Should I get this guitar?

[theotherguy]

I have had an epiphone les paul special II as my beginner guitar for the past year, and I was thinking of getting a new, more professional guitar.

I looked at studio epiphone les pauls, but almost everything I looked at was over my price range.

I found this "s101" guitar, which is apparentley a cheap chinese knockoff of a les paul standard, but I don't know anything about it. Should I get this guitar or keep looking and save up my money for an epiphone? Or, do you guys know of any other guitars that have a similar feel and weight as a LP?

 

[ZeroPointGun]

Almost looks like a 5 stringed bass. If it's cheap and it's the one you want, no reason not to buy it. If you can live off your old guitar for a while (Providing you are really good) then buy an epiphone.

 

[CptStern]

my brother had a Black Beauty Les Paul ...also the sunburst ...I had a reissue Gibson les paul made in the 80's ..the quality was noticeably inferior to my brothers guitars ...personally I wouldnt buy a keytar online .you really need to hold it to see if it feels right, but if you must get a knockoff online:

Although most imitations fall well short of the mark, some companies have come close to perfecting copies. For instance, in the early 1980's, Japanese manufactor Tokai made an imitation Les Paul that featured such a perfect reproduction of the neck that Gibson Guitar Corporation sued them. The lawsuit ended with victory for Gibson with a court-mandate that the necks on Tokai models for the U.S. market had to be replaced. Additionally, in the late '70's, Ibanez also made very high quality Gibson imitations. These imitations were marketed during a time period when guitars of Japanese make were both affordable and painstakingly precise, but lacked the reputation of their US forebears.

 

[StardogChampion]

So that's why I see a lot of Tokai's on ebay...

 

[Shift]

Nice copy it seems, but I wouldn't buy them off ebay, should go for more vintage shops, in a lot of cases you can get cheaper copies. Just the other day infact, I brought a ?35 Fender copy, Ive played a proper Fender before and I could hardly see a difference in play.

 

[Muffin Man]

Are you upgrading because you want a better sound, or because you want a guitar that plays better? If for sound, definitely get a new amp first. It will have much more impact on your overall tone. If you're going for playability, I don't think buying from eBay is the way to go. Check out the local used market, and try everything you can. And, either way, I'd save a bit more money.

 

[theotherguy]

Are you upgrading because you want a better sound, or because you want a guitar that plays better? If for sound, definitely get a new amp first. It will have much more impact on your overall tone. If you're going for playability, I don't think buying from eBay is the way to go. Check out the local used market, and try everything you can. And, either way, I'd save a bit more money.

Yeah man, I just got a really nice amp, but after getting that I realized just how terrible my old guitar was. The neck was screwed up right out of the factory and the intonation is terrible, it goes sharp about 50 cents at the octave, and putting any kind of pressure on the low E string will cause it to bend up a half step. I tried to repair it myself, but only made it worse. I then asked someone at guitar center how much it would cost to repair it, and it was about the price of a new guitar anyway.

So I was looking for a new guitar that would namely stay in tune and look good on stage, (since I'm going to be playing at the NAMM festival in late July).

I will go to some of the shops around here and look for something.

 

[Muffin Man]

Hmm. A few questions, what amp do you have, what kind of music do you play, and what's your price range, exactly? I really suggest avoiding knock-offs unless you can give them a thorough run-through. And, if you save up some money and go used, you can end up with something truly extraordinary. Such as this beauty. That thing will kick your ass!

 

[DreamThrall]

I bought my rick on ebay and couldn't be happier

 

[theotherguy]

Hmm. A few questions, what amp do you have, what kind of music do you play, and what's your price range, exactly? I really suggest avoiding knock-offs unless you can give them a thorough run-through. And, if you save up some money and go used, you can end up with something truly extraordinary. Such as this beauty. That thing will kick your ass!

I have a VOX Valvetronix AC30. I play grunge and postgrunge, alot of Drop D, heavy, fat riffs.

 

[qdog]

A tipp from a guitarplayer for 18 years:
Dont buy an instrument you havent played.
It is not worth it.
WHen you buy a guitar, you want to make sure it has no cracks, the fretts are all in good shape, the neck isnt bend too much, the wood doesnt smell, the mechanics are working fine and the electric doesnt do any weird noise.

For a $120 guitar you cant do much wrong. But there are plenty of Les Paul copies out there. I got a chery copy and the quality of the wood is as good as Gibsons. That is what you want to look for. The guitar is frikkin heavy cause its massive wood. But the substain is insane. Thats what you want to look for. Make sure you get a guitar with a good quality wood. Pickups and stuff you can always change later on and replace them with original Gibson pickups...

