What makes a guitarr greate?


Svanholm
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Svanholm
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11/12/2014 9:48 am
How much does every part of a guitarr matter to make it great.
What is the different between, lets say, a Epiphone Les Paul and a Gibson Les Paul?

Is it the wood, the pickups, the strings, the neck?
# 1
fuzzb0x
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fuzzb0x
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11/12/2014 9:10 pm
Epiphone make some great guitars for the price, but the fact that they are so much cheaper means they have to use cheaper components to build the guitar. The wood will be of a lower grade and so will the electronics and also the build quality of the instrument when compared to a Gibson guitar of the same model.
But that's not to say some of the cheaper guitars can't be great. I personally have an Epiphone Wilshire that is stunning to play but i know the neck is a two piece instead of a one piece like on the original which is a common cost cutting method and the body is also a two piece. But to play, it feels great and i've upgraded the pickups so it also sounds great now.
I also have a Squier strat that has had a lot of upgrades to it, new saddles, wiring, pots, switch, jack socket, new capacitors, new pickups, full set up including a fret dress. I did all this as a bit of a project cos i wanted to know how good i could make the guitar and it plays and sounds really, really nice now. But when i compare it to my Tokai Stratocaster that was made in Japan in 1985 the Tokai blows it away, the build quality of the instrument is just so much better. I've changed the pickups in the Tokai as well because i didn't like them but that's all this guitar has had changed, everything else is original.
The main thing i think is important is the quality of the guitar build and the components used, you can change the electric components on a guitar at a reasonable cost so they are always the least of my worries.
# 2
maggior
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maggior
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11/12/2014 9:59 pm
Spending the money on a "quality" guitar is no guarantee. For instance, my LP Standard is with the luthier having the fretboard inlays reglued. Last week two of them started lifting at the corner.

In addition to my LP Standard, I have a faded LP Studio. This is the low of the low end of a guitar that says "Gibson" on the headstock. I've been playing this guitar since my other one was dropped of for repair. Well this guitar holds up quite well to it's higher end cousin. OK, I had to replace the pickup selector switch, but that was easy.

So just be aware that higher cost doens't necessarily mean higher quality in both sound or playability.
# 3
VinceMarrone
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VinceMarrone
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11/13/2014 3:31 am
Just determine the style of guitar and budget for your purchase first. Then play everything you can get your hands on to try. Go to every music store you can get to and try as many as you can. When you find the one that sounds like the guitar you hear in your head, then buy it. if things break on it, they can be fixed. The guitar should speak to you as a whole. You can get some really great guitars for low dollars these days. I can't tell you how many cheap guitars I've played that stack up really well next to my 4K Gibson 345. In all honesty, I could play my gigs with an Epiphone 335 copy with my favorite brand and size of string with a good set up. Later on you can experiment with changing pickups, tuners, etc. Rest assured they will only make minor changes. If the guitar rocks to you, the two of you should be together.
# 4
Svanholm
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Svanholm
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11/17/2014 1:32 pm
I do have a Epiphone LP wich I love and I dont really see me playing a Gibson, yet. Most because I think that Im not that good of a player to play a Gibson.

Anyway, why I ask is because I would like to build me own guitar. I have found a kit on internet wich is cheap. But, im thinking of changing the electronigs, the stable, etc. Everything but the body and neck.
Thats why I asked, how much will that change? Alot? Not at all?
# 5
fuzzb0x
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fuzzb0x
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11/17/2014 11:55 pm
It depends how well the body and neck are made, what woods are used, how well they fit together. If you are good at adapting things and making alterations you could probably make a fairly decent guitar from the kit. But if the kit is cheap like you say it is, why not give it a go and find out.
# 6
Svanholm
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Svanholm
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11/18/2014 1:20 pm
Yeah I think I might do that.

I dont know if Im ready to buy better wods and make the whole body my self. I think that is a too big of a job, for now.
# 7
ricka47
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ricka47
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01/30/2015 12:33 am
It's not so much the cost but what sounds and feels good to play. When I got back into playing (after 40 years), I bought an Epiphone Les Paul Plus Top Pro. But, after receiving two with quality issues on the finish, I gave up and bought a Gibson Les Paul (for twice the money).

But, I'm sure I would have been happy with the Epiphone had I been sent one that wasn't flawed in the finish because it played well and sounded great. In retrospect, I would have been smarter to go in person to a store and pick one out but just didn't have the extra time during that period. That is what I would do now if I were ever to buy another guitar. But, at 64, I think that the one that I have now will last me for a long time!

Rick Abshier[br]___________________________

Fender HSS MIM Stratocaster

Schecter Stiletto-5 Session Bass

# 8
maggior
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maggior
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01/30/2015 4:57 am
You know what, life is short and if a *Gibson* Les Paul is what inspires you, then that's the guitar for you!!

I have one I got last spring and it inspires the hell out of me to play. It is gorgeous to look at, feels great in my hands, and has killer tone. What more could I ask for!?!?

\m/
# 9
spheinrich6
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spheinrich6
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01/28/2016 1:04 am
My first guitars were a Squire Strat and an Epiphone Les Paul. They are playable guitars. About five years ago I started building guitars(23 so far) and learned very quickly that quality of the materials, construction and neck shape make a HUGE difference. The species and quality of the wood is the major factor in tone. Hardware also has a big influence on tone also. The most important issue I've found is how comfortable the guitar is to the player. Weight, shape and most importantly, neck shape will really determine how well you can play. There are a million factors that work together to make a guitar "good". I recommend you play around with a variety of guitars. Brands, shapes and styles. There's always parts that need to be fixed regardless of brand but you DO get what you pay for. Good luck and have fun!
# 10
ptretter
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ptretter
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02/11/2016 10:53 pm
Originally Posted by: SvanholmHow much does every part of a guitarr matter to make it great.
What is the different between, lets say, a Epiphone Les Paul and a Gibson Les Paul?

Is it the wood, the pickups, the strings, the neck?


A little bit of everything. What I mean is that selection of woods and their grain pattern and and grain features such as whether they have knots, etc..

Some guitars are have inferior electronics such as weaker pickups, cheap selectors and crappy pots. Some are made with higher end bridged and tuners than others.

Some are based on the construction such as how many plys the neck is and whether is neck-thru or glued in or bolt on etc.. Then there is also the quality of the fretting and quality of the body finish. And much more.

With the Epiphone and Gibson Les Paul there it is more a matter of marketing and Quality control in my opinion. The Quality of a Gibson is superior to an Epiphone. But I think when it comes to the Gibson and Fender brands in this regard it is more of marketing issue because the price difference are such a huge factor. Don't get me wrong a Gibson Les Paul is far superior than an Epiphone Les Paul (I own both) but a lot of that is more in the market than in the features and quality of the components your upgrading to when you get the Gibson.
# 11
andrewplumer
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andrewplumer
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02/21/2016 10:35 pm
Thank you, very good comparison.
# 12

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