Les Paul Custom or LP Supreme?

jimj136 · January 2006

I'm trying to decide on a new Les Paul but have not tried the Supreme, is there anyone out there that has played one. If so how do they compare to the Custom. I can't find a Supreme anywhere to try it out.

Any advice would be great! I play rock, blues and metal if that helps.

Thanks

glp_78 · January 2006

If you are into Metal, go with the custom. They have ebony fretboards and tend to play pretty smooth and fast. They're also a little wide in my opinion, I really like the Custom, but sometimes hard to do Hendrix type runs where I fret the low E and play higher string arpeggios. If you got big hands though like Zakk, no problem. Anyway, if metal is your bag, more metal players tend to lean toward the Custom.

jimj136 · January 2006

Thanks man for the tip. I like the customs alot and was just curious about the supreme. I have a couple of the Epi Pauls and they are very nice, I will probably drop the big bucks for the Gibson come tax time.

ednrg · January 2006

If you don't want to go for the extra bucks, you can enhance your EPIs for a lot less. I have an EPI Les Paul and a Gibson LP. The Gibson workmanship blows the EPI away, but I was amazed at how well the EPI was made, especially for the money.

On my EPI, I rewired the entire guitar (no big deal), changed the pickups to Gibson PAFs, changed the toggle switch to a Gibson. It sounds and plays incredible. The EPI toggle switch and Pickups are sub-par, and they need to be replaced as soon as possible.

If you want spend the money for the Gibson, you won't be disappointed. But if you want to spend less and enhance your current guitar, you can do it for about $250.

Schafrocks · January 2006

ednrg,

I had a EPI Les Paul Standard Plus for a couple of years. It had a great looking honeyburst flame top and I dropped in a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and 59er in the neck position. The tone was killer and the action was very nice. The bad thing was it wouldn't stay in tune. I did everything. Set the intonation, adjusted the neck, tightened everything down, still wouldn't stay in tune. I finally got frustated and traded it for a gibson Xplorer, which by the way is very nice for the price. Anyway, what do you think may have caused this or did I just get a lemon?

Schaf

ednrg · January 2006

Epi hardware is subpar in general. The problem was probably the machine heads. My friend had the same problem, and he replaced them (or actually I replaced them for him

).

Luckily, I never had that problem.

jimj136 · January 2006

I have two Epi LP\"s, An LP custom Plus and an LP Classic.

The custom Plus is said to have all Gibson Parts, I've never taken it apart to find. The pickups seem a litle week but it does stay in tune. It also has a killer flame to. I have an Epi flying v with sd pups and it sounds awesome, maybe i'll try changing them in the LP.

Thanks for the input guys

glp_78 · January 2006

Epis are bad for going out of tune until you change the hardware. My Epi has grover tuners which are actuall VERY good. No problem there. The problems I noticed and changed quickly to improve the tuning is first and foremost change the bridge. Get a tonepros locking bridge, they are sweet. Also, if you play any guage string higher than .009's you'll have to reslot the nut or the strings will bind and never stay in tune. The truss rods are adjusted properly on a regular basis, mine had too much bow. The pots are crappy and need changed and the switch is crap. I would also recommend changing the PUP's. I like Seymour Duncan and Dimarzio. They are great pups and cheaper than Gibson's. Still, with all the modification you may spend 300 bucks or so and pay 450-500 for the original guit, so for 800 bucks you come up with a Pro Level axe. Gibson's are great, but you can have a Pro Level Epi for half the price.

guitar3456 · January 2006

Have you tried an LTD (ESP) EC1000?? You could buy both the EC's with passive and EMG pickup versions for the price of one LP. I have never had a single tuning issue with the EC's. The inlays and cosmetics are sweet. Tone pro's bridge/saddle... New nut system that keeps the guitar strings from the usual slippage and \"tinks\"..up a pitch stuff. Right out of the box the intonations and action were LP Custom perfect. I have yet to adjust anything after owning these for a year and a half.

