because the two coils are still active causing the hum bucking effect to remain active. I opened the backplate and saw the wiring, so I'm sure about this.

 

Infact, it's really easy to transform these in coil tap switches, but I do preffer the series/parallel wiring =]

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I saw one of these in a Sam Ash store. The one I saw had a three piece body, with a veneer on the back. Then neck was two piece, with the joint right where the headstock meets the neck. I'm 99% sure it had the standard Epiphone pups. Nice finish.

 

Red 333

 

Thanks for the information, it's probably the same as mine. [smile]

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've just changed strings for the first time, and, as I promissed, here are pictures of the pickups:

 

bridge:

dsc04968v.jpg

 

neck:

dsc04967x.jpg

 

57 classic and 57 + classic..

 

for the experts, these are standard epi pickups? or are they really something more? (or less [tongue] )

 

Like Red 333 said, the guitar has a 3 piece body, and a two piece neck.

 

I've played 3 shows with the guitar already, and besides the muddy pickups, it is really great sounding and confortable to play (I set strings low, and it did great!).

 

I'm planning to put a set of seymours alnico 2 pro.

 

Thanks for all the tips folks :)

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well.. they don't sound like USA pick ups to me.

they lack a lot of high ends and definition.

 

 

Well I'm no expert by any means, but stock Epi pups do not have PAF stickers on them. Those look like Gibsons. As for the sound, perhaps this is a "classic" case of your ears hearing what your brain has already predetermined, if that makes any sense. Look at these pickups in Indian Scouts' LP Tribute from another thread. Those are Gibson 57 Classics as well.

 

14aj1o4.jpg

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you're right.. they look a lot like gibson pafs... I've googled some images of gibson 57 classic, and they look a lot similar:

Gibson_IM57P-GH_2734_b.jpg

one thing to note is that the cable is different..

 

I've never heard a gibson 57 classic, to tell you the truth, but mine pickups lacks lots of high end and definition. they sound depth and with a high output.. but I need to boost the trebble in the amp by 2 to they show a high end comparable to my ibanez (that has a kramer bridge pickup and a gfs hot rails on the neck). that's why I am thinking that they aren't gibson. I've seen in many places people saying that epi pickups lacks that high end, and that gibson ones don't. the last gibson I've played, an SG standard, had a much more brilliant tone. maybe epiphone changed the way it packs it's pickups, when it changed they to 4 wire (mine is 4-wired, to enable push pulls).. don't know.. I really don't how a gibson 57 classic is supposed to sound.. so, I can't afirm anything.

 

It's just don't make any sense, that a guitar that I bought for less than a epi LP standard (it was less expensive on the store I bought) has gibson pickups.

 

Thanks for the tips. maybe we can find out what those pickups really are.

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I've just changed strings for the first time, and, as I promissed, here are pictures of the pickups:

 

bridge:

dsc04968v.jpg

 

neck:

dsc04967x.jpg

 

57 classic and 57 + classic

Wow!

I had no idea.

Real Gibson '57's aren't cheap so that makes this an even sweeter guitar.

They have nickel baseplates. It's got to be the real McCoy.

Maybe if you try them through a Marshall tube amp things would sound better. That's just my take on it.

Everything sounds better through a Marshall!

(I love Fender tube amps also so no foul meant)

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well mates.. them I had a lot of lucky in this one. I've payed less than what an Epi LP standard costs here.

a set of 57 classic costs more than 700USD here.. a gibson LP standard costs ~5400USD.. an epi LP standard costs 1600USD (yeah, I know, It's the "Brazillian cost"), and I've payed ~1250USD for this guitar new, from the oficial gibson/epiphone dealer here. If these are really 57 classic 4-wired, I made a hell of a deal!

 

I've asked for help in the gibson gear thread here, to determine if these are the real thing (but it dosen't make any sense to epi put fake pickups on it's guitar.. it's much easier to put an epi 57 classic, like nearly all the other guitars..).

 

Another thing, is that those pickups are 4 conductor wired, I know gibson make 57 classic with 4 conductor wire for some time.. but I can't find nothing about 4 conductor wired 57 classic plus..

 

Maybe I've played strats for so long time, and I need some time to get used to the tonal differences.. I've never owned any LP/SG or any other gibson style guitar, it's my first one.

 

Tnkz for all the tips guys, and if these confirm to be 57 classic... I think this guitar is a hell of a deal for anyone wanting a goldtop.

 

and, Magneezo, my amp is real a good one. It's a twin reverb clone, it sounds beautiful, besides, I don't really like marshall amps [tongue] (well, I've never played on a marshall that I liked. played on some jcm900 down the road..)

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hey, just retuned everything on my set.

Re-set the pickups height. I've did many changes to my amp/pedals settings too, now I'm playing with the amp bright switch turned on. Just recorded this one:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSz_-XnbCl4

 

this weekend I will test these new settings live, but I think it will sound great [biggrin]

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just to add some bits about the guitar:

 

I think this guitar has the eletrics of a epi les paul tribute.

the pickup selector is the Switchcraft, and it features Mallory 150 tone capacitors too.. the tribute came with these too.

 

maybe not all of these guitars have those eletrics.. but if they have, they're a real bargain.

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