 

[Pulse]

I have a VOX Valvetronix AC30. I play grunge and postgrunge, alot of Drop D, heavy, fat riffs.

Heh I have the AC100, they are pretty decent amps for their price ranges. I think you should invest in some pedals or a new amp before buying a new guitar, especially if you've only been playing for a year or so. Experiment some more, find your tone/playing style and then think about getting another guitar after you are confident you deserve one.

 

[leib10]

A tipp from a guitarplayer for 18 years:
Dont buy an instrument you havent played.
It is not worth it.
WHen you buy a guitar, you want to make sure it has no cracks, the fretts are all in good shape, the neck isnt bend too much, the wood doesnt smell, the mechanics are working fine and the electric doesnt do any weird noise.

For a $120 guitar you cant do much wrong. But there are plenty of Les Paul copies out there. I got a chery copy and the quality of the wood is as good as Gibsons. That is what you want to look for. The guitar is frikkin heavy cause its massive wood. But the substain is insane. Thats what you want to look for. Make sure you get a guitar with a good quality wood. Pickups and stuff you can always change later on and replace them with original Gibson pickups...

Good post.

 

[Muffin Man]

A tipp from a guitarplayer for 18 years:
Dont buy an instrument you havent played.
It is not worth it.
WHen you buy a guitar, you want to make sure it has no cracks, the fretts are all in good shape, the neck isnt bend too much, the wood doesnt smell, the mechanics are working fine and the electric doesnt do any weird noise.

For a $120 guitar you cant do much wrong. But there are plenty of Les Paul copies out there. I got a chery copy and the quality of the wood is as good as Gibsons. That is what you want to look for. The guitar is frikkin heavy cause its massive wood. But the substain is insane. Thats what you want to look for. Make sure you get a guitar with a good quality wood. Pickups and stuff you can always change later on and replace them with original Gibson pickups...

What? No. There is a lot that you can do wrong for $120. You especially have to look out for Chinese copies, because they can get pretty unplayable. Sure, that one looks better than most, but you still have to be very cautious with that kind of thing. And the quality of the wood isn't nearly the same, I don't know where you got that from.

Also, if you're buying online and from a reputable manufacturer/retailer (such as getting a decent Epiphone from MusiciansFriend.com) they usually don't let too much slip by, if you know what you're doing. Some guitars are fundamentally a risk buying (such as Squiers), but most of the time, if you know the quality of what you're getting is generally good, you're pretty much safe. There's a lemon now and then, but then you just send it back! Return policies are generally very good. I don't know what leib10 is talking about, I think this is a very mediocre post..

I also don't know why anyone would say to not get a new guitar after a year, or even say to get a new amp first? Completely illogical in this situation. If a guitar feels right and doesn't have as many issues, it will be much easier to progress. Oh, yeah, and about finding your tone before upgrading, you DEFINITELY don't want to get a new amp, then. Considering an amp will have infinitely more impact on your tone than your guitar. A mid-range guitar through a low-end amp will sound shit, a low-end guitar through a mid-range amp will sound way, way better. So upgrade the most crucial part of your tone for a little later, when you know more about the exact tone you want, and get something that plays nice now?

Not to mention he has a pretty nice amp already (which I'm guessing is an AD30VT, not an AC30) and his guitar has pretty substantial problems. And, assuming I'm right and he has a modeling amp, no reason to really get effects right now, eh? They're not nearly as important as a good amp/guitar, which are the foundation of your tone. And when you've only been playing a year and have an amp with decent built-in effects, no need to get individual effects quite yet!

So I'm all for the idea of upgrading his guitar. But not to something else that'll only last for a bit. Remember, going used can help you out a lot when you're on a limited budget.

If you're set on an LP styled guitar, an Agile would probably work out well for you. A bit more expensive then the guitar that you linked to, but also much better. I've heard once you hit the AL-3000 and above there is a huge up in quality, so I would suggest going with one of those if you go this route.

If you want to try something a bit different, the Schecter Elite/Blackjack series guitar would kick major ass. Like this one. A complete quality guitar! I own a 006 Elite, and the thing plays like a dream. Again, a bit over what you linked to, but the quality doesn't even compare.

Or, if you want to go Epiphone, those are quite good as well. But don't get anything below an LP Standard, because they're rubbish.

Also, you could check some nearby pawn shops and music shops for used guitars. Sometimes you can come across a real gem.

