Need Buying Advice...

[Oh Teh Noes!!!]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and I need some advice. I've started saving up to upgrade from my Squire strat to an LP with a few choices in mind.....

1.) Epiphone les paul standard

2.)Epiphone les paul '56 Goldtop

3.)Gibson LP studio vintage mahogany

Which would you suggest and why? Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Terminator7]

Well how bout an Epiphone Les Paul Elitist. They are probably just as good as the Gibson Les Paul Studios but they have a little more stuff like binding and the quality is as good. They are $1,150.00, when the Gibson Les Paul Studios are $1,319.99

 

[Oh Teh Noes!!!]

I hadn't thought of that. I'll go to the GC website to look at them.
thanks for the quick reply.

 

[Terminator7]

I hadn't thought of that. I'll go to the GC website to look at them.
thanks for the quick reply.

No Problem!

 

[Oh Teh Noes!!!]

Wow, elitists seem awesome. I might just save up for one of the goltops. (elitist, of course)

 

[jkinnison90]

I definitely would get an Elitist. People that have them say they compete good with Gibsons. I'm thinking about ordering me an Elitist custom.

 

[Oh Teh Noes!!!]

I tried a vintage mahogany LP at GC yesterday, it was verry nice. Do they have Elitista in the store itself at GC? Cuz they look sweet.

 

[ZoomZilla]

Only 2 more days till I put them side by side. I am going to play an Elitists vs. Gibson Studio. We will see what happens.

 

[kriptikracing]

I was just in a similar scenario. Before playing any guitar, I sorta had my mind set on getting a gibson lp studio so I saved up for it. When the day finally came to buy the guitar, I went down to the shop and ended up not liking the studio. I compared it to a gibson standard and a epiphone standard. I really liked the gibson standard but it wasn't in my budget. I also liked the epi standard better than the studio because it had better playability, feel, sound, and looked nicer to me. In the end, I ended up with an epiphone elitist standard plus top in faded cherryburst. The reason I didn't get the regular epi standard was not because the elitist is a better guitar (which it is!) but rather I had the money for it. Remember?...I saved money for the studio which was $1,300. Plus, I bought the elitist blind based on my impression of the regular epi standard and everyones review of the elitist here. No doubt the elitist is a better guitar, but I would've been happy with the regular one. If I did things the other way where I try out guitars first before saving up money for one, I would've had the regular epi standard a long time ago.

 

[Terminator7]

I tried a vintage mahogany LP at GC yesterday, it was verry nice. Do they have Elitista in the store itself at GC? Cuz they look sweet.

Most likely, no. But your chances of buying an Elitist blindly are very good.

 

[Terminator7]

Only 2 more days till I put them side by side. I am going to play an Elitists vs. Gibson Studio. We will see what happens.

Tell us how it goes!

 

[Oh Teh Noes!!!]

Thank you all very much for the great advice. I'll probably be saved to about $1000 within a month, I'll let you know what I choose!

 

[overdriver]

Wow, elitists seem awesome. I might just save up for one of the goltops. (elitist, of course)

I put Elitist pups in my reg. Epi classic Gold top, they are much better sounding pick ups than the reg. Standard Epis. and the Elitist guitars are built better than the reg. I now have a poor mans Elitist, sort of. Get the Elitist you will not regret it.

Diceman deals with a good small shop that sell Elitist and they have , had ? a gold top.1099$ The Dice will be back in a week. the thread that talks of the place is .... no Elitist shortage here... do a search. Pics of the guitar and shop, another member bought one there good people.

 

[voxac30dude]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and I need some advice. I've started saving up to upgrade from my Squire strat to an LP with a few choices in mind.....

1.) Epiphone les paul standard

2.)Epiphone les paul '56 Goldtop

3.)Gibson LP studio vintage mahogany

Which would you suggest and why? Thanks in advance for any advice!

dude get a plain top les paul standerd. they're cheaper then the plus top and nicer imo.

 

[Oh Teh Noes!!!]

dude get a plain top les paul standerd. they're cheaper then the plus top and nicer imo.

yeah, I really like them in honeyburst.

 

[Terminator7]

dude get a plain top les paul standerd. they're cheaper then the plus top and nicer imo.

Elitist are double the guitar the standard is, I'm going to buy an Elitist Custom over a normal Epiphone Custom because its much better quality and a lot of other better stuff that a standard Epiphone doesn't have.

 

[lifele55]

Go for an Elitist if you're planning to get something a good as a Gibb without the price tag.. If its over you budget, save up. Don't rush it, at the end of the day you will love the Elitist and won't be looking anywhere else.

OR.. get you hands on a MIJ Epiphone. Superior built and quality.

 

[ZoomZilla]

Ok, I just got back from the Gibson retail store. I did not get to plug in because the place was full of tourists waiting to go on the tour and I had limited time. So based on my unplugged observation, I will offer the following. The elitists felt better than the Gibby studio. Weight was better, finish was better and craftsmanship appeared better. Both played comparable unplugged, but the Studio has no binding and looks unfinished. If you buy the VM Studio, then it's okay, but the studios that are painted look cheap. The action appeared fairly close and the fretboards felt equivalent. The frets might have been better on the Elitists, but it was hard to tell without plugging in. So basically if the prices are similar, get the Elitist.

 

[Oh Teh Noes!!!]

Ok, thanks a lot, zoomzilla

 

[Terminator7]

Go for an Elitist if you're planning to get something a good as a Gibb without the price tag.. If its over you budget, save up. Don't rush it, at the end of the day you will love the Elitist and won't be looking anywhere else.

OR.. get you hands on a MIJ Epiphone. Superior built and quality.

MIJ Epiphone's are the same thing as the Elitists. They both are made in the same factory. The only difference is the headstock. The MIJ's have a Gibson style headstock and the Elitists have a different kind of headstock as the MIJ's and the normal Epiphone's.