You can also try a LP Studio. Those are killer axes as well. I do suggest Tone Pro's ...always

Tone Pro's lock the bridge at the posts, unlike normal Tune O Matics that rest and use string tension to stay seated. Tone Pro's drift very little..if any.

Cold weather..sitting in the car can make tuning a pain before a show. Always have guitars acclamaited to room temp before tuning.

jimj136 · January 2006

I just checked out the ESP's on musicians friend, they seem to have all the features i'm looking for.

Thanks for the tip Mike.

Johnny Jaded · January 2006

I play an LP Custom myself. 490R and 498T Alico pups. 60s neck. Not necessarily \"metal\", but can certainly go there. I love the thing. My absolute favorite guitar. They are kind of replaced by the Supreme in the Gibson line and the Custom is now from Gibsons Custom Shop. Supreme has the same pups and general specs, but a better top and much mo-bettah finishes available. The Custom you have the choice of black or stupid looking. lol Just kidding... that was harsh. lol Supreme looks nicer to me and they are the same laminated hunks of wood... except one? with the same electronics. Standards have the same weighty feel and ass whoopin sustain, but Studios are a whole different animal. Light and cheapisher. Yes... I made that up. They aren't bad, but you will surely feel a difference. I'd go with the Epi LP Custom for sure. Their high end is way better than Gibsons low end. JMO

shando · January 2006

Hi,

My kid got an epi LP Custom for xmas and the finish on it is fantabulous!!! No tuning problems with it so far. The sound from it is okayish, which was more apparent when we done a side by side comparisson with my cheapo korean LP copy which I has a seynour duncan jazz in the neck and a jb in the bridge. However, my point is that you can get an epi LP custom for a fraction of the price of a gibson and use some of the money saved to put in some top notch p'ups in it and you would still have made a very decent saving. My cheapo LP copy now sounds as good as, if not better, than most gibsons I've heard.

Just my shillings worth.

TY

shando

0Dannyboy · January 2006

I just bought a EPI lasts weekend. 8) I have grovers that are stock on mine and the alinco?(is that the right name?) pickups are not that bad for right now. My last 80s korean Epi (a firebird) the pups were great for clean stuff but would feedback under med. volumes with distortion.

This one (SG) is staying in tune great I diched the bolt on neck I had with the firebird too for a set neck thats so much sweeter. I had my Grey Epi Les paul picked out before I tried this one. and if it werent for this one being so nice I wouldve got the LP. The finish was so nice on the LP. Its so hard to take just 1 guitar home.

However I may put a bone nut and some better pups if I hit the bars with it. Great guitars for the price when you arent ready to fork over the big cash for your dream (Fender/Gibson Etc...) guitar yet. Heck after a few upgrades you may forget what it was you wanted to spend all that extra cash on in the first place

.

jimj136 · January 2006

I have been very satisfied with my LP Custom Plus except for the pup's, I dont know which pups i will upgrade with yet.
The flame on this one is a beauty\"as well as any Gibson I've see\"
It play perfectly. If it were not for the tone an Epi on the headstock you would never know it wasnt a Gibson.

ednrg · January 2006

\jimj136\ wrote:

If it were not for the tone an Epi on the headstock you would never know it wasnt a Gibson.

Along with the extra weight of the Gibson LP. Many of my friends now use their Epi on stage. Anyone who has both knows the Epi is lighter, thus more comfortable over the course of an entire gig.

jimj136 · January 2006

It's been along time since i've played a Gibson LP, My Epi however is still pretty heavy, can u recommend some pups for this LP, Im leaning toward Duncans, maybe some EMG's

ednrg · January 2006

I put Gibson PAFs in my Epi, and it's incredible.

shando · January 2006

I put a SD Jazz in the neck & an SD JB in the bridge of my LP \"style\" guitar and it sounds outstanding now. Check out the tone wizard on the Seymour Duncan website here:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/SDToneWizard/index.shtml

You can even d'load sound samples of each p'up in the different positions both clean & dirty.

I took the advice it gave me and just can't complain. Seymour Duncan p'ups are the most bought replacement p'ups for good reason, they do exactly what they claim.

TY

shando

Les Paul Custom or LP Supreme?

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