Epiphone Prophecy Futura Custom FX (Floyd, EMG-81/85 Pickups) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'll be honest. I don't think this guitar is for everyone. Other than receiving the actual guitar in a mess (de-tuned, very very very low action, ridiculous unplayable buzzing and offset bridge etc, etc....don't worry... did not buy it from this particular seller XD), After i got it fixed, it played excellent. I can't judge it too harshly because i've been playing a jackson rr-3 for 2 years, and the floyd rose on thatparticular model of guitar is completely flush with the body, and i know most floyds are not, but rather raised, above the body. Also, the pick-ups are a bit too close together for my liking, and i have a really hard time getting harmonics out of the g-string, but that's just my experience, and i would say 'because of that' but i really don't know if that's the cause. And of course it's about twice the weight of an rr3 so you get a bit sore after a while, but i can't complain about that. Other than that, it has a nice fast neck, reasonably slim, plays nice, but pick-ups seem a bit over-responsive.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Epiphone Prophecy Futura Custom FX (Floyd, EMG-81/85 Pickups)

Product Description:
The Epiphone Prophecy Collection, created by popular demand for serious shredding and killer appearance,offers true dive-bomb bliss with the Futura Custom FX with Original Floyd Rose™ Tremolo system.This sleeker-sister to the Explorer design is crafted of a Mahogany body with a deep treble cutaway thatgives you high access to all24 jumbo frets ona super-fast SlimTaper™ set, Mahogany neck with full binding and luxrious, Ebony Fingerboard with exclusive "blade" inlay.Its shredable tone comes from active EMG 81 & 85 Humbucker pickups. The intimidating look features with a quilted Maple top under a translucent Midnight Ebony finish. Hardware includes blacked-out Epiphone strap locks, attractive Pearl-top control knobs, dependable Grover™ machine heads and an Original Floyd Rose™ Tremolo system.

Get 40% OFF

Want to buy Epiphone Prophecy Futura Custom FX (Floyd, EMG-81/85 Pickups) at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

More about → Epiphone Prophecy Futura Custom FX (Floyd, EMG-81/85 Pickups) Review

Epiphone Les Paul Studio, Alpine White Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought mine over 2 weeks ago at Guitar center and was struck by theAlpine White color, which I found out was a Custon Shop limited edition. When I got it home, I noticed that it wouldn't stay in tune and that was due to the fact that it wasn't set up properly upon the leaving the factory in China, contrary to what the inspection label on the back of the headstock says. The intonation, along with the string and pickup height, were in need of adjustment and once I took care of those problems, I was amazed at how well this guitar sounded and how great it stayed in tune. The rest of the guitar from the frets to the electronics, seems to be very well built, but I would've preferred block inlays instead of the dot ones on the neck. Other than that,there was nothing that I could find wrong with this guitar at all. This is a very reasonably priced instrument for the beginner and advanced musician as far as I'm concerned, and I'm speaking from over 36 years of playing. This is a welcome alternative for those of us who can't afford the outrageous prices for the US made Gibsons, and seeing that Epiphone is owned by them, you really more or less have the same thing, just made in a different country, that's all! Great guitar for a great price!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Epiphone Les Paul Studio, Alpine White

Product Description:
The original idea for the Epiphone Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar was to create a somewhat lower-priced Paul by dispensing with some cosmetics. The result was an especially clean, handsome guitar with all the Les Paul essentials. Newly designed in 2004, the Studio now has a thicker body that matches its namesake, hot open-coil humbuckers, a set mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, and mahogany body with carved top. Alpine White finish. The LockTone stopbar tailpiece and Tune-O-Matic bridge provide great sustain and tone, and make string changing easier. Limited lifetime warranty.

Get 42% OFF

Want to buy Epiphone Les Paul Studio, Alpine White at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

More about → Epiphone Les Paul Studio, Alpine White Review

Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Custom, Silverburst Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this guitar, first and foremost, because I am a huge Tool fan and I love the look of of Adam's Gibson Silverburst. Secondly, I love the look, feel and sound of the Les Paul Studio (although technically this is a Les Paul Custom, but its still a Studio design). Also I very much prefer the tone switch to be in the location it is on LP studios.

