Les Paul: Epiphone vs PRS

[DW4LesPaul]

Epiphone Standard Plus Top PRO <--must be the Standard PRO models.
PRS: Anything Les Paul in the same price range.

Any input is appreciated. I saw some really nicely finished PRS LPs the other day. I really don't know anything about them.

I think it would be really interesting to have a LP type guitar made from PINE, for weight issues.

Fender's Modern Telecaster is made of Pine. Very light.

 

[Brians Evil Twin]

What is the question?

 

[Dolebludger]

I think the question is whether a PRS SE is as good (or maybe even better) than an Epi. Excuse me while I don my flame-proof suit. I have both an Epi and a PRS SE. I find PRS SE to be the superior guitar -- for me. Fit and finish is better. Fretboards are higher quality. Action can be lower. The PRS SE wide/thin neck fits my hand better. And weight of PRS SEs is generally less than Epi LPs. This is just a personal evaluation, on a very personal matter. Other players will disagree, and I expect that. But even those who prefer the Epi will have to agree that a PRS SE is one fine guitar!

Best thing the OP can do is to find a place where we can play an Epi and a PRS SE (both in the model of his choosing) side by side through the same amp, and decide for himself.

 

[dbagmaximus]

For me, I'll put it this way. I currently have 5 Epiphones and played an SE Custom 24 the other day at a L&M. Had I discovered PRS sooner I'd have 5 PRS' instead

 

[paruwi]

I've seen (more than one) PRS SE models on the wall of this big german Music-retailer where the polepieces didn't match the strings by ca. 5mm

I never looked at PRS models again....

 

[icecoolpool]

I've seen (more than one) PRS SE models on the wall of this big german Music-retailer where the polepieces didn't match the strings by ca. 5mm

I never looked at PRS models again....

Your loss.

 

[JayFreddy]

I have 6 Epiphone Les Pauls, 4 Gibson Les Pauls, and zero PRS guitars of any flavor.

Don't get me wrong, PRS make fine guitars, I just don't own any of them. At the same price points, I think Epi and Gibson are a better value.

I do like some of the SE models with trem units, but those aren't in the Les Paul family. I like my Lesters to have two volumes and two tones, and TOM tail pieces. That eliminates 99% of the PRS single cuts from my wish list, as well as several of the newer Gibsons.

If what you want is a Les Paul, I think Epiphone delivers better than PRS.

The PRS guitars are fine instruments, they're just not Les Pauls.

 

[Dun Ringill]

Buy the one that feels and sounds the best. Then there is no wrong answer but only you have the answer.

 

[RyanThompsonGuitarist]

Buy the one that feels and sounds the best. Then there is no wrong answer but only you have the answer.

This should just be the answer to all of these kinds of threads, T'be Honest

 

[Dolebludger]

paruwi,

Mismatching pole pieces is indeed disturbing. Caused me to pull out my 2102 PRS SE "Orianthi" model (discontinued, but almost identical to a Custom 24) and checked the pole piece/string alignment. It was 100% spot on! Much better alignment than on my Epi 56 GT P 90. Now, mine is a double cut with a trem (which I have locked because I don't use it). It makes me wonder what sort of bridge the models you looked at had, and whether the problem could be solved by re-aligning the strings on the bridge.

 

[JayFreddy]

Buy the one that feels and sounds the best. Then there is no wrong answer but only you have the answer.

This should just be the answer to all of these kinds of threads, T'be Honest

It seemed to me like the OP was looking for criteria by which to compare them, not necessarily which one is best or which one to buy.

 

[paruwi]

Your loss.

Their (PRS) loss,

I've spent my cash on other brands

 

[Dolebludger]

paruwi,

Because of your post about misaligned pole pieces on PRS SE guitars, I went to Sweetwater's web site where they show actual pics of their guitars on hand (not stock pics) and checked out a bunch of them for this problem. None of them had it. All alignment was spot on.

Now, I am not questioning the truthfulness of a guy like you. I 100% believe you saw what you said you saw. What I think is that you just stumbled upon a rare bad batch, or something like that. (maybe even fakes? There are PRS fakes.)

All I'm saying is that you can find PRS SEs with perfectly aligned pole pieces, if this is the only problem you found with them.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

PRS makes a fine guitar.

They do not however make a Les Paul or anything that sounds or feels like one. (though the MIA SC58 is damn close.)

If you want a Les Paul, you buy a Les Paul (either Epi or Gibby), if you want a single-cut style guitar lots of people make those.

PRS SE and LTD/ESP are a couple of the better ones.

 

[Dolebludger]

Mal, you are correct. PRS SEs are lighter in weight than Epi and Gibson LPs. So they are going to sound less "dark", even if you put Gibson or Epi pups on them. But they don't sound "Fenderish" and the right amp can darken up the PRS tone.

 

[icecoolpool]

Their (PRS) loss,

I've spent my cash on other brands

One day, you will turn to the power of the dark side.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

Mal, you are correct. PRS SEs are lighter in weight than Epi and Gibson LPs. So they are going to sound less "dark", even if you put Gibson or Epi pups on them. But they don't sound "Fenderish" and the right amp can darken up the PRS tone.

no doubt. But they're PRS guitars, they feel and sound like PRS. And that's fine and miles above many others.

I just think if you want a Les Paul, you get a Les Paul.
If you want a single cut style guitar,..there's like 20+ companies making them, and some of them make really nice ones.

We've got a list on my board about different makes. ...great guitars some of them,..none are Les Pauls though.

(copy/pasted, not sure if the links will work right)

ESP/LTD
www.espguitars.com/guitars/ltd-guitar/ec-series.html/

Ibanez
www.ibanez.co.jp/products/u_eg_series13.php?series_id=155&year=2013&cat_id=1

PRS
PRS SE 245

Dean
THOROUGHBRED SERIES | Dean Guitars

Charvel
www.charvel.com/guitars/?section=desolation&bodyShape=Single Cutaway

Grassroots
ESP | GrassRoots Original Series

Burny
BURNY GUITAR | FERNANDES OFFICIAL WEB SITE

Edwards
ESP | EDWARDS Series

Bacchus
translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://www.deviser-bacchus.com/

Tokai
www1.odn.ne.jp/tokaigakki/

Greco
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco_guitars

Aria Pro
Electric

Heritage
Heritage Guitar, Inc. of Kalamazoo - Solid Body Guitars

..and there's even more...like the FGN guitars that Paruwi likes.

 

[paruwi]

..and there's even more...like the FGN guitars that Purawi likes.

Who's that guy ?

 

[kevinpaul]

It should be PRS VS Ibanez. They look alike and have that very common tacky solid body style. A bit of a Strat rip.

 

[Dolebludger]

Kevin,

I have a double cut PRS SE, and a Strat, and an SG and a LP. The PRS is not much like the Strat. Rather, it is what the SG should have been and should be. It has a thicker body than the SG (which the SG should have), and a similar tone and playing feel.

Before I found my PRS SE, I was talking to a Luthier about custom making me a guitar similar to the SG, but with a thicker body, maple cap, and maple neck. When I found the PRS, there was no need to go custom, as it was everything I was trying to design into the custom, at a much lower price.