Epiphone '59 Les Paul Standard Owners Club

[rjwilson37]

There were two Epiphone 59 Les Paul's at GC that I was trying out and going to buy one, and the first one a Dark Cherry Burst was the usual, around 8.5 lbs give or take a little. The 2nd one I tried was a Dark Burst and it weighed a ton, at least over 1 lb heavier at 9.8 lbs to 10 lbs. I would not like one that heavy, I mean right when I picked it up I was like wow... heavy. I literally had to rebalance myself to pick it up, it was making me teeter forward as I picked it up. They also sounded very different from each other, the heavier one had a lot darker overall tone to it.

I take my Les Paul Modern off of the wall to play it, I use one hand to get it down. I grab my Les Paul Custom Black Beauty or Les Paul Custom Yellow Widow Burst off of the wall to play it, I use two hands to get it down.

 

[rifflearner]

Maybe it’s just me, but I like my Les Pauls to be heavy. It’s one of the distinguishing features of an LP, and I like it. If I want a light guitar, I’ll grab a Tele. But when I play my LP, I want to play an LP, not a lighter guitar that just happens to look like an LP.

Granted, I don’t play on stage and 95% of the time I’m playing seated. But if I’m buying an LP on Sweetwater, and they have the “pick your model” feature: I first consider the top. And then the heavier guitar breaks the tie.

 

[barryf]

Maybe it’s just me, but I like my Les Pauls to be heavy. It’s one of the distinguishing features of an LP, and I like it. If I want a light guitar, I’ll grab a Tele. But when I play my LP, I want to play an LP, not a lighter guitar that just happens to look like an LP.

Interesting. Personally the weight does not bother me (home player, always seated). I just don't want to end up with an example that is so heavy it might put off buyers when I go to sell it in the future.

I have to say, the sustain on it is just eerie, it is so good

 

[firstlight]

Just played my 8.5lb southern fade for like 3 hours. The tone and sustain is incredible and I would never want it to be any heavier!

 

[rjwilson37]

+1 firstlight - I don't like them super heavy and my light Les Paul Modern has great tone and sustain.

 

[barryf]

I weighed my '59 on more accurate scales and it is just over 9lb, so not off the charts. Going to keep it because it sounds and feels so great.

I have a 2008 Gibson LP Studio stuck/lost somewhere by UPS and if that ever arrives it will be lighter so I will be interested in comparing them.

 

[Slocar]

Mine weighs in at 9lbs. 5oz. I like it

 

[LuckyDan]

When I put it on my bathroom scale, I got readings of 8.8 and 9 alternately on several tries. Then I stood on the scale while holding it, then without holding it, and the difference was 9 pounds even.

I would have guessed heavier, but then I'm out of shape. Everything is heavy to me anymore.

Edit: I did the same with my Squier CV Blonde Tele, a solid pine bodied guitar, and it came in at 8.8.

I have a Peavey T-60 stored away that I don't want to dig out right now but I'm guessing it would still win a heaviest guitar competition.

 

[JRSIV]

I decided to order a Dark Burst off Musicians Friend thinking if it was a turd I'd send it back and still have my AMS order (for a Southern Fade due late March) to fall back on. Two days after ordering I got an email stating my MF order was cancelled. I called to get the info and it was classic Guitar Center BS. After getting snowjobbed for 5 minutes with the guy saying their inventory was off I flat out asked if they were pulling guitars off the walls of stores in the field to fulfill orders (which many of us knew or suspected) and "my" guitar was sold.

After stumbling around he admitted it. I said keeping IN STOCK notices on the Musicians Friend website was pretty disingenuous and he agreed and said it was their policy. I got lucky in the grand scheme of things; even if it's an in-demand guitar we deserve to get a new guitar if that's what we're buying. Many of us take demo's to save a few bucks, but we KNOW they're demo's.

Anyway I found a dealer through Reverb who was extremely cool and had one new in box, so I bought it. It's been a joy to play, I expected with all the hyperbole the reviews were being generous but they aren't. All the buzz is deserved. The neck takes a little getting used to if you don't play guitars with bigger necks but it is very comfortable and easy to fall into.

The weight is perfect, not too heavy but still a Les Paul. Epiphone serial numbers start with the year of manufacture for the first two digits and then the next two are for the month (01-12). Mine was made in Oct. 2020 and the attention to detail is unreal. No fret burrs, finish is immaculate, the wiring and electronics are as advertised on, etc. I'd be interested in playing one made later this year to see if the quality control stays this tight.

I cancelled the AMS order, I've bonded with this one and as much as I kept telling myself to just keep it since two wouldn't even be as much as a US Les Paul, I know I'm just being greedy. I already bought a Casino and a CV Tele this month using that logic.
Bottom line: is it a Custom Shop R9? No, that's not what it's built to be. But for a sub-$1000 Chinese Les Paul it's unreal. But this guitar is more than just a great deal ala' the Classic Vibe stuff or even some of the Harley Benton stuff; it's a serious instrument that I can only see getting better with age and needs no improvements out of the box.

 

[JaxLPGuy]

I already bought a Casino and a CV Tele this month using that logic.

Ha! I got my Southern Fade in early December. A few weeks ago, a G&L Tele showed up at my door. Today it was an ES-339.

 

[Robo67]

View attachment 523196

I decided to order a Dark Burst off Musicians Friend thinking if it was a turd I'd send it back and still have my AMS order (for a Southern Fade due late March) to fall back on. Two days after ordering I got an email stating my MF order was cancelled. I called to get the info and it was classic Guitar Center BS. After getting snowjobbed for 5 minutes with the guy saying their inventory was off I flat out asked if they were pulling guitars off the walls of stores in the field to fulfill orders (which many of us knew or suspected) and "my" guitar was sold.

