Epiphone Les Paul (Slash Gold Top)

[LeoZeppelin]

Hello guys,

I am new to the forums. My name is Leo. I play Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Blues, Progressive Rock and some metal. I bought a new guitar and would greatly appreciate your comments/reviews/suggestions.

I was looking for a nice fat tone with a nice crunch too when needed. I was not willing to shed any buck over a grand for now as I would rather invest that into an amp for now. Tried many guitars including Ibanez, which are really nice guitars but fail to deliver that nice fat tone I needed. Tried Gibson SG too, which I would love to buy eventually.

Finally narrowed it down to one of the Gibson Les Paul studio (490R and 498T Alnico 2 magnet humbucker pickups) and Epiphone Les Paul Gold top (Slash Signature Model) with Seymour Duncan Alnico II pickups. Both were great, though to my surprise, Seymour Duncan gave really better tone as well as crunch and output in comparison. Sustain was almost similar...so apparently despite different pickups, Slash's model has good wood density...though it is Epiphone. I compared with with P90 pickups sound on Gibson and results were quite the same. So, I put my money on table and brought this baby home.

Now a few things that I have concerns and questions about are like:

- Does everyone who owns it or other Epiphones/Gibsons have problem of them going out of tune real fast....just within a single pull? I know new strings tend to do that for a few days but is it a generic problem with these models, if anyone knows?

- I searched up online for price, to make sure I did not overpay. I paid USD 800 + tax, for guitar+a very nice slash case+slash strap+A poster+Slash pics and other such mojo stuff of slash. Retail price was 1000 bucks but I just talk nice . Though, I hope I did not overpay for this Slash's signature model. Did anyone get it even cheaper? Any comments?

I would truly appreciate any other comments and suggestions that you might have.

Thanks in advance.
- Leo

 

[Eric052492]

I never had a problem with my Epiphone Les Paul Custom going out of tune, no matter how much I was bending the strings. The grovers that come on them are pretty good. Not sure about the Slash guitar. I put Gibson tulip style tuners on mine though, just for looks By the way, welcome to the forum!

 

[slowhand0461]

Get some Gibson or Grover tuners....The Epi Green Key tuners aren't good at all.

It's worth the money to get the real Klusons.


also.... Welcome Aboard

 

[pawpek]

Welcome to the forum, I normally try and stretch the strings in as this sometimes helps. You could try and destune your guitar, and put a bit of pencil lead in the nut to help lubracate the nut. I find this helps too. Good luck.

 

[wormburner]

I had a problem with my Grover tuners not being tight enough. I was told make them hand tight, plus a quarter turn with the correct size wrench. Now they stay dead in tune.
Good luck.

 

[rideski]

It's most likely the nut and not the tuners. Have the nut filed a bit and the intonation set and you should be good.
I love my Slash models....plays as good as my Gibby Traditional.

 

[LeoZeppelin]

Thanks guys. I am already in process of narrowing down the problem based on your advice. Although, it seems to be going away by itself but I still want to be sure on this.

@rideski: Do you own 'Epiphone Slash Models", Gold top in particular (SD Alnico II)? I would be interested in hearing your feedback or anyone else who has played it before.

 

[Felipe Corleone]

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/epiphone-les-pauls/32845-me-my-epiphone-slash-lp-collection.html

I own a Epiphone Slash Goldtop Les Paul and it's a realy great guitar!

Rock the fuck on dude!

 

[DanW]

I have both the Tobacco and the Goldtop Slash Epi's and they are awesome!

The tuners are fine and stay in tune just as good or better than my Gibson!

I love the neck and the pk's sound sweeet.

Dan

 

[LeoZeppelin]

Thanks for the reply guys. I was hibernating for a month...so checking the forum again now. :-D

I love the sound of Slash Gold Top model too. Extremely powerful sound of SD Alnico II pickups with acoustics of Les Paul..its just great, specially with the price I paid. :-D

Last one had some issues as I mentioned, so I grabbed another one (same model) from store....which brings me to my another question. Does everyone feel that action is not so good at higher frets? I tried getting it fixed and as it reached the realms of my satisfaction, it started buzzing very bad. I got relief adjusted a bit upwards (as it was dead straight before), but if you bring the bridge down a little, you hear clearly audible buzz.

So, all of you guys who own this model, did you face any such issue? This is second one, with buzz issue for me. So, I am kind of going by statistics. Some people do like a bit high action, but I prefer it "comfortably low" (if not as low as Ibanez). Would action be a point where I will have to compromise a bit, for this guitar?

@Felipe: Nice collection there.

Thanks
- Leo

 

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Thanks for the reply guys. I was hibernating for a month...so checking the forum again now. :-D

I love the sound of Slash Gold Top model too. Extremely powerful sound of SD Alnico II pickups with acoustics of Les Paul..its just great, specially with the price I paid. :-D

Last one had some issues as I mentioned, so I grabbed another one (same model) from store....which brings me to my another question. Does everyone feel that action is not so good at higher frets? I tried getting it fixed and as it reached the realms of my satisfaction, it started buzzing very bad. I got relief adjusted a bit upwards (as it was dead straight before), but if you bring the bridge down a little, you hear clearly audible buzz.

