The Les Paul copy (including Epiphone) shootout!!!

[feebleknievel]

New member, hello

So I am looking for a les paul. I have a epiphone les paul from the early 2000's but its beat up, needs a re-fret and has a crack in the neck, doesnt make financial sense to repair it. At least thats what I'm telling the other half .

So I've got 3 guitars in mind.
Epiphone Les Paul custom £600

Epiphone Les Paul Custom In Ebony - Andertons Music Co.

Get your hands on the Epiphone Les Paul Custom In Ebony from Andertons Music Co. with free UK delivery on orders over £99!

www.andertons.co.uk

LTD EC-256 £450

ESP LTD EC-256 BLKS in Black Satin - Andertons Music Co.

ESP LTD EC-256 BLKS in Black Satin at Andertons

www.andertons.co.uk

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus £370

Harley Benton SC-Custom Plus EMG VBK

Electric Guitar Deluxe Series, Body: Okoume, Neck: Nyatoh, Neck attachment: Set-in, Fretboard: Jatoba, Fretboard inlays: White pearloid trapezoids, Binding: Ivory, Neck profile: Modern C - Thickness at the 1st fret: 20.5 mm; Thickness at the 12th...

www.thomann.de

Cost is important, the cheaper the better, but I dont want to buy a piece of crap just because its cheap. If the Epiphone is the best then I'll go for that.
It would be used mainly for heavier music. Electronics dont matter too much as I have a set EMG's I'll be putting in it.
Although I think the neck is slightly different, as I have a Epiphone les paul the Les Paul Custom is the only one Im familier with in terms of how it feels to play.
The other thing to take into account is the Harley Benton coming from Germany. If there are any issues getting it returned etc could be a pain.

So any thoughts will be apprecited

 

[gitmohair]

Just checked UK Ebay (i'm in the UK too btw) and you could probably snag yourself a Gibson LPJ for that (or about one and a half SG faded specials - one of those would be my choice TBH, great guitars) if you're worried about the EBay bit just take some of the excellent advice that's in other treads on this site (there's a lot to be said for common sense TBF and if you're prepared to travel a bit there's still some great stuff to be found) and you'd have a great guitar/keeper for not a lot of wedge. If you must buy new the both then both dealers you've mentioned (Andertons/ Thommann) are cool, I've used both recently and not had any issues (sadly, not something that in my recent experience applies to some of their competitors). Thommann often had (don't know if they still do, and the euro pricing can be an issue, check what your bank will actually charge you, whatever the website prices show as) some great prices on Gibsons, worth a look, perhaps.

 

[feebleknievel]

Just checked UK Ebay (i'm in the UK too btw) and you could probably snag yourself a Gibson LPJ for that (or about one and a half SG faded specials - one of those would be my choice TBH, great guitars) if you're worried about the EBay bit just take some of the excellent advice that's in other treads on this site (there's a lot to be said for common sense TBF and if you're prepared to travel a bit there's still some great stuff to be found) and you'd have a great guitar/keeper for not a lot of wedge. If you must buy new the both then both dealers you've mentioned (Andertons/ Thommann) are cool, I've used both recently and not had any issues (sadly, not something that in my recent experience applies to some of their competitors). Thommann often had (don't know if they still do, and the euro pricing can be an issue, check what your bank will actually charge you, whatever the website prices show as) some great prices on Gibsons, worth a look, perhaps.

For the price of the epiphone custom? Did you mean a Gibson les Paul studio? I’ve seen some of those for £600-£800.
My only issue with the studios (if that is what you meant) is I’m not too keen on most of the colours, I don’t like the stained wood look, apart from the brown ones I’ve seen.
I don’t have to buy new no. I’d have to buy carefully though, I don’t want another guitar that needs a bit of work to be good, unless it was significantly cheaper.

 

[gitmohair]

I didn't mean the Studio, no. (Don't know if link will work) here's a review https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/gibson-lpj-575516 and there was a thread about one of these in here the other day. They probably won't meet your cosmetic tastes, to be fair. They would, however, be very happy with the pickup mod you have in mind - I think the chap in the other thread was proposing an EMG mod too. (This'll sound rude, but it's not meant that way at all) I'd take a great, functional guitar over a shiny, nice coloured one any day of the week And if you ever need to flip it you'll (at the very least) get your money back. YMMV, and so it should

 

[feebleknievel]

I didn't mean the Studio, no. (Don't know if link will work) here's a review https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/gibson-lpj-575516 and there was a thread about one of these in here the other day. They probably won't meet your cosmetic tastes, to be fair. They would, however, be very happy with the pickup mod you have in mind - I think the chap in the other thread was proposing an EMG mod too. (This'll sound rude, but it's not meant that way at all) I'd take a great, functional guitar over a shiny, nice coloured one any day of the week And if you ever need to flip it you'll (at the very least) get your money back. YMMV, and so it should

Oh ok. When I ebayed them it came up with the single p90 style juniors. I didn’t know there was another kind.
To be fair I’d take a look at them. I don’t hate the stained look in the right colour like a brown, so it looks like stained wood.
I prefer guitars that aren’t that shiny too, I like a satin finish so maybe an second junior/studio might not be a bad shout

 

[feebleknievel]

I’m not in the position to buy just yet anyway, need to sell a few bits and save a little bit but wanted a goal amount in mind

 

[ranchonmars]

I've bought 3 Harley Bentons in the last couple months for gifts and as project guitars. I have to say, for the price, they are pretty outstanding instruments. None of the three have had sharp fret ends...none. All the electronics work and the pickups are serviceable, but let's get real, you'll ditching all of that stuff anyway and Thomann knows it. The guitars are far from perfect and just know in advance that you are going to replace the tuners if not all the hardware. If you're in the US like me you'll need to place a bulk order to get any decent price overall as the overseas shipping is a little stiff, but I've picked gig bags, gator cases, etc at a huge discount....even compared to Sweetwater and Amazon. If you can swing it I would seriously consider looking at the Harley Benton line, especially if you can work on your own guitars.

 

[CB91710]

The bridge on my 3 year old Harley Benton SC450 is already collapsing.
There is a reason they are charging less than $400 for these things.

 

[feebleknievel]

I ended up getting the epiphone les Paul custom. 3 came into stock in Andertons and I snapped one up.
It’s really nice. I’m not a huge fan of glossy necks but once I’ve had it for a while I’ll lightly sand the back. The pickups are really good. I had the intention of putting emgs in it but I’m leaving them in

 

[gitmohair]

Pictures are expected for these NGDs Congrats on the new guitar

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Congratulations.

Good choice, as were the other prospects.

The Ebony fretboards on the Epiphone Customs are very nice.

As already stated, !

 

[feebleknievel]

At work at the moment. Only one I have as I opened the box .
I’m tempted to go all nickel rather than gold. It’ll mean replacing the pick-up covers and pole pieces but shouldn’t be too hard

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

All Nickel? You mean, replace the tuners, bridge, tailpiece... ?

Keep it stock for a while, just to see if it grows on you.

Nice guitar!

 

[CB91710]

Or just give it a couple of years out on a stand being played daily.

 

[feebleknievel]

All Nickel? You mean, replace the tuners, bridge, tailpiece... ?

Keep it stock for a while, just to see if it grows on you.

Nice guitar!

Yea it’ll be stock for a while. It’s just a bit bling atm, I’m sure that will change. Im set on the pickups though. I’ve had a Gibson sg, an old epiphone les paul standard, a couple of squires and a fender strat and it’s the only guitar I’ve not wanted to change the pickups on. They can do everything from clean to metal. They don’t chug as well as my emgs but the emgs pretty much just do high gain.