What les paul copy do you think is best.

[Udonitron]

Oh no....

 

[slapshot]

Agile

 

[tonebone]

Get a CORT, or better yet a Hondo - - - and never look back.




Get a Tokai and everyone will be your friend, or be a rebel, get an Elk.

 

[Luke0739]

Agile

 

[melt]

Sometimes I wonder if buying used really is the way to go.
Here in Sweden a Greco EG500 go for between 730-1020 dollars.
I can get a new Tokai LS80 or Edwards LP92 for about 1100 dollars from the UK.

 

[slapshot]

I only buy used.
If I wanted new it'd be an Edwards though

 

[Thomas/Sweden]

Sometimes I wonder if buying used really is the way to go.
Here in Sweden a Greco EG500 go for between 730-1020 dollars.
I can get a new Tokai LS80 or Edwards LP92 for about 1100 dollars from the UK.

It's tricky situation, living here.

 

[SingeMonkey]

All these manufacturers have a range of Les Pauls. In my opinion, Gibson Custom Shop historics are probably the best current production models, alongside Navigators, and the Tokai Premium range.

Where I think Tokai has a winner, is that you can buy one of these top-quality LPs for $1,500. Gibsons and Navigator with historic specs are all really expensive new. And Gibsons are still very expensive second hand. All of these guitars, though, are very similar to '50s LPs. I went for the Tokai LS150 (now LS160) because it hit this sweet spot in terms of a guitar that can swing with Gibson historics and Navigators but priced like an upper mid-range LP.

For less expensive, but still really great LPs, I think Edwards hits the sweet spot in terms of price vs. specs and quality. But there's a lot of competition in mid-priced LPs. Tokai's mid priced guitars are fantastic bang for buck too. As are the MIJ Burnys. Gibson doesn't even compete here, IMO, because their guitars are just so much more expensive than MIJs with similar - even better depending on your preferences - specs.

Once you get into second hand stuff, it's much more complicated. But seeing a couple of Navigators going for ridiculously low prices recently, that's where I'd probably look.

If price is no obstacle, we've seen some stunning hand-made replicas on this forum.

 

[vintageJIM]

first off, there is no 'best' ............. there is what suits your taste, your budget, your requirements, etc.

I have played a few brands & then there are some brands I have yet to play, and probably never will

there are many good brands out there but consistency of product & playability IMO are required so, I don't want good; I want great

buy a bunch of different brands and see what's best for you ................

 

[mono]

I only buy used.
If I wanted new it'd be an Edwards though

This.

 

[doublecut]

What les paul copy do you think is best.

The Green ones.

 

[JimmyPage968]

Tokai Les Paul Reborn is probably the way for a reasonable amount of money. I would say Navigator but those are up there now. Personally i want a vintage Greco but can't seem to find any lefty models.

 

[Custom53]

Too many to list... You didn't even mention Max, Derrig and Keebler or other "high-end" replicas...
And there are many out there who you and I will never know the name of the builder(s) that are truly awesome...
It is all in your personal perspective....

 

[jeebus2002]

I've got a similar problem to the O.P. . I won't be able to test any of what I'm looking at out personally as nobody in my area has any MIJs so I have to go all through ebay. I'm torn between waiting on an Edwards that's here in the U.S. or an Epiphone Elitist or I also see Burny RLG-55's are affordable enough to be shipped from japan. Since I won't see or handle any of them personally I rely heavily on what learned opinions I can get here on MLP. thanks guys

 

[slapshot]

the worst most beat up trashed destroyed MIJ les paul is still better than 90% of the new copies being made today.

 

[captain von rat]

2nd hand definitely the way to go ... i like Edwards MIJ's the best out of all the copies ... Orvilles are decent too ... bu i love my Gibson SG Standard more than any of them.

 

[melt]

the worst most beat up trashed destroyed MIJ les paul is still better than 90% of the new copies being made today.

When you say new copies, does that include new MIJ Tokai and Edwards guitars?

 

[slapshot]

Maybe.
Maybe they're the other 10%?

 

[SWeAT hOg]

a used MIJ is the way to go IMO but a former student played an Epi LP Studio that was IMO a sweet guitar

 

[sorsin]

Hi,
I think the question is not ridiculos these days when if you want
to play a "good Gibson" guitar you have to pay several thousands of dollars.
The ridiculos here is the prices of those guitars. Does it means that
a new 2010 LP Standard is a crap? why all of us run to buy a custom shop for
5000 US$ ? R9 R8 or whatever.

so the best is to find a copy that you feel it great in your hand.
change pickups, tuners, nut and bridge and you are there, for several
hundred of dollars.