Recommend Les Paul under £/$500

[Rob MacKillop]

Squire do a great Classic Vibe tele, which I once had. Now I’d like the equivalent price-quality for a Les Paul. Any suggestions?

[John A.]

Epiphone. There’s a bewildering array of variants that I could not possibly keep straight or explain, but any of the variants on the Standard are pretty nice (and cheap). A while back I played a “Plus Top Pro” that sounded great.

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks, John. I’ve been checking them out. Bewildering is the word. I can get a used Epi “Inspired by Gibson” Custom for £499, which is the limit I’m allowing myself. I can always change the pickups later.

[dconeill]

Just be aware that the neck profiles vary somewhat across the Epiphone offerings. Maybe these differences will matter to you. The neck profile names are on the manufacturer's website, down the webpage in the (unlabeled) Specifications section under "Neck". The Epiphone website for Les Pauls is at Epiphone | Original Les Paul, which you probably knew already.

Unfortunately, Epiphone only gives the profile name. The website Gibson Neck Profiles Explained: Choose the Right Shape - Pro Sound HQ describes the neck profiles.

[Rob MacKillop]

Slim taper would suit me fine. I’m leaning to the Custom I mentioned above. 50’s copy but with a slim-tapered neck.

[John A.]

Thanks, John. I’ve been checking them out. Bewildering is the word. I can get a used Epi “Inspired by Gibson” Custom for £499, which is the limit I’m allowing myself. I can always change the pickups later.

Maybe look for a Standard for 50-ish quid less? Same thing with less bling, and it’ll leave you a little more funds for pickup swaps. I prefer the appearance of Standards anyway, but de gustibus yada yada.

[Rob MacKillop]

I like black

[Arcoril]

Slim taper would suit me fine. I’m leaning to the Custom I mentioned above. 50’s copy but with a slim-tapered neck.

The Custom is more of a 60s copy than a 50s copy. As you mentioned, it has the slim taper neck, but it also comes with ProBucker 2 and 3 pickups like the 60s models as opposed to the ProBucker 1 and 2 pickups on the 50s. Unlike the 50s and 60s, however, the Custom comes with an all-mahogany body as opposed to the 50s and 60s with their maple tops.

[Rob MacKillop]

OK. I am partial to mahogany guitars. Good to know.

I have a Creamery CC pickup being made for me soon. That’ll do nicely in the neck position.

[xuoham]

I have three Epiphone from the Qingdao factory, 2014-2018. A Les Paul, a SG, and a ES335.

They are all labeled "pro" which basically means that they have a coil tap system.
Quality is incredible.

The pickups, be it "Alnico Classic Pro" (alnico V) or Probucker (Alnico II) are in my opinion just
fine. I actually love the Probuckers.

I swapped pickups on so many guitars, but those three Epiphone ones never made me feel they needed a swap.
I play clean mostly.

If there were anything to change that would be the switch (a bit flimsy), the pots (though no problem so far, but push-pulls ar emore complex so a better quality could mean a longer life), and the jack.
The usual suspects.

I am curious what will flow from your hands and future Les Paul !

Qingdao factory tour:

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks. I’m curious too! It’s just for teaching with, but I might as well get the most out of it that I can.

[Cunamara]

A Harley Benton LP? I've never played one of their guitars, but they seem to be silly good for the price per most reviews I've come across.

[Rob MacKillop]

Hmm. I am aware of them, but they don’t excite me. Probably good for the price, though.

[Marc Grossman]

I own mostly hollow body guitars but have had a number of Les Paul solid bodies.
I had an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top Pro that was a great guitar. It was blue and I think it was a 2016 model. It had humbuckers and it sounded great clean. Wish I still had it. Check the reviews- reverb has 4.9/5 rating out of 135 ratings.
I have a Vintage brand V100 Les Paul that I would rate equal to the Epiphone. Also has humbuckers.
I had a Gibson Les Paul Special that was an excellent guitar. But the other two mentioned are very close to the Gibson.

[A. Kingstone]

Rob: You know you have to have the strap too long and bounce it on your knee like Jimmy Page?

[Lkdog]

You can probably find a used PRS SE SC594 for around $650.

[Rob MacKillop]

Rob: You know you have to have the strap too long and bounce it on your knee like Jimmy Page?

Know? I taught him that! When he was a little kid his parents brought him to my house to try me out as a teacher, and that was the first thing I taught him. All three of them immediately declared me the perfect teacher. The rest is history.

[st.bede]

Some people might think I am crazy, but when it come to LPs, I have never bonded with an Epi.

I have not tried many LP Epiphones, so I do not have a lot of personal experiences. However my assumption has been that since they are made from a number of pieces of wood glued together, they sound and respond a little differently.

I currently own four LPs. Presently I have been happy with studios, and a classic.

Yes, there is some difference between my less expensive LPs and a say a trad pro, but it seems to be a finer gradation then other examples.

I think of my LPs as working guitars versus prefect.

I have been able to find good deals on used LPs.

I am not sure those are still available, given the increases in guitar prices. However, I would rather have a guitar that meets me desired base line, then have a guitar that almost does that.

I known that people often think of Page, Betts, or EC and the LP Marshall thing, but there in nothing wrong with the Bloomfield approach.

[Rob MacKillop]

Bloomfield was up there with the best, some say was THE best. Sometimes I agree. Les Paul was pretty good too! Not to mention Jim Hall

I had an Epiphone about 8 or so years ago, with a big fat neck, which I set up with quite heavy strings for slide playing. Was great for that purpose. It had to go when my teaching took a slide during early Covid. I would not have used it for regular playing, the way it was set up.

“Inspired by Gibson” Custom on its way…with a good returns policy if I don’t like it.

[frabarmus]

I'm amazed at how good my son's MIC Epi LP is!
The neck is a dream! So easy and comfprtable, slim D shape. Sounds good, too... you can always replace pickups though.

[Herbie]

It is always a good idea to buy a Les Paul!

Take a look on the Tokai too. My first LP was a black Love Rocket in 80s and once I had a goldtop LP with P90s. Slim neck and ridiculously unique pickups, full but bright in a way I haven’t met with any other P90s. I had to sell it to finance a CS Gibson R6, but occasionally I kinda miss it.

I have always thought the Tokai LPs a bit better than Epis, but of course I haven’t tried all of them.

Tokai Guitars – Rose-Morris

[Alter]

If you actually see new Tokais and Epiphones side by side in a music shop, it is exactly the same guitar, besides what the headstock says (and possibly the pickups?)! They look completely identical in every aspect, are they made in the same factory?

For cheap LPs i would go with the vintage brand. They are great for teaching, playing at home, anywhere you don't need an instrument to support high volumes. And much cheaper than Epiphones these days.

[frabarmus]

Take a look on the Tokai too.

Speaking of which... look what I found (not LP but a nice jazz box at a reasonable price)

Tokai UJS70 Archtop Jazz Guitar (Tobacco Sunburst) - Tokai - Electric Guitars - Guitar | Soundpad Guitar Shop

[Rob MacKillop]

For cheap LPs i would go with the vintage brand. They are great for teaching, playing at home, anywhere you don't need an instrument to support high volumes. And much cheaper than Epiphones these days.

Alter, I had a Vintage archtop many years ago - it can be heard of my first Mickey Baker videos. Not bad, but not inspiring, I have to say. But it got me started down this road, so I thank (or blame!) it for that.

[Rob MacKillop]

Nothing wrong with Les Pauls for jazz…here’s a Yamaha LP.

and a comparison with a 175. I think the 175 wins, but the LP is still pretty good.