That being said, You should know that this guitar is among the higher end Epiphone LPs. I also own another Epi LP Studio, a cheaper model, which I can tell you has much less attention to detail. It's still a good guitar because it has it has great tone at a low cost, but the look of it isnt that sharp. The finish on those guitars isnt as nice as what you get here with the Silverburst. You may have heard horror stories about the frets popping out on those low cost Epi LPs but that has never happened on mine.

But Back to the Silverburst... The look of this guitar is stunning. The paint job and finish is excellent, really slick from bottom to top, front to back. The chrome hardware looks great too and seems to be really good quality... not just a cheap chrome finish on some mystery metal or something. The inlay on the fretboard and headstock are great too, very shimmery and marbley (if those are words).

In terms of hardware; The pickups sound great. Lots of tonal color and good harmonic response. I have noticed I have to crank my amp up a bit to get good feedback, but thats sort of the nature of feedback. The tone switch is well built, as in it stays put and doesnt wobble about. I've seen tone switches that basically unscrew during use to the point where they are at a 30-45 degree angle from their orignial position. This doesnt happen on this guitar. The switch itself does pop a tiny bit when switching between pickups... I dont mind it that much, but its worth saying. The frets are more rounded and stick out from the finger board more than a Gibson would. This can become an issue if you really push hard on the string because you can push the note from in-tune to sharp without really "bending" the string. This isnt an issue unique to this guitar, from what i've seen this is fairly common-place with all Epiphones. It doesnt really become a problem unless you are strangling the neck. The action out of the box is set a bit high; To the point where as you move up on the neck the notes tend to go sharp, which basically destroys any chords you play past the 12th fret. All i had to do was lower the action to resolve this problem. Even with that, i notice no fret buzzing anywhereon the guitar. The tuners work great... they ARE Grover tuners. I have no complaints with there. My biggest complaint with this guitar is the Nut (this was an issue with my other LP Studio too and is a common issue with lots of guitars that havent been customized). It grabs and can make tuning a real pain. This issue has improved somewhat since I bought the guitar, probably because with play and repeated tunings the strings have likely filed the nut a little bit. There are many solutions to this problem however; file the nut down yourself, buy some graphite and rub it in the nut under the strings, or you can actually use the graphite "lead" from pencils, or you can actually replace the nut with a graphite nut. Graphite essentially acts as a lubricant which stops the strings from binding... it has to do with the atomic structure of graphite, it doesnt take lateral tension very well. Idealy, apart from replacing the nut, a combination of these solutions is best.

Now the big question, Tone; I will keep this short and sweet. I like a wide variety of tone in the music I play. Depending on your amp and effects setup you can greatly effect the tone coming from the guitar. This guitar is heavy and has a really thick rich tone. Most LP's do. If you are after that Gibson sound, you've got it here. I've sized this guitar up with Gibson LPs and its up to par for sure. I've played this guitar and a Gibson LP back to back on the same amp with the same effects and settings and I saw no real noticiable change in tone. Tool songs sound perfect on this guitar, as do cleaner, bluesier tones. Lighter tones are certainly attainable on this guitar as well... but just about any tone is possible these days with all the electronic weaponry out there. Another thing I would like to mention is that this guitar has no buzz AT ALL. It's really well built in that respect, everything is grounded. You can play loud and when you stop the strings, its quiet(provided you havent cranked the amp so high you get feedback from nothing). Getting back to that Epi vs Gibson tone arguement though; It's worth saying that my dad owns 3 Gibsons (2 Electric - a LP Recording and a Firebird, and 1 acoustic) and he recently bought an Epiphone Flying V and right now, THAT guitar is his pride and joy.

