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What is the best non-Gibson Les Paul?

fender69

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Joined
Apr 17, 2003
Messages
998
I don't quite understand your question. Are you talking about copies or knockoffs of Les Pauls or talking about current brands that are obviously influenced by the Les Paul? If the latter, the Eastman SB series has been getting a lot of raves though I have not played one personally.
 

MattStaggs1101

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Apr 28, 2020
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7
Now does an Epiphone LP count ? Since they are owned by Gibson. Or we talking totally different brands of Les Paul shaped guitars ?
 

Keefoman

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Nov 4, 2009
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576
There are no Les Pauls except Gibson or Epiphone, but there are a lot of "true" copies and LP-like guitars. If you mean copies, I once had an Edwards Goldtop w/p90s (a '56 Les Paul copy) that I really liked, and wish I didn't sell. It was a great guitar for the money.
 

Wound_Up

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Joined
Apr 5, 2020
Messages
52
There's way too many possibilities. The question needs to be narrowed down, imo. Are we talking boutique builders? Or something like the Heritage guitars built in Kalamazoo? Or are we talking inexpensive guitars like Epi, ESP, Indio, etc...?

I can think of ones right now built by Gustavsson that blows almost every other LP-style guitar I've ever seen away. But those are starting at like $12k USD and more. So, are we talking the best overall? The best inexpensive LP-style? Can you narrow the scope of your question?

I mean, I just picked up a single cut Goldtop for $200 that I think is an absolutely awesome guitar. But then, I've never owned a Gibson and have only been playing guitar for just under a year. Still, this Goldtop is out-freaking-standing. I couldn't ask for a better guitar for $200, IMHO.

Is it the best LP-style guitar? Not overall it's not. Is it the best under $200? I'd say so. You really need to define exactly what it is that you're asking about. As it is, your question is far too broad.
 
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Vae

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Joined
Nov 18, 2020
Messages
4
The guitar I just bought often has the problem of too high string pitch, that is, the strings are too far from the fingerboard. Especially cheaper folk guitars. So, what should I do if the guitar fret or the string pitch is too high?
 

Dave P

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Oct 13, 2001
Messages
976
There are brands like Burny. Tokai, Greco, etc that made nice quality Les Paul copies. The problem is now that the prices of those have skyrocketed, they aren't really as much of a cost effective option as they once were.
 
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skydog6653

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Nov 13, 2008
Messages
149
Thorn, Gustavsson, Max, McInturff, all make great ones. Can't go wrong with any of them.
 

skydog6653

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Joined
Nov 13, 2008
Messages
149
There's way too many possibilities. The question needs to be narrowed down, imo. Are we talking boutique builders? Or something like the Heritage guitars built in Kalamazoo? Or are we talking inexpensive guitars like Epi, ESP, Indio, etc...?

I can think of ones right now built by Gustavsson that blows almost every other LP-style guitar I've ever seen away. But those are starting at like $12k USD and more. So, are we talking the best overall? The best inexpensive LP-style? Can you narrow the scope of your question?

I mean, I just picked up a single cut Goldtop for $200 that I think is an absolutely awesome guitar. But then, I've never owned a Gibson and have only been playing guitar for just under a year. Still, this Goldtop is out-freaking-standing. I couldn't ask for a better guitar for $200, IMHO.

Is it the best LP-style guitar? Not overall it's not. Is it the best under $200? I'd say so. You really need to define exactly what it is that you're asking about. As it is, your question is far too broad.
Did you even read his question. It's fairly straightforward.
 

catawompus

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Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
41
What is the best non-Gibson Les Paul? I understand preference comes into it but would be good to know if anyone’s bought any bad ones.

I just got myself a new Tokai LS 136f. Is it the best? I don't know. Do I like it? I absolutely love it. Perfect Japanese craftsmanship, affordable and it sounds incredible. It will definitely be a keeper.
 

dnabbet2

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Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
211
I just got myself a new Tokai LS 136f. Is it the best? I don't know. Do I like it? I absolutely love it. Perfect Japanese craftsmanship, affordable and it sounds incredible. It will definitely be a keeper.
Can I answer this question a different way?

A 1970s/1980s Hamer Sunburst is the best non-Gibson "Les Paul": the early ones had a sunburst flame maple top; one-piece mahogany body; one-piece mahogany neck; rosewood board; Grover tuners; and two humbuckers. Later ones had a three-piece neck, fingerboard biding, and LP-style inlays. They all had early (maybe the first?) "matched" pickups with tone controls that actually helped produce a range of useful sounds.

You can say a lot of guitars fit that description nowadays, but it wasn't true in the 1970s/1980s, and creator Jol Dantzig apparently aimed specifically at players who wanted a Les Paul but didn't want to pay the Les Paul prices that were rising at the time. They're light, versatile, and attractive with a nice clubby neck -- loads of well-known players used them. And they're still very affordable if all you want is a "player" grade.
 

c_wester

Well-known member
Joined
May 9, 2002
Messages
2,116
Tokai Love Rock.
!984-1985.

Does not even have to be a more expensive model.

These have quite far more superior wood than the Custom Shops I have owned.
Get one!
 

duaneflowers

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Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
2,522
Besides some really nice Replicas currently being made by some incredibly skilled luthiers and the Gibson affiliated Epiphone Elite/Elitists and Orville/ObG, quite a few MIJ models tick all the boxes and kick some serious booty... Tokai, ESP/Navigator/Edwards, Fernandes/Burny, Greco, Bacchus, Crews and the current king of the hill Fullertone. :salude
 

Blackjack30

Active member
Joined
Apr 9, 2016
Messages
321
What is the best non-Gibson Les Paul? I understand preference comes into it but would be good to know if anyone’s bought any bad ones.

Ron-Burgundy-what-did-you-say-GIF-Anchorman.gif
 

Don

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
5,732
For budget guitars, I had a PRS SE Bernie Marsden that was really nice. The sound was good and the neck felt great. The finish was thick, but not as bad as some. I sold it when I bought a Les Paul Traditional Pro II '50s neck. I wish I hadn't!

I played a used Vintage V100 PG Lemon Drop and wanted to like it but really, really didn't. It felt like a very inexpensive import. Dull sound. Super thick glossy finish. More of a "guitar shaped object" than anything else.
 
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c_wester

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Joined
May 9, 2002
Messages
2,116
For budget guitars, I had a PRS SE Bernie Marsden that was really nice. The sound was good and the neck felt great. The finish was thick, but not as bad as some. I sold it when I bought a Les Paul Traditional Pro II '50s neck. I wish I hadn't!

I played a used Vintage V100 PG Lemon Drop and wanted to like it but really, really didn't. It felt like a very inexpensive import. Dull sound. Super thick glossy finish. More of a "guitar shaped object" than anything else.

What an uneducated post.
You cannot compare some china made cheapoes.
When you have Old Growth wood from Japan.

No, the wood was not from Japan.
 
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