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Epiphone Elitist Les Paul

who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
edited December 2005 in Musicians and Gearheads
I just got one from Musician's Friend.
I almost NEVER get guitars online unless it's something I know about.

This is the most amazing $700 guitar. It just arrived and it is flawless.
My friend owns a guitar shop and he paid more for the one in his shop than they're selling at MF. I got it to pull apart and do frankenstein electronics experiments, but this almost is too nice! I got a cherry burst and the top is really nice, not bookmatched, but nice finish. It IS polyurethane type finish coating and not Nitrocellulose. That is about the only difference between Epi and Gibson. (Well the headstock is different.) The frets are perfect, and it's a bone nut. NOTHING needs to be done to this guitar!

(Of course, I'll do something to it) :D



They're discontinued, and I just called Musician's Friend, and they are running out of them.

Better hurry!
:cool:
Be kind, man
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
__________________________________
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Dirty_FrankDirty_Frank Posts: 957
    The reason they're getting discontinued it because they're too cheap for what they're worth and they're highly comparable to Gibsons. If I had the money, I'd be all over them.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    Actually, I heard what's happening is that they tooled up the Epi Les Paul plant in Japan and that was a test run and a test marketing.
    I bet they'll go to making the Les Paul standard plus and higher end guitars with more efficiency than in the US.
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • Dirty_FrankDirty_Frank Posts: 957
    who's_pearljam? wrote:
    Actually, I heard what's happening is that they tooled up the Epi Les Paul plant in Japan and that was a test run and a test marketing.
    I bet they'll go to making the Les Paul standard plus and higher end guitars with more efficiency than in the US.

    That makes some serious sense too. There's a lot of Japanese copies out ther (Tokai, Agile) of Gibsons that play and sound almost as good as Gibsons, but cost a whole lot less. Tooling up the Epi plant to do that makes the most business sense if they want to keep competing. Makes much more sense than just suing everyone in sight.
  • HailHailVitalogyHailHailVitalogy Posts: 5,217
    i want one so bad
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • Dirty_FrankDirty_Frank Posts: 957
    HailHailVitalogy wrote:
    i want one so bad

    It's over. The product is all gone. :(
  • HailHailVitalogyHailHailVitalogy Posts: 5,217
    Dirty_Frank wrote:
    It's over. The product is all gone. :(

    on ebay theres one in ebony thats 525$ im watching that
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • Dirty_FrankDirty_Frank Posts: 957
    HailHailVitalogy wrote:
    on ebay theres one in ebony thats 525$ im watching that

    Nice. The MF 699 deal is over now. They sold them all. I wish I had some money...
  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    Dirty_Frank wrote:
    I wish I had some money...

    Don't we all?
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    The nitro vs. poly thing is more about feel than tone for most, though there is a tonal difference. I'd say that 9 our of 10 players wouldn't know the difference in a double-blind listening survey.

    Those Epi's are proof that Gibson is running it up deep in a consumer's ass. I played one last week...killer guitar for 700 bucks, and though a Historic is a better instrument, it is not $4500 better. Sorry, it's just not.

    Grab 'em if you can. Deal and a half.
    new music: http://www.myspace.com/blackbirdsymphonique

    old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    enharmonic wrote:
    The nitro vs. poly thing is more about feel than tone for most, though there is a tonal difference. I'd say that 9 our of 10 players wouldn't know the difference in a double-blind listening survey.

    Those Epi's are proof that Gibson is running it up deep in a consumer's ass. I played one last week...killer guitar for 700 bucks, and though a Historic is a better instrument, it is not $4500 better. Sorry, it's just not.

    Grab 'em if you can. Deal and a half.

    The poly finish actually feels just fine to me. I've been playing for years and this finish feels fine. I don't think you'd ever know if this poly stifles the tone more than nitro would on this axe, because each one is different, and I would have to strip it and re spray it with nitro, then compare.
    Well, after I breathed all that nitro, I'd never remember what the poly finish sounded like in the first place! :D
    The finish isn't that thick anyway, not like the "wood encased in plastic" that some Fender bodies have.

    I'm going to stick some push pull switches on it and see how the pickups sound when tapped. They're 4 wire. I have an old set of PRS artist pups that I may throw in and experiment with, also.
    I yanked out a pickup and the maple top is the same thickness as a Gibson, too. :cool:

    The Musician's Friend deal is over, but here's something that somebody should snag:
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7375024843&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

    It'll probably go to $1000, but it looks like a nice guitar!
    Otherwise, keep your eyes peeled!
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    NOOO!!! they can't be done yet I still want a 63 Dot.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    NOOO!!! they can't be done yet I still want a 63 Dot.


    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/518419/

    Still there! There might be somebody on the phone ordering the last one, though! :eek:

    I think they'll keep the $1000 + guitars going. No hurry.

    Ha ha,,, I just voided the warranty on my Epi Paul! :D
    I desoldered the pots and I'm put some push pull ones in to split the pickups and see what happens. I just can't leave ANYTHING alone!
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    who's_pearljam? wrote:
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/518419/

    Still there! There might be somebody on the phone ordering the last one, though! :eek:

    I think they'll keep the $1000 + guitars going. No hurry.

    Ha ha,,, I just voided the warranty on my Epi Paul! :D
    I desoldered the pots and I'm put some push pull ones in to split the pickups and see what happens. I just can't leave ANYTHING alone!

    \m/ \m/

    Are the stock pup's 4-con? A set of VooDoo 59's in there would rock.
    new music: http://www.myspace.com/blackbirdsymphonique

    old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
  • BeavBeav Posts: 223
    who's_pearljam? wrote:
    I almost NEVER get guitars online unless it's something I know about.

    Biggest risk I've ever taken: Spending $975 on a Cherry Gibson SG on Ebay. I think it's from the 90's. Luckily it was not a mistake. It's my #1. My first good axe was an Epi Les Paul. I replaced the bridge pickup with a Gibson '57 classic. She's a close 2nd.
    "Sooner or later you'll bare your teeth"
    www.myspace.com/volinic
    www.myspace.com/zane26 (band)
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    enharmonic wrote:
    \m/ \m/

    Are the stock pup's 4-con? A set of VooDoo 59's in there would rock.

    Yup, they're 4 wire. It's shielded 2 wire coming through the body, but there's enough 4 wire packed in at the pickup cavity to make it to the controls.
    I played with the polepiece screws on the pickups and got some bite out of them, too. A lot of people don't fool with the screws on the humbucker, but that can bring a set of humbuckers to life.
    If you want a little more treble from a dark pickup, unscrew the polepieces a little bit and lower the pickup and you'll get more high end, but a little less volume. Or vica versa for more bass out of a too bright pup. (Always remember how much you moved the screws! :D
    I'm not hugely in a hurry to replace them, though, they sound pretty damn good!
    I never tried Voodoos, I know they rock, though, but I have a few sets of Fralins, and Duncan 59's and a set of older PRS artists sitting around.
    I may try a homemade Jimmy Page set up! :D


    Beav,,,, cool that you got a good guitar. Sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn't! :D

    Nice signature, by the way, Beav!
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • itsevolutionbabyitsevolutionbaby Posts: 144
    So, we should expect this to be an $1100 guitar from here on out? I was tempted to get one, but figured it would be consistantly available. I would love a gibsion, but 2g is just out of my budget. I can't believe how expensive they have gotten.
    What ain't a country I ever heard of. Do they speak English in what?
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    I would bet that you won't see $700 versions of these again.
    Epiphone is Gibson's bread and butter now, so I bet they'll raise the price or stick with the plus. It IS a competitive guitar with a $2000 Gibson, so I bet they really don't want to compete with their own company.
    I wonder if these had a stigma about them and they couldn't sell them for $1000, too. People see the Epi name and think low grade Gibson.

    Dunno

    Even if it cost $1500, this thing would still be nice guitar.


    Haha!!! I ordered a Bigsby Tremelo for mine, too! I'll slap that on and see how I like it! The warranty will DEFINITELY be void now!

    I split the pickups and they sound ok, not astounding. If I put some 59's in it would sound better. Then with the Bigsby it would be an Epiphocaster! :D
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
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