Get This and not a Gibson!
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SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
MichaelW
Well-known member
I love it. Can't tell the difference between Indian Laurel and Indian Rosewood.
So here's an interesting tidbit.....Larrivee (Canadian acoustic maker primarily) made a special edition acoustic using Indian Laurel back and sides at one point. Most folks that got it are head over heels with the tone saying it compares very well with Brazilian Rosewood.
Just goes to show that there's bias and tradition at play here when it comes to things like fingerboard woods. Indian and Brazilian have been "traditionally" used but it's not the only game in town. Indian Laurel came into prominence on budget guitars because of CITES. But it's an excellent tone wood and and an excellent fingerboard wood. It "may" look a little lighter or it may not. The fingerboard in my Gretsch Jet Junior is lighter in color and has more interesting figuring than the one on my Epi. The one on the Epiphone looks identical to Indian. Feelwise and tone wise no one would be able to (honestly) tell the difference. I personally think that Laurel is a better choice than Pau Ferro, which DOES sound and feel different. Pau Ferro sounds a bit brighter and splits the difference between rosewood and maple in terms of feel and sound on a fingerboard.
This is a picture of my Gretsch
And this is the Epi
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
I love it. Can't tell the difference between Indian Laurel and Indian Rosewood.
So here's an interesting tidbit.....Larrivee (Canadian acoustic maker primarily) made a special edition acoustic using Indian Laurel back and sides at one point. Most folks that got it are head over heels with the tone saying it compares very well with Brazilian Rosewood.
Just goes to show that there's bias and tradition at play here when it comes to things like fingerboard woods. Indian and Brazilian have been "traditionally" used but it's not the only game in town. Indian Laurel came into prominence on budget guitars because of CITES. But it's an excellent tone wood and and an excellent fingerboard wood. It "may" look a little lighter or it may not. The fingerboard in my Gretsch Jet Junior is lighter in color and has more interesting figuring than the one on my Epi. The one on the Epiphone looks identical to Indian. Feelwise and tone wise no one would be able to (honestly) tell the difference. I personally think that Laurel is a better choice than Pau Ferro, which DOES sound and feel different. Pau Ferro sounds a bit brighter and splits the difference between rosewood and maple in terms of feel and sound on a fingerboard.
This is a picture of my Gretsch
And this is the Epi
Yeah I'm definitely biased on this. I much prefer the look and feel/texture of rosewood to maple or ebony so wondered how people were finding Indian laurel. I really need to head down to a guitar store and try a few instruments with it for myself. So far I've only seen it in pictures or video. I definitely prefer the look of your les Paul special picture to your gretsch but again that's my bias for dark rosewood vs anything else.
Harry Klippton
Not Interested
That gretsch fingerboard looks amazingI love it. Can't tell the difference between Indian Laurel and Indian Rosewood.
So here's an interesting tidbit.....Larrivee (Canadian acoustic maker primarily) made a special edition acoustic using Indian Laurel back and sides at one point. Most folks that got it are head over heels with the tone saying it compares very well with Brazilian Rosewood.
Just goes to show that there's bias and tradition at play here when it comes to things like fingerboard woods. Indian and Brazilian have been "traditionally" used but it's not the only game in town. Indian Laurel came into prominence on budget guitars because of CITES. But it's an excellent tone wood and and an excellent fingerboard wood. It "may" look a little lighter or it may not. The fingerboard in my Gretsch Jet Junior is lighter in color and has more interesting figuring than the one on my Epi. The one on the Epiphone looks identical to Indian. Feelwise and tone wise no one would be able to (honestly) tell the difference. I personally think that Laurel is a better choice than Pau Ferro, which DOES sound and feel different. Pau Ferro sounds a bit brighter and splits the difference between rosewood and maple in terms of feel and sound on a fingerboard.
This is a picture of my Gretsch
And this is the Epi
cdwillis
Well-known member
I've had one guitar so far with the Indian laurel fingerboard. It looks like a dry rosewood to me. I couldn't tell you if it sounds any different. I don't notice any difference to the feel, but I don't think my fingers touch the fretboard much. I have a pretty light touch. Those new Epiphone headstocks are soooooo much better than those old ones.
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
Definitely agree with you on the headstock. I'm frankly amazed it took them this long.
MichaelW
Well-known member
I just watched the video, I didn't realize this was MY guitar hahahaha. I can heartily endorse getting this guitar. It's an awesome guitar.
The stock pickups sound VERY GOOD. After putting in a set of Lollars the difference was really just the tonal preference and taste, not "quality" of the sound. The stock P90's that came on mine were not too hot, like most budget guitars. Both pickups were right around 8.0k and both neck and bridge pickups were wound to the same resistance, so very much a nod to the vintage way Gibson made these back in the day. The neck and bridge pickups are interchangeable.
Locrian99
Well-known member
My suggestion for anyone in the market for an LP try and find an early 90’s LP Studio.
I’ve had this 92 since 1994 and I would put it against any standard coming out today or since and probably some of the higher end ones too. And you can find them pretty decent. These were some of the best years Gibson had that are still affordable.
I’ve had this 92 since 1994 and I would put it against any standard coming out today or since and probably some of the higher end ones too. And you can find them pretty decent. These were some of the best years Gibson had that are still affordable.
