Right now the guitar I have is a Floyd Rose.

I'd like to start playing some heavier music and down tuned songs but it's such an inconvenience to constantly tune my Floyd Rose up and down, so I've decided to get a second guitar without a Floyd Rose. I have been wanting a second guitar without one for quite some time anyways.

I have read the thread that Kris stickied with a link to the guitar thread which lists guitars based on style and guitarists, however...

Most of those guitars are out of my price range right now.

I'm looking for something between $500-700 that is suited to styles like Zakk Wylde, Pantera, Hellyeah, etc etc. Sort of the opposite of my Ibanez. Something beefier with a richer sound - I'm even planning to stick 10s instead of 9s on it!

I have seen some used Gibson LP Studios (which I am currently DROOLING over), but I am VERYweary of buying used guitars because I don't believe that I have the required expertise to make the decision on the guitars quality. I also don't know anyone who I would trust with that decision.

So I come to my GMC family for help and advice!

Lastly, I ask for your honesty. Is it worth it for me to save a few more hundred bucks for an LP Studio? If so, I may have to be patient a little while longer. I did read the thread a bit down this page on LPs and from what I read there, it sounds like there is no comparison. If that is the case, please tell me! I don't want to settle!

Many thanks in advice!

EDIT: I found when I first started playing guitar I was very much not a fan of thicker necks which I know Gibsons have.. has anyone done the switch from thinner to thicker necks? I realize I won't know for sure until I sit down and play one again, but if anyone has some insight on this I would appreciate it!

In that price range and for the type of music, walk into your music store and definitely try some entry level schecters.

Cant comment on LP studio as I've never played one.

If you are looking at a Gibson LP Studio and decide that a "Paul" style guitar is what you want, please consider this guitar it will not disappoint! (Neck is not as thick either)

http://www.rondomusic.com/al3000prest.html

Look at the build quality for the money and then make your decision...

Solid Mahogany body/neck, ebony fretboard, abalone inlays, triple bound head/body, bound neck, Wilkinson alinco V pickups, Grover tuners, and a set neck..(Korean Made)

Good luck on your search for a second axe!

Seriously I would recommend buying a used Gibson les Paul Studio!
The quality you get for your money is exeptional and with a little pickup change (active Emgs or so) it will be a metal beast!

I have bought nearly all my guitars used over the internet and I was never disappointed with what I got. Make sure the seller gives you a lot of pictures so you can check the guitar for damage, worn frets and repair marks. It is a little gamble as you don't know how good it sounds when you are buying the guitar but on a Gibson Lp studio the possibilites are good sound or really good sound as I have never played a bad LP studio...

There are ofcourse a lot of guitars you could buy new but I can almost guarantee you that they won't be as good as a more expensive guitar you are buying used...

If used is no option, try some Schecter Hellraiser/Blackjack ATX models, ESP ltd Eclipse series, Ibanez ART series or Dean decievers...

I think I will try looking for a used LP Studio. Over the last few days I've totally fallen for them and last night I even dreamt about having a black and gold LP Studio ;P

Other than what Zakk has already mentioned about looking at used guitars, should I ask or look for anything else? I will probably use Kijiji first which could provide me a chance to play the guitar before I buy it depending how far it is away.

Thanks again, all of your help is appreciated!

well you could try one of the new ibanez fixed bridge prestige guitars,


they are awesome in quality and easy to downtune.

or

get a 7 string! i see you are a dream theater fan,

JP used ibanez for many years, especially an ibanez universe (7 string) guitar.

go for the les paul man

there absolutly classic and always will be, plus they are versitile.

i've gone from fender necks to les pauls, not too bad infact if the action is lower it can be nicer as neck fills the hand.

Well i am not in any way a specialist, but i would like to add my own 2 cents to this..... My first real guitar was Epiphone Les Paul Standard, if you don't count my "Beginner Set" guitar. Compared to Gibson Les Pauls, my LP was kinda So-So... Decent guitar but sometimes makes you wish for more.

About a year ago i upgrades to Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II and was best decision i ever made.

Unlike Epi LP Standard, Ultra-II is Korean Made instead of Chinese made. Craftsmanship is way better, chambered body makes it much lighter (That kinda helps people like me who have had back injury, cause real LP weighs a ton hehe)

Extra Nanomag pickups allows for extra room, you can get almost Fender-like single coil tone when you configure it properly.

Its a $800 guitar, and in my opinion its better than a cheapest Gibson LP that you can get, way better. And if you put new pickups in, it will be a monster guitar, I'm still waiting for extra dough so i could put new pickups in, but that's something i will definitely do.

When i took it in my hands for a first time - i was ecstatic, and i have never regretted getting it. It still sits right next me now and i doubt I'll ever trade it in for anything else.

I got 2 electrics now, second guitar i got is a Mexican made Ash Telecaster and it also is a very good guitar, and I'm happy i got it. I just didn't have money for American Made Telecaster, but this one has never made me regret for buying it.

I know that if i had more money i would get American made guitars - i would buy American made, but since i don't i settled on these two, and i stand by my choice.

Its a personal opinion of course.

If you'll have time, i would recommend trying them both.

The Epiphone Les Paul Ultra is extremely good for the price you pay BUT it is not as good as the cheapest Gibson!

How do I know?