I could probably think of some other suggestions, but I grow weary. Just ate, all the blood is rushing from my head to my stomach, :x. I really suggest getting a quality mid-range guitar and not another sub-par hunk of wood like your Special II.

 

[theotherguy]

What? No. There is a lot that you can do wrong for $120. You especially have to look out for Chinese copies, because they can get pretty unplayable. Sure, that one looks better than most, but you still have to be very cautious with that kind of thing. And the quality of the wood isn't nearly the same, I don't know where you got that from.

Also, if you're buying online and from a reputable manufacturer/retailer (such as getting a decent Epiphone from MusiciansFriend.com) they usually don't let too much slip by, if you know what you're doing. Some guitars are fundamentally a risk buying (such as Squiers), but most of the time, if you know the quality of what you're getting is generally good, you're pretty much safe. There's a lemon now and then, but then you just send it back! Return policies are generally very good. I don't know what leib10 is talking about, I think this is a very mediocre post..

I also don't know why anyone would say to not get a new guitar after a year, or even say to get a new amp first? Completely illogical in this situation. If a guitar feels right and doesn't have as many issues, it will be much easier to progress. Oh, yeah, and about finding your tone before upgrading, you DEFINITELY don't want to get a new amp, then. Considering an amp will have infinitely more impact on your tone than your guitar. A mid-range guitar through a low-end amp will sound shit, a low-end guitar through a mid-range amp will sound way, way better. So upgrade the most crucial part of your tone for a little later, when you know more about the exact tone you want, and get something that plays nice now?

Not to mention he has a pretty nice amp already (which I'm guessing is an AD30VT, not an AC30) and his guitar has pretty substantial problems. And, assuming I'm right and he has a modeling amp, no reason to really get effects right now, eh? They're not nearly as important as a good amp/guitar, which are the foundation of your tone. And when you've only been playing a year and have an amp with decent built-in effects, no need to get individual effects quite yet!

So I'm all for the idea of upgrading his guitar. But not to something else that'll only last for a bit. Remember, going used can help you out a lot when you're on a limited budget.

If you're set on an LP styled guitar, an Agile would probably work out well for you. A bit more expensive then the guitar that you linked to, but also much better. I've heard once you hit the AL-3000 and above there is a huge up in quality, so I would suggest going with one of those if you go this route.

If you want to try something a bit different, the Schecter Elite/Blackjack series guitar would kick major ass. Like this one. A complete quality guitar! I own a 006 Elite, and the thing plays like a dream. Again, a bit over what you linked to, but the quality doesn't even compare.

Or, if you want to go Epiphone, those are quite good as well. But don't get anything below an LP Standard, because they're rubbish.

Also, you could check some nearby pawn shops and music shops for used guitars. Sometimes you can come across a real gem.

I could probably think of some other suggestions, but I grow weary. Just ate, all the blood is rushing from my head to my stomach, :x. I really suggest getting a quality mid-range guitar and not another sub-par hunk of wood like your Special II.

Thanks for the advice! Those Agile guitars look right up my alley, though the Schechter Elite looks a bit too wide for my taste. I went to a guitar shop and several pawn shops today and tried many guitars, and discovered that the LP-100 was simply a special II with a contoured body and a pickguard, and played with the exact same problems as my old guitar. So I tried an Epiphone LP studio and standard and found them much more pleasing. I also gave a really nice regular old Gibson LP standard a whirl and noticed a subtle yet noticeably pleasing difference to the Epiphone LP standard.

I also branched out to some other brands and styles, like a few Ibanez and Squire guitars, but found them to be too light and the Squires to be very twangy and buzzy.

What I'll do now is sell my Special II on craigslist and put the money towards an Agile or Epiphone.

There's nothing wrong with wanting a nice guitar, but I've seen a million and one people that are completely horrible players but have ridiculously expensive equipment because they've been deluded into thinking that having a better guitar makes them better guitarists. While good guitars are definitely a lot more fun to play than crappy ones, and having a nice amp is great as well, unless you have a lot of extra money lying around, you're better off spending it on something else. You don't think that buying a Corvette makes you a better driver, do you? It goes fast and looks pretty, but if you're a shitty driver then having a nice car won't change that.

For the record, the Epiphone Special series (especially the SG model) is fantastic for the money. My friend's dad is a guitarist and bass player of 40 years who played with the Downchild Blues Band, among others. He used one of those during more than just a few gigs and sounded excellent every time. You're much better off getting a cheap tube amp (Epiphone and Fender have some nice options available) and putting that guitar through it.