All in all, If you are looking for a quality Gibson sound at an affordable price, Epiphone is the way to go. More specifically, If you are after an Epi LP; while I have no complaints with tone and no significant complaints in construction of the cheaper Epi LPs... I would definitely recommend going with one from their Les Paul Custom line (which is what the Silverburst falls under). They are about double the cost, but the attention to detail is palpable. If you can put down a few hundred extra, go for it. Get a guitar like this. And narrowing the scope even further, if you are like me and you love Tool, really like LPs, love that silverburst paintjob and are on a limited budget... then look no further, you found your guitar. The only thing I would recommend is to try to buy it below $[...]. I've seen them range from $[...], so do some looking around.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Custom, Silverburst

Product Description:
With the same vaunted visual vibe of the original, this Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul has all the fixin's - 5-ply top, back, and headstock binding; bound rosewood fretboard; split diamond mother-of-pearl headstock inlay; and 4-ply pickguard. Dual humbuckers on an alder top with mahogany back and set neck.

Get 42% OFF

Want to buy Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Custom, Silverburst at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

More about → Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul Custom, Silverburst Review

Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar, Silverburst Chrome Hardware Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)what a fine instrument and the 498T pup in the bridge along with the coil tap knobs really make this axe special besides it's killer looks. finally a Les Paul that looks cool enough to not be like the old fart Gibsons that Lynyrd Skynyrd and all the old men play.heavy kudos!!i grabbed mine just before the great Nashville flood so i got a great deal. looks like everyone will be short on these and SGs regarding supply after august/sept. since production doesn't resume until august 15th.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar, Silverburst Chrome Hardware

Product Description:
The Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar has become one of the most desired Les Paul guitars for its tremendous harmonic and sonic capacities. The studio guitar is coveted by musicians from all genres of music and offers Les Paul performance with a modern, no-frills attitude. This Silverburst edition is lighter weight and offers a distinct look and modern features. The Les Paul Studio guitar marries a lightweight chambered mahogany back to a maple top. The mahogany set neck has a 22-fret fingerboard that is constructed from high-grade ebony. The resilience of this dense and durable wood makes the fingerboard extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note unparalleled clarity and bite. The flatter 12" fingerboard radius promotes smooth note bending and eliminates dead or choked out notes-a common occurrence on rounder, smaller radius fingerboards. The Les Paul Studio guitar's '60s neck profile is slim tapered emulating the neck shapes of the 1960 Les Paul Standard.The Les Paul Studio Guitar shares the same quality electronics as some of its more expensive siblings. The Gibson 490R pickup has the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, but with a slight increase in upper mid-range response. The Gibson 498T bridge pickup is the 490 pickup's ideal complement. Taking the 490 one step further, the 498 swaps the Alnico II magnet with an Alnico V, thus making it a slightly hotter pickup with emphasis on mid-ranges and highs. The pole pieces on the 498T are also aligned a little further apart to accommodate the spacing of the strings at the bridge. Both pickups can be split via push/pull volume controls.

Get 30% OFF

Want to buy Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar, Silverburst Chrome Hardware at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

More about → Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar, Silverburst Chrome Hardware Review

Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar, Worn Cherry Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this guitar from Musician's Friend on Amazon. Due to some trouble, I had to wait for it for a couple of months. It finally is in my hands and I must say I'm impressed and absolutely satisfied. There's plenty of good reviews of this guitar on the web, so I refer you to those for the features; instead, I want to focus on the quality of the product itself. There is some concern among guitarists about buying instruments online, with random reports about people receiving badly constructed specimens of supposedly quality guitars. It hasn't been my case. This guitar has been known, since it was first released, for being a big improvement in quality for Epiphone, and for being the closest reproduction of a 1961 Gibson SG, for less than a third of the price. The one I received from MF and Amazon completely lives up to such fame: completely solid, flawless construction; gorgeous looks and quality appointments; and above all, near professional performance. Like any guitar that comes new out of the box, it required some action and intonation setup, but that was all: no flaws at all in the general construction or in the finish.

