Best Les Paul-esque guitar under £400 (incl Used)

geetarguy85

Hi all,

I may be in the market for a Les Paul style guitar in the near future and I was wondering if I could pick your brains.

Firstly, I am working to a budget of £400 and am happy with both new and used.

I would be looking for something that can do blues (higher gain a la Gary Moore and Joe Bonamassa) through to hard rock (think Black Stone Cherry).

Really what I would like is something that gives me a fat lead tone at the neck and an aggressive bridge tone, but can clean up relatively well.

I have a PRS SE Custom 24 and SE Angelus so I know and trust PRS, and I like the look of some of their singlecut models, but I'm staying open to any brand.

I prefer guitars with burst or trans finishes so this will be a factor but I am not staunchly against plain finishes.

Thanks!

jellybelly

You could score a used Studio Faded for that, if you can deal with the finishes...

kennedydream1980

What about the Epiphone Tribute Plus model? Great spec and can be picked up between £250-£350 used.

Jack_

LTD EC-1000, but you want one with Duncan's not EMG's.

JookyChap

I'd seriously check out an Edwards if you can find one

nickb_boy

I've got a 1995 Epiphone Les Paul Standard made in the Sammick factory that would be well under your budget

bbill335

JookyChap said:

I'd seriously check out an Edwards if you can find one

This or a yamaha studio lord. Don't be scared of bolt on necks or volutes behind the nut. 

alanchanxd

jellybelly said:

You could score a used Studio Faded for that, if you can deal with the finishes...

Second this, I have also seen LPJ for around that price too but I rather have a studio over a LPJ

dogload

Secondhand DeArmond M75. The ones without the Bigsby have GoldTone Humbuckers, a solid mahogany set neck construction and are good quality. They sound great too

mikeyrob73

Epiphone Les Paul standard , I just scored a plus top version and it plays and sounds very nice for the money. Certainly better than the Vintage afd my lad has, pretty suprised by it

or look for something a bit different? The Fender FMT are nice, Fender scale length but humbuckers. Or my tele Blackout ;-) sparkly blue, Seymour Duncan 59 and Pearly Gates 

rico

Surely you must be able to find an Epi LP Custom around that budget? 

I'd sell you mine but it has sentimental value/I'm practicing fret dressing on it. 

William Williamson

kennedydream1980 said:

What about the Epiphone Tribute Plus model? Great spec and can be picked up between £250-£350 used.

If that's the one with Classic 57's then I can't agree more heartily. I found it impossible to tell sonically and it wasn't a far try froom the LP Trad.

mrleon83

You've answered you own question .. pre Bernie marsden or se245 .. both pre se

watting

mrleon83 said:

You've answered you own question .. pre Bernie marsden or se245 .. both pre se

A couple of years ago I tried a Bernie Marsden and a Joe Bonamassa Epiphone - the difference in volume between the 2 guitars was staggering.  The thing that put me off the BM was the weight - it's a lot heavier than an Epi Les Paul.

JMP220478

Look at MIJ Tokai Love Rock - plainer top models 

guitars4you

I'd find a nice clean used PRS Bernie Marsden or SC245 for something traditional - or a good Jap Tokai

more retro then maybe a Dearmond M75 as mentioned above

crunchman

watting said:

mrleon83 said:

You've answered you own question .. pre Bernie marsden or se245 .. both pre se

A couple of years ago I tried a Bernie Marsden and a Joe Bonamassa Epiphone - the difference in volume between the 2 guitars was staggering.  The thing that put me off the BM was the weight - it's a lot heavier than an Epi Les Paul.

Might be worth trying a few different ones.  Some might be lighter than others.  Of course, proper Gibson LPs can be very heavy as well.

I had one of the original Single PRS SE Soapbars that was very light.  If might be worth looking at something all mahogany like that.  50s LP Customs were all mahogany without the maple cap.

Nunogilberto

Vintage V100, also budgeting for a couple of used Seymour Duncans...

Gassage

Gordon Smith always great

HarrySeven

Gassage said:

Gordon Smith always great

^ This.

HarrySeven

Leftfield choice - careful shopping for late '70's/early '80's MIJ stuff...

This sort of thing turns up on Facebook groups (and here, a little while ago) - usually around the £300 mark.