I was determined to buy a Gibson, soon after my last few purchases came in the wife started to pay attention.

I want a LP style and as close to the sounds as I can get for decent money. I decided that I can get one of the 4 listed below and a Godin brand guitar they sell locally as well that I really like. Although I still will not have a Gibson I will have some nice guitars to make up for it and still save some money to make the wife happy

So here is what I have gotten down to:

Epiphone LP Standard

Epi LP Standard

Ibanez ARC300DVS

ARC300DVS

The one I was looking at in a local shop was close to this one. Except it was a black gloss with some metalic flec in the paint. and about $100 more.

Hagstrom Swede

Hagtrom Suede

I am between the Black gloss with creme color pick guard and the Gold Top for the classic look.

Hagstrom Super Swede

Super Swede

I have played these both and they seem well made, great sustain and I was getting the tone that I was looking for. Not many people are familiar with the Hagstrom brand where I live. Those that have them seem to be happy though.

So these are the 4 I am trying to decide. I do like the Hagstrom at this point but an still not sure.

Any one that has any experience or insight on these, I would appreciate the help.

Thanks


Scoob

I've got an Epi Standard and it sounds soooo good. The reason for that is that I sat down in the store and played several Epi and Gibson until I found the one with the sweetest sound. Actually I was sitting with one Epiphone and one Gibson which were almost the same feeling and almost sounding the same. Well, to be honest the Gibson was a tad better but I wasn't willing to pay ~$1500 more for "tad".
So there are, as far as I discovered for myself, Epiphones which are (for my sound preferences) better than Gibsons but of course also better Gibsons. If I ever were to buy another Epiphone I'd sit down in the store and try em. I'd not order over the Internet.

I think I've played that Ibanez, or if it was called ARX.. .and it could have been a cheaper model and it was not high quality. It kept going out of tune the entire time, it didn't hold up to finish a couple of songs even.
Did I play a bad copy, maybe?

In the early 90's I played a Super Swede, the original. MAAAAN!!!... that was something else. If this new model is anything like the vintage one I wouldn't hesitate to get it. I will add that to my wishlist!!! If all guitars, the Epi, Hagstrom and a Gibson all costed $500 I'd choose the Hagstrom.
Don't know if there's any difference between the Swede and the Super swede axcept for the coiltap.

I'm updating my wishlist below with a hughes and Kettner Edition Tube 20 which I've had my eyes on for a long time and now the perfect match for it, the Hagstrom Swede or Super Swede.

Thanks for the response.

I have found the Hagstroms to have a great feel and sound as well. The Super has the coil tap witch is great.
I played the regular swede a bit more it has a 2nd 3 way toggle directly below the top one. It is a tone filter toggle with center bypass which is a bit of a mystery. Once I played with it in conjunction with the regular pickup toggle I was able to get some cool tones. I did some reading on PUPs and the Hagstroms come with their own 58 Humbuckers. I found these to be quite good. As you say it is all preference. I sat and did what you mentioned a few weeks back when away for work and tried a lot of Epiphones and just did not find one I liked. There was a nice gold top that I kind of took to, but it had P90's in it. I like the sound of these PUPs but not for this particular guitar.

Thanks again. So far I am going toward the Hagstrom, but I will wait for a few more reply, if I get any.

Scoob

you might consider a use gibson les paul studio on ebay. if you are patient you can get a really good deal. I have an expensive custom shop les paul that I bought new, and also a studio that I got used on ebay, and I still like the studio fine. if you are ebay saavy that is an option. you have to get an explicit guarantee from the guy that it will not have any neck twists, other problems. if the guy won't do that, look elsewhere. and be patient if you do this, only buy from somebody with a near 100% rating, above 99% really. anyone can have one screwball in a hundred that they had to deal with. But if you are careful, you could get a used real gibson in near mint for not too much more than those.

and if you don't like it, you can always sell it back on ebay. I don't worry about the "have to play it". consider that bs for the most part, these instruments are pretty consistent. at least I would say those made in japan and the us. maybe korea. other places in asia and latin american, you have to wonder. Who knows what goes on in a sweat shop paying people maybe a dollar an hour.

Every time I think of selling the studio that I got on ebay I think "it is too good to sale". However you have to be a judge of sellers, and recognize what the red flags are. I would always research sellers quit a bit before I bought, and get a picture of them. also I would write them and ask a question, get a guarantee, to see how they responded. any red flag at all, I went elsewhere. have never had a bad experience.

This post has been edited by fkalich: May 20 2007, 06:22 AM