So, all of you guys who own this model, did you face any such issue? This is second one, with buzz issue for me. So, I am kind of going by statistics. Some people do like a bit high action, but I prefer it "comfortably low" (if not as low as Ibanez). Would action be a point where I will have to compromise a bit, for this guitar?

@Felipe: Nice collection there.

Thanks
- Leo

Well, I don't have a Slash model, but I think you shouldn't make a compromise with the action. Maybe there is one or more high frets, so the frets need to be leveled. Since you already gave the neck some relief, it would most likely be a high fret. That's can sometimes happen on guitars (not only on Epiphones).
For comparison, this is my bridge height and the neck is dead straight. No buzz.

Sorry, but I don't have a pic where you can see the string height at the lower frets but this should give you an Idea.

 

[Felipe Corleone]

Thanks for the reply guys. I was hibernating for a month...so checking the forum again now. :-D

I love the sound of Slash Gold Top model too. Extremely powerful sound of SD Alnico II pickups with acoustics of Les Paul..its just great, specially with the price I paid. :-D

Last one had some issues as I mentioned, so I grabbed another one (same model) from store....which brings me to my another question. Does everyone feel that action is not so good at higher frets? I tried getting it fixed and as it reached the realms of my satisfaction, it started buzzing very bad. I got relief adjusted a bit upwards (as it was dead straight before), but if you bring the bridge down a little, you hear clearly audible buzz.

So, all of you guys who own this model, did you face any such issue? This is second one, with buzz issue for me. So, I am kind of going by statistics. Some people do like a bit high action, but I prefer it "comfortably low" (if not as low as Ibanez). Would action be a point where I will have to compromise a bit, for this guitar?

@Felipe: Nice collection there.

Thanks
- Leo

Thanx Leo! I'ts a really great guitar!
Could you post some pics of your Slash Goldtops?

And remember, Rock The Fuck On dude! (And that's easy with this guitar!)

 

[Raku10]

Me Playing SCOM

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSC40ALOOoo&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - Sweet Child O Mine Cover - Epiphone Slash Goldtop[/ame]

I had swapped out the tuners, bridge. caps and had a total setup by a local shop. They adjusted the nut, now the lower E string sits in the groove, before lower E string was always too high to me. Changing the Tuners seemed to have helped, or maybe I'm just getting better at stringing the guitar, LOL

 

[diceman]

I have a buddy who had lots of issues with fret work on his Slash GT - he had a luthier level the frets as there were a bunch that needed it.

For tuning issues, you should try graphite in the nut slots - pencil "lead" works fine.

 

[LeoZeppelin]

@ Shifty: Only 2 things I can think of about it are either strings cutting in too deep at nut on E and A so staying a bit too close to fretboard or high frets..and high frets is what I think is more likely. I would hate to find out that its both. Thanks for posting that pic...and action on mine is nowhere near that one. Your bridge is nice and low...if I get there, I hear buzz everywhere on fretboard.

@ diceman and raku: Yea a good luthier might be able to do the trick. Mine is still under store warranty, so I sent it at store's repair place. If they can fix it, good...if it comes back the same, I'm throwing it back at 'em. I am not willing to spend more money into it yet to find out it might just be a desk item than a gig axe.

@Flipe: Pic is in avatar. I would be happy to post more once I get it back, fixed !! Fingers crossed :-D

 

[jbzoso2002]

i have a epi slash goldtop on layaway and i will
have it in 1 to 2 weeks.
the first thing i do to it is a bone nut and a fret
leveling/adj. it makes a world of difference imo.
my epi std+ plays like butter after i had that done.

jimmy

 

[Jchop]

These are nice guitars. well worth the money. Epiphone Slash are great. Although for the same money. An Edwards Les Paul would be more logical, purely bases on specs.. Just my opinion.

 

[jbzoso2002]

These are nice guitars. well worth the money. Epiphone Slash are great. Although for the same money. An Edwards Les Paul would be more logical, purely bases on specs.. Just my opinion.

the prob with the edwards is you cant play it 1st. also no case.
the epi slash gt has a long neck tenon, maple top seymore duncan's
and a nice case. i played 4 slash gt's and 1 was far better than the
other 3.

jimmy

 

[Raku10]

I bought my Slash GT sight unseen from a mainland dealer. Being in Hawaii, there's no guitar center, or what so ever. I just tried my luck, and it turned out to be pretty good, I got mine for like $780 shipped to Hawaii. So it was a good deal for me.

 

[LeoZeppelin]

I bought my Slash GT sight unseen from a mainland dealer. Being in Hawaii, there's no guitar center, or what so ever. I just tried my luck, and it turned out to be pretty good, I got mine for like $780 shipped to Hawaii. So it was a good deal for me.

$780???????

You beat me to it...mine is for about $800 without taxes.

@ Jimmy: I guess I have learned a good lesson & in a hard way. Next time I am buying a guitar, I am first going for fret leveling & adjustments. I never had to do it before, so I was taking it all for granted. By the way, I am in absolute love with Seymour Duncan pickups...no matter if it is installed in a Jackson or Slash Gold Top Les Paul. Jackson is definitely going to be my next guitar.