Goldtop Tribute vs LTD EC1000?

[soliloquy]

tried searching and didn't come up with much in terms of a direct comparison between these two....

ESP LTD EC1000s are well regarded guitars. People love them. Solid built. Priced well. etc....

I'm not really feeling my guitar much these days and want to get a more traditional looking LP, preferably in goldtop.

given that i'm having a hard time selling my EC1000 ( i was going to add another 1k to get a gold top standard), would it make much sense to just trade it for a tribute gold top with either p90s or humbuckers?

similarly priced.
specs would be somewhat similar in that:
hog body and neck
maple top
24.75 scape
relatively light weight
single cut

what i'm losing to the LP is i wont have an ebony board, and binding (i really like binding!)
what i'm gaining in the process is a 2 vol/2 tones, nitro finish that ages (this is important to me), a slightly chunkier neck (bonus for me).



or should i just keep waiting and hope eventually it will sell, and i just upgrade to a standard 50's gold top?

 

[Christosterone]

Get 2018 classic for p90s….
or any other classic for humbuckers

the 2018 classic is a bound goldtop which was unde $2k new…which is an insane value imho

my 18 is truly a joy to play…I did add a B5 but other than that, she’s all stock and perfect in every way

-chris

 

[noodlingguitars]

Well... hrmm.... I happen to have all of the above. Personally I'd go with keeping the EC1000 and getting a satin gold Tribute. I love the satin gold ones. Even though the fingerboard's not bound, because the body has the maple cap reveal, it looks almost like JJN's Dorothy.

There are also a few other options and things worth considering:

- 50's gold top - you need to go try this at a store if you're coming from an ESP/LTD background. I don't know what it is about the current production, but the Pleking process can take the frets pretty low. Esp. when compared to the ridiculously huge frets (YAY!) that ESP/LTD uses. Neck profile might be worth considering too - these are not "upgrades" but rather preference things.

- Other options: current production Deluxe (rounded C profile - mini-hums, but you can drop in P90s if you want), 2018 Classic (thinner neck - with P90 config), 2019 Classic (humbuckers). The latter two you could probably find at a discount these days.

Tribute:
Before you buy - esp since these are the 2017/2018 ones, make sure you check the following:
(i) fretboard (check to see it's flush with the neck) - if you search up posts here, I've posted examples and pictures of ones that aren't.

(ii) if it bothers you, also check that the maple cap is flush with the mahogany body. again, sometimes it isn't. I've played ones where the maple cap was not fully flush at the part that sits on my leg. It caught my pants on the day, but if not for my pants, it would feel a bit scratchy and weird.

 

[01GT Eibach]

Save up and get the Standard. GC has sales where you can trade in and get a 15% credit towards new gear, and then also use the GC financing to get their (frequently available) 48-month 0% financing. You could make the switch with only having to be out a measly $30/mo at no interest. That is a no brainer to me. Yes, definitely, get the Staaaaaaannnnndard.

 

[soliloquy]

Well... hrmm.... I happen to have all of the above. Personally I'd go with keeping the EC1000 and getting a satin gold Tribute. I love the satin gold ones. Even though the fingerboard's not bound, because the body has the maple cap reveal, it looks almost like JJN's Dorothy.

There are also a few other options and things worth considering:

- 50's gold top - you need to go try this at a store if you're coming from an ESP/LTD background. I don't know what it is about the current production, but the Pleking process can take the frets pretty low. Esp. when compared to the ridiculously huge frets (YAY!) that ESP/LTD uses. Neck profile might be worth considering too - these are not "upgrades" but rather preference things.

- Other options: current production Deluxe (rounded C profile - mini-hums, but you can drop in P90s if you want), 2018 Classic (thinner neck - with P90 config), 2019 Classic (humbuckers). The latter two you could probably find at a discount these days.

Tribute:
Before you buy - esp since these are the 2017/2018 ones, make sure you check the following:
(i) fretboard (check to see it's flush with the neck) - if you search up posts here, I've posted examples and pictures of ones that aren't.

(ii) if it bothers you, also check that the maple cap is flush with the mahogany body. again, sometimes it isn't. I've played ones where the maple cap was not fully flush at the part that sits on my leg. It caught my pants on the day, but if not for my pants, it would feel a bit scratchy and weird.

I do have a Gibson BFG, along with Edwards E-LPC as my other guitars. So i'm sort of used to the chunkier necks than that of the EC1000. As much as people seem to LOVE the thin-U neck shape, it really doesn't do anything for me. Its awkwardly flat on the back (similar to Ibanez Wizard II necks, actually).

and having tried multiple guitars in the last several years, i always do gravitate towards more chunkier necks than thinner necks.
I also gravitate towards mahogany necks over maple, so thats something worth checking too.

and yeah, the tributes seem fine, just i dont want to get one and keep thinking that i should have waited a bit longer to just get a standard/deluxe/classics/special instead

 

[noodlingguitars]

I do have a Gibson BFG, along with Edwards E-LPC as my other guitars. So i'm sort of used to the chunkier necks than that of the EC1000. As much as people seem to LOVE the thin-U neck shape, it really doesn't do anything for me. Its awkwardly flat on the back (similar to Ibanez Wizard II necks, actually).

and having tried multiple guitars in the last several years, i always do gravitate towards more chunkier necks than thinner necks.
I also gravitate towards mahogany necks over maple, so thats something worth checking too.

and yeah, the tributes seem fine, just i dont want to get one and keep thinking that i should have waited a bit longer to just get a standard/deluxe/classics/special instead

The truth is the Tribute and its glossy brother are two different things. Hopefully you can actually touch them before buying cause that silky... smooth... satin, natural mahogany back is soooo soft ...just makes you want to caress it ...

