So Many To Choose From: Standard 50s/60s, Trad Pro IV, and Classic

[Clique28]

Need help in choosing which LP to get. I never owned an LP ever so even the models are a bit confusing to me. I do own a Fender Strat and a Gretsch G5220. I intended to buy an LP the very day I ended up with my Gretsch. So now I want that LP. I am looking at Standards 50s and 60s, Traditional Pro IV, and Classic. Now my problem is I don't have any idea as to which model is considered lower or higher, or good and not so good, as a starting point. I have no way of testing them out either so I would be relying solely on opinions. What I am looking for is a creamy sounding LP with a comparable neck to my Strat and Gretsch. Also, what are the Pros and Cons for these models.

Standard 50s $649
Standard 60s Limited Edition on sale for $519
Traditional Pro IV Limited Edition on sale for $399
Classic $549

What do you think of this one? I'm considering it.

Epiphone Les Paul Standard '60s Quilt Top Limited-Edition Electric Guitar

Get the guaranteed best price on Solid Body Electric Guitars like the Epiphone Les Paul Standard '60s Quilt Top Limited-Edition Electric Guitar at Musician's Friend. Get a low price and free shipping...

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[noodlingguitars]

Not so much a question of "lower or higher", but functional and minor aesthetic differences. They're all about the same in terms of quality - more about what you need/want. Main differences:

Standard 50s - Thickest neck, Probuckers 1/2 are slightly lower output than Probuckers 2/3

Standard 60s Limited Edition - not as thick neck - Probucker 2/3 set.

Traditional Pro IV Limited Edition - Plain top solid colors. this is a thinner C shaped neck so it's a bit flatter than the 60s neck - Alnico Classic Pro pickups.

Classic - Plain tops (no figured maple veneer). Same neck as the 60s, but with Alnico Classic Pro pickups.

The Trad Pro IV will have the neck closest to your Gretsch G5220. Fender Strats neck profiles vary.

 

[Spirit]

Can’t compare the neck on my Epiphone to your Gretch but having owned fender stratocasters and telecasters in the past I find the necks a totally different feel,probably due to scale length more than neck profile,
everything feels nice and loose on Lp with 10,s .I just found the strats ./teles I have owned tighter somehow

 

[DrBGood]

Don't know about the Gretsch, but to start with, a Strat has a noticeable narrower (width) neck and a smaller radius (surface curve) than any Epiphone LP.

 

[sgarnett]

I tried a bunch of 50s and 60s standards, 3 59s, a couple of the MF/GC quilt-top 60s, several Customs, and a Studio.

Personally, the 50s models just felt “right”. I really wanted to like the 59 best, and nearly bought the last/nicest one, but tried a 50s again and bought that. Disclosure: I hate the Epi Slim D neck. The 50s model feels least like a Slim D.

The 59 wiring is better (soldered direct), while the 50s and 60s have quick connects. I don’t have a problem with quick connects per se if they are done right (no big loops, signal and ground wires twisted together), but there are some big loops on the 50s and 60s. That results in just a bit of hum, but it’s cheap and easy to fix - the switch and pots are already decent quality.

The 59 has arguably better pickups, and I did like the matte neck finish. However, I didn’t like the matte finish on the rest of it. The edges of the body were a little harder/sharper/less-rounded, and to me the matte finish over flame veneer just didn’t look as good. I couldn’t shake the impression of “Formica” (like a 70s kitchen countertop). That’s overstating it of course, but I don’t know how else to describe it. The 59 is a fine guitar, it just didn’t feel right to ME.

 

[tygr1]

Congrats!

 

[sgarnett]

Btw, the 50s Standard and 59 both use “50s wiring”. The 60s has modern wiring.

I do like a treble bypass cap with modern wiring. 50s wiring is new to me. I don’t intend to imply an opinion on it vs modern, I’m just listing it as a difference.

 

[Jay4321]

The neck profiles are definitely something to think about. A worn classic isn't the same as say a Modern is, some have push-pull some don't. I strongly prefer the Probucker pickups over the Alnico Classics (not everyone does). Find one that handles the best for you. If you care about things like laurel fretboards vs say ebony that might matter also.

I hated the stock finish on the worns by the way, but it comes off quick at least.

 

[rjwilson37]

Stick with the Inspired by Gibson Models, a Standard 50's or Standard 60's, I am not sure that limited quilt top is an Inspired by Gibson model. But just try the 50's and 60's to see which neck you like better, for feel/playability. The 60's neck is a Slim Taper C neck profile, neither to Slim or to thick and the 50's is like a Medium C neck profile possibly on the Slimmer side like a 59 possibly. Some have said the neck sizes are all a little bit different even the same models, so it is good to try them out and see which one you like and hopefully is speaks to you it feels so good and you just know once you play it.

