Ok, I've revised... I'm looking at $400 - 650

I will say one thing, tho... after the number of Gibby LPs I've tried over the last 2 months I think I would buy a $450 Epi over a USA Gibson. The $2000 spent on a USA Gibson just doesn't make sense. The workmanship that I saw was substandard for a $2000 instrument. A Faded "Special" Gibson at $600 - 900 is a good deal (especially given the electronics and hardware you get) but I think the quality issues at the $2000 price point have turned me off. The Epis have great fit and finish, but they lacked "soul" when playing them, and the switches and pups felt and sounded flimsy.

ESP LTD is the affordable line of the ESP custom line. Though 'affordable' can often mean $1,100 or more. Though the prices range quite a bit. I've never played an ESP. Did find a review of a couple ESP's though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNtUpnPth_0

Not quite the guitars you're looking at but hope it helps.

Get this:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Jaguar-HH-Electric-Guitar?sku=511323

Or this (you could get this for someone else):

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-65-Mustang-Reissue?sku=512763

Dang kids today, all you care about is your Strats and Les Pauls. I'm kidding..........

Dang kids today, all you care about is your Strats and Les Pauls. I'm kidding..........

That's not true!!!!
.........There's also Telecasters :D

Actually I have a 13 year old daughter that WAS getting into playing the guitar a couple years ago.
I was thinking that a nice 62 Fender Jaguar would be nice for her because of the 24" scale length.
Never got to find out, all she cares about now are boys :evil:

Have you played either the Jag or Mustang Angel????

Ken

Have you played either the Jag or Mustang Angel????

I have the Jaguar, it's my main guitar and I can vouch for it. Haven't played the Mustang but I never said for Dali to buy it for him :lol:

"Dang kids today, all you care about is your Strats and Les Pauls. I'm kidding.........."

Angel i couldn't agree more, it seems like everyone here likes LP's and everything made by fener, i think I'm the only one here that would take an ibanez, jackson, or esp over a les paul or fender....... i have had both a strat and les paul and i just couldn't wait to get rid of them...... i am living in the wrong decade, how i wish it was the 80's

although i heard eddie van halen is now signed with fender......i think thats a bad mistake on his part.......

Did you know Carvin makes guitar kits? Their fairly cheap, but the look really nice. I'd always take building a guitar over buying one. But that's me. :D

Check'm out:

http://www.carvin.com/products/group.php?CID=KBN

They've got all the same features as Carvin's bolt-on guitars but in kit form and since they haven't been finished the body(I don't think...)you could always do some cool inlay work. Cool beans, I say.

Here's the best guitar you can buy for $500...IMHO>

http://www.prsguitars.com/tremontise/index.html
Since I got my PRS Tremonti I have a hard time playing anything else, and I have a very nice Fender Hwy One strat, a Squier '51, and a Hamer to choose from as well...... :wink:

I'm in love with the neck and the tone.

Margaret

Good tone....
Did I see you say, Margaret, in another thread that you had small hands????
Do you know if the PRS has a smaller scale length as well? (say 24")

I think my daughter would like the PRS much better than some old Fender. :shock:

Ken

Good tone....
Did I see you say, Margaret, in another thread that you had small hands????
Do you know if the PRS has a smaller scale length as well? (say 24")

I think my daughter would like the PRS much better than some old Fender. :shock:

Ken
You're probably referring to the thread about my switch from a full-scale bass to a short scale bass. I don't have particularly small hands, but in "the case of the bass" (it's a mystery story!), the shorter scale is MUCH better for me, as I'm somewhat accustomed to (though not particularly skilled with) a regular guitar.

I don't know if PRS makes a smaller scale guitar, but I'm sure any PRS with a neck similar to my Tremonti would be fine for a 13-year-old's hands. It is very manageable for a woman's hands. And the Tremonti is light in weight, which I like, too. Doesn't hurt my feelings either that it is beautifully contoured and all-around cool looking. Sounds like your daughter needs a PRS to keep her away from the boys, and if she doesn't play it, well then, you'll have to. :P

Margaret

The Dali Lima

I recently played one of those Washburns when I was on vacation down South. Really nice guitar, excellent workmanship, especially for the reasonable price. It was much heavier than I expected, easily as heavy as my LP Studio, maybe even heavier. I dunno, could have been the horrible solid state practice amp they had at the music store, but it really did not have that LP tone to me. It had a nice warm tone, but not the same as a real LP.

I will say one thing, tho... after the number of Gibby LPs I've tried over the last 2 months I think I would buy a $450 Epi over a USA Gibson. The $2000 spent on a USA Gibson just doesn't make sense. The workmanship that I saw was substandard for a $2000 instrument. A Faded "Special" Gibson at $600 - 900 is a good deal (especially given the electronics and hardware you get) but I think the quality issues at the $2000 price point have turned me off. The Epis have great fit and finish, but they lacked "soul" when playing them, and the switches and pups felt and sounded flimsy.

I am a big fan of the warm Gibson tone of LPs and SGs. I dunno, nobody else quite captures that tone. It is a combination of the woods used and especially the Gibson pickups. The Epi's are nice and get close, but not quite the same.

If you are on a budget, but want that real Gibby LP tone, take a look at the Gibson Vintage Mahogany. These are sharp looking guitars, the ones I've looked at had very good quality and are the real thing. This is the lowest priced model with the carved top.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-Les-Paul-Vintage-Mahogany-Electric-Guitar?sku=517536

I recently purchased the Faded SG. I love the tone of this guitar, just a little brighter than my LP Studio. While LPs sound great, it is hard to get a bright tone out of them when you want it. So I like the SG tone a little better, but that's me. The guitar is super-light which is really nice. You need to check the fret job carefully on these guitars, but other than that they are outstanding in my opinion. They sound fantastic clean and really rock with distortion too. I love the stock 490 pickups, very warm, but tight and crisp too.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-Faded-SG-Special-Electric-Guitar?sku=517222

Try one of these, you might even prefer the tone to the LP.

Thanks Wes, I actually already have a Gibson SG. I'm looking for something more in the LP / PRS family...

I love the Gibson tone, but the fit and finish of the Standards and Classics are simply subpar in my experience. For the dollars they are asking the instruments should be mint. I simply haven't found that to be the case.

I was also looking into some of the Japanese-made Jacksons. I like the Soloist...

Margaret, you snuck that in right by me.

Thankx to you and to Angel for your opinions on those guitars. :wink:

Ken