Tribute Plus Alternative???

[LesPaulJam]

Hey guys, new to the site and to Epiphone so I have what may be a silly question. I have read the Tribute Plus is an awesome guitar but I don't really like the color selections. I'm very partial to the Honeybust, Desertburst colors...that being said what are my best options for an alternative where price and electronics are concerned....Thanks

 

[TheAce93]

A Plus Top Pro would probably be the next best thing.

I know how you feel, none of the T+ colours really appeal to me except for Vintage Sunburst and I already have an Epi LP in that colour, not that this is much of an excuse but still...

We want more T+ colours!

 

[Rocco Crocco]

The Florentine has your color choice. Its a great, light weigh guitar. The pickups are not Gibson's but the Probuckers that come in many Epi's now are killer.

 

[DrunkenSamurai]

I vote you pick the least offensive color and go with the T+. I bought the color that was available at the time I got mine. The guitar is way too good to pass over simply for looks.

 

[etzeppy]

I wasn't thrilled with the color choices either but I bought it anyway. I would have gone with Honeyburst if was available.

 

[rem22]

Except the Joe Bonamassa or used models like Etlitist, there is no equal alternatives to the Tribute plus.

the tribute plus is :
- CTS pots / Mallory capacitors : do all Epi have this ? Not sure...but doable ! $$
- Hardshell case : easily doable... $$
- gibson 57/57+ : again..doable $$
- Long neck tenon. Good luck on this one, it is just not doable
- Superior wood quality and thick mapple top : Said by Gibson themselves, the wood used on Tributes plus are superior to both regular and Custom guitars. So, again, not doable
- Grover locking tuners....doable...$$

So, let me sum this up for you :

1/ Can I get a better Epiphone LP, brand new ? No, not really, except maybe the JB, which seems to be on par.
2/ Can I get a better Epiphone LP ? Yes, get an Elitist, but in France it is twice the price.
3/ Can I get an equal alternative ? Not really, since the most important part (wood, lutherie) is better than the rest.
4/ Can I get a cool looking LP guitar, a good one, even if not on par with a Tribute plus ? Sure, get whatever finish you like. But basically, except limited editions, all the new Epiphones you can get will not be a match for the tribute plus and they will be equal in terms of wood, may they be standard, plus top, customs.

The question I have for you is what do you want ? You can get the color you like and mod it, but the lutherie will never be on par with a T+. The T+ is the current star of Epiphone LP line-up (imho).

 

[Thomaz]

Samurai has a point, however, I don't think anyone would play a guitar that looks ugly in their eyes. Florentine's also a good option, or a plustop and considering changing pups (Though the stock sound reasonable)

 

[Bytor1958]

As far as I know there isn't one. You could get something else then mod it...

 

[cybermgk]

A Plus Top Pro would probably be the next best thing.

I know how you feel, none of the T+ colours really appeal to me except for Vintage Sunburst and I already have an Epi LP in that colour, not that this is much of an excuse but still...

We want more T+ colours!

Agree. It's why I haven't gotten one.

 

[cybermgk]

Except the Joe Bonamassa or used models like Etlitist, there is no equal alternatives to the Tribute plus.

Well not completely accurate.

Epiphone 1960 Les Paul Standard

Progenitor to the Tribute Plus. Used, comparable to used Tribute Plus.

Pretty darn close. Mallory Caps, carved Maple cap. AAA vrneer on that. Burstbucker 1 and 2 pups. I BELIEVE it has the long tenon. Doesn't have locking tuners.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Well not completely accurate.

Epiphone 1960 Les Paul Standard

Progenitor to the Tribute Plus. Used, comparable to used Tribute Plus.

Pretty darn close. Mallory Caps, carved Maple cap. AAA vrneer on that. Burstbucker 1 and 2 pups. I BELIEVE it has the long tenon. Doesn't have locking tuners.

It does have the long tenon.

 

[cybermgk]

Well not completely accurate.

Epiphone 1960 Les Paul Standard

Progenitor to the Tribute Plus. Used, comparable to used Tribute Plus.

Pretty darn close. Mallory Caps, carved Maple cap. AAA vrneer on that. Burstbucker 1 and 2 pups. I BELIEVE it has the long tenon. Doesn't have locking tuners.

It does have the long tenon.

There you go. Makes it pretty darn close then. And right on where it matters. Thanks.

 

[etzeppy]

Well not completely accurate.

Epiphone 1960 Les Paul Standard

Progenitor to the Tribute Plus. Used, comparable to used Tribute Plus.

Pretty darn close. Mallory Caps, carved Maple cap. AAA vrneer on that. Burstbucker 1 and 2 pups. I BELIEVE it has the long tenon. Doesn't have locking tuners.

But are those colors any better? Not to me....

 

[cybermgk]

But are those colors any better? Not to me....

Me neither. But they might to the OP.

 

[LesPaulJam]

Me neither. But they might to the OP.

Yeah those colors aren't much better, and I know it's probably not that big of a deal......but....yeah it's a big deal. thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

color can be changed.

the guitar itself and its wood can't, not easily anyway.

Get the best guitar you can,..even colors you don't like or care for will grow on you once you start feeling how good the guitar feels and hearing how good it sounds.

I don't like chambered guitars, and I don't like yellow guitars,....my favorite guitar to play at the moment is a chambered yellow one.

...let your ears and hands decide for you. Eyes make foolish decisions.

Good luck, the Trib+ is a killer guitar.

Seriously,..get the best guitar you can get,...f**k color. If you love the guitar but the color is just killing you,..strip it and stain it the color you want.

But most find if they love the guitar and it's a good guitar,...they sort of stop caring what it looks like.

 

[Teeceman]

A Plus Top Pro would probably be the next best thing.

I know how you feel, none of the T+ colours really appeal to me except for Vintage Sunburst and I already have an Epi LP in that colour, not that this is much of an excuse but still...

We want more T+ colours!

I was hoping that 2014 would bring a new wider range of burst colours for the T+ perhaps we may be lucky for 2015.

 

[MrJudd77]

While it would e nice to have more options on the T+ there is no reason to walk away from it because of the color. I am lucky that I love the Black Cherry on mine but like Malikon said you can always strip it and refinish it in whatever color you like. If you don't have the skill or time to do it, there are people who can do it for you

 

[DPaulCustom]

Buy the T+, get a $30 axe wrap, problem solved

 

[Sustainamaniac]

While the T+ is a fantastic guitar, and I certainly have a lot of GAS for one, I can't help but vouch for the PTP. I have one in the blue burst finish, which I love, and it sounds AMAZING. Stock. I pitted it against every Gibson I could find under $2000 and it sounded better. And played better too.

Part of why I love mine so much is probably because I was able to pick mine out personally from Sweetwater. While that only guaranteed the look of the top, she's quite a player too. But despite having "just a veneer", the top is incredibly 3D and looks gorgeous.

Go for it. You won't regret it. Well maybe a bit when everybody goes on and on about the T+, but then go play it for a while and you'll feel just fine.