Marc Morfei
Friend of Leo's
I commented about this on someone else’s thread recently, but I thought I’d create a new post for it.
Picked up a used Epiphone Les Paul Special TV Yellow with P90s recently. Wow, this guitar is really good. And cheap! I had been toying with the idea of finding a used Gibson LP Special (at 3-4x the cost), but I am totally satisfied with the Epi. The neck is a pretty fat C, which I had no experience with but is surprisingly comfortable. Frets are great (they're supposed to be medium-jumbo but they seem smaller to me. Maybe that's because the neck is so fat.) Pickups sound really good – I think these are the same ones that come in the Epiphone ES339 P90 Pro, which people universally like. This seems a little thinner and lighter than a typical Les Paul. I have not weighed it but I’m guessing may be around 8.5 lbs. Overall for $400 it’s a no brainer. I got it as something cheap to bang around with, and to fill a P90 void. But honestly at the moment I’m liking this as much as anything else I own.
I picked this one because the previous owner made some really good mods, including Tusq nut, upgraded bridge, and new pots, wiring, and jack. In fact, I think this is the first time I ever got a guitar – new or used – that arrived with a perfectly cut and fitted nut. Big relief.
It seems generally accepted knowledge that when you mod a guitar you never get that value back when you sell it. In fact, the guitar may be worth less even with upgrades, since many buyers are wary, and prefer to get something all original. But for a buyer, that is a good opportunity. I feel like the guitar I got is better than new, with well-done mods that will save me the time and money of doing them myself.
Anyway, if you have a chance to check out this guitar, do it. $449 new!
Picked up a used Epiphone Les Paul Special TV Yellow with P90s recently. Wow, this guitar is really good. And cheap! I had been toying with the idea of finding a used Gibson LP Special (at 3-4x the cost), but I am totally satisfied with the Epi. The neck is a pretty fat C, which I had no experience with but is surprisingly comfortable. Frets are great (they're supposed to be medium-jumbo but they seem smaller to me. Maybe that's because the neck is so fat.) Pickups sound really good – I think these are the same ones that come in the Epiphone ES339 P90 Pro, which people universally like. This seems a little thinner and lighter than a typical Les Paul. I have not weighed it but I’m guessing may be around 8.5 lbs. Overall for $400 it’s a no brainer. I got it as something cheap to bang around with, and to fill a P90 void. But honestly at the moment I’m liking this as much as anything else I own.
I picked this one because the previous owner made some really good mods, including Tusq nut, upgraded bridge, and new pots, wiring, and jack. In fact, I think this is the first time I ever got a guitar – new or used – that arrived with a perfectly cut and fitted nut. Big relief.
It seems generally accepted knowledge that when you mod a guitar you never get that value back when you sell it. In fact, the guitar may be worth less even with upgrades, since many buyers are wary, and prefer to get something all original. But for a buyer, that is a good opportunity. I feel like the guitar I got is better than new, with well-done mods that will save me the time and money of doing them myself.
Anyway, if you have a chance to check out this guitar, do it. $449 new!
