Any experience with Epi Les Paul Tribute

[Duffy]

Does anyone have anything to say about the Epi Les Paul Tribute guitar?

I'm considering getting the Epi Tribute Les Paul but have no knowledge about the guitar other than what I have read.

Insight from those who have played it or even better, owned it, will be really useful.

Played an Ibanez SZ320 gold top '07 avail for 300 and liked it a lot, thought it sounded les paulish but in a super strat format but all mahogany body and neck, rosewood board and single coil tapped duncan ibanez humbuckers when the switch is in the middle position, rather than combining both the neck and bridge HB's, for a single coild sound. The humbucker sounds are very superior sounding and full and great sounding. I like this guitar but think the Tribute would be great.

The tribute has 57 type Gibson USA humbuckers, locking grover tuners, highly upgraded electronics, mallory caps, switchcraft switch, series/parallel tone tapping with push pull tone pots. Supposedly a solid mahogany body with a carved maple cap and "deep" set neck, and a high quality hard shell case for 800ish.

These specs seem to make it sound like a better built guitar with better tonal possibilities than the Gibson Les Paul Faded that I can afford.

Any ideas on this guitar that might be helpful or insightful to me?

Responses appreciated.

Duffy

Other alternative guitars also appreciated. Still really like the Ibanez SX320 at a music store three blocks from my house, brand new old stock.

For the same price as the Tribute I can get a antique white ESP LTD with gold trim, Deluxe, locking tuners, gold trim, white guard, SD JB and 59 gold covered and just two knobs; great tone, sustain, SG stage presence, understated, demure beauty and great feel; played thru the clean and burn settings of a Fender Supersonic w Vintage 30. Great amp if you haven't tried it, pro series. All tube with two sides; Vibrolux and Bassman and includes reverb for both and a BURN button that overdrives like nothing I've heard outside of this JCM 2000 Dual Super Lead they have on close out, new.

Anyway, I'm wondering how the Tribute Epi would compare to these two. None avail by me to check out. I'm assuming the Tribute has an old skool tone with beautiful old skool Les Paul vibe for a lot less money than the Gibsons; but I could be very wrong.

Insight appreciated.

 

[Duff]

Tribute

I have been upgrading my guitar collection and started with my Fender American Strat and Fender Special Issue FMT HH Telecaster in Black Cherry Burst, with the Seymour retail pups: a 59 reverse wound open coil SD in the neck and an open wound Pearly Gates in the bridge. Both great guitars and the sound of the supertele is incredible, coil tapping too. I have to post some pictures of it, but need to take them first.

Now I'm trying to upgrade my LP and have been considering that new Epiphone LP Tribute to Les Paul. The puppy comes with grover locking tuners and upgraded electronics, switchcraft toggle, Gibson USA 57 Classic and Plus pickups, a substantial maple cap and a hard case; all for the price of a regular good Epi LP without the upgrades. Wonder if anyone knows anything about it.

That might be able to use a pickguard as well. I might start looking for something good, while I decide if I would like to just have it without the guard or put one on. I'm thinking that Tribute might be as well made or better than a low end Gibson LP and sound better too. No one around here has one to try, however. Anyone have any experience with the Tribute Epi LP?

Seems like some of you guys, and gals, would have taken notice of that Epiphone LP Tribute to Les Paul and have tried it out by now.

I would really appreciate any hands on feedback on that from anyone that has actually tried it or has substantial knowledge of it from a bandmate that has one or tried one or something of this sort.

Input appreciated. By the way, that Fender Supersonic pro class combo amp is one awesome amp in case anyone is curious as to how it sounds. Costly, but in the same range as other pro class amps. Super awesome clean thru the Vibrolux side needless to say.

 

[FrankenFretter]

As soon as I get my tax return, I'll let you know. The lack of pickguard does bother me a wee bit, since it is a plain top, but that's just a minor gripe.

Note: Most of the online retailers (or at least the family of them that belongs to the Musician's Friend group) seem to be out of stock until March 29th.

 

[ZMAN]

Hey duff. It sounds a lot like the Epi Elitists models but made in China.
They have 57 classics, classic plus pickups. I have an Elitist custom with the 490, 498 equivalent US pickups, and I would have loved to have the 57s.
It all depends on price. I like the plain top and pickguards are not an issue for me.
If it is under 600 bucks it would be a good buy for someone who doesn't want to spend 2 grand on an LP. My Chinese regular Epi Standard was a nice guitar.

I just realized it comes with a hardshell case. That is about 100 dollars, so with the upgrades it is not that bad of a price.

 

[Duff]

Tribute

Yeah, Zman, grover locking tuners and series parallel tone pot push pull wiring and other upgrades. No Maple veneer flame top or anything, just a multipiece carved maple cap on a solid mahogany body, supposedly not chambered. I don't like the chambering idea. Give me the extra weight of real mahogany any day.

My solid mahogany set mahogany neck Fender Telecaster with SD pups, 59 neck and Pearl Gates bridge is quite light. Hopefully good mahogany and not the substitute of chambering. Sounds incredible, coil tapping too. Black cherry flammed top. I need to take pictures of it and post them.