After stumbling around he admitted it. I said keeping IN STOCK notices on the Musicians Friend website was pretty disingenuous and he agreed and said it was their policy. I got lucky in the grand scheme of things; even if it's an in-demand guitar we deserve to get a new guitar if that's what we're buying. Many of us take demo's to save a few bucks, but we KNOW they're demo's.

Anyway I found a dealer through Reverb who was extremely cool and had one new in box, so I bought it. It's been a joy to play, I expected with all the hyperbole the reviews were being generous but they aren't. All the buzz is deserved. The neck takes a little getting used to if you don't play guitars with bigger necks but it is very comfortable and easy to fall into.

The weight is perfect, not too heavy but still a Les Paul. Epiphone serial numbers start with the year of manufacture for the first two digits and then the next two are for the month (01-12). Mine was made in Oct. 2020 and the attention to detail is unreal. No fret burrs, finish is immaculate, the wiring and electronics are as advertised on, etc. I'd be interested in playing one made later this year to see if the quality control stays this tight.

I cancelled the AMS order, I've bonded with this one and as much as I kept telling myself to just keep it since two wouldn't even be as much as a US Les Paul, I know I'm just being greedy. I already bought a Casino and a CV Tele this month using that logic.
Bottom line: is it a Custom Shop R9? No, that's not what it's built to be. But for a sub-$1000 Chinese Les Paul it's unreal. But this guitar is more than just a great deal ala' the Classic Vibe stuff or even some of the Harley Benton stuff; it's a serious instrument that I can only see getting better with age and needs no improvements out of the box.

Sweet! Glad it all worked out

 

[JRSIV]

Ha! I got my Southern Fade in early December. A few weeks ago, a G&L Tele showed up at my door. Today it was an ES-339.

Lol, I really think the rule of 3 applies to guitars just as much as famous people deaths. There is something about that first one, especially after a long lay off between buying guitars, that really starts a chain reaction going.

I'll say this, just as quitting partying freed up a lot of outgoing monies, this pandemic has had a similar effect. You take $50 restaurant meals for lunch & dinner out of circulation the bread starts to add up pretty quickly.

Of course a more prudent individual might be saving instead, but in light of Earth circa 2020 being what it is, YOLO seems to be the prevailing vibe.

 

[Dexter13]

Just received my dark burst from MF. I was told April then suddenly it shipped. Packaging didn't look pristine. Suspect it's off the showroom. Came from GC in Anaheim. only flaw I see is truss rod cover bulges from rod. Anyone else's do this? Is rod too loose? Action is low some buzz.

 

[LuckyDan]

I'm not getting the complaints about guitars being from the floor. Most of these guitars were made in freaking October 2020. It's not like hundreds of people have handled your guitar before it landed on your porch. If that bothers you, fly to China and camp outside the Qingdao factory. Dayum.

 

[Dexter13]

I'm not getting the complaints about guitars being from the floor. Most of these guitars were made in freaking October 2020. It's not like hundreds of people have handled your guitar before it landed on your porch. If that bothers you, fly to China and camp outside the Qingdao factory. Dayum.

Thanks for responding. Im not bothered by handling, more curious about truss rod pushing out(flexing cover). Should this be a concern? Thanks

 

[LuckyDan]

Thanks for responding. Im not bothered by handling, more curious about truss rod pushing out(flexing cover). Should this be a concern? Thanks

My reply wasn't directed toward your truss rod situation, but to those who seem to insist that no human hands have touched their budget guitar since it left the factory.

If my guitar had a noticably bulging truss cover, I would remove the cover. And if I found the truss nut bulging upward, I would be concerned, yes. I hope all is well with yours. If all is well, enjoy your beautiful new Paul!

 

[Gary Bell]

Lol, I really think the rule of 3 applies to guitars just as much as famous people deaths. There is something about that first one, especially after a long lay off between buying guitars, that really starts a chain reaction going.

I'll say this, just as quitting partying freed up a lot of outgoing monies, this pandemic has had a similar effect. You take $50 restaurant meals for lunch & dinner out of circulation the bread starts to add up pretty quickly.

Of course a more prudent individual might be saving instead, but in light of Earth circa 2020 being what it is, YOLO seems to be the prevailing vibe.

Interesting take. I am in this category. The 59 aged dark cherry burst was my first new guitar and 30 yrs. it is beautiful. I’ve always wanted a nice Jackson. So I went on Sweetwater and found a pro series soloist for 599$ Mahogany w burled poplar top. I told the trigger. I suspect that Sweetwater might have made a mistake on the website. The next day the same guitar was listed for 899. When I called..the rep told me “yeah you and a couple of others got in under the wire”. It was a pre-order and it should be here in early April. i’ve never had an American Strat so that will be my third. Haha. Happy playing everyone.

 

[fry]

You take $50 restaurant meals for lunch & dinner out of circulation the bread starts to add up pretty quickly.

Of course a more prudent individual might be saving instead, but in light of Earth circa 2020 being what it is, YOLO seems to be the prevailing vibe.

You have to do your part to stimulate the economy!! It’s the right thing to do...

 

[fry]

truss rod pushing out(flexing cover). Should this be a concern?

That can’t be right, I would definitely be concerned.

 

[JaxLPGuy]

@JRSIV im totally using that rules of 3 with my wife. I have to remember it to post to Instagram because my teenager follows me and he can blackmail me for Xbox gift cards.

It's amazing how much I'm saving on gas and skipping those daily lunches to escape the office.