Gibson Les Paul Studio or Epiphone Les Paul Standard?

[Carroll1218]

Hi all,

I plan to upgrade my old guitar+amp. I'm going to get some sort of marshall amp, but on to my main question. I really want that gibson les paul sound and I'm deciding between the Gibson Les Paul Studio and the Epiphone Les Paul Standard. The Gibson LP Studio is in the $1300 range, but I might be able to find it a little cheaper (seen it go for $900-1000, and I could always get one used), while the Epiphone Les Paul Standard is $550-600. Is the studio really worth it over the standard?

Buying the Epiphone LP Standard would allow me to spend more money on a good Amp and I'm looking to get a Zvex Fuzz Factory to go along with my Digitech RP-350. I'm not sure how much of a quality/tone difference there is between these two guitars though. I might get a more expensive Epiphone if i end up going with that, some kind of Epiphone Les Paul Custom for example. I also read that an expensive Epiphone is always a better choice than one of the lower-end Gibsons.

I'm also considering getting the Musician's Friend - Buy musical instruments, music gear, musical equipment online... (Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Custom Silverburst) because I really love the silverburst finish. How does it compare to the others?

Also, apparently the only difference between the Gibson Les Paul Studio and the Standard is that the standard has Grade A maple and slightly different looks while the studio has regular maple. If this is true, why not go for the studio?

If anyone could add their opinion or anything to help me out, that'd be great. I'm not really sure what to do and just considering all possible choices, but the price of a Gibson LP Studio ($1300) would be as high as i could go.

Thanks!

Edit: Also curious about the differences between the tone of the Plus-top and the Plain-top of the Epiphone LP Standard. Plain-top is $100 cheaper, and slightly heavier since its 100% mahogany, while the Plus-top is more expensive, but a mix of mahogany and alder with a Flame-top.

[loverockkid]

have you looked at the epi studio thats a great guitar man for a awsome price really i have played one its hot or the epi elites thats also a amazing guitar really look at them try em out i thought both where a awsome guitars man

[loverockkid]

o and welcome to mylespaul forum man

[diceman]

How about I complicate the matter some, and suggest an Epiphone Elitist. Made in Japan, long neck tenons, solid African mahogany back, bone nut, USA electronics, Gibson hardware and switches, includes an arched top hard case, and a price that is just a little over a grand. Check 'em out if you get the chance - I've got two and love them.

Also, welcome to the forum!

[diceman]

(My pair of Elitists: )

[ninny404]

Originally Posted by diceman

How about I complicate the matter some, and suggest and Epiphone Elitist. Made in Japan, long neck tenons, solid African mahogany back, bone nut, USA electronics, Gibson hardware and switches, includes an arched top hard case, and a price that is just a little over a grand. Check 'em out if you get the chance - I've got two and love them.

Also, welcome to the forum!

I second this.. I hear a lot that the Studio is much like the Epiphones with inconsistencies. With the Elistist, I haven't heard of one bad apple so I would highly recommend atleast testing them out

[dennistruckdriver]

Originally Posted by Carroll1218

Hi all,

I plan to upgrade my old guitar+amp. I'm going to get some sort of marshall amp, but on to my main question. I really want that gibson les paul sound and I'm deciding between the Gibson Les Paul Studio and the Epiphone Les Paul Standard. The Gibson LP Studio is in the $1300 range, but I might be able to find it a little cheaper (seen it go for $900-1000, and I could always get one used), while the Epiphone Les Paul Standard is $550-600. Is the studio really worth it over the standard?

Buying the Epiphone LP Standard would allow me to spend more money on a good Amp and I'm looking to get a Zvex Fuzz Factory to go along with my Digitech RP-350. I'm not sure how much of a quality/tone difference there is between these two guitars though. I might get a more expensive Epiphone if i end up going with that, some kind of Epiphone Les Paul Custom for example. I also read that an expensive Epiphone is always a better choice than one of the lower-end Gibsons.

I'm also considering getting the Musician's Friend - Buy musical instruments, music gear, musical equipment online... (Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Custom Silverburst) because I really love the silverburst finish. How does it compare to the others?

Also, apparently the only difference between the Gibson Les Paul Studio and the Standard is that the standard has Grade A maple and slightly different looks while the studio has regular maple. If this is true, why not go for the studio?

If anyone could add their opinion or anything to help me out, that'd be great. I'm not really sure what to do and just considering all possible choices, but the price of a Gibson LP Studio ($1300) would be as high as i could go.

Thanks!

Edit: Also curious about the differences between the tone of the Plus-top and the Plain-top of the Epiphone LP Standard. Plain-top is $100 cheaper, and slightly heavier since its 100% mahogany, while the Plus-top is more expensive, but a mix of mahogany and alder with a Flame-top.

Go for the Studio. You will eventually want to 'mod' your Epiphone anyway, so why not go ahead right now and get the 'real deal'?

[jkinnison90]

I would definitely get an Epiphone Elitist over a Gibson Les Paul Studio.

[R.L.]

Play as many as you can and get the one that speaks to you,myself I went with the Gibson studio and am glad I did.

[hbucker]

I'll muddy the waters by saying that a good amp can make a bad guitar sound good but a good guitar can't make a bad amp sound good.

If you only have enough money to get either a great amp or a great guitar, I'd probably go with the amp. Although you can get a great amp in a PV Classic 30 or 50 for not a lot of money. In any event, I would make sure I got the amp that really got me where I wanted to go and then focus on the guitar.

With that, I can recommend the Elitist too. It won't necessarily save you a lot of money over the Studio. But I have never played a Studio that I prefer to my Elitist. Period. That's not to say Studios are bad guitars. It's just to say that I prefer my Elitist more.