Also I am getting my recording rig together and plan on posting some clips. Might use Robert's old trick and just use my digital cam corder with stereo microphones built in and try to attach that. Might be simple. I should ask Robert.

I have a Sony Handycam Digital Eight that uses the HIFI eight mm tapes and has firewire or usb out. Firewire carries the sound as well as video I believe and I have a cable and a card in my computer for the firewire. Only have Microsoft moviemaker though; but have Cubase LT, new version with my Lexicon Omega interface unit.

 

[Duff]

Tribute

I ordered the Tribute LP Epi today and got a ten percent discount.

I'm looking forward to playing this guitar.

I hope it is a player and not just a token showpiece commentorating Les Pauls relationship with Epiphone that lacks any real quality in build, etc.

I hope it has good woods and is well built, as we all do when we buy a guitar untouched.

It will be interesting to see how the wood looks and how the finish is and how the sum of the parts comes together into the item I will be handling. Do you guys suffer from acquisition anxiety while you wait for your new guitars, like I'm doing.

I know some of you guys are real realists and figure that you will like it or you won't and you will just send it back. It's like Lennon sang, "You know that I'm a dreamer; I'm not the only one." I'm dreaming about this cherry sunburst Epiphone, of all things, and I'm imagining all sorts of things.

Well, I'll take some pictures and let you all know how I like it: if it seems "chambered", has great tone, has a real tangible or even reminicent "Les Paul" vibe, feels great, plays good under the hands, etc.

I am getting my recording rig together so I might even post some clips of my incredible playing, ha ha. Hey, "It's just rock n' roll; but I like it, like it. Yes I do.". My fiance likes to hear me play her to sleep; so I have at least one fan. Or is she falling asleep so she won't have to listen to me!?!? Hmmmmm . . .

Can you tell I'm anxious? Where's the Klonipin?

 

[FrankenFretter]

I ordered the Tribute LP Epi today and got a ten percent discount.

I'm looking forward to playing this guitar.

I hope it is a player and not just a token showpiece commentorating Les Pauls relationship with Epiphone that lacks any real quality in build, etc.

I hope it has good woods and is well built, as we all do when we buy a guitar untouched.

It will be interesting to see how the wood looks and how the finish is and how the sum of the parts comes together into the item I will be handling. Do you guys suffer from acquisition anxiety while you wait for your new guitars, like I'm doing.

I know some of you guys are real realists and figure that you will like it or you won't and you will just send it back. It's like Lennon sang, "You know that I'm a dreamer; I'm not the only one." I'm dreaming about this cherry sunburst Epiphone, of all things, and I'm imagining all sorts of things.

Well, I'll take some pictures and let you all know how I like it: if it seems "chambered", has great tone, has a real tangible or even reminicent "Les Paul" vibe, feels great, plays good under the hands, etc.

I am getting my recording rig together so I might even post some clips of my incredible playing, ha ha. Hey, "It's just rock n' roll; but I like it, like it. Yes I do.". My fiance likes to hear me play her to sleep; so I have at least one fan. Or is she falling asleep so she won't have to listen to me!?!? Hmmmmm . . .

Can you tell I'm anxious? Where's the Klonipin?

I, for one, am anxious to hear about your impressions. I have already made up my mind that this is the LP I want, so I hope that you have good things to say...but of course I'll pay heed to any problems as well. I've been wanting a cherry burst LP for some time now, and this waiting for the tax return is killing me.

Where did you order it for 10% off?

 

[Duff]

Epi Tribute

I got my Tribute yesterday and posted a brief initial review in the "Product Review" section. I go into some detail there.

I am still getting used to the guitar but the cherry burst is beautiful, way nicer than the pictures on gibson's or the internet dealers pages. The top is one solid cap of maple, no seams. Beautiful clear maple grained cap with no veneer, close to three quarters of an inch thick, as is obious where it drops down below the binding near the neck and at the bottom.

The finish is great and it plays great with great tone. What can I say. I'm glad I didn't get the faded Gibson LP. I think this is a better choice for me.

Now I'm wanting one of those epi black beauties with gold trim and three humbuckers.

A real gibson standard SG doesn't cost much and might be a great guitar, even though my Epi '66 copy of a gibson SG is really awesome in cherry gloss and has great stock pickups. No rush anyway.

My next guitar might be a nice Fender classic type telecaster or even the new Squire and a jamman looper. Or this great sz320 gold top Ibanez for three hundred at a local store, NOS. Sounds a lot like a LP and has a great vibe and is very heavy mahogany set neck.

 

[Ch0jin]

Do you guys suffer from acquisition anxiety while you wait for your new guitars, like I'm doing.

Mate! I dropped a little over $3200 and had to wait around three months for my first Maton to be MADE, let alone shipped, and at that point I'd only played one with the stock Maton pickups and I ordered mine built with SD's so yeah, I feel ya. They were a LONG bunch of weeks.

Good to hear your happy with it! Isn't NGD a great day