But if you want a "real" gold top.. esp. if you want to do this:

Then you're gonna want to save up and wait.

 

[soliloquy]

The truth is the Tribute and its glossy brother are two different things. Hopefully you can actually touch them before buying cause that silky... smooth... satin, natural mahogany back is soooo soft ...just makes you want to caress it ...

But if you want a "real" gold top.. esp. if you want to do this:

Then you're gonna want to save up and wait.

Won't the satin finish also check/score like gloss finish?

 

[noodlingguitars]

Won't the satin finish also check/score like gloss finish?

Hrmm good question. I haven't noticed any checking on my satin gibbies - mind you these are 5-6 years old only and I'm not actively trying to relic them or anything.

BUT, I've seen second hand ones where there were lots of paint chips and just rubbed off paint. I have a feeling that the paint is more likely to come off before it even checks. I've also done the reveal binding kind of thing on a couple and it comes off as easy as tempura paint/ scratch & win tickets.

 

[redcoats1976]

really havent had any issues with the paint on my GT tribute/in fact i also have a 2016 trad pro with full gloss finish,flametop.its prettier but i like the tribute for actually playing.

 

[rjwilson37]

Definitely get the Standard 50's Goldtop, the Tributes are nice, but a bound neck feels so much better to me. The Body on a Standard is slightly thicker, where a Studio and Tribute is a little thinner, so you do get a fuller/bolder/richer tone I think, at least to my ears.

Does your BFG have P90's, Humbuckers, or 1 of each. There were a few different BFG models that came out over the years.

The 2018 Tribute Gold Top had a Slim Taper 60's neck, so you might not like that. The current Tributes have a rounded neck profile, I am not sure how that feels since I have not tried one, but there are no Gold Tops in the current Tribute lineup.

 

[rjwilson37]

tried searching and didn't come up with much in terms of a direct comparison between these two....

ESP LTD EC1000s are well regarded guitars. People love them. Solid built. Priced well. etc....

I'm not really feeling my guitar much these days and want to get a more traditional looking LP, preferably in goldtop.

given that i'm having a hard time selling my EC1000 ( i was going to add another 1k to get a gold top standard), would it make much sense to just trade it for a tribute gold top with either p90s or humbuckers?

similarly priced.
specs would be somewhat similar in that:
hog body and neck
maple top
24.75 scape
relatively light weight
single cut

what i'm losing to the LP is i wont have an ebony board, and binding (i really like binding!)
what i'm gaining in the process is a 2 vol/2 tones, nitro finish that ages (this is important to me), a slightly chunkier neck (bonus for me).



or should i just keep waiting and hope eventually it will sell, and i just upgrade to a standard 50's gold top?

Sorry for saying this... But, you could try the Epiphone Slash Victoria Les Paul Gold Top. This has custom voiced Probucker pickups that are Slash approved, and it is a very nice guitar. If you don't like it, just send it back, you have 30/or 45 days to try it out, I think. Over in the Epiphone thread, there is someone who just got a Gibson Tribute not long ago and he stated it's right on par with his Epiphone Slash Guitars.

 

[soliloquy]

Sorry for saying this... But, you could try the Epiphone Slash Victoria Les Paul Gold Top. This has custom voiced Probucker pickups that are Slash approved, and it is a very nice guitar. If you don't like it, just send it back, you have 30/or 45 days to try it out, I think. Over in the Epiphone thread, there is someone who just got a Gibson Tribute not long ago and he stated it's right on par with his Epiphone Slash Guitars.

the poly finish is really bothersome to me now. Thus looking into nitro, or japanese LPs, even if they are poly. They seem to be either adding less poly, or are doing something to make the guitar more acoustically loud/more resonant than any Epis ive tried. I'm sure epis are good guitars, but just not what i'm looking for at the moment

 

[rjwilson37]

the poly finish is really bothersome to me now. Thus looking into nitro, or japanese LPs, even if they are poly. They seem to be either adding less poly, or are doing something to make the guitar more acoustically loud/more resonant than any Epis ive tried. I'm sure epis are good guitars, but just not what i'm looking for at the moment

Then definitely go with the 50's Standard Gold Top, you will really enjoy it I'm thinking. Between the neck profile, pickups and Non-Weight Relieved body, sweet Nitro finish, it should give you what you're looking for.

Edit: You could also look for an older Gibson Les Paul Standard Gold Top, make sure you check the neck profile for the year your looking at. The older the Gibson Guitar, the more the Nitro Soaks into the body, the better they sound, I do truly believe this.