Lp
Yes. I have an awesome Epiphone LP Tribute to Les Paul, released shortly after his death.
This is a very nice LP and is more that sum of its parts, it is really special and has a vibe to it that none of my other LPs have. Epiphone got more than they planned on out of this one.
It's a great value too.
I would not rule out a nice Agile AL 3000 or AL 3100 solid body from
http://www.rondomusic.com/al-3100boundblk.html. This one has the full top and bottom body binding like the Epiphone LP Custom costing 699, but this one is only 399. I have one of these in cherry sunburst and it is an awesome all mahogany LP with a great neck and great stock pickups in my opinion. I'm not changing them. You can't try these out but you can send them back. Most guys advise to get one of the Agile AL 3000 or AL 3100's so that you get the mahogany neck and the better electronics. They have ebony fretboards and are beautiful looking and playing guitars.
I wouldn't worry about the weight personally, I'd just bring along a second light guitar to switch with.
I prefer "all tube" amps. You can get a Bugera 22 watt suitable for gigging for something like 350, or you can get more expensive ones like a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for up to 699 depending upon if you can find one of the old style ones still in the store - these are 40 watts of LOUD tube amp and sound good. For effects I would just get pedals or a decent multipedal. An all tube amp should sound better and last possibly longer and be maybe more repairable for many years to come, than a digital modeling amp which is super complicated, as you probably already know.
The Agile LP's are an excellent value if you are on a budget, and a real nice guitar by any standards. Definitely very LP like in design and sound.
You can get a very nice Epi Tribute and have a super nice guitar with a great case and Gibson USA fifty seven pickup set but pay twice as much. You can get a cheap Gibson faded worn studio with burstbucker pickups for about the same money, 799. Break the grand line and get the nicer Gibsons or Heritages and so forth.
That Ibanez ART300 on sale, "in store only" at GC for 249 is unbelievable and would make a guitar that would satisfy one whole lot of people, while putting a smile on your face at the same time. I'd try to find one of these quick because they will not be sitting around at that price.
You can spot the ART300's real quick because the tops of the bodies look like they are covered with alligator hide. It is actually maple that is pressed when wet to produce the alligator hide relief that looks so cool. If you can find one of these you will be one lucky dude because they were selling for 399. These are nice and light and have really nice necks as well, if you like that type of thing. They don't really emulate a Gibson LP though and have their similarities and their own unique qualities - all of which are real good in my opinion.
In the end those Agiles probably don't get the credit they deserve, because a lot of people, including me, think they are great guitars at prices that are not commensurate with the quality of the guitar you get. One of the few cases in life where you get more than you pay for. They closely parallel the Gibson archetype, with a slight headstock difference. The fine details are probably considerably different, but you would have to be an expert to be able to identify the specific differences between an Agile and a comparable Gibson unless you had them both sitting right in front of you to do an exact comparison of bindings, etc.
You won't hear very many people expressing disappointment with their Agile LP's, especially if they have the AL 3000 or AL 3100. Under 400 new.
If you really want to spend a lot of money get a Gibson LP Standard or Custom and you should be happy, in my opinion. Of course, there are a lot of other options and opinions out there.
You'll never get to play an Agile before you buy one, but mine fell right into my hand very comfortably.
oke
