Best CHEAP Les Paul Alternative? ***UPDATED UPDATE!***

[Armitage]

Lots of nice used Epiphone around.

[Hackubus]

I played a late model Tokai Love Rock recently that felt/played/sounded very Gibson-y.  Felt considerably more like the real thang than any Epi I've ever handled, lemme put it that way. 
Wasn't too expensive either.  $850 used for a R6 Goldtop P-90 style. 

[Submariner85]

I have an older Dean Evo special I picked up at a pawn shop a bunch of years ago.  
Picture isn’t so good but it’s a nice transparent blue flame with set neck and push pull pots.  
I put some Slash pickups in it. 
Every time I go to sell off some guitars, I contemplate this one but then play it and end up keeping it. 
really a fantastic guitar IMO. 

[RobB]

Epiphone Joe Bonamassa Signature "Lazarus" '59 Les Paul Standard 2021

$849. You'd be hard-pressed to find something better at that price.

[Jeff R]

 

https://fgnguitars.com/eg/neo-classic/

 

[Hbom]

Price wise it could be hard to beat this hamer

$95 at Single Cut, Recent – Dave's Guitar Shop (davesguitar.com)

[hamerhead]

So after much deliberation, I pulled the trigger on a Mitchell, GC's house brand guitar. $232 to the door, no case or bag.

 

Just got it maybe an hour ago and first impressions are good. Used but reeeally clean, 6.8 pounds, and the acoustic voice of a heavenly choir. The neck is decent-sized with medium jumbos and locking tuners. It has push/pull coil taps, string-thru body, and an angled shredder-type jack.

The fit and finish is good, with no glaring defects. It will get a good going-over and a more thorough review, but at this point exceeds what I was looking for.

 

 

[seeker]

Thanks!  I'm kinda in the same boat.  Look forward to your further review.

Am looking for one to "host" a pickup that I really like, but the pup is a one trick pony; TV Jones Classic Plus.  Has got that Malcom Young sizzle, but is currently in my GMP PS Deluxe and kinda limits what I can/like to do with it. 

Currently have a line on an actual LP, a LP Tribute for $750 local. Anyone have experience with them?  This one specifically (know him):

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/msg/d/arlington-2021-gibson-les-paul-tribute/7778525256.html

I know it's significantly weight relieved and has a maple neck.  More $ than what I was looking for, but thought it would have an OK resale value if needed. 

Thanks. 

[hamerhead]

I don't know if it'll compete with an LP Tribute. Kind of an apples-to-chainsaws comparison. That one looks great.

If it were near me it would be hard to pass up. That's import money.

[kizanski]

@seeker - What is a GMP PS Deluxe? 

[seeker]

2 hours ago, kizanski said:

@seeker - What is a GMP PS Deluxe? 

It's a GMP Pawnshop Deluxe.  Single cut, Pic from reverb below.  25.5 scale. Mines about the same time-frame as this one which is early 00s and ruby red.  Chambered. Have a Charlotte ready to go in it. 

 

[seeker]

2 hours ago, hamerhead said:

"I don't know if it'll compete with an LP Tribute. Kind of an apples-to-chainsaws comparison. That one looks great."

The GMP Pawnshop Deluxes are quite similar; single cut but with 25.5 scale.  Current price for a new one is $3450. Mine is a cut or two above a LP Tribute.  

 

[Jim85IROC]

These days, everybody makes a decent LP copy.  Best bang for the buck is probably Harley Benton, or Firefly if you don't mind doing a little work to it.  If you want something more upscale, the Sires are tough to beat.

If it doesn't need to look like a LP, my suggestion would be a Chinese Hamer Sunburst.  Some came with nice thick necks, were extremely well made, and with new pickups and pots, will be an incredible instrument. 

 

 

[geoff_hartwell]

On 9/13/2024 at 11:54 AM, seeker said:

Thanks!  I'm kinda in the same boat.  Look forward to your further review.

Am looking for one to "host" a pickup that I really like, but the pup is a one trick pony; TV Jones Classic Plus.  Has got that Malcom Young sizzle, but is currently in my GMP PS Deluxe and kinda limits what I can/like to do with it. 

Currently have a line on an actual LP, a LP Tribute for $750 local. Anyone have experience with them?  This one specifically (know him):

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/msg/d/arlington-2021-gibson-les-paul-tribute/7778525256.html

I know it's significantly weight relieved and has a maple neck.  More $ than what I was looking for, but thought it would have an OK resale value if needed. 

Thanks. 

That is exactly the same guitar I was talking about in my earlier post, it’s awesome.

[seeker]

3 hours ago, geoff_hartwell said:

That is exactly the same guitar I was talking about in my earlier post, it’s awesome.

Ou my, I completely missed your post.  Great to know.  Thanks!

[hamerhead]

OK, so after a couple months I finally took some pictures of the Mitchell:

I know, I know - it's a crappy cheap Chinese (correction - Vietnamese) POS that should be used for firewood. But damn. They really did it right. The details are really pretty great. Besides the stuff I already mentioned, it has locking tuners, recessed 3-way and controls, and the KIz favorite - straight string pull. Plus the cool wood-like binding, just like PRS! ()

If there were a nitpick, the neck isn't a bat. It isn't small either, just comfortably down the middle. And the toggle switch seems weirdly located. But that's really about it.

I haven't touched it (cleaned or changed strings or anything). The pickups are import meh OK. They split OK. Everything works just fine. And my back LOVES the weight. But....

I kept looking.

 

Edited November 3, 2024 by hamerhead

[hamerhead]

...and found this:

It's another crappy import! A 2004 Korean-made Epiphone Les Paul Custom. Not as clean (or light) as the Mitchell but damn this thing surprised me. AND has a fat neck.

I have some Gavelins ordered, along with some misc hardware.

ETA: I'm a little surprised at how much the stock pickups don't suck! They'll get moved to the Mitchell once Josh's get here. Win/win.

I'm stoked because this one is much closer to my #1 LPC than expected and with just a few changes will be better still.

More to come...

Edited November 3, 2024 by hamerhead

[gorch]

My son is having a black Hamer Monaco XT series that is really great.