A few comments on the features.
The playability is amazing. The neck has the same satin finish as the body; it's wide and flat but not annoyingly fat or thick; and it joins the body at the 20th fret, giving free access to the last frets. All this makes for a lightning fast playing guitar.
The sound is just great. The pickups are hot, they can really give you that Gibson humbucker crunch, and with high distortion it's just brutal, perfect for everything from riffs to soloing to the mighty pinch harmonic! Of course, there are things that no SG can do, but if you wanted to do those things you would be looking at Strat reviews... but it IS a versatile guitar, it can suit many playing styles, and, unlike other guitars popular in the hard rock/heavy metal world, it can handle clean playing very well.

I encourage anyone who is thinking of buying an SG guitar but cannot afford a Gibson to try this one. Other brands might offer the same quality but just lack the "original" vibe that only Epiphone, being a Gibson subsidiary, can offer... and no, I don't work for Epiphone.

EDIT: the first painful quality issue has surfaced. The wood around the input jack is thin. Due to this, any untoward pressure exerted on the area can potentially crack the wood. I turned around with the guitar plugged in, but the cord was stuck under the amp, and so the plug forced the input jack into the wood and it cracked badly. I had heard that before but I never thought it would happen. So be warned... either you take special care in avoiding this kind of situation, or you don't buy this guitar.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar, Worn Cherry

Product Description:
The Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar plays fast and is a super value. Epi has re-created this SG-shaped legend using a worn satin finish and aged fretboard inlays that give it the look of a cherished original. Crafted with chrome hardware, a mahogany body and single-piece set neck with rosewood fretboard, LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece for more sustain and easier string changing, and armed with a pair of Alnico V humbuckers, this guitar is ready to rock right out of the box.

Get 40% OFF

Want to buy Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar, Worn Cherry at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

More about → Epiphone Vintage G-400 Electric Guitar, Worn Cherry Review

Epiphone LP Standard Plus-Top Les Paul Collection Electric Guitar, Trans Amber Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus recently and was really surprised by its sound and weight.Comparing it to my Les Paul Supreme and my Les Paul Florentine, I found it to weigh about the same as the Supreme, which is cored.The finish is very good, the figuring doesn't quite look like the picture (I bought a "honey burst" that showed about the same figuring.I'd give the figuring an "A" but not an "AA," but the figuring matched.The back is a finished mahogany and very nice, not a solid dark stain like an Les Paul Classic I once had, which weighed probably 8 lbs more.

The sound was very good, not as "lively" as the Supreme or Florentine, but for $2,600.00 less, it shouldn't be.However, when cranked up, it was hardly distinguishable.The action was indistinguishable to me, but I'm a novice of sorts.

If you are looking for a good LP sound at a very affordable price, I wouldn't hesitate getting this.Parents could even afford to give this to see if it brings out the "talent" in their teenager.

I bought mine through Musician's Friend because I know they have a no questions asked return policy.I would suggest you get the hardcase ($59.95) and some better strings (10mm Gibson's is standard for Gibson's LP).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Epiphone LP Standard Plus-Top Les Paul Collection Electric Guitar, Trans Amber

Product Description:
This is the undisputed King of Solidbody Electric guitars with a reign spanning sixdecades. The Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus-Top is an eventual must for a guitarist's collection, because this model lives up to its imposing reputation for unmatched tone and sustain. Legendary guitarist and inventor Les Paul lends his signature to every real Les Paul guitar, authenticating his soveriegn design standards, so you know you are getting "the real thing".From the tone-rich, bound, Mahogany body with beautiful Flame Maple top to the set, Mahogany neck and Rosewood fingerboard with traditional trapezoid inlays, to the rich, vintage tone provided by a pair ofhigh-output Alnico Classic Humbuckers, this guitar is the standard for all others. It also features Chrome hardware, Grover™ tuners, withour newEpiphone LockTone™ locking Tune-o-matic bridge and Stop-bar tailpiece that gives you even more sustain and lasting Les Paul warm tone that you dream about.

