Best budget LP with real maple cap?

[ErikH]

This:

http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/msg/3050851311.html

However, between those you mention, the Ultra. Every one I have picked up has been a nice guitar that rang true and played really well. IMO, the Ultra is probably the best in the Epi LP line.

[GuitarDoc]

I have an Ultra that is my #1 LP. Very good guitar.

[jambs]

Stop the presses, has anybody heard of Welch Guitars before? Not much information available online, but I've read a couple of glowing reviews and the photos available show a maple cap of decent thickness.




Reviews here:
Acapella Harmony
MLP

Apparently the flamed laminate WG-11 (now WG-65) goes for $400.

[Varg]

What does the maple cap do jambs? How thick should it be to be ideal?

I can't believe you guys are arguing over this nonsense.

[Jessie's ghost]

I tried thick maple caps, but they were heavy and made my scalp itch.

[blueman335]

Stop the presses, has anybody heard of Welch Guitars before? Not much information available online, but I've read a couple of glowing reviews and the photos available show a maple cap of decent thickness.

Nice flame.

[blueman335]

What does the maple cap do jambs? How thick should it be to be ideal?

I can't believe you guys are arguing over this nonsense.

Nonsense? Maple tops give treble, clarity, and bite to a fat slab of mahogany. And a flame top can be beautiful.

[Wattage]

I just ran across an SVK Les Paul that while Chinese made was pretty nice and was under $300 used. Don't know much about them other than they got the Gibson cease and desist letter. Worth a try if you come across one.

[Inkstained]

So the Studio Fadeds do have maple tops?

$799 for a US-made Gibson with traditional electronics and woods (expect the fretboard) is a hell of a deal.

[Varg]

Nonsense? Maple tops give treble, clarity, and bite to a fat slab of mahogany. And a flame top can be beautiful.

How thick does it have to be to be beautiful? We're talking about budget LPs here, hence my "nonsense" comment. Worrying about how thick a maple top might be on a cheap Epiphone seems, to me, like nonsense. No one knows what these guitars are made from, but as you and me both know, they can look and sound fantastic. Regardless of how thick the maple top is.

[Varg]

So the Studio Fadeds do have maple tops?

$799 for a US-made Gibson with traditional electronics and woods (expect the fretboard) is a hell of a deal.

I think the newer Studio Fadeds have a maple top, but the originals didnt. AFAIK mine doesn't, its all mahogany. But it sounds exactly as you would expect a Les Paul to sound into a Marshall with a set of Seth Lovers. (which is not quite what I want so I'm putting Full Shreds in it )

[ImmortalSix]

I like Epi LP Stds and Customs a lot.

I was under the impression that Epiphone Les Paul Customs do not have a maple cap.

Do you (or anyone) know what the real deal is?

I have one at home, I suppose I could check. I will have to scrape some paint though, the cavities are all painted.

They did have one with a transparent finish (antique sunburst) next to it at the shop, and it definitely had a maple cap, but I think it was a "Custom Plus" or something, which pretty much means just that - plus a maple top and a trans finish.

[ImmortalSix]

P.S. I love my Epi LPC, it plays great and sounds great. It does feel "cheap," but that's probably mental.

[Varg]

I was under the impression that Epiphone Les Paul Customs do not have a maple cap.

Do you (or anyone) know what the real deal is?

This is my point. No one seems to know what woods Epis are made from. But enough of us like them that it matters not.

I have a Black Beauty, but it's from 1996, made in Korea. Did they use different wood back then? Probably. What kind of woods? Who the hell knows?!

How thick was the maple cap?


Come on man.

[ImmortalSix]

This is my point. No one seems to know what woods Epis are made from. But enough of us like them that it matters not.

I have a Black Beauty, but it's from 1996, made in Korea. Did they use different wood back then? Probably. What kind of woods? Who the hell knows?!

How thick was the maple cap?


Come on man.

Yep - that's about all I know about my Epi LPC - I like it, and it sounds good. I could not care any less about where it was made or what it's made of.

[jambs]

Pulled the trigger on an amberbust Welch WG-65, $500 included HSC and shipping. Considering doing an NGD post when it arrives...

[drpietrzak]

Epi tribes have a maple cap. See http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php?ti...versary_Models

You can see it here as well for example.

[atreidesheir]

I have an Xaviere XV-550 that claims to have a 3/4" maple cap. I'm actually pretty impressed with the guitar. I paid like $170USD for it and yes I did have to put some work into it, but I put work into all my guitars and if you wanted to put a price on parts and labor you could say I spent $500 on the guitar or in other words paid for a stock Epi standard.

I threw in a set of Fralin Pure PAF's, a polished bone nut, new set of tuners, I did a fret level/dress, I filed the saddles to match the radius of the fingerboard and to give the strings some breathing room, I set the intonation and string heights, a slight truss rod adjustment (since I use 12's on this guitar and it came stock with 9's).

This is a great sounding and playing guitar for the measly price I paid and it actually sounds good, idk if I just got lucky with mine, I was skeptical for the price but figured it'd be a fun project guitar and it ended up staying with me alongside some much nicer guitars.

I have almost pulled the trigger on those a couple of times. I hoped they were good.

[detheldred]

Check out the Epiphone Les Paul PlusTop PRO. It's $499 (down from $832) at Guitar Center brand new; it has a flamed maple top; and it comes in a lot of different colors.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Epiphone...75-i2257298.gc

[detheldred]

I also must say ESP LTDs have probably the best quality in every price range I have seen in any guitar store. Say, if I take a LTD V for $200, I have to get a $700 Jackson or Schecter V to get comparable quality. My point is, you can get a nice LTD EC (LP body shape) with a maple top and a set neck for a fairly inexpensive price. Just thought I would mention it.