Hello, Hello anybody Home!
Check this out also:
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
Is that one of the ones with an ebony fretboard?
I’ve got the 50’s Les Paul Standard, in fact it’s coming up to it’s one year birthday. It has the Indian Laurel fingerboard and was darker then I expected and has darkened more over the last year, in part from a few applications of lemon oil and I suspect the natural oils in my skin.
I have grown very fond of it and it was the only guitar I played last year, my Strat stayed languishing in it’s case until last month when I traded it in for a Vintera 50’s tele, now I have two guitars that just feel like home, both are out on stands and get played daily.
On the Les Paul the only thing I’ve changed are the strap buttons and the stop bar. I will be changing out the pots shortly due to both volume controls being a bit scratchy and I want to put 550k pots in. I’ll be keeping the 50’s wiring, that really works for me, so much so I’ve done the same in the tele.
Thankfully the pickups on both of these guitars are fine, if I change them it will be because I want a change not because they sound bad.
I see someone else likes the Special.
I have grown very fond of it and it was the only guitar I played last year, my Strat stayed languishing in it’s case until last month when I traded it in for a Vintera 50’s tele, now I have two guitars that just feel like home, both are out on stands and get played daily.
On the Les Paul the only thing I’ve changed are the strap buttons and the stop bar. I will be changing out the pots shortly due to both volume controls being a bit scratchy and I want to put 550k pots in. I’ll be keeping the 50’s wiring, that really works for me, so much so I’ve done the same in the tele.
Thankfully the pickups on both of these guitars are fine, if I change them it will be because I want a change not because they sound bad.
I see someone else likes the Special.
Locrian99
Well-known member
Yea it is.
MichaelW
Well-known member
Yah, the more I play mine the more I can't see spending literally 4x the money for the Gibson version. Except for the nitro finish and a better "vintage" style semi-translucent TV Yellow. Functionally and tonally, it's really hard for me to find anything wrong with the Epi.
I think I prefer the Gibson version's neck profile but the Epiphone isn't too shabby either. Funny thing is the Harley Benton LP Junior I just got has the most "accurate" 59 carve I've played yet on a cheap guitar.
Even the nut on the Epiphone is a GraphTech nut. I have some bone blanks that I'm planning to eventually cut a new nut for it, but that's just a preference thing. Sonically, Graphtech is more consistent than bone and to me I can't hear the difference. Also, the CTS pots that came with it were all linear, my preference is Audio taper, so I swapped those out.
Ironically, the one thing I didn't change was the 3 way toggle, I mentioned in my NGD post that it looked solid and I was going to leave it in.
Heh, well guess what's starting to give me issues as of today........doesn't seem to want to stay in the neck position.
Looks like I'm busting out another $25 for a Switchcraft....sigh.....
Here's my NGD post.
MichaelW
Well-known member
Don't let anyone here (me included) talk you out of getting that R9 dude.....heh. I would not hesitate if I had the available funds....
Feral Feline
Well-known member
A friend has one of the Studios Locrian99 mentioned, and indeed my friend has a great guitar in it.
I'm not familiar enough with the newer Epiphone (post-Gibson buyout) headstocks. How do the latest ones differ from the Gibson and older Epi?
As for the Rosewood vs Laurel debate...
I think the Gibsons with Rosewood are much more difficult to play; with the Epiphones your fingers can rest on their Laurel.
I'm not familiar enough with the newer Epiphone (post-Gibson buyout) headstocks. How do the latest ones differ from the Gibson and older Epi?
As for the Rosewood vs Laurel debate...
I think the Gibsons with Rosewood are much more difficult to play; with the Epiphones your fingers can rest on their Laurel.
I have been very impressed with the Epiphone Les Pauls I have seen in stores lately. They look so much better than they were a few years ago. I am very lucky to have a Gibson R9 from (I think) 2018. It is by far the best Les Paul I have ever had and I actually like it better than a genuine '59 Burst I once played in New Jersey which had a price tag of $330,000! I've played quite a few R9s and they really are in a different league from the regular USA Les Pauls. The neck on mine is sublime and the pickups are amazing. It has a resonance and sound which the regular Les Pauls don't have and is actually quite a bit brighter than you'd expect. The clarity is remarkable.
Having said that I am still really impressed with the Epiphones and how far they have come. They seem like fantastic value. If anything they are probably better finished in some respects than my R9, but then the old Les Pauls I have played are finished almost identically to my R9 so at least it's authentic! If only the Epiphones could get the finish to bleed into the binding they could be more like the real thing.
Having said that I am still really impressed with the Epiphones and how far they have come. They seem like fantastic value. If anything they are probably better finished in some respects than my R9, but then the old Les Pauls I have played are finished almost identically to my R9 so at least it's authentic! If only the Epiphones could get the finish to bleed into the binding they could be more like the real thing.
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
Don't let anyone here (me included) talk you out of getting that R9 dude.....heh. I would not hesitate if I had the available funds....
I sold my R7 a few months ago along with my 335 and my amps to raise the funds to move us back to N Ireland. I'd have another in a heartbeat.
I'm not a fan of bursts, I'm a gold top addict.
MichaelW
Well-known member
There's no "groan" emoji...