Get 42% OFF

Want to buy Epiphone LP Standard Plus-Top Les Paul Collection Electric Guitar, Trans Amber at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

More about → Epiphone LP Standard Plus-Top Les Paul Collection Electric Guitar, Trans Amber Review

Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Les Paul Collection Electric Guitar, Midnight Ebony Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I love the sound of a Les Paul, but I refused to buy one because having been a Strat player for years, I just felt that LP's were uncomfortable to play. This Les Paul addresses the two major factors in why a traditional LP is uncomfortable:

#1, Weight. Ever pick up a real LP? They weight a ton and by the end of a show, your shoulder and lower back are killing you. This thing is super light! The acoustic chambers make it essentially a hollow-body. I'm not sure what the actual weight is, but it's significantly lighter than a solid body LP, but sounds the same (actually better with the piezo).

#2, Body Contours. I don't have a huge belly, but the sharp corners on regular LP's cut into my gut and just aren't comfortable. This guy has a nice body contour in it, so it's really quite comfortable.

The neck has some kind of radical "satin" finish on it that is LIGHTNING fast to play on. It's almost like a rough finish, but it's great because your hand doesn't stick to it like it would to a traditional painted finish. You just have to try it.

This thing has that LP growl that all guitar players associate with a LP. The humbuckers are phenomenal!! In my band, we play classic rock covers with a few heavier tunes thrown in. I figured this guitar would fit right in with some of the more "mild" songs, and songs that were recorded on a LP. "Hold On Loosely", "Deuce", "Life In The Fast Lane", and a couple of Journey tunes... stuff like that. This guitar certainly covers those styles perfectly. But wait... The first time I took this to practice, we started playing "Man In The Box" with a heavy overdrive, and when I hit an artificial harmonic in "G" on the low "E" string... O-M-G!!! The rest of the band members jaws all dropped and they commented that this guitar screamed like a Zakk Wylde. It's VERY responsive!! Then I dialed it back, and tried out the piezo acoustic pickup for our rendition of "Comfortably Numb". I know, shudder at the thought of playing a LP for a Pink Floyd song... The piezo acoustic sound was absolutely incredible, but then when I turned the piezo down and the humbuckers back on for the solo's, it filled the bill again!
This guitar will get you pretty much ANY tone you want (except for the buzz of a single coil). All I can say is, try it!!

There are only 2 things I don't like about this guitar, hence the 4-stars. While the body is light, the headstock isn't, and it tends to pull on the shoulder. It's just not very well balanced, so it takes some getting used to. Also, it's still tough to get to the higher frets just like any LP.

Otherwise, you get the killer LP sound with the added bonus of an acoustic, and the unexpected bonus of COMFORT! This guitar is well worth the price and I'd say it's essential to any collection. You can cover so much ground with it!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Les Paul Collection Electric Guitar, Midnight Ebony

Product Description:
Most guitar experts would agree, it's really, really, really hard to improve on the Les Paul Model. In over 50 years, the master's design is unbeatable. However, we took a cool concept for a lighter version, our Ultra II and played up to it's surprising acoustic bonus properties by adding a Shadow NanoMag pickup system. We embedded the small, powerful, device into the actual end of the fretboard, right at the sweet spot for grabbing rich, acoustic harmonics. We also added the versatility of stereo output, and altogether, yeilding one of the most incredible, award-winning Les Paul models ever. The Epiphone Les Paul Ultra II, with internal chambers making it three pounds lighter than an average LP, still sounds like you'd expect the "King of Solidbodies" to sound with Humbuckers engaged. The comfortable contour on the back is also a plus. The carved Mahagany body features a Quilted Maple top with a set, Mahogany neck with Rosewood fingerboard and is voiced bya pair ofhigh-output Alnico Classic Humbuckers, and the Shadow NanoMag system. Add Gold Grover™ tuners, and our newEpiphone LockTone™ locking Tune-o-matic bridge and Stop-bar tailpiece for even more sustain and unparalleled versatile tone.

Get 42% OFF

Want to buy Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Les Paul Collection Electric Guitar, Midnight Ebony at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

More about → Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Les Paul Collection Electric Guitar, Midnight Ebony Review