Well Epiphone is the daughter company of Gibson and the salesmen at Gibson have people working at Epiphone to make sure that the quality of Epiphone stays behind Gibson! There are people at the quality control making sure that the guitars don't surpass their originals... they also whatch out that the used woods are worse than what Gibson uses.

It's sad for Epiphone because I am sure their guitars COULD be a lot better but I can also understand Gibson because they would ruin their own market if there were cheaper and better versions of the same guitar available.

I would recommend an LP Studio as well...but have you considered a Schecter Hellraiser? Killer guitar for the money. Here is one of our own taking on Slayer with his Hellraiser!

Zakk,

That's cool, i can respect your opinion. But my friend has a Gibson LP Studio, so i have played them both, and in my opinion Epi Ultra-II is better than Gib's LP Studio, especially if you upgrade pickups. There is logic in what you are saying and i do agree with you, but you're talking about general subject of Gibson vs. Epiphone guitars, and I'm talking about a very specific one.

But hey we can agree to disagree on this

Praetorian,

That's a good recommendation, i played Hellraiser, its a good guitar.
Sick playing by the way!

That isn't me! It's Zen who has posted in this very thread!

I agree with Zakk, LP Studio is definitely worth of waiting and spending couple of hundreds more. It's a great guitar, with great sound, and with pickup upgrade it will rock even more. I suggest you wait, collect the money, and spend time in stores trying out as many guitars as you can.

Sure I was talking in general Antonskv!

Not even 2 guitars of the same production sound the same (just like 2 trees don't grow identically). It might be that you have an exeptionally good Epiphone and your friend had a bad luck and got a not so good Gibson. The Ultra II is the best Epiphone has to offer (aside from their Custom shop) and it might very well be better than some Gibsons!

That guitar looks and sounds good in the video and the price is right. Do you actually have one?

I use to own one. I had the lower 2000 series ($200 price range and was amazed by the quality) Frets were the only thing that I did not like about that guitar. The 2000 and 2500 model frets were produced by a machine and had a bit of a ruff cut. The 3000's and up, the fret's are hand cut and dressed. Had it not been for those, I would still have it!

Here's a few pictures of it...

The Ultra is a nice guitar, it's not for me, if your coming fom a fender or Ibanezs I can see how it would be perfect but the satin slim neck doesn't feel right to me and the chambered body gives a very sweet sound. they are very well made though...

Zakk sorry I just don't buy the fact there is a Gibson salesman in the eppy factory going around saying, thats's too good that one can't go out etc... or that bit of wood is too good..

you can't tell how wood is going to sound until its put together...

I think you are paying a lot for made in USA, the quality control on the wood is prob cosmetically bettter and as I understand the mahogany is all soucred from a couple of species, whereas the eppys may have a couple or three different types on a body and a 3 piece neck, but that doesn't really effect the tone. the main difference I would say is Gibson use a solid maple cap whereas eppy normally use a venner. Also some of the lower eppys are OEM's (but not the ultra I think)

I would replace the pickups on a Gibson so no difference there. Although been the idiot I am I would get the headstock changed to a Gibson one!!!

The quality control isn't that great at Gibson, a good friend of mine has a L5 (£5000) and after 6months all the gold hardware started flaking off, and Gibson wouldn't do anything about it...

Have you checked Out Vintage Guitares ?? the v100 series have some really nice lespauls (and cheap too ) you can buy one of thoose and put a set of EMG´s in Them !!!

Gibson puts quality restrictions on Epiphone in terms of wood, hardware and build quality and they have people employed to keep the guitars below a certain standard! But so does Fender with Squier and Esp with their LTD guitars or Music Man with the OLP or Sterling series or PRS with the SE...

Even I would do this because nobody would buy the more expensive models if the cheaper ones are as good or possibly even better!

And yes, Gibsons quality control isn't what it used to be... The company is going downhill since ~2005 with their stupid CEO trying to make the company more profitable! The guitars are still good but it is a must to test them beforehand to be sure not to get a so called monday-guitar.

All I can say about Epiphone Vs Gibson is that I have both an Epi SG & a Gibson SG, and the Gibson weights almost twice as much! So there is definitely a difference in the wood quality. Not to mention the pickups. Epi is much more headstock-heavy (and thus uncomfortable when playing) than the Gibson. There are other cosmetic differences (nitro finish, amount of pieces of wood used, bindings, etc.) but the weight is, in my opinion, the biggest.

+1!
I played a 'Lemon Drop' model (based on Peter Greens famous LP which he sold to Gary Moore) and even with the standard Wilkinson Pickups in it was a great guitar!
Especially for the price!! Less than £300. Although it comes with a 'distressed' finish there are other models in the range which don't.

So much to think about!

I was at a friend's house last night shootin' the breeze for a while and I mentioned to him that I was looking into a Studio LP this summer and he said he knows a younger guy who's got a Wine Red/Gold one that he's looking to sell.

He didn't say 100% how much he was looking for it, but he mentioned around $800... that's Canadian too.

I don't exactly have all that money right now but for $800, I'll find it!

Wine Red isn't my first colour choice, but it's absolutely the right price!

I think you should try the LP before buying it and see if it's what you're looking for talking about confort when playing, besides all the technical info we can give. You should try also some 7 strings Shecters. I totally recommend them. Most of my students have them and they are very very nice instruments