Les Pauls

[zagatron1]

Agile does have some well built, good looking axes.

[zagatron1]

I just came back from I guess what I'd call a Veteran's Day jam, and man are my fingers sore! Anyways, there were guys playin' some nice axes (mostly Gibby LPs) and I was just going with the flow for the most part with my Epi LP Studio Deluxe and my trusty Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue. Also, I got an earfull of how great the Epi Elitist LPs from Japan are! Well, I couldn't help thinkin' about those days when we "just had fun" when we played and where not judged by the gear we came with. Yeah, I have a Gibby LP too (2009 Raw Power),  but I like my Epi with those P-90s a bit more. Kinda reminds me why I play for my own enjoyment now. Funny thing about it all is these guys haven't been where I've been. I mean, it was like a flex fest!

[reb]

that 'hey, man! lookit my gear!' thing turns me off, too.

i have an epi les paul 'elitist'. i think gibson finally got that they had made a mistake marketing all the elitist instruments, and they quit. i also had a 3 dot 65 elitist that i sold...and i wish i had not, as it was a much more reliable instrument than this les paul is (tuning from time to time).

i'm a cheap guy...i'm not going to pay thousands more for an instrument with a 'name' on it, when the 'lesser name' instrument plays as nice. since i am not on stage, and i'm not sponsored, what would be the point? i like cheap guitars, anyway.

one of these days, if squier don't quit with their pretty high quality, fender is going to stop selling squiers, too. some 'metrics report' is going to come in, and that will be it.

[DetroitBlues]

I like having the best of both worlds... Name brand guitars with repaired headstocks are the way to go.  The value is so dimished from the repair, you get get them at the price of a new import guitar.

[diaper head]

I like having the best of both worlds... Name brand guitars with repaired headstocks are the way to go.  The value is so dimished from the repair, you get get them at the price of a new import guitar.

that's true, and if the repair was done properly, there's no ill effect

[IM4Tone]

i'm a cheap guy...i'm not going to pay thousands more for an instrument with a 'name' on it, when the 'lesser name' instrument plays as nice.

That sounds like me!

[DetroitBlues]

I like having the best of both worlds... Name brand guitars with repaired headstocks are the way to go.  The value is so dimished from the repair, you get get them at the price of a new import guitar.

that's true, and if the repair was done properly, there's no ill effect

Now that's the tricky part.  You really have to know what's a professional repair and what's superglued by some teenager in his mom's kitchen.... 

[diaper head]

if it's done proper you would barely be able to even see it. if it's the least bit noticeable, you don't want it.  i've seen some pretty ugly, violent breaks repaired to be near invisible.

[DetroitBlues]

If it wasn't for a rear vaneer on my Heritage, you wouldn't know it was broken.

[diaper head]

excellent example. 

[zagatron1]

Here's a couple of interesting "special" Les Pauls, check out the testimonials-
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/msg/2716763351.html                            and if you have more money to spend, there's always one of these-
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/msg/2716759871.html

[DetroitBlues]

People are so crazy to think that if you can post your guitar on the internet, the rest of us cannot figure out what the REAL value of a guitar is.  Epi Special 2 that retails for $149 or a Epi LP100 that retails for $250.... I don't know know what's worse, those with overpriced gear or the fool that buys it.

[DetroitBlues]

Its a big deal because the Korean models had better quality build consistency then the Chinese models.  Don't get me wrong, I loved my Epi LP Standard that was made in China.  What's even more coveted is the Japanese models that were made to look exactly like Gibson's with the open book headstock and 17 degree pitch on the headstock.  I believe those were called the Orville's.  Japan still makes them, I believe its Tokai now.  From what I heard its a Gibson quality instrument at 1/2 the price.  But if we are going to be on this subject, why not take a look at Heritage Guitar company in Kalamazoo, MI?

I think some of the worst guitars I've played have come from Korea (of course some 60s American guitars have been even worse, maybe). But that was in the 80s. They learned, in the 90s they were making good cheapos. I think $2000 Chinese instruments are great... but you don't see many of them, do you?

Heritages are swell. I've played some very very nice Japanese guitars.

You'll pay $2,000 for the Gretsch 6000 series guitars that are made in Japan..... Only Gretsch custom shop is made in the USA.... Not worth it to me...