Is This Epi Les Paul Worth It

shinjiakari22 · April 30, 2005

Well theres a black epiphone less paul at a local pawn shop.

It appears to be a vintage model, black 2 humbuckers and creme binding.

Its in bad cosmetic shape...the paint is in need of stripping etc. and the neck binding needs to be redone...the electronics seem fine.

Theyre askin $275 for it but i think i can talk them down to $200.

I want to buy the guitar and completley redo it, give it a cherry wine stain, maybe put a gibson inlay at the top, and probably new electronics (sell the olds)

Is this worth the money??

lovekraft · April 30, 2005

I personally wouldn't pay more than maybe half that much for a trashed Epi LP. The Epi LP Std is only $500 brand new. But that's just me...

GregP · April 30, 2005

Doesn't sound like the deal of the century. With that much cosmetic damage, it'd be helpful to REALLY inspect the rest of its workings, too... how are the frets leveled, is the neck warped, etc.

Also, I don't know about Epiphone, but it seems to me that a solid painted guitar in general would have a better chance of having unimpressive-looking wood under the paint. Doesn't mean the tone wont' still be fine, but I wouldn't count on there being good-looking wood underneath for a translucent finish.

That price is mediocre, as long as the action is really good and the guitar itself still has good build quality. Not a total rip, but not the best deal ever.

Greg

Mickguard · April 30, 2005

Well theres a black epiphone less paul at a local pawn shop.
It appears to be a vintage model, black 2 humbuckers and creme binding.
Its in bad cosmetic shape...the paint is in need of stripping etc. and the neck binding needs to be redone...the electronics seem fine.
Theyre askin $275 for it but i think i can talk them down to $200.
I want to buy the guitar and completley redo it, give it a cherry wine stain, maybe put a gibson inlay at the top, and probably new electronics (sell the olds)
Is this worth the money??

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You sure it's made of wood? Weren't some Epiphones made of pressed cardboard or something like that.

The acoustic guitar player in my group showed up with one of those bound Epiphones..what a piece of crap! Just in lousy shape, couldn't get the strings down to a useful height (well, he's used to an acoustic, so he's happy there)... well, wouldn't you know, the neck started to separate a week or so later ---I mean, where the headstock is glued onto the neck ...it started to lift up at the glue line...

Makes me wary of any guitar with a painted neck...

Southpa · April 30, 2005

Pawn shops are always asking for more than what the guitar is worth. They probably picked the guitar up for around 50 bucks and the price you mention is their typical markup. I guess thats the name of the game, buy cheap and sell dear, otherwise they wouldn't be in business. If you stripped the guitar down you would likely find that its made of about 12 pieces laminated together, either plywood, wooden blocks or both ie. blocks glued together with a formed plywood top. In most cases there is a reason why they paint these guitars solid colors. You can buy a brand new similar Epi LP for maybe $100 more than what the pawn shop is asking for the old junker.

There are no "vintage" Epiphone LP copies. If you get the serial number off the guitar you can try to look it up here but I doubt you will get any results.