 

[syco]

Don't know about the Gretsch, but to start with, a Strat has a noticeable narrower (width) neck and a smaller radius (surface curve) than any Epiphone LP.

Most (current ) strats and Lp ' s have same radius . If you have one with 7.25 or 9.5 radius , they are actually more curved . Higher the radius ...... flatter the curve of fretboard .

 

[DrBGood]

Most (current ) strats and Lp ' s have same radius . If you have one with 7.25 or 9.5 radius , they are actually more curved . Higher the radius ...... flatter the curve of fretboard .

Most Fender are 9.5".
Epiphone says 12", but a lot of them are 14". Mine are 14".

https://www.thaliacapos.com/pages/fretboard-radius-guide-by-guitar-make-model

 

[GrandJunction]

Having been a former very-slim neck Rickenbacker guy who switched to Les Paul's, I can say with no hesitation that getting used to a new neck is only a very temporary adjustment - possibly not more than a couple of minutes. I personally would not worry too much about the guitar necks, and concentrate on tone.

I bought one of the sale $399 Trad Pro IV Gold Tops a few months back. Yes, at first I was taken aback at the large neck size - but now, I absolutely LOVE it!

 

[MaxBrothman]

If you have guitars that are low to medium-sensitive pickups, then get some hotter humbuckers LP.

If you have guitars that have high-sensitivity hot pickups, then get a 50s LP with the lower sensitivity probuckers 1 and 2.

I had high sensitivity humbuckers and active EMGs. So I decided to get the 50s and its perfect for rock. Led Zeppelin, etc.

If you want hard rock and metal then you are hearing towards hotter humbuckers.

Basically, that way you have a range of pickups to select from.

 

[kbladh]

I would stay away from the Alnico Classic Pro pickups. I have had several Epiphones with such pickups and they all have the same limitation, there is just not enough treble output from those pickups. So they sound a bit muddy or a bit dark, especially when playing with your fingers without a pick. My guitars with Alnico Pros were all from around 2016/2017, maybe that has been improved since then, but I doubt it. For some music styles it doesn't matter, but when you do notice, then you want to replace them.

But the Epi Probuckers are great! I have no complaints at all about those.

 

[Jay4321]

Agree. It's not that the Alnico Classics are bad, but they are (for me) completely unremarkable and were quickly replaced.

The Probuckers are excellent pickups, full stop, although some will certainly want something hotter depending on use case (and you can't please everybody). I kept one LP with them stock and pick that one up when I want that sound and threw a Les Trem on it for fun.

And yes neck contour (and radius, and fret size, etc) you can more or less adjust to, if you can play you can play. But it's kind of like an ink pen, any pen will work if that's what you have but some just feel better in the hand. Other things equal you might as well find a guitar that does the same.

Over the years I've probably gone through 7 or 8 Warmoth neck profiles alone, it matters. I could play on them but it matters.

 

[Clique28]

Not so much a question of "lower or higher", but functional and minor aesthetic differences. They're all about the same in terms of quality - more about what you need/want. Main differences:

Standard 50s - Thickest neck, Probuckers 1/2 are slightly lower output than Probuckers 2/3

Standard 60s Limited Edition - not as thick neck - Probucker 2/3 set.

Traditional Pro IV Limited Edition - Plain top solid colors. this is a thinner C shaped neck so it's a bit flatter than the 60s neck - Alnico Classic Pro pickups.

Classic - Plain tops (no figured maple veneer). Same neck as the 60s, but with Alnico Classic Pro pickups.

The Trad Pro IV will have the neck closest to your Gretsch G5220. Fender Strats neck profiles vary.

Thank you for your input.

 

[Clique28]

Thank you guys for all your insights and advises. I have decided to go ahead and order the Standard 60s quilted top. It's currently on sale right now at Musician's Friend; I find it reasonable to get it while it's within my budget. I do have a question about it's pickup though because it says Probuckers or Proprietary Humbuckers. I was wondering if any of you have experience playing with this pickup? I was wondering if it's anything close to say Probucker 1 & 2, or Probucker 2 & 3?

 

[noodlingguitars]

Thank you guys for all your insights and advises. I have decided to go ahead and order the Standard 60s quilted top. It's currently on sale right now at Musician's Friend; I find it reasonable to get it while it's within my budget. I do have a question about it's pickup though because it says Probuckers or Proprietary Humbuckers. I was wondering if any of you have experience playing with this pickup? I was wondering if it's anything close to say Probucker 1 & 2, or Probucker 2 & 3?

It's just the way they filled out the form on MF. This model comes with the Probucker 2 in the neck and Probucker 3 in the bridge.