Well, you see, I've tried my guitar in many very nice amps (not just the Vox that I own, but my friends tube amp and a very nice marshall stack), and though it sounds meatier, my guitar still feels like a bottleneck. The terrible intonation, the pickup noise, the weird and uncalled for bending, they all detract terribly from the sound.

I know I'm not very good at guitar, but I'm much better than I was a year ago, and I'm just starting to get good enough that all of these problems are becoming noticeable. To use your corvette analogy, its like I'm driving a Yugo when all I want is a Honda Civic. I'm not looking for a corvette, just a solidly built, reliable product that I can depend on.

 

[Muffin Man]

Thanks for the advice! Those Agile guitars look right up my alley, though the Schechter Elite looks a bit too wide for my taste. I went to a guitar shop and several pawn shops today and tried many guitars, and discovered that the LP-100 was simply a special II with a contoured body and a pickguard, and played with the exact same problems as my old guitar. So I tried an Epiphone LP studio and standard and found them much more pleasing. I also gave a really nice regular old Gibson LP standard a whirl and noticed a subtle yet noticeably pleasing difference to the Epiphone LP standard.

I also branched out to some other brands and styles, like a few Ibanez and Squire guitars, but found them to be too light and the Squires to be very twangy and buzzy.

What I'll do now is sell my Special II on craigslist and put the money towards an Agile or Epiphone.

Hmm, explain what you mean by too wide? Excuse me if I push the Schecter a lot, but I think for around $350 it would take a piss on everything else possible in that price range. Neck is a little faster than the LP, but it's still got a lot of the sustain and weight, and that aggressive sound. If you like the LP style, by all means go for it, but I wouldn't write-off the Schecter until you try one. I've tried plenty of guitars that cost the same as my Elite, never came across anything that I thought played as nice. But all of that is subjective, of course. I'm just in love with my Schecter, what can I say!

If you go Epiphone, make sure to try every Epi they have in stock in your price range. With mid-range budget guitars like them, some guitars will be better than others, and you'll want to get the best you can.

 

[Muffin Man]

You're preaching to the choir, man, I love me some tubes. But the Valvetronix amps aren't bad by any means, and his guitar is pretty much a lemon. I'd say in his situation a new guitar would be the most beneficial thing to his playing.

And the Blues Jr. is a really nice amp. But it would be way out of its element trying to do high-gain. It could probably do it, but not nearly as well as an amp that's designed for it. I'd personally stick it out with the decent modeling amp, get a good mid-range guitar, and hold out for something like a used Mesa F-50 later. Pretty sure he won't be gigging until then, so he can probably do with a decent tone for a while, and then get an orgasmic tone later. If he compromises his playing style for a good amp that isn't really made for what he wants now, he'll be just be prolonging getting the tone he wants.

But, yes, the Marshall MG's/AVT's really are horrid. Not only because they sound like complete bunk, but because you could get something much better for the same price. But his Vox is much better than an MG, so it's alright.

My old Squier was pretty bad, too. But I loved the thing to death. The tone pots didn't do anything, pickups sort of were bland, it didn't keep it's tune all that well, but it played alright. Never had any major problems with it, intonation and playability were fine. Me and that Squier, we had some good times, . I'm currently modding it to be a backup guitar, actually. Some new tuners and electronics, a spiffy new paint-job, and a probably some new saddles (hooray for hardtail budget guitars) and it should be decent.

Also, the pickups are probably just bad, but have you tried raising them a bit? Might help if you want a little more output.

 

[theotherguy]

Trying to sell my special II and scared off one guy by saying "as-is". :x

And now this damn bid ends in an hour and I don't want to buy it anymore! *implodes*

 

[Que-Ever]

What you wanna do is just get the cheapies. Hell, go for hello kitty guitars. Unless you really really care about tone and crap like that. Also, you can smash them with less guilt.

 

[theotherguy]

God Damnit.

I won the item and now the seller is not contacting me. AGHHHH

I shouldn't have ever bid on it.

 

[Muffin Man]

What you wanna do is just get the cheapies. Hell, go for hello kitty guitars. Unless you really really care about tone and crap like that. Also, you can smash them with less guilt.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjF1fev4Cf8[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Que-Ever]

I wish they made hello kitty basses with the pickguard like that. They only have the penguin ones.

 

[co05]

Laney LC15's.

Anyone tried one of those?

 

[theotherguy]

LOL at the hello kitty.

Anyway, go the guy to agree to cancel my bid, and bought me one of these instead:

Agile AL-2000 Heritage Cherry. The lead guitarist of my band had one of these as a backup and I played it and decided it was the guitar for me. A great choice for just 200 bucks.