Standard Epiphones are what they are. Golden said it best when he said, "...they're 75% of the Gibson tone at 25% of the price." That's a hard value to beat.

This isn't the right forum for this comment but... Another GREAT budget guitar to consider is the PRS SE line. They are excellent guitars and probably won't run you over $600. But arguably, even the two humbucker models move you away from the LP vibe.

Good luck with your search.

[LPJones]

I "had" a Gibson LP Studio and I now have both an Epi LP Elite(Elitist) and an Epi LP Standard.

The Gibby LP Studio blows away the "stock" Epi Standard (or Custom)
The Epi Elite(Elitist) LP is as good or better than the Gibby Studio for the same price.

[needlespauls]

Originally Posted by hbucker

Standard Epiphones are what they are. Golden said it best when he said, "...they're 75% of the Gibson tone at 25% of the price." That's a hard value to beat.

Hey that was my line!

[ZoomZilla]

You can get a Studio for under $900 if you get the vintage worn mahogany finish. But if you are going to do that, I would third or fourth the vote for elitist.

[mudpuppy]

I would find a nice playing and looking Epi Standard and drop in a set of custom humbuckers ala Dr. V's, Fralin 60's or something similar.

To me they sound just as good as a historic reissue at a fraction of the price.

One of the custom winders had a sound sample of his pups in an Epi on his website but I can't find the link now. It sounded awesome!

[dcmey]

Originally Posted by ZoomZilla

You can get a Studio for under $900 if you get the vintage worn mahogany finish. But if you are going to do that, I would third or fourth the vote for elitist.

I love my VM and I swear by it. I would play several guitars I would probably play on everyone's suggestions and any of your own and buy the guitar that speaks to you. Also a suggestion for a good amp at a low price Vox AD30VT or the 50 watt model. Those are hybrid amps. They are solid state but have tubes in the pre amp.

[dcmey]

By the way welcome to the forum.

[overdriver]

Originally Posted by mudpuppy

I would find a nice playing and looking Epi Standard and drop in a set of custom humbuckers ala Dr. V's, Fralin 60's or something similar.

To me they sound just as good as a historic reissue at a fraction of the price.

One of the custom winders had a sound sample of his pups in an Epi on his website but I can't find the link now. It sounded awesome!

In the tone freaks section under pickups is a sticky ,MLP pickup reference guide. top of page , Mister Weldaar (Jeff) was some clips , of a few different makers pups, in an Epi LP

[voxac30dude]

get the standerd plain top bro. there way better quality then some of the standerd iv'e been seeing.

[ZoomZilla]

Originally Posted by dcmey

I love my VM and I swear by it. I would play several guitars I would probably play on everyone's suggestions and any of your own and buy the guitar that speaks to you. Also a suggestion for a good amp at a low price Vox AD30VT or the 50 watt model. Those are hybrid amps. They are solid state but have tubes in the pre amp.

Maybe you got a good one then. Common sense would tell you that a high end Epi should be better than a low end Gibby, but every guitar is unique, so maybe the VM is a good axe. I will try one out next time I am at the Gibson store and do an A/B on an elitist vs. Gibson Studio.

[hbucker]

Originally Posted by needlespauls

Hey that was my line!

OOOOPS! My bad... Sorry!

[Davey Rockets]

ya know, agreeing with everybody just isn't very original .. but, I gotta agree with a lot of information already posted.

Given the choice between a Studio and regular Epi, I'd rather have a used Studio than a new Epi. (and a chorus of "well-duhhhhs" rise up).

However, as many others have said, the Epi Elitist is an Epi in a league of it's own, and is very worthy of consideration. ("Elitist - those who know, know")

I have both a Studio and an Elitist, and they're equal in value to me... they both provide different flavors of what they do, but they're both very good flavors.

Hbucker had a VERY good point about amps vs. guitars too. As you only have a finite amount of money to spend, you don't want to cheap out on the amp, so you have quite a few factors to consider. A regular Epi can always be upgraded down the road when you have a little extra cash... but a used Elitist is probably real close in price to a new Epi.

[sdiggz]

I finally decided to got with the Gib Studio after just playing it about 45 mins ago. I couldn't put it down, i didn't like the lighter weight at first but that light son of a bitch had a growl like anyone who would want any Les Paul wants to hear. Epiphone won to me on the weight but the Gib was extremely comfy to play. D.Y.K all gibson necks are first cut using a computer but then a real person does the final neck shaping an a belt sander so there are NO two alike?
I like the idea the money is going to an american worker's paycheck too
haven't played an elitist because my shop here doesn't have them

[Davey Rockets]

Cool! Nice score! Post pics when you get a chance.

[diceman]

Congrats - pix for sure!

[LPJones]

Are you answering in a thread that someone else started or are you the same person with a different account?

Originally Posted by sdiggz

I finally decided to got with the Gib Studio after just playing it about 45 mins ago. I couldn't put it down, i didn't like the lighter weight at first but that light son of a bitch had a growl like anyone who would want any Les Paul wants to hear. Epiphone won to me on the weight but the Gib was extremely comfy to play. D.Y.K all gibson necks are first cut using a computer but then a real person does the final neck shaping an a belt sander so there are NO two alike?
I like the idea the money is going to an american worker's paycheck too
haven't played an elitist because my shop here doesn't have them

[sdiggz]

I was trying to answer the original thread "gibson les paul studio or epiphone les paul standard". rather new to this sorry

[needlespauls]

Originally Posted by hbucker

OOOOPS! My bad... Sorry!

lol no prob man just crackin some nuts!

[diceman]

I didn't even notice that - good call Jones!

Diggz - still, congrats on the new axe!

[Davey Rockets]

..and I thought I was only slightly losing my mind.

[R.L.]

Cool,Welcome,their all good guitars